Chapter 6
Rise
Elinor, the Witch, Spiros and Merida hiked through the forest. It was a windy night, and the feeling of terror that befallen everyone just an hour ago still had an iron grip on their hearts.
"So a bear that your mom killed, when she was a bear, wants to talk to me?" Spiros asked, doing his best to get his mind back in order.
"That's correct." Merida replied.
"What do you think it wants?" He murmured.
"I'm not sure to be honest, but if my...grandmother is saying he wants to meet us at the Ruins of Old, then it must be very important." She told him.
"Sounds like I'll be sticking around a little while longer." He grumbled.
"Fine by me." She told him with a grin.
"Quit your flirting, the fate of the world hangs in the balance and Cupid has got you both distracted!" The Witch snapped.
Elinor chuckled, to which the old hag's crow landed in her head and delivered a hard peck to the forehead.
"Blasted bird!" The Queen scoffed, shooing the bird away.
"He has a point dear, they're making googley eyes at each other back there and your treating this all like a joke!" The Witch chided.
"Well it would be a little easier to take this seriously if you would tell us exactly what that bear wants with Spiros." Merida grumbled.
"Has she always been that sassy?" The Witch asked The Queen.
"Not always." Elinor replied.
There was an angry roar in the distance.
"We need to move faster." The Witch grumbled.
They walked the rest of the way in silence.
...
When they arrived at the ruins, there was no one there waiting for them.
"Um you ladies go on ahead and look for this Mor'du guy, I'll catch up in a few minutes."
"Whatever your doing, make it quick." The Witch grumbled.
The trio left him in the ruins of a castle courtyard.
The Greco drew his sword and drove it into the ground sat down cross legged in front of the weapon. He closed his eyes and reached out into the vastness of the universe.
"I need your wisdom and guidance. Hero of old." He said in a trance like state before opening his eyes.
There standing before him was a man with curly black hair. He was dressed in leather armor, a bronze sword hung at his side.
"Perseus." Spiros said with awe.
"Vanguard Spiros. I believe we have not met before. I apologize though. Your grandfather is unable to speak with you at the moment. Therefore I was sent to you instead." The hero explained.
"It is a great honor." The Greco told the deceased hero with a nod.
"What troubles you, young Vanguard?" The old hero asked sitting down cross legged in front of Spiros.
"I sense a great darkness in this place. In this land. Despite its light hearted people. I do not know why I am here. I am lost." The young warrior explained.
"I sense this darkness as well. It is very strange, it feels almost...primal. Be very cautious Spiros. All is not as it seems." The elder hero instructed before continuing.
"As for your other question, let it be known that you are not the only Vanguard in The Order who questions why they are present at a time of crisis."
"It's not just that...I mean why am I here. Who am I...what's my purpose. Where do I belong?" The young Vanguard explained.
"My young friend, I'm afraid I cannot help you there. Every Vanguard needs to find their place in this world. Unlocking your Path is the final step to becoming a true guardian of this world. Mediate on the thousands of Paths that you can follow. Only then will you understand why you were put on this Earth." The Elder warrior told him.
"I really wish you could just tell me what will come to pass in my life." Our hero grumbled.
"Where is the fun in that?" The deceased hero snickered.
Spiros just sighed, seeming more unsure of himself then before.
"Do not doubt your own self worth boy. When the time comes, that chain will no longer hold you back. As I depart, I offer you this wisdom: You have reached a time in your
Iife where you need to ask yourself who you are, and what drives you. Find yourself through the trials and triumphs that you undergo and the answer will become clear."
Perseus then disappeared into thin air. Our hero got up, pulled his sword out of the ground and set off to find the others.
...
Spiros found them in a dark dingy troop with a gaping hole in the ceiling. Merida stared at the hole before turning to her friend.
"Last time I was here, things didn't go very well." She explained.
"Bad memories rest in this place." Elinor murmured.
"Shush, all of you." The Witch hissed.
The three of them did as instructed. The old hat then slammed her cane into the stone floor and began chanting in an ancient language. The floor began glowing blue. Then a wisp rose up and began encircling the broken throne. Then the wisp shot into the ground in front of the throne.
A man rose up from the floor, he looked like a walking castle. His tattooed biceps were probably the size of Spiros' head. His beard was thick and appeared to be covered in dust and cobwebs. He wore a bearskin cape, a dusty old kilt and had two axes strapped to his back. His thick hair was long and went down to the middle of his back. His eyes, as well as most of his body, had a ghostly blue glow to it.
