Chapter Eight:
The Realities of Destruction
Carnage was everywhere. Hardly any stone or piece of wood was left upon one another. Trees that once littered the town profusely were reduced to nothing but a black covering over the prairie that Gordovan was built upon. Mangled bodies, every now and then, were on display, while scavenging birds circled overhead. I do not dare to burden your mind nor your hearts with everything theirs were weighed down with, for I cannot even bare it myself to spill any ink in its retelling.
The destruction seemed complete for no live body was in sight. An hour was spent searching, but availed nothing new. Whoever had caused this destruction seemed to have been long gone, which both frustrated and worried the party. But then Maxim's eye caught hold of something. As you should remember Maxim's job was to track and he was very skilled at it.
He bent low, examining the small impression. One set of footprints was not as chaotic as the others, and it seemed fresher. Luckily it had been raining recently in this part of the world, softening the ground and then a wave of heat had bent upon the land, hardening the tracks.
Maxim reasoned that only the one who destroyed this place would be walking so calmly. The town's inhabitants would have been running for their lives. Of course, townspeople could have come back (if there were any still alive) to survey the wreckage, but these prints ran to the north of town in a very methodical manner.
What perplexed and terrified them all was that there was only one such set of footprints. Perhaps one person really had destroyed the whole town by him or herself.
Selan, Guy, and Tia agreed with Maxim and it was decided that they would follow his lead here. So, following footsteps, the remnants of a warm fire, and various other clues (usually only seen by Maxim) the group followed him another half-day journey on this trail.
Now they had closed in on a string of lakes to the west of Gordovan. The water was calm, as the rain of the past few weeks took a vacation. Birds flocked through the air, swooping down for their catch at the lake's surface. This seemed to be the only life until a thin piece of smoke was betrayed rising from atop a small mountain.
This raised their hopes that their search may be over, but also raised their fears of what their search may yield. So, Selan, Maxim, and Guy began to creep up positioning themselves for a good view, while still having enough cover for themselves. Tia and Selan's three knights stayed slightly behind. The smoke could have been from something else, something altogether innocent and harmless, but that was not to be the case.
The stillness of the natural view before them was then broken by a dark figure against the afternoon, cloudless sky. It was a menacing creature housed in a suit of dark blue-green armor, with spikes protruding at various places upon it. Atop this was a mass of fiery-orange hair that splayed this way and that. He was framed within a rocky formation like a window, with walls coming forth from the ground, bending, and connecting like a bridge to form the roof.
"Judging by the size of him, I hope this one is all there is," Tia observed.
For perhaps fifteen minutes they watched and observed this person from afar. And then Selan started to give the signal to retreat back to a further position so they could council about the next line of action. Selan (and Maxim and Guy as well) did not want to let this man out of their sights; they did not want any more destruction to come from this warrior before them. But Selan also had to deal with her King's orders to not engage before referring back to him, which would take at least a week. Still, they outnumbered him seven to one.
As the group began to fall back a voice boomed from the armored foe. "I do not recognize your energy patterns. Strangers? Traveling warriors, perhaps? You have found me, though, assuming you were looking for me. Come, let us meet face to face.
Stunned at first that they were known to the figure, the whole party said nothing. At the dark figure's second attempt Maxim spoke up. Apparently there would be no room for simple reconnaissance on this mission, no matter if if it would end in a fight or not. "Do you know what happened to Gordovan?"
"Why do you shout from behind cover, are you not warriors? If it is because you feel I would destroy you upon knowing your position," (which it partly was), "you are too late and too worrisome. Or perhaps it is because you like to play hide and seek. I have known your position since you have reached this wasteland. Those heather covered rocks would not suffice as a defense anyway. Come let us speak as gentlemen would, I grow tired of this game."
Knowing (and completely stunned) that their position was well known, for whatever reason, Maxim bravely took a step out into the open, soon followed by the Selan and Guy. "Did you play a part in the destruction of Gordovan?"
"Ah, good to see the three of you, but there are four more." So, Tia and Selan's three knights joined their companions in standing in view of the figure.
"A part...no. It was my own masterpiece; mine alone. I expected them to at least put up a fight, but they did not even begin to amuse me. It was a pity," the creature spoke arrogantly.
Filled with righteous anger and enraged at the man's indifference to the town and its people Maxim cursed at the giant figure.
"Ah! You seem more the sport. Skilled enough to follow the trail I left behind, which was quite a tough one, but simple enough for a human. What is your name?"
"Maxim," said he.
"Ah, yes Maxim of Elcid, traveling with his friend Tia and Sir Guy of Tanbel. Yet you have picked up a few more to join you. Very good. It's an honor to meet you all. You may refer to me as Gades, the Sinistral of Destruction."
