Chapter 10-True Beliefs/Round 2
I wandered around the underground…and I felt different…weaker…and it wasn't from the poison either…I felt drained of life…as if something had fed off my emotions. You're a monster…what makes you better than us…What gives you the right to play god…the memory of the pains tearing through my mind caused me to hunch over as they tore through my very being…You've done well mercenary, you're just as ruthless as they say…So what are you going to do with your ill-gotten gains…do you think they'd want you to push yourself like this…I fell to my knees…the memory of all of the people I killed…just because they were in my way…Am I no different than the beasts I hunt…am I no different than the Magi…the tears flowed freely down my cheeks…Their afraid of you…How can you live like this…why do you kill do you get some perverse pleasure from it…He's a monster! Run, Run away!...Darkness engulfed me as I passed out…
-An unknown woods-
I wandered through a strange forest…the trees were in uniform rows and the same exact shape.
"Where am I?" I asked my voice holding and echoing quality.
"Your where all lost souls go when they realize there's nothing they can do to redeem themselves," a female voice echoed behind me…I whirled around to find nothing there, "Don't bother looking for me…you won't ever find me."
"What do you want with me?" I asked intimidated by the uniform trees unnerving more than the voice.
"You asked if you were the same as the Magi," she answered, "I'm here to answer that question for you."
"What gives you the right to play god!" a male voice shouted behind me…I whipped around to see a young man with blond hair wearing peasant clothing and wielding a pitch fork…he was guarding two children, "What makes you better than us!"
"Surrender," a voice just like mine echoed… and out of my body walked a younger version of me wearing his black Mirage Armor, "You don't need to die…none of you do!"
"Then leave us alone!" he shouted raising his pitchfork.
"I can't do that," the younger me stated calmly drawing his hand and a half sword, "Your families abilities are too dangerous to leave unchecked…surrender or die…final warning."
He lunged at the younger me only to have his attack batted aside and be run through…as the body of the young man fell the two children…a boy and a girl…stepped forward.
"We are ready to die," they said calmly in unison.
"Why would you throw your lives away?" I asked shocked.
"We've lived hundreds of years through the minds of others," they said still in unison smiling, "but we agree with your mission mercenary…we are too dangerous to leave unchecked…but we'd rather die free than live as prisoners."
"Are you sure?" I asked closing my eyes, "There will be no going back."
"Yes…please mercenary…tell our mother we're sorry,"
"I will…may your passing be peaceful,"
My younger self raised his hand and launched a fireball but before it reached the children the entire scene vanished.
"You offered them mercy," the voice stated, "Something the Magi would never do...they would have taken them and forced them to serve."
"One choice doesn't mean anything!" I snarled.
"I know," the voice yawned, "You've done terrible things in your life…you've never rationalized them but just accepted them as they were."
Before me appeared an elderly woman…she was sitting in a chair and seemed to be waiting for someone…and appearing as if he had just stepped through a door was the younger version of myself…and he didn't look happy.
"Your grandchildren are dead," He stated bluntly.
"You killed them," she stated in shock, "I told you to bring them back alive!"
"They chose to die free rather than surrender," the younger me stated without any emotion, "I applaud them and their choice."
"You're a monster!" she shouted crying loudly, "How dare you kill them!"
"Don't you dare condemn me!" the younger me shouted back the anger visible in his eyes, "Until you have done what I've done…gone through what I've gone through…you've no right to judge me!"
The vision faded to be replaced by a slightly older version of the younger me and three men in armor sitting around a campfire. The armor was similar to kingdom armor except that the silver part was navy blue in color…the gold was the same…they were wearing welling maintained cloaks that were lined with silver fox fur. Their heads were shaved and heavily tattooed with ceremonial markings. Sitting near them were round shields of steel and emblazoned on them was a white fox with its paw resting on a crimson helmet and leaning against the shields were hand axes…these were soldiers of the northern province of Valeria known as Nor which acted as the first line of defense of Valeria…the area Valeria was located in is a peninsula with only one possible place to enter…the land bridge that connects it to the mainland…and it is occasionally submerged…otherwise it is next to impossible to achieve an amphibious landing due to the mountain ranges ring the entire peninsula and act as a natural wall…then there's the reefs that ring the peninsula. The people of the Nor province guarded this land bridge so any invading forces would have to get by them first. I heard a crunch and turned to see two similarly dressed men with large double bladed war axes strapped to their backs…the last two men in my battlefield guard…they seemed excited.
"The men are ready Count Zix," one of the great axe wielders stated smiling…Count Zix was the name I used as a mercenary…as well as my title as the Count of the Nor province, "We shall wash over the city like a tide."
"The end of this diseased city is nigh," one of the soldiers sitting by the fire chuckled, "Count Zix will eradicate that fat bastard…The name of the Nor province will soon be known for more than the vanguard that sacked Balandor."
