The Chronicles of the Hakai Senpuu, Chapter Two
Gentle zephyrs created small waves in the lake at the base of the western mountains, not very far at all from the village of Denkou Geritsu. Saxerei lay against a large, leafy tree a few yards from the lake, shade cast down over him protectively. The sun reflected brightly against the water, and the lake was silent. Sighing, Saxerei sat up. He pulled his knees up and rested his elbows on them, looking out over the water. He stared in a near-hypnotic gaze, the quiet blue waves entrancing him. He stood slowly and walked to the water's edge, moving systematically, slowly. He looked down at the reflective blue surface. His green upper-body armor gleamed as the sunlight reflected off it, blinding him. He couldn't remove his sight immediately despite the pain; his eyes were transfixed. The burning in his eyes tore him from the trance quickly, though, and he shook his head while rubbing his eyes. He reached behind his shoulders and unlinked the shoulder portions of his armor, then the back links, and tossed his armor to the side. He also removed his sword sheathe, tossing it down next to his armor, then his boots. Now in just his brown cloth clothing, he stepped into the cool water timidly. In spite of the sudden temperature change, he continued forward, undaunted. His thoughts were blank, with only the motive to be submerged in the soft caress of the water circling his mind. The surface came up to his navel, the slightly frigid water causing his clothes to cling to his skin. He stepped forward again, coming into the deeper part of the lake, and the water rushed to his throat. He gasped quietly, not expecting the sudden drop. He floated gently for a moment, and his thoughts began to return.
"A sprite? Or a spirit? Perhaps even a divinity?" Saxerei said quietly.
"You didn't even guess nymph? Oh, shame on you." A soft, female reply came from, seemingly, nowhere.
"A water spirit, then?"
"Yup. You're not that stupid, I s'pose." Came the quiet reply.
"Where are you, then, my fair spirit?" Saxerei said, looking about slowly.
"All around you. I'm the embodiment of this lake."
"Oh, really? A greater spirit, of sorts?"
"Nothing more than a lonely, overgrown pup spirit. At least, that's what the earth sprites tell me."
"I didn't think that the far-eastern magical essences would reach these mountains."
"There aren't many of us, actually. Just me, and a few earth sprites, and one wind divinity." Her response was moderately uninterested.
"Ah, I see. You're amazingly good at hypnotizing, I must admit. I'm very clear and strong of mind, and for you to grasp control of me so easily..."
"Hehe. It's not that easy, actually. And I had a hard time getting your attention. Whatever's on your mind, it's got quite a touch on you." As she responded, a molding of a teenage girl's head formed from the water, the embodiment resembling the young heroine from many of the East's stories; beautiful, flowing hair and perfect skin. Saxerei was impressed with her ability to mimic colors as well as textures.
"You've got quite a lot of ability for such a lonely spirit."
"There's nothing to do but fool around with what powers I have. I'm so very bored. I was actually hoping..."
"If you're wanting to accompany me, first let me explain where it is I am going, and why I am doing so." Leaning back against the water, relaxing deeply, Saxerei began to reveal his past; briefly passing over his childhood and his passage into adulthood, then, with great detail, of his war efforts previously, his "great failure."
"Aw, now. Don't be so down about it. I can tell you've got a lot of potential in that body of yours, and you'll definitely accomplish great things if you try hard enough." She said, swimming circles around his free-floating body. She had formed a complete body, but the rest of it was a translucent blue, hard to make out under the surface.
"I just need to reforge my army, and try once more. I know I can conquer these lands. I just need powerful, capable generals at my side, and a willing, capable army under my command." Saxerei said, his voice quieting somewhat as his mind wandered to his dream of a united kingdom.
"Well, then.. Sir Saxerei, could this lonely water spirit accompany you on your quest?"
~~~~~
Denkou stood before a massive forest; the tall trees groped for the Heavens, their thick, full branches preventing the sunlight from reaching through to the forest floor. The ground was covered in twigs and leaves, which crunched loudly beneath him as he advanced to the forest. It had been nearly two years since his mother's passing, but his heart still ached for her. His inner torture was a true testament that true love never fades. His body was slumped forward slightly, the weight of his illustrious pike heavy upon him. Turning back for just a moment, he caught sight of water splashing in the lake about a third of a mile away from him. He shook his head, wishing he could be as carefree as the child who was playing in the lake.
His focus returned to the forest before him. Taking another step forward, fallen leaves and branches crunched underfoot. He need not fear a forest; whatever dangers could possibly be lurking in the shadows of the trees could be no threat to him.
The sun caused his steel-plated leather armor to glint brightly. This cast shadows variably over the forest floor, and he sat down upon the ground. In one smooth motion, he removed his spear from his back with his left hand, then reached to his shoulders and unlatched his armor. He peeled it from his skin, leaving only a dark blue shirt to protect him. He removed his leggings and gauntlets as well, then stood again. He packed away his armor, and replaced the satchel at his side. He squatted down and picked up his spear, coming up slowly. The glittery, gold-accented pike also shone sunlight onto the forest floor, giving Denkou a slight glimpse into the unknown territory ahead of him.
He stepped forward heavily, and made his first step into the threshold of his destiny.
