Before True Light: The Awakening 2nd Edition

by Sarah Buchynski

The nights were becoming much colder. The leaves of the trees had all turned colour and were ready to drop. Together, Izanami and Zane waited patiently for General Kyros to meet them. The uncertainty in the air lingered heavily, and the weight of the anxiety it caused felt like a horse stomping on their chests. However, they did not speak aloud about it to each other. Their fear was acutely felt in their hearts, but they did not want it to spread and poison their minds.

  Their silence alone was enough to communicate the true nature of their situation. A war was most certain, death was certain. Nevertheless, the amount of death could be lessened or greatened depending on the outcome of their next task. Either way, people were going to die; Izanami and Zane understood this. If they could recruit the other Red Mages and Red Mage Warriors of their tribe, maybe more innocent deaths could be avoided… but then, there was that pendant. That damned pendant that made Red Mages of all skill levels useless. So, even if they did get recruits, was it a lost cause?

  All their lives, Izanami and Zane wished for something more. Something more than life within the village, something that gave their lives meaning; however, now that they had what they wished for, it was nothing like they had ever imagined. It seemed like a horrible nightmare, but it was all too real. People they knew had died, even people they did not know. It was heavy on their hearts at this time; the reality of the situation was bleak. Their first venture outside the village was ruthless.

  The red and blue moons were distorted by a haze in the night sky. There was nothing peaceful about this night. “Sorry, I’m late – there was some business I had to attend to before we left,” said General Kyros, as he approached them on the deserted street.

  “The city gate is closed for the night. How do you intend to leave?” questioned Zane.

  “Well, there should be guards at the gate; c’mon, let’s go,” said General Kyros. Together the three of them walked towards the massive metal gate.

  “Who goes there?! Can’t you see the gates are closed for the night?”

  “Stand down, soldier, and open the gate! Or are you going to defy one of Alexandros’s greatest Generals?” ordered General Kyros.

  The soldier flashed a bright light from a stick-like object that was unfamiliar to Izanami and Zane. “General Kyros! Beg your pardon, sir! I’ll open the gate right away, sir!” said the soldier. The creaky gears began to move and slowly opened the gate just enough for the three to squeeze through and leave the city.

  Walking out into the wilderness, General Kyros turned to Izanami and Zane and said, “So, according to the directions Zane got from that Mage friend of yours, we have to pass over onto the other side of Mt. Shi, cross Geijan Gorge, and then follow the Palcelia River to the camp your people have set up,” said General Kyros.

  “Yeah, that’s right,” replied Zane.

  “Well, I know of Mt. Shi, but beyond that is considered uncharted land, so it will be up to the both of you to get us there. Do you know where to go?” said General Kyros.

  “Yeah, we know where those places are. We did get to leave the village once in a while, but never past the edge of the forest. Geijan Gorge is actually still within the forest’s boundaries and I’ve been there, so I can guide us,” explained Zane.

  “Alright. I figured going through the forest and climbing Mt. Shi might be suicidal,” said General Kyros.

  “No, really?!” Zane interjected in a sarcastic voice.

  “Really,” General Kyros laughed. “So, to be on the safe side, we can go around on the outskirts of the forest. There are many villages so maybe there won’t be as many vicious creatures lurking about, but it will take us a few days longer to reach our destination.”

  “Hmm… we don’t exactly have a lot of time,” said Zane.

  “I wonder if everyone could fit on Amyntas’s back?” pondered Izanami. She then closed her eyes. An electric white light formed around her. From the light, Amyntas appeared. General Kyros looked on in amazement.

  Zane felt something poking at his calf. He turned around and said, “Hey, what are you doing here?!”

  “Amyntas left, so I thought I should come too,” replied Zane’s beast guardian.

  “Hey, I just thought of something! Does this little guy even have a name?” piped up Izanami. Zane’s beast guardian shook its head. “Well, Zane, since he’s your beast guardian, you should name him.”

  “Uh… ok… how about… Favian?” offered Zane.

  “Oh, and we can call him Fav for short!” Izanami said excitedly.

  “I like it!” said Favian, as he jumped onto Zane’s shoulders.

  Izanami climbed onto Amyntas’s back and Zane followed. It appeared that there was not enough room for General Kyros. “Well, General, I guess you have to walk,” Izanami smiled. Amyntas turned around and walked several dozen yards away from the General. He opened his wings, the feathers fluttered everywhere, and the massive Chimera charged towards the General. Nearly airborne when he reached the General, Amyntas leaped up and wrapped his front legs around the General’s torso.

  General Kyros firmly gripped onto Amyntas's strong front legs as he was dangling in the air. “Try not to squirm too much, General. Amyntas might drop you!” shouted Izanami.

  “Thank you for the advice, Izanami!” General Kyros shouted back at her in a terrified voice.