"Why don't you come down from there, since you claim to be so brave, Gades? And bring anyone else that is with you," Guy proudly (and quite foolishly) called out.
To which Selan added, "I am Commander Selan under King Airin of Parcelyte whose realm this is. You have much to answer to," Selan called out to the monster. As she did so the dark man appeared before them walking closer still. No one remembered seeing the figure absent from the window of rock, nor did any time seem to elapse before Gades was standing before them.
"Regardless you are already beginning to bore me, perhaps we shall meet again after the next town I destroy."
"We cannot allow that," Selan spoke the words Maxim and Guy were thinking.
"You cannot stop it," Gades chuckled as he now stood closer than ten feet from the closest of Selan's soldiers, "but it will be fun to see you try," the giant bellowed before unsheathing his sword which had a golden hilt, while the blade curved back and forth like a snake winding its way over any terrain. The blade wound its way straight through the arm of that closest knight right above the elbow, sending him to the ground before he had a chance to react.
Tia was shocked at the display of evil and its quickness, as were the others, but she rushed to soldier as he fell to the ground clutching his arm. She quickly had her jacket off bandaging his arm. Everyone else had their weapons and shields at the ready and just as quickly needed to use them.
Three more blows sent the other two inexperienced knights to the ground weaponless. Gades trained his sword at the neck of another guard, but turned his attention to those still on foot as Selan, Guy, and Maxim moved closer. The knights moved out of reach, as Gades moved in to attack Selan.
Blow upon blow reigned down towards her with quickening force. Block, parry, block, block, thrust, block. With each use of her shield the pain within her shoulder and arm grew, although the adrenalin helped her to ignore it for the moment. Meanwhile Guy and Maxim could not find an opening in which to help her fight this beast before them. Still, she remained upon her feet, which obviously shocked Gades.
And then he switched his attack towards Guy, block after block was forced, as no attacks were reaching Gades. And quickly he spun again, into Maxim's range, who just as quickly, but barely, dodged the arc of Gades' blade.
It was now Maxim's turn to defend himself from the fury of Gades' untiring attack. One crushing blow sent him stumbling back, which gave Guy the open opportunity he thought he wanted. However, Gades deftly turned, deflected Guy's axe from any damaging effect, and then provided a kick straight to Guy's left ribs, knocking the wind out of him and, Guy thought, cracking a couple of ribs.
And then Gades broke, the three warriors grouped together before him, Tia and Selan's soldiers huddled together in the background. Quickly Gades was growing tired of this sport. "Your energy patterns seemed different than this, but you are mere mortals after all like the rest. How pitiful your race is. How irritating you humans can be sometimes, though. Enough of this game, perhaps you should like to see another skill I possess." As he said these words he held the sword to his right side, extending his left hand, palm facing outwards towards those left standing.
Without a sound, or at least one not remembered by anyone, a wave of some sort of energy rushed over, or perhaps even through, their bodies. All outside sounds were blacked out, causing it to seem as if they were in slow-motion, or perhaps that dreamlike state where you know something important is happening, but you can't quite understand what. Everyone was sent flying backwards off of their feet. And then darkness overtook them all.
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They awoke to headaches some time later. It was still not dark and they learned later that they had been unconscious for only a short time, although it seemed as if they had lost at least a day.
As their visions focused it became evident that another person was present. Maxim, Guy, and Tia noticed almost immediately that this was Iris, hooded in her familiar purple cloak. Gades was not to be seen.
"Is everyone all right?" Maxim asked as the group began to gather together with the lady known as Iris deciding to stay this time. They were all sore, but each one tried to play it off as mere scratches.
"Bryen, how is your arm," Selan worriedly rushed to the side, who too quickly caught the first brunt of Gades' attack. Her knight weakly said it felt much better, as it appeared quite healed up (still missing from right above the elbow, of course).
"I have been able to speed the recovery of his healing as best as I can," Iris softly offered.
Turning to Iris, Maxim said, "Once again you have shown up in a time of need and come to our aid. Thank you, m' Lady." He also bowed to her here.
"It was not me that saved you from that man. I found you like this and felt the energy that lingered behind. That one you fought today is very powerful."
"He's also over confident in his powers if he just left us like this, thinking he had killed us," Guy snapped back, filling with pride once again.
"You are lucky that I have skills beyond what you saw in the tower. You would have had a much worse headache if you had awoken naturally. Believe me, he is strong."
"Who is this?" Selan asked Maxim.
"The reason I am on this journey today, Selan. Her name is Iris."
