Mystic Center

Chapter 6

New Beginnings

Two giant moons, illuminating the black, starless sky were all that Dianthe could see. They were gazing upon her, penetrating through her own eyes into her very soul. And with that cosmic gaze, a million thoughts went through her head. Should she run? Should she scream?

Those two moons were beyond her comprehension. Shining with a god-like presence, and yet full of human emotions. Capable of committing unspeakable atrocities, and yet so determined to protect her. And yet, Dianthe still had her doubts. Could she fully trust them, especially after all the people she trusted had sold her like a breedable cow?

Not so long ago, she was a princess, a promised child to the people of Argos, a demigod daughter of Demeter. She was treated like a minor goddess, people entrusted countless whispers of dreams and desires to her, so that she could put them in favor of the goddess of agriculture. And yet, the same people, those whom she once called family and friends – orchestrated the entire show, for the Athenians.

Once she would wear the most expensive clothing that one can afford in Hella, once she would have the most beautiful jewelry, she could indulge herself with meals worthy of Olympus, and beverages that left nothing but pure ecstasy on the tongue. Only to be reduced to nothing but an object to haggle between Athenians.

Nothing lasts forever. Not for mortals, at least.

As she was about to give up and accept her future fate, she suddenly found herself falling into a world of never-ending starless darkness and two massive moons. And somehow they knew she was not unconscious.

As her eyes opened, she was welcomed by the gentle light of the setting sun. The myriad of colors, from orange to violet painting the streets of the city below her, shining through every corner, and almost washing over every alley like multicolored water. Dianthe could almost swear that it was as if she saw the sunset for the first time. As if Helios himself was smiling at her.

With every second, her eyes were able to pick up more details. Soon she realized that the magical city of colors was nothing more than Argos. But how could that be? She watched her city countless times from her palace, and yet never before had she witnessed it in such glory and beauty. How could a city that once seemed ordinary could rival the palaces on Olympus?

She wanted to ask her savior but noticed that his eyes were glued to the same picture. His eyes, at first glance so inhuman, were now reflecting an entire palette of human emotions. Melancholy, sadness, longing, happiness, wonder… just to name a few.

"I really like this spot. It makes you understand as to why even Queen Hera herself decided to become a patron of this city."

His voice was somehow deep and dry, almost as if for most times silence was his domain. She heard stories from her maidens about how people could lose the ability to speak after remaining silent for too long.

Her savior turned to face her. His attire was not something anyone would see in the lands of Hella. A dark and dusty coat was covering most of his attire. But Dianthe noticed immediately a few weird parts. Like his mask – covering most of his face down from his eyes. Its borders were made from metal, but the center part was… otherworldly, almost. Unknown black material intersected with blue lines.

He seemed... so inhuman, and yet so human at the same time. But one thing Dianthe realized for sure – the man before her was not from Hellas.

"Ask. I can see the curiosity radiating from you."

A million questions suddenly popped into Dianthe's head, circling her mind like a raging storm.

"What... are you?"

Her voice was timid, unsure and full of doubt. She was yet to trust her unknown saviour, as she suspected that he would turn on her just like any other person. Just like the entire Argos.

"What am I? Has no one taught you, dear princess, that it is very rude to treat people as if they were nothing more than mere objects? I am as much of a human as you are in that matter."

Dianthe was taken aback. She didn't expect her savior to be... almost brutish with his words. And while her captors were no better, all the tales she heard from her caretakers about heroes saving young maidens from oppressions depicted young heroes to be elegant and way more gentle. Her savior on the other hand seemed to have no filter with the tone and words.

"Well, excuse my assumptions, but you don't look like you are a human."

Her savior just closed his eyes and let out a sigh. It felt as if the mere observation of his odd look was the source of his annoyance. Soon, silence befell, as neither Dianthe nor her savior uttered a word. The princess, unsure if she just sealed her fate, opened her mouth to apologize, only to be halted by a suddenly raised hand by her savior.

"I... Understand. My look can confuse many, as I resemble more a monster than a human. But I can assure you – I am just a mere mortal, just like you and every other citizen of this city."

Dianthe noticed the shift in the tone of her savior. He tried to be as soft as his voice allowed him to be. His eyes seemed to confirm that he indeed bore no ill feeling towards her. Dianthe allowed herself to relax a bit.

"Allow me then, to properly ask. What is the name of my savior?"