~~~~~
"... Myrriak Selnayd." Finished the armored man before Myrriak. He stepped forward menacingly as Myrriak slightly faultered at the response. This alone was enough to force him off-guard, and the moon-haird man swung his fist from its relaxed position near his side. The blow struck Myrriak with an amazing intensity, causing a small space in his back to bounce out from the force. He coughed blood up, in a great quantity, and slumped forward against his foe's fist. He began to fall into a pain-induced daze, his sight becoming fuzzy and his body feeling hot.
"Myrriak Selnayd? I've never heard such nonsense! Myrriak Selnayd is a righteous youth, a marvelous priest-boy." Came an old voice from near Kitae. Myrriak was able to focus his vision enough to make out the Priestmaster's body and robes, and smiled slyly. A dark flash burst in front of him, and the hand that held him up was no longer. Myrriak fell onto the stone floor, blacking out before he hit.
"... Myrriak... wake up, Myrriak." A soft cooing in his ear, comforting, called Myrriak from his slumber. His mind was a vast, black sea of haziness, and he was unable to recognize the voice. Despite this, the voice comforted him. He tried to oblige to voice by awakening, but he couldn't. His consciousness flooded into his mentality swiftly, but he was not awake; he was still trapped in his own mind. Before him stood archaic ruins, most of which were floating in the dark, dirty sea. He stood atop a thick pillar, overlooking the scene.
'Where .. no.. I'm within my mind. Why can I not awaken?' Myrriak called to no one.
'Selnayd.. Selnayd. The name of either a saviour, or a tyrant. Which will you be, child?' Came a booming, deep voice from all around him.
'Who's there? Can you-'
'Silence, boy! Listen to me, for I cannot hold you for long. Set in motion are the wheels of fate, and you are about to be caught up in a climactic, fantastic battle for supremecy. In your time with a certain warrior, you shall come to one of two sides; either you shall become one of the greatest heroes of all time, or you shall become one of the greatest evils. The choice is yours, Myrriak Jyrounin Selnayd. Make it wisely!'
'But-!' Myrriak called out, stepping out in a futile attempt to see, or feel, or sense his unknown guest. A bright, soft blue light suffused the sky above him, and his body once again felt hot. He suddenly jumped from his bed, yelling out furiously, "Who are you!?"
Kitae jumped up quickly and fell from her stool, hitting the floor with a rough 'thud.' She screamed in surprise, and scuttled back a bit.
Myrriak turned his head slightly and tilted his bloodshot eyes toward her, shivering slightly. She stood up slowly, and made her way to him.
Myrriak laid back, landing among the bedclothes softly, and closed his eyes.
"A-are you okay?" She asked timidly.
"I'm fine.. just a.. bad dream." His words were choppy, the softness of his voice revealing his fatigue.
"You need to rest more. Go to sleep, and I'll tend to you." She assured him; almost immediately, he was swallowed once again by the darkness of his mind.
He awoke suddenly. As he floated freely, all about him was the stillness and gentle caress of darkness; he saw nothing, and heard nothing. He wasn't even sure if his eyes were open. He felt something, though. In the stillness, there was disturbance. An enormous amount of energy a few yards in front of him. He heard machinery starting up with robust whirring sounds, and saw bolts of electricity rippling from the machines. The brilliance of the lightning illuminated the area. His feet touched the ground as he looked around himself, trying to determine his whereabouts. He walked toward the machines, the bolts of lightning whipping from spinning bronze wheel to open circuit boards, to broken cords hanging from above the complex machine. He stopped a foot from the machine, and looked up at it. His eyes were transfixed upon the bolts, their beauty capturing his attention. In an instant, the machine stopped and powered down. He could hear the sound of wind blowing, the quiet crackle of electricity, and the flapping of something, cloth or a banner of some sort. Just as quickly as it stopped, the machine restarted, and the bolts of energy whipped from circuit boards, cords, gears, every opening of the mechanical abnormality. They slapped the ground near him violently, swirling about him, but never touched him. In a singular moment, all of them convened on Myrriak's chest; they traced around his heart, a massive bolt forming to strike him. His body shook roughly, and his upper body pushed upward, into the energy. He yelled out, more from being surprised than hurt, but made no attempt to move. The lightning stopped surging into him after several minutes; all was dark, all was silent.
~~~~~
Denkou was sitting against the trunk of a long-dead, decaying tree. The forest had been unrelenting, as the stories of many villages had promised. Boars and hogs, wild dogs and wolves, and even a large, bear-like creature had assaulted him. He'd managed to escape most of them without having to kill them; he'd not wanted to take the life of a creature merely protecting its home, or attempting to satisfy its hunger. He respected nature and its inhabitants, and let them be, mostly. A few of the wolves were rather resilient to his stalling and evading abilities, and he had to kill them to protect himself.
By his guess, he was near the end of the forest, on the side he wished to exit. He was unsure, since he'd not been following his map exactly as he traveled, since traveling was synonomous with running from monsters.
Warm sweat dripped down his face and neck, which gave him a refreshing cool from every breeze that blew through the forest's dark hollows. He stood up again, and began to walk in the shadows, trying his best to be both silent and unseen. His mind wandered slightly, coming back to the one time before that he'd come through this forest, as a child. At that time, his country had not been at civil war, and monsters didn't roam freely.
He suddenly snapped back to consciousness as leaves rustled around him. He couldn't believe he'd allowed himself to daydream so fully. He looked into the black abyss around him as best he could, barely making out canine-like figures in the darkness. He knew he could not escape them, so he dropped his pike to the ground, determined to conserve as much of his strength as he could; not wielding such a heavy weapon would be the basic step to his goal. He raised his arms up, taking a defensive posture.
