Chapter 3: A Tournament and a Forgotten Prophecy
From the fourth town, a hero emerges. He shall be the greatest, but the first to be tempted by darkness. What he shall do is his destiny, we all have our own, but he has a direct path laid out for him, all he must do is follow the long and glorious road that the Great One laid out for him. So I have said the the eighth prophecy...
The Ancient Texts of Erithor.
The Lamentations of Unithor the Seer
Justin listened as the court messenger announced to the nobles and to the people that all enlisted officers were to compete in a tournament. Justin sighed and knew that it was an attempt to find someone worthy to rescue the princess. The court had kept he kidnapping a secret, and for good reason. She was deeply loved by the citizens and people of Marketton. To hear of her disappearance would cause outrage amongst the people and violence against one another may ensue. The court had their reasons, but not telling the knights what they were competing for made Justin a little angry, but he could do nothing about it. So, he decided to just show up the day of the tournament and compete three days from now. He exited the courtroom while the messenger was still giving his speech and ran into Erik.
"Hey, brother, interesting thing, this tournament. I heard that it is to see who will rescue the princess." said Erik as he followed Justin.
"Aye, that's true, Erik, but the Lord Mayor was told by the council to keep it low right now, they said that there was no need to upset the people." said Jusstin through gritted teeth.
"Wise, but rather odd, don't you think?" implied Erik. "Shouldn't they be sending messengers out to neighboring towns and villages requesting help?"
"That too is true, but they don't now. Something is up, and I don't like the looks of it." said Justin as he stopped and paused. "They should tell the people, especially if they love her so much."
"They love her, or do you, brother?"
Kas paced the stone tiles in his vast study. Some would have called it the greatest library in the world, but since no one but him, or so believed, has ever seen it, the saying could not be proven. He twisted his white mustache that lay above his long beard and continued to think. A great fire burned in the large hewn stone fireplace and books lay upon books over several tables. Mighty bookcases held Librum, scroll, and ancient books from all over the fabled land of Arketh. He scoffed and turned to a group of blue, floating rocks. They were playing a game of some sorts, and even after two thousand years of living among them he had never understood what the game was about, he always meant to ask but was always so busy, especially with the Silver Council and all, but he singled one out and said, "You know, Orb, out of this vast library of knowledge, I can find only one prophecy about how the hero will be found."
"Buy new books." said the Orb with a hint of sarcasm.
"Ha ha." said Kas with a sneer. "What scares me is that all the pieces are falling in place for the prophecy, but we have no idea where we are to start it."
"Most prophecies are meant to be that way, Kas."
"I know, but there seems to be something that I have overlooked, something that I am not ready for." He hessitated and collapsed into a big, red, comfy chair. He continued to muse over this, but sighed and waved his hand and a glass of tea appeared on a nightstand next to the chair. He took a long drought and then he spewed it from his mouth. The Orb rushed towards him.
"What is wrong, Lord Silverkin?" he said buzzing around his head.
"That's it Orb!"
"What is, milord?" said the rock puzzlingly.
"Our answer." He stood and raced towards a shelf and said a word in elfin and a book zoomed towards him. He flipped open the book to the exact page he needed to be. He giggled in glee. "This is it Orb!"
"What?!" cried the rock.
"It is the only other prophecy ever given about the great darkness." smiled Kas.
"And you got that idea from tea?"
"It was written by a great wise man from the Dynasties of Xing, the main exporter of tea to Faellinar." said Mentor holding the book close to him as if he was offended.
"What does it say?" asked Orb.
"It says, this is just old fashioned paraphrasing, that the six will come to drive back the darkness."
"We know that already," said Orb as he began to float closer toward the book. "Lemme read that."
Kas held up a hand and grasped the book and said, "This book is for the master's eyes and not the student." Kas put his hand down as Orb retreated back. "It also says that..." He paused. "Oh my." He stopped and looked at Orb. "I must be off." He rushed towards a large coat rack which had many robes and traveling cloaks. He grabbed one while Orb frantically raced toward Kas.
"What is the matter?"
"I must leave for business." he said as he began putting on the cloak. "Warn the Silver Council that there is a traitor among them, and to wait for my arrival."
"Then where are you going?"
"To delay someone else's arrival."
Justin was sitting in the gardens watching the flowers when the Lord Mayor approached him.
"Pretty this time of year, aren't they?" he said as he sat down next to him.
"They are." he said as he looked down.
"I have some ill news, my boy." said the Lord Mayor hesitantly.
"Yes, milord?" asked Justin.
"You are not allowed to compete in the tournament."
Justin stood and raised his voice, "Why not?! Am I not a noble once more? Don't I have the right?! What keeps me from the tournament?"
