Chapter Thirty-Three: The Lost Relic
Traveling through Rosewood Connor and Ash jumped over a fallen tree with Merlin and Roscoe close behind.
"We're getting closer," Ash spoke walking ahead with Connor following behind her.
"You've truly been in these woods for two years?" Connor asked seeing Ash nod.
"I have, I was serious about my training and of course serious about not allowing myself to be seduced by the Balverine power, many have before, some even tried to get me to join their 'Order' more a cult really," Ash spat bitterly at her previous encounters with the cults.
"Being a hand-to-hand combat fighter must be a disadvantage compared to the firearm most fighters have these days," Merlin spoke hearing Ash chuckle at the comment.
"Bringing a knife to a gunfight as they say, being a Balverine has also given me a few advantages, one of them being I am much faster than the average warrior, my punches and kicks also pack more power," Ash smirked confidently.
"Very true, you have that in your arsenal," Merlin agreed.
While they traveled Connor stopped when he felt something, turning towards a path that beckoned him.
Curious Connor walked the dark path where he discovered destroyed caravans each covered in roots and vines, peeking into different empty caravans Connor saw a massive tree where a caravan looked like it had almost been sucked into its roots.
Opening the old door Connor shone a light spotting the skeleton remains of a Dweller and in its hands was a strange metal box with a handle.
Picking up the box from the skeleton hands he placed a hand on the handle and gave it a single turn.
"I wish," the voice of a little girl echoed making Connor look around before turning the handle a second time.
"I wish," the voice of a little boy spoke making Connor pause but turn the handle for one last time.
"I wish," Connor spoke aloud unsure why but upon saying it the top of the metal box in his hand opened up revealing a light and playing a sweet melody.
Hearing the music play Connor watched the music box in his hand start to float a bit, the jingle playing faster as the music box began to spin around faster and faster the light it was emitting turning red.
In a flash of blinding light, Connor shielded his eyes gasping when he saw the Music Box hand vanish, "oh no no no! Where did it go?!"
"There you are! Why did you wander off?!" Ash scolded peeking into the destroyed caravan.
"Huh? Oh sorry," Connor apologized stepping out.
"Are these the caravans? Did you find the relic?" Roscoe asked looking around at the ruins.
"I did then I lost it," Connor sighed.
"What do you mean you lost it?!" Roscoe demanded.
"It just vanished on me! I turned the handle three times then the music box began playing this music and it began spinning around and vanished," Connor groaned.
"It vanished?" Ash asked studying Connor.
"Poof! Gone! Vanished in an explosion of light!" Connor sighed kicking a rock.
"It's not gone," Ash replied getting their attention.
"What do you mean?" Connor asked seeing Ash point at Connor's chest.
"You said this was a relic of the Old Kingdom? Something tells me it will return when you need it," Ash smiled, "so no need to be upset, for now, let's rescue your friends."
In Darkwood after letting the flower take effect Tercero approached the roots of his prison and with a slash of his hidden blade he broke out and stepped out, "está f-f-frío!"
"Get us out, mate!" Kyler spoke watching Tercero approach his prison and slice the flower that was closed and quickly stepped on it when it hit the ground.
"Ah yeah!" Kyler smirked breaking out of his prison and walked over to collect his gear.
Freeing Jaya she plucked the flower that Tercero sliced off and carefully examined it, "such a pretty flower, I wonder what alchemical properties the poisonous barb has? I must study this when we get back."
"Here baby girl," Kyler spoke tossing her spear to her that she caught.
"I wonder if the relic is here?" Seth spoke approaching the massive heart rose, "Any ideas where she hid it?"
"I don't think it here," Mika spoke looking around before feeling the ground shake under them, "what the bloody hell was that?"
All looking around the ground shook violently then across from them above the heart and around them, all the rose bushes began to shake.
"Such audacity! To come here! Did you come to take my children? Do you think they worship you?" a woman's voice echoed around them.
"Roses? We're not here for your bloody flowers lady! We're just here for a lost relic then we're leaving!" Kyler yelled keeping his guard up.
"We will grow, and grow again, what do you think you can do? Come heroes, come touch my thorns," the Lady of Rosewood spoke.
