“I don’t know, I just know what it says, somehow.” said David, equally in wonder. He was still running his hands over the hilt of the sword, getting familiar with its every curve and detail.
He finally put the sword back in its scabbard and thanked Erin for keeping it safe, making a mental note to remember to thank Gilric if he ever saw him again.
“I’ve decided that I’m going to fight” said David, looking at Erin and Tyrius.
“I knew that you were going to say that.” said Erin, “and that’s why I had already decided to fight too.” she said, smiling.
“You two are about as troublesome as they come!” said Tyrius, shaking his head and smiling despite himself.
“But I suspected as much. After all, you are the chosen one for a reason, and that reason is to liberate the world from tyranny. That tyranny doesn’t have to only be from the Defiant One.” he said, his heart brimming with pride at the display of courage from David and Erin.
“So be it, we will fight together. May the Creator God be forever on our side!” he said, to which they all agreed.
They spent the rest of the evening pouring over their plans and the following day traveled throughout the city with Natan and his men, spreading word of the coming operation the following evening, and giving the people small glimpses here and there of David and his orb-hand.
By mid-afternoon of the next day, the day before the planned revolt, they had gathered enough men and women to form three equal groups of two hundred each, and a small infiltrating party of fifty men who agreed to take the tunnel into the Guild compound and strike from within.
All together they had amassed a total of six-hundred and fifty men and women, all prepared to lay down their lives for the chance of freedom.
The rest of the afternoon they spent preparing for the next morning when they would begin their march to the markets and ignite the flame of rebellion.
***
The morning had come faster than David had expected, and the sun was just starting to grow higher in the sky, it’s first rays of light peaking over the horizon and spreading its fiery tendrils across the pinkish sky.
The groups were all positioned just outside of each of the three major markets and were waiting for the time to come to begin their strike.
The procession of Wolf Guard and Guild members entered on time, as was expected, to gather for the first shipment of supplies from the docks and make their selections to bring back to the central district for disbursements.
David and the others looked over to Natan, who nodded that the time had come.
In the distance across the market, several of his men grabbed their torches and started setting the market ablaze in the predetermined locations.
Instantaneously flames erupted around the perimeter of the market, sending the inhabitants into a panicked frenzy, and setting the Wolf Guard and Guild members on high alert, who were now scanning the area for the perpetrators and any coming threats.
Seeing that the enemy was now blocked in the market behind the wall of flames, David, Erin, Tyrius, and Natan, along with their band of roughly two-hundred rebels started running through the streets towards the central district.
When they reached the inner-city gate, they plowed through the two guards standing duty before they were able to ring the bells, but somewhere in the distance at one of the other gates, they heard the distinct sound of bells ringing.
David turned to Erin in alarm, “They must have seen the smoke rising from the markets throughout the city and began ringing the bells in alarm!” he screamed as they rushed through the gates.
“It doesn’t matter now! We have to press on to the central pyramid!” she yelled back in reply.
They pressed on through the city until they caught sight of the main steps leading up to the entrance of the central Pyramid. Out from the main entrance poured a procession of armed wolves, ready to face the incoming threat.
They turned to David’s band of rebels, ready to face them head on, when suddenly behind them one of the other groups came running up, screaming wildly and crashing into their flanks.
With the wolves distracted and caught off guard, David and the others charged into their ranks and the mayhem of battle, quickly cutting away anyone who dared step in their path on their way up the stone staircase and into the main building.
When David, Erin, and Tyrius reached the top, Natan and his rebels following quickly behind, they were confronted by a group of wolves being led by Bloodvayne himself.
They were armed and ready for battle.
David and the others didn’t waste any time rushing into the fight while a few of the men broke off from formation and down the corridor that David had told them led to the prison cells.
As the rush of the battle filled David’s mind, he suddenly noticed for the first time since Eldergate that his body was reacting faster than he could think. His movements were smooth and collected, his response to every assault was calculated automatically without any thought or worry, as if his body were responding to the threats all on its own.
Emboldened by the sudden awakening of his powers, David pressed on his attack, twirling around a swinging blade and slashing the back of a wolf, sending him howling in pain before he pressed onward through the ranks to get to Bloodvayne.
He had had enough of the Wolf Guard; it was time to end this once and for all.
As Erin watched David gliding effortlessly through the lines of Wolves, she realized his powers must be returning and screamed out in renewed strength as she rushed into a flurry of attacks, sending her opponent reeling on his hind legs despite him being twice her size.
He tried to recover, but she was too quick and nimble, easily maneuvering around his heavy blows, and finally, after rolling under his legs, she plunged her sword into his back before he fell to the ground defeated.
Quickly moving on to her next opponent, she fell into a trance-like battle rhythm, weaving in and out between swings from her opponents, ducking and dodging and spinning around like a dancer, hacking, and slashing in a mindless frenzy.
