Chapter 57: The Broken Vow

Disclaimer:

It's now Day 2 of the 5-day update schedule! Day 1 had plenty of action and fighting and this one is heavy on its backstories. I did not think this chapter would be so long but there was a lot I wanted to reveal. So, I hope today doesn't disappoint. Hope you enjoy and see you guys tomorrow!


PART ONE – VALMOIRA:

A little house stood on the outskirts of the main village in the Forgotten Forest. It only had one floor to it with two windows at the east and west directions of the building. A singular, wooden door separated the outside from the inside and a small, beaten up chimney was at the top of the flat, thatched straw roof.

A teenage girl and her father were standing opposite each other in the house with the wooden door open.

"Father, I am just going to play outside with a friend!" A young girl around the age of 14 turned around and smiled. She had long, black hair which was quite messy and represented her active and messy lifestyle.

"Okay, Valmoira. Just… be careful, okay? Do I have to remind you about what us Druids go through during our adolescent stages and especially before we get our grimoires?" He replied, giving a little look of concern towards his daughter.

All of a sudden, an even smaller Druid appeared from behind the man and clutched onto his leg. She looked up at the tall figure and smiled. The little girl saw his short, black, and spiky hair rustle as the wind entered from the open door where Valmoira was standing. He had a few scars on his face and one antler horn on his head with bandages where the other horn should have been. His dark body was large, but bone had started to show from beneath his skin and he was getting quite weak.

"I know the answer, Papa Dyam! Um… was it something to do with our magic and that if you feel strong emotions as you grow that it can sometimes go out of control?" She answered with a tilt to her head.

"Very good, Sallyanne!" The tall man replied. He brushed her soft, messy, red hair and smiled.

"Guys, this is all stuff I know!" Valmoira impatiently said. She was tapping her foot on the ground showing she was itching to leave and play.

Dyam sighed and then smiled. He waved his daughter away. "Be safe, Valmoira!" He went to close the door. "I just worry about her since she tends to let others change her thoughts and beliefs quite easily. She is easily swayed…". He turned around but tripped all of a sudden as his peg leg got stuck in one of the holes in the wooden floorboards.

Sallyanne ran across and pulled him out by using what little she had mastered of her Plant Magic. A few roots formed from the ground and wriggled her father's leg away from the hole it had sunk in.

"There you go! Did I do well?" Sallyanne asked with her purple, puppy-dog eyes.

Dyam picked up the small, five-year old girl and threw her into the air. He caught her after and replied; "Of course, you did! Now, why don't we get started on your history lesson?"

"There you are, Valmoira! I have been waiting ages for you to show up!" A girl who was the same age as the Woodland mage shouted. She had her arms crossed and was pouting to show she was annoyed.

"Sorry about that, Ekifa! My father was holding me up but I know it was to try and keep me safe". Valmoira scratched her neck.

"You and that father of yours. Think for yourself sometimes!" Her friend said sternly. Her black eyes stared into Valmoira's.

"I… guess you are right. I am getting older but my father is always right, haha", she said quietly.

After that, the two started playing together. There were games of hide-and-seek, tag, and many others that involved getting muddy and dirty. These all fit with how all the Druids were raised with how physical prowess was held to such a high degree. Regardless, the two girls were having fun and they were going to continue to do so.

Suddenly, the two saw another Druid run across their peripheral version. He was hiding in the thick, green bushes but was focusing elsewhere and not on the two girls.

"Hey, does he not look familiar?" Ekifa asked with a whisper. Her dark, green hair waving as she turned.

"Hm, is he Dike? He is from a different world to us so we do not speak to him", the girl with long, black hair replied.

"Hey, do you know what I am thinking?" Ekifa pointed her finger up to show she had an idea.

"Hm, knowing you… you probably mean to follow him, right?" Valmoira responded to which her friend nodded. Though, instead of following through with what Ekifa was saying, she questioned it. "Should we really? We are not involved with them whatsoever so is it not a bit odd to follow him?"

"There it is again. You have such a sheltered upbringing that you cannot decide for yourself. What is it that you really want to do?" She asked before turning her head away from her.

This action made Valmoira confused. "Is it really such a big deal? Of course, I want to speak to Father about this but making my own decisions… I want to believe what my father believes".

"I… I am going to quickly pop back before we move. J-just hang on one moment!" Valmoira pleaded. She turned around and quickly started to run back.

"Just do whatever at this point! Honestly…", Ekifa shouted.

During this little back and forth, Ekifa's words kept swirling around Valmoira's young and impressionable head.

"Why is she being so mean?"

"I… guess I am always listening to Father but is it bad…?"

"My friendship with Ekifa. I want to impress her!"

Unknown to both girls, that would be the last time they ever speak to each other. Not because anything bad happened to Ekifa, but because after an upcoming incident, Valmoira made sure not to interact with her friend ever again.

The day started to darken and a cold breeze was constantly around. Valmoira had made it back to the house and she was a mess of emotions. There was confusion, sadness, but also anger.

She burst through the door in a hurry. It was odd because what her and Ekifa wanted to do wasn't all that serious but with what had happened and how Valmoira was questioning things, she wasn't able to make sense of what was serious and what wasn't.

"F-Father?" She shouted.

The first to appear was her little sister, Sallyanne, and she greeted the other with a hug. Though, for the first time ever, this wasn't reciprocated and she shoved the smaller Druid away, making her upset.

"Papa Dyam… Sis is being mean!" She shouted, sticking her tongue out at the culprit.

