Rise of the Champions

by Nicholas Joslin

  “Great Clan?” Anna asked, having not heard of it before.

  “Ah, I forgot our Elders do not teach the young about the Great Clan. You must be, what, in your early twenties? They stopped teaching when I was a little younger than you, almost forty years ago,” Chieftain Barod began.

  “A Great Clan? How interesting. I wonder if they had a Champion that could stand against me,” Titus boasted.

  Guard Captain Jarult chuckled to himself, looking to Chieftain Barod. The chieftain also let loose a small laugh, shaking his head. This caused Titus to purse his lips together in slight embarrassment. It seemed the Champion’s thought was funny to the clan Elders.

  “The Great Clan was the most powerful clan in all our realm of Forthoton. They numbered in the tens of thousands and were quite powerful. We know little of them now, only from what’s been passed down by those before us by way of tongue. Their grand achievement was driving those wretched green devils, the goblins I think they were called, from this land. But unfortunately, they fell to an enemy far greater than we can imagine, which are only referred to as the shadows. Part of me wonders if what you encountered were those shadows, but that’s something I couldn’t know,” Chief Barod explained, almost sounding disappointed at his lack of historical knowledge.

  This was the first Anna had heard of such history. Between the Great Clan, goblins, and the shadows, she was perplexed. It seemed their people had more history than she had thought. She had no idea if the creatures she had encountered were the supposed shadows of which the chieftain spoke, but her gut said they weren't the same.

  “I don’t see those beasts being called shadows. They were loud, aggressive, and hardly a shadow,” Anna slowly replied, unsure of what else to say.

  “Perhaps they were not shadows then,” Titus pondered.

  “Regardless, I believe we should send a group of warriors to where you encountered these demons,” Chieftain Barod began, ignoring his Champion. “Who knows what else may be afoot there.”

  “While I agree with sending warriors, I am worried about the Highrock clan attacking us,” Guard Captain Jarult added.

  “I worry about that as well. However, if what Anna says is true, we may not have an option,” Chieftain Barod replied.

  The room went silent for a moment, each person realizing their chieftain was right. Anna knew from their silence she had convinced them but was in no rush to face those enemies again. However, part of her also knew she would likely have to lead the warriors back to where she found the beasts of torment. She didn’t want to face her lover’s killers, but figured she may be able to at least avenge him with the opportunity.

  While she hadn’t seen Fredrik die, she had begun to accept that outcome; despite being a fierce fighter, she knew no one person could fight those horrors alone. They were too strong and fierce with hatred to take on by oneself. She knew in her heart he had to be gone.

  “You are right, Chieftain. If an enemy like that exists, we must slay them before they reach us or our allies,” Titus said with courage.

  “Now that I agree with. Even if we must spare some of our better fighters, I will ensure we remain as well defended as possible with who we do have,” Guard Captain Jarult affirmed.

  “Well, then go find twenty or so warriors you’d trust for this,” Chieftain Barod said, looking over to Titus.

  “I would be honored, Chieftain,” Titus replied with a salute.

  “As for getting there, could you possibly help create a detailed map for our warriors?” Chieftain Barod asked, looking at Anna.

  “I, er,” Anna began.

  “A map? Could she not lead us there? It would be easier than following some map,” Titus interrupted.

  The chieftain grimaced at Titus’s lack of respect and subtle understanding. He turned to Anna, his eyes saying he didn’t want to ask but now had to. He sighed.

  “Anna, I know this is much to ask of you, but would you be able to bring the warriors to the ruins? You could leave in a couple days, allowing you to rest. I do understand if you are not able,” Chieftain Barod asked, feeling put on the spot.

  “I will lead them,” Anna replied confidently, feeling a thirst for vengeance grow within her.

  “Aha! That’s the spirit! Together we can slay the servants of the mad god Faraldo!” Titus grinned, reaching over and patting Anna on the back.

