ONE FELL SWOOP - CHAPTER 5
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Action
Author's Note: Ahh the next chapter. To be honest, I had finished this chapter a while ago but wasn't really sure it flowed well so I was hesitant to upload it just yet. I felt, perhaps, there were further improvements to be made. Alas, it still isn't in top condition, but despite that, I hope you enjoy it!
Read on!
Chapter 5: Armor of the Fifth Age
Kaleb's eyes widened at the golden spirit's words. His hands began shaking as he pressed his right hand to his temple, his other hand, raised as if in defence towards the floating entity.
"My name is Anima," it repeated, "Anima is my name. I am here to guide you, to help you find your way, as I have helped many others."
The feminine spirit gestured to her left and a spectral image of a girl materialized.
"Including her."
Kaleb fell backward, grabbing at his own hair. He writhed on the island's greyish beach sand, visibly suffering from some traumatic memory.
"What did you do to her? What did you do to Rose?" Kaleb's voice strained with desperation when the spirit didn't answer. "What did you do?!"
"This was a matter of many years ago. I simply saved her. Gave her a chance to continue living. Protected her." It said in a slow and careful manner.
"How. How did you protect her?"
"It does not matter. Now let us not get side-tracked, my dear. I am here to do the same for you as I did for so many others."
"Answer me, HOW?!" Kaleb
"Alright, alright, if it will satisfy you, I will tell you. I am simply concerned with the limited time we have."
Kaleb stopped writhing, and sat up. He nodded impatiently.
"Go on. Tell me."
"I sent a guardian."
"What was his name?"
"Must a guardian be of male gender?"
"His name," Kaleb pressed.
The spirit made a sound that sounded like a sigh.
"Zachariah."
Kaleb clenched his fists.
"Zachariah Proteagus?"
The spirit's expression seemed to change. As her smile turned into a frown, the warmth in the air faltered ever so slightly.
"Yes, but how did you kn—"
"He was known as The Crow. Born with the incurable fatal illness Darcus Plagueis, but miraculously, was cured of it within the first year of his life. He disappeared three years ago which I suspect is the cause of the Grandmaster of the Order's exponential aging. A consequence of psychological stress, for the Crow was in fact, his eldest son. It all makes sense now." Kaleb continued to rub his temples with both his hands.
"It was impossible for the illness to be cured by technological or magical means. No entity from the likes of Runeterra holds such power. Thus, it would be reasonable—" Kaleb's voice betrayed hints of anger, "—reasonable to assume that the Grandmaster pleaded with an otherworldly force to save his son. The exchange was made, new life was given to his son, but of course, nothing comes without a price, for that is the essence of an 'exchange'. I'm guessing that in return, Zachariah's life belonged to his saviour, and when the time came and the saviour needed a favour, Zachariah was obligated to answer the call. You were that saviour."
"Very good. Very good Kaleb, my dear. And now I am here to save you."
The spirit reached out with her hands, gentle as ever, her voice still singing notes of harmony, but Kaleb backed away. He flicked his wrist and his hands suddenly glowed with an intense, red aura.
"Not so fast, Anima."
"My dear, we do not have much time left. We must restore you before your soul scatters beyond repair."
"Don't call me 'my dear', Anima. Or rather—" At this, Kaleb took a firm, defensive stance, with his two glowing hands ready to act in an instant.
"—should I call you, Amina? That is your name, isn't it?" Kaleb could no longer hide the contempt in his tone. At this moment, the golden spirit's expression erased all traces of kindness and warmth and twisted into a scowl.
"What?" the spirit hissed. Kaleb ignored her.
"You're known as She who Gives and Takes Away. You're the Golden Watcher."
At this mention, the temperature in the atmosphere instantly plunged, dropping below freezing point.
"Not many know that name. How did you deduce my identity—better yet, how do you know all of this?"
"You should know why I know all this, for you pulled me from death. I am the Grandmaster's youngest son, after all."
"Not by blood."
"But by kindness, which is worth just as much."
"Well, it's my turn to ask questions and your turn to answer, young one."
"I don't answer to interrogations conducted by a Watcher."