Before them, a thorn-covered vines and roots began to burst from the ground spinning and forming a red dress made of roses.
With red hair formed like large buns the Lady slowly turned to the heroes revealing she wore a white porcelain mask with red lipstick to match her blood-red rose body.
"You have no right being here! You will pay! All will pay!" The Lady roared making Rosewight appear and charge towards the group.
"She's huge!" Seth yelled drawing his cutlass and began to hack and slice at the Rosewights that charged at them.
"The heart! That the only way to hurt her!" Jaya yelled dodging the root fist of one of the Rosewights.
"Got it!" Mika yelled dodging the enemies and ran towards the heart only to be stopped when a wall of thorns and roses circled the heart.
"All will suffer as my children have! Like I have!" the Lady spoke glaring down at the heroes before screaming her cry echoing through the woods.
Running through the woods Connor and Ash heard the Lady roar sliding down a hill where they could see the fight below.
"That the Lady of Rosewood!?" Connor gasped seeing the size of the large plant woman.
"That her! Your friends are in trouble!" Ash spoke sliding down the hill where she jumped over a log and roundhouse kicked a Rosewight towards Kyler who smashed it with his hammer.
"Glad you can join us!" Neo spoke slicing his sword across one of the Rosewights.
"At your six!" Merlin warned Neo who dodged and sliced an enemy that tried to sneak up.
"Inferno!" Connor yelled hitting one of the Rosewights it's roar making the lady scream in rage.
"You dare to hurt my children?!" she yelled swinging at Connor who quickly dodged.
"Keep those brutes off me! She mine!" Connor growled stepping forward to face the lady.
Roaring the lady fired massive thorn darts at Connor who dodged and through another Inferno fireball hitting her in the chest making her cry out and the shield around the heart start to shake.
"Keep it up, Connor! Bring her shield down!" Mika yelled stabbing her katana into the face of a Rosewight.
Dodging another of her swing Connor charged two spells in his hands "Inferno-Vortex!"
Hitting the lady with the spell she screamed out swinging her massive arms and attempting to put the flames out.
Running around Rosewights Roscoe threw an Inferno spell at the back of one of the beasts while in the front Kyler uppercut its jaw with his hammer.
"HA HA RAH!" Ash yelled with three powerful punches before kicking the Rosewight over.
"Damn! Who is this girl?" Seth asked impressed by Ash's skills.
"Hi! I'm Ashley! Ash for short! Nice to meet you!" Ash smiled dodging another swing of a Rosewight before kicking it away.
Sniffing the air Mika raised an eyebrow, "You're a Balverine?"
Taken aback Ash nodded waiting to see how the group would react, the first being Neo to speak, "Are you in control?"
"Uh yeah," Ash nodded slamming her elbow into another of their enemies.
"Good enough for me, welcome to the team," Neo spoke slashing his sword across another Rosewight.
"Their numbers are growing! Stay on your guard!" Jaya yelled spinning her spear.
Running towards the Lady Connor swung his blade seeing the massive woman dodge and swing her wooden hand smacking Connor and sending him slamming against a tree, "NGH!"
With a grunt, Connor glared up at the Lady who roared, rose petals spinning around her making many thorn vines appear around the area and giant red roses began to grow from the ground and bloom.
Sunlight then began to rise and the roses began to absorb the sunlight.
"Children, I will keep you safe, let the sun's warmth empower you," The Lady spoke lifting her arms in the air the petals of the roses spinning faster.
"Get ready! She about to do something weird!" Seth warned shielding his eyes from the rose petals.
Catching one of the petals Neo studied it and watched the petal between his fingers before seeing it begin to glow making him feel like his energy was being drained.
"Don't let them touch you!" Neo yelled trying to brush the rose petals that were sticking to his body.
Attempting to brush the petals off Connor watched as slowly one by one his friend tried to get the petals off but all began to weakly fall to their knees.
Narrowing his eyes Connor formed two spells in his hands his eyes glowing solid blue taking steps closer to the Lady while slamming the two spells in his hands together combing them and creating a magical aura around him that bounced the petals away.
