There was no light. There was no sound. Crux felt a dull ache in the back
of his head, pulsing and throbbing. He sat up quickly, the sound of his own
movement startling him, so loud and foreign in the complete silence that
surrounded him. He was certain that his eyes were open, but black was all
that filled his view. Crux's hands fumbled about clumsily, feeling dirt
beneath him as they wandered across the ground. Something bothered Crux
about this overwhelming dark. Even at night the moon and stars should cast
enough light to make out some details. There was something unnatural at
work here. His left hand felt something beneath it. It took him a few
moments to recognize it as the hilt of a sword. Something inside urged him
to grasp it, and as his grip tightened, a brilliant blade of light burst
into visibility, almost blinding in its radiance.
Crux was unsure which confused him more, the sudden flash of light from the sword, or the way the darkness around him swirled away from the sword in shuddering convulsions, as if in fear or disgust. With a sudden gust of wind, the dark was no longer upon him, and instead was spiraling back up into the sky. The tendril of black was absorbed into a dark cloud in the sky, drifting off into the horizon. As the darkness lifted from his body, so did the fog lift from his mind. Crux's vision blurred as his eyes adjusted from the purest black to the dull red of twilight. It took him a few moments to sort out his memories and understand what had happened.
Miya was dead. The realization washed over him once again, less shocking, and much more saddening. It enveloped his heart and squeezed the hope out of him. His daughter too, was gone from his life. His eyes turned first to the blade, its radiance almost blinding him even still, and then towards the dark ominous cloud above. He remembered images, sounds, and death, before the sky was shattered. His daughter had, in her fear, unleashed the holy fire that had for generations upon generations kept the blade perfect beyond comparison. Crux looked around, looking for nothing in particular, and noted with sadness that there was nothing more a large crater where his house had been. Indeed there was nothing left to indicate that anything had ever been there at all.
He realized that was not quite true as his eyes adjusted to the new light. Sitting square in the center of the crater was the sword's scabbard, untouched, unblemished, and unceremoniously lying on one side. Still very much in shock, Crux stumbled over to the sheath and lifted it slowly, slipping the sword carefully inside. The lighting in the area dimmed gradually, as the brilliant white blade was masked from view. It had been a long time since Crux last held a sword in his hands. Before he had met Miya, a blade at his side was all he had needed. Now, holding the Caedon family heirloom in both hands, this sword was grossly inadequate. The only thing left of his family, the sword would - he was certain - always be a reminder of this day. The day that he was sure would haunt him for the rest of his life.
**
There was nothing left of the Caedon family home. A swirling dark miasma had churned down from the sky, engulfing everything in black. A man watched with very little concern upon his face, his stern black eyes gazing through the icy darkness. He knew what would happen next, he always had. As a brilliant white slash pierced the cloud, the man smiled knowingly. The cloud's dark coil curled back up into itself, and the man watched a lone figure within the newly made crater stagger towards the center. The figure reached down for a scabbard upon the ground, sheathing the brilliant sword, and the lighting difference was as night is to day. It didn't matter to the man watching however, sight was only one of many senses.
**
Something stirred. Crux felt it more than he truly sensed it. There was no sound, nor any visible movement. There was only an imperceptible feeling of motion tugging at the corners of his mind. He was not alone in the twilight. His hand gripped the sheath of the sword hesitantly. Whoever - or whatever - it was, it was concealing itself very well. But in the absolute silence, with nothing else to distract him, Crux was far from oblivious. As he closed his eyes, Crux extended his senses as much as he could. He could feel the movement increasing in speed, even the humanoid shape of the approaching form. His perception, while diminished from many years of quiet living, had once been enough to detect the most imperceptible of changes in the environment around him, even a single speck of dirt being pushed out of place hundres of yards behind him. However, something was definitely unusual here. He could feel the one approaching him increasing speed, but there was no disturbance upon the ground, and no noise to confirm a velocity that could only be a dead run. The feeling to him was not of this world, and he gripped the hilt of his sword tight.
Something within Crux questioned the logic of defending himself if he had nothing left to live for, but the question was dismissed immediately. Miya would have scolded him for feeling so sorry for himself. He would welcome even her lectures now. How such a little thing brought tears to his eyes in this tense moment was beyond him, but he knew giving up on his life would serve no real purpose. His thoughts quieted as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He would not die here, there were things yet undone. His left hand gripped the hilt tight and he turned in a pivot, drawing the sword out into a brillaint horizontal swipe, the surreal blade leaving a trail of white as it arced through the air.