"Quit your chattering," the younger I snarled angrily, "We are here to kill nothing else…he shall pay for his crimes."
The younger me turned and the vision vanished…it was replaced by no new vision just the woods…I turned my thoughts back to the soldiers of Nor…they had led the Farian force's charge through the gates of Balandor and were often regarded with fear by the people…and unlike other Valerian forces who preferred to use sword the people of Nor were well known for using axes in combat…Nor forces were often hired to act as the vanguard of a force to shatter the enemies formation before the main armies engaged in combat…these were my soldier…my people…they acted as I thought an army should…it should show no mercy to anyone who stood before them armed or otherwise…to restore and maintain order at all costs…to never stop…to always move forward…
"Do you understand now?" the voice asked the happiness evident in her voice, "Have you finally realized what sets you apart from the Magi?"
"I look to the future," I stated calmly, "I look to the progress of my people."
"Yes…unlike the Magi who model their order on the past," the voice stated chuckling.
"Is there a point to all of this?" I inquired somewhat scared now.
"I've some gifts for you," the voice stated calmly, "Now that you've regained you vision…I've some words to impart to you."
"Like what?" I sighed kneeling down and pick up the hand ax and round shield that lay there…they were weapons wielded by warriors of Nor.
"They are some of the possible futures that you could befall you and your allies," the voice stated as my vision was obscured by a fog before it revealed its form, "You are a skilled leader who values order and progress above everything else…under your command the new Valeria will surpass all other kingdoms both present and pass…but it will not be enough…though the other rulers are skilled they are young and inexperienced...and you do not miss this…you set out to do what the old empire set out to do…you attempt to conquer the world…and unlike your father empire you seek to bring order to the chaos you see…your forces with their superior technology dominate the battlefield and you usher in a new age of warfare…the combined forces of Balandor, Faria, and Greede are unable to long oppose your armies might…you use the power of your resurrected knights and your new weapons that use gunpowder to decimate both enemy units and fortifications…none are able to stand before your people's strength and ferocity in combat and soon…you convince many of your opponents to join you in your campaign…forever do you wear your blackened mirage armor as the symbol of your dark path…and as such by your enemies you are known as the Black King…while by your allies you are known as the Emperor of Order…after subjugating Faria, Balandor, and Greede you turn your gaze south…and shortly afterwards you've united the world under on banner…though there will be some rebellions they are quickly brought into line and you are hailed as a hero…though this victory does come at a price…all of the friends you've made throughout your journeys who are not of Valerian descent will perish attempting to defend their homelands from your advances…peace…for the first time in the entire history of the world it is truly at peace…no more war…but it could not last…upon your death your eldest son will ascend to your throne with all of your people supporting him…but the threat comes from the outside…a cult rises worshiping Madoreas as a god and you as the devil…they gather hundreds of thousands of followers to their banner and wage a holy war against your empire…your sons though as skilled and beloved as you, are assassinated before they can truly come into their element…due to this your empire falls…the people are in terror of the cult as they slaughter anyone who opposes them and their dark god…but as is custom with evil…it always breeds its greatest enemy…a young man of your blood line…the bastard son of your youngest child will rise up against their evil and lead an army of peasants against the cultist empire…and he shall emerge victorious…the foundations you laid for an empire shall be built upon once again…He shall forever be counted as one of the greatest heroes in all of history…and The Empire Valeria shall be once again reborn and shall not fall for 20,000 years."
"That seems to be more than just my fate," I stated glancing around uneasily.
"You're fate is intertwined with that of many others…I will tell you only two more of your possible fates," the voice sighed, "You march to war against your enemies…your friends by your side…but you do not survive…you are slain in combat defending someone important you…your friends and allies grant your final wish…they launch an attack on Valeria and liberate it…but all is not well…the greatest evil still remains in the world…and when it reemerges your people are scattered …never to regain their former glory."
"Wow cheery," I sighed, "What's the last vision."
"The last vision is simple," she stated calmly, "you die and the animosity you've acquired from those you travel with causes them to cast aside those you brought with you…without you or your friends your allies fall…unable to complete their objective and the Magi advance unopposed."
"Am I really that important?" I inquired slightly terrified.
"All of the fates of your companions ride upon your decisions," the voice stated, "These are the three most likely fates that will befall you and your allies but they are not the only ones…there are others that are worse…and some that are better…your decisions will affect more…because you control more…your companions are children…no matter what powers they wield…they do not know the world."
"I do not care!" I shouted losing my cool, "I will accept my death if need be…I will sacrifice my dreams for victory…the world comes before the vale."
"You cannot deny fate," the woman's voice sighed.
"Maybe you're right," I stated gazing forwards as a beam of light engulfed me, "But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop…I will make my own path…I will do what I believe is right."