  It did not take long to pass over Mount Shi, which was perpetually shrouded in a thick, shadowy mist. Looking down, Izanami could not see the forest floor as it was so thick with trees. Part of her wanted to see the village one last time, even though it was most likely in shambles. On the other hand, Izanami was not sure if she could bear seeing it in such a condition.

  Geijan Gorge was now in sight beneath them. Past the gorge was a serene valley that led towards more forest. Amyntas descended at the edge of the valley that led towards that forest. General Kyros seemed to be happy to have both of his feet on solid ground again. “Shall we rest here for the remainder of the night and continue tomorrow?” asked Amyntas.

  “I don’t think we have much choice,” said Zane as he looked to Izanami. She had already sat down, cross-legged with her head down and in a deep slumber. Amyntas lay down behind her and used his paw to lean her back onto him. Finally, he covered her with his wing to shield her from the cold wind.

  “We should be alright stopping here. Most of the dangerous creatures of the night lurk in the deepest, darkest part of the forest,” said General Kyros.

  “Don’t worry, Zane. I’ll protect you if those monsters come,” said Favian in a drowsy voice. Zane grabbed Favian from his shoulders and held him so he would not fall over. General Kyros sat down and looked up at the stars.

  “So, General…” began Zane, but was interrupted.

  “No need to address me by ‘General’ anymore. My allegiance doesn’t lie with the King anymore… it never really did. Besides, I defied him so, if all fails on our quest here, I’ll be fighting for my life just like you and Izanami. The King wasn’t always like that, though,” explained Kyros.

  “What are you hiding from us? I can tell that you are different from the other people of the outside world,” said Zane.

  “Your skill of deduction will serve you well, but always be cautious of it. It is true that I am not one of them… the ones you call ‘outsiders’; but it’s kind of complicated,” replied Kyros.

  “Try me,” said Zane. Kyros smiled.

  “You know, kid, you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you,” said Kyros. Kyros then lay back and shut his eyes. Zane pondered quietly at Kyros’s remark. He looked down at Favian who was snugly nestled on his lap, sleeping peacefully.

  Amyntas was still awake and very much alert. “Don’t sleep much, do you?” asked Zane. Amyntas turned his head towards Zane, but did not say anything. “I guess he doesn’t talk much, either,” whispered Zane to himself. Giving up on his attempts to strike a conversation with both Kyros and the Chimera, Zane shut his eyes.

  Once the sun penetrated the horizon, the party of th
ree and the beast guardians entered the part of the forest that would lead them to the Palcelia River, which would finally lead them to the camp of the village survivors. Finding the river did not take long. As soon as they located it, Izanami and Zane could already sense the barrier that the Elder of Black Heka created to surround the camp.

  They followed the river for some distance until it suddenly shifted toward another direction. But Izanami, at the front of the party, continued straight on. She increased her walking pace until she began running. The others called out to her as they chased after her. Izanami suddenly stopped running; the others caught up to her.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Zane.

  “It’s here! It’s right here! I can sense it… can’t you sense it, Zane?!” said Izanami, while panting heavily.

  Zane moved closer to stand beside Izanami. He put his hand out and exposed a light purple barrier. A small hole opened and soon the hole was large enough for everyone to fit through. When everyone was through, the hole instantly sealed itself.

  “Zane, do you know what you just did?!” exclaimed Izanami. Zane shook his head. “I think you just used Black Heka!”

  “I did?” said Zane in a puzzled voice.

  “Yes! Although, to be honest, I’m not too sure what it even is, or when we actually use it. Sometimes it just feels natural… so weird,” explained Izanami.

  “Well, shall we go? We don’t exactly have much time,” said Kyros. They continued on for a while until Zane heard something. Within a matter of seconds, he had his blade drawn and had stopped a near fatal blow targeting Izanami.

  “Damnit, Derrick! It’s just us! Now put that thing away before you actually hurt someone!” scolded Zane.

  “Zane! Izanami! You’re OK! Sorry, guys, it’s just… everyone’s really been on edge since the attack on the village, and more so now that we’ve had to abandon our homes. Is Santo with you?” asked Derrick.

  “Santo? No… he must not have got back yet… we kind of, uh, came a ‘different’ way… Derrick, where are the Elders and Grand Elder?” asked Zane impatiently.

  “I think they are in council right now, so you may have to wait a bit,” replied Derrick. Izanami and Zane pushed past Derrick and made their way into the camp.