"… What is it now?" Dyam entered, wiping away some food from his mouth and the bits that were stuck in his bushy beard.

"Can I… Can I go with Ekifa? We saw Dike earlier and wanted to…", she paused. She thought about what she wanted to say. "I can not say we want to stalk him so…".

"We wanted to play with him!" She asked but with an impatient tone to her voice.

Dyam and Sallyanne exchanged glances and both wore a look of worry. "Hang on, Dike? I have told you not to associate yourselves with him and his faction. They – although believe in the same as us – use Forbidden Magic! That is not allowed!"

Her father had raised her voice which, for the already angered Valmoira, wasn't good. It made her flinch and the interaction with Ekifa was prominent in her mind.

"Why… do you not let me decide things for myself?" Valmoira said with a quiet voice.

Sallyanne was the first to notice a change since she was stood right beside her sister. It made her flinch too and she took a step back towards her father.

"Valmoira, if you wanted to make your own decision, why did you come to ask me?" Dyam questioned. "I want you to think for yourself but this thing… it is non-negotiable. I am glad you asked me, but the answer is no".

"Y-you can trust me! Ekifa and I… she might not be friends with me if I do not listen to her!" Valmoira pleaded.

What was happening right now scared the two Druids opposite the pleading Valmoira. What Dyam had warned her about could be happening right now.

"Listen, Valmoira. You want to make your own decisions but did a part of you not realise that you were just listening to what your friend said, instead of actually deciding for yourself?"

Valmoira was close to snapping. A little spat between her and Ekifa had spiralled out of control to this extent and it was a dangerous moment for the whole family.

"You are never this strict with Sallyanne! You do not treat her like me… I… Is it because she is adopted?!" Valmoira shouted. Her eyes lit up and the green of them glowed brightly.

Sallyanne's eyes widened and she paused for a second. It seemed like she couldn't speak with what was going on in her five-year-old mind. All she could muster was simply repeating what was revealed.

"I… I am adopted…?" She said with a terribly sad expression. She touched her red hair and then looked at Dyam and Valmoira's. "A different colour, too… and my eyes… they are not the same as yours…".

Dyam was gobsmacked. He understood that Valmoira was in a state of unrest, but to reveal something like that, when Sallyanne wasn't ready for it made him act out.

At this moment, Dyam did what a father should never do. All the emotions he, himself, was feeling clashed with Valmoira's. He knew it was wrong but in the heat of the moment, he did not know what was right or wrong either.

He raised his hand and hit Valmoira.

As soon as he felt contact, he snapped back and apologised profusely. He knelt down and pulled his daughter in for a hug.

"No, no, no… I am… so terribly sorry, Valmoira! I…", he started crying. What he did was horrible but what drove him to it was the inability to control his emotions. Though, even with his apology, it fell onto deaf ears.

A strong, green and brown aura started to emerge from the 14-year-old girl, but she was not in control. Valmoira knew this and was conscious while her magic took hold of her.

"H-hang on… I am not doing anything with my magic. It is doing this by itself!" She tried to turn her magic off but it was no use.

Valmoira's magic was being powered by the intense whirlpool of emotions she was feeling just prior. Anger and sadness were the biggest triggers and Dyam's warning beforehand had come to light.

"S-Sis… what are you doing?" Sallyanne asked, frightened.

"I… I do not know!" Valmoira replied.

The aura around her glowed even brighter and a single arm made out of wood stretched forwards and grabbed Dyam by the body. It raised him up and he was wriggling to try and get free. Even with what was happening, he was silent. The guilt he was feeling at striking his own daughter was too much for him.

The Woodland Magic was acting out, powered by emotions that was only native to Druids. Suddenly, flowers started to sprout from it and released a black smoke that was exposed to Dyam.

"Father… do not breathe that! I… I will try to control it!" Valmoira shouted.

It was useless, though. The damage had been done and it was only a matter of time before what was going to happen, happened.

"There is no… helping it, Valmoira. I did what I should never have done and for that… I apologise", he nodded his head forwards as a way to ask for forgiveness.

"You want forgiveness? You h-have not done anything wrong, Father! Just a few seconds and I will stop this!"

"Valmoira… please take care of your little sister… and please, apologise to her…". Dyam's body jerked suddenly and he stopped moving completely.

Valmoira's eyes almost popped out of her sockets with the sheer shock she was feeling. She whimpered and started to cry. Ironically, when the interaction was over and done with, that was when her magic subsided and Dyam fell to the floor.

The Druid turned her head away and cried.

"F-father… I did not mean to do this…".

There was utter silence for the next few minutes. Valmoira was stood by the open door and rain had started to fall outside. Dyam was in the middle of the room and Sallyanne was hiding behind a chair, away from her older sister.

Valmoira felt the silence and she was about to go crazy. She turned to Sallyanne and was about to speak when she was cut off.

"Just go, Valmoira…", she said with her voice breaking.

Valmoira shuddered. That was the first time Sallyanne had ever called her by her name and not by 'Big Sister' or anything similar.

"B-but…",

"No. You can go to Ekifa now… I… I will get someone to explain what happened. I will not mention you. So, go…", she sniffed. Even though she was a mere five-years-old, the girl had shouldered a lot of responsibility early on.

The relationship between three people who were in the same household had been severed. It would take years for the remaining ones to heal their bond and perhaps, even at present, there may be some reservations that Sallyanne holds towards Valmoira, even though she doesn't show it.


PART 2 – CATHBAD:

"Why do you refuse to listen, stupid boy?!"

The sound of a whip crashed about the house, stopping every few seconds and then reappearing again once the shouting of an old woman resumed.