"Mor'du." Merida whispered.
The Bear Prince let out an animalistic yell.
"Kneel!" He demanded.
Merida, Spiros and Elinor kneeled as instructed. The Witch, however, remained standing. She smacked the Prince over the head with her cane.
"Knock it off, we need your help."
With some difficulty, he replied:
"With...what?"
"An old friend of yours is back." She explained.
"Who?" He grumbled.
"Balor." She said smugly.
That's when he lost it.
He reverted to bear form and roared at the sky. Then he punched the ground and the castle walls began to reassemble around them. Night and day began going by in seconds as the castle rebuilt itself. Skeletons began reassembling in the room, along with their muscle and flesh. Soon people were walking (backwards) as they went about their daily routines in the fully reconstructed castle.
Slowly but surely things began returning to normal. Merida reached out to touch one of the resurrected guards but The Witch gently swatted her hand away.
"This is nothing but a memory. Mor'du is showing us...well more specifically you two, something important. Disturbing anything will cause this all to disappear, and he may not be able to do this again." She explained.
The Bear Prince reverted to human form and took his place amongst the many people who now roamed the halls. He walked alongside an old man with a long beard that matched his equally long hair. He wore a golden crown atop his head, and a broadsword hung from his side. He was dressed in robes that were as white as snow and appeared to made of bear fur.
Although, none of them had seen a white bear, not even The Witch.
They were escorting a cloaked figure, whom the guards seemed to be antsy about.
"Father, who is this person?" Mor'du asked.
"We found her in the glade, perched in a tree." The Old King explained.
"A spy?" The Bear Prince asked.
"Potentially." The King replied.
"Guards, halt." Mor'du ordered.
The guards stopped their march and the prisoner, who was being escorted at spear point from all sides, was forced to halt also.
"Explain yourself, she-devil." Mor'du demanded, removing the prisoner's hood.
The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. Her long brown hair had been tied into a braid that ran down her back. She wore dark green robes with an armored chest plate. A bow and quiver were strapped to her back and her hazel eyes had a mischievous look in them.
...
"Wow." Spiros muttered.
"Haha I was quite the looker, wasn't I?" The Witch said with a cackle.
Merida punched her friend in the arm.
"Ow, what was that for?" He grumbled.
She didn't reply.
"It's not like I knew!" He protested.
"Children, please." Elinor chided, holding back a chuckle.
...
"I was keeping a look out, Noble Prince, these are dark times." The younger Witch explained.
"Indeed. What exactly we're you watching for?" The Bear Prince asked.
"Good day, Malcolm." a voice called out from behind them.
The King turned around to see two figures at the far end of the corridor.
The one on the left was Balor, except instead of his trusty scythe, he had a sword that had a hilt made of charred bones. The cloaked man on Balor's right had the scythe that Balor had used against Spiros, except this scythe looked newer and was actually a long staff with a scythe blade on both ends. The man had a wooden mask over his face.
The King drew his sword.
"What do you want?" He snarled.
"Isn't it obvious old fool? We came for your sword. The last thing my master wants is a repeat of the first great war." Balor explained.
"Guards, cease them!" Mor'du barked.
A group of guards surrounded the duo.
In the blink of an eye, the masked man cut them down with his double scythe staff.
"Malcolm, that's no way to greet a guest." Balor hissed.
The two began walking towards The King and his son.
"Take the women to the dungeon and then rally my brothers." Mor'du instructed to the remains guards.
They rushed off as ordered,
The Bear Prince then drew his axes while his father readied his sword. They charged their unwelcome guests.
King Malcolm locked blades with masked man while Mor'du let out a mighty yell and began combating Balor.
Malcolm slashed diagonally at the masked man who kicked him in the gut. The Old King groaned as one of his ribs cracked, yet he managed to regain his composure and went on the attack once again. He managed to kick out his opponent's knee and proceeded to stab his opponent in the shoulder. The masked man just laughed and gave the King a head-butt that knocked him back, forcing him to let go of his sword. The masked man pulled the King's sword out of his shoulder and drove it into the ground.
"You're going to have to better then that old fool." He snarled.
Mor'du slide tackle to bring Balor down. He then proceeds to bring one of his axes down on Balor's arm, one part of the blade sliced into his arm and the other into the floor. Balor was pinned and helpless to resist as Mor'du began stomping on his face with his boot.
"Master!" Balor wailed.
The masked man spun around and swung his scythe at Mor'du, which forced the Bear Prince to back away. He then yanked the axe up from the floor and threw it at its owner. Mor'du dodged the axe, which impaled itself deep in the wall.
