Chapter 7
Lord Lovis looked down at the newborn from his throne, his eyes danced with amusement. Like a cat that had trapped a mouse.
"Talana sent me!" the newborn uncharacteristically croaked out. This man, Lovis, was everything he had been taught to hate, fear and ultimately kill since he was twelve years old. Standing there, in Lord Lovis' sanctum, with Lovis himself looking down at him gave him shivers. And not the good kind. "She was under the impression that you would be able to help me."
"A fellow Dragon Knight sent a champion? An interesting turn of events, though not unexpected." Lovis said, still amused. "And how, pray tell, is it that I may help you?"
The newborn knew the look in Lovis' eyes all too well; superiority. He hid it well in his body language, but eyes never lie. Lovis had something planned, and he was trying to butter the newborn up for it.
"The Black Ring must be destroyed and I shall do so." the newborn answered with a more steady voice. "Preferably with your help."
"'Necessarily' is the word you were looking for, I think." Lovis responded lightly. "As luck would have it, I know what Talana wants to do. And though I applaud her intent, I am apprehensive of her immediate goal: the Hall of Echoes."
The newborn raised an eyebrow at the statement. The Hall of Echoes was the place where your soul went after death to be cleansed of the memories of your former life, so you could move on without the burdens of your past. But what does that have to do with Damian?
"What is in the Hall of Echoes that is so important?" the newborn asked.
"Therein dwells the soul of Damian's one great desire; Ygerna." Lovis said the name with a hint of spite and his eyes became fierce, like those of a Dragon.
"Tell me more about Ygerna," the newborn asked. He had heard the name before, but he was unable to recall from where and in what context. The haughty Dragon Knight straightened his back and squared his shoulders before speaking.
"When Damian grew up under the tutelage of his foster father, the Divine, he was unaware that he was the incarnation of a great evil destroyed by the Divine in the past," Lovis said, sounding much like a teacher holding a class. "But the Black Ring knew and sent in a young witch to awaken his dormant powers. This she did – they even fell in love. The witch's name was Ygerna."
"But she was later found out and beheaded by the Divine," the newborn threw in, finally remembering where he had heard the name before.
"Yes. Yes, she was," Lovis continued solemnly. "But Damian had, in the meantime, in the strictest secrecy, become a great wizard and Soul Forged himself with his beloved as she felt the blade." Lovis grew quiet for a moment.
"And after that, the first Demon War was waged," he soon continued. "It was finally won by the Divine and his army of paladins. The second Damian scourge, the Great War, did not end as advantageously. It ended in nothing more than bitter stalemate, with a winner yet to be decided."
Lovis sounded bitter and sad towards the end of the tale, but the newborn was not sure if he was being sincere or not. There was still a slight glimmer in the fallen Dragon Knights eyes, one that made the newborn suspicious.
"Could you explain something for me?" the newborn asked. When he got a nod, he continued. "Why all the animosity towards Damian; didn't the Dragon Knights and Damian work together to assassinate the Divine?"
"No!" roared Lovis, surprising the newborn with his genuine anger. His eyes were blazing ferocity and anger. "You call us Betrayers, but it was we who were betrayed!"
Lovis began pacing back and forth, growling through his teeth.
"Damian corrupted a fellow Dragon Knight and made him stab your godlike champion in the back!" he continued, his angry growling making it difficult to understand what he was saying. "And his plan worked perfectly! He may have lost many in the war, but he made sure that mankind would have another enemy to focus on while he rebuilt his army. Away from prying eyes!" Lovis stopped pacing and took a deep, calming breath.
"So…" the newborn began cautiously, not sure if the fallen Knight had managed to calm down. "How do I defeat Damian?"
Lord Lovis let his gaze rest on the newborn for a moment before answering in the same calm voice he had used before.
"Because of the timing of Damian's spell; Ygerna – his greatest ally – has become the key to his defeat," said Lovis with a small smirk on his lips. "Normally, when two people become Soul Forged, they become one, and when one dies so does the other. However, because Ygerna was executed mere moments after the spell was cast, the effect was reversed."
Lovis looked at the newborn expectantly, hoping that he would catch on. However, when all the newborn did was raise an eyebrow in confusion, he gave up with an exasperated sigh.
"Which means that if Ygerna were to be brought back to life, Damian would die," Lovis finished with little enthusiasm. "Or at least that's the idea."
The newborn contemplated Lovis' theory for a moment. It did make sense, but he couldn't be sure. Magic had never been his strong suit, at least not anything more complicated than combat-spells.