Wolves fell behind her, one after another, in a bloodbath of ferocious attacks.
Meanwhile, Tyrius was just as busy swinging his staff with strength and precision to knock his opponents backward or to the ground for others to take down with their swords, harpoons, and fishhooks.
In a matter of just a few minutes, the majority of the wolves were either dead or severely wounded, while only a handful of the rebel forces had been taken out.
David, having dispatched the final opponent between him and Bloodvayne with ease, began walking towards the giant beast, prepared to take him on.
Just then, another sizeable force of Wolf Guard came rushing from one of the interior hallways, breaking the fight into renewed frenzy. The rebel forces charged into the incoming Wolves, keeping them occupied while David and Bloodvayne locked their swords in a powerful show of force.
Another group of rebels came rushing from the hallways to their left with Riyan and a few other men at their side, armed to the teeth and ready for battle. The fighting that ensured was vicious and bloody.
Meanwhile, David and Bloodvayne had locked in combat. The wolf tried using his superior size and strength to his advantage, sending powerful, man-crushing blows at his opponent one after another, but David, being smaller and nimbler, simply dodged and deflected the attacks, causing Bloodvayne to roar in frustration and renewed rage. He rushed at David in a flurry of brutal attacks, causing David to second-guess his sudden confidence of his newly kindled connection to the orb, putting him on the defensive.
He raised his sword time and time again, trying to block the powerful blows aimed at his face, his midsection, his legs, just to barely get his blade up in time to keep from being gutted by the wolf’s curved blade.
David didn’t know how much longer he could keep up this level of assault, as his arms were growing weak from the constant barrage of attacks. He glanced to his side to see Erin st
ill fighting with the other forces, holding the wolves at bay, but completely unaware of his dire situation.
It seemed he was on his own.
Desperately trying to figure out a way to keep from being killed, David felt deep within for the presence of the orb. He could almost sense its presence, far away, pulsing faintly within a deep recess of his being, ready to be released.
If he could just get to it, he would be able to access his powers and take out Bloodvayne once and for all.
He could see the look in Bloodvayne’s eyes as he continued his relentless attack. His confidence was building, and a smirk was growing on the corner of his black, glossy lips, revealing his yellowed fangs and plump, red tongue.
He knew he was winning.
In a last-ditch effort for survival, David gave up on his attempt to reach his powers and lunged out of the way of a deadly thrust, causing Bloodvayne to stumble beneath the weight of his own blow. He had overcompensated, anticipating a resistance that never came.
Seeing his opening, David rolled out of the dive and onto his feet, spinning quickly as he landed on his feet before hurling his blade with both hands and putting all of his weight into the lunge towards the back of the big wolf.
He watched as the blade twirled over and over, blade over hilt, as it soared gracefully through the air.
Bloodvayne, seeing the flash of metal from the corner of his eye as it flew through the air, had little time to react as he tried to turn to avoid the attack. But he was too late.
The tip of the blade pierced into his side, gouging his lungs, and rendering them useless as the edge cut into his flesh and between his ribs.
The beast reared up in pain, howling and clutching at his side, until the cry was abruptly silenced with a loud gurgling as the blood filled his lungs and throat, cutting off the sound.
The great beast fell to the floor, panting heavily as his lifeblood spilled across the floor.
The rest of the rebel forces, having finally dispatched the last of the enemy wolves, quickly ran to David’s aid, checking to make sure he was okay before cheering loudly for their victory.
Natan, seeing Bloodvayne lying lifeless on the floor, walked over to him, and cut off his head before carrying it out to the front entrance and holding it high into the air for all to see.
“Your leader is dead! Surrender now or face a similar fate!” he screamed, to which everyone stopped their fighting and turned to see the poor orphan turned rebel holding up the decapitated head of the great leader of the Southern Wolf Guard.
One by one the wolves dropped their weapons and bowed their heads in defeat. The surviving rebel forces bound their hands and round up their weapons before they all lifted their hands into the air and cheered, elated in victory.
Suddenly, the roar of tens of thousands of men, women, and children could be heard echoing through the streets. A large procession of citizens came marching through the streets from all directions, headed towards the central courtyard before the pyramid shaped headquarters. They were holding weapons of all kinds, mostly tools, and were chasing the last remaining forces of men and wolves towards the central district.
When the enemy forces reached the main gates and saw their brethren and leaders were defeated here as well, they stopped running and simply dropped their weapons, allowing the crowd to push them into the center and round up their weapons and bind their hands like the others.
The remaining citizens, seeing the severed head of Bloodvayne held high in the air by one of their own and the remaining forces bound at the steps of the great pyramid, began cheering loudly, raising their weapons in the air, and chanting at the top of their lungs “Victory! Victory!”
David and the others watched as the crowd marched the remaining forces of wolves and Guild members, of which they happily saw Jakob Zander among them, to the edges of the city, forcing them to flee into the wilderness never to return again.
