Chapter 3

Finally... the End...


Heavily breathing stood Aeron before the huge doors to the thirteenth tower and could finally open them. Lightly trembling did he open them and was blinded by the light of the morning sun. He stepped through and the doors closed themselves behind him with a loud noise. Here he stood once more in this room or maybe he should call it a place, for it seemed to open to the sky, so it was a little strange for him, to call it a room. Back then, about six years ago, did he find a little, broken toy on the ground, which Elena later assumed to be the toy-horse of the boy Ruben.

Aeron breathed deep in and out to calm himself. Here, somewhere, had to be his own little boy, their precious Allen. Without any more hesitation did he begin to walk up the long stairs, that were winding themselves around the tallest tower of the building, like a snake.

At the very top, where a little garden had formed, did he stop and looked around. There was only one person, a tall man clad in black and grey. Aeron took his sword and moved slowly forward, but then...

"It is nice to meet you, Aeron. I am not surprised to see you here. After all, did I kidnap your son, right?" the stranger said with tease in his voice.

The man turned around and smiled. He had black short hair and the same yellow eyes as Mavda...

"Are you... one of the Vestra?" Aeron asked suspiciously.

The man nodded.

"Yes, that is correct. My name is Gorsan, nice to meet you in person, Aeron."

"Then why did you do all this?! You must know what happened here! How horrifying it was! So, then, why?!"

Gorsan chuckled amused and Aeron could see a dark spark in his eyes.

"Horrifying, you say? I think it more wonderful! Can´t you see? We Vestra are so powerful, why should we bow then to the likes of your king, I ask you? It was completely stupid of our ancestors and so will I erase that mistake, by conquering everything."

Aeron reduced his eyes to slits and glared at him.

"Plain said: You just want to own the world, because you think your race deserves it..."

"Exactly. And am I not right with that? Do you know anyone else with so much power?"

Aeron shook his head.

"Ruling should not be committed with power, but with care and understanding. Just like raising a child, needs a king to raise his country. Unfortunate... only the fewest seem to understand that and are also able to accomplish that."

Gorsan laughed loud out.

"From which fairytale are you coming from, my boy? I thought you were an Athosian soldier, born in Ilios?! You sound almost pathetic! If I wouldn´t know that you just recently fought yourself through a horde of monsters, I would think you forgot how to fight!"

He laughed on, his head thrown into his neck and his hand held above his closed eyes against the sun. When he fell silent he looked again to Aeron, who still scrutinized him, not knowing how to act best in this situation. Gorsan smiled.

"Anyway, aren´t you curious why I kidnapped your adorable little son?" he asked and a foreboding feeling overcame Aeron.

Aeron tensed up and didn´t move one inch, he almost did not dare to breathe.

"Simple..." Gorsan continued. "You are using the Oraclos Chain, aren´t you? It is the most powerful item we Vestra created. It can decide destinies and can control them. It is a truly fearsome chain, but it cannot be used by just anyone. I don´t know why you can use it and to be honest, I don´t really care why, I just need to know that you can. Anyway... I created another Oraclos Chain, one that would fit my needs and I needed someone who could wield it for me. I tried it out myself, but it... went a little out of hand I might say. I think you know of the result of my experiment. After all did I undergo it in Helycon, the capital of Elyria."

Aeron was shocked. He guessed what Gorsan meant and it had been terrible. He had heard the news a few weeks before all this had begun. It was said that something unknown had gone wild in the capital and that a few hundred people had died as consequence. The king, obviously, did not want to have a nation wide panic, which is why he kept most of the incident in the dark. Apalled, Aeron glared at the man before him, almost spitting out the next words he said to him:

"So you can´t control the chain you created, and...? What is your point? Why kidnap my son for this? I am the one who can control it."

"Yes, yes... But I don´t think you would willingly do what I wish, is it? And brainwashing you would surely just be a waste of time. So, I thought... If the father can control the chain, maybe the same power flows within his son... And what would you know? It worked!"

"What?!"

And behind him appeared a little boy with a similar chain to his own in hands. It was Allen with strange looking eyes. Unharmed it seemed... But probably not his mind, Aeron thought. He called a few times out to his son, but without reaction.

"Oh, don´t even try it. It took me quite some time, I admit he´s a stubborn one, but only a few hours ago did I succeed in controlling his mind. You´ve really got an interesting young lad as son, Aeron."

An eerie smirk crept on Gorsan´s face and remained there, while he observed Aerons unbelieving expression, that he could have made it in time to save his son, if he had been just a little faster.