"If you are correct, then I would need to find a way into the Hall of Echoes and find a way to bring Ygerna back," the newborn said with apparent apprehension. "Where would I even start?"
"If you go to the temple – to the north, not far from here – you may be able to find the research notes of my former master and teacher, Maxos the Dragon Mage," Lord Lovis answered calmly. "He is the only one I know of who has been able to find and enter the Hall of Echoes."
He then reached for something hanging from his neck. It was an old, rusty key dangling from a length of leather tied as a necklace around his neck. Lovis tugged it lose and threw it to the newborn, who caught it with one hand.
"That key will open the doors to the temple, which have been sealed for far longer than I care to remember."
The newborn looked at the key, weighing it in his hand and feeling its scraggly surface through his gloves. He looked up and met Lord Lovis' gaze and held it for a moment, then nodded his head in thanks, said a quick farewell and made his way back towards the lift. The sooner he left the dead Knight and his tower behind him, the better.
However, before he managed to get to the lift, Lovis' voice made him stop.
"While you are at the temple, may ask you to take care of a small matter for me?" He may have phrased it as a question, and even managed to make it sound like a sincere request. But when the newborn turned to face the fallen Dragon Knight, their eyes met and it was made abundantly clear to him that it had been nothing short of a desperate demand; but a demand for what?
"And what would this small matter be?" asked the newborn, feeling slightly intrigued with the desperation he could see in Lovis' eyes.
The fallen Knight looked away from the newborn, and let his gaze fall to his hands. When he spoke, his voice was filled with torment and weariness.
"I was tasked with guarding these lands from demonic incursions. But as time passed and my might grew, vigilance soon traded places with indulgence and duty with sloth." He let out a tired sigh and looked at the newborn before continuing. "When the Demon Lord Ba'al and his armies came, the valley was overrun. My master, Maxos, was furious and ripped my soul from my body and imprisoned it in a Soul Stone, now in the possession of my old rival Amdusias."
"Sounds like Maxos was a harsh teacher," the newborn muttered. While he felt disdain for the inactions of Lovis; Maxos punishment sounded much too severe. The worst I got was stable duty…
~But you never let hundreds of people die either,~ came the ethereal voice of Talana. ~Don't let this "guilt-ridden" act fool you; Lovis has always been a manipulative bastard.~
"Ha! You don't know the half of it!" Lovis laughed without humor in response to the newborn's statement, unaware of the conversation going on in said newborn's head. "Amdusias and I were friends once, both disciples of Maxos. But then one day we caused the destruction of a small village while trying out a spell way beyond our novice abilities."
The newborn was taken aback by how easily Lovis spoke of the probable deaths of hundreds of people.
~Like I said; bastard.~
"Maxos was in a rage and told us that he would teach us restraint and humility," Lovis continued. "So he told us that only one of us would be allowed to become a Dragon Knight. Amdusias and I became bitter rivals in the race towards dragonhood, a race that I ultimately won. Amdusias remained an acolyte in the temple of Maxos, where he still remains, guarding my Soul Stone with glee."
"And you want me to bring back the Soul Stone to you," concluded the newborn, who was starting to get tired of the endless ranting.
"Yes. For too long have I been rotting without decay, and suffered this mockery of both life and death," Lovis' voice grew as he spoke, until he was almost shouting. "I have sought redemption, but received none. With my soul back, I can finally – after a thousand years of wandering these halls – move on to the Hall of Echoes, and find peace-"
~Oh, for the love of-! Just agree to it so we can go!~
Talana's harsh tone and slightly out-of-character outburst made the newborn jump.
"Okay," the newborn croaked out. "I'll get you your soul back."
Lovis' face broke out in a huge smile, showing of his sharp and yellowed teeth.
"Wonderful, my friend!" he exclaimed happily. "I promise you; your reward will be substantial!"
The newborn just nodded his head, turned back towards the lift and left the former Dragon Knight's chamber. When he finally got on the lift, the newborn let out a deep sigh – something he seemed to be doing a lot lately. Not only had the meeting with Lovis been nerve-wracking; it had also been tedious.
~He's a bit too much in love with the sound of his own voice.~
The newborn grunted in agreement.
~At least we have a new goal; the temple of Maxos.~
"And to bring back the Soul Stone to Lovis," the newborn added as he got off the lift as it came to a halt on the upper floor.
~Let's hope that these tedious requests on the side don't become a trend.~
"Er, Talana? Who was Maxos? " asked the newborn warily as he neared the site of the temple.