"I am the only one who can save you right now. And besides, don't you have—promises to keep?" The spirit's grin was nothing short of cold. "Of course, after finding out you know this much about me, I must make amendments to this Contract."
Kaleb bit his lip to fight the urge to just cry. How have I become so weak as to let my emotions overrule me?
"Name your conditions." The boy growled at the spirit.
"Oh fear not, there are only two. The first of which is: you are prohibited from fighting for Rosalyn. And second, you are prohibited from revealing your true identity to anyone, especially your two friends. If you violate the first, I will simply swoop in to take back what I have given. If you violate the second condition though—I will not only take back what I have given but I will also punish you." The spirit leered at Kaleb. "Before the eyes of your loved one, I will violate you."
Kaleb tried to retort but choked on his words. There was nothing he could do. He inhaled deeply and with stupendous effort, cleared his thoughts.
"You still have not told me what you will be giving me, Watcher. And who will I be fighting for if not for Rosa—Rayven? It sounds as if you still intend to keep me fighting in the League."
"Ah, child, now you're thinking straight. I have something in store for you." The Watcher began to move her slender spectral arms in opposite directions, drawing two circles in the air. Golden light trailed her finger tips, giving shape to the directional motions of her arms. Once the two golden circles were fully formed, the Watcher stopped moving her arms and the light and motion of the circles immediately became self-sufficient.
"What I am about to give you is an 'Armor of the Fifth Age'. Created by the Guardian of Valoran. It was a pity that I, Guardian of Souls had to ask, of all entities, the Guardian of Valoran for assistance, but nonetheless, it is necessary and contributory towards the final goal.
"And what might that be?" Kaleb interjected.
"None of your concern." The reply he received was curt, but he decided to press further.
"This Guardian of Valoran. His name is Taric isn't it? Taric, the Human Watcher. In short, the only one of you Watchers who actually give a damn about us mortals."
Amina waved her hand in dismissal. "Yes, yes, what a kind, caring Watcher, and exactly what I despise about him. Bringing his dignity down to that of a mortal standard. Truly despicable. But that is not the point as of this moment. He created a set of armor that will help stabilize and contain the pieces of your soul during combat. Regrettably, you will only be wearing the armor during combat as it would be hilarious to see the hideous thing overtop your body day and night, but unfortunately, it has a natural limiter that prevents the wearer from using it for extended periods of time. However, you will be wearing something else to keep your soul together on a daily basis. Though, perhaps wearing may not be the best way to describe it. Hosting it, is a more accurate representation of its operation."
Kaleb suddenly felt fear again but his curiosity got the better of him.
"What is it that I'll be hosting?"
"Oh—mmm—something truly beautiful. You know, of course, that Taric was once known as the Gem Knight before he was called to Mount Targon and transformed into a Watcher by the celestial force who calls himself the Protector. He still retains his human skills to this day, and from years of fighting the creatures of the Void atop the peak of Targon, he managed to harvest a particularly unique mineral. The mineral came from the strange bodies of those Voidlings themselves, and when he refined it, he created the first ever Voidstone. This is what will anchor your soul to the plane of the living. I will embed the voidstone into your heart, and you will host its power. Mark my words, it will amplify your abilities as they are now, but don't become over-confident."
"What makes you think I will be overcome by something as insignificant as hubris?" Kaleb gave Amina a challenging glare.
"What I mean is, if you ever even develop the notion of defeating me, I will tear you to shreds and feed Rosalyn your remains."
Kaleb's anger flared once more.
"That's quite a savage, violent threat for your self-proclaimed elegance, Golden Watcher."
She grinned evilly. "You don't need to be so formal, young child, addressing me by title. Just call me Amina."
"Amina." Kaleb spat forcefully. "And who will I be fighting for if not for Rayven?"
The Watcher's grin grew even wider.
"Oh he's a very interesting fellow. His name's Zachariah."
Kaleb's legs grew weak as he sunk to the ground, not believing the cruelty that had just befallen him. Why did it have to be him? The Crow.
. . .