  “Very good, Anna. Your competence as a scout will certainly make the trip quicker. As for beast slaying, the primary purpose of this mission is to see how many there are. Kill those you can, but more importantly, figure out just what we’re facing. Understood?” Chieftain Barod asked, looking at Anna and Titus.

  “Of course, Chieftain,” Titus said loudly.

  Anna simply nodded, now pondering the beasts they faced. She could hardly think of those beasts as servants of a god, at least none she knew of. Even the mad god Faraldo was supposedly not malevolent, and those creatures knew nothing but evil.

  “Then leave me. I have much to consider. Anna, please stay behind a moment,” Chieftain Barod ordered.

  Titus and Guard Captain Jarult saluted and left the Chieftain’s Hall. As Anna watched them go, she wondered why she had been asked to stay. As she looked at the chieftain, she noticed he had a somber look on his face.

  “Anna, I must ask. You and Fredrik, were you…?”

  “Yes, we were. I … I loved him…” Anna replied, fighting back the waves of sorrow that crashed over her.

  “I appreciate your honesty, and I’m sorry for your loss. I know technically all scouts or warriors aren’t allowed to be together, but that’s not a rule I implemented. In fact, I really don’t care. What I mean to say is, I’m sorry you could not be together more because of it,” Chieftain Barod explained with absolute sincerity.

  “Thank you. But you shouldn’t have to apologize, it wasn’t your doing,” Anna replied, comforted by her chieftain’s words.

  Chieftain Barod nodded and there was a moment of silence. Anna realized she probably looked ragged, and tried to fix her once straight, red hair. She felt a bit better now, knowing the chieftain was supportive. It was reasons like this that made her decision of going back to the ruins easier.

  “Again, thank you for offering to lead our warriors back there. It seems that Seer may have actually known something. You shall leave at dawn in two days’ time. Does that sound reasonable?” Chieftain Barod asked.

  “Yes,” Anna simply answered. “I’m merely worried about what we may find.

  “I am too, from what you described. We may be dealing with something … unnatural. For that, I am sending a runner to the Forud Clan. I am going to invite Chieftain Wooll and his best warriors here a couple days before you arrive back. That way, they can hear from our best face to face. This will make them more likely to aid us if we require it,” Chieftain Barod explained.

  “That makes sense, Chieftain,” Anna replied.

  “I’m glad you agree. Now, go get some well-deserved rest, brave scout,” Chieftain Barod said, handing Anna her backpack.

  Anna nodded and left the hall. As she stepped back outside, she felt the tiniest raindrops beginning to fall. She felt drowsy and slightly chilled, as this was a far cooler day than she was used to. She spared no time and made her way back through the village to her home.

  Her small wooden and stone dwelling paled in comparison to the homes she had seen at the ruins. But she didn’t care about that. Anna loved her small home, and quickly opened the door and walked inside.

  Everything was just how she had left it. She passed through her small dining and kitchen area and into her bedroom. She fell like a rock onto her bed, the sheep’s wool catching her softly. She was overwhelmed with various emotions to the point where she was beginning to shut down. Fortunately, she recognized this, and knew sleep would be her best choice. After all, there wasn’t anything else to be done for two days.

  Anna would follow the chieftain’s orders and rest for two days straight. During this time, she mourned Fredri
k, trying hard to remember all the good memories they had made together. Unfortunately, her dreams were often turned to nightmare by the memory of the creatures they had fought. Every time the horrors appeared in her dream, she swore she could hear a strange, muffled whispering, which would cause her to wake up in a panic. But each time she awoke, the whispering would fade back into the shadows.

  Chapter 4

  A dozen people in simple brown robes sat silently in a large circle, all staring blankly at their Seer in the middle. A faint blue glow emanated from their hands, with small wisps of blue light streaming toward the Seer. Only their magic illuminated the dark cavern they sat in. One other person stood in the back of the cave, leaning on one of the cool stone walls that surrounded them. This lone apprentice, a thin and well-groomed man in his early thirties named Valon, had no role in aiding his masters farsight.

