Soul of the Colossus: Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The One Built for War

Wander had returned to Celosia and Cenobia for the eighth time. The young hunter had been pleased with himself for aiding Kuromori and hopefully teaching the overconfident colossus a valuable lesson. He had not thought as much as he could have about the fact that he had now missed half of his chances to revive himself.

As Wander approached Celosia, ready to mount her for the journey to the next colossus, she announced, "Wonderful! We have gotten eight of our kind out of the Chthonic Realm! Now, we are halfway done."

As Wander climbed aboard Celosia, Cenobia nervously added, "Still, even if only one of us suffers Dormin's wrath, that would be truly terrible. Also, sister, we will be the last ones in line. So, we are the ones who are most at risk."

The voice of Malus echoed in the trio's minds, "Yes, half of our kind have been reincarnated in the mortal world. However, Cenobia is right, we must ensure that every single one of us escapes. Dormin will visit terrible punishment on any of our souls that remain when they fully reform. You three should make your way to Basaran. He will be waiting for you on the nearby hill."

Celosia replied, "Yes, Lord Malus. We will make haste to meet with Basaran!" The two scout colossi then took off, running in the direction of the hill where Basaran would be awaiting them.

The trio advanced around Kyos's village and began to close in on the hill where Wander could see an armored tortoise-like colossus seeming to sleep nearby a heavily fortified stone wall. Wander once again noticed a massive cave entrance further away from the hill. The serpentine colossus was curled up in front of the entrance to the cave, which Wander now sensed a vague white glow coming from inside. Even farther away, Wander could now see at the end of the river the horned colossus he had battled twelfth waiting not far from a massive dome of white light. Up above the horned colossus was Phalanx. The massive sky-serpent was flying above the horned sea beast in circles. It would seem that she was trying to keep him company.

Wander and his escorts continued to close in on the hill. They noticed that the armored colossus, Basaran, was not moving much. This set him apart from Kuromori, who had been pacing energetically as he awaited Wander and his escorts' arrival.

As the two colossi and Wander closed in on Basaran, Cenobia asked Wander, "So, did Kuromori talk about his war days at all?"

Wander responded, "Yeah, he did talk about them for a little bit. We did not have that much time together as we were on the way to Kyos. However, I noticed that he seemed very proud of his time on the battlefield."

Celosia added, "Dormin used our kind both as defenders of their realm and as a means to expand it beyond the peninsula. Kuromori and Basaran were the siege colossi. The two of us were the scout colossi. Kuromori says he only joined the rebellion because he saw fighting Dormin as a new challenge worthy of his skills. However, I would like to think that he also wanted to help his kind and our people. Still, he was not happy about being trapped in the peninsula and had to be shut away in that old arena to make sure he could not leave."

Wander then mentioned, "Kuromori said that Basaran was not proud of his war days. Why is that? Is he like Hydrus, regretting what he did on the battlefield?"

Cenobia responded, "We are getting closer, you can ask the old soldier yourself."

Wander realized that his escorts were now running up the hill leading to the stone wall and the resting tortoise colossus.

It was not long until the trio had reached the place where Basaran rested. The massive tortoise was a truly impressive creature. Unlike most larger colossi, nearly his entire body was armored with thick stone plates and ridges.

Basaran's eyes were not lit when the trio arrived in front of him. Cenobia sighed a bit and then sent out a loud telepathic shout, "Basaran! We have brought you Wander! Wake up so that we don't waste any more time!"

The tortoise colossus jolted awake and then began to rear up, his eyes orange. Basaran was about to raise up his legs to stomp the trio when he seemed to calm down, his eyes turning blue. The armored colossus looked around for a moment and then sighed, "Oh, you all have come. I would hope that the warrior who slew us all has been on his best behavior and not giving you two any trouble."

Celosia, as Wander dismounted her, replied, "Wander has been doing his best. So far, eight of us have been revived. Now, take him with you and find the grand spirit you are to challenge."

Basaran nodded his armored head and then told Wander, "Come with me. Lord Malus's orders are orders."

Wander nodded as Basaran turned to the stone wall and called out, "Imobus! I am here to challenge you! Allow me inside, don't make me break down this wall!"