Balor got on his feet as picked up his sword.
He spun around just in time to block the attack from King Malcolm which would beheaded him had it have been successful. Meanwhile, Mor'du had regained his axe was leaped back into the battle. Catching the masked man off guard, he managed to land a strike that severely damaged his mask.
He simply laughed as the combat came to a pause. He removed the mask and looked up at Mor'du. His face was bare of any flesh, there was nothing but a skull.
Spiros saw this and lost it.
He drew his sword with a yell and charged into the battle bring his sword down in the skeleton man's head.
The whole earth shook as the memory was disrupted. The castle fell apart. The King, the bodies of the fallen guard and even the skeleton man turned into ash. Mor'du turned back into a ghost bear.
Mor'du roared at him angrily.
The Witch got in front of our hero and began cursing at him.
"What have you done, now we'll never how to stop Balor. The King's sword is the only thing that can kill him in his current state. That memory was the key to finding it!" She screeched.
"I'm sorry...I don't know what came over me." Spiros murmured.
"Why did you snap like that, lad?" Elinor asked.
Spiros began to tear up.
"...Are you ok?" Merida asked.
"I'm sorry...I need to go." He told them, unable to hold back the tears. He ran out of the throne room. Leaving the others mystified.
"Go to him, mend his spirits." Mor'du instructed.
The Princess nodded and rushed off after her friend.
"Neither of them can do this alone." The Witch murmured.
"Aye, what of the others?" Elinor asked.
"I've contacted Luna. Her team is on the way." The Crow told them.
"What about Stoick?" Elinor asked.
"He has yet to break the news to his son. However they are preparing for war." The Witch replied.
"Any word from Maximus?" Mor'du asked.
"Yes. They're bracing for the worst. If the Horned King's return is imminent, his first strike will be there." The Witch told them.
"Assemble the Clan Leaders. It's time they learn about the threat we face." Mor'du said to The Queen.
She nodded and set off for her home.
"What do you think our odds are?" The Witch asked.
"Hard to say exactly, however I think we have a fighting chance." The Bear Prince replied.
"Who knows, perhaps this time around he'll stay dead." The Witch murmured.
...
Spiros ran out into woods as fast as he could.
However the horrible memories were flowing, and nothing could stop them
...
The reptilian women slashed at Spiros' grandfather. Cutting him across the chest and sending him rolling backwards down the cliff and into the sea.
...
He gasped trying to push the thought away, but it overcame him again like waves pounding against rocks. He was helpless against the nightmarish vision. He couldn't avoid it and he couldn't do anything to stop it. All he could do was suck it up and wait it out.
...
The skull faced man decapitated another villager.
"Where are you little hero?!" He bellowed.
"Help!" A girl shouted.
...
Spiros snapped back into reality. The memories were so mentally traumatizing he was having a problem distinguishing reality
"Stop him, he's going to get killed!" The Witch shouted.
"Spiros, stop!" Merida begged.
...
"Help me, please!" the girl called out.
Spiros turned to see his love, Maryin, being pinned by the skull faced man's boot.
"Yes, help her little vanguard." The man hissed.
He then drew his bone hilted sword and drove it down into the girl's chest.
"NO!" Spiros shouted.
...
It was clear he was hallucinating, Merida knew it was being caused by something that was now , probably , hunting them both.
The forest was shifting around her, literally.
The trees and the very ground beneath her was shifting like they were puzzle pieces being moved around by an unseen force.
She saw something leaping around in the tree branches above. It landed in front Spiros who was still stumbling about in his hallucinations.
The figure was abnormally tall and had long limbs that almost resembled tree branches. A number of thick vine like appendages sprouted from its back. He was dressed in the robes of a noble and was bald. He was staring at the hallucinating Greco in a creepy fashion.
Merida sprung into action, readying her bow and notching a single arrow. She hopped over a log and slid under a low hanging branch. She then hopped up and launched herself off the side of a tree trunk. While airborne she fired at the mysterious figure that was closing in on her friend.
The figure used one of its tentacles to swat the arrow out of the air as it turned to face her. It had no face. No eyes, no mouth. Just the basic human face without any features. A stitches ran up the person's face and that was all there was to see.
Merida recognized the glyph on the chest of the figures shirt.
"The Librarian." She murmured.
The figure lashed out at her with its tentacles as she landed from her little jump. The Princess dodges the attack with a forward roll, as she came out of the roll she fired an arrow into her foe's chest.