The twilight was once again as day, and he could see everything clearly for a moment. He didn't note the difference in light however, as he was too surprised to pay it any notice. For while he had expected to see something hideous, some foul being capable of sneaking up behind him so silently, the last thing he had expected was to see nothing. Yet as his sword's arc finished, Crux saw nobody, nobody else at all. He could still feel the presence, like a nudge at the back of his mind. He was not alone, but no- one was there to be found. Prickles of cold ran down his spine as he realized the presence was right upon him. He turns and looked about frantically, but to no avail. There was nothing to be seen but the edges of the crater. In a panicked anger his voice rang out.
"Who are you!? Show yourself!" If not for the strength of his feelings, Crux would have felt a fool to be yelling at nothing. However, with the day's events, and this unshakable cold feeling of dread gripping his body, Crux was hardly in a position to worry about such things. A moment brought the echo of his voice bouncing back to his ears from the edges of the crater. Shortly, however, another sound followed. Amused laughter filled the air, shaking Crux out of the slight trance he had fallen into. But instead of coming from behind him, or from either side, the sound was coming from directly above him. Startled, Crux tilted his head back and found himself staring directly into a pair of eyes as dark as the cloud that had so recently lifted from him. Crux leapt backwards and clutched his sword tight between both hands, staring in confusion at the man hanging inverted in the air.
"Who are you? Answer me!" Crux's voice was unsteady as he struggled to regain his composure. He did not understand the source of this feeling, this fear running throughout him. The man was floating in the sky itself, yet this much was not the source of his anxiety. While he had hardly expected a man to fly, birds and insects often did the same. He did not know what it was about the figure before him, but there was something there, within his eyes, that held more power than any sense of dread could begin to attest to. The man crossed his arms and his eyebrow raised slightly, an annoyed expression on his face.
"Do not so easily demand things of me, Crux Caedon. I am not impressed by your feeble attempts at swordplay. I am here to make you an offer, but you would be wise not to try my patience." Something in the man's tone was unusual in its implication. Crux was no stranger to arrogance and threats, but the voice was beyond anything he had ever heard. There was credence in the voice. There was no sound of worry, or of hesitation. Not the slightest hint of bravado rang within the man's tones. It was as if the man was far more than merely confident in his superiority over the world. It was as if he was completely certain of it. The words added depth to Crux's insubstantial anxieties, for the sheer conviction alone could mean only one of two things. Either this man was a lunatic, or he truly had no reason to fear anything. With the man floating in the air, neither was a comforting thought. Crux tried to slow his breathing and muster the strength to stare back into the man's eyes.
"Whoever you may be, you could not have come at a worse time. I don't want anything from you. Leave me be." Crux's hands tightened around the hilt of his family's heirloom with tension building in his muscles. As he watched, the corners of the man's mouth turned down towards the earth. Crux found himself wondering if the man was smiling or snarling.
"I disagree, churl. I have come at the perfect time, for I offer you something that you need now more than ever," The man's eye's took on a gleam as the last rays of sunlight framed his face, his jet black hair wavering silently in the wind. "I offer you power. The boundless power to destroy those who did this to your family. The power to make sure it never happens again. The power to change the very world. I offer you the power to facilitate vengeance. For this is what you want, is it not?"
The words echoed within Crux's mind as something inside him clicked. That word - Vengeance - was that what he needed? Did he really need to find those who did this, to make them pay, to make them suffer as Miya had? To make them pay for what had happened to Sachi, was that what he wanted? It sounded so poetic, and yet, there was something about the word as it swam through his head. Would it really make them happy? They were already dead, could more death bring them peace? No, this thought, this 'Vengeance', it was...
"Wrong." Crux spoke the word through clenched teeth, his eyes shut tight. His knuckles turned white as his hands tightened maddeningly in a death grip about the sword's hilt. The figure made an irritated sound and Crux opened his eyes to see him clearly troubled.
"What a pathetic creature you are. Your family was murdered in cold blood, and yet you refuse the power to avenge them?" The man looked at Crux expectantly.