Wander remembered the name Imobus. He had heard that grand spirit invoked whenever his home city had been under any sort of threat. Imobus was the grand spirit of defense and the "cousin" of Kyos. Protection and safety were both in Imobus's portfolio. He also represented the integrity of structures, even ones that were not built to withstand direct attacks. He was often invoked by builders, masons, architects along with soldiers on defensive assignments.

After Basaran had "thrown down the gauntlet," a portion of the stone wall preventing access to the light barrier began to glow with blueish light. The portion of the wall seemed to swing open as it glowed. A path was made for Wander and Basaran to follow inside.

As Wander walked with Basaran towards the barrier of white light, he asked the colossus, "Kuromori said that you were not proud of your old war days…. I was just wondering why that was?"

The armored tortoise kept walking and then told Wander, "You mortals are sometimes born into families with certain expectations. However, you are never really born to do one thing and one thing specifically. I was made to besiege fortresses and break down their walls, snipe defenders and seize more land for Dormin. I only existed as a war machine. That is all I was made to be. I helped overthrow that incomprehensible bastard because they made me to fight and only fight and I wanted them to see the flaws in their planning. Of course, they got their revenge. Their essence drove me to sleep right next to a geyser field. That was not something I would have done while fully sentient."

Wander admitted to himself that he could not entirely comprehend an existence where one was built for a specific purpose and was expected to only fulfill that purpose. He could not blame the armored colossus for being upset at his lot in life, even if he lacked the painful guilt that Hydrus felt.

Wander placed a hand on one of Basaran's legs and then the two of them advanced through the dome of white light. Once the two of them were inside the barrier, Wander saw that there was a castle protected by multiple layers of walls at the very top of the hill. They were standing a decent distance from it.

Basaran began to slowly advance forward with Wander in tow. The tortoise colossus grumbled, "Lord Malus said that it would make sense for me to challenge Imobus because I was designed to break through enemy fortifications. It seems to me like he was just rubbing my discomfort with my limited purpose in deeper."

Wander could not help but respond, "Maybe he just wanted to have you challenge a grand spirit that you could probably overcome? Maybe he was trying to have you play to your strengths?"

Basaran seemed to nod slightly and then pointed out, "Maybe so. Still, I would rather not be reminded of my 'singular purpose' for living."

A curious Wander then asked Basaran, as the two of them neared the castle, "Well, what would you like to do when you get revived? Quadratus was upset that he was a beast of burden. He told me that he wanted to create works of art."

Basaran sighed, the deep sorrow in his voice obvious to Wander. The armored tortoise then said, "I have thought about that time and time again. However, I don't know what else a creature like me is any good for. Mining? Starting fires? Honestly, I always wanted to protect people instead of subjugating others through force. Look at me, nearly my entire body is covered in armor. I could have been a great guardian, like some of the others. However, I was sent out to do what I was 'meant to do.' Destroy and conquer. …Why do you care?"

Wander was legitimately caught off guard at Basaran's closing question. He was not sure what to say to the imposing armored colossus. The young man stuttered, "Well, I was just curious after hearing what Kuromori said when I was aiding him. Then you got to talking and I was wondering what you would rather do than besiege fortresses."

As they were nearly to the first wall of the inner castle, Basaran said, "I see. I might ask you some things as well. However, right now we do not have the time.…"

When Wander and Basaran reached the outer wall of the hilltop castle, they noticed a central tower rising from behind the layers of walls. From the tower, a deep male voice echoed out, "Basaran, the living siege engine of Dormin. I take it you have come for some of my power?"

Basaran grumbled a bit and then shouted back, somewhat sarcastically, "Yes, that would be nice. What must I do for you in order to obtain that power?"

Imobus responded, "You are a weapon made to penetrate enemy fortifications. So, I will ask you to do what you were built to do. Reach my inner keep where my tower stands and I will give you the energy you need to revive yourself."

Wander realized that the castle was actually Imobus's incarnated form as Basaran shouted, "Fine! If that is what you want, then I will take one last castle!"

The tortoise colossus charged forward and then rammed the outer most wall with his head. When that did little damage, he kicked at it with each of his feet and then delivered a mighty double stomp to the wall section's foundations.