"Inferno-Blades Maxima!" Connor yelled forming five flaming swords around him that began to spin fast around him before flying above him becoming one sword that flew and stabbed itself inside the Lady of Rosewood's chest.
"GAAAAAAAAAH!" The Lady screamed falling over to the ground and shaking the earth.
Her fall made the storm of rose petals stop and her Rosewights appeared to have collapsed.
Grunting and drained of energy Connor saw an opening when the shield around the heart began to wilt away.
Slowly stumbling over he climbed up the massive root and began to rip the vines away around the large rose petals pulling them apart to see the inside of the rose heart.
Inside were the skeleton remains of a woman in a thorn dress in her chest were many vines wrapped around her beating heart.
Weakly looking over the lady reached out a hand in Connor's direction unable to stop him, only able to watch as he lifted the sword over his head ready to plunge it into her heart, "I'm sorry my children."
Stabbing forward Connor halted when he heard the lady's words the tip of his blade was an inch from the heart but something in Connor's heart made him feel this wasn't right, turning to the weak Lady Connor shook his head.
"No, this isn't right," Connor spoke looking towards Lady, "killing you isn't right, and what you do isn't right either! HEAL!"
Using the heal spell on the Lady's heart the Lady gasped looking up upon hearing his words, her red color began to slowly turn white, "You are these woods protector, Rosewood should be protected, but killing everyone who wanders through? Even ones with no intention to harm the woods? No this must end my Lady!"
Seeing the Rosewights stop their attack all looked to Connor who approached the massive Lady and knelt before her masked face, "You sense it don't you? The darkness that threatens our world? Spreading Corruption, poisoning our land? I wanna keep our land safe too, I wanna keep Rosewood safe."
Holding out a hand the lady looked at Connor's hand and then to his face. With the last of the red faded away from her body, she reached out a large hand that began to shrink till it was small enough to place itself in his hand.
"Your nobility, the heir to the throne," the Lady spoke being helped off the ground.
"I am, my Lady, help us, there is a war coming, if something isn't done, everything will die," Connor spoke seeing the Lady turn from him.
"We do not meddle in the affairs of mortals," she spoke, from the woods the heroes could see all the creatures watching on.
"Were you not a mortal once too?" Connor asked tilting his head, "That skeleton in your heart, you were a human once too, don't you remember?"
"Not anymore, I am the Lady of Rosewood, I am its protector, the mother of all the roses and its creatures," she spoke, "I will not help in your war."
"What if we made a deal?" Connor purposed to get the attention of the Lady when she looked over her shoulder to him, "Help us in this war, help us keep Albion safe from the darkness that wishes us dead, in exchange, I will decree Rosewood and Thorndeep national forests, never to be cut down, never to be used for the expansion of homes or cities."
"That a big promise you make child," the Lady spoke turning to Connor.
"On the condition! You do not hurt any who wander in these woods! Unless they have the intention to cut down a tree never hurt anyone who gets lost or just trying to take a stroll through your beautiful woods, the bloodshed must stop," Connor spoke stabbing his sword into the ground, "these are my conditions, what are yours, my lady?"
"Should we fight, you must keep your oath to protect these woods, the trees, the roses, the creatures, they are to be left alone, and we will leave your mortal alone," the Lady spoke.
"You must also allow the daily maintenance of the railroad beams, if you don't want others to travel through the woods you must allow us to find other means to get through," Connor spoke seeing the Lady thinking on it before holding out her hand.
"It's a deal," the Lady spoke shaking hands with Connor, "We shall await for the sounds of war, till then be weary, forces at work who, wish you dead heroes."
Slowly backing away the Lady vanished into a mist that began to fill the forest along with all the creatures who had vanished.
Looking around the heroes noticed the Rosewights they had been fighting had also vanished leaving the group alone.
"Is it over?" Jaya asked picking herself off the ground.
"I think so," Tercero spoke looking around.
In a beam of light Gabriel appeared, "Well look at that, the Lady lowered her shield, suppose she saw your shields and gave you a chance to use them to leave."
"Guess that just leaves one thing to do," Connor spoke turning to Ash with the others.