"And where was this power of yours before?" The man's eyes narrowed at Crux's words. "If you have such great power, why didn't you save my family?" It was Crux's turn to sound dangerous, an edge creeping into his voice. "You were content to just sit and watch while my family was slaughtered?! What kind of monster are you? You could have saved them and yet did nothing, then come to me offering the gift of power as if you were some kind of benevolent deity? Leave now if you value your life!" Crux's eyes were red as he seethed; the blood vessels inside surging in his anger. Pivoting in the air, the figure floated down to land gracefully upon his feet, then lifted his head to look at Crux with an amused expression on his face.
"If the cur is so anxious to strike its master, perhaps more thought is warranted first. Who is to say I merely watched while your family was slaughtered?" A large grin spread across the man's face, his eyes widening with his smile. "Perhaps I did more... Indeed it may very well have been I who killed your family. Yes, maybe I saw your lovely wife Miya and thought how enjoyable it would be to watch her die, her blood soaking the earth. Yes, that sounds about right." His words were mocking, deriding Crux with his nonchalance.
He could not tolerate it any longer. Crux's eyes widened, a scream flew from his mouth, and the sword clove the sky in two. Blinding white light engulfed the crater as the brilliance surrounding the blade exploded outward, filling the night with brightness even as the force ripped the earth asunder, scarring the already scorched soil in one massive slash. The trees in the forest beyond were torn apart by the wind shear as the powerful sword continued its arc uninterrupted, burning a crescent into the ground ahead of Crux as his anger was channeled through the incredible blade, converted into the energy that now shook the heavens. Crux's hands slowed the slash and brought the sword down to rest in the ground, and it was over. He looked at the ruin and destruction that he had caused and frowned. Gritting his teeth, he exhaled and spoke loudly, shaking his head. "You had your chance."
"So did you." Even as Crux spun at the sound of the words behind him, the thunder crashed into his side with incomprehensible force. His bones fractured and cracked from the shock as he flew through the air into the demolished forest, his vertebrae cracking upon his impact with a centuries- old willow tree. Cracks split through the tree as well, as it shuddered under the stress. His vision swam with strange shapes as he failed to move, speak, or even breathe. His body was all but embedded in the forest giant. Crux could feel blood running down the back of his head, and knew his internal injuries must have been severe. Blackness began to close in on his vision, and he found he lacked the strength even to keep his eyes open.
"Not bad for a lowly human. I suppose you are of some worth after all. That would surely have killed most of your race instantly. However, you're still dying..." Crux halfheartedly attempted to respond, but could only manage a gurgle as he began to black out. "We can't have it ending like this, before it has even begun. I will make reparations for the damage done to your body, but perhaps in the future you will better keep yourself under control." Even as some dim part of Crux's consciousness vaguely registered the words, he could feel the blackness that surrounded his mind dissipating. There were however, other things he could feel that took first priority.
The scream ripped itself from Crux's throat as he felt his bones snapping and crackling all over again, this time in reverse, colliding against each other and latticing together, resetting themselves and moving about inside of him back into their appropriate positions. The muscle tissues and organs were pushed abruptly aside until they too began to move within his body. The blood had stopped flowing behind his head. He didn't understand how, but his body was being healed. He realized as his eyes opened, revealing crude and distorted vision, that his retinas themselves had been damaged when he slammed against the tree. A mix of curiosity and horror filled him as he was able to watch the lens of his own eye reshape and re-align itself before his vision returned to normal. A golden glow surrounded Crux, small flecks of light occassionally shooting off into the darkness. He glanced up at the face of the man who had struck him down, and who was now repairing the damage that had been done.
"It is fortunate for you that I am not the one who killed your family, or you would surely be dead this moment instead of staring at me with that sullen look of yours..." The soft glow highlighted the man's figure, his light armor standing out in the golden light. Pulsing blood red lines traced the contours of the chestplate, casting a subtle crimson hue upon it. "I have not yet rescinded my offer, but it seems to me I should give you time to rest and ponder. After all, you were dead moments ago. That must have been somewhat uncomfortable." Crux realized his body was completely healed, but that didn't make the pain any less real. It also did not do much for the fact that he was stuck within the tree.
"If you have.. the power to cheat death.. why then did you not save my family?" Crux's question was filled with sorrow, and a moment passed before the man gave a wry smile.
"Why Caedon, I thought I had made it clear. It is not up to me to save your family, it is up to you. When you come to your senses and decide to take this strength as your own, call on me, and I will be there." The man slowly lifted into the air and began to drift away.
"What name then, should I spit upon the ground?" There was venom in Crux's voice, but no real ardor backing it. He was tired, and yearned for the blissful nothingness of sleep.
