“I do not have to let them go to move forward!” Crinnan shouted, “If that is what you are trying to tell me.” His father suddenly approached with arms open wide. Crinnan hesitated for a moment and shook his head. Finally, he gritted his teeth together and shoved his sword through his father’s chest and his father smiled.
Tears fell down his eyes and he fell to his knees as he threw the sword away from himself. He bent over and pounded his fist against the ground beneath him. He knew it was an illusion but it weighed heavily on him. Thoughts flashed in his mind, he saw when he first met Alec and Elia, he sparred with his father, he felt Milinka’s lips on his in the Kamlotian Woods... He wanted them, all of them, he wanted to be by all of their sides even to just hear their voices. They didn’t need to acknowledge him or love him back; he just wanted to know that they were okay. As he wept, The Other approached.
“What must die for you to be born anew?” The Other’s voice echoed. He stepped forward, his sword at his side and a terrible look plastered on his face, “If not them then what?” Crinnan screamed and pushed himself up off the ground. He ran forward and as the two were about to collide, The Other vanished and everything went black again.
Crinnan stood in the darkness, alone and sniffling. He saw and heard nothing, but felt everything. The sound of silence made his own thoughts seem louder than they had ever been. He stood and listened to himself think and clenched his teeth together.
The loneliness that Crinnan craved in real life turned out to be more than he could handle. He pushed everyone away, found a reason to hate those that loved him. He had convinced himself that he wanted to be alone but he was hiding, running from something more. Crinnan shook his head and heard The Other speak again.
“What do you hope for?” He whispered.
“Love.” Crinnan found himself sobbingly admit. At that, a blinding light pulsed and Crinnan found himself standing in a new room. It was dim, lit only by a single torch mounted on a wet bluestone wall. His eyes immediately found Milinka sitting, hugging her knees.
“You made it out...” She sounded relieved yet bothered and quickly got to her feet and approached him. She had been weeping and wiped the tears away to try and hide it but her bloodshot eyes gave her away.
“Yeah,” Crinnan blinked and shook his head, “You... you did too… are you real?”
“Unfortunately,” Milinka sniffled as she lowered her head. Crinnan nodded and the two stood silently and stared at each other for a moment. Words weren’t spoken, they didn’t need to be. Crinnan motioned toward the wall and they walked over and sat down.
“Where is Ander?” Crinnan asked.
“I was hoping you knew,” Milinka replied, “I have not seen him yet.”
“So it is just us.”
“Yeah. I… really hate this place.” She lowered her head and stared at the ground.
“I do too,” Crinnan was still confused from his revelation, “Did you… face your fear or whatever?”
“I think so,” she shivered, “It was… terrifying.”
“It was,” Crinnan agreed. He reached up and wiped a rogue tear from his eye and then glanced over at Milinka. She sat, hugging her knees with her head resting against her leg. She had been through much more than he had, he felt a strange urge to comfort her but he did not know how.
“So,” he finally said as he broke the silence, “How… have you been?”
Milinka gave him a dumbfounded look and laughed, “I have clearly been better, but yeah thanks.”
“Yeah,” Crinnan rested his head against the moist wall behind him. “I have too.”
“So you… became a Centurion after all,” Milinka observed, “Apparently not a very good one.” Crinnan looked up and scrunched up his face.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” He asked, mildly offended.
“You are dead,” She smirked, “Centurions are not supposed to die.”
“I wish I had known that,” Crinnan looked down at the ground in front of him, “So you are engaged to Vice-Commander Card?”
She rolled her eyes and bit her lower lip, reluctantly nodding as she did so, “I was.” She shrugged her shoulders, “I have only met him twice, my father arranged the marriage. He wanted to enhance the Elvish blood in his future generations and saw Card as the best Elf for the job.”
“That sucks,” Crinnan reminisced, “My father tried to arrange a marriage for me once. A few years after Kamlot.”