A swirling darkness. A pit of nothingness. And a little bit of light. An abyss of confusion and blind emotion. Confliction and conviction. The light seems to grow. Odd, vague shapes start to form. The light gives life to its surroundings and colours begin to come to life. Slowly, images piece themselves together like a puzzle and a fuzzy scene materializes.
"Are you sure about this?"
"Y-yes."
"This power . . . it will force you to give things up. It requires sacrifice."
"That's alright. I'm ready to sacrifice anything for the power to vanquish my sworn enemies. I will do whatever I can to make them pay for what they did."
"Sacrifice . . . you know, it's not that simple."
"Hey, Mr.—eh—Mr. Whatever . . . I was given the impression that you would be a lot colder and straight-forward. I was told that all I had to do was prove myself worthy of power and make it this far. I was not informed that I also had to endure a lecture on life's philosophy."
"It's my job to inform the individuals seeking such power of the entire picture, risks and all. To be specific, it's not just any sacrifice. This specific power that you've drawn from the Pool of Dreams — it requires the individual to sacrifice all of those he/she cares about. In other words, you're going to lose everyone you love."
"Hmph, and that's why I told you, I'm quite lucky to have drawn such a good deal. I don't have anyone I care about. Everyone I love is already dead. And I certainly won't care or love anyone in the future. Those humans. They're all scum of the earth."
"Now, now, young girl, you realize what you're saying? Your sole purpose right now, that is, your will to live is driven by your desire for revenge. What happens when you finally achieve your goal? Who or what will you live for, then?"
Silence takes over the entirety of the cave.
"I suppose I don't have a reason to live then, huh?"
"I can't accept that as an answer young girl."
"Hmmm . . . I guess I would spend the rest of my life eradicating similar evils. It seems the only path to take."
"By yourself? It is quite the dark and lonely path to take, especially for such a young girl like you."
"I'm used to being alone. In fact, I prefer it."
The old man levitating above the Pool of Dreams sighed.
"Somewhere along the way, girl, you will find someone, or some people you care about. And you'll regret it because you know you'll eventually lose them. That is the condition for this power."
"Don't you worry, old man. My heart is as cold as the Ice Witch herself. Perhaps even colder. Nothing will touch this heart of mine. No one will be able to make it warm.
"In the end I can do nothing to stop you. You've made it here, after all. So be it."
The images begin to dissemble and dissolve until darkness returns. And the maiden awakens.
Rosalyn rubbed her eyes, yawning loudly. She curled up in her bed, closing her eyes and smiling. It's soo comffyyyy. I don't wanna get up.
She rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling of her small bedroom, resting her right arm on her forehead.
"That dream again." She sighed. "People I care about huh—it's not like anyone like that exists."
What about Ekko or Kaleb? The thought struck her unexpectedly.
"They're just acquaintances, individuals who happen to share the same goals as I do. Nothing more, nothing less." She said aloud.
Nothing more, nothing less.
"Rose, don't think about it too much. The more you think, the more confusing it will become." She scolded herself.
As her bed was adjacent to the wall, Rosalyn glanced at the slither of light peering through her closed curtains. It was beginning to get brighter outside. Which meant morning had come — and the day that she, Kaleb and Ekko begin their journey had arrived. When she dropped her arm to her side, she found that she was in fact, shivering. She couldn't, however, discern whether it was more excitement or nervousness. Perhaps a mixture of both. Taking a deep breath, she hauled herself up and sat at the edge of her bed. She threw on a thin grey shirt that was two sizes too big over her undergarments and tip-toed towards the kitchen without bothering to put anything on below her waist. The shirt went down to her thighs anyways so it was fine.
I'll find a skirt or something else to wear after I cook myself breakfast.
Opening the cupboards above the stove, she reached for a pan. That's when she felt it. The incredible, jarring pain within her head.
"AAGH!" she cried out, dropping the pan which clattered to the floor with a loud pang. Pressing two fingers each to each of her temples, she shut her eyes tightly and clenched her teeth. The pain was immense. Unbearable. As if the nerves were slowly being ripped out of their foundations.
Rose.
Her vision grew blurred and she lost focus of her surroundings.
Rose. Rosalyn.
Her other senses began to dull as she dropped to her knees.
Rose! Can you hear me?