"Do you want to stop getting beaten?!"

The sound returned. This time, the gap between the silence was shortening meaning that the whip was being used quicker.

"Leading the Druids, is that not your destiny?!"

The loud sounds were coming from a large house that stood in the middle of a circular lake. It had three storeys but it was largely empty due to the lack of people that lived in it. The only people that resided was a 15-year-old boy, and his nanny.

"Nanny, you are hurting me! I will listen from now on, so please…!" The teenager cowered in the corner of the dusty room he and the older woman were in.

There were cobwebs lining the corners of the room and they shone a silver colour with the ceiling's bright gemstone's rays reflecting off from them from the one window. The room also had some sort of drawing board that was scribbled with instructions on magic, facts about Druid history, as well as a diagram of a family tree.

"I will not hurt you, Cathbad, if you simply listen to what I have to say!" The old woman responded. "You are on your own today but we continue from tomorrow". She stood up and opened the mouldy, green door to head outside the teaching room.

The small and weak Cathbad raised his teary, red eyes and saw the vicious woman in the doorframe. She didn't have pupils in her small eyes and instead they were all completely white, devoid of emotion. The antlers on her head had been severed off and covered in white bandages that had begun to turn yellow. She wore a large, black frock and her clothing was finished off with a pair of black slippers.

The young Disaster mage crawled back and away from the door as she shut it, leaving the room even darker. However, the emotions that Cathbad felt every single day with this woman were even darker than that.

"I hate that woman so much…", he sniffled. He slowly stood up and looked over at the drawing board to better understand what was being taught to him.

"Disaster Magic? I know I have that attribute but all I can conjure up are little spells like rainclouds, electric sparks, or a bit of fire. I always seem to struggle to make them stronger…", he shook his head.

Slowly, he took his grimoire out and turned the pages. "I need to be better at this, but how?"

He turned his gaze to the next entry. There were bullet points that described humans and the history that Druids have with them as well as what Druids should think about them.

"Humans, hm? Whatever happened all those hundreds of years ago has nothing to do with who we are right now, though. Do I have to hate them?" He slowly slammed his fist into his forehead repeatedly as a way of showing that he was confused by this.

Cathbad read the points and when he reached the bottom, he saw something that piqued his attention.

"Nanny wrote something else. Lets see…", he stood closer and read; "If you need more information, then head to the Eternal Gardens with me tomorrow. I shall teach you what you seek".

The teenage boy shook his head. Just being with that woman made him feel ill so wanting to seek more information from her was not what he wanted. "I shall… put that idea on hold…".

The final part of what was written was all about Cathbad's family. The diagram pictured a tree-like shape with the names of Cathbad's parents, grandparents, and even further. The writing here was very worn out since this was the first thing that the nanny had written two years ago when she first started teaching.

He looked at his name first which was at the bottom and then slowly read upwards.

"Father and Mother's names are there as expected", he sighed. "I miss you so much… why did you have to leave me with this… this horrible woman". His voice was breaking and he tried not to think too much about how sad he was feeling.

"The one thing Nanny always tells me about you two… and the rest of my lineage is that we are a family of strong warriors and that some of them were massacred as part of the attack from the royalty and nobility of the Clover Kingdom 500 years ago".

"Can I really have a legacy like that? That shows I am strong?"

He moped. Cathbad was in his feelings and everything that he was thinking about to do with his family, as well as the lessons that the Nanny was instilling in him, had made him so distraught.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the dark room lit up and the sound of a door slamming against the back wall was heard. Light from the outside was pouring in and it was none other than the silhouette, of the woman who was teaching Cathbad, standing where the door had been shut.

"N-Nanny? I thought your teaching was done for today?" Cathbad flinched. He touched his bruised and tattered arms and brought them up behind his back, hiding them from the woman.

"You thought wrong, boy. I could hear you muttering and whimpering from all the way upstairs! Did I not teach you to be strong, to be fearless?" Nanny shouted, her white eyes wide open.

Cathbad slowly backed away but this only angered the woman – who valued strength above all – even further. She walked forwards and grabbed the boy by his tattered, brown shirt and dragged him outside.

"Wh-where are you taking me?!" Cathbad struggled. His strength was incomparable to the woman's own and he was just hurting himself even more.

"Where else? We are going to the Eternal Gardens for a more… shall we say 'in-depth' lesson?" She said with no hint of what that was implying.

The weather outside had took a different turn from when the gemstones were shining their brightest. The sky had darkened and a cold breeze swept the air as the pair made their way to their destination.

The house they had come from was in the middle of the lake, away from the other Druids and so no one really interfered with what happened here. The Eternal Gardens, however, were multiple. They grew all over the Forgotten Forest and they had all sorts of plants and fruits grow in them.

"We have plants that help with digestion, pregnancies, strength, and speed. But I am not seeing what I can learn from them at this moment in time", Cathbad thought to himself as he was pulled across.

Finally, the two had made it to the plant patch. It was surrounded by a broken, wooden fence and at the entrance there was a sign that read; "Eternal Garden – 0" in the language of the Druids.

"A zero? I never noticed it was there", Cathbad spoke.

"That is because you refuse to listen", the woman retored. "There are multiple Eternal Gardens here, but the first one ever was cultivated by your very own family right here".

"I know that, but why the zero? Should it not be the number 'one'?" He tilted his head.

"Finally, a good question from you. The reason why it is like this… is because there is something different about this one in particular", she replied.

The woman bent down and moved away some of the dirt and soil from the ground. Eventually, it unearthed a different kind of plant that was foreign to Cathbad.