The creature the began making its way to her, invading her mind telepathically. Our heroine suddenly began hearing a high pitched squealing sound that was agonizingly painful to hear.
...
Spiros was standing on the line between reality and hallucination. He was now watching as the figure advanced towards Merida with an eerie silence. Yet she was on her knees and crying as if she was in pain.
Our hero would then see brief memory flashes of that fateful day when, hours before his whole world was destroyed, his father told him what he really was.
...
Merida began walking backwards, away from her advancing foe. She fired arrow after arrow at it, but the creature either deflected the attack or just took it and kept on walking.
The forest was still shifting around her, and Mor'du and her grandmother were nowhere to be found.
Then the creature invaded her mind once more, causing her to drop her weapons once more. The princess could do nothing but curl up into a ball and cry out in pain as her mind was torn apart from the inside out.
...
Spiros was a child again.
Listening to his father as he explained his destiny to him.
You must fight when others have given in.
You must be strong for the weak.
You must be brave for those that are fearful.
You must have an indomitable will when facing those who would seek to corrupt you.
You must be able to give sight to those who cannot see.
You must be able to hear the cries that often fall on deaf ears.
You must become the voice of those who cannot speak.
When liberty dies, darkness falls and hope is lost.
You must rise to the challenge.
...
Spiros snapped back to reality, regaining control of his mind. The forest was no longer shifting. The strange creature was holding Merida by the neck. She was struggling to break free of the monstrosities grip.
"No, no one else is getting taken from me." the Greco snarled.
Our hero reacted on instinct and threw a right hook that should of resulted in a fireball flying out of his fist. Instead the chain that was wrapped around his forearm unfurled and flew out towards his foe like a whip. The chain wrapped itself around the creatures head. Spiros sent electricity surging up the chain.
His foe dropped the princess, who began gasping for breath. Now the creature was focusing on Spiros.
It tried invading his mind once again, although this time it had no success. Spiros' will was much stronger. His will to fight, both physically and mentally, had been restored.
Our hero yanked the creature, who was still caught up in the cursed chain, to the ground. He closed in and prepared to drive his sword into the abomination's chest as it thrashed around on the floor.
Before he could deal the finishing blow, the creature sunk into the ground as if it had been sitting on top of quicksand.
Spiros cursed in Greek and sheathed his sword. He then walked over to check on his friend, who was unconscious.
"Merida, can you hear me?" He asked, gently shaking her.
...
The Princess was standing amongst the stars, literally.
She watched as small dots of light slowly rotated around her. She was in awe at their beauty as well as their numbers.
"Princess Merida, my my look at you. All grown up." a voice said from the darkness.
"Who's there?" She asked, looking around.
"I am Murchadh, father of the Wisps." The voice replied.
"Why have you contacted me?" She murmured.
"I have foreseen the events of this day for eons, Balor has returned, has he not?" The Voice inquired.
"Yes he has, we need to find out how to defeat him. He seeks to destroy our home." She explained.
"His motives are far more complex then you know. If you come to my domain, I will be able to pass on vital information that will aid you in your fight against Balor." The Voice told her.
"Where are you exactly?" She asked.
"The Great Library, in the heart of the Clan MacGuffin's territory. You must prepare for the journey though, it will be long and hard, and you will make allies as well as enemies." The Voice explained.
"I will see you soon, I guess." She murmured.
"One final thing. Return to your home and you will find a...surprise." The Voice told her with mischievous tone.
"Surprise...what kind of surprise?" She asked.
"Goodbye Princess."
...
"Merida!" Spiros shouted as her eyes fluttered opened.
"Ugh...my head." She grumbled.
"Your heart had stopped, I was afraid I had lost you." He whimpered.
"I had the strangest vision." She muttered.
"What did you see?" He asked.
"Well I didn't see much. It was what I heard that was strange." She explained, telling her friend about her little chat with Murchadh.
He raised an eyebrow and appeared to be in deep thought before speaking.
"How far is MacGuffin territory from here?"
"A three days journey at least. Castle MacGuffin is high in the mountains." She replied.
"Well we'd best gather our supplies, after we investigate this surprise he was talking about." He said, pulling his friend to her feet.
She noticed he was shaking.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah...it's just a little chilly." He lied.
Then out of the shadows came The Triplets, atop Angus. Their eyes were wide with fear and worry.
"Boys, what are you doing out here?" Merida asked.
"Its Maudie." They yelped simultaneously.
...
They were heading back to Castle DunBroch at full speed.