"Sit down, my lad." said Markis as he patted the seat to the stone bench. "I sent a messenger hawk to Lord Devon. He said that he would not allow his son to compete in a dangerous tournament."
"It is not his place to decide what I do. He has never done that before, so why now?" said Justin as he turned his back on the Lord Mayor.
"He said that he would be sending men to come get you in a fortnight's time. They will return you to Northguard for a short while as your father's servants will train you. He doesn't want you injured in the tournament." said Markis as he looked at the boys face. "He loves you that much."
"He never has loved me, even when I was a boy." said Justin as he pounded his hand into a stone statue of a warrior.
"I know that it may not seem to be the best choice right now, but he is your father, and I will respect anything that the man says." said the Lord Mayor. Justin turned around. He opened his mouth, but bit his lip. "You know..." began the Lord Mayor. "There is a spot in the tournament taht after the knight has won, a peasant, or someone from the crowds may challenge him. Frankly there is nothing I can do to stop a person who goes out from the crowds. So.."
Justin smiled. "Thank you, Mayor." He bowed and and rose. A hand stopped him from moving forward. The Lord Mayor looked at him seriously.
"If you get killed, I will raise you from the dead and kill you again." They both laughed.
Erik was walking through the gardens. He was looking for Justin. It was a day before the tournament and he wondered what role Justin would partake in it. Erik saw Justin sitting with his knees up to his head and he was fuming. Erik waltzed up behind him and jumped onto the stone wall that separated them from each other.
"So, going to join the tournament?" asked Erik.
Justin glared at him.
"I guess not..."
"Read this." demanded Justin as he handed a letter.
"What is this?" asked Erik.
"My good old father, sent a message telling that any involvement, besides being a bystander will be harshly dealt with." sighed Justin.
"That is not very fun." said Erik glancing through the parchment.
"That's not the worst of it. He paid for an instant teleport from the Silver Council for three of his associates to be ported here in a few hours." Siad Justin glaring.
"Seriously?"
"Aye."
Erik sat the paper down and sat next to him. "Well..."
"Well what? I can't be in it."
"Well..." began Erik. "You could just do it anyway. What's the worst he can do?"
Justin stared at Erik. "I have heard stories about my father. He has done... unspeakable things to people. Torture, murder, and even burning a whole village to the ground with everyone inside their houses." Justin's fist clenched. "Who knows what he would do to his own son."
"He wouldn't do... no... He was supposed to be Lord Mayor."
"Aye, but he is still a Lord Mayor of Garrik's Hallow to the North." said Justin. "Who knows what he did to get that position."
"He probably killed him, the Lord Mayor of Garrik's Hallow, I mean." said Erik awaiting a quick retort.
"I have no doubt of it." said Justin staring at the gardens.
Devon sat in a lavish dining room in his mansion at North Guard. He took off the mask that he wore and showed the slightly rejuvenated, yet twisted scarred face. Taking a glass of wine, he sat back and looked at his guests at the table and took a sip. All eyes were upon him.
"Take it in, gentlemen." he said with a laugh. "See what wizardry has come to. Used to kill those that they dislike. How pathetic don't you think, From?" he said looking at his servant From.
"Indeed, very pathetic, Lord Devon." he said with a bow as he picked up a glass and filled it with fresh wine.
"Yes it is." He looked into the wine glass.
"Sir, Devon," said an elderly man from the back of the room.
"Ah, yes, brother Faris?"
We in the Falcon Watch sect of the Mortis et Arcana were wondering when we will strike."
"Aye, milord." said another from beside Faris, "We are ready, you have returned. Shouldn't we strike now?"
"Lord Devon has been very busy with..." but From was silenced by the raised hand of Devon.
He took a sip from a wine glass and simply said, "We shall strike soon. My agents have infiltrated the City of Magi," a mummer went around the table several men grunted and some stood amazed, "and they have placed the necromancers in very high seats of power."
"Lord, Devon," said one man who wore a green tunic with a small group of others like him, "how did you find Magi? It is the secret city of Wizards. Nobody that is not a wizard ever returns. How?"
"I have my sources as you have yours. Satisfied Yurik?"
"Aye, milord." he said sitting down.
"Yes," began Devon, "Soon, my revenge will take place, and even Kas Silverkin of the Silver Council in all his mighty power can not stop me now."
"Lord Devon," said a rather pale and skinny man at the table," I have a question that some of my associates were wondering. How did you survive such a devastating attack?"
Devon became silent and laughed. "You of all people, Kathis, never should have spoken at this table tonight. You talked to them right before." He took another sip.
"What... What?!" said Kathis his face turning pale.
Devon clapped his hands and through the large double doors came in armored men with crossbows. They each pointed at Kathis.
