Forgotten Conqueror

by Za1d3

  ——————————-

  Zavon looked at the bloody boy a short distance away from him with eyes filled with horror.

  Only moments after the earth spikes that had taken two of his subordinates, another three were already dead. As if to insult them even further, the boy was now looking at him, waiting for his team to make the first move.

  ‘This can’t be. This is impossible!’ His mind shouted. All his senses were running amok, whispering for him to preserve his life. Even his risky nature was now telling him to get away from the thing that was in front of him.

  Yet, where could he possible run off to? They were trapped within the bloody whirlwind. He did not know how to counter such a phenomenon, and would require time to figure out how to deal with the storm—not to mention the lengthy incantation that may be required.

  As if alive, the storm intensified and pulled the five dead bodies outward, sucking them into the hurricane. Zavon could do nothing but erect a defense around himself, trying to keep from being sucked in. He watched helplessly as another three of his subordinates failed to root themselves on the ground and were swept up by the pull.

  Drizzles of newly spilt blood rained down on them.

  “Are we done here?” The boy asked, standing in the same place where he had just taken Ladur’s life.

  No one answered the boy.

  Zavon looked towards his few remaining men, catching faces filled with fear and disbelief. Suddenly, the boy’s hair flashed and a bright light assaulted their eyes. Zavon’s vision was seared by the blinding light, and all he could hear was the sound of bones and flesh being ripped apart.

  Mauling his eyes—as if to gouge them out—he screamed out in pain. “What did you do?!” He angrily shouted at the boy as thick liquid and bits of what could only be flesh began bombarding him.

  He received no answer, only the screams of agony from his men.

  The hot searing pain eventually receded and his vision returned, revealing a crimson world filled with carnage.

  He was covered in blood from head to toe. Looking around, only four of his men remained: they too were covered in blood from head to toe. He noticed that the storm had vanished, and the sun was shining down on the bloody scene before him. In the front yard of the devastated fort, all that remained was the boy, four of his men, and himself. All of them bloody from the shower that the storm had given them.

  Seeing the destruction of his home and possibly everything he had worked for, Zavon lashed out in anger.

  “Asiran! Devo Naagartian! Zu Vasur! Kalshin Mazons Galaos! Reanus VANU!” he shouted, and a portal tore open in front of him as water gushed forth.

  “Drown him!” he pointed to the boy, and his familiar obeyed. Zavon began another incantation for advance water magic. The boy did not make any movements.

  The water that poured out merged into a ball, and the spirit bounded straight for the boy. Before it could engulf the child, something shot forth and cleaved his water familiar in half. Zavon unleashed his spell, and the ground opened up under the boy. A torrent of water blasted the child into the air.

  His men saw his execution, and followed suit with their own spells. Within the air, there was nowhere to run.

  ‘NO!’ his mind shouted. In his haste, he had forgotten the first thing he saw. Flying magic.

  The boy flew ever higher, evading the four spells from his men. Suddenly, like a lightning bolt, the boy descended upon one of the four. “GUAH!!” a cry of pain, and one of the men was torn to pieces. Within seconds, the body pieces began freezing over. The boy was now holding a dagger of ice in his hands.

  Zavon willed his water spirit to attack once more. Instead of moving this time, the boy threw the dagger into the familiar. Zavon finally understood the overwhelming strength between them. His spirit’s body of water slowed instantly, and began freezing up. Within seconds, it was a huge block of ice.

  “You… What are you?!” Zavon shouted. His tone was slightly off, revealing his fear.

  “Youuuu Are Undesssservingggg Of Ssssuch Knowwwwledge!” a bloody gust of wind struck him from behind, forcing him to kneel. The voice struck fear into his very being. Surprised by the sudden force, he looked around, but saw nothing. Staring back at the child, he could almost make out a figure in the bloody wind as it engulfed the boy, slowly transforming into a blood red cloak once again.

  ‘Impossible…’ the distasteful word resurfaced again. “Ha… hahahha… this can’t be real… this is impossible.” Zavon could do nothing but laugh.

  He was ‘Master Zavon’, one of the strongest Malgin within Tal’hrus. There were only 4 others he knew of who could claim to be his equal. All were masters of their own respective domains, as Darsus was his.

  The only person he’s ever seen as a threat to his life was the old master. It did not matter if they were a Malizur or another powerful Malgin, he was confident he could easily survive such people. The other 14 who had survived alongside him were also of Malgin rank, yet only 4 of them remained. It was fundamentally impossible for a single Malizur or Malgin to be giving them this much trouble. There was little doubt about it.

  “Haha… to think that I would see the day! Kahah… haha!” although not one for superstitions and the unknown, Zