Youth's Memoir
By silenthero
Disclaimer: I don't own DotA 2. If I do, it'll be broken as hell.
Amid the endless battle of Radiant and Dire there was a blissful moment where no conflict would ensure. No one knew why it happens. The huge barracks ceased spawning their generic warriors from both sides and an uneasy peace would take place. It was taken as a rest of sorts by the heroes, throwing their petty indifference aside and tried living as normal as they could. Before the trumpets are blown and they are again thrown into the maelstrom.
One such warrior took this pause as a big frivolous waste of time as he swings his huge hammer back and forth to the air as if pounding the enemy itself. He has long blonde hair where a single braid dangles from his right side of his head. His facial features shows age and experience with his undying devotion always flaring in his eyes. He wields a very large hammer one would say very inconvenient for his age. His armor, though, shines like the sun and sky, slowing any foe in their tracks with its radiant aura. His name is true and straight, as his beliefs are: He is Purist Thunderwrath, the Omniknight.
He has been a huge boon for the Radiant and bane for the Dire. His literal purification of foul energies and instant mending of wounds has made a huge difference to their mortality rate. Even the creeps, whom other treats as rags, were grateful of having him by their side, always hoping the bright light covering them in a secured embrace.
But his stern attitude and strict ways had not always been taken well by other heroes. His blind obedience to the one called Omniscience has made him act in haste and impulse, always so sure that the being he serves will protect them all. Zeus, in particular, wouldn't want to be a cannon fodder even if he still has his immortality. This once immortal god even doubted if this "Omniscience" really exists. If it weren't for this zealous warrior's abilities, the other heroes would just treat him as a heretic and a madman.
And there he was, waiting not-so-patiently in the barracks. A figure covered by green and black came close to him. "Waiting and resting are two different things, Purist," the man said.
"Spare me of your words, magus," Purist replied without even ceasing his hammer flexing. "Men were given strength to end evil and men were given rest when the job is done." Though he respected the magus for its unique strength, he always find it irritating if the magus is mimicking his skills without any approval from the Omniscience. The light was not the same, however. His was bright yellow and the magus' was dark green. But the thought of it was near blasphemous and it galled him to no end.
Rubick formed his ever changing tip of his rod into a slab of green rock and sat upon it. "Quite the contrary, dear friend," Rubick replied politely and offered, "If you are ever so kind would you please join a cup of tea with me?"
Omniknight turned to look at his ally with bewilderment and asked. "At this hour? Can you not find someone else?"
"I find other heroes too occupied with their own business," Rubick replied matter-of-factly. "And you are the only one here seem waiting, or perhaps doing nothing."
Purist was taken aback, offended by the magus' words. He stopped pounding the ether and stared to the magus. "Doing nothing? If I may say if only your father, whom I have heard to be the most powerful wizard of his time, had acted swiftly to end and banish this evil we would never be here in the first place!"
At this, Rubick laughed. Omniknight tilted his head wondering if he had just said a joke. "Ah, yes. My father had always been eccentric and too weird to be called 'the most powerful mage'. But strength doesn't always equate to change."
"But it does." Purist retorted. "How could you ever change a thing if you are not capable of doing it?"
Rubick waved his finger and replied, "Time, my hasty friend. It is wise to know when to act and when to wait." The magus channeled his magic to the palm of his hand and a nearby rock floated. "I always envy the young who is full of vigor, but I'm not envious of their naiveté. Take life easy and you'll live longer."
"There are still more things to be done!" exclaimed Purist. "These new heroes are too young to face the realities of war. It is better that we, who are so accustomed, handle it." He had taken the vitality of youth as a ridiculous thing. The young ones had always been too reckless to pursue glory and in doing so caused more harm than good. It was not a pleasant sight to see a young flame be extinguished so prematurely.
"Aren't we all? Aren't you, in one point, like them?" Rubick asked as he was levitating a rock in his palm.
"What are you implying?" the blonde warrior asked, his thick brows knotting.