"What Kathis?" asked Devon. "Why so pale? How did you spend the fifty drakes that they payed you?" The men at the table stood and moved behind Devon. The Crossbowmen wore chain with black tabards and masked helmets and all pointed at Kathis. "Answer me now!" bellowed Devon.
"I- It... I don't!" yelled Kathis as he backed up against a wall.
"Tell me now, Kathis! What did you spend it on? Or wait, was my source wrong and I was worth more?" shouted Devon as he stood. His scarred face contorted from the shouting.
"Please, milord, mercy!" cried Kathis.
"No, you came to the wrong man for mercy." said Devon.
"Curse you to hell, Darklord!" cried Kathis.
"See you there." said Devon as he sat down and took his wine glass and sipped a little. "Get it over with."
Bolts raced across the room and hit Kathis all over. The repeater crossbows continued to fire and riddle the body with more bolts. Finally as the life was fading from Kathis, Devon motioned for someone to move forward. It was an old man in a gray robe who walked over to Kathis's body and laid his hands on him. A brief flash of yellow light filled the room and the old man looked at Devon, "He will live."
"Good. Take him to the dungeons and heal him back to normal once all the bolt wounds have healed let my men have some target practice with him, and repeat the process until I see fit to let him die." said Devon as he motioned for them to leave. The guards picked up the body and exited and blood smeared the carpet as they walked through the mighty double doors.. "Now, who is ready for the roasted boar?"
Justin watched as the festivities of the tournament went on. Children laughed and played on the sidelines and the commoners gathered and anxiously awaited to see the knights arive to compete for the grand prize. Soldiers lined up along the seats of the Lord Mayor and his wife and the councilors. People were cheering and shouting as the knights rode out on horseback. Each had a long banner with a family people roared and cheered, jesters entertained the masses. Food was everywhere. It was a time of happiness, yet Justin knew the real reason of this. To find a suitable rescuer of the princess. He sighed as he saw the knights out there. He wanted to be there too, but his father forbade. He kicked the wooden stands in anger. He was wearing his army uniform and saw no reason to wear the chainmail underneath since he was not to compete.
Erik approached him, "I doubt anything is going to happen today, because they already got who they wanted. Why come back?"
"Who cares." said Justin gloomily.
"Well, excuse me, brother."
"What?"
"Get over it." said Erik looking at the nights.
"Over what?" said Justin.
"Oh, your little angst over competing." Justin grew quiet and Erik looked at the knights gathering in front of the Lord Mayor. "Well, let the best knight win."
The Lord Mayor stood and smiled to the knights and the crowds. He raised his arms and bellowed, "Let the tournament begin!" the crowd roared in response. The knights nodded and dismounted. Each wore chainmail and a tabard and each fancied a longsword. They all gathered in a circle and stepped backwards fifty spaces. Then the Lord Mayor raised his arms and cried, "Begin!" The knights rushed at one another. It was a free for all. Most lost their weapons in the first few minutes and began to brawl it out hand to hand. the crowds roared when a knight was unable to fight any longer and passed out. Some hobbled away with sword wounds to the medics on the sidelines. Others grabbed their fallen friends and shuffled as fast as they could out of the melee. Finally, one stood alone out there. Justin smiled as he saw Sir Ulrich standing with his eyepatch in his hand. Apparently someone snatched it off. He walked towards the Lord Mayor. Kas Silverkin appeared next to the Lord Mayor. He clutched his side and blood seeped through the tunic. "Hello, Markis." said Kas as he sat down.
"Kas, you have returned just in time to see... you're bleeding." said the Lord Mayor.
"Say nothing of it. A long story for some other time."
"I have finished your task, milord." said Sir Ulrich.
"Indeed," said the Lord Mayor, "Does anyone wish to challenge Sir Ulrich?" the crowd cheered as a man stepped forward he wore a grey tunic and walked forward with a longsword in hand.
"I challenge Sir Ulrich." said the man. Justin rolled his eyes.
"Very, well, as is our tradition, we allow anyone who wants to challenge the victor." The two men walked to the center of the field and the crowds cheered and whooped and hollerd at the newcomer.
The Lord Mayor signaled it to begin. The two bashed each other's shield and splinters went battle was lasting minutes. Each were hammering the other. The newcomer was winning though, but Justin saw something glowing in the man's eyes.
"Great One." said Justin as he ran to tell Erik. He found him and pulled him aside. "The newcomer is a chaos knight! I saw his eyes glow red!"
"What?!" cried Erik. He shouted, "Guards! Sieze the newcomer, get him away from Sir Ulrich!"
Several guards rushed the field, but it was too late. The chaos knight stabbed Ulrich through the chest and withdrew the sword. The Crowd gasped and screams were heard. Justin and Erik rushed the field along with the guards, but the chaos knight laughed and cried something in dark elfin and he raised his hand and flames jutted forth and engulfed several guards. They fell to the ground as charred remains and writhed in agony.