"My name... I was given so many of them. The closest word for my name in your language would be Kinigos. Although, I am also here known as Therion, Planetes... or just as most call me-"

"Something in the way..."

Dianthe's eyes became wide from pure fear. Her saviour turned out to be none other, than a being about whom she heard whispers of fear – be it from her caretakers or even nymphs. She heard countless stories about the travelling enigma, an abomination spreading fear among everyone – and everything – that came on its path. An unrecognizable and indescribable shadow that would appear before many as the endpoint on their path.

The young princess became terrified. Has he come to end her life? To take her to the fields of Asphodel? Or maybe even drag her down straight into Tartarus for eternity?

"I take that you have heard of me?"

Dianthe could only slowly nod, as fear paralyzed her entire body. On the other hand, her savior only sighed heavily.

"Well, most of those stories are exaggerated. I am mostly just a weird guy, who traverses places where not many would dare to travel. And I just usually happen to find myself in odd situations. People were always distrustful of me. From what I heard, mothers tend to scare their children by telling stories about me to make their children more obedient-"

"Not people. Nymphs. And nature spirits. Some demigods even."

Her savior was visibly surprised. Has he not realized that even the mythical world was gossiping about his deeds?

"I... well, that is unfortunate. I hoped that I would be able to stay under the radar, as I never had a good reputation among the celestial ones and their offspring. Well, my entire kind is – to put it lightly – hated in this part of the world. Care to tell me what the celestials are gossiping about me?"

Dianthe recalled all the times she heard the Nymphs in her garden speaking with aghast about an unknown being that would dare to venture into the forbidden places, who was not afraid of monsters or even ungodly abominations. And how that being had an unnatural and almost impossible-to-explain aura. That of a never-ending conflict, of an incoming apocalyptic storm.

Her savior listened to everything she recalled patiently, carefully considering every Dianthe's word. And finally, as she finished her story, her savior asked.

"And what do you feel when looking at me?"

"Well... You are my savior, but your attire is a bit off-putting and-"

"No. Not with your eyes. Focus on me and tell me what you feel."

Dianthe closed her eyes and concentrated. At first, she wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to do. What did he mean by focusing on how she felt about him? She barely knew him. And while she was glad that he saved her, she hardly felt anything aside from the gratitude.

To feel... her savior wasn't the first one to give her this advice. Countless nymphs that would visit her, would often say the same when advising her regarding her powers. They would often tell her to feel the life of the plants around her and to listen to how nature dances around her. And while this advice – somehow – applied to the plants she was able to control, people were a different matter altogether.

She was the daughter of Demeter, the mistress of everything connected to agriculture. She wasn't a fighter or a magician.

And yet she tried. Just like whenever she was using her power on the plants. At first, she felt completely nothing, emptiness just like with most people. And as she was about to yell in frustration that it was pointless, when she opened her eyes, she was no longer near Argos.

She was alone, standing in the barren field, without a single grain of grass. The wind was slowly caressing her skin, slowly intensifying. As she turned away, she noticed a lone figure, standing on top of a hill, with massive chains attached to both arms. On the left, the chain was bright, almost as bright as the sunlight. On the right, the chain was the opposite, obsidian-like in color.

Soon, around the lonely figure, a massive storm started to form. The storm clouds had the same colors as the chains attached to the lonely figure.

Whenever she would look at the light clouds, she would feel calm and at peace, but at the same time completely detached from the world, deprived of any human emotions. On the other hand, as she looked at the dark clouds, she felt full of passion and power, but at the same time, she felt like she was drowning in fear and anger.

Soon both types of clouds clashed against each other, creating a massive and powerful storm. Dianthe felt like she was about to be blown away by the sheer power of the hurricane. And just as she was about to give up to the power of combined winds, she noticed that the lonely figure was now firmly holding the chains, trying to pull them together towards himself. And by some miracle, as the chains were moving, the clouds were starting to separate slowly.

It was almost as if the lonely figure was fighting against the forces of nature itself. As she was about to ask why, she immediately understood, as she noticed that the clouds were yearning to clash once more, addicted to the never-ending cycle of chaos and destruction. Without the lonely figure, the two opposing forces would destroy the world.

The lonely figure roared, summoning every last bit of his strength to pull the chains and separate two opposing forces. The clouds were now barely apart from each other, separated by the will of one person. As the fragile peace was held, the lonely figure was slowly illuminated by the silver light of the moon. It was sad, longing and melancholic, yearning to reunite with the lonely figure.