"Anyway, Aeron. I don´t need you here, so why don´t you just leave and don´t get on my nerves?" Gorsan said with annoyance in his voice.

Aeron shook his head to be able to think straight again.

"As if! I am not going without my son!"

"Fine, as you wish... Allen? Stop that fool from interfering with me."

Allen nodded his head and took some steps towards his father.

Aeron stepped back. What should he do now? He could not fight his child... Elena´s and his hope! Not knowing what to do now, did he turn around and ran the stairs back down. Maybe he could find a way to bring him back, when Gorsan wasn´t there.


He stopped at one of the landings between the stairs and turned around. He could see how his son followed him, without Gorsan as planned.

When he reached the landing Allen stopped as well, looking to his father with empty eyes.

He slowly raised the fake Oraclos Chain, that was glimmering in an unnatural light.

What in the world had Gorsan used to create this eerie thing?

Allen threw the chain and the Vestran was right. His son could control the chain perfectly just like he himself could. Aeron grit his teeth. What should he do? He evaded the chain, while his son continued to step forward. Aeron was bleeding all over his body. Even if he could evade so that he wouldn´t get killed, but hit did he get nonetheless. Aeron mumbled a curse. How long could this go on?

And then could he feel a tremor, as if something huge had just landed on the ground from a very high place. The ground shook, as something moved towards them from upstairs and a few minutes later could Aeron see what the cause was: A giant monster that resembled a lizard was crawling down the stairs. Aeron was a little reminded of Zeron, who had run down theses stairs, chasing him.

A shiver ran down his spine in remembrance of that event and he took out his military scythe in exchange for his sword. He needed speed to evade his sons chain, but first should he get rid of that giant lizard, that was far more dangerous in his eyes.

Aeron threw his chain toward the lizards head, so he could find a way to climb it, but got blocked by Allen, who threw his fake chain in the way. Aeron gripped his scythe tightly and ran towards his son. He got scratched deeply a few times, but never too seriously. When he had reached his son he tricked him, made a somersault over him and winded his chain around the neck of the lizard. Then he swung himself on the bag of the monster out of his sons reach, who stood there confused, not knowing where his enemy had disappeared to.

The lizard shook around, trying to get rid of it´s unwanted passenger. Aeron had to hold on tightly to not fall off and crawled bit for bit forward. When he reached the head of the beast he slung the other end of the chain around his hips, to not fall as easily and if he fell to come up fast again. Then he took the scythe into both hands and swung it over his head directly into the neck of the scaled beast.

It screamed and tried even harder to shake him off, but did not succeed. Aeron repeated that attack a few times, until the lizard fell silent and half of his head had been decapitated. The lizard fell to the side and fell down the tower, where it landed on the earth with a loud noise and tremor, that shook the ground and made some of the stones of the tower get loose.

But at that moment, his son reached the side of the landing between the stairs, which showed to the sky, and the stone under Allen´s feet began to crumble and fell down. Allen slipped and was in danger to fall as well, but...

A chain wound itself around him and Aeron pulled him up. His son tried to free himself from the Oraclos Chain that bound him, but then the chain emitted a soft light and Allen became silent. He stopped moving and fell over, where he landed in his fathers arms.

What had happened? Was he all right? Aeron´s eyes went over to the ominous chain his son had carried and put it away into one of his bags. Mavda should be able to take care of it. Allen mumbled something, then opened his eyes wide. When he realised that he was in his father´s arms he sighed relieved. Aeron released his son from the chain and looked at him.

"Are you alright, Allen? How are you feeling?"

"Well, I don´t know how you adults feel after drinking too much alcohol, but I guess I got a pretty good picture of that now, cause I feel just like that, I think." Allen said, while placing a hand on his throbbing head.

Aeron laughed hard and hugged his son, relieved.

"I see... Well, that can´t feel good!"

Allen nodded and looked around.

"Where is that old man, that brought me here?" he asked curiously.

"He´s upstairs and is probably waiting for you... But I´ll give him a nice surprise, don´t worry."

"But, Dad! Maybe that can help us!"

Aeron looked at his little boy.

"What are you planning, Allen?"

"Well... I could just play to be his puppet and return to him and if he thinks you´re weakened enough you can catch him off guard!"

"No! That´s far too dangerous for you! If you´d be older, maybe, but..." Aeron wanted to continue, but got cut off by Allen.

"Dad! The towers and the chain are also my responsibility! You can´t force me to look away! And you always say what one begins has one to end!"

