Chapter Fourteen: The Oracle Warning
Studying the map Gabriel peered over to the dressing room where cots were set up allowing the heroes to each sleep, Jasper who had peeked in pulled a blanket over Tali's shoulder before quietly leaving the room and closing the doors.
"I can never get used to this, twice I have watched the dear king Sons take on the weight of the world on their shoulders," Jasper spoke joining Gabriel.
"Don't worry Jasper, the king fathered two amazing sons, they won't be separated for much longer, the time will come when their combined power will push back the darkness," Gabriel spoke trying to locate the Vexator with his foresight but couldn't locate the being, "damn!"
"What is it, Master Gabriel?" Jasper asked with concern.
"I am trying to locate the Vexator, it seems he is aware of my presence and is avoiding the inner eye, this could be problematic since he is the strongest out of all the Ark of Sin members," Gabriel explained studying the map closely trying to figure out where the Sin of Wrath would have gone when he arrived in Westcliff.
"Is this Vexator as powerful as you describe?" Jasper asked seeing the seer nod.
"Very, in his human form he is very much a threat, I suspect he planting his strings, preparing to control a whole village or maybe even a city, I can't be sure, I don't know if Logan and the others will be ready to take him on, maybe if they had Adam on their side they could have a chance."
"If they are based on the sins where are the other members?" Jasper asked.
"In the Void, I would have sensed their presence if they had arrived right now it's just the two who remain," Gabriel explained.
"Two? Master Gabriel, Logan, and the others have already eliminated the Dejestress," Jasper spoke taking a seat in a nearby chair.
"Oh, I guess I didn't mention that huh? There was a lieutenant here in Albion already before the arrival of the other two, right now she isn't a major threat, she is the least of my worries, it's the Vexator who is the major threat," Gabriel spoke looking to Samarkand on the map.
"You should rest Master Gabriel, you've been up for so long, you need as much sleep as the heroes in the other room do," Jasper spoke.
Shaking his head Gabriel studied the map focusing his powers on the future which becomes fuzzy after the final agent's defeat, thinking Jasper could be right Gabriel walked away resting on a bed roll on the floor hoping a quick nap could clear the clutter of visions.
Closing his eyes Gabriel was plagued with nightmares filled with Albion future being corrupted by the approaching evils, finding himself being chased again trying to escape the Corruption chasing behind.
"Gabriel! Gabriel, wake up!" Tali spoke shaking the man awake and making him gasp and sit up soaked in a cold sweat, "You were having a nightmare, are you okay?"
Catching his breath Gabriel nodded, "I'll be ok, sorry if I woke you."
Stepping out of the room Logan wore winter gear as did the other heroes getting ready for their journey to the Snowspire Village, "we're ready to go after the next agent."
Standing up Gabriel approached the map table, "The Snowspire Village is one of the oldest villages in Albion, they pride themselves on their rich history and the Oracle they've safeguarded for centuries, the Hero of Oakvale had already activated long ago so hopefully they will still be active."
"What exactly should we ask the Oracle that you can not answer?" Logan asked seeing Gabriel think about it using his visions to peer into the future.
"As of now my sight only reaches the moment we go to battle that is where it comes to a halt, I get glimpses of our victory but not how it was achieved, do you still have the gem?" Gabriel asked watching Logan pull the Archon's Dream from his pocket, "the heroes said to imbue it with light once you have all three together however they never specified which of you two need to use light on it."
"Two?" Logan spoke looking to Tali, "What do you mean Gabriel?"
"That's where I see the vision going hazy, I see one where you use the three but I also see another where Tali uses them, the gems have the power to not only burn away darkness but also to reach the heart of others if it is Tali who must use them during our final confrontation with the Empress, we need to know how she supposed to do that," Gabriel explained.
"Especially since she can't use the Light spell," Echo spoke seeing Gabriel shake a finger.