The voice drifted out amongst the leaves of the forest, even as Crux's consciousness began to fade. "You will know when you need to know, Caedon, and not before. Sleep now, for the morning shall bring only more trials to overcome." Laughter accompanied it as it faded in the distance. "I do hope you manage to free yourself from that fearsome tree." As blackness engulfed his world once again, Crux far from appreciated the sentiment.
Crux was unsure which confused him more, the sudden flash of light from the sword, or the way the darkness around him swirled away from the sword in shuddering convulsions, as if in fear or disgust. With a sudden gust of wind, the dark was no longer upon him, and instead was spiraling back up into the sky. The tendril of black was absorbed into a dark cloud in the sky, drifting off into the horizon. As the darkness lifted from his body, so did the fog lift from his mind. Crux's vision blurred as his eyes adjusted from the purest black to the dull red of twilight. It took him a few moments to sort out his memories and understand what had happened.
Miya was dead. The realization washed over him once again, less shocking, and much more saddening. It enveloped his heart and squeezed the hope out of him. His daughter too, was gone from his life. His eyes turned first to the blade, its radiance almost blinding him even still, and then towards the dark ominous cloud above. He remembered images, sounds, and death, before the sky was shattered. His daughter had, in her fear, unleashed the holy fire that had for generations upon generations kept the blade perfect beyond comparison. Crux looked around, looking for nothing in particular, and noted with sadness that there was nothing more a large crater where his house had been. Indeed there was nothing left to indicate that anything had ever been there at all.
He realized that was not quite true as his eyes adjusted to the new light. Sitting square in the center of the crater was the sword's scabbard, untouched, unblemished, and unceremoniously lying on one side. Still very much in shock, Crux stumbled over to the sheath and lifted it slowly, slipping the sword carefully inside. The lighting in the area dimmed gradually, as the brilliant white blade was masked from view. It had been a long time since Crux last held a sword in his hands. Before he had met Miya, a blade at his side was all he had needed. Now, holding the Caedon family heirloom in both hands, this sword was grossly inadequate. The only thing left of his family, the sword would - he was certain - always be a reminder of this day. The day that he was sure would haunt him for the rest of his life.
**
There was nothing left of the Caedon family home. A swirling dark miasma had churned down from the sky, engulfing everything in black. A man watched with very little concern upon his face, his stern black eyes gazing through the icy darkness. He knew what would happen next, he always had. As a brilliant white slash pierced the cloud, the man smiled knowingly. The cloud's dark coil curled back up into itself, and the man watched a lone figure within the newly made crater stagger towards the center. The figure reached down for a scabbard upon the ground, sheathing the brilliant sword, and the lighting difference was as night is to day. It didn't matter to the man watching however, sight was only one of many senses.
**
Something stirred. Crux felt it more than he truly sensed it. There was no sound, nor any visible movement. There was only an imperceptible feeling of motion tugging at the corners of his mind. He was not alone in the twilight. His hand gripped the sheath of the sword hesitantly. Whoever - or whatever - it was, it was concealing itself very well. But in the absolute silence, with nothing else to distract him, Crux was far from oblivious. As he closed his eyes, Crux extended his senses as much as he could. He could feel the movement increasing in speed, even the humanoid shape of the approaching form. His perception, while diminished from many years of quiet living, had once been enough to detect the most imperceptible of changes in the environment around him, even a single speck of dirt being pushed out of place hundres of yards behind him. However, something was definitely unusual here. He could feel the one approaching him increasing speed, but there was no disturbance upon the ground, and no noise to confirm a velocity that could only be a dead run. The feeling to him was not of this world, and he gripped the hilt of his sword tight.
Something within Crux questioned the logic of defending himself if he had nothing left to live for, but the question was dismissed immediately. Miya would have scolded him for feeling so sorry for himself. He would welcome even her lectures now. How such a little thing brought tears to his eyes in this tense moment was beyond him, but he knew giving up on his life would serve no real purpose. His thoughts quieted as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He would not die here, there were things yet undone. His left hand gripped the hilt tight and he turned in a pivot, drawing the sword out into a brillaint horizontal swipe, the surreal blade leaving a trail of white as it arced through the air.