~He was a great wizard whom earned the respect of the Ancient Ones and thus received the ability to bestow the powers of the Dragon unto normal humans, turning them into Dragon Knights. Why do you ask? Interested in the history of your predecessors?~
"Well, that and because a giant, stone-version of him is staring at me."
As soon as the newborn had walked through the opening in the cliffs surrounding the temple, he was met by the intense stare of a huge statue of who could be Maxos, beard and all. It was carved out of the mountain wall and was nestled atop of the great entrance to the temple, its eyes daring anyone to enter.
The area in front of the entrance was overgrown with vegetation; old towers and the like having surrendered to nature and lay crumbled on the ground, covered in moss. On top of the remaining few standing pillars perched statues of Dragons, much like the ones at Lovis' tower.
The sound of voices made the newborn jump instinctively to cover behind the remainder of a stone wall; he then proceeded to creep along the wall towards its edge and carefully peered out from behind. His eyes widened in surprise at what he saw.
"Blast! I was sure she'd be back to claim us as her prey," spoke Marius, seemingly annoyed which for some reason amused the newborn. "She's vain like that."
"Well, we can't wait here forever - and besides you're right," said Rhode evenly, her hair glowing in the light of the high noon sun. She let her gaze travel around the area, lazily looking for anything suspicious. The newborn's heart skipped a beat when she looked towards his hiding place, but he was sure that she had not detected him, as her gaze did not linger and she soon turned back towards Marius and the other two Slayers; Gene and Gunther. "If she were alive, she'd have been back by now."
"I reckon that stab you treated her to just before she flew away must have finished her off," Marius said with pleased grin. "Another Dragon is dead at the hands of the Commander!" He turned towards his fellow Slayers and pumped his fist in the air, eliciting cheers of victory from the two. Rhode on the other hand seemed to be unconvinced, as she furrowed her brow and raised her right hand to her face so she could bite down on her thumbnail: a habit of hers when she was considering something.
~You seem to be well aware of the Commander's little quirks…~ said Talana in an amused voice. ~Does the Dragon Knight have a little crush on the Commander of the Slayers?~ Her mocking words actually made the newborn blush and grumble at her, which only furthered her amusement.
~Anyway, enough about your schoolboy crush. You need to get past them somehow; they are standing right in front of the entrance. Ideas?~
The newborn looked around, and found no possible route to the temple entrance that wouldn't catch the Slayers' attention. Maybe a diversion… I could draw some goblins over here and let them distract Rhode. Or maybe a-
He shook his head violently. Even if he could sneak past them, he'd only be delaying the confrontation he was sure to have with Rhode and the others some day. Might as well get this over with… He took a deep breath and let it out – shakily, and then stepped out from behind the wall and walked towards the Slayers, head held high and with steady steps.
~Are you mad?! They are Slayers! And you're a Dragon Knight!~ Talana exclaimed fervently. ~They will-~
"They have known me for years, since I was a child. They'll understand," the newborn said with confidence, though his anxious stomach and restless legs did not share his optimism. In fact, every fiber of his being and every instinct he had practically screamed at him to run. But he kept moving across the temple grounds at a steady pace, his footsteps clattering on the cobblestone, and his eye fixed on Rhode. "She will understand." Please…
The young boy stared wide-eyed at his surroundings; trying to take it all in at once, however impossible that seemed to be.
The ceiling of the Great Hall of the Academy was almost as high as the Hall was long. Thick, red-painted rafters held it up and from said rafters hung long tapestries in many different colors and with many different motifs. Along the stone walls there were trophies on display, either hanging from the wall or placed on pedestals, many of which were fangs and horns from unimaginable creatures. There were also four, great fireplaces to keep the Hall warm during winter, and sometimes to practice magic, or so he'd been told. To a child as young as him, the Great Hall seemed like something out of a storybook, where great heroes shared stories and meals. Of course, this was no storybook, but the heroes-part, however…
"Right, younglings!" came the roaring voice of Commander Bryce, a burly, older man with graying beard and little hair, and piercing, pale-blue eyes. At the sound of his voice, all of the children – soon-to-be disciples – stood in a long, straight line, awaiting instructions. He walked down the line and eyed each and every one of them. "I am, as you know, Commander Bryce. You will address me as 'Sir' or 'Commander' while you are in-training here. And while you're here, I am in charge of the lot of you!"
