Chapter Five: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Gekku, Kyu, Suta, and Cate stayed at Crystal Cave for two days after the ambush. Most of the time was spent filing in the entrance to the new tunnel that had been used by the monsters to attack. The rest of the time was used by training. Mostly it was between Gekku and Kyu.
Kyu had swordplay in his blood, but Gekku Onko had decades of experience and hard earned skill. Gekku was swift, fierce, and precise with his graceful slashes, arcs, and blocks. He moved with expert footwork and showed his mastery for swordsmanship. Kyu couldn't keep up with the lightning fast strikes of the Sindar Captain.
"Open up all five senses, Kyu. Blend them. Feel the strikes before they come, anticipate them. Then act. Constantly think and position yourself so that you can change your reaction at moment's notice." Kyu calmed himself letting his jumping nerves settle. As if on instinct, his feet changed position and his sword pulled up in a fraction of a second. There was a metallic clang as Gekku's faked slash came up and around only to be blocked by Kyu's sword. "Good."
But Kyu wasn't to be distracted. Gekku barely had time to block the blade, but Kyu swirled and slashed again for Gekku's legs. Gekku moved to block, but Kyu swiftly changed position and moved the sword upwards. Gekku saw and moved to evade it, but Kyu swirled and brought his blade around like a cyclone.
The strike grazed across the Captain's skin and they called an end to the day's practice. As Kyu sheathed his blade and moved to sit next to Suta and Cate, Gekku went over the battle. Kyu had been doing well before, but after that last piece of advice, he always seemed two steps ahead. Gekku had no doubt that Kyu was an excellent swordsman, but no one could keep up to Gekku. Except for Kyu.
Gekku Onko had also noticed something else. Kyu had started wearing gloves after the battle. The captain couldn't help wondering if something had happened while the others and himself had been unconscious. He knew that Kyu had defeated a Ghost Knight when he blacked out.
Gekku decided to act on his suspicions. He gestured for Kyu to follow him, which the young one eagerly did. Most likely looking for another lesson. Gekku led him to the waterfall, where the captain raised his right hand and pressed it to a large crystal formation. Both the crystal and Gekku's glowed and the waterfall stopped. It revealed a pathway leading around the spring. Parts of cave wall were sliding into slots in the floor and ceiling to show a perfect circle opening with a diameter of seven feet.
Gekku and Kyu both entered the hidden chamber. They seemed to enter an ancient ruin of some sort. The room was perfectly circle with sixteen massive columns that held up the dome roof. In the center of the room, a massive circle with thousands of Ancient Armes runes was engraved into the ground.
"This is the ruin of Amdort, the ancient capital of the Ancient Armes Dynasty. This is the Temple of the Runes, the only accessible area of the ruins. I believe you have hidden something from me." At this, Kyu stared at Gekku and involuntarily moved his right hand behind his back. "You don't have to hide it, Kyu."
Kyu looked down and said nothing. He didn't even understand it.
"I can explain it; I understand what you are going through. When my gift chose me, it took many years to get used to it. It was confusing. Stand on the Runic Ceremonial Circle. I will answer the questions and clear your mind." Gekku ordered. Kyu didn't say anything, but did as instructed.
"Clear your mind and think about what has changed."
Kyu thought of the day two days before. He had killed a Ghost Knight and then was knocked unconscious. A True Rune had bonded itself to him. The Rune of Salvation. And it had spoken to him, though it hadn't spoken since. He closed his eyes.
Suddenly, Kyu's right glove burst into light and was incinerated. Kyu didn't notice, but Gekku's eyes widened as he saw the mark. It was an eight pointed star with its two vertical points farther from the center than the other six. It glowed with golden light.
Kyu was in a dreamlike state. Dark grey mist shrouded his mind, but as the Armes runes in the real world glowed, the mist was lifted. Images flashed through Kyu's head.
Kyu saw a king dressed in Ancient Armes robes. He bore the Sun Rune, but strangely another True Rune as well. When the king entered his quarters and uncovered his gloved hand, Kyu saw that he had borne the Rune of Salvation before him.
With the two True Runes, the king cured his people of illness and created animals and forests. He made a massive tree that continuously produced fruit. His people were never hungry or thirsty; they thrived.
Then there was another image of the king losing control. Both hands glowed with the power of the True Runes. He began babbling nonsense about fruits eating cows, and tearing out his hair. His skin turned grey and wrinkled, and he lost his nails. His eyes began whitening.
Over a year, the king became insane. The power of the combined True Runes was too powerful. The once proud and tall king had become an ancient hunchbacked figure with pure white eyes, scars where his hair had been, and solid grey loose sagging skin. His clothes hung off him.
In days, he began to burn up. He screamed during the night as the two True Runes began to eat his life energy away. In seconds, both hands and arms had turned to dust. Like piranhas, the runes ate him furiously. Soon he was nothing.
Then the Armes king woke up screaming after his horrid nightmare. The powers of the runes exploded. Fire and disease spread everywhere. Desolation and wasteland became the world.
Then the Rune of Salvation waited as the Sun Rune took a new bond many decades later. The world was reborn.
The Rune of Salvation had two halves proving its name to be utterly ironic. One was creation and one was destruction. One was salvation and the other was condemnation.
Yet it had brought about the creation of a better world and the ending of the old one. It was just and fair. It was equal.
Kyu awoke back in the Temple of the Runes. "What happened, Kyu? Gekku asked curiously.
Kyu was about to explain when Suta, Cate, and two knights came into the ruins. Kyu recognized the two knights from the patrol camp as Sir Gwain and Lady Kenna. Both looked tired but did not hesitate.
"We must hurry. Chagrin is going to attack Onlundd soon. Maybe even as we speak."