He'd fought many creatures in his day, and he knew; one could not approach a beast as he could a man, lest he bade a visit from Death himself. He allowed his mind to degrade; he entered a primal state of mind, adopting a four-limbed stance upon the ground. The wolves growled at him, baring their fangs in the blackness of the forest. The alpha male, leader of the pack, barked an order, and the several wolves of the pack charged at Denkou. He reacted instantly, hopping over and to the side of attacking wolves, waiting for the alpha male to approach him. Though in a primal mind-state, he could still apply his human mentality, allowing himself to give some amount of intelligent action.
The alpha wasn't hard to place; it was decently larger than the others, with a lighter coat. Its fangs were sharp and wet, its mouth gaping for a chunk of Denkou's hardened flesh. He waited, waited. The alpha approached, sure of its strike. Cocky, perhaps. Denkou's hands came up swiftly from the dirt, tossing dirt up at and past the alpha, gripping the upper and lower jaws of the animal. He roared as he tore away the lower jaw, ripping it from the alpha's head. He threw the bones down, a mad look in his eyes. He turned and roared at the pack, causing them to scatter in fear.
Denkou took several minutes to regain his mentality, sitting beside a rushing stream near where he'd been. He washed his hands and his bloody pike while he had the chance.
"That was quite impressive, Denkou Geritsu. I would expect no less from the son of a legend." Came a voice from the darkness behind him.
"Who's there!?" Denkou spoke loudly, turning quickly on his heel.
"Ah, hahaha. You need not concern yourself with me, boy."
"Tell me. Where are you?" Denkou said, stepping away from the lake to look for the man who spoke to him.
"If you must know.. I am a legend myself, just as you shall be. But my legendary status is one you know not of; I am from a completely different country, across the ocean." He said.
"You.. you're a foreigner? Let me see you!" He said roughly. From behind a large-trunked tree, a man stepped forth. He was as tall as Denkou, and built just as muscular. His hair was tied just above the back of his head; the thick, black hair was a massive growth, round and somewhat curly. It fell slightly to his back, but was mostly held up by the hairband. Across his forehead was a black headband, which had a metallic plate on it, with a few words Denkou couldn't read. He was shirtless, exposing his well-built body, as well as hundreds of scars; he had a large pike strapped to his back, with a leather belt across his chest. His pants were black, with a word written in green flames upon the sides of the legs. His legs and arms were wrapped in white bandages, and he had black half-gloves on his hands as well. He wore thin sandals for shoes.
"Who.. are you...?" Denkou said, amazed that someone could actually equal his size; this man could easily be described as his twin.
"I shall tell you who I am, Legendary Green Dragon Tempest. I, too, am a legend. For I am.... Xiro, the Demon-Beast of the Battlefield." He said; Denkou beheld before him a man of great strength, and great honor, he could tell.
~~~~~
Myrriak's eyes opened slowly. His sight was fuzzy, but he could tell he was still in bed, in his room. He couldn't sense Kitae nearby, nor could he sense the Priestmaster.
His chest and head pulsated with pain, causing him to wince as he sat up. He looked down at his bare chest, and his eyes widened slightly as a gasp escaped him. The skin above his heart was charred black, burnt intensely; yet he felt no pain. He reached up and touched the wound slightly, the crisp, burnt skin feeling cold against his fingertips. He narrowed his eyes as he began to remember the dream; the machine, the energy, the darkness... and got an idea.
He knew it was far-fetched and rather childish, but he held his right hand forward, and tried to willfully force energy from his body. Nothing happened, just as he'd expected, though.
Myrriak stood up and walked to his desk. On it sat two identical wristbands, with a small card under them. He picked up the card, and read it.
"Put these on and come see me when you wake up.
~Kitae"
Myrriak picked up the wristbands and looked at them. They were both black, with threaded-gold lettering. On the left was written "Trust," and upon the right was "Hope." Myrriak smiled widely, thinking the wristbands were beautiful. He quickly slipped them over his wrists and, without thinking to put a shirt on, ran out of his room to see Kitae.
On his way out, he passed several priests, all of which gave him odd looks. He didn't even think of the burn on his chest, as it caused him no pain, and might as well have not been there. He hurried on past them, into the open courtyard of the shrine. He'd had a momentary thought of how so much had happened since Kitae had come home, and that perhaps her arrival had triggered it. But he quickly disregarded it as simple coincidence, and jumped down the stone stairs in front of the shrine.
He landed next to the massive red statue he'd stood by, when he'd been so anxiously awaiting Kitae's return. He looked up at the sculpture, and smiled as he heard Kitae's voice calling out his name. He turned, and saw her standing at the base of the complimentary statue opposite the one next to him.
"Kitae!" Myrriak called out, and sprinted over to see her.
"Myrriak..? What's that?" She said softly, her eyes on the burn.
"Er.. I'm not sure. I had a dream.. and when I woke up, my skin was marred like this." As he spoke, she reached for the burn. She stroked the blackened flesh gently, and quickly pulled her fingertips away.
"Does it.. hurt?"