"This is a Purple Hydrostat, Cathbad. It is used to send the consumer… through something. You are going to eat it and you will see the memories of your ancestors come to life". The woman stood back up with the squid-like plant in her dirty hands.

Cathbad hesitated as he saw the plant squirming. "U-um… is this not dangerous? Has anyone else, other than my family, taken this before?"

"No. It is a plant that is specifically for your family's lineage. Now, eat", she commanded.

The boy knew to not refuse her 'teachings' anymore since they always lead him to be hurt. Unfortunately for him, he opened his mouth and ate the plant. The only thought that was in his head apart from that was the hope that someone might come and save him. However, it never happened.

"AHHHHHH!"

His eyes lit up a bright red and his muscles tensed up. His head started throbbing and he fell to the floor when the plant hit his stomach. After a few seconds, his body was unconscious.

"The Purple Hydrostat… It sends the user's mind to inhabit their ancestor's. You cannot make any difference to the past but you will feel everything they feel. It is like watching a play, but much more intense…". The woman slowly walked away from him and stood with her back against one of the wooden poles at the entrance.

Though Cathbad's body wasn't moving, his mind was soaring through some sort of colourful space. He couldn't keep up with what was happening since the speed at which he was being transported away was too quick.

Eventually, all the colour and the lights he was seeing abruptly came to a stop and was met with a smoky, red haze.

His vision was blurry but after a few short moments, he could make out what was happening. There was a raging fire at the entrance of the Forgotten Forest. The bodies of many Druid were laying face-first in the ground and their skin and clothes had become soot.

"I will never forgive those who hunt us! To think, we believed the Wizard King's false words!"

Cathbad's thinking paused. "Those words… definitely came out of my mouth, but it does not sound like me at all! Am I really…", he thought but the body his mind was inhabiting started moving on his own.

"H-huh? W-wait, so am I in my ancestor's body…?"

"Is this the battle between the Druids and the Humans, 500 years ago?!"

Cathbad's body started moving and the mind was taken with it. He looked around and saw so much destruction. From dead bodies, to broken buildings, and a raging fire. This looked to be the end of the Druid clan.

"Master Callan! The humans are pushing us back. Soon, they will attack the women and children who had retreated… what do we do?!" A lone soldier hobbled to the Druid. Their bones were broken but they needed to speak to Callan whatever the cost.

"Master? Only my family have been addressed as 'Masters' and 'Mistresses'. So, this person really is…", Cathbad thought.

Callan paused and looked around, taking in everything that was happening. He looked in the air and shouted; "Those of my faction, my clan! Give me your strength and your power as I fight to save my race!"

The Druid's glowing, red eyes opened up even wider and he tensed his muscles. The spear he was holding snapped into two with the power of his grip.

"We fight to the death!"

Callan rushed over to where the beaten up Druid soldier had come from. He jumped across broken trees and destroyed huts to get to where he was needed. Eventually, he reached a clearing and opposite him was the army of royals and nobles.

"Ah, so the Chief of the Druids has come to claw the respect of his race back from our bloodied victories upon them!" One of the nobles shouted.

"Tell me one thing. Did the Wizard King really put you up to this?!" Callan roared. It was going to be him against the army of humans.

"Why, of course he did. After the battle against the Ancient Demon, his last words to us were to cause your extinction! After all, you didn't even come to help him in his time of great need!" The nobles responded.

Callan was distraught at what he was hearing. What they were saying wasn't the truth at all. "The Wizard King asked that of us? He had direct contact with me through his inventions but I never heard a word!"

"The stupid, dark Druid is now lying. As expected of this disgusting race",

"You don't even deserve the magic you have. It is a shame we don't have that specific magic item we stole but killing you will be enough for us!" They responded.

Callan said no more. He didn't know whether the Wizard King ordered this or not but he needed to focus on the now. There was an army of humans and they were out for blood whether he was ready to fight or not.

Just as his ancestor, Cathbad was shocked. The feelings that he felt were mixing with Cathbad's resulting in complete and utter anger.

Callan slammed his fists together and a shockwave burst outwards. His grimoire was floating next to him and he charged forwards with intent to kill.

"His soldiers are all dead. He cannot win against us".

"Disaster Magic: Blazing Strike of the Volcanoes!"

The Forgotten Forest is sat right on top of a Grand Magic Zone. Usually with places like this, there are terrible weather occurrences and crazy unpredictability with magical beasts and such. However, the one here was quite tame. The only thing it did was power the magic of the Druids as well as nature-based magical attributes.

Raging hot flames burst from Callan's beaten-up body. The fire from the surrounding areas, which were responsible for most of the Forgotten Forest's destruction, was now being used as power for this spell.

He killed one human, then two, then three. It was a matter of minutes as his kill count rose one by one.

"He… he's a monster! Attack him with all you have, soldiers!" The royals and nobles said in unison.

He jumped ahead and his fist turned into lava. He used it to immediately turn most of the remaining humans into ash upon impact. He hit the first row and then the second and wherever he struck, a column of fire rose up for a few seconds to make sure the human was dead.

The field was being painted red with blood of the humans, but they weren't going down without a fight. After Callan was getting his kills, the humans were also retaliating by throwing spears, firing arrows, as well as using their own powerful magic, which was now stronger than it ever had been prior to the Wizard King's sister's wedding.

"Flame Magic…",

"Water Magic…",

The human magic was going against the lone Druid's. As he was getting hit with magic, he was also being stabbed and impaled by the physical weapons. Every bit of damage he felt, translated onto Cathbad meaning he was essentially getting killed in the body of his ancestor.