The twilight was once again as day, and he could see everything clearly for a moment. He didn't note the difference in light however, as he was too surprised to pay it any notice. For while he had expected to see something hideous, some foul being capable of sneaking up behind him so silently, the last thing he had expected was to see nothing. Yet as his sword's arc finished, Crux saw nobody, nobody else at all. He could still feel the presence, like a nudge at the back of his mind. He was not alone, but no- one was there to be found. Prickles of cold ran down his spine as he realized the presence was right upon him. He turns and looked about frantically, but to no avail. There was nothing to be seen but the edges of the crater. In a panicked anger his voice rang out.
"Who are you!? Show yourself!" If not for the strength of his feelings, Crux would have felt a fool to be yelling at nothing. However, with the day's events, and this unshakable cold feeling of dread gripping his body, Crux was hardly in a position to worry about such things. A moment brought the echo of his voice bouncing back to his ears from the edges of the crater. Shortly, however, another sound followed. Amused laughter filled the air, shaking Crux out of the slight trance he had fallen into. But instead of coming from behind him, or from either side, the sound was coming from directly above him. Startled, Crux tilted his head back and found himself staring directly into a pair of eyes as dark as the cloud that had so recently lifted from him. Crux leapt backwards and clutched his sword tight between both hands, staring in confusion at the man hanging inverted in the air.
"Who are you? Answer me!" Crux's voice was unsteady as he struggled to regain his composure. He did not understand the source of this feeling, this fear running throughout him. The man was floating in the sky itself, yet this much was not the source of his anxiety. While he had hardly expected a man to fly, birds and insects often did the same. He did not know what it was about the figure before him, but there was something there, within his eyes, that held more power than any sense of dread could begin to attest to. The man crossed his arms and his eyebrow raised slightly, an annoyed expression on his face.
"Do not so easily demand things of me, Crux Caedon. I am not impressed by your feeble attempts at swordplay. I am here to make you an offer, but you would be wise not to try my patience." Something in the man's tone was unusual in its implication. Crux was no stranger to arrogance and threats, but the voice was beyond anything he had ever heard. There was credence in the voice. There was no sound of worry, or of hesitation. Not the slightest hint of bravado rang within the man's tones. It was as if the man was far more than merely confident in his superiority over the world. It was as if he was completely certain of it. The words added depth to Crux's insubstantial anxieties, for the sheer conviction alone could mean only one of two things. Either this man was a lunatic, or he truly had no reason to fear anything. With the man floating in the air, neither was a comforting thought. Crux tried to slow his breathing and muster the strength to stare back into the man's eyes.
"Whoever you may be, you could not have come at a worse time. I don't want anything from you. Leave me be." Crux's hands tightened around the hilt of his family's heirloom with tension building in his muscles. As he watched, the corners of the man's mouth turned down towards the earth. Crux found himself wondering if the man was smiling or snarling.
"I disagree, churl. I have come at the perfect time, for I offer you something that you need now more than ever," The man's eye's took on a gleam as the last rays of sunlight framed his face, his jet black hair wavering silently in the wind. "I offer you power. The boundless power to destroy those who did this to your family. The power to make sure it never happens again. The power to change the very world. I offer you the power to facilitate vengeance. For this is what you want, is it not?"
The words echoed within Crux's mind as something inside him clicked. That word - Vengeance - was that what he needed? Did he really need to find those who did this, to make them pay, to make them suffer as Miya had? To make them pay for what had happened to Sachi, was that what he wanted? It sounded so poetic, and yet, there was something about the word as it swam through his head. Would it really make them happy? They were already dead, could more death bring them peace? No, this thought, this 'Vengeance', it was...
"Wrong." Crux spoke the word through clenched teeth, his eyes shut tight. His knuckles turned white as his hands tightened maddeningly in a death grip about the sword's hilt. The figure made an irritated sound and Crux opened his eyes to see him clearly troubled.
"What a pathetic creature you are. Your family was murdered in cold blood, and yet you refuse the power to avenge them?" The man looked at Crux expectantly.
"And where was this power of yours before?" The man's eyes narrowed at Crux's words. "If you have such great power, why didn't you save my family?" It was Crux's turn to sound dangerous, an edge creeping into his voice. "You were content to just sit and watch while my family was slaughtered?! What kind of monster are you? You could have saved them and yet did nothing, then come to me offering the gift of power as if you were some kind of benevolent deity? Leave now if you value your life!" Crux's eyes were red as he seethed; the blood vessels inside surging in his anger. Pivoting in the air, the figure floated down to land gracefully upon his feet, then lifted his head to look at Crux with an amused expression on his face.