"No, not a bit. It's rather-" A loud crash interrupted Myrriak. He spun instantly, looking behind him to the crash from the trees surrounding the shrine. Trees crashed into the ground, causing massive spurts of dirt to fly into the air above the treeline. He heard an odious cry, like that of a dying raven; but it was a sound from within himself, something strong in his soul. His stomach began to burn, the sensation voraciously spreading throughout his body. He fell to his knees, crying in pain quietly, and held his stomach.
"Myrriak!?" Kitae yelled, dropping to his side.
"Nnrr.... gaah.. Kitae.. run!" Myrriak managed out of his groans of pain.
"What about-" Kitae started, but was cut short by a laugh.
"Oh, my little warrior. Myrriak Selnayd." Kitae looked up at the figure before them, and Myrriak's eyes soon followed.
"Y-you..." Myrriak uttered in pain. It was the man from before, the one who'd assaulted the shrine. Myrriak suddenly wondered what had happened after he'd passed out.
"I've come back for you, boy. I'm going to offer you one last chance at an immortal power, insurmountable in comparison to any other!" He called out. "Now that your annoying Priestmaster isn't around to stop me, I've come to offer you power in exchange for something you have."
"You.. can burn in hell!" Myrriak yelled, suddenly disregarding the pain. His soul felt torn at the implication of the Priestmaster's death. He jumped forward, his leg flitting from his side. Ducking away from the assault, his foe quickly countered with a jumping elbow thrust, knocking Myrriak into the air even further. He landed near Kitae, and sat up.
"Myrriak, stop! I'll-"
"No, Kitae! This one's mine!" Myrriak yelled, flipping in place and landing on his feet. His teeth were clenched and his fists were taut, his body set in place. Anger flooded his body, giving him an empowering, electrical feeling throughout his body.
He heard a soft clicking noise, almost like chirping crickets, or perhaps chittering birds.
"Ahaha! It's already awakened within you, I see!"
"Wh-what?" Myrriak said, confused. But then he felt it. Surrounding him, surging through and out his body, he felt it. The explosive sensation, the energy! Around his body, bursting from various points, came electrical energy. Pure energy, whipping about madly and crackling loudly. Myrriak stepped back, looking at his body. He couldn't believe the energy he felt; better yet, the power flowed at his will.
Even in this dire moment, his childish thought came back to him; his face set in a deep scowl, he raised his arm up, pointing his hand toward his enemy. He curled his fingers as if to grip a ball, and forced the energy into his palm. It took the shape of a ball, sure enough, but many bolts rippled out of it, some long enough to tear away dirt around him. His adversary showed no sign of worry whatsoever; he merely stood, smirking.
"Let's try it out, then!" Myrriak yelled, and pulled back his palm. He thrust his arm forward, forcing energy out behind the ball, causing it to fly forward. He reacted quickly; he reached up and caught the attack. Myrriak was stunned; his newfound power was nothing!
"Melted to your soul is that of the thunder phoenix; I am no fool, I came prepared, boy. Now, I'll take some of your power for myself!" He said maniacally. The energy ball quickly dissipated, revealing a golden medal in his palm. He tossed his head back and laughed.
"You've got no time to laugh!" Myrriak yelled viciously as he ran forward, body low to the ground, and thrust-kicked into his foe's stomach from the ground. He coughed up blood and was knocked into the air, and Myrriak followed up under him.
"The Shadow Leaf Dance!?" His foe yelled out as Myrriak performed the famous technique; he floated in his shadow, perfectly safe from attack, and struck hastily. His fists slammed into either side of his chest, crushing the bones between the assault. He was no idiot; he grabbed Myrriak's arms with his elbows, and held him. Myrriak countered with a knee-slam into his lower back, causing them to break apart from each other. Myrriak wildly groped for his medal, knowing full-well that he could probably use his power if he could grab it. He held himself to his enemy by holding his arm, and roughly gripped his wrist. His grip intensified, causing his hand to open slightly, and allowed him to pilfer his foe's precious defense. He dropped to the ground and flipped away, watching his enemy land on the ground, mostly unscathed.
"You're not fooling around, are you, boy?"
"I'm no boy!" Myrriak yelled angrily, his face twisted into a scowl of pure fury. Despite his anger, he would not be clouded; he placed the medal into his pocket, making sure it was safely out of reach. He raised his arm again to blast his foe.
"Not again, you won't!" He yelled and ran forward quickly, his feet scarcely touching the ground. He tensed his leg muscles, tricking Myrriak into thinking he would jump. Instead, he ducked down low and dashed forward, slamming his shoulder into Myrriak's stomach. He yelled out in pain, thrown down into the dirt.
An audible 'thud' sound came as Kitae struck the back of the man's head with a metal fence post. The blow knocked him to the ground and wounded him, but did not knock him out. He turned, his glare set on Kitae. She was no normal woman, though. She stepped forward and kicked him squarely in the jaw, and performed an elbow-drop onto his back. Both attacks were sub-par in strength, but in his helpless position, he couldn't defend himself.
By this time, Myrriak had stood up and was running toward them. As Kitae moved to kick again, their enemy's hand flew out and grabbed her other leg, and pulled it from under her. She fell back, but was caught but Myrriak's quick reaction. He jumped to his knees and swept Myrriak as well, causing both of them to fall to the dirt.
"You won't join me, then?"
Myrriak looked up at him, covered in dirt, and yelled his response in a face twisted with rage, "Never, you bastard!"