"Disaster Magic. It grabs power from natural disasters and turns them into strength. You can use them to reinforce your physical capabilities or use them as spells on their own. The main thing with it is that it is a very powerful magical attribute", Cathbad said to himself. Even though he was feeling the pain, the influence of the Purple Hydrostat allowed him to be full conscious. He was thinking about his own Disaster Magic and how it pales in comparison to Callan's.

"There!" One human shot a bloodied spear and it pierced through Callan's upper chest making him stagger.

"Ah!" The Druid Chief shouted.

"Ah!" Cathbad screamed. The pain was translating onto the temporary host as well.

The humans that were left closed in and started beating him up. They used everything at their disposal which left Callan in a broken and bruised state.

However, the Druid wasn't going to die without a fight. He mustered the last of his strength and summoned one final spell.

"Disaster Magic: Elemental Synergy!" Callan's body was glowing a bright, white colour. He hit the first human in front of him, completely destroying his body and turning it into dust.

"Callan… he is using all parts of nature that Disaster Magic can harness, and he combined them all together, resulting in sheer power and destruction…", Cathbad analysed.

Callan slowly got up and his silhouette looked in the shape of a huge Druid. Despite him being the size of an average one, the spell heightened his strength and power which gave the impression of being this huge figure. That was when Cathbad noticed that Callan had a symbol of a crown etched into his chest. The spell's light had shone on the Druid's body, revealing the tattoo-like emblem.

"I will kill… all of you!" Callan shouted. He halted his rushing and was now just firing out elemental shots from his palms. A mixture of the world's deadliest natural disasters were generating from his palms, whilst his body was pushing itself to the limits. However, this act was was all he could do with his body was at the stage of no return. He had used all of his life force as magical power to protect his home.

"His sacrifice... The sheer strength he possessed… wow".

Due to Callan's sacrifice, the now-culled human army had decided to retreat and never return. They decided it was best for some to live than die at the hands of the Chief of Druids. He had essentially wiped out an entire army for his race and his home, and the remaining humans didn't want to test that will any longer.

After a few hours of Callan laying on the floor, dying, the rest of the Druids had come out from hiding and refuge to meet their saviour. He weakly opened his eyes and addressed them all.

"Everyone, I am so glad you are alive. I have brought shame upon this race and my death is now… guaranteed".

Cathbad was listening in but he was also at death door himself. Even though his physical body was completely fine during the present time, his past self was dying alongside his ancestor. His mind and way of thinking was going to be changed forever.

"The humans… betrayed us, fellow Druids. I am to blame for this since I insisted on believing the first Wizard King. For such a decision, I am sorry".

"The humans…", Cathbad grumbled. His very mind and feelings were basically being rewritten with what he had experienced. Everything that he saw and felt was being melded into his thought processes.

"My only wish is that you… everyone keeps on worshipping Valchronos. He left us a few weeks ago due… to that seductress… She is a factor in all of this, but Valchronos is not to blame. Please… offer him your worship and please… make this forest a place where my family line can grow up in…", he said as he finally passed away.

At this exact moment, Cathbad's mind was transported back to the present. He zoomed past all the bright colours and shapes and then his consciousness was alive in his own physical body. Once more, he stood up.

"Well?" The nanny asked. There was still no emotion in her voice whatsoever even after the turmoil that Cathbad had been through.

Cathbad's demeanour had changed. He wasn't the person he was before he consumed the Purple Hydrostat and he was never going to be again.

"I know what I must do now. Please… I will endure your teachings for the sake of what I have to protect", Cathbad replied.

He picked up a stick from the ground and stabbed it into his chest. He slowly cut up his skin and drew the symbol of a crown – the very same one his ancestor had.

"The Chief of Druids… that title is what I will take seriously from now till the end".

The old woman smiled for the first time ever. What she had been trying to teach the timid Cathbad, had gotten through and he was now completely different. Who knows what will happen in his teachings now…

"We have been here too long. Someone is staring right at us…", the teaching woman turned her back towards the source.


PART THREE – DIKE:

The sound of swords clashing vibrated outside in the fields. A sword from a Druid's hand went up against the sword of the undead. A Druid versus a skeleton was the focal point of today's lesson.

"Well done, Dike!" A voice shouted out.

Dike slashed again and, finally, his attack went through the skeleton that was up against him. As the bones fell to the floor, the dirt and soil underneath where it stood sucked it back into the ground.

"Your magic has gotten so much better over the years… Ah, who am I kidding…?"

The voice that was praising Dike melded into the one that sounded slightly depressed. It was coming from the same person and that was a 15-year-old boy who was all on his lonesome.

"I have been on my own for five years and I still try to fill the void in my life with another voice… that voice being me…", he shook his head.

The boy sat on the floor and looked at where he was fighting that skeleton. He started drawing shapes in the ground but that also came to a stop as quick as he had begun.

"My family… we are Druids who are the black sheep of this race. Since we use Forbidden Magic, it makes others scared of us. But the only thing I care about, or want, is someone to share my time with. I cannot part with this kind of magic but I also cannot be with others…".

Dike picked himself up and went back to his small and broken hut to the side of the field where he was training. He walked past the fire pit where he used to cook his food and eat his meals and then saw the place he lived right next to it.

It sat at just five feet which hardly gave the young Druid any headspace. There were no windows and the only bit of light that came in was through the many holes and broken walls that was part of his house. The door he had just opened had only just been fixed since it came off the wooden hinges so he slowly closed it behind him.