His red-brown eyes looked stubborn into the dark ones of his father. Aeron sighed. That child was too much like Elena and himself...

"Fine, but first show me how well you can use that chain."

Aeron took his Oraclos Chain off and gave it to his son, who looked at him questioning.

"If it gets too dangerous or he finds out that somethings wrong, I want you to use this. So, show me what you got. Otherwise I won´t let you through." Aeron replied, while crossing his arms before his chest.

Allen smiled and nodded. They went all the way down to the place shortly before the two doors and the little boy got his first lesson in weapon use.

After fifteen minutes Aeron was satisfied. His son must be a natural. Then again... Everyone had said the same thing about himself, when he was younger and had his first lesson...

"So, can we do that plan of mine now?" Allen asked his father with an excited glimmer in his eyes.

Aeron nodded.

"But you´ll go with my chain."

"But, Dad..." complained Allen.

"Just say I destroyed his fake and you could steal the original from me. I know lying is bad and I don´t want you to do it in the future, but this is an emergency, okay?"

Allen nodded and they went upstairs again.

"I´ll stay here and don´t worry, it´s going to be alright." the former soldier said.

Allen went further upstairs until he reached the garden at the top. Gorsan waited already impatiently for him and looked up when he arrived.

"Strange... Something seems different... And where is the chain I gave you?"

"The man destroyed masters chain, but I could steal this chain from him, because he was so weakened." said the blond boy, raising the chain in his arms.

Allen showed him the Oraclos Chain and Gorsan smiled triumphed.

"I see! Very good work! No wonder you seem different. This chain could even change a stone if it wanted to! Wonderful! But... I can still feel Aerons presence... You didn´t kill him?"

"He escaped me."

Gorsan nodded and then smiled.

"Well, if he is that weak, I´ll go and kill him myself. No need to find him troubling me later, right? Let´s go, Allen."

Gorsan and the boy went down the stairs. At the very bottom did he found Aeron then. He laid on the ground and was seemingly bleeding very strongly.

"Well, well, Aeron... It seems this is going to be your end. I must say it doesn´t fit you one bit. I thought you were somewhat a hero character, but I guess not..." the Vestra said, followed by clangorous laughter.

Gorsan walked around him and when he was behind him, with his back to him, Aeron moved swiftly, caught the Oraclos Chain he got from Allen and bound the Vestra together.

Gorsan was surprised and looked fierce at the two, who looked so similar to each other.

"Why aren´t you killing me?" he asked them, suspiciously.

Aeron shrugged his shoulders, then smiled amused with a tad evil glimmering in his eyes. He wasn´t the type to like the suffering of other people, but by the gods! This man had made him boil with anger!

"I think Mavda will have a nice punishment for you, that´s all." he said as if talking about the weather.

Indeed, Mavda would give him one hell of a punishment! As they had journeyed to the towers, had the old Vestran-woman quite clearly shown how she despised this foolish act of, whoever it had been, reviving the towers.

The Gorsan went pale like a sheet, looking at Aeron as if he was seeing the greatest terror in the world.

"M-Mavda...? The Mavda...?"

"I don´t know which Mavda you mean, but I mean an old Vestran-woman with her husband on her back." Aeron replied with a nasty grin on his lips.

"No! No! Please! Everything, but her!" the Vestra cried in despair.

Gorsan shivered from head to toe, his whole being paralyzed by fear, his eyes constantly looking around, as an idea seemed to form in his head, an idea which seemed to be his last resort, Aeron mused.

Suddenly the Oraclos Chain binding him began to glow strangely and the old man as well. He mumbled something strange and before Aeron could do anything a white flash appeared an blinded them. When they looked up again, was the old man blabbering some nonsense and behaved like a baby.

"Daddy?" Allen asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"I think the chain stole his mind, or so..."

"Yeah, I guess so..." Aeron replied a bit stunned.

"Why did he do that to himself?"

"I don´t know... Maybe Mavda´s more scary than I first thought... Allen?"

Allen looked at his father, who still looked at the Vestra, then his father continued.

"Remind me to never get on Mavda´s bad side, won´t you? I´m kind of afraid to find out what could happen."

The boy nodded and hugged his father.

"I understand that, Daddy. Me too."

They looked at each other and began to laugh.

"You know, I think you´ll like the old lady. She´s a little weird, but a good person." said Aeron with a big smile and they went towards the exit, leaving Gorsan behind.

The way out of the towers they remained silent, until they arrived at the observatory, where Mavda already waited. Smiling, knowing, like always...