The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1
The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1
A Power World fanfiction by Ceres 82.1
Author's Note
It has been quite a long time since this story has been updated, but I now have a refreshed mind and I'm ready to give you this second chapter! To those who waited for a long time for this, I'm very sorry that this story has only progressed after a long time..
Disclaimer: I do not own Power World, nor most of its characters. The characters I own so far only are Apocalis, Kira, and Torresa. The characters created here (Eiteran, Ezinale, Minas, Demi) are mine as well. But that's it.
As usual, reviews, advice, and comments are appreciated. Flames are not appreciated much, but will be accepted if there is a good and sensible reason for those flames to exist.
Chapter 2: Preparation
Apocalis has reached the Shrine of Light, in which many priests and priestesses were going around, and he saw some trainee priests using staves to try and manipulate the healing magic. He then saw the guard monks by the door, who recognized him and opened a small door into the Shrine.
He walked through white-tile floors, looking around.
"So much has changed," he said. "The floors are whiter, the walls cleaner and brighter..it seems that they built some fountains, too." He then reached the Shrine itself, the temple of the Light.
It was a clean-looking and simple temple, with an altar at its center. The altar itself was lined with white cloth, a cloth which has not been changed in hundreds of years, yet looks clean. At the altar was a woman, dressed in a cleric's robes, praying at the altar.
The cleric was an epitome of purity, her white robe and the utter simplicity of her appearance emphasized the clerics and monks' way of life. Noticing that someone was watching her, she stood up from her kneeling position in front of the altar and faced the man who was watching her.
"I see that you have come, Apocalis." Kira Taris, the Priestess of the Light, greeted him with familiarity. A small smile also was on her lips as well, seeing her old friend come for a visit.
A few minutes later, on a small room at the right side of the Shrine..
"..And that seems to be the situation." Apocalis finished explaining the recent events.
"This curse, according to Minas, was of elder magic. If this is to be, the power of Light can easily overwhelm it." Kira conjectured.
"But this is no simple Dark Elemental. Surely, it gets stronger with every kill, since it's a spirit."
"So, we need more than just Light to defeat it, since it has Spirit magic as well. But what if this entity takes the souls and essences of its victims, then integrates it onto itself? What if it can summon its victims into its minions, an army of spirits?" Kira said, horrified.
"Yes, all that can happen." Apocalis replied gravely. "We will have to call on everybody."
"Then let us go." The pair then got out of the room, and teleported to where each of the heroes are; Ralph, who is in the central plains, tying to summon elemental minions; Minas, who was in the Lightning Shrine; Drabiticium, who was in the Air Shrine with Cloud; Eiteran, who was guarding the outskirts of the Eastern Empire; Ezinale, who was at the northern Kingdom of Ice; and Demi, who was at the Shrine of Darkness.
The nine heroes now were teleported to the gates of the capital of Rothlen, where they sought the audience of the king and his generals. Soon, they were at the throne room, with all of the capital's generals, some of the generals in the surrounding cities of the kingdom, and a contingent from the border guard.
"So we may meet an undead army, is that correct?" A captain of the border guard asked.
"Yes, there is a chance. It has laid waste to a number of cities already, and it might reincarnate its victims to form a gigantic army of zombies and skeletons." Apocalis answered.
"Can they be killed by mere physical force?" The same captain asked.
"Yes, but one zombie can contend with two soldiers. They are stubbornly strong and persistent, and one must take caution when it attacks with its diseased and rotten claws. Skeletons are harder to kill using swords and lances, but can be crushed to powder easily using the flat base of a broad blade or a mace." Demi answered, having an extensive knowledge of fiends and dark creatures.
"But take note; a curse will be put upon you when you are attacked directly by the spirit. This curse will drain out your life gradually and will kill you in a matter of time." Kira added.
"But what if this spirit is at the forefront? Then our forces will fall and turn against us!" A general said, afraid that his own troops will attack him.
"If the spirit is in the front, then we will plan for some diversionary tactics. That can be discussed when the need arises." Apocalis answered.
"So, what will be our plan for now?" The king asked.
Apocalis laid out their plan:
"There is to be three lines of defense: The Advance Guard, the Middle Guard, and the Final Guard. Each of these lines of defense will have different units: The Advance Guard has more infantry and some cavalry, the Middle Guard has the bulk of the troop, and the Final Guard has the units that will protect this city from a siege from the undead forces.
"Drabiticium and Cloud will be at the Advance Guard, I, Kira, Demi, and Minas will be at the Middle Guard, and Ralph, Eiteran, and Ezinale will be at the Final Guard. If you are facing retreat or is trapped, throw these to the ground so that they will break." He gave each of them an orb, pulsing with blue light. "These orbs will take you to this city's walls instantly. Use them wisely, and only when you really need it."
"Also, the generals of the army shall be at the Middle Guard. The king's own guard and its commanders and generals will remain here. If the Middle Guard falls, run to the nearest safe place possible."
"And that will be these mountains." A commander pointed to two mountain ranges, extending over five hundred kilometers and having only one passage through.
"The Rothlen Pass? I think spirits do not mind going through rock." Ralph commented.
"Well, apparently, it can, but it will not know where to go inside the mountains, and of course it will be lost inside those mountains. The zombies and skeletons, however, do not go to mountains." Demi said.
"Well, what if we can mount an ambush? When the initial guard falls, we rush on two flanks, quickly dispatching their forward flanks and enabling us to have a better chance at surviving." A general said.
"That can work, but it won't be much of a help if we're talking about a gigantic horde. We must concentrate on reinforcing the Pass." Another general argued. "Also, what if the horde goes around and traps Middle Guard, sandwiched between two separate hordes?"
"Then that would be such a very bad event. But, we can rule that out since traveling around the mountain ranges will take a lot of days."
"But these undead do not tire! They can travel for days and nights without stopping for a rest."
"Let them! Five hundred kilometers to us is five hundred kilometers for the enemy, whether they're alive or not."
Apocalis intervened. "How about this: We put garrisons all over the inner side of the mountains, five of them for each, in which these garrisons are lightly guarded, only for sending the beacon if the enemy is in their midst. That way, we can detect the enemy presence and quickly retreat to the Final Guard to prepare for a siege."
"That can be good." The two arguing generals agreed to the idea.
"Also, we must build defenses at the Pass itself. Build a gate there." Apocalis said.
"That will be undertaken." The king said. "Any more orders? My builders are in your service."
After a short discussion, Kira laid out the orders for the kingdom's men. "There must be defenses outside this city. We might want to build a system of supply depots in the outskirts of the city, that are guarded by forts and garrisons. We should strengthen the existing defenses as well."
"We wll be able to build these garrisons in a short while."The king said. "Also, you will have a dispatchment of five thousand footmen and and five hundred cavalry." The king said.
"We thank you for your aid. We shall assure you that it will not go to waste." Kira said. "May the gods guide us."
The grass crumbles into ashes by my touch, and the wind around me seems..malevolent.
Why is this so? Have I been cursed?
As I looked up, I saw only darkness.
Why is this so?
A traveler went by me, and when I ran to him and asked him something, he fell onto the ground, dead.
Why am I like this? I cannot explain what's happening to me..I do not like the things that are happening..
Please, somebody, tell me, what is wrong with me?
A/N:
Yay! I finished the second chap, at last! (Victory theme plays)
Can anyone comment on it, please? Please view it as a literary work; some novel, if you'd like to say, and please give me constructive criticism and advice, if you can. I'd like to know how I'm doing.
Prepare for war! My first war chapter is coming! So..see you soon.