“Really?” Milinka laughed, “I bet that would have been funny to watch. What was her name?”
“The girl?” Crinnan asked, not thinking.
“No, your dad,” Milinka sarcastically blurted, rolling her eyes, “Yes the girl you dolt.”
“Oh,” Crinnan shook his head, “Her name was Zenia. She was a real bitch. I ended up breaking her father’s collarbone and spent a week in jail. Needless to say, my father canceled everything.”
“Oh to have lord fathers,” Milinka laughed, “The joys of noble children, right?”
“Right,” Crinnan smirked, “Our parents truly make our lives so fucking great.”
Milinka smiled for a moment but then sighed and looked down at the ground again. Crinnan looked over at her and felt a chill run through his body. He still found her to be quite beautiful and was drawn to her from the moment he realized who she was. He hated feeling that way, and while his stomach churned his heart could not stop pounding.
“So it has… been a while,” she volunteered, glancing over at him, “I guess the army treated you well.”
“I guess so,” Crinnan agreed, “You as well, Commander…”
“Stop it. Leadership is okay though,” She shrugged, “It pays well. People love me.”
Crinnan’s mind flashed back to their time in Kamlot. They were young and he had told her he loved her. It wasn’t a lie, he did love her… back then. He cringed at the thought, of his fear of losing the ones he loves. He looked at Milinka deeply and realized that she was one of the people he loved… that he loved her so much differently than he did everyone else, and that he had for seven years. He felt embarrassed by the thought, but as he looked at her, he felt the embarrassment fade away.
“Do you… ever think about it?” He finally asked, not making eye contact. He felt like he was a teenager again, awkward and scared. He looked at the palms of his hands and heard Milinka snicker.
“By it, you mean…” Milinka looked at him with a goofy look on her face, “Kamlot right? Me and you against the world, swinging swords like we knew how and staying up all night kissing under the stars as our hearts blended into one?”
Crinnan looked up at her and the two couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of it all. He shook his head and bit his lower lip.
“Yeah,” He couldn’t get the smile off his face, “Yeah that would be it.”
“Then yes, Crinnan,” Milinka’s smile faded and she looked at him seriously and passionately, “I think of it… often.”
“Me too,” Crinnan admitted. He lowered his head again and looked at the moldy floor he sat on, “Sometimes I dream about it. Sometimes when I’m laying outside on a mission, I look up at Igo and the stars and wonder if you’re doing the same… it always shuts out the sound of my friends talking. I imagine you and I are looking up and there a line that’s bouncing off the moon and connecting us.”
“There he is,” Milinka laughed as she shoved Crinnan in the shoulder, “Crinnan the poet. You know you do not always have to fight yourself. It is okay for you to open up once in a while.”
“Shut up,” He said as he rested his head against the wall behind him, “The world’s too… dangerous to open up. Connecting with others is, in general, a bad idea, even my best friends… they don’t necessarily know the real me.”
“Do I?” Milinka asked. Crinnan closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He turned his head toward her and smiled.
“Yeah.” He grunted.
“Yeah?” She cocked her head and looked at his eyes, “You know, that
week we spent together was… probably the best week of my life.” She snickered and shook her head, “Pitiful I know but… damn Crinnan, you made me feel something like I never felt before… fuck you for never coming back, fuck the Hells out of you, you piece of shit.”
“Ouch,” Crinnan muttered. For a moment the two stared in silence at each other. She had been his first, his only love, and he had been her first as well. Whatever strange threads of fate had led them to find each other in a place like the Hells left him feeling angry, furious, yet… grateful. He felt like he had missed his opportunity in life, but the Hells had given him a second chance, an opportunity to talk to her again… his heart felt full, hopeful. It felt right like everything inside of him was working like it was supposed to. All the anger, all the grumpiness, and coldness he felt toward everybody seemed to lift off him and be replaced by an overwhelming feeling of love and desire for the girl he had fallen for so many years ago.