Merida had Angus jump through the giant gaping hole in the outer stonewall.
Slain guards lay in a trail of destruction that led to the main entrance.
The Clydesdale slid to a halt at the base of the stone steps that led into the main hall. The great wooden door that had been in place for generations had a gaping hole in its center that was sizzling. Acid had been used to create an entry way.
Merida prepared her bow and Spiros drew his sword. They cautiously entered the main hall with The Triplets following silently behind them.
Maudie lay in the center of the hall, clutching her side.
"No!" Merida shouted, dropping her bow and rushing to the maid's side.
Spiros sheathed his sword. It was clear the attackers were gone. He examined the damage. Scorch marks on the floor. Chunks of the floor had been torn up and thrown across the room. Giant footprints marked the path of destruction from the whole in the outer wall and all the way into the main hall. There was a hole in the ceiling, where it appears the combatants had exited, or possibly entered.
"Maudie, who did this to you?" The Princess asked.
"A man, a man in a giant bronze suit. It was the biggest suit of armor I have ever seen." She explained.
"Where are my parents, and Gordon?" She asked.
"They chased him off, along with a girl in a cloak...I think...I think it was..."
"Maudie, stay with me! Just take deep breaths, ok?"
The maid's eyes were fluttering.
"Spiros, help!" Merida wailed.
"Boys, go upstairs please. I need to help your sister." The Greco told the Triplets.
"Are you goanna make Maudie feel better?" They asked.
"I'm going to try." He assured them.
The Triplets then did as instructed, going off to their room quickly and quietly.
"I'm here." Our hero told the Princess as he knelt down next to the dying women.
"She's loosing so much blood." Merida murmured, tears forming in her eyes.
Spiros put his hands on the wound, pressing down on it until Maudie began to whimper from the pain.
Merida took the maid's hand.
"I'm right here Maudie, its goanna be alright." She assured her.
"Princess...do you remember the day you fell of Angus. How you had scraped your knee?"
Our heroine wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded.
"Mom was busy trying to keep the Lords from killing each other. You had to patch me up."
"You were trying to hide it by being tough, but I could tell you were hurting." The Maid recalled.
" You were always there for me." Merida murmured.
"Stay strong Merida...stay strong. Can you do that for me?"
The princess nodded, tears were now running down her face.
"I promise... I'll will never forget you."
"There's a good girl."
The maid reached up and ran her bloody hand through Merida's hair in a motherly fashion.
"Everything...will...be alright."
Spiros heard her exhale for the last time.
"Maudie, no no no! NO! You can't leave me! Please I need you! MAUDIE!" The Princess wailed.
Spiros sighed heavily, and as he stood a crossbow bolt slammed into his back.
Followed by another.
And another.
Two more hit him before he dropped.
His vision was fading fast, but he could see a teary eyed Merida being knocked out and dragged away by two Macintosh warriors.
The Greco turned to see Jon and who he assumed to be his father overseeing the capture.
"One less loose end." Jon growled.
"Soon Lord Macintosh and King Fergus will be executed by Balor. Then our seat of power in the new world order will be secure." His father replied.
"Aye, and now with the Vanguard dead and The Princess in chains, no one can stop us."
Spiros couldn't hold on any longer. He allowed darkness to overcome him as he slipped into unconsciousness.
...
"Hey Spiros, wake up."
Our hero groaned.
"Get up, my sister needs our help."
"My sister?" Spiros asked as he opened his eyes. He saw The Witch, a girl in a cloak, and The Triplets.
"Haha I knew that spell would work." The Witch cackled.
"What spell?" The Greco asked.
"It was healing incantation, lucky for you. It's miracle you were still breathing when we it here." The girl told him.
"Um...who are you?" Spiros asked.
The girl pulled her hood off of her head.
"Seona." She replied.
The girl had long straight brown hair and light brown eyes. She definitely resembled her mother. She was dressed in a black cloak, with a double bladed sword strapped to her back.
"You're supposed to be dead." Our hero murmured.
"It was a ruse to keep Balor away for a few more years. However you showed up and then everything went bad pretty quick." The Witch explained.
"Their will be time for explanations later, right now there are traitors amongst my people. It's time to kill them." Seona told our hero.
"I couldn't agree more." He replied.
"I like you already."
Don't you just love cliffhangers! ;)
Sorry that this update took so long. I was in the middle of a move. Little time to write. I'm goanna try and get updates our more frequently now that we're settled in.
I hope you enjoyed this long overdue update!
See you next time!
-Blu Wolf 923