The city was finally free – the people of Brineport would live in fear no more. They were now all makers of their own destiny.
***
That night they held a great feast in celebration of their victory over the enemy.
David, Erin, and Tyrius were held as honored and esteemed guests of the highest regard as stories of their heroic deeds were told in dramatic fashion by a group of men and woman, acting out the events of the past few days accompanied by lively songs and dances for all to partake in.
They laughed and danced through the night, happy to have been able to help the people of Brineport rid themselves of their oppressive overlords.
Later, when David finally had a moment to speak with Tyrius and Erin alone, he told them of his moment in the battle where he felt the orb’s power once again.
“That is great news, David!” said Tyrius, patting him on the back heavily. “Do you still feel it now?” he asked eagerly.
“A little…it’s nothing like I felt during the battle. It still feels so far away, but when I was fighting, I could tell it was directing me like it used to before. I think something about the fighting was rekindling the connection somehow.” replied David.
Tyrius stood for a moment in silence, thinking over the past few weeks before he finally responded, “David, I think I know what may be going on.” he said, to which David and Erin both leaned in closer to hear what he had to say.
“When the Defiant One was released, you put a lot of the blame on yourself. You have carried that weight with you, blaming yourself for the destruction and dangers we’ve been facing since that fateful day.” said Tyrius.
David nodded in acknowledgement, he had in fact blamed himself for what happened. Without David’s powers, the Defiant One wouldn’t be a threat today, as it was his powers that gave General Krauss the surge needed to perform the ritual and break open the seal between their world and the Dark Abyss, setting him and his army of demons free.
“With that guilt, came a lack of confidence in yourself and your own worth. I think that has led to a blockage of sorts in your connection to the source of your powers.” he continued.
“That makes sense…” said David, thinking it over, “But then why am I now starting to feel it again?” he asked Tyrius.
“I think it is because you are starting to believe in yourself again,” said Tyrius. “These people’s faith in you has inspired you enough to make you question the doubt you’ve been carrying and is giving you a new sense of confidence and purpose that is dissolving that barrier.” he said. “I believe, with time, your powers would come back as you push away those feelings of doubt and release the blame you hold on yourself. However…” he said, “We don’t have the luxury of allowing you the time needed to do that by yourself.” said Tyrius.
“This is why we must get you to the Crystal Caverns as soon as possible. Their restorative and amplifying properties will help speed along this process of healing, giving you the surge needed to reestablish your connection to the orb, and possibly make it even greater than ever before.” he finished.
“I know what must be done,” said David, “Now that we have accomplished what we set out to do, we can return to our journey north. We will leave at first light.”
Both Erin and Tyrius agreed, and seeing the conversation was over, decided to leave their worries for the coming days and instead focus on the festivities of the night.
They spent the rest of the evening learning the local dances and songs, partaking in their excellent zesty ales, and letting the mood of the celebration take them away from the worries of the world, if only just for a few more hours.
Chapter XXVIII
The following morning David, Erin, and Tyrius woke and were beginning to gather their things for the long journey north once again, when Natan and Anita asked them where they were headed so soon.
“We have to continue on with our journey, Natan.” replied Tyrius, “It is a long way to the north where we are headed, and we do not have the luxury of time on our side I’m afraid.”
“My friends, we wo
uld be honored to help you on your journey. Please, let us take you there on one of our great ships. We will take you wherever you please!” he said, grinning and holding out his arms in invitation.
Tyrius and the others exchanged hopeful looks and each nodded in turn, agreeing to accept Natan’s gracious offer.
“We would be grateful for such assistance.” said Tyrius, accepting his offer, “But, I thought only the wealthy had ships?” asked Tyrius, remembering Natan’s explanation the other day of how the shipping industry operated.
“This is true, but that is the old way. We are making a new way now, a way that benefits us all. We will break up the shipping industry and give the ships back to the people. Come, let us gather you some supplies and find you a ship!” he said, leading them to the doorway.
He led them through the city, which now was livelier than ever. Everywhere they looked and went, people were moving about busily throughout the streets with confidence. A smile stretched across everyone’s faces, and they were no longer wearing looks of fear or uncertainty regardless of where they were at in the city.
It was a good feeling knowing they played a part in the cause that led to such happiness and joy among the people.
When they reached the docks, there were a series of great fishing ships with massive masts that stretched to the sky. Each ship was being loaded for the coming trips out to the South Sea that would bring back masses of fish and other sea creatures for distribution among the newly freed population. They were all eager to begin their day as free men and women that would all benefit from the day’s hard work.
Natan walked up to one of the men who was holding what looked like a supply list, checking off each item as it was being loaded.
It was one of the men who had been fighting with them during the uprising, and he apparently was now in charge of the ship docked before him.
“Hello Robert! Good day to sail, yeah?” asked Natan cheerfully.
David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation Page 22