Milinka finally closed her eyes and lowered her head. Crinnan looked over at her and felt his heart began to pound with fear. Dread’s Keep was right, he never wanted to lose that girl again. She made him feel whole; she made him happy. Crinnan gently lifted his arm and stretched it across her back. Fearfully, he took hold of her shoulder and pulled her into him. She did not resist, she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Crinnan released his breath and rested his cheek on the top of her head and she reached up and slipped her fingers into his.
“One day we have to stop meeting in the worst situations of our lives,” She whispered. The two laughed and finally, she looked up at him. She bit her lower lip and had a longing in her eyes that he remembered from Kamlot. He leaned his face in closer. He could feel the magnetism between them, he wanted to kiss her and as he finally felt her breath on his lips, god damn fucking Ander finally emerged from the shadows.
He burst forward hunched over, and visibly weakened by his time with his fears. He breathed heavily, and his entire body throbbed as he did so. He stepped up to the others and fell to his knees.
“It is finished,” He declared with a frightening smile. A menacing laugh broke through his lips and he wore a strange look of victory mixed with relief, “I am finally reborn!”
“Are you okay?” Milinka asked as she got to her feet. She hurried over to help him but he quickly shrugged her off.
“I have wasted too much time here,” Ander declared in a tone that lacked emotion. Something about him was different; changed perhaps, “The lord of this castle awaits, we must press onward!”
“Ander,” Crinnan grabbed him by the shoulders, “Are you okay, you were in there for...”
“Release me,” He growled as he pushed Crinnan backward, “Grant me space… please.”
“Fine,” Crinnan nodded and stepped back, “I understand.”
Ander closed his eyes and shook his head, “You never will, child,” He grit his teeth together and smiled again. As he looked Crinnan in the eyes, Crinnan could see that something was eating away at him, something he experienced when he faced his fears, no doubt, “Verily I say unto thee, when we leave this accursed place, these Hells, we will free our planet. We shall be the saviors of all, I will restore order and rebuild the world and you two will be by my side.”
“What are you talking about?” Crinnan asked as he looked over at Milinka. She wore the same confused look as he did and then both of them looked to Ander.
“All will be revealed in time my friends,” Ander reached out and squeezed Crinnan’s shoulders. He nodded at Milinka; his eyes were wide and he would not stop smiling, “I have come to the realization that our meeting was not by chance. ‘Tis destiny at work I do believe. Verily I say, clarity has been instilled in me. There is only one true way.”
Crinnan blinked and nodded his head. Ander was talking crazy and Crinnan did not want to upset him, “Let’s go to the lord of this castle then. Let’s get to the next level.”
Ander smiled wickedly and nodded. Crinnan saw the menace behind Ander’s eyes and it frightened him. He resisted the urge to reach for his sword, and instead let Ander lead the way.
“Most certainly. Follow me.” Ander’s hands ignited with flame and he better illuminated the room around them. It was made mostly of dark gray or blue stone and the walls glistened as if they were wet. Ander passed through a doorway and into a long corridor with a high vaulted ceiling. As the trio walked, the only sound that could be heard was their footsteps echoing off the walls.
“The throne room is this way,” Ander’s hollow voice announced as he led the others, “This castle was modeled after Dardin’s Keep, owned by a Vampre warlord from the Age of Blood. It is said that within the winding catacombs beneath, Dardin practiced necromancy and unleashed unspeakable horrors on those he held captive. Before the church destroyed the original structure, I once had an opportunity to wander its halls. The atrocities that were committed there truly did leave behind an air of dread. It was magnificent.”
Magnificent? Something had changed inside Ander, something bad. Crinnan knew it and when he looked over at Milinka, he could tell that she too was wary of the Vampre. The two walked side by side and their fingers occasionally brushed against each other. Each time they did, Crinnan felt a tingly wave of comfort come over him. That wave lasted only as long as his eyes stayed off Ander.