Dianthe slowly closed her eyes, and as she reopened them, she was sitting back again on the hill near Argos, with her savior looking at her with curious and proud eyes.

"You have a massive potential. Someone like you, someone with such a deep connection... it happens so rarely. And yet here you are. I understand now, why fate wanted me to find you."

"What... what was that?! I... the-the storm and... I"

Dianthe was left speechless. For the first time in her life, she felt something like this. And that experience left her changed. Previously she would have to concentrate on the plant she wanted to feel with her demigod powers. Now it was as if the entire world was singing to her. She felt every plant, every tree, and every nymph hiding in the trees, in the rivers and the mountain hills.

She wondered, was this how her godly mother experienced life? Could she hear the song of nature in the same way as she could now?

"What have you done to me?"

For Dianthe, it was something both exciting and terrifying. She almost felt as if she touched a forbidden power. And yet, as she looked her eyes with her savior, she could feel... pride and happiness radiating.

"I didn't do anything. You just finally fully opened yourself to who you are."

"And what does that mean?"

"It is for you to discover. And my role is to help you understand."

Her savior... no. Dianthe scolded herself mentally. The person before her had a name. Kinigos. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him. But at the same time, she wondered – just what exactly was his intention? And what did he mean by helping her discover? What exactly there was to discover? She was a demigod daughter of Lady Demeter.

"Don't be afraid to ask. Go on. I can see countless questions demanding answers in your eyes."

"When... when I looked into your eyes, I saw... there was... Can you explain what I have witnessed? That raging storm, those light and dark clouds... the person in chains and... the moon?"

"You had a vision. Not many younglings experience their first opening with a vision. Usually, it's a voice or a feeling. Let's start with those clouds, shall we? Tell me, what did you feel when you looked at them?"

Dianthe closed her eyes and recalled the vision. The clouds once again appeared in her mind, circling in an uneasy dance of emotions.

"The light ones are... I could feel serenity from them. And peace. But at the same time, I felt a detachment from them. As if they were washed off from other emotions. The dark ones are... full of passion and emotions but... whenever I look at them I feel like I am losing myself to them. They were so intense..."

"Yes. We call them Ashla and Bogan. Light and darkness. Two opposite sides of one power. Ashla is the power of serenity, and Bogan is the power of passion. We must strive to never let ourselves be lost in either of them."

"And that storm?"

"In the land from where I – and many of my people – came to live, a massive storm of incredible force would appear whenever the balance of Ashla and Bogan was compromised. Light and darkness are naturally opposed to each other, and thus they fight for dominance. But just like the storm would appear in the skies, both Ashla and Bogan are fighting for dominance inside every human. And just like it was our responsibility to maintain the balance for the land, it is our duty to maintain balance within ourselves."

Diantha pondered at the words. The philosophy hidden within Kinigos was completely different to everything she was taught or even witnessed in her life. People often lived by passion, only to suddenly focus on their goals and become detached from anything else. Similarly to the Nymphs – they lived through how they felt. Everyone and everything lived their life jumping from one extreme to another. From losing themselves to emotions to detaching themselves from everything.

"So that storm... it was within you? That conflict?"

"Yes. Like every human, I am tempted by both, compelled to fall either into the light or the darkness."

"But why were you chained up to both forces?"

"Power enslaves. The more you have it, the more you depend on it. My kin was taught to always let the force guide us. The more connected you were to the force, the more you would be influenced by it. I remember that once someone compared it to being enslaved by the force... and I agree with that statement. We are slaves to our power. To the force."

It was appalling. Or at least it should be to her. Most people would be appalled after hearing such words. Humans desire power for various reasons. Power was the key to achieving desires, hopes and dreams. Through power, people felt bold and secure.

And yet the more Dianthe thought about it, Kinigos' words made sense. She was a princess, a demigod princess, born with and into the position of power. And yet ultimately, she was sold out the same as a slave or a common whore. All for someone else's power. The never-ending pursuit for just more, leaving everyone in starvation.

She recalled the stories of old heroes, achieving great deeds, and yet always being on the leash of either gods or fate. Even gods were no exception. They had power, yet they always seemed so insecure about it. And always hungry for more.

"The people who kidnapped and sold me... why did they do it? What power do they wish to achieve by sacrificing me?"

"They wanted to use the power inside you to charge a cursed dagger. A tool capable of breaking through any seal in the world. Even the one created by a god."

"And why did you save me?"