The inside of his little hut had next to nothing. There were bits of wood with a piece of cloth tied to it which was where he slept, as well as a little bookcase which was right next to it. Ironically, this bookcase was chock-full of well-kept books and they all had information that he found to his use.

"What should I read tonight…?" He talked to himself as he scratched his chin. He leaned in and his dark, blue eyes scanned each cover.

"History of Us… no, I think I am well versed in Druid history",

"Forbidden Magic: Vol iii… okay, I will read this one today".

Dike picked up the pitch-black book and opened its contents. He had a few bookmarks placed in various areas of the book but he had yet to learn about them properly. He flicked through a few more pages and was about to sit down and conclude his day with the book, when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his body.

"Ah!" He screamed and grabbed his chest. His heartbeat had slowed down considerably all of a sudden and his muscles were tensing up since the blood flow was not getting to them properly.

He stumbled around his hut and banged his head against the bookcase, sending him falling to the ground face-first. The books above him all came tumbling down and some of them opened on various pages in front of him.

"That…", he gathered his breath before deciding what actually happened to him. "… has been happening more to me over this year. Every time I use Forbidden Magic, my body hurts so much. Sometimes it is my mana, but then other times it is my body".

He crawled backwards so he could lean against the bookcase he had crashed into. He needed to rest for a bit but didn't have the energy to get into his bed so this was the way he did it.

"Obviously, I mean, it is Forbidden Magic so there will be a drawback to it. I have been summoning Draugr to train against since the day I got my grimoire and I have felt my strength increase. Only recently, have I been feeling this pain. Perhaps it is overuse of that kind of magic?"

He took a peak through one of the many holes in his hut's walls and saw the day starting to darken. He sighed and tried to pick himself back up and took a step outside to cook his meal.

"Okay… so food for tonight is…!" He hit his head with his hand. "I forgot to get anything! I had spent all day training with that Draugr that I lost so much time!"

Dike quickly got ready and headed away from his hut to try and get some food for his dinner. Though, just before he left, he whistled really loudly in a melodic tone.

Suddenly, the ground started to shake. From the corner of Dike's eyes, the trees were moving but the wind wasn't causing it. It was the force of whatever the teenage Druid had called to him.

As the trees fell, a large shape was left in the ground near them as if something was dragging itself along and destroying the trees as it moved forward.

Glowing red eyes appeared in front of Dike. A purple tongue slowly spilled out of the creature's mouth and licked Dike all over his face. Its set of twin tails were moving fast and the spear-like tips on their ends were bouncing up and down with the speed.

"Monslak!" Dike hugged the large, venomous snake. "You are going to hunt with me", he waved his arm in front and the two got going.


Some time passed but the sky wasn't darkening too much. Dike started hiding in the bushes to get closer to whatever he was hunting. There were many animals in the Forgotten Forest as well as many fruits and vegetables. Dike didn't care what he ate as long as he ate something, but today his goal was to get some meat to eat.

Dike was running through the forest, whilst Monslak was burrowed beneath the ground to cover more distance and see things that the Druid could not.

"I have been looking for a few hours now and still nothing…", Dike said to himself. He stopped what he was doing and stood up for a few minutes instead of crouching behind bushes. "I even ran past two other Druids on the way here but I could not pay them much attention since I am starving…".

After a few more minutes, Dike had walked all the way to a certain open area. He looked around and saw a large, circular lake with a tall, three-storey house in the middle. The air around the place was dark and eerie and he knew that he shouldn't be anywhere near it. As well as that, the weather was getting worse in general and he knew that he was out for too long.

However, that was when Monslak jumped out of the ground right in front of him and started slithering along the lone path that led up to the building on the lake. It was using its two tails to signal forwards and that Dike should follow it.

"Really?" He shrugged his shoulders. Without much of a choice in the matter, he followed the large beast and made his way towards the middle.

"AHHHHHH!"

Screams came from in front of both Dike and Monslak. The Druid clicked his fingers and told the snake to stop moving any further. Having battle sense and the feeling that something was off, Dike brought out his grimoire and slowly crept even further, leaving his pet behind for now.

Dike moved behind a bush that had started to wither away but managed to see what was happening in front of him. He saw a boy around his age, squirming on the floor in pain.

"Wh-what?! What is happening with him? It looks like he is in terrible pain, but he also seems like he is not in control of his body anymore!" Dike analysed.

Slowly, the screams came to a halt after a few more seconds of watching. Whatever was happening seemed to occur within a few seconds, and the boy got up and it seemed like he was fine all of a sudden.

Without thinking about the consequences, Dike stepped out of the bushes and demanded an answer with what was happening. But, before he could talk, he heard the words of the old woman in front of him.

"We have been here too long. Someone is staring right at us…", the teaching woman turned her back towards the source.

Cathbad and the woman looked at Dike who had said what he needed to. The Disaster mage looked angered but didn't react. The woman, though, was less than calm about the situation.

"Who do you think you are eavesdropping on my lesson?" She asked rudely.

"I… I heard the screams from that guy and was wondering what happened", he replied. Then he pointed at Cathbad and questioned something. "That purple liquid that is falling from his mouth. Only one thing is the source of that and it should not be consumed!"

The nanny took a step forwards, almost inviting Dike to talk more.

"You know about the Purple Hydrostat? Tell me… are you Dike?" The woman questioned.

Dike hesitated at this but answered. "Y-yes, I am Dike. You know of me?"