"If the cur is so anxious to strike its master, perhaps more thought is warranted first. Who is to say I merely watched while your family was slaughtered?" A large grin spread across the man's face, his eyes widening with his smile. "Perhaps I did more... Indeed it may very well have been I who killed your family. Yes, maybe I saw your lovely wife Miya and thought how enjoyable it would be to watch her die, her blood soaking the earth. Yes, that sounds about right." His words were mocking, deriding Crux with his nonchalance.
He could not tolerate it any longer. Crux's eyes widened, a scream flew from his mouth, and the sword clove the sky in two. Blinding white light engulfed the crater as the brilliance surrounding the blade exploded outward, filling the night with brightness even as the force ripped the earth asunder, scarring the already scorched soil in one massive slash. The trees in the forest beyond were torn apart by the wind shear as the powerful sword continued its arc uninterrupted, burning a crescent into the ground ahead of Crux as his anger was channeled through the incredible blade, converted into the energy that now shook the heavens. Crux's hands slowed the slash and brought the sword down to rest in the ground, and it was over. He looked at the ruin and destruction that he had caused and frowned. Gritting his teeth, he exhaled and spoke loudly, shaking his head. "You had your chance."
"So did you." Even as Crux spun at the sound of the words behind him, the thunder crashed into his side with incomprehensible force. His bones fractured and cracked from the shock as he flew through the air into the demolished forest, his vertebrae cracking upon his impact with a centuries- old willow tree. Cracks split through the tree as well, as it shuddered under the stress. His vision swam with strange shapes as he failed to move, speak, or even breathe. His body was all but embedded in the forest giant. Crux could feel blood running down the back of his head, and knew his internal injuries must have been severe. Blackness began to close in on his vision, and he found he lacked the strength even to keep his eyes open.
"Not bad for a lowly human. I suppose you are of some worth after all. That would surely have killed most of your race instantly. However, you're still dying..." Crux halfheartedly attempted to respond, but could only manage a gurgle as he began to black out. "We can't have it ending like this, before it has even begun. I will make reparations for the damage done to your body, but perhaps in the future you will better keep yourself under control." Even as some dim part of Crux's consciousness vaguely registered the words, he could feel the blackness that surrounded his mind dissipating. There were however, other things he could feel that took first priority.
The scream ripped itself from Crux's throat as he felt his bones snapping and crackling all over again, this time in reverse, colliding against each other and latticing together, resetting themselves and moving about inside of him back into their appropriate positions. The muscle tissues and organs were pushed abruptly aside until they too began to move within his body. The blood had stopped flowing behind his head. He didn't understand how, but his body was being healed. He realized as his eyes opened, revealing crude and distorted vision, that his retinas themselves had been damaged when he slammed against the tree. A mix of curiosity and horror filled him as he was able to watch the lens of his own eye reshape and re-align itself before his vision returned to normal. A golden glow surrounded Crux, small flecks of light occassionally shooting off into the darkness. He glanced up at the face of the man who had struck him down, and who was now repairing the damage that had been done.
"It is fortunate for you that I am not the one who killed your family, or you would surely be dead this moment instead of staring at me with that sullen look of yours..." The soft glow highlighted the man's figure, his light armor standing out in the golden light. Pulsing blood red lines traced the contours of the chestplate, casting a subtle crimson hue upon it. "I have not yet rescinded my offer, but it seems to me I should give you time to rest and ponder. After all, you were dead moments ago. That must have been somewhat uncomfortable." Crux realized his body was completely healed, but that didn't make the pain any less real. It also did not do much for the fact that he was stuck within the tree.
"If you have.. the power to cheat death.. why then did you not save my family?" Crux's question was filled with sorrow, and a moment passed before the man gave a wry smile.
"Why Caedon, I thought I had made it clear. It is not up to me to save your family, it is up to you. When you come to your senses and decide to take this strength as your own, call on me, and I will be there." The man slowly lifted into the air and began to drift away.
"What name then, should I spit upon the ground?" There was venom in Crux's voice, but no real ardor backing it. He was tired, and yearned for the blissful nothingness of sleep.
The voice drifted out amongst the leaves of the forest, even as Crux's consciousness began to fade. "You will know when you need to know, Caedon, and not before. Sleep now, for the morning shall bring only more trials to overcome." Laughter accompanied it as it faded in the distance. "I do hope you manage to free yourself from that fearsome tree." As blackness engulfed his world once again, Crux far from appreciated the sentiment.