  Both of the Seer’s eyes were engulfed in blue light, and he sat in a trance, disconnected from the world around him. He was now one with the magic that surrounded everything. As the apprentice watched his master utilize his ability of farsight, he wondered why it was taking longer than it usually did.

  A few more silent minutes passed before the magic surrounding them all turned from the kind blue into a light red. Almost in a trance of boredom himself, the apprentice didn’t notice the change at first. However, when he did, he almost fell as he pushed himself off the wall to look closer.

  He stepped closer to the mages surrounding his master, all in a state of meditation. They were unable to recognize that something about the magic had changed, but the apprentice did notice how the pure, relaxed nature of the magic had changed into something harsh, festering, and almost so pungent he could smell it. While he watched in worry, he was too well trained to panic.

  While the mages couldn’t break the spell, his master the Seer could. At least, in theory he should be able to. Not only that, but Valon could end the spell as well. While the apprentice had never undergone farsight, from what he understood the user remained conscious the entire time, it just gave the user an altered form of consciousness. However, the apprentice also knew magic was a wild, powerful thing that served no one person. It was because of this he was trained in another method of interrupting the spell, albeit a cruder and slightly dangerous method. He wouldn’t attempt to use this method unless the situation seemed dire.

  Small specks of dark green began to mix with the red color magic, something Valon had never seen, making him nervous. As the magic warped from a light red into an almost blood red, the apprentice swore he could feel a presence around them. No, this wasn’t just the presence of magic, but that of something sinister. He had never felt the feeling before and had no idea what it could be. However, as a bit more time went on, whispers began to echo in the cave.

  Upon hearing the contorted whispers fill the room, the apprentice made his way over to his master. He stared at the Seer, watching his master’s blue-filled eyes begin to flicker. While he wasn’t sure if this qualified as a dire situation, he knew something wasn’t right. He reached to touch his masters head, but his arm was suddenly grabbed by the Seer.

  “Not yet!” the Seer hissed in a voice that almost wasn’t his.

  “Master Mordou?” Valon asked quietly, almost in shock.

  The magic surrounding them almost seemed to crackle, as if it was amongst a fight with itself. Valon felt conflicted, knowing that it was possible this wasn’t his master’s voice. As the unintelligible whispers continued, he forced his hand down to place it on Seer Mordou’s head.

  “Do … it…” Seer Mordou slowly whispered.

  Immediately after hearing his master’s words, he began the spell. He focused and closed his eyes, never having used it before. However, he was a proficient magic wielder, and knew how to bend the exotic energy to his will.

  Valon tried to visualize the magic around them in his head as he always did. Magic was an oddity in that to use it one must only know how to traverse it. It was as if it was just another limb of the body, an extension of the mind with its own sense. Being here always meant being surrounded by magical energy. One only had to open their mind and focus to utilize it and hone their skills to be able to make use of it.

  The spell was quick and brutal. In the blink of an eye, Seer Mordou was ripped out of his farsight and cut from the influence of magic. Valon watched his spell work as intended, the blood red magical essence being thrust from his master’s body. The other mages feeding him slowly waned in power, however the magic did not dissipate as it should. No, it continued to congeal together into what looked to be a mass of floating blood. Valon helped his master up, whose eyes had returned to their normal state, the right being of birth and the left blue again with a permanent magic connection.

  “No, no,” Seer Mordou sputtered, trying to catch his breath.

  “Master, are you alright?” Valon asked, not taking his eyes off the coalesced energy floating before him.

  Suddenly, the magic burst into the nearest mage, violently forcing its way into the man’s body. Valon watched in horror as the man grabbed his throat as though he couldn’t breathe, looking to his still fatigued comrades for help. But before anyone could even comprehend what was happening, it was too late for the man.

  Whatever had taken hold of the old mage succeeded in its bid for control. The man transformed before everyone’s eyes; his entire body began to contort from the inside out. His skin tore apart and reformed into a leathery, sickly whitish purple color. The structure of his body warped as well, turning him from a frail, thin man into a muscular being. Bone claws ripped out from his knuckles and his teeth became sharper. His entire body was being remade from a human into a beastly predator of sorts.