Laughter emerged from the old woman. This weirded Dike out but shocked Cathbad who never saw this woman crack even the slightest of smiles.

"Wow, you are the kid that dabbles in Forbidden Magic! Of course, you would know about the Purple Hydrostat since it was your family of Druid mages that created it!" She revealed.

The Nature-Force mage responded. "I know that, and that is why I know how dangerous that plant is. It was too much for my parents to handle… even though they created it with Forbidden Magic. What you did to that Druid is very wrong!"

Dike's sense of duty was coming out. He had no reason to show this side of him since Cathbad was a complete stranger to him. However, perhaps the reason he felt like this was because his family was responsible for creating this plant that was used in such harmful ways.

"They created it for medicinal reasons but due to the nature of this… magic, some things went wrong. It now just control's the mind of the person eating it. Though the body remains motionless, you still feel damage!" Dike turned to Cathbad and looked into his eyes.

The Druid from the hut widened his eyes as he met Cathbad's. There was a little bit of innocent light left in it and as soon as the two broke eye contact for a second, the light had died away. Maybe it was the hope that someone would come to save him, or the hope that things would change for him. Though, this hope was severely misplaced since the only person who came was the one responsible for what hurt him.

"You feel responsible for this right? So, tell me what you are to do", Nanny asked. "Actually, tell me why you practice Forbidden Magic for starters".

Dike had nothing to hide. In fact, he was proud to study this type of magic since it could unlock many possibilities but seeing Cathbad bare the brunt of the negative aspect of it was saddening.

"I want to create a better world for the Druids through my use of Forbidden Magic. I know it can have a positive impact even though my body seems to disagree. I… would like to correct what is wrong!" Dike shouted.

The nanny smiled once again. She turned to Cathbad and spoke to him.

"Cathbad. What do you think should be done? After all, this Druid has trespassed but he seems to care about you… weirdly", she asked.

The Disaster mage thought for a few seconds before responding. He wasn't the timid and innocent person he was minutes prior to what happened, but a bit of his loneliness still showed through his eyes and expressions.

"We should not punish him but… I want him to stay with us", Cathbad replied.

Dike was confused but it wasn't like he sensed anything malicious from Cathbad. He felt guilty with what he had gone through but he also wanted to help. However, staying with him was a bit odd.

"I do not think that is appropriate", Dike said with a bit of hesitation. "The plant she fed him does all sort of things to the mind and I am not sure whether or not this Cathbad is in a right state of mind right now to make choices like these".

Dike shook his head and was about to run away. He had still trespassed and he didn't know enough about this group of people to stay any longer.

"Well then. I guess you do not mind if I keep feeding Cathbad these same plants every single day?" The woman cackled.

That was when the dark-blue eyes of Dike's lit up and he grew angry. "What?! Does she want to see him die? Or is this some sort of blackmail?"

The mage from the lonely hut turned around, facing straight at the white canvas that the woman had in place of her eyes. "You would not dare!"

"You have two choices. Be with Cathbad or he has to go through these lessons every single day. Help him become the Chief of Druids through your expertise, or he becomes the Chief of Druids through mine", she replied.

The two teenage Druids walked up to one another and stared at each other for a while. Cathbad didn't show much emotion except for his lonesome eyes shifting about the place. Dike's were much more controlled since this act of 'joining up' was forced on him. Nevertheless, he accepted and after this day, the woman was never seen again.


PART FOUR – THE VOW:

"The new Chief of Druids has been appointed!" Dike shouted out.

The Nature-Force Magic user was on a wooden stage in the middle of the main village. He spoke to the hundreds and thousands of Druids that had shown up for this special ceremony. Everyone was cheering and clapping for the one who would lead the race and the noise was not going to die down without the main person showing up.

"It has got to be Cathbad, right?"

"I have heard the severe training he goes through is unmatched!"

"But is there not another announcement to go alongside him?"

There were plenty of rumours and murmurs going around about the day. However, these were put to bed as the curtains opened up for the main event.

The banner that appeared read: "Cathbad" as he entered. Confetti and other party decorations flew through the air, landing on the stage and painting it all sorts of colours.

"Here he is, Cathbad! The new Chief of Druids!" Dike shouted, lifting his arms in the air to signal cheers and screams from the audience.

Slowly, Cathbad walked to the front. He ushered Dike to the side and addressed the nation of Druids. The Disaster mage didn't wear anything fancy or extravagant, but still had his every day attire on.

His tattoo of the crown symbol was in the middle of his chest and he was proud to show that to the masses. He pointed to it and then bowed. Then, after the initial cheers died down, he spoke to them all.

"I am very fortunate for this position, fellow Druids. Thank you for your support and praising of my achievements. This was not to be done without all of your help", he spoke in a deep and thunderous voice.

"I will do my best to protect and support you from now and forever, until the end of my time. I owe it to you!"

"However, there is another announcement that I want to make. During the years of the first Chief of Druids, there was an army of soldiers that he commanded. Since then, we Druids have not been able to restart that but with a few additions, the soldier program is back in action!"

Silence… and then monumental cheers erupted. The Druids were ecstatic about this announcement and this could mean multiple things. However, the one thing that was common in every Druid's mind was that if this soldier program meant that they could finally get revenge on the humans.

"I will say one thing. I had thought about reinstating this many years ago, but the ones that really helped me with it are none other than my Advisor, Dike…", he introduced and praised him whilst waiting to continue to speak.

Dike took a step forwards and bowed. However, without anyone really noticing, clenched his fists together and made his head shake a little bit.

"My dream of making the Druid world better… is this the best route forward?" Dike thought to himself before standing up straight once again.