"That's too bad. I'm sorry, Myrriak, but I can't do the normal bad guy thing and let you live. You're done!" He said, and pulled a thick dagger from his side. He flew downward, Death coming for Myrriak.
Before the final strike could be dealt, though, the life of the nameless foe was cut short. A bright, translucent blue light blasted out from his body; instead of blowing into pieces of his body, though, he was transformed into hundreds of butterflies, each as brilliant and translucent as the light that had consumed him. Myrriak recognized the high-level demon-banishment technique; only a Priestmaster could wield such power. He looked about him, bewildered, searching for his master.
(Well, kids, that's it for chapter two. Look forward to the next section sometime this.. um.. month. ^_^;; )
Chapter Stats:
9 pages
4,434 words
20,799 characters (no spaces)
25,131 characters (with spaces)
411 Lines
"A sprite? Or a spirit? Perhaps even a divinity?" Saxerei said quietly.
"You didn't even guess nymph? Oh, shame on you." A soft, female reply came from, seemingly, nowhere.
"A water spirit, then?"
"Yup. You're not that stupid, I s'pose." Came the quiet reply.
"Where are you, then, my fair spirit?" Saxerei said, looking about slowly.
"All around you. I'm the embodiment of this lake."
"Oh, really? A greater spirit, of sorts?"
"Nothing more than a lonely, overgrown pup spirit. At least, that's what the earth sprites tell me."
"I didn't think that the far-eastern magical essences would reach these mountains."
"There aren't many of us, actually. Just me, and a few earth sprites, and one wind divinity." Her response was moderately uninterested.
"Ah, I see. You're amazingly good at hypnotizing, I must admit. I'm very clear and strong of mind, and for you to grasp control of me so easily..."
"Hehe. It's not that easy, actually. And I had a hard time getting your attention. Whatever's on your mind, it's got quite a touch on you." As she responded, a molding of a teenage girl's head formed from the water, the embodiment resembling the young heroine from many of the East's stories; beautiful, flowing hair and perfect skin. Saxerei was impressed with her ability to mimic colors as well as textures.
"You've got quite a lot of ability for such a lonely spirit."
"There's nothing to do but fool around with what powers I have. I'm so very bored. I was actually hoping..."
"If you're wanting to accompany me, first let me explain where it is I am going, and why I am doing so." Leaning back against the water, relaxing deeply, Saxerei began to reveal his past; briefly passing over his childhood and his passage into adulthood, then, with great detail, of his war efforts previously, his "great failure."
"Aw, now. Don't be so down about it. I can tell you've got a lot of potential in that body of yours, and you'll definitely accomplish great things if you try hard enough." She said, swimming circles around his free-floating body. She had formed a complete body, but the rest of it was a translucent blue, hard to make out under the surface.
"I just need to reforge my army, and try once more. I know I can conquer these lands. I just need powerful, capable generals at my side, and a willing, capable army under my command." Saxerei said, his voice quieting somewhat as his mind wandered to his dream of a united kingdom.
"Well, then.. Sir Saxerei, could this lonely water spirit accompany you on your quest?"
~~~~~
Denkou stood before a massive forest; the tall trees groped for the Heavens, their thick, full branches preventing the sunlight from reaching through to the forest floor. The ground was covered in twigs and leaves, which crunched loudly beneath him as he advanced to the forest. It had been nearly two years since his mother's passing, but his heart still ached for her. His inner torture was a true testament that true love never fades. His body was slumped forward slightly, the weight of his illustrious pike heavy upon him. Turning back for just a moment, he caught sight of water splashing in the lake about a third of a mile away from him. He shook his head, wishing he could be as carefree as the child who was playing in the lake.
His focus returned to the forest before him. Taking another step forward, fallen leaves and branches crunched underfoot. He need not fear a forest; whatever dangers could possibly be lurking in the shadows of the trees could be no threat to him.
The sun caused his steel-plated leather armor to glint brightly. This cast shadows variably over the forest floor, and he sat down upon the ground. In one smooth motion, he removed his spear from his back with his left hand, then reached to his shoulders and unlatched his armor. He peeled it from his skin, leaving only a dark blue shirt to protect him. He removed his leggings and gauntlets as well, then stood again. He packed away his armor, and replaced the satchel at his side. He squatted down and picked up his spear, coming up slowly. The glittery, gold-accented pike also shone sunlight onto the forest floor, giving Denkou a slight glimpse into the unknown territory ahead of him.
He stepped forward heavily, and made his first step into the threshold of his destiny.
~~~~~
"... Myrriak Selnayd." Finished the armored man before Myrriak. He stepped forward menacingly as Myrriak slightly faultered at the response. This alone was enough to force him off-guard, and the moon-haird man swung his fist from its relaxed position near his side. The blow struck Myrriak with an amazing intensity, causing a small space in his back to bounce out from the force. He coughed blood up, in a great quantity, and slumped forward against his foe's fist. He began to fall into a pain-induced daze, his sight becoming fuzzy and his body feeling hot.
"Myrriak Selnayd? I've never heard such nonsense! Myrriak Selnayd is a righteous youth, a marvelous priest-boy." Came an old voice from near Kitae. Myrriak was able to focus his vision enough to make out the Priestmaster's body and robes, and smiled slyly. A dark flash burst in front of him, and the hand that held him up was no longer. Myrriak fell onto the stone floor, blacking out before he hit.