The magus telekinetically tossed the rock to somewhere. "Don't act like you're not aware of your early expeditions," he chided. "Certainly, our own past hasn't been a walk in a park, but I make the most out of that walk. Mind you that before I was to be called the Grand Magus many tried to assassinate me. Add to that, my link with the esteemed Aghanim had hardly made it thaw. But I try to see the bright side of life. It just depends on what side the horizon you look upon, be it the sunrise or the sunset or the ever dwindling light."
Purist was surprised of how insightful the Magus. The choice of… fashionable garbs covered how wise and discerning the magus. "For a man, whose attire so misleads, speaks with such experience. It had never crossed my mind how hard it would be as a son of a prominent one." Omniknight replied.
"Well, enough about me. Tell me about your story. Surely there was something that made you what you are today." Rubick said with a glint of curiosity in his tone.
"I can say the same to you."
"Why was I not yet ordained?" a young man asked impatiently."I have endured numerous journeys, traveled town after town, trained our ways and learned how to fight. Isn't that enough?"
"You have much to learn, young one." An elderly man replied.
His master's reply only angered him even more. "But I did! I have mastered everything you taught me and still you deny me of my right!"
With a sigh, the elder replied. "Very well, I'll give you a journey most difficult. If you succeed, I'll personally give you my weapon and my blessing to advance your rank."
"What is it?" the youth asked enthusiastically, almost impatient.
"There is this item called the 'Forest Wreath'. It's a golden necklace in the center of the Hollowood forest. If you bring it back to me, I'll certainly grant your request." Without much ado the young man quickly fled and begun his journey.
After a few days of scrounging and searching, the young man had found the treasure. It was a plain necklace hanging in one of the branches of an Ironwood Tree. It doesn't have any distinguishable features other than its bright gold color. The youth took it and tried to get back to his master. There was a moment where he thought with amusement how easy this task was and how his master treat it as a "difficult journey".
Many hours passed and he was still inside the forest. How is this possible? The youth wondered. But he never lost confidence, always looking at the price just waiting to be grasped. As hours turned into days, the youth's strength faltered as he wandered aimlessly. He could no longer stand up and he falls to the ground, spent and exhausted.
He saw someone beside him and it gave him an invigorating potion. "Not so easy, is it?" I know that voice. He thought. The potion took effect in a matter of seconds and he was back to normality.
"You have much to learn, Purist." It wasn't mockery or insult but was laced with concern. "If only you have learned to stop moving and try to think first, this test might have been a little harsher."
The journey back was an unpleasant one. How? What did I do wrong? Purist could barely look to his master along the way. It did gave him time to reflect what just happened in his journey.
After his failed test, Purist had learned the item he was supposed to retrieve was bound to the forest itself. It would subtlely transport its bearer back to the forest when they are close of leaving it. You have to cast an anti-magic barrier so the forest won't recognize the necklace being stolen. His master simply said as he demonstrated it when they're leaving the forest.
It was so simple he nearly grabbed his master's hammer and bashed himself with it. Obviously, his master had known what would happen. The trick neither angered Purist. It was his fault for not learning what he was about to pursue. In the end, it just embarrassed himself. The memory was so seared in his heart he wanted it forgotten and thus only make it more vivid and haunting. From that point on, he neither doubted nor questioned his elders.
"What an anecdote you have, my good friend!" Rubick said tapping his staff to the ground. "And here I am thinking I've witnessed everything."
"It is." Purist replied, a glint of smile in his face. "I did get ordained and got my master's approval years after my failed test." Purist took his hammer and raised it. "Simple memories." After reminiscing for a moment, Purist felt the need to calm down. He couldn't help himself but stiff a laughter. He really was like the young heroes of today.
"That was enjoyable." Rubick stood up. He pointed his rod to the green slab and it reverted into a green gel in the tip of his rod. "Now, you haven't answered my offer of having tea with me."
Purist smiled and replied. "It's your turn to explain why you are acting so strange, goofy and mysterious."
"I'll take it as a yes, then." As they left the barracks, Rubick said something about wearing a mask with an orange swirl with a single eye hole instead of his current one. But unfortunately, someone from another realm had gotten the idea first.
Pardon my horrible writing. I'm not good at doing this stuff at all. But what the heck. Reviews are appreciated. ^^
