Obligations.
Chris tossed around. Thousands of possible scenarios rushed through his anguished mind. Different possibilities as to the obligation rushed alongside them. He stirred, shafts of moonlight drifting across the bed. He got off the bed and dressed. Destiny rested her weight upon his shoulders. Up till present, his life had been relatively devoid of the conflict that raged across the realms. He thought back on the past few days since the appearance of Michael. His message had been cryptic at the least. The balance teetered.
He could feel it, but was powerless to do anything about it. He needed counsel, but from the one who had started it all. He stopped short as the knowledge of how to summon Michael escaped him. Only the Elder would know, but the hour was late. He whiled away the hours till sunrise staring at the Sword, willing it to reveal its secrets. The Sword mocked him in its silence. Eventually, along with the birds, morning arrived. Chris stumbled down to the inn and ate breakfast, setting off soon after to locate the Elder once more. He found him, groggy eyed outside his cottage.
"Morning Elder." Chris said, tipping his head.
"Morning Chris." The Elder sounded haggard.
"May I ask what is wrong?" Chris said quietly.
"Nothing escapes you does it?" the Elder smiled.
"No such luck." Chris laughed.
"I have been contemplating the sudden arrival of the Sword. It seems so short a time after I told you of it. How did you gain knowledge of its location?" He asked
"An angel came to me." Chris laughed.
"Seriously now dear boy. Jokes have no place in times of terror." The Elder scorned him.
"I beg to differ. Jokes are needed to lighten the mood, especially in times of terror. But I am being serious when I say an angel came to me! And an Archangel no less." Chris said.
"An Archangel? You are blessed if that were true. They only appear to the worthy. But we already knew that was the case." The Elder joked.
"Hypocrite. Maybe you should follow your own advice over jokes…" Chris mocked.
The Elder looked at Chris in mirth. "So you are listening to what I say. What was the name of the angel you saw?"
"His name is Michael." Chris told him.
"Michael!" The Elder stared in disbelief.
"What?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes Elder!" Chris said earnestly.
"It is best if we sit. This may take a while." The Elder said motioning to two free chairs.
After they were seated and comfortable the Elder continued. "The angel you spoke of. I know from my travels that he was captured by Sirinata. So for him to appear to you must mean something good or bad. Michael is in fact the head of the order of angels. They protect the Eternal Realm. Michael has obviously escaped for you to have seen him. And Sirinata would rather be eaten alive by Scaraci than have that happen. I'm only guessing here but I think she has been away from her castle for him to have escaped. She hasn't left the castle in over a century for fear of the Gods descending upon her with the force of a thousand winds. Only an assured prize would lure her." The Elder finished
"When Michael appeared he said something I had until this morn forgotten." Chris explained.
"What was it?" the Elder asked.
"He said 'The Balance falters'. I don't know what it means, and is the reason I came looking for you. I wish to summon Michael somehow to explain what is happening." Chris said.
"If Michael is saying these things, then strife and difficulty are indeed upon us. As for summoning him. That is a difficult task. So for now I will do it, but remind me to show you when there is no threat looming upon us." The Elder said. He murmured a few words and fell silent.
"What are y—" Chris began.
"Hush! I am communicating with Michael!" The Elder said.
After the brief spell of silence the Elder eventually spoke. "Michael is unable to speak to us in person, but he has told me what has happened that he would take a hand in the unfolding of events. In short, the Balance is in danger. The Tyrant has drained the Creator of her power. As you can imagine, this places the fate of the realms in the hands of the Supreme. He did the only thing he saw fit and forced the Sword to be uncovered. Which now frees me to tell you what your obligations are."
Chris sat stunned as the Elder spoke again. "Your obligations are just a pledge that you will uphold the manner and dignity of the previous Sword-Bearers. To be more precise, it is a pledge that you will utilise, as well as serve, the powers you are granted honestly. They involve imbuing the Sword's gems with their relevant powers.
"Blue, to rule and govern the Spirit. Green, to rule and govern powers of the earth. Red, to rule and govern the life-blood. And the last gem is the reason I am able to tell you all of this. It is the secret of the Defender's power. The last gem is for the energy of one purely evil or destructive soul. With the Creator having been drained, it is up to you to find and drain the Destroyer of his power. Not only will it restore the balance, but it will also give you an advantage over your enemies in the future." The Elder explained. "But I must stress, the task you are about to undertake is not one to be taken lightly. If you manage to locate the Destroyer, you will have to best him and his power of deception to come out victorious."
"How do I find the Destroyer?" Chris gasped, stress reducing his vocal chords to cotton thread.
"Your hardest task will be to gain entrance into the Void where the Destroyer exists unhampered by restraints that you face." The Elder said
"What restraints are those Elder?" Chris asked, regaining his voice.
"You cannot gain power greater than any foe while you exist in any realm within the Balance. A few realms exist outside of the Balance but they are hard to come by. Your main rival is Sirinata. The upside is that the level of power you can attain has increased quite dramatically. The Creator and the Destroyer were both the most powerful beings in the universe. The Creator's power now flows through Sirinata, so it has fallen upon you to match that power, or watch the destruction of the realms. Your job as Defender, should you take it, is one highly coveted among the warriors of old. The responsibilities entailed are greater than any burden one should ordinarily shoulder. But, you aren't exactly ordinary." The Elder smiled. "You are the last of a line of defenders, powerful in their entirety, but cursed by the burdens placed on them. It is up to you therefore to change perception, by gracefully taking your charge, regardless of circumstances.
Chris sat awed as he was witnessing a new side to the Elder.
"Arise Chris, and accept your destiny as the youngest Defender to protect our realms. Take your obligation, and prove to the forces of darkness that they will be oppressed. Prove to yourself that you are the one who will lead us into a new era. An era where the Gods' dreams of peace are a reality. And most of all, accept the burdens thrust into your care, for you are our last hope. The realms hinge on your success or defeat. With all this in mind, will you take your obligation as Defender of the Realms?" the Elder asked finally.
Chris sat in silence as the minutes rushed by. His life had been forfeit to the wants and needs of others. Sacrificing his happiness to help those stripped of joy. But who better to take up the mantle than one accustomed to shouldering the burdens of greater things than himself. He stood up slowly, and looked at the grim faced Elder. "I will accept the Fate of the realms as my own."
The Elder breathed a sigh of relief as he motioned to Chris, and walked out the door. "Come with me dear boy."