"... Myrriak... wake up, Myrriak." A soft cooing in his ear, comforting, called Myrriak from his slumber. His mind was a vast, black sea of haziness, and he was unable to recognize the voice. Despite this, the voice comforted him. He tried to oblige to voice by awakening, but he couldn't. His consciousness flooded into his mentality swiftly, but he was not awake; he was still trapped in his own mind. Before him stood archaic ruins, most of which were floating in the dark, dirty sea. He stood atop a thick pillar, overlooking the scene.
'Where .. no.. I'm within my mind. Why can I not awaken?' Myrriak called to no one.
'Selnayd.. Selnayd. The name of either a saviour, or a tyrant. Which will you be, child?' Came a booming, deep voice from all around him.
'Who's there? Can you-'
'Silence, boy! Listen to me, for I cannot hold you for long. Set in motion are the wheels of fate, and you are about to be caught up in a climactic, fantastic battle for supremecy. In your time with a certain warrior, you shall come to one of two sides; either you shall become one of the greatest heroes of all time, or you shall become one of the greatest evils. The choice is yours, Myrriak Jyrounin Selnayd. Make it wisely!'
'But-!' Myrriak called out, stepping out in a futile attempt to see, or feel, or sense his unknown guest. A bright, soft blue light suffused the sky above him, and his body once again felt hot. He suddenly jumped from his bed, yelling out furiously, "Who are you!?"
Kitae jumped up quickly and fell from her stool, hitting the floor with a rough 'thud.' She screamed in surprise, and scuttled back a bit.
Myrriak turned his head slightly and tilted his bloodshot eyes toward her, shivering slightly. She stood up slowly, and made her way to him.
Myrriak laid back, landing among the bedclothes softly, and closed his eyes.
"A-are you okay?" She asked timidly.
"I'm fine.. just a.. bad dream." His words were choppy, the softness of his voice revealing his fatigue.
"You need to rest more. Go to sleep, and I'll tend to you." She assured him; almost immediately, he was swallowed once again by the darkness of his mind.
He awoke suddenly. As he floated freely, all about him was the stillness and gentle caress of darkness; he saw nothing, and heard nothing. He wasn't even sure if his eyes were open. He felt something, though. In the stillness, there was disturbance. An enormous amount of energy a few yards in front of him. He heard machinery starting up with robust whirring sounds, and saw bolts of electricity rippling from the machines. The brilliance of the lightning illuminated the area. His feet touched the ground as he looked around himself, trying to determine his whereabouts. He walked toward the machines, the bolts of lightning whipping from spinning bronze wheel to open circuit boards, to broken cords hanging from above the complex machine. He stopped a foot from the machine, and looked up at it. His eyes were transfixed upon the bolts, their beauty capturing his attention. In an instant, the machine stopped and powered down. He could hear the sound of wind blowing, the quiet crackle of electricity, and the flapping of something, cloth or a banner of some sort. Just as quickly as it stopped, the machine restarted, and the bolts of energy whipped from circuit boards, cords, gears, every opening of the mechanical abnormality. They slapped the ground near him violently, swirling about him, but never touched him. In a singular moment, all of them convened on Myrriak's chest; they traced around his heart, a massive bolt forming to strike him. His body shook roughly, and his upper body pushed upward, into the energy. He yelled out, more from being surprised than hurt, but made no attempt to move. The lightning stopped surging into him after several minutes; all was dark, all was silent.
~~~~~
Denkou was sitting against the trunk of a long-dead, decaying tree. The forest had been unrelenting, as the stories of many villages had promised. Boars and hogs, wild dogs and wolves, and even a large, bear-like creature had assaulted him. He'd managed to escape most of them without having to kill them; he'd not wanted to take the life of a creature merely protecting its home, or attempting to satisfy its hunger. He respected nature and its inhabitants, and let them be, mostly. A few of the wolves were rather resilient to his stalling and evading abilities, and he had to kill them to protect himself.
By his guess, he was near the end of the forest, on the side he wished to exit. He was unsure, since he'd not been following his map exactly as he traveled, since traveling was synonomous with running from monsters.
Warm sweat dripped down his face and neck, which gave him a refreshing cool from every breeze that blew through the forest's dark hollows. He stood up again, and began to walk in the shadows, trying his best to be both silent and unseen. His mind wandered slightly, coming back to the one time before that he'd come through this forest, as a child. At that time, his country had not been at civil war, and monsters didn't roam freely.
He suddenly snapped back to consciousness as leaves rustled around him. He couldn't believe he'd allowed himself to daydream so fully. He looked into the black abyss around him as best he could, barely making out canine-like figures in the darkness. He knew he could not escape them, so he dropped his pike to the ground, determined to conserve as much of his strength as he could; not wielding such a heavy weapon would be the basic step to his goal. He raised his arms up, taking a defensive posture.
He'd fought many creatures in his day, and he knew; one could not approach a beast as he could a man, lest he bade a visit from Death himself. He allowed his mind to degrade; he entered a primal state of mind, adopting a four-limbed stance upon the ground. The wolves growled at him, baring their fangs in the blackness of the forest. The alpha male, leader of the pack, barked an order, and the several wolves of the pack charged at Denkou. He reacted instantly, hopping over and to the side of attacking wolves, waiting for the alpha male to approach him. Though in a primal mind-state, he could still apply his human mentality, allowing himself to give some amount of intelligent action.