"Since you have been away for a while our group is fighting to stop Tirich and Reaver, free the country, and put its rightful heir on the throne," Seth spoke.
"Heir?" Ash spoke looking to Connor, "You're the Lost Prince?!"
"Yeah, I've been hearing that more and more lately," Connor spoke scratching the back of his head.
"We could use someone with your skills on our team," Neo spoke crossing his arms.
"What do you say, Ash?" Connor smiled watching Gabriel hold out a Guild Seal to her.
"I say...count me in! Who heads need smashing?!" Ash grinned taking the seal.
"Welcome to the New Bowerstone Resistance!" Connor smiled using his seal to leave Rosewood with the others back to the Sanctuary.
At Bowerstone Castle Reaver was studying the map table and looking to the window when a swarm of Ravens flew in and smashed into a black inky puddle on the ground.
"Ugh, must you always travel like that? Do you have any idea how difficult it is to clean your black goo from the carpets?" Reaver spoke with narrowed eyes watching Raven rise from the black tar and feather.
"You can order your people away from the entrances to Rosewood, the heroes are gone," Raven spoke walking to an empty chair where he took a seat.
"And where pray tell did they go?" Reaver asked seeing the man shrug his shoulders.
"The Sanctuary I assume?" Raven replied with a shrug.
"And where is this Sanctuary?" Reaver asked seeing the other chuckle.
"If I knew that, don't you think I would have told you? The magic around that place prevents seers like myself from locating it, sorry~" Raven hummed.
"Or you're playing games," the Vexator spoke entering the room.
"Now why would I do that? I gain nothing from their meddling in things that must come," Raven spoke smirking behind his mask at Vexator, "After all, I won't be affected by what you have planned."
"Have you located the new Hero of Will yet?" the Vexator asked.
"I believe I have but I fear we won't be able to get our hands on her, well unless we wanna start the war with the other nations early," Reaver spoke pointing to Samarkand.
"The new Hero of Will, she resides in Samarkand, now how do you propose we capture her? Maybe send one of your brothers or your sister?" Raven suggested getting a glare from the Vexator.
"Don't play coy about things you already know will happen, seer," the Vexator warned looking to the map.
"Oh my, did I strike a nerve? Still angry about your humiliating defeat all those centuries ago? The cracks on your mask are proof of that," Raven spoke catching a knife that was thrown at him by the Vexator.
"You are very lucky I was ordered not to kill you, seer! Once your usefulness has expired, I'll take great pleasure plucking your eyes!" the Vexator growled looking to the map, "I'll send Greed, he's familiar with the desert nation, he will find the girl."
"No need to worry about the new Hero of Skill, ain't that right Reaver?" Raven smirked his comment making the Vexator slowly turn his head to the former Hero of Skill.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Raven, I haven't a clue where the lad is," Reaver spoke hearing Raven chuckle.
"Did you lose more than your blue eyes over the years my dear friend? I think you know who the new Hero of Skill is, why keep her so close in your bird cage?" Raven spoke seeing the Vexator slowly walk around the table his sharp nail cut a line into the wood.
"Hiding things again Reaver?" the Vexator spoke tilting his head.
"He must be referring to my daughter, surely he mistaken her 'Skill' is nowhere near as impressive as mine, I've been monitoring her for this same reason and she is no Hero of Skill," Reaver spoke.
"Or she showed you what you wanted to see," Raven hummed.
"Bring her in Reaver, otherwise it will be your head," the Vexator warned leaving the room.
"I will only give you this warning ONCE you meddling fool, keep your beak out of my affairs," Reaver glared at Raven.
"Or what? You can't hurt me, Reaver," Raven spoke slowly standing up, "I know what you and Lady Grey are planning, I want in."
At this, Reaver raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? What would you gain from this?"
"What would I gain? Eternal suffering~" Raven spoke with a wicked smirk behind his mask.
Walking down the hall of the palace the Vexator walked past his masked brother Sloth who was lounging on a couch.
At first behind his mask, he was glaring at the lazy embodiment of the sin but that anger slowly turned into a smirk, "Since you are so bored here at the palace my brother, I have a job for you."