"Imbuing Light can mean many things, can be physical like what Logan and I can do or something more sublime like the light in your heart resonating with the gems connecting to others, only the Oracle could give us a straight answer," Gabriel spoke with a shrug.
"Let's get going! That village not gonna wait forever!" Saker spoke using the map to teleport to Snowspire Village with the others following.
Entering Snowspire the heroes looked to see the Corruption had already spread across the land the sky above red and a red mist covering the land, kneeling down Logan examined a large footprint in the snow that was almost circular.
Looking ahead Tali walked up the path with others following after her the silence being broken by Saker groaning, "Bloody hell! It's cold! Let's hurry up and find this bloody agent!"
"The bugger must be around here somewhere," Echo spoke looking around the village that appeared abandoned, "where are the people? Shouldn't they be standing around Corrupted?"
"They're safe with me," a voice spoke making the heroes jump when a transparent vision appeared of a man in blue robes with fur wielding a large scythe with bandages covering his skin and bone-like face.
"BLOODY HELL IS THAT A FUCKING HOLLOW MAN?!" Saker pointed.
"I don't think so...who are you?" Logan asked seeing the figure turn to him.
"I am Scythe, I have been exploring Albion for a long time when I sensed the darkness spreading across Albion, I came here to protect the Oracle from any of those who wish to exploit its powers, I have placed a barrier around the Oracle Shrine, it's people have taken refuge here when the Corruption came," Scythe explained his attention being drawn to his side, "damn!"
"What is it?" Tali asked as they heard a roar in the distance from the village.
"It's that monster! It's trying to break the barrier! Hurry heroes! I can only hold the barrier for so long!" Scythe spoke his ghostly mirage vanishing.
Running out of the village they approached the Oracle Shrine where a massive magic barrier was in place ramming into the barrier was a rhino-like agent covered in spiked armor on his back, a mask covering its snout and wrapping around the massive horn, the beast slowly turned to face them roaring as it charged at them.
"Move!" Logan yelled quickly dodging, with the others out of the Charger's way as it came down the stairs to the shrine watching it slam into a boulder making it shatter.
"Bloody hell!" Saker yelled looking to the others studying the creature and seeing how heavily armored it was, "no one gets in its path when it charges!"
Looking around Tali didn't see anything that could help them make the creature slip, "we'll have to weaken its Corruption!"
"Ok, Tali and I will burn that Corruption! Saker, Echo get ready to help us flip it on its back!" Logan yelled drawing his sword.
"We'll follow your lead, Logan!" Echo spoke spinning her staff.
Roaring again the Charger raced towards Logan who quickly dodged rolled and threw a Light spell at the side of its face seeing his spell wasn't strong enough, "shit! Logan, Tali new plan! Echo and I will distract the bloody bastard! You two charge a combo spell!" Saker growled cracking his knuckles.
Nodding Tali rushed over to Logan's side charging her Firework spell and Logan his Light spell combing them in a light that slowly grew brighter and more colorful.
Noticing the Charger got ready to charge again only to get it in the head by a rock thrown by Echo, "Hey! Hey! Over here! That right, come here you ugly bitch!"
Charging at Echo she used her pole to launch herself over the Charger making it smash against a stone as she landed behind it where Saker rushed in grabbing it by the hind legs and grunted trying to lift the creature only to have his face smacked by its tail and sent rolling across the ground.
"Saker!" Echo called out seeing the Charger turn around and growl pawing the ground before charging again this time when Echo used her pole to vault herself over the agent a Harbinger flew in and tackled Echo out of the air and to the ground where she held up her staff to block its claws.
"Harbingers!" Logan growled seeing more fly in, "We gotta help them!"
"Don't!" Saker yelled getting up and punching another Harbinger out of the air, "You two finish that spell!"
Grunting Echo smacked the masked face of the Harbinger that attacked her spinning her staff and smacking it again, "You heard him! We got this!"
"Bombs away!" Saker yelled lighting bombs and throwing them at the enemies burning away the Corruption on the Harbingers allowing Echo and Saker to do damage to the flock that flew in.