The alpha wasn't hard to place; it was decently larger than the others, with a lighter coat. Its fangs were sharp and wet, its mouth gaping for a chunk of Denkou's hardened flesh. He waited, waited. The alpha approached, sure of its strike. Cocky, perhaps. Denkou's hands came up swiftly from the dirt, tossing dirt up at and past the alpha, gripping the upper and lower jaws of the animal. He roared as he tore away the lower jaw, ripping it from the alpha's head. He threw the bones down, a mad look in his eyes. He turned and roared at the pack, causing them to scatter in fear.
Denkou took several minutes to regain his mentality, sitting beside a rushing stream near where he'd been. He washed his hands and his bloody pike while he had the chance.
"That was quite impressive, Denkou Geritsu. I would expect no less from the son of a legend." Came a voice from the darkness behind him.
"Who's there!?" Denkou spoke loudly, turning quickly on his heel.
"Ah, hahaha. You need not concern yourself with me, boy."
"Tell me. Where are you?" Denkou said, stepping away from the lake to look for the man who spoke to him.
"If you must know.. I am a legend myself, just as you shall be. But my legendary status is one you know not of; I am from a completely different country, across the ocean." He said.
"You.. you're a foreigner? Let me see you!" He said roughly. From behind a large-trunked tree, a man stepped forth. He was as tall as Denkou, and built just as muscular. His hair was tied just above the back of his head; the thick, black hair was a massive growth, round and somewhat curly. It fell slightly to his back, but was mostly held up by the hairband. Across his forehead was a black headband, which had a metallic plate on it, with a few words Denkou couldn't read. He was shirtless, exposing his well-built body, as well as hundreds of scars; he had a large pike strapped to his back, with a leather belt across his chest. His pants were black, with a word written in green flames upon the sides of the legs. His legs and arms were wrapped in white bandages, and he had black half-gloves on his hands as well. He wore thin sandals for shoes.
"Who.. are you...?" Denkou said, amazed that someone could actually equal his size; this man could easily be described as his twin.
"I shall tell you who I am, Legendary Green Dragon Tempest. I, too, am a legend. For I am.... Xiro, the Demon-Beast of the Battlefield." He said; Denkou beheld before him a man of great strength, and great honor, he could tell.
~~~~~
Myrriak's eyes opened slowly. His sight was fuzzy, but he could tell he was still in bed, in his room. He couldn't sense Kitae nearby, nor could he sense the Priestmaster.
His chest and head pulsated with pain, causing him to wince as he sat up. He looked down at his bare chest, and his eyes widened slightly as a gasp escaped him. The skin above his heart was charred black, burnt intensely; yet he felt no pain. He reached up and touched the wound slightly, the crisp, burnt skin feeling cold against his fingertips. He narrowed his eyes as he began to remember the dream; the machine, the energy, the darkness... and got an idea.
He knew it was far-fetched and rather childish, but he held his right hand forward, and tried to willfully force energy from his body. Nothing happened, just as he'd expected, though.
Myrriak stood up and walked to his desk. On it sat two identical wristbands, with a small card under them. He picked up the card, and read it.
"Put these on and come see me when you wake up.
~Kitae"
Myrriak picked up the wristbands and looked at them. They were both black, with threaded-gold lettering. On the left was written "Trust," and upon the right was "Hope." Myrriak smiled widely, thinking the wristbands were beautiful. He quickly slipped them over his wrists and, without thinking to put a shirt on, ran out of his room to see Kitae.
On his way out, he passed several priests, all of which gave him odd looks. He didn't even think of the burn on his chest, as it caused him no pain, and might as well have not been there. He hurried on past them, into the open courtyard of the shrine. He'd had a momentary thought of how so much had happened since Kitae had come home, and that perhaps her arrival had triggered it. But he quickly disregarded it as simple coincidence, and jumped down the stone stairs in front of the shrine.
He landed next to the massive red statue he'd stood by, when he'd been so anxiously awaiting Kitae's return. He looked up at the sculpture, and smiled as he heard Kitae's voice calling out his name. He turned, and saw her standing at the base of the complimentary statue opposite the one next to him.
"Kitae!" Myrriak called out, and sprinted over to see her.
"Myrriak..? What's that?" She said softly, her eyes on the burn.
"Er.. I'm not sure. I had a dream.. and when I woke up, my skin was marred like this." As he spoke, she reached for the burn. She stroked the blackened flesh gently, and quickly pulled her fingertips away.
"Does it.. hurt?"
"No, not a bit. It's rather-" A loud crash interrupted Myrriak. He spun instantly, looking behind him to the crash from the trees surrounding the shrine. Trees crashed into the ground, causing massive spurts of dirt to fly into the air above the treeline. He heard an odious cry, like that of a dying raven; but it was a sound from within himself, something strong in his soul. His stomach began to burn, the sensation voraciously spreading throughout his body. He fell to his knees, crying in pain quietly, and held his stomach.
"Myrriak!?" Kitae yelled, dropping to his side.
"Nnrr.... gaah.. Kitae.. run!" Myrriak managed out of his groans of pain.
"What about-" Kitae started, but was cut short by a laugh.
"Oh, my little warrior. Myrriak Selnayd." Kitae looked up at the figure before them, and Myrriak's eyes soon followed.
"Y-you..." Myrriak uttered in pain. It was the man from before, the one who'd assaulted the shrine. Myrriak suddenly wondered what had happened after he'd passed out.