"A murder, just like the prophecy." said Kas with his eyes opened wide. Orb floated form out of his satchel.
"Is the hero found yet?" said Orb as he floated excitedly.
"No, now keep down." demanded Kas as he watched the guards storm the field. "One of those out there is the hero, and the savior of your daughter."
"What?" yelled the Lord Mayor. "You knew this was going to happen?! Why didn't we prevent it?!"
"You do not hinder prophecy, that is why the unwise do not have access to the Scrolls of Unithor." said Kas matter of factly. "Trust me, if we interfered, we would all be doomed."
The Lord Mayor sighed and watched the battle ensue.
Justin stood back as a fireball engulf three others. There were only six others left including him and Erik. Justin lunged forward, but had to dodge another fireball. The mad cackling of the chaos knight could be heard over the flame and black, billowing smoke.
"Everyone, get back! I will take care of him!" said Justin.
"That is crazy!" cried Erik.
"Shut up and get back!" said Justin as a fireball hit Erik. Erik engulfed in flames and collapsed to the ground. "Curse it!" Bellowed Justin as he ran full speed and tackled the chaos knight. The knight crashed to the ground, but kicked Justin off of him. Justin rolled in the dirt, and cursed under his breath, but he got up and ran at him and clashed his sword against the knight's. He sweeped upward, but the knight parried it and cut Justin's left arm. Justin pulled back and renewed his attack. Even though he hit the swords against each other repeatedly, he could not break the knight's will. The Knight laughed.
"Just die, fool." said the knight as he continued to relentlessly hack at Justin. Justin stumbled onto the ground.
Kas watched anxiously as he saw Justin stumbled. He rolled his hands into fists. "This is not the one. There has to be another. He is finished!" he thought aloud.
Justin swung his sword in a last ditch effort, but the knight knocked the sword from his hands. Justin lay without weapon and prone. The knight laughed and raised his sword. Justin thought of anything that he could do. So he took the only option that was left. He kicked the knight in the groin. The knight howled in pain and Justin rolled over and grabbed his sword. The knight staggered to stand straight up, but by that time, Justin was back up and ready to fight.
"You'll regret that boy." said the knight through gritted teeth. His eyes burned red, and the tunic had already turned into black plate armor.
"Do your worst, knight." said Justin holding his sword in both hands ready for attack.
The knight yelled and charged Justin. Justin blocked and hacked into the plate, but it did little to wound the knight. Justin knew that he would have to pierce the armor, not blugeon.
Orb nudged Kas, "He is quite resourceful."
"Yes, but he is not worthy of being a hero." said Kas clutching his side.
Justin bashed the knight repeatedly, but the sword did barely anything to the bulky armor. Justin cursed and continued to attack, but the knight kicked him in the chest, and Justin landed on the ground a few yards from the knight. Justin could not breathe or lift his sword. The knight laughed and said, "How sad, boy. You were doing so well."
Kas sighed and lowered his head, "And now it is over..."
The knight ran at Justin with his sword up. Justin tried to move his arms to defend himself, but could do nothing.
"Kas you got to do something!" cried Markis.
"He has failed." said Kas.
The knight drew closer. Justin couldn't feel his arms.
"Curse you wizard, he is just a boy!" cried Markis.
"He knew what would happen if he failed." reasoned Kas.
The knight was close. Justin remembered his life, but only that with the Princess and Erik. everything else was blotted out. He remembered the beauty of the princess. He remembered meeting Erik. He remembered it all. He was ready to die. He did not feel bad. He, in fact, felt good, and even smiled, but somehow, whether it was impulse or some sheer act of the supernatural. He lunged his sword forward and stabbed all the way through the knight. The knight dropped his sword and fell on his back. He gargled blood, but then lied still. Justin rose, and the crowd roared in cheers. The people rushed the field and clapped and cheered and yelled. Justin was lifted up on the shoulders of the people, and medics rushed to get the wounded. Erik even limped with the help of two medics towards Justin and gave a smile. At that moment all other sounds died out except for Erik's voice which said, "You won."
Standing in the wooden stands was Kas and Orb. Kas shook his head and laughed. tears welled in his eyes. He turned to Orb and said, "We have a hope."
"Indeed." said Orb floating towards Kas.
"Come, Orb, we must go." said Kas wiping the tears form his eyes. "We have much work to do." he said as he walked away with Orb tailing behind him, and as they walked they both seemed to disappear into golden dust.
And thus, the heroes shall come. They will cleanse the lands of darkness. They are the last hope. They will either fail or succeed. The answer, I will not say, for what fun is it to know the end of a story before it is written. And this, Oh people of Arith, ends the last prophecy.
END OF THE SCROLLS OF UNITHOR