  Izanami and Zane were on a mission. They needed to resurrect the Red Mage Army that had been disbanded for so long now. It was not to save their own lives from the now twisted King of Crescere, but it was their calling…no, it was their duty as Red Mages, to protect the innocent from evil. Even though their skills were rendered useless by the Black Pendant, who else would stand up to fight for those who could not defend themselves? Red Mages are infused with the wonders and mystery of heka, even if they are unable to fully grasp the Arts in these times. But, it seemed that the true potential of the Arts has slowly been returning to the Mages. Did this mean that the next Great Conflict, for which they had been preparing over generations, was about to begin? Were Red Mages needed. once more. by humanity?

  Their hearts were heavy with anxiety. Since Santo hadn’t returned yet, they were also now burdened with revealing to the council the horrific fate of the village’s young, innocent Mages. Izanami and Zane walked towards what seemed the biggest shelter. They assumed it would be the Elder’s Council. Voices could be heard from inside. Kyros was behind the two Mages. He seemed to become somewhat more anxious, as well, than he was before they entered the secret location.

  Typically, when the Elder’s Council is in session, everyone is forbidden to interrupt. But, considering the circumstances, Izanami and Zane felt that they must inform the Elders of the situation immediately. Taking a deep breath each, Izanami and Zane walked into the Elder’s Council.

  “What is the meaning of this?!” the Herbalism Elder, not recognizing them in the shadows of the entrance, shouted.

  “We are sorry to interrupt, but we come with important information from the outside world,” replied Izanami.

  “Children, welcome back. What news do you have for us?” said the Grand Elder.

  “We regret to report…,” began Izanami, as she approached the men. Then, she simply blurted out, “Lord Xenon took the younger Red Mages in order to turn them into some kind of soulless, enslaved creatures to do his bidding! But… I think he pushed it too far, and they all… perished,” she choked. “He… he… kind of took the Emerald Tablet too…,” stammered Izanami.

  The Grand Elder looked at her in shock. Then he stood up from his seat and walked over to Zane. Raising his hand, he readied himself to strike Zane. Before he could strike him, Kyros grabbed the Grand Elder by the wrist. The Grand Elder looked at Kyros and turned ghastly pale.

  “Listen, old man, what’s done is done. Striking the boy won’t change the situation. Now sit down, shut up, and listen to what these kids have to say,” scolded Kyros.

  “How dare you address the Grand Elder in such a way, you swine!” roared the Herbalism Elder. The Elder of Black Heka urged the Herbalism Elder to calm down, and then signalled for Izanami and Zane to speak.

  “It’s true we lost the Tablet, but I will do everything in my power to get it back. I’ll surrender my life to the Flow of Life, if I have to. But, right now, we must act upon the situation before us. Elders, I beg of you to resurrect the Red Mage Army to fight against the evil fiend, Xenon. I do not quite understand his motives but, if we challenge him now, maybe more innocent deaths can be avoided,” said Zane.

  “Please, Elders, let the Great Army live once more and join forces with the men and women of the outside world. The coming events will very much affect us, even if we stand idle here. So, why not fight? All our lives we have been told we train for the next great conflict to protect mankind… well, that conflict is on our doorstep. What is your decision?” said Izanami.

  “Those barbarians destroyed our village…killed our children,” replied the Grand Elder, still in shock.

  “Izanami is right. It is our duty to act and fight once more. Last time, before the Great Purification, the Red Mage Army rejected their duty, and look what happened. Carnage, absolute carnage! Our people served as slaves of war because they were too afraid to act. We lost our full connection to the Arts because of that poor decision. Now, our youth are becoming strong with the Arts once more. Is that not a clear enough sign for us to act? Or are you letting your emotions hinder your leading abilities?” ranted the Elder of Black Heka.

  “Euclid is right, we must act now. We must resurrect the great army of old… the Red Mage Army,” replied the Elder of White Heka.

  “If it’s a fight this Xenon wants… he’s going to get one!” exclaimed the Combat Elder.

  “Why should we help those barbarians? Throughout our entire history we have only been slaves used to protect them, and nothing more. And look what they’ve done to us now! They mindlessly murdered our people and destroyed our homes!” argued the Herbalism Elder.

  “But, don’t you remember the teachings of our history? Red Mages were treated with the utmost respect among the people, and even the royalty, in ancient times. Humans aren’t perfect, and they have done us wrong in the past, but what is the point of keeping grudges for centuries? Can we not stand up for what is right and show that we have not lost the reason for the respect given us in the past? We were taught that it is a gift to be a Red Mage – one that should never be wasted or used for malicious intent. If we do nothing, then we are not worthy of the gift,” replied Izanami.

  “The young Mage speaks truth. So, Grand Elder, what say you… we assemble the Red Mage army and begin our march?” asked the Elder of Black Heka.

  The Grand Elder sat quietly for a moment, conflict raging in his expression. The Herbalism Elder appeared poised to continue his protest.

  “In times of distress and lack of unanimity, the Elder’s Council will act democratically. Let us do what is right and just…,” said the Grand Elder, with resignation.