“We are nearing the throne room,” Ander announced, looking back at the other two, “This castle’s lord is a unique one. The challenge he presents is randomized. Therefore, we never know what to expect when we walk inside. Be on your guard.”
“This is what is commonly referred to as an instance,” Crinnan heard the voice of Sage say into his head, “Since you are there, I realize you may have already discovered the way to the next level.”
“Yeah,” Crinnan whispered, “Can you hear me?”
“I can,” Sage replied, “The female in your party is ready for battle with demons. I see she has found a weapon. Very good, she is also able to use magic abilities. I should say that having never used NaNe power in the real world, she may have difficulty figuring out how to take advantage of it.”
“I will let her know,” Crinnan’s voice was barely audible, “Do you have any advice?”
“Yes,” Sage replied, “If a girl touches your hand it is never an accident.”
“No!” Crinnan shouted and swiped his hand through the air. Ander and Milinka turned and looked at him, both wearing surprised expressions.
“Do not worry about it,” Crinnan waved them away, “It is the guy from the real world again.”
“The castle’s lord is mighty,” Sage said, “But I should say he can be beaten, you must be the one to do it though.”
“Well that is great,” Crinnan groaned, “But how do I defeat him?”
“Based on what I am seeing on my side, you will have to volunteer to die,” Sage replied quickly and with a distracted tone, “That is the challenge he will present. Die, respawn and fight your way back... Curses, I have to go; the church is onto me but just trust me.”
“What do you mean, volunteer?” Crinnan asked.
“Just do it, you will know when the time comes. We may be able to talk again after you die and respawn. Be safe, be confident, and that girl loves you. Love her back.”
Crinnan snorted and rolled his eyes. Sage was gone, and
“We have arrived,” Ander pointed to a tall split wooden door in an arched frame, “The castle’s lord awaits behind.”
Ander pushed on the doors and the trio stepped into the throne room. The room was long with tall, dark pillars lining the path to the lord’s seat. A torch hung on each pillar, illuminating the blue carpet that led to the steps on the opposite end of the room. The castle’s lord sat in a high-backed chair, a carved dark stone throne. His elbow rested on one of the armrests and his chin rested on his balled fist. He wore shining silver plate armor and in his free hand was a heavy looking golden scepter with a leather-wrapped handle.
“Three questions,” The lord
suddenly bellowed as the trio approached, his deep voice echoing off the walls, “Three souls. Who shall be the first to answer?”
“Questions?” Ander repeated as he looked over at Crinnan with a confused expression, “Whatever do you mean?”
“Three questions.” The lord repeated, “For three souls.”
“Do forgive me, my lord, but I did expect a more physical trial,” Ander argued, “Will we not be fighting?”
“No,” The Lord replied, “Who shall answer?”
“I will.” Milinka stepped forward. Crinnan watched her as she approached the steps that led to the lord’s seat. Ander looked anxious, his head snapped over to Milinka and back to Crinnan. He shook his head and held his hands out.
“What do you fear?” The Lord asked, the words seeming to seethe from his helmet.
“I fear…” Milinka looked down at her feet, “Being alone. Never again seeing the ones I love or the ones I do not know I love yet.”
“Why do you fear solitude?” The Lord asked. Milinka sighed and shook her head.
“Because then there is only me,” She admitted, “I am left with my thoughts, the darkness inside my head. I have to face myself, to answer to the deepest part of me, for things I regret doing.”
The Lord stood; he was nearly as tall as a Gaian. His armor rattled as he moved and he hoisted his scepter up and rested it on his shoulder.
“Who among you three do you wish to die?” He asked, remaining motionless.
“What?” Milinka replied, looking up at him, “What do you mean?”
“The key to the door lies in the blood,” The Lord explained, “Choose.”
“No, I cannot do that!” Milinka protested, “That’s not…”
“Me,” Crinnan stepped forward, remembering what Sage had said, “Kill me.” He hoped Sage knew what he was talking about.
The Black Knight Box Set Page 42