  “H-help!” the man cried out in a vain effort to save himself.

  But it was too late, and only seconds later his eyes were consumed by a pungent red glow. Valon looked to his master for wisdom, having no idea what was happening. To his surprise, Seer Mordou looked just as lost as he was.

  “Brother! Are you well?” a nearby mage asked, her voice quivering in fear.

  “Don’t get too close,” Seer Mordou cautioned.

  But his warning came too late, and the beast lurched forward and struck her with its sharp claws. She was thrown by the blow, her blood spilling to the stone floor of the cave. With the magic gone, darkness filled the cave, only the beast’s red eyes and the Seer’s blue eye piercing the shadows around them.

  Valon was quick to conjure light, bright blue strands of magic dancing from his hands into the air above them. He illuminated the dark cave just in time for him to see another mage being attacked by the creature that was once their friend.

  As the aberration struck another mage, Valon could feel blood spatter strike his face. He shuttered, running his hands through his thin beard, trying to get the blood out. It seemed they were out of options.

  Seer Mordou quickly unleashed a barrage of pure magic energy at the monster. The sizzling bolts of blue knocked the creature back hard into the wall of the cave, causing it to drop to a knee. Normally, this assault would be enough to either kill or knock out any human. However, as Valon watched the creature slowly stand again, it didn’t appear to be as effective.

  “Concentrate your magic on this abomination!” Seer Mordou ordered.

  The other mages looked at each other in a moment of hesitation. However, seeing three of their own lying wounded on the ground made their decision easy. The mages all unleashed a similar attack on the creature. A torrent of magic projectiles flew at their once-friendly foe, striking it hard.

  Valon maintained the light above them as he watched the creature’s demise. The combined magic of the mages tore through the creature with relative ease. Its body was brutalized, ripped apart and scorched from the raw energy of the magic. Still, Valon had never seen anything require so much energy to kill.

  Finally, it was over, and the creature lay dead in a pool of tarry black blood. Valon simply stared in horror, having never
seen anything like that happen. However, he knew magic was still a mystery, despite thinking anyone had control over it. He just wondered what other terrible things existed within their realm.

  “Mages! Tend to your brothers’ and sister’s wounds. Then bring that creature to my study. I need to speak to my apprentice alone,” Seer Mordou ordered.

  The mages nodded and spoke affirmations and quickly got to work. Valon watched as his master began to walk from the cave, motioning for him to follow. It seemed that in his farsight, his master had stumbled upon something sinister.

  They left the ritual cave and emerged back into the foggy swampland of their home. Valon was surprised by how quickly his master was walking after what they had just gone through. He followed his master through the board fused paths of their village to the Seer’s Tower.

  The tower stood tall in the center of the village, made of stone and good craftsmanship. It dwarfed the other huts and trees surrounding it, its height allowing the occupants to be closer to the sky and see the surrounding area. Although, there wasn’t much to see in the swamplands. Seer Mordou had always been fascinated with the sky, something Valon didn’t quite understand.

  Before he knew it, Valon found himself sitting in a chair in his master’s study room on the bottom of the tower. He remained silent as his master tore through tomes and scrolls on the shelf in his study. He had so many questions but knew they would be answered in time. Valon was completely obedient to his master, who to him was a man that had never been wrong in his life.

  Seer Mordou led the Ancient Clan and was the only one able to use farsight to gaze not only at distant things, but sometimes ahead in time. This passed-down ability is how he was declared the next Seer just before the previous had passed away. While seeing ahead in time was difficult and more dangerous, Seer Mordou could do it when necessary.

  Valon knew someday he would replace his master, but not before being gifted the ability of farsight. In truth, he was immensely nervous, as the ability was nothing like any other in the realm of magic they were aware of. He could only train and practice other magic until that day came.