Grabbing one by the leg Saker spun it and slammed it against the ground several times before tossing it at the Charger that impaled it on its horn and blinded itself trying to shake the flapping winged creature off its horn.
"READY!" Logan yelled allowing Saker and Echo to clear out of the way.
Nodding Logan and Tali locked fingers and held out their fully charged spell, "Firework Light!"
Launching the spell, it exploded against the Charger's side sending it flying and crashing onto its side and destroying the Harbingers that had flown in.
"Saker!" Logan yelled rushing with the giant who threw several bombs against the creature's belly, Logan then launched an inferno spell creating an explosion the heroes shielded themselves from.
Waiting for the smoke to clear they felt heavy footsteps watching the Charger growl while it emerged from the smoke, getting ready to charge again, Scythe then came from above and with a single swing of his scythe sliced off the agent's head.
With the agent defeated the sky began to clear allowing sunlight to shower down and burn away the Corruption, with a spin of his scythe the blue robe hero placed his weapon onto his back.
"God damn!" Saker spoke seeing Scythe approach Logan tilting his head.
"I can sense it in your blood, you're the Hero of Oakvale descendant, it has been so long since he joined me here in the Snowspire to stop Jack of Blades once and for all," Scythe spoke turning to the shrine where the villagers left when the Corruption began to burn away.
"You knew my ancestor?" Logan asked seeing Scythe nod.
"I did, a brave man, surrounded by equally heroic friends and beloved by all, he suffered greatly like your father before you, his actions saved Albion from darkness and it seems his bloodline still protects Albion to this day, you came to seek the Oracle wisdom, did you not?" Scythe asked.
Lighting a cigar Saker nodded, "Aye! Perhaps where a million gold is buried?"
"Saker hush!" Echo spoke smacking his large shoulder with her staff.
"We need to ask the Oracle which of us needs to use the Divinity Gems in our upcoming battle in Samarkand, Tali or myself, this information could save many lives," Logan spoke seeing Scythe nod and turn to Tali.
"The heir to the Samarkand throne, your highness," he bowed his head.
Leading the way Scythe led them to the Oracle Shrine where the eyes of the three heads glowed upon the hero's arrival at the shrine.
"Go on, speak, ask the Oracle your question," Scythe spoke allowing Logan to approach.
"Great Oracle of the Snowspire! Grant us the knowledge we seek! Who must use the Divinity Gems in our final battle with the dark forces that overrun Samarkand?" Logan called watching the symbols Y-M-C-A glow before the Oracle spoke.
"As foretold the bloodline of the Guildman has returned," the top head spoke.
"The path ahead lies split, both have different outcomes but the one who must use the gems is the one who can reach the hearts of Samarkand citizens," the left head spoke.
"If the bloodline of William uses the gems Samarkand people cannot be saved," the right head spoke.
"In order for one to reach the hearts of Samarkand people an act from the heart must be performed."
"This is all that can be told. Go now and face your destinies Heroes of the new age."
"Well, that wasn't helpful! How is Tali supposed to reach the hearts of the Samarkand people?" Saker asked turning to Tali.
"I...I don't know either," Tali spoke looking at Logan, "if we can't figure it out Logan will have to use the gem but that would also mean we would have to sacrifice my people."
Looking at the gem in his hand Logan turned to Tali where he approached and took her hand, gently placing the gem in her hand, "It must be you; I know you will know when the time comes how to free your people, I believe in you, Tali."
Tali looked up at Logan before smiling and touching his cheek, "thank you, Logan."
Seeing the tension between the two Saker cleared his throat loudly to get their attention, "If you two are done undressing each other with your eyes, we have another agent to kill."
"Time is of the essence, hurry heroes, the darkness hold on our realm grows weaker, I will remain here and continue to protect the Oracle, good luck heroes," Scythe spoke watching the others use their guild seals to vanish and return to the Sanctuary.