Commander Bryce kept walking up and down the line, and kept talking about what it meant to be a Dragon Slayer and what to expect while training at the Academy. However, the young boy was no longer listening to the intimidating man, and had instead turned his attention towards the entrance of the Hall, where a young man with wild, red hair and grey eyes, no more than sixteen years of age, came wobbling in with his hands covering his mouth and nose.
Commander Bryce noticed that he no longer held the attention of the younglings and turned towards the young man and rolled his eyes. "What is it, boy? Can't you see I'm busy?" he said with a shake of his head and a sigh. "All right, what happened? Go on, spit it out!"
The young man removed his hands from his face, revealing a crooked nose, a fat lip and a lot of blood. As he spoke, his nose made a whistling noise, much to the children's amusement.
"She punched me! Again!" he wailed and pointed towards the door from which he had entered. "She's out of control, Commander! She needs to be-" He was cut short by a female voice.
"I need to be what, Donald? Flogged for giving you more than enough warnings?"
Everyone turned their heads to where the voice came from and saw that it belonged to a girl, about same age as the bloodied young man. She strode into the Hall with graceful and confident steps, as her beautiful, golden hair flowed behind her. Her deep blue eyes were fixed on the young man, who was now hiding behind Commander Bryce.
"What did you do, boy?" asked Commander Bryce with a weary sigh as he looked at the young man, Donald, whom in turn stared in disbelief at the older man.
"I'm bleeding and you're going to blame me?" he shrieked, making the children cringe. The Commander, however, just snorted dismissively, and then turned to the girl, whom now stood in front of him, looking at him calmly.
"Well, Rhode?" he said simply, watching as the girl straightened her back and squared her shoulders. She then let her gaze wander over the line of children, all of which were watching the scene with great interest. The young boy's breath caught in his throat as their eyes met; her deep blue and his brown. It was only for a moment, but a strange feeling washed over him, like a warm blanket being placed over one's cold body, as well as a soothing and comfortable feeling that traveled from the tip of his nose, down his spine and settled in his stomach. He could not place it, however, and too soon did it leave him as the girl – Rhode – turned her attention back to the Commander.
"I do not blame Donald for his poor upbringing; one can only learn so much from trolls," she answered with a straight face, making the Commander chuckle, the children giggle and Donald grumble. "However, invasion of my personal space and unauthorized touching is something I will not tolerate."
"So you punch me?!" shouted Donald while gesturing to his bleeding nose. "Ever heard of talking?"
Rhode regarded him for a moment and then shook her head, annoyed. "Like I said; I have given you more than enough warnings, and you did not listen. So, you touched me in a way you enjoyed and I disliked – I touched you in a way I enjoyed and you disliked; tit for tat, so to speak."
Donald started sputtering and tried to come up with a retort, however, the Commander raised his hand and silenced him, then cleared his throat.
"Donald, go to the infirmary and get fixed up. Then report to the quartermaster for kitchen duty," he told the young man, who started flailing his arms around while loudly protesting. "NOW, Donald!"
The Commander's booming voice made Donald's face fall even more, and after giving Rhode a withering glare, he walked out of the Hall with his hands on his face again and with a slightly hunched back.
When he was gone, the Commander turned to Rhode and let out yet another sigh.
"Girl, you need to stop taking such matters into your own hands," he reprimanded lightly. "We have enough enemies in Rivellon; we don't need in-fighting as well."
"Yes, Commander," said Rhode, looking straight ahead with her hands behind her back and her head held high. "I just felt that immediate retribution was called for. It won't happen again."
Commander Bryce snorted, unconvinced, and let show a small grin through his beard. He waved his hand, dismissing her, but before she left she let her eyes wander along the line of children once more, until they came to a brief halt at the young boy with the brown eyes.
The boy was once again filled with the same feeling from before, but this time it didn't dissipate when Rhode looked away.
"Welcome to the Academy!" she said loudly with a smile, and then waved goodbye and left the Hall. It was then that the boy realized what he was feeling; accepted. And as he looked at the Commander, who had resumed his speech about Slayers, and the other children, who were listening intently, he thought that maybe, just maybe he'd fit in there and get others to accept him as well. He turned towards the doors that Rhode had left through and thought: Huh. I guess that's one down.
The slayers had spotted the newborn approaching them, and pointed at him, making Rhode turn and face him. As he neared the group, anxiety filled him and made him question every step he took, but he still refused to run away and kept his eyes locked with Rhode's. Silver met silver, and the newborn swallowed a nervous lump in his throat. Please…
