Chapter 13 :: Master and Student
Yay for flashbacks!
-----------------------------------------Your friends cannot reach you now, Mithos. Alice has betrayed you
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Mithos' head was throbbing from a terrible headache as he regained consciousness alone in a tunnel. Fortunately, glowing crystals grew in this part of the cavern, providing light for him. He put his hand to his forehead to find that he had a major cut there that was still bleeding. Immediately, he applied some of the healing gels he brought to his wound, stopping the blood from flowing there. With one hand on his Starsword at all times, Mithos proceeded deeper into the downward-sloping tunnel.
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"You knew the floor was going to collapse!" Kratos angrily accused, putting his sword to Alice's neck. "You Ghosts really hide your allegiances well, don't you?"
The figure of Alice blinked and reappeared behind Kratos.
"It had to be done. Mithos has been dependent on you and Martel for too long. If he has any chance of being our hope to restore peace, he needs to learn to survive on his own," Alice said.
"And you didn't think this was something you should have told me?"
"I knew you would rush in and pull Mithos out of there if I told you. You are far too protective of him."
"He's my student."
"That is no excuse for holding his hand with every step."
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"That's odd," Mithos remarked, seeing a strange gem that had come loose from the wall. Unlike the other crystals, this jewel shone in a pure white light. Since it was small enough to carry, Mithos put it in his pocket with the hope that he could give it to Martel later on as a gift.
At last he reached a small cavern on which there was a seal in the floor.
"Where on earth could it be?" the voice that came from the walls earlier said. Mithos looked into the shadows of the cavern to see a ten-foot tall mole with a red ribbon on its head. In its paw was an enormous metal shovel.
"You're Gnome, the spirit of earth, right?" Mithos said, cautiously approaching him.
"That's right! The tunneler of the ground... the master of earthquakes... the one and only... GNOME!" he answered.
"Then are you looking for this?" Mithos asked. He showed Gnome the jewel that he picked up in the tunnel.
"Where... where did you find it?" Gnome replied, snatching the gem from Mithos.
"In that tunnel."
"So, I assume you are here to get my power," Gnome said. "Everyone's been doing that lately. In the past century, at least a hundred crazy guys come here and demand my power so they can find gold or something."
"But..." Mithos started.
"But I think you're different. Tell you what, I'll battle you and if you win, I'll give you my precious gem and my power," Gnome said.
"Me battle... alone?" Mithos stammered. With Sylph, Undine, and Efreet, he had his friends, but he was shaking in his shoes at the prospect of fighting a spirit on his own.
"Hmm... Confidence issues, eh? Well come right over here and we'll begin your training," Gnome said, showing Mithos a pile of boulders. "I want you to move them over to that pile and afterwards you'll have gained the strength of a thousand men."
"Um... okay..." Mithos replied, lugging the smallest of the boulders off the top and then rolling it along the floor.
"Heh, funny kid," Gnome said to himself.
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In another section of the caverns, Alice and Kratos continued their discussion. Kratos had sheathed his blade and they were progressing into lower regions of the tunnel hoping to find a way to the surface or to Mithos.
"Tell me. How did he become your apprentice anyway?" Alice asked.
"Everything started seven years ago, in Heimdall with the coming of the Eternal War," Kratos began...
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Heimdall, seven years ago, was a peaceful hamlet of elves that lived in isolation from the rest of the world. While other elven villages had sided with Macerdon, Heimdall declared its neutrality from the immediate start. For over 900 years, it remained neutral while the world tore itself to pieces.
"Mithos, you all right?" Martel asked. She was only 17 years old then and Mithos was only 7. The two were alone in their modest house.
"The elder said that we aren't real elves and that we're lucky we even have homes," Mithos said.
"Don't listen to them, Mithos. We're just like the others, just that we have a human father," Martel consoled.
That day, rumors were flying around that Macerdon intended to take the village for itself, by force if necessary. When a battalion of human soldiers marched into town late in the afternoon, they declared their kingdom had annexed Heimdall. That night, they watched as the soldiers searched every house for half-elves which they believed to be conspiring with Delthis.
"This place will no longer be a safe haven to those who threaten our bloodlines!" the cry rang out that came from the soldiers. As Mithos and Martel hid in their home, they could hear the sound of muskets executing the traitors the soldiers seized.
"We're going to be okay, right?" Mithos said.
"Mithos, we're leaving," Martel said. They sneaked out of the house at midnight, and then crept along the village riverbank until they reached the old log bridge. Years ago, Martel and Mithos would sit on this bridge fishing for abundant bluegills. Suddenly, they felt the cold steel of blades against the back of their necks.
"Lord Kratos, we found two here trying to escape," a soldier said.
"They must be spies for the Desians," a second knight said.
"Idiot! They are just children," Kratos, in a white uniform, scolded.
"You know Lord Procyon's orders! Eradicate all half-elves," a third soldier said. The first raised his sword to cut Martel asunder.
"Divine Storm Blade," Kratos said, knocking the blade from his hand with his own Dragon's Tear. "Both of you will come with me."
"Lord Kratos, what do you intend to do with them? Lord Procyon of the Black Phoenix will have you killed too if you save them," the second said.
"Then say that I was killed in action taking this village. I have seen enough of Procyon's blind hate, which will do nothing to end this war. If you want to continue to be soldiers, do as I say or else Procyon will personally execute you for failing to stop me."
The soldiers began to whisper to one another before coming to a conclusion. "We trust you, my lord. We'll say you were killed by an elven archer trying to defend the village."
Without a word, Kratos helped Mithos and Martel to their feet and led them in the direction of Ymir Forest.
"What are your names?"
"M... Mithos."
"Martel."
"Um... did we get you in trouble, sir?" asked Mithos.
"It was something that was coming to me. My master has been insisting that I be less lenient towards your kind, but this time, he crossed the line."
"I don't want to see any more people get hurt," Mithos said.
"If that is your desire, you must learn how to fight for yourself. I can teach you how to use a sword, but you must find the strength within you to fight on your own."
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"So in the end, Martel took up a job as a cleric in the temple and I began to train Mithos. He was a slow starter, but eventually his sword skills improved," Kratos said.
"And you don't think it has grown enough for him to be on his own?" asked Alice.
"He still thinks like a child, with little knowledge of how the real world works."
"Perhaps that is where you are mistaken. Mithos has ideals that he strives for, and those ideals are the strength he draws from to fight."
"Perhaps..."