  “Everyone, prepare for the march!” ordered the Elder of Black Heka.r />
  Izanami and Zane left the Elder’s Council, with Kyros following behind. Soon, Zane’s father emerged and walked towards the centre of the refugee camp.

  “Everyone, please stop what you are doing and listen. Our time has come… the time has come to assemble the Red Mage Army. Every Red Mage and Red Mage Warrior alike, prepare to leave on a march to Alexandros! I know we have all suffered great losses, but we will avenge all that has been lost! We will complete our duty to protect mankind from indiscriminate evil!” exclaimed the Elder of Black Heka.

  “Zane, you should probably go see your mother before we leave,” said Izanami. He nodded and left. As for Izanami, she wanted to go see Artemis. The entire time she had been away, she was so worried about her.

  Izanami circled around the refugee camp a few times, but she did not spot Artemis, or Artemis’s mother.

  “Looking for something?” asked a familiar voice. Izanami turned around and recognized the source of the voice.

  “Teacher…! Have you seen Artemis? I’ve been looking everywhere for her.” It was Izanami’s old teacher that had taught her everything she knew about the Arts and her combat skills. Even though Izanami had advanced to Red Mage Warrior status, she still felt slightly intimidated by her childhood mentor.

  “No one has told you yet?” answered her teacher, hesitantly.

  “Told me what?” asked Izanami, fear welling in her chest.

  “Artemis… was killed in the raid that destroyed our village. She died protecting our people. She put up a good fight, but it wasn’t enough. I’m so sorry, Izanami… I know how much she meant to you.”

  Izanami stood silent. Even with everything that had happened since she left the village, none of it made her feel as hopeless and empty as she felt at this instant. She prayed that she would now wake up from this nightmare… but it was no nightmare, it was reality - one from which she could never awaken. Everything had now been taken away from her. She had grown up with no family for many years. But Artemis had filled that void, and it was only now that she fully realized to what extent. Izanami walked away from her former teacher without saying a word. She walked as if she no longer realized where she was or what she had come to accomplish. She bumped into Kyros, but did not say anything; she did not even look at him. She just kept walking. There was no emotion on her pale face.

  Kyros turned to follow her. Away from the shelters, Izanami sat down under a bluff of trees. She put her hood up and lowered her head. Her long, golden hair covered her face completely. Kyros kneeled down in front of her and said, “Hey, what’s wrong?” Izanami kept her head down so her face could not be seen by Kyros, and she began to cry.

  “It’s not fair…,” Izanami sobbed.

  “What’s not fair?” Kyros asked softly. He then wrapped his arms around Izanami and pressed her head against his chest.

  “Everyone important to me keeps getting taken away from me… first, it was my brother and father, then my mother, and now my best friend. I can’t handle it anymore… I have no one left…,” Izanami began to weep heavily.

  It took some time for Kyros to reply to her, “Izanami, I will always be there for you, and I’ll protect you to the death. You also have Zane and I’m sure he’d do the same,” said Kyros. The tone of his voice seemed to have a sense of regretful sorrow in it. Izanami felt confused and conflicted by his reaction.

  Zane had spotted the two of them and walked over to them. In an uneasy voice, he asked, “What’s going on here?” Kyros told Zane Izanami’s sad news.

  “Zane, why don’t you sit with her for a bit? I’m going to go look around,” said Kyros. Kyros grabbed Zane and sat him down next to Izanami and left them.

  Kyros walked to the centre of the refugee camp where the Elder of Black Heka was giving orders and said to him, “We need to talk.”

  “I assumed that much,” replied the Elder of Black Heka. Euclid had Kyros follow him into one of the shelters. “It’s not very private, but it’ll have to do. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

  “Really?!” Kyros looked astounded. “What do you mean by that?”

  “Well, thirteen years ago I suspected that you were truthful. I could sense that heka flowed strongly through you, even at that young age, which is the first sign of a Warrior of Light. But, in this case, what was truth is now tale…what was tale is now truth… together as one, yet separate,” said Euclid.

  “Those words have tormented me all these years… the words that marked my exile,” replied Kyros.

  “Our Grand Elder, indeed, has not been the strongest in our history. He is not even completely one with the Arts. He could not reconcile with the fact that a mere child could do things that he will never be able to,” said Euclid.

  “Izanami is not as far along as me, but I sense that will change soon,” said Kyros. Euclid nodded in agreement. “Now that things have progressed as they have, I no longer have any doubts about my future,” said Kyros.

  “It does seem that way… welcome home, Lucian,” said Euclid.

  “I haven’t been called that in years,” sighed Kyros. “Call me Kyros, okay.”

  “Very well… but, never deny who you are,” replied Euclid.

  “In due time, my old mentor, in due time,” said Kyros.