Cathbad continued as he introduced another person. "… And the other person, who was perhaps the most passionate about this, was Valmoira!"

Valmoira ran onto stage and bowed immediately. She screamed and clapped and did everything she could to show how happy she was. As she bowed, in her head, she thought of many different things. Perhaps the one thing she thought the most about was her own promise.

"I trained my body to be the strongest it could ever be… I tried to reconcile with my sister, Sallyanne… and I begged for forgiveness every single day from the one who I killed… I met up with Cathbad one day and told him about my goal…


FLASHBACK - ONE YEAR AGO:

"Cathbad! Please, let me become your head soldier for when you become the Chief! It is something I decided for myself and something I need to do...!" Valmoira begged on her hands and knees.

The Disaster mage backed up and told the now-16-year-old Druid to get up from the floor. As she did, she met his calm expression and her nerves seemed to disappear.

"Valmoira, was it? I understand what you are saying, but are you sure you want to join forces?" Cathbad asked, making sure.

"I have to... In my past I- well something terrible happened and I lost control of myself. I want to be able to rectify that but through helping others", she explained.

"I will not pry into your affairs, but there is something I have to tell you. My Advisor is someone you may have a problem with but I am not willing to get rid of him for you. If you want to work with me you need to accept him", Cathbad told the Woodland mage.

As the soon-to-be Chief ushered, Dike made his way in the room.

Valmoira turned her gaze to the Druid. He was one year older than her and the same age as Cathbad. Though, the only thing she was focusing on was the sense of familiarity she felt with him and it did not bring back good memories.

"This is Dike. The reason you may have a problem with him is-", he was about to explain but Valmoira cut him off.

"Because of Forbidden Magic", she added.

"Correct. I am not surprised you know about that but what are your personal thoughts. Us Druids are very close to nature and should not do anything that harms it, yet Forbidden Magic is unnatural and goes against what nature has planned. I am with Dike because of past events and because of how he has proven himself to me". Cathbad stood up from his chair and stared out his window, inviting Valmoira to talk.

"It is true that once... my father told me to never associate with Dike and that Forbidden Magic brings about evil. But he also told me that once I start to make my own decisions, I should not let what he told me hold me back...", she began to explain.

Valmoira looked at Dike who didn't seem to react to her. All he did was stand by Cathbad and listen in to the exchange.

"To make my dream a reality... I am going to have to betray my father, once again. I really am a terrible, terrible daughter", she closed her eyes.

Suddenly, Dike added his thoughts. "I will work alongside her".

"Huh?" Valmoira thought as she opened her eyes.

"Because it is us three, and it definitely seems like she has been through something traumatic, we should be able to get along", he said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Valmoira replied, confused.

"What I mean is that all three of us have regrets in our lives that he want to correct. It may be impossible for us to do so, but our goals seem to align well. Forget the past and its worries and, instead, work together to create a future that is good for everyone". Dike said as he walked outside of the room, closing the door behind him.

"He is not just an Advisor, is he?" Valmoira asked.

"No", Cathbad turned around and said. "Though it is his title, he acts more like an equal alongside me. I will not go into details but what he says is from the bottom of his heart and I think I owe it to him to make his own dreams come true".

"I... think I can accept that. I will work with you two from now on", Valmoira smiled.


I WILL make sure no more killings happen… I WILL protect everyone!" She thought with determination.

Cathbad was silent as he saw the two Druid's faces in front of him as they bowed. He stood alongside them and put his hands on their backs.

"Everyone! We would all like to give you words that we will make sure we live by!" Cathbad shouted, much to Dike and Valmoira's surprise. Though, they agreed since they wanted to get things off their chest.

First, Dike spoke:

"Everyone… I met Cathbad a few years ago and have stayed with him ever since. I have seen him grow into the Druid he is today. He has determination and willpower, unrivalled by anyone else. But what I would like to say is that I have my own promises! I want to make the world for us Druids a more positive and peaceful place! I want to serve you to the best of my abilities and I do not see myself being overshadowed by Cathbad!"

Dike turned around and smiled. The crowd all shouted in support for the Advisor which made the Nature-Force mage happy.

Next, Valmoira spoke:

"I… made a mistake in the past that will haunt me forever. Due to that, I lost not one, but two of the most important people in my life. The feelings I felt as I saw what happened will always remain with me. But I do not want my fellow Druids to ever feel like that! I want to protect you all and I want to fight for you all. Perhaps in the future, my deeds can be forgiven but right now I want to make you all safe!"

The two Druids then both looked at each other and shouted at the same time. Cathbad also joined and the three said in unison:

"We will make sure the Druids never suffer and never go through unjust evil. To protect you all is our goal… our vow!"


The scene now switched back to the present. Dike was on edge and was fighting against Rhya. He thought about this vow he made with the two people he was the closest too. As he fought and moved along the battlefield, he finally paid attention to the burnt, ashy, dead bodies of the ones he had promised to protect and to save.

"… Our vow has definitely been broken…".


NOTES:

HEAVY chapter on the backstories but I think I have finally explained why these three Druids are they way they are. Cathbad's personality and even the name of his magic definitely relates to his experience with what happened. As well as Valmoira's with what he unfortunately did.

Just a little heads up on the Purple Hydrostat. The original ones all sent the consumer through a trip to their ancestors/members of their families no matter what. But the altered one that attached to Valmoira's face definitely had something happen to it which HOW it happened has not been revealed.

What did you think about the chapter overall? I didn't mean for it to be this long but it just happened.