"I've come back for you, boy. I'm going to offer you one last chance at an immortal power, insurmountable in comparison to any other!" He called out. "Now that your annoying Priestmaster isn't around to stop me, I've come to offer you power in exchange for something you have."
"You.. can burn in hell!" Myrriak yelled, suddenly disregarding the pain. His soul felt torn at the implication of the Priestmaster's death. He jumped forward, his leg flitting from his side. Ducking away from the assault, his foe quickly countered with a jumping elbow thrust, knocking Myrriak into the air even further. He landed near Kitae, and sat up.
"Myrriak, stop! I'll-"
"No, Kitae! This one's mine!" Myrriak yelled, flipping in place and landing on his feet. His teeth were clenched and his fists were taut, his body set in place. Anger flooded his body, giving him an empowering, electrical feeling throughout his body.
He heard a soft clicking noise, almost like chirping crickets, or perhaps chittering birds.
"Ahaha! It's already awakened within you, I see!"
"Wh-what?" Myrriak said, confused. But then he felt it. Surrounding him, surging through and out his body, he felt it. The explosive sensation, the energy! Around his body, bursting from various points, came electrical energy. Pure energy, whipping about madly and crackling loudly. Myrriak stepped back, looking at his body. He couldn't believe the energy he felt; better yet, the power flowed at his will.
Even in this dire moment, his childish thought came back to him; his face set in a deep scowl, he raised his arm up, pointing his hand toward his enemy. He curled his fingers as if to grip a ball, and forced the energy into his palm. It took the shape of a ball, sure enough, but many bolts rippled out of it, some long enough to tear away dirt around him. His adversary showed no sign of worry whatsoever; he merely stood, smirking.
"Let's try it out, then!" Myrriak yelled, and pulled back his palm. He thrust his arm forward, forcing energy out behind the ball, causing it to fly forward. He reacted quickly; he reached up and caught the attack. Myrriak was stunned; his newfound power was nothing!
"Melted to your soul is that of the thunder phoenix; I am no fool, I came prepared, boy. Now, I'll take some of your power for myself!" He said maniacally. The energy ball quickly dissipated, revealing a golden medal in his palm. He tossed his head back and laughed.
"You've got no time to laugh!" Myrriak yelled viciously as he ran forward, body low to the ground, and thrust-kicked into his foe's stomach from the ground. He coughed up blood and was knocked into the air, and Myrriak followed up under him.
"The Shadow Leaf Dance!?" His foe yelled out as Myrriak performed the famous technique; he floated in his shadow, perfectly safe from attack, and struck hastily. His fists slammed into either side of his chest, crushing the bones between the assault. He was no idiot; he grabbed Myrriak's arms with his elbows, and held him. Myrriak countered with a knee-slam into his lower back, causing them to break apart from each other. Myrriak wildly groped for his medal, knowing full-well that he could probably use his power if he could grab it. He held himself to his enemy by holding his arm, and roughly gripped his wrist. His grip intensified, causing his hand to open slightly, and allowed him to pilfer his foe's precious defense. He dropped to the ground and flipped away, watching his enemy land on the ground, mostly unscathed.
"You're not fooling around, are you, boy?"
"I'm no boy!" Myrriak yelled angrily, his face twisted into a scowl of pure fury. Despite his anger, he would not be clouded; he placed the medal into his pocket, making sure it was safely out of reach. He raised his arm again to blast his foe.
"Not again, you won't!" He yelled and ran forward quickly, his feet scarcely touching the ground. He tensed his leg muscles, tricking Myrriak into thinking he would jump. Instead, he ducked down low and dashed forward, slamming his shoulder into Myrriak's stomach. He yelled out in pain, thrown down into the dirt.
An audible 'thud' sound came as Kitae struck the back of the man's head with a metal fence post. The blow knocked him to the ground and wounded him, but did not knock him out. He turned, his glare set on Kitae. She was no normal woman, though. She stepped forward and kicked him squarely in the jaw, and performed an elbow-drop onto his back. Both attacks were sub-par in strength, but in his helpless position, he couldn't defend himself.
By this time, Myrriak had stood up and was running toward them. As Kitae moved to kick again, their enemy's hand flew out and grabbed her other leg, and pulled it from under her. She fell back, but was caught but Myrriak's quick reaction. He jumped to his knees and swept Myrriak as well, causing both of them to fall to the dirt.
"You won't join me, then?"
Myrriak looked up at him, covered in dirt, and yelled his response in a face twisted with rage, "Never, you bastard!"
"That's too bad. I'm sorry, Myrriak, but I can't do the normal bad guy thing and let you live. You're done!" He said, and pulled a thick dagger from his side. He flew downward, Death coming for Myrriak.
Before the final strike could be dealt, though, the life of the nameless foe was cut short. A bright, translucent blue light blasted out from his body; instead of blowing into pieces of his body, though, he was transformed into hundreds of butterflies, each as brilliant and translucent as the light that had consumed him. Myrriak recognized the high-level demon-banishment technique; only a Priestmaster could wield such power. He looked about him, bewildered, searching for his master.
(Well, kids, that's it for chapter two. Look forward to the next section sometime this.. um.. month. ^_^;; )
Chapter Stats:
9 pages
4,434 words
20,799 characters (no spaces)
25,131 characters (with spaces)
411 Lines