"I felt your presence. The force demanded your safety and thus guided me to you. Our destiny seems to be intertwined, and thus I obeyed and came to save you. And now it is time for your first important choice."

Diantha tilted her head.

"Choice?"

"We are at the crossroads. It is your path to choose what you want to do next. Usually, when the force calls me to someone, it means that I come to find someone who needs to be taught how to use their connection. But it's up to you right now. I will not force you. It is time to decide."

To decide. Dianthe for the first time in her life had to choose. While she lived as a princess of Argos, most decisions were made for her. Very little of her life was of her choosing. And while she lived in the luxury that most would envy her, she understood just how insignificant her life was. It was her time to decide. Would she return to the life she had, mixed with luxury and pain, full of money and power while being treated no better than a slave?

Or would she go on the adventure with her savior to the unknown? To learn who she truly was?

She raised her right hand and offered it to Kinigos. He slowly took it and helped her stand up.

"You are now beginning the path to the tradition that lasted for ten thousand years. I will teach you how to connect yourself to the force, and how to balance your inner light and darkness. And just like my master took me as its padawan, I take you as mine."

Dianthe awestruck watched as Kinigostook out a beautiful sword from the sheath on his back - an elegant blade with blue crystal and unknown letters engraved in the metal. The blade and letters inside were both gloving with a silver-blue light. Kinigos held his sword firmly and then stabbed it into the ground.

"I am Kinigos Nightshade, the last Temple Master of the Padawan Kesh of the Je'daii order, the last of my order and I take you, Dianthe of Argos, daughter of Demeter, as my padawan."

Dianthe could not help but smile widely. For some reason, she felt like her life just turned around. She felt like she was part of something more. Not just a princess, or another demigod. She was now on the path to achieve more than she could ever hope to become in Argos.

"And with that solemn vow, I swear to protect you guide you, and teach you. Let the force guide us. Now come Dianthe, it is time to leave this city and begin our journey."

Dianthe for the last time glanced at the city she once called home. Her eyes let out only one single tear, before joining Kinigos in her very first adventure.

This was not how things were supposed to go.

Ever since he arrived in this pathetic world, he set his eyes upon rebuilding what was lost, to prepare and avenge what was lost. The Je'daii order will rise again, with him as a Grand Master, its savior and avenger. Under his command, they would sail through the endless abyss of space to liberate all the enslaved worlds and ultimately destroy the Infinite Empire.

He would be a hero once again. Not just for his kin or just one solar system. He would become to the entire galaxy, praised as a messiah figure by countless. And on the ashes of the Infinite Empire, he would build a new one.

The world in which he appeared was indeed rich in the force. And yet, at the same time completely different from Tython. The force here was odd to him. Completely different from the constantly unstable force storms on the homeworld of his kin. He felt as if everything here was somehow connected to each other. Bonded even.

He damned himself that he didn't study the old Bendu religion. Maybe they would have an explanation as to why this world felt so different in the force.

He felt much more of this world. There were people here who were extremely sensitive to the force. Powerful force users all over the world. Yet they were not united. And they were different from each other. Not properly trained. Some wild and untamed, others ridiculously limited. But there was more.

There were force entities in this world. Countless of them. He could feel their presence all around. And he cursed himself once again, this time for not studying the Kwa mythology. He recalled that they talked about weird creatures of the pure force, existing in the times of old. But he never cared about those stories. He was more interested in the path of the warrior.

To his disgust, he discovered that the locals were praising those force entities as gods. The people of this world were pathetic, to let themselves be enslaved by those force entities. They should fight, not bow down. If those people were to become his soldiers in his crusade against the Infinite Empire, he would need to reshape them and their beliefs.

But perhaps not all was lost yet.

He discovered that not so long ago, a few centuries back, there was a group that took up the mantle and fought against countless of those force creatures. The so-called "Sea People". While the scale of their revolution was pathetically small, they fought against not only many countries but also against many disobedient force users and those abominable force entities. And on top of that, they were known to use powerful force artefacts.

It was so sad to learn that they were ultimately defeated and that those force entities cursed everything related to them, forbidding anyone to learn anything about them.

But he was not like one of those pious people.

He had travelled to many places. He ripped the secrets from the weakling people, force users and even force entities. He learned about the Sea People, their Dark King and where to find what was left of them. And soon he calculated the plan.

The force users and those entities had to become obedient to him and his will. Subjugating this world was the first priority. But he had to make sure that no one – especially not those force entities would notice him.