Iris was only attentive towards Maxim at this point. "It seems that you have found some friends along the way, Maxim." Iris' hood was now taken down, revealing her green-tinted, purple locks and she offered a curtsey in Selan's direction.
Iris then turned to Guy saying, "You already have it determined that you are to follow Maxim in this, I see. At what cost I wonder?" She said this very matter-of-factly, and Guy had no words to give in response. Hardly ever did he think ahead of the costs of his actions. He moved with his heart and felt he could react to any consequence that would come his way. He quickly forgot this comment.
Then she turned to Selan and said these words: "I can sense it in you, too, Commander. You have a deep power within you...power to resist and counter the evil light that has entered this world to stake its claim." Selan, too, said nothing in reply.
"Good to see you again, Tia," Iris nodded in her direction, but she said nothing else.
Tia felt quite ignored, self-conscious, and worrisome. Why has nothing been said to me about traveling with Max, she wondered to herself. Once again, doubt, anger, bitterness, and self-pity arose within her. But she said nothing of it. What does Iris know anyway?
Without any further explanation or words of parting Iris began walking away from them. Maxim, however, did not want another opportunity to slip by. "Why are you traveling, Iris?" he asked; only barely hoping an answer would be given.
"I am looking for answers, Maxim," came the mistress' answer before she departed. "And do not worry, Gades will not be returning here for awhile. His energy has moved on."
Maxim knew enough by now, allowing the silence to stay and neither did he chase after Iris. Everyone had a lot to think about after this encounter. For one, Maxim was beginning to trust Iris much more.
And as their thoughts entered, they also saw the landscape around them. Little did they remember about the power that went out from Gades, knocking them unconscious. But now they saw trees uprooted and grasses scorched around where they had been fighting Gades. They wondered if this was done by the blast that had rocked them, or was simply an afterthought by the one who referred to himself as the Sinistral of Destruction.
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After a night of sleep to provide Bryen with more time to recover from his loss, the group arose long after the sun had risen. Slowly they packed up their things and began walking back into town, Selan being adamant about reporting this to King Airin as soon as possible.
But as they returned to town, a new sight caught their views. People were actually moving around. Apparently some townspeople had survived and just now they were returning. Somehow they must have heard of Gades' departure, or their grief had overcome their fear perhaps. Charred remnants of a former life were all that was left, torturing the former occupants.
Not even half the townspeople had survived Gades' onslaught. Those that did not survive were now being recovered from the wreckage, awaiting proper burials from friends and family. This cleanup effort was done in earnest this day and would continue into the days to come.
The devastation and desperation upon the faces of those who survived was even worse than the physical destruction before their eyes. Their spirits had been broken and their hearts ripped out by the unimaginable horror enacted upon them. Wails and cries filled the air.
As they wandered through the city very few of the townsfolk even looked towards them, appearing to have no life within them to care who else was coming to them, nor what aims they had in mind. One did, however.
He was a priest of the town who introduced himself as Cai. Selan had seen him before, but they did not know each other beyond that, although the priest was much more aware of Selan then she was of him. He heard much in the way of admiration from the newest Commander of Gordovan's Army concerning her. The Commander, it pained the priest to say, had lost his life trying to protect the city. Selan had studied underneath the elder Commander for a few years before he was sent to his last post and held him in the greatest respect. She silently mourned his loss.
Cai was spearheading the efforts to rescue those missing, recover what was needed, and survive the challenges that would be before them in the days to come. Maxim was amazed at the friendliness and concern that Cai showed them in spite of the immense amount of grief he had to be feeling for his townsfolk, whom he spoke of as if they were his own children. He offered more words of encouragement to the seven travelers from Parcelyte then was returned to him.
"A giant of a man—if he can be called a man—appeared...eleven days ago, if I've kept up with the days correctly, they seem to be running together as you can imagine...and did what you see before us. I wouldn't believe one man could do this myself, if I hadn't seen it done right before my eyes. Well perhaps one man didn't do it, for that was no man. He must be an incarnation of evil itself. I'll never forget the look that shone in its eyes." Here the priest went silent, momentarily burdened beyond thought of any hope.
Later as the priest got back on subject he said, "Afterwards he traveled west and I hope he never returns! But I also hope, perhaps beyond all real hope, that the next settlement won't receive what happened here. His rage did not seem to lessen, however. My heart seems that it cannot be burdened any more than it is now...it just can't."
Here, Maxim told the priest of their encounter with the man, and a belief that he would not be returning. He seemed to be out for destruction, and he could do more destruction elsewhere than he could do here.
The regiment of seven decided to help the town in looking for any hurt, but still alive survivors that were buried under something or hiding somewhere else, but not one was found. As a group of workers broke for dinner, the priest invited Selan and her soldiers to eat, and they gratefully accepted.