"I'm glad to hear it," the voice said as the light engulfed me.
I gazed around to find myself back at the arena…where Norvain was quickly running towards me.
"Where have you been!?" he shouted, "Xaidra has been asking about you."
"Where is she?" I inquired remembering my brutal attack against her.
"She's at the medics getting her wounds healed," he stated as I took off, "Hey where'd you get the Shield and ax!?"
I barely registered that the weapons I'd picked up in the vision had stayed with me…a Nor round shield and hand ax…I was too busy hurrying towards the tent. When I burst through the tent Xaidra sat there smiling at me as I burst through.
"I was wondering when you'd come and see me," she chuckled as I glanced away uneasy about the damage I caused her in my rage, "oh don't tell me your beating yourself up over the fight…you were right…we were enemies and I was a fool to think you'd go easy."
"Wait what?" I asked confused, "You're not angry?"
"No of course not," she chuckled, "If I'd been given the chance I would have mangled you as well…are you ready to go watch the next round."
Without even waiting for my response she had gotten up on her newly healed leg and grabbed my hand and dragged me out to the edge of the arena which was almost like a pit…we stood their chatting as Norvain walked up grinning madly.
"Well you two seem to have gotten over this rather quickly," he chuckled.
"Well I respect her…she's the only warrior in my opinion who can match my combat skills," I snarled turning back to Xaidra.
"Oh you know that the only reason you're being so kind to her is because you have a cr-," he was cut off by my elbow colliding with his face and laying him out flat…and never did I turn to look at him.
"That looked practiced," Xaidra commented.
"It's the quickest way to shut him up," I stated calmly, "So who's up next in the arena?"
"Aden and Jiao," she stated calmly, "I've never heard of either of them."
"I'm okay!" Norvain shouted getting back to his feet as I laid my new weapons against the wall, "I've never heard of them either."
Aden was wearing a hood as well as a set of silver chainmail armor and had
Kanesada, Silver Cleaver, and a Wind Edge as his weapons. His opponent Jiao was wearing Bu Gui armor and a standard katana.
"Who do you thinks going to win?" Xaidra inquired.
"I don't know?" I answered truthfully.
They both drew their Katanas and charged at each other with blinding speed…too fast for the naked eye but my scan ability was diligently keeping up with them…I couldn't see the individual strikes but I could at least make out who was who.
"They're so fast!" Norvain yelled excitedly.
"Speed isn't everything," I chimed in still following the fight, "To excel in a single attribute is a way to guarantee defeat."
"You're always such a killjoy, "Norvain sighed, "These kids don't have your years of combat experience."
"Don't say it that way," I sighed, "It makes me feel old…I've only been fighting since I was four…does anyone smell ozone?"
We all turned back to the fight to see the air around Aden crackling with electricity and before Jiao could even attempt to dodge he was caught in a storm of lightning.
"Now young warrior…you will die," Norvain cackled manically, "Power…unlimited power!"
"What the hell is up with him?" Xaidra whispered to me.
"Don't ask," I whispered back with sigh, "because I've actually got no real idea."
When the lightning dissipated Jiao was still standing…barely.
"Someone order a foreign warrior," I snickered, "Extra crispy."
"Wow you attempted a joke," Xaidra chuckled, "but that was a poor attempt."
"Shut up," I snapped back playfully…That was out of character…, "Who wants to go get something to eat?"
"They serve food here?" Xaidra inquired.
"Calling it food is giving it to much credit," Norvain sighed, "So what do you want to poison yourself with today?"
"How about…a troll steak," I smiled, "I've not had one of those in months."
"It's not actual troll meat…right?" Xaidra asked torn between fear and disgust.
"It's not as bad as you think," I laughed out loud as Aden went in for the kill, "Tastes a lot like beef."
"That is disgusting," she choked out.
"Well it's not the worst thing there is…wait until you try the sewer rats," I chuckled but before I could finish talking a bright flash of light illuminated the arena, "What the hell was that!"
I returned my gaze to the arena to see Jiao lying flat on his back with the area around him scorched by electricity.
"The match is over!" the announcer yelled, "The Match is over…Aden is the winner!"
"Well it looks like you've got your next opponent," Xaidra chuckled.
"The Clash of Fire and Lightning," Norvain laughed only for me to once again elbow him in the face.
"You should get ready for your round," I stated walking away with Xaidra.
So my next opponent is fast and skilled with magic…this should prove interesting…
Here ends chapter 10…well time for the recap…Eddoe is pulled into his mind and more memories are shown to him as well as three possible futures that may happen to him…as well as his next opponent…on another note Aden belongs to the author Luckenhaft. I'm sorry that it took me so long to post this but I was distracted by a new book series entitled Fablehaven and a couple video games (One of them is the first PS3 game I ever got) I finally beat…please review.