His plan started flawlessly. While he collected powerful artefacts, his followers - and he gathered over some time in this underdeveloped world – would spread chaos. He would make sure that some of his low-ranked servants would find weak artefacts – too weak for him to consider them worthy, and yet still too powerful for an untrained mind to handle its power - and willingly become possessed by them.

He would also test those entities, by planting traps in their temples or places of power.

And yet the most powerful artefacts were still sealed away from him. He needed a way to obliterate the force seals without alarming anyone. The opportunity came to him rather quickly. His followers have found the cursed dagger, capable of cutting through anything – even through a seal of the so-called god. All they had to do was just to recharge it.

At first, it all went smoothly. The nobles of Argos were more than willing to accept gifts, and promises of power in exchange for a simple demigod girl. As he noticed, even though those force entities had offspring running around the world, they seemed to give very little care about them. Their negligence only helped accelerate plans.

And then, it all went wrong. Two groups had completely vanished. He expected that someone would get caught in the process... And yet it all felt wrong.

But it didn't matter to him, as long as the demigod's heart would recharge the dagger. He watched through the eyes of his followers the entire procedure. He told them what to do, and even gave them artefacts to accelerate their plans... And this is where all things went wrong.

Someone completely obliterated the army of monsters controlling the underground Athens. He had no choice. Before the intruder could pry any information, he activated the kill switch in their mind. His plans would not slow down-

"Is that you, Daegen Lok?"

Fear was not something Daegen was accustomed to. He was a fearless warrior, almost unmatched by anyone.

Almost.

He recognized the intruder, the one who called him through time and space. And even if Daegen quickly cut off his connection, he knew, that within those few seconds, the intruder already knew against whom he was fighting.

On his path to victory, against Daegen Lok stood the last Temple Master of Padawan Kesh, Hunter Nightshade Marcus. A walking legend within the Je'daii order, a hero of both the Despot War and the Force Wars. Even back on Tython, Daegen could not help but fear this man.

The countless stories -or rather legends - he heard in the past regarding Hunter's deeds before the two wars only added fuel to the fires of fear.

It was he who recruited Daegen to infiltrate the Despot Queen's forces. But at the time, Daegen could not say no to him. The mystery surrounding the then-master only added excitement to most of the young recruits.

Even by the Je'daii order, Temple Master Hunter was an enigma. Some old rumours spread among the younglings said that he came out of the old city, that he came from beyond of Tythos system. That he was exiled from the order and scarred for life for a crime he was framed for. Or that the council had cut him off from the force, only for him to slowly reconnect himself.

There were also some very dark rumours, ones that were spread less eagerly, only through hushed whispers. Some claimed that he had his part in the slaughter of the Salera moon. Others said that he found the perpetrators of the crime he was framed for. That he butchered them like animals for slaughter.

Not to mention everything Daegen witnessed by himself during both the Despot War and the Force Wars.

A massive panic started to slowly erupt inside Daegen. He was now standing against the legend of the order. But he quickly suffocated this feeling inside him. He was a legend of those wars himself. And with every day he grew far more powerful than he ever was during his time on Tython.

Yes. Daegen grinned almost like a maniac. He gained much from studying both the Rakatan and Sea People's artefacts. He was way stronger than ever before. He felt stronger than anyone he remembered from the order. And if the old temple master will stand in his way, he will unleash his might upon him. And then upon those frail celestials and their pathetic offspring. He will dominate this world and reshape it in his own image.

And then they will march through the emptiness of space to liberate worlds from the Rakatan's tyranny and rediscover his scattered kin. He would mold them into a new order, one that would uphold the ideas of retribution and justice for wrongdoings.

A new world awaited Daegen and his followers. And they will be the first to greet it, as its new masters...

Hello, guess who's back!

I hope you liked this chapter!

And as always, now it's time for the comment section!

Guest – Yes, Indeed I do live, thanks. And Out of Reach will receive an update, don't worry.

Pedro Alonso Buby Huayanay Zam – As one of my favourite authors once said – Read and find out. Can say much else without spoiling anything. I am glad that you enjoy this story. And don't worry, just like Out of Reach, Fear the Light will receive its update.

runelt99 – YES! YES, YES, YES! FINALLY SOMEONE GOT THE REFERENCE!

Go and visit my discord server if you want to know the current status of all my projects: discord . gg/ pghekDe

See ya next time!