Here it was decided (upon Selan's offer) that Parcelyte would gladly take in the Gordovan refugees. Her heart went out to them, and she knew the King's would to. So, in the morning, after finishing the salvage process tonight, they would travel the three-day journey back to Parcelyte. Once there a regiment could come back with the able townspeople to continue the process.
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One night they camped along a grove of pine trees that housed a stream so that they could replenish their water supply and provide nourishment to the animals that somehow had survived the destruction.
The fire cracked, dimly lighting the faces of those gathered around it. Off to each side, townspeople of Gordovan, and a few from Parcelyte slept. The wind blew softly through the trees, as silence dominated those at the fire. Cai, the priest, Maxim, Selan, Guy, and Tia, along with only a few others had remained awake. Guy was beginning to doze. Selan would clutch her shoulder every now and then as pain would return to her. Maxim tried not to move his left arm.
By this point, Cai had learned that Maxim, Sir Guy, and Tia were not soldiers under Selan's command, but he had to guess at much more than that. He would ask questions, but rarely get a lengthy answer. Talk was beginning to be scarce. Here, Guy startled himself awake (as you sometimes do when you are about to fall asleep), causing him grimace in pain from his bruised left ribs.
Soon, however, the talk turned towards the people of Gordovan. No one remembered how it exactly turned that way, but Cai did not seem to mind, and many memories were shared by those awake.
"I imagine many of those around here are turning to you, Cai, in these tough times for guidance. How are you dealing with all of this?" Tia asked him at one point late in the night. She also allowed him the courtesy to decline answering if he did not want to.
"Nonsense, I try my best to be an open book," said the priest, with a quick smile, in response to her nicety. "It's more than just my job to be a priest. It's my life. And to be a priest is more than just to head the rituals of our society. It's the faith, the relationship that lies underneath all of that and holds it all together. It's being real with others."
"There are generally two types of reaction in a time like this. First, is the person who runs to faith as their world crumbles around them. They feel they have nothing left to turn to, so they turn to God. And so, from that, they also turn to those who follow God that are willing to talk. They do this usually in order to gain some promise that things will get better soon. The second person, if they come to me at all, has the complete opposite reaction of running away from their faith. Of course, it's not always clear-cut. But we all put faith into something...whether its our own strength, our own intellect, or in Something outside of ourselves."
Appalled at the destruction she had seen, Tia questioned that, without meaning any disrespect. "I just don't see how a god could do something like this? All the destruction, the suffering?"
"I've had to deal with that question in my life, as well, sweet Tia." He almost looked upon Tia as a grandchild. "Many years ago I lost my wife and two kids to a person I now feel hurt for. I harbored anger for quite some time at anyone and everything, including my God," here you could see his heart about to burst. He had to stop short to collect himself as he thought back upon his family members and all of the loving memories he must hold.
"The battles of the soul that I have struggled through have been intense. Grief is a time of weakness, and it has not been easy, but there is something I held onto those many years ago and also in these past couple of weeks. Each member of this town is like a child to me, and again tragedy has hit my family. But this is what I tell those who I come in contact with.
"It is at these times that my faith and my fears have collided full force. But something deep inside is keeping my faith alive. I think that that is God. I've often wondered how long I could hold on, but He's always been there right with me. His grace, mercy, and love have hit me over and over again as forcefully as waves crashing upon the shore. And just as faithfully.
"For you see, Tia," the priest was inhumanly skilled about remembering names and would never forget hers, "you are starting at the wrong place, in my opinion. God did not do this. That creature did. And he is no god, whatever he may claim. God is here with us; God's heart was the first to break, and it's continuing to break along with ours. But somehow in the midst of all of this confusion and tragedy, I think God is even beginning to mend that which is broken. I don't understand much of why this has taken place, but I understand that.
"My heart will never be fully mended, in this world that is, from the loss of my wife and children in this world, nor from this event, but God has gotten me through these years, and I think He has deemed me to share that in others' lives. And He will bring us through this tragedy, if we turn to Him. Otherwise we must rely solely on ourselves, and it seems we are too grief-stricken for anything right now. And we are usually too self- centered for anything truly great in peaceful times.
"But also in the midst of this, I sense a call to confront this evil that has befallen us. We cannot simply be comforted from our own hurts, we must work to comfort others, and work to prevent future hurts from becoming. Fear, indecision, and inactivity can only help to strengthen the evil around us. Courage, conviction, and true strength are needed among our race in these troubling times, especially with an evil like...you called him Gades...around. I think this is a work of God as well."
Silence followed the strength of Cai's words and spirit with which he said them. Each person around the campfire seemed to be staring down at the ground, deep in some thought or another.