She crouched into a fetal position and squirmed, crying in agony. She struggled to breathe.
Rayven!
The name shocked her to her senses and she momentarily regained control. The pain subsided briefly.
"Rayven! Open the door!" a familiar voice called from her front door, followed by an urgent banging.
"E-Ekko?"
"Rayven it's me! You have to open the door!"
Rosalyn crawled slowly to the door, attempting to stay conscious. When it was finally in sight, she closed her eyes and submitted herself to the darkness around her. She focused on a mental image of the door.
"Unlock." She whispered.
There was a satisfying click, the sound of metal grating.
"Open." She whispered again.
The door budged slightly but it stayed shut. Oh for goodness sake. Are you serious right now?
"Open. Please." She said please in a distinctly irritated tone, despite the pain she was still experiencing.
The door gave way and swung open. A boy with messy grey hair stumbled in.
"Rose! Thank god!"
"Ekko. Help me get up." The pain had suddenly dissipated and only her legs felt weak. A strong arm wrapped her waist and she in turn, threw her arm around Ekko's neck for support.
"Lift your legs, dude." He said without batting an eye.
"I'm not a dude." Rosalyn grumbled but complied. She was too weak to walk after all. Ekko carried her all the way back to her bedroom and lowered her gently onto her bed. He plopped himself onto the couch opposite the bed, watching Rosalyn intently. Finally he spoke.
"What happened?"
Rosalyn looked at him, bemused. "I should be the one asking you that question. What happened?"
Ekko looked down and a grave expression took over his face.
"I'm not sure how to say this—"
"What's wrong?" For some reason, a cold feeling had washed over the girl.
"He's—K—Ka—"
"Ekko tell me, what's wrong?"
"He's dead."
"Who's dead?" Rosalyn asked but deep down, she already knew the answer to her own question.
"He was killed yesterday. In his home town, in Ionia."
"No. No, this can't be—"
Ekko was fighting back tears. His fists were clenched. "Kaleb."
The boy choked, struggling to get another word out.
"I mean, what are the fucking chances?! Just before we can start our first step towards our dream—" Ekko slammed his fists onto his thighs. "Kaleb was killed yesterday. I saw his body. They say it had something to do with a threatening Ionian elders. What fucking bullshit. What utter, fucking bullshit."
Rosalyn whispered something softly that Ekko couldn't hear. The boy continued to lament.
"After all we went through. After all we worked for. After all the money that we finally had earned enough to pay for entry into the official League. Our dream . . . our dream is—"
"Ekko." Rosalyn spoke the boy's name once, calmly, but the calmness had a deathly tone to it. It was cold, without emotion. Something about the tone scared a boy who usually feared very little things.
"If he died such a pathetic death, then perhaps he was truly not strong enough. Perhaps we have overestimated his abilities."
"Rose—? What are you saying? Kaleb was the strongest telekinetic we have ever encountered—how could you call him weak?" Ekko's tone was starting to turn to that of disbelief.
"You heard what I said. Kaleb was not strong enough. We will have to do this ourselves."
"But—" Ekko looked away, as if Rose had slapped him. "We shared a dream. We promised each other."
For the first time in their conversation, Rosalyn looked up. The expression Ekko saw in her eyes was not human. It was a ruthless, swirl of darkness, its indigo irises betraying an intimidating glance. Her face was a reflection of her tone, truly devoid of any emotion.
You will lose those you care about.
The thought, no matter how much she tried, was embedded into her mind. She argued against herself.
There IS no one I care about. That is not a lie. That is not a lie. That is not a—
"I don't know what you're thinking Rosa—no—Rayven. But what do we do now?" Ekko's question brought her back from her thoughts. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination but for a moment, Ekko thought he saw the girl in bed clench her fists.
Nevertheless, she replied swiftly. "That's simple. We proceed to the League."
Now, now, I know Rosalyn's character may be a bit fickle, but, without spoiling anything, her personality is meant to reflect a state of conflict, something like ... ehh ... ying and yang! If you have any questions, feel free to PM me and I'll try to explain things without spoiling the future plot. Please provide me feedback through the REVIEW section below!
Peace!
~Nightrous