Wander, as the clearly angered Basaran fired volley after volley of energy pulses into the wall, noticed a series of small cracks emanating bluish light coming from another part of the wall. Wander called out, "Basaran, try hitting the spot on the wall that I am pointing at." Wander then moved out of the way for the armored colossus to change his position.

Basaran said, "I am not sure what good this will do." He then struck the wall and crashed right into the section Wander had pointed out with both feet.

The wall section crumbled from Basaran's strike. Wander smiled triumphantly as Basaran seemed a bit surprised. The armored colossus wasted no time in advancing through to the next wall, telling Wander, "Good eye, kid. You will spot the weaker wall sections and I will get us through them."

As Wander pointed out the next weak spot that he saw, Imobus called out, "Well, I see that your killer is granting you an advantage. …A castle needs defenders, after all. Let us add some to make this more interesting."

A number of human-shaped figures equipped with energy bows, akin to the one Wander could generate, appeared on the wall and began to fire bolts of spiritual energy at Wander. Those of their bolts that hit Basaran seemed to have little to no effect on his carapace.

Wander had to dodge a series of bolts before he returned fire with his own energy bow. One of the spiritual archers was dispelled. However, most of them seemed too evasive for Wander to easily hit.

Wander hid behind one of Basaran's front legs. Basaran shouted down at Wander, "I need you to concentrate on locating the weak points. …Let me see if I can cover you as you work on that?"

Basaran waited until four spiritual archers were clumped together and then blasted them with a series of high-speed energy pulses. The archers were all dispelled in one volley.

With Basaran sniping the archers and covering Wander, the young warrior was able to keep his focus on the next weak point. Basaran advanced while still firing at the archers and then head-butted the wall section into hundreds of pieces.

Wander followed Basaran through to the third and final wall. There, the spiritual archers appeared in force and began to bombard Wander with projectiles. Wander rushed forward to the wall, using his soul power to move faster and swat away bolts with clubs generated from his hands. Once right next to the wall, Wander found the final series of cracks and pointed Basaran towards them.

The spiritual archers began to extend themselves over the wall and fire directly down at Wander. However, Basaran fired on the defenders and began to wipe out entire groups of them. Basaran then rushed the final series of cracks and tackled the wall.

Wander followed Basaran through to the innermost courtyard as the remaining spiritual archers all began to vanish. When the duo neared the central courtyard, they saw a number of soul figures without bows or other weapons saluting them. From the central tower, Imobus echoed, "Well done. Your teamwork has allowed you to reach my inner courtyard. As much as I hate to admit it, you are an impressive siege weapon, Basaran."

Basaran grumbled again and then said, "It is not like I had a choice in the matter. Now, please fulfill your end of the bargain."

Imobus responded, "Interesting. It does seem that you are frustrated with the purpose for existing. Regardless, you have completed my challenge. I will bestow my power upon you as I promised before. I would hope that you make peace with yourself in the future, colossus."

Basaran began to glow with a brilliant light. As he lit up, he looked down at Wander and told him, "Thank you for finding those weak spots. When I get back, I am going to have a long and hard think about what else I could do that would give my life meaning. Maybe I will enlist the help of the others for that? Regardless, good luck with the rest of your atonement, kid. Dirge is next and I don't think that he will be thrilled to work with you…."

Basaran glowed with an intense light and then vanished. Once Basaran had disappeared, Imobus told Wander, "You are quite a skilled archer to have dispelled even one of my defenders. You must have been an asset to your people during your life. Now, go in peace."

A large catapult materialized nearby Wander in a rapid flash of light. The young warrior bowed to Imobus and his subjects and then nervously got into the catapult's sling, realizing how Imobus intended for him to leave the domain. Wander was launched through the air all the way past the barrier of white light. He landed right next to Celosia and Cenobia somehow without injury.

As Basaran had been being revived, Wander had been less focused on having lost another opportunity to escape the afterlife and more focused on his success once again. However, he was worried about what Basaran had said about the next colossus. Dirge had to be the sand snake waiting next to the cave. Wander remembered the wrathful temperament of that burrowing colossus and wondered how he would behave with his mind restored?