The Realities of Destruction
Carnage was everywhere. Hardly any stone or piece of wood was left upon one another. Trees that once littered the town profusely were reduced to nothing but a black covering over the prairie that Gordovan was built upon. Mangled bodies, every now and then, were on display, while scavenging birds circled overhead. I do not dare to burden your mind nor your hearts with everything theirs were weighed down with, for I cannot even bare it myself to spill any ink in its retelling.
The destruction seemed complete for no live body was in sight. An hour was spent searching, but availed nothing new. Whoever had caused this destruction seemed to have been long gone, which both frustrated and worried the party. But then Maxim's eye caught hold of something. As you should remember Maxim's job was to track and he was very skilled at it.
He bent low, examining the small impression. One set of footprints was not as chaotic as the others, and it seemed fresher. Luckily it had been raining recently in this part of the world, softening the ground and then a wave of heat had bent upon the land, hardening the tracks.
Maxim reasoned that only the one who destroyed this place would be walking so calmly. The town's inhabitants would have been running for their lives. Of course, townspeople could have come back (if there were any still alive) to survey the wreckage, but these prints ran to the north of town in a very methodical manner.
What perplexed and terrified them all was that there was only one such set of footprints. Perhaps one person really had destroyed the whole town by him or herself.
Selan, Guy, and Tia agreed with Maxim and it was decided that they would follow his lead here. So, following footsteps, the remnants of a warm fire, and various other clues (usually only seen by Maxim) the group followed him another half-day journey on this trail.
Now they had closed in on a string of lakes to the west of Gordovan. The water was calm, as the rain of the past few weeks took a vacation. Birds flocked through the air, swooping down for their catch at the lake's surface. This seemed to be the only life until a thin piece of smoke was betrayed rising from atop a small mountain.
This raised their hopes that their search may be over, but also raised their fears of what their search may yield. So, Selan, Maxim, and Guy began to creep up positioning themselves for a good view, while still having enough cover for themselves. Tia and Selan's three knights stayed slightly behind. The smoke could have been from something else, something altogether innocent and harmless, but that was not to be the case.
The stillness of the natural view before them was then broken by a dark figure against the afternoon, cloudless sky. It was a menacing creature housed in a suit of dark blue-green armor, with spikes protruding at various places upon it. Atop this was a mass of fiery-orange hair that splayed this way and that. He was framed within a rocky formation like a window, with walls coming forth from the ground, bending, and connecting like a bridge to form the roof.
"Judging by the size of him, I hope this one is all there is," Tia observed.
For perhaps fifteen minutes they watched and observed this person from afar. And then Selan started to give the signal to retreat back to a further position so they could council about the next line of action. Selan (and Maxim and Guy as well) did not want to let this man out of their sights; they did not want any more destruction to come from this warrior before them. But Selan also had to deal with her King's orders to not engage before referring back to him, which would take at least a week. Still, they outnumbered him seven to one.
As the group began to fall back a voice boomed from the armored foe. "I do not recognize your energy patterns. Strangers? Traveling warriors, perhaps? You have found me, though, assuming you were looking for me. Come, let us meet face to face.
Stunned at first that they were known to the figure, the whole party said nothing. At the dark figure's second attempt Maxim spoke up. Apparently there would be no room for simple reconnaissance on this mission, no matter if if it would end in a fight or not. "Do you know what happened to Gordovan?"
"Why do you shout from behind cover, are you not warriors? If it is because you feel I would destroy you upon knowing your position," (which it partly was), "you are too late and too worrisome. Or perhaps it is because you like to play hide and seek. I have known your position since you have reached this wasteland. Those heather covered rocks would not suffice as a defense anyway. Come let us speak as gentlemen would, I grow tired of this game."
Knowing (and completely stunned) that their position was well known, for whatever reason, Maxim bravely took a step out into the open, soon followed by the Selan and Guy. "Did you play a part in the destruction of Gordovan?"
"Ah, good to see the three of you, but there are four more." So, Tia and Selan's three knights joined their companions in standing in view of the figure.
"A part...no. It was my own masterpiece; mine alone. I expected them to at least put up a fight, but they did not even begin to amuse me. It was a pity," the creature spoke arrogantly.
Filled with righteous anger and enraged at the man's indifference to the town and its people Maxim cursed at the giant figure.
"Ah! You seem more the sport. Skilled enough to follow the trail I left behind, which was quite a tough one, but simple enough for a human. What is your name?"
"Maxim," said he.
"Ah, yes Maxim of Elcid, traveling with his friend Tia and Sir Guy of Tanbel. Yet you have picked up a few more to join you. Very good. It's an honor to meet you all. You may refer to me as Gades, the Sinistral of Destruction."
"Why don't you come down from there, since you claim to be so brave, Gades? And bring anyone else that is with you," Guy proudly (and quite foolishly) called out.
To which Selan added, "I am Commander Selan under King Airin of Parcelyte whose realm this is. You have much to answer to," Selan called out to the monster. As she did so the dark man appeared before them walking closer still. No one remembered seeing the figure absent from the window of rock, nor did any time seem to elapse before Gades was standing before them.
"Regardless you are already beginning to bore me, perhaps we shall meet again after the next town I destroy."
"We cannot allow that," Selan spoke the words Maxim and Guy were thinking.
"You cannot stop it," Gades chuckled as he now stood closer than ten feet from the closest of Selan's soldiers, "but it will be fun to see you try," the giant bellowed before unsheathing his sword which had a golden hilt, while the blade curved back and forth like a snake winding its way over any terrain. The blade wound its way straight through the arm of that closest knight right above the elbow, sending him to the ground before he had a chance to react.
Tia was shocked at the display of evil and its quickness, as were the others, but she rushed to soldier as he fell to the ground clutching his arm. She quickly had her jacket off bandaging his arm. Everyone else had their weapons and shields at the ready and just as quickly needed to use them.
Three more blows sent the other two inexperienced knights to the ground weaponless. Gades trained his sword at the neck of another guard, but turned his attention to those still on foot as Selan, Guy, and Maxim moved closer. The knights moved out of reach, as Gades moved in to attack Selan.
Blow upon blow reigned down towards her with quickening force. Block, parry, block, block, thrust, block. With each use of her shield the pain within her shoulder and arm grew, although the adrenalin helped her to ignore it for the moment. Meanwhile Guy and Maxim could not find an opening in which to help her fight this beast before them. Still, she remained upon her feet, which obviously shocked Gades.
And then he switched his attack towards Guy, block after block was forced, as no attacks were reaching Gades. And quickly he spun again, into Maxim's range, who just as quickly, but barely, dodged the arc of Gades' blade.
It was now Maxim's turn to defend himself from the fury of Gades' untiring attack. One crushing blow sent him stumbling back, which gave Guy the open opportunity he thought he wanted. However, Gades deftly turned, deflected Guy's axe from any damaging effect, and then provided a kick straight to Guy's left ribs, knocking the wind out of him and, Guy thought, cracking a couple of ribs.
And then Gades broke, the three warriors grouped together before him, Tia and Selan's soldiers huddled together in the background. Quickly Gades was growing tired of this sport. "Your energy patterns seemed different than this, but you are mere mortals after all like the rest. How pitiful your race is. How irritating you humans can be sometimes, though. Enough of this game, perhaps you should like to see another skill I possess." As he said these words he held the sword to his right side, extending his left hand, palm facing outwards towards those left standing.
Without a sound, or at least one not remembered by anyone, a wave of some sort of energy rushed over, or perhaps even through, their bodies. All outside sounds were blacked out, causing it to seem as if they were in slow-motion, or perhaps that dreamlike state where you know something important is happening, but you can't quite understand what. Everyone was sent flying backwards off of their feet. And then darkness overtook them all.
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They awoke to headaches some time later. It was still not dark and they learned later that they had been unconscious for only a short time, although it seemed as if they had lost at least a day.
As their visions focused it became evident that another person was present. Maxim, Guy, and Tia noticed almost immediately that this was Iris, hooded in her familiar purple cloak. Gades was not to be seen.
"Is everyone all right?" Maxim asked as the group began to gather together with the lady known as Iris deciding to stay this time. They were all sore, but each one tried to play it off as mere scratches.
"Bryen, how is your arm," Selan worriedly rushed to the side, who too quickly caught the first brunt of Gades' attack. Her knight weakly said it felt much better, as it appeared quite healed up (still missing from right above the elbow, of course).
"I have been able to speed the recovery of his healing as best as I can," Iris softly offered.
Turning to Iris, Maxim said, "Once again you have shown up in a time of need and come to our aid. Thank you, m' Lady." He also bowed to her here.
"It was not me that saved you from that man. I found you like this and felt the energy that lingered behind. That one you fought today is very powerful."
"He's also over confident in his powers if he just left us like this, thinking he had killed us," Guy snapped back, filling with pride once again.
"You are lucky that I have skills beyond what you saw in the tower. You would have had a much worse headache if you had awoken naturally. Believe me, he is strong."
"Who is this?" Selan asked Maxim.
"The reason I am on this journey today, Selan. Her name is Iris."
Iris was only attentive towards Maxim at this point. "It seems that you have found some friends along the way, Maxim." Iris' hood was now taken down, revealing her green-tinted, purple locks and she offered a curtsey in Selan's direction.
Iris then turned to Guy saying, "You already have it determined that you are to follow Maxim in this, I see. At what cost I wonder?" She said this very matter-of-factly, and Guy had no words to give in response. Hardly ever did he think ahead of the costs of his actions. He moved with his heart and felt he could react to any consequence that would come his way. He quickly forgot this comment.
Then she turned to Selan and said these words: "I can sense it in you, too, Commander. You have a deep power within you...power to resist and counter the evil light that has entered this world to stake its claim." Selan, too, said nothing in reply.
"Good to see you again, Tia," Iris nodded in her direction, but she said nothing else.
Tia felt quite ignored, self-conscious, and worrisome. Why has nothing been said to me about traveling with Max, she wondered to herself. Once again, doubt, anger, bitterness, and self-pity arose within her. But she said nothing of it. What does Iris know anyway?
Without any further explanation or words of parting Iris began walking away from them. Maxim, however, did not want another opportunity to slip by. "Why are you traveling, Iris?" he asked; only barely hoping an answer would be given.
"I am looking for answers, Maxim," came the mistress' answer before she departed. "And do not worry, Gades will not be returning here for awhile. His energy has moved on."
Maxim knew enough by now, allowing the silence to stay and neither did he chase after Iris. Everyone had a lot to think about after this encounter. For one, Maxim was beginning to trust Iris much more.
And as their thoughts entered, they also saw the landscape around them. Little did they remember about the power that went out from Gades, knocking them unconscious. But now they saw trees uprooted and grasses scorched around where they had been fighting Gades. They wondered if this was done by the blast that had rocked them, or was simply an afterthought by the one who referred to himself as the Sinistral of Destruction.
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After a night of sleep to provide Bryen with more time to recover from his loss, the group arose long after the sun had risen. Slowly they packed up their things and began walking back into town, Selan being adamant about reporting this to King Airin as soon as possible.
But as they returned to town, a new sight caught their views. People were actually moving around. Apparently some townspeople had survived and just now they were returning. Somehow they must have heard of Gades' departure, or their grief had overcome their fear perhaps. Charred remnants of a former life were all that was left, torturing the former occupants.
Not even half the townspeople had survived Gades' onslaught. Those that did not survive were now being recovered from the wreckage, awaiting proper burials from friends and family. This cleanup effort was done in earnest this day and would continue into the days to come.
The devastation and desperation upon the faces of those who survived was even worse than the physical destruction before their eyes. Their spirits had been broken and their hearts ripped out by the unimaginable horror enacted upon them. Wails and cries filled the air.
As they wandered through the city very few of the townsfolk even looked towards them, appearing to have no life within them to care who else was coming to them, nor what aims they had in mind. One did, however.
He was a priest of the town who introduced himself as Cai. Selan had seen him before, but they did not know each other beyond that, although the priest was much more aware of Selan then she was of him. He heard much in the way of admiration from the newest Commander of Gordovan's Army concerning her. The Commander, it pained the priest to say, had lost his life trying to protect the city. Selan had studied underneath the elder Commander for a few years before he was sent to his last post and held him in the greatest respect. She silently mourned his loss.
Cai was spearheading the efforts to rescue those missing, recover what was needed, and survive the challenges that would be before them in the days to come. Maxim was amazed at the friendliness and concern that Cai showed them in spite of the immense amount of grief he had to be feeling for his townsfolk, whom he spoke of as if they were his own children. He offered more words of encouragement to the seven travelers from Parcelyte then was returned to him.
"A giant of a man—if he can be called a man—appeared...eleven days ago, if I've kept up with the days correctly, they seem to be running together as you can imagine...and did what you see before us. I wouldn't believe one man could do this myself, if I hadn't seen it done right before my eyes. Well perhaps one man didn't do it, for that was no man. He must be an incarnation of evil itself. I'll never forget the look that shone in its eyes." Here the priest went silent, momentarily burdened beyond thought of any hope.
Later as the priest got back on subject he said, "Afterwards he traveled west and I hope he never returns! But I also hope, perhaps beyond all real hope, that the next settlement won't receive what happened here. His rage did not seem to lessen, however. My heart seems that it cannot be burdened any more than it is now...it just can't."
Here, Maxim told the priest of their encounter with the man, and a belief that he would not be returning. He seemed to be out for destruction, and he could do more destruction elsewhere than he could do here.
The regiment of seven decided to help the town in looking for any hurt, but still alive survivors that were buried under something or hiding somewhere else, but not one was found. As a group of workers broke for dinner, the priest invited Selan and her soldiers to eat, and they gratefully accepted.
Here it was decided (upon Selan's offer) that Parcelyte would gladly take in the Gordovan refugees. Her heart went out to them, and she knew the King's would to. So, in the morning, after finishing the salvage process tonight, they would travel the three-day journey back to Parcelyte. Once there a regiment could come back with the able townspeople to continue the process.
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One night they camped along a grove of pine trees that housed a stream so that they could replenish their water supply and provide nourishment to the animals that somehow had survived the destruction.
The fire cracked, dimly lighting the faces of those gathered around it. Off to each side, townspeople of Gordovan, and a few from Parcelyte slept. The wind blew softly through the trees, as silence dominated those at the fire. Cai, the priest, Maxim, Selan, Guy, and Tia, along with only a few others had remained awake. Guy was beginning to doze. Selan would clutch her shoulder every now and then as pain would return to her. Maxim tried not to move his left arm.
By this point, Cai had learned that Maxim, Sir Guy, and Tia were not soldiers under Selan's command, but he had to guess at much more than that. He would ask questions, but rarely get a lengthy answer. Talk was beginning to be scarce. Here, Guy startled himself awake (as you sometimes do when you are about to fall asleep), causing him grimace in pain from his bruised left ribs.
Soon, however, the talk turned towards the people of Gordovan. No one remembered how it exactly turned that way, but Cai did not seem to mind, and many memories were shared by those awake.
"I imagine many of those around here are turning to you, Cai, in these tough times for guidance. How are you dealing with all of this?" Tia asked him at one point late in the night. She also allowed him the courtesy to decline answering if he did not want to.
"Nonsense, I try my best to be an open book," said the priest, with a quick smile, in response to her nicety. "It's more than just my job to be a priest. It's my life. And to be a priest is more than just to head the rituals of our society. It's the faith, the relationship that lies underneath all of that and holds it all together. It's being real with others."
"There are generally two types of reaction in a time like this. First, is the person who runs to faith as their world crumbles around them. They feel they have nothing left to turn to, so they turn to God. And so, from that, they also turn to those who follow God that are willing to talk. They do this usually in order to gain some promise that things will get better soon. The second person, if they come to me at all, has the complete opposite reaction of running away from their faith. Of course, it's not always clear-cut. But we all put faith into something...whether its our own strength, our own intellect, or in Something outside of ourselves."
Appalled at the destruction she had seen, Tia questioned that, without meaning any disrespect. "I just don't see how a god could do something like this? All the destruction, the suffering?"
"I've had to deal with that question in my life, as well, sweet Tia." He almost looked upon Tia as a grandchild. "Many years ago I lost my wife and two kids to a person I now feel hurt for. I harbored anger for quite some time at anyone and everything, including my God," here you could see his heart about to burst. He had to stop short to collect himself as he thought back upon his family members and all of the loving memories he must hold.
"The battles of the soul that I have struggled through have been intense. Grief is a time of weakness, and it has not been easy, but there is something I held onto those many years ago and also in these past couple of weeks. Each member of this town is like a child to me, and again tragedy has hit my family. But this is what I tell those who I come in contact with.
"It is at these times that my faith and my fears have collided full force. But something deep inside is keeping my faith alive. I think that that is God. I've often wondered how long I could hold on, but He's always been there right with me. His grace, mercy, and love have hit me over and over again as forcefully as waves crashing upon the shore. And just as faithfully.
"For you see, Tia," the priest was inhumanly skilled about remembering names and would never forget hers, "you are starting at the wrong place, in my opinion. God did not do this. That creature did. And he is no god, whatever he may claim. God is here with us; God's heart was the first to break, and it's continuing to break along with ours. But somehow in the midst of all of this confusion and tragedy, I think God is even beginning to mend that which is broken. I don't understand much of why this has taken place, but I understand that.
"My heart will never be fully mended, in this world that is, from the loss of my wife and children in this world, nor from this event, but God has gotten me through these years, and I think He has deemed me to share that in others' lives. And He will bring us through this tragedy, if we turn to Him. Otherwise we must rely solely on ourselves, and it seems we are too grief-stricken for anything right now. And we are usually too self- centered for anything truly great in peaceful times.
"But also in the midst of this, I sense a call to confront this evil that has befallen us. We cannot simply be comforted from our own hurts, we must work to comfort others, and work to prevent future hurts from becoming. Fear, indecision, and inactivity can only help to strengthen the evil around us. Courage, conviction, and true strength are needed among our race in these troubling times, especially with an evil like...you called him Gades...around. I think this is a work of God as well."
Silence followed the strength of Cai's words and spirit with which he said them. Each person around the campfire seemed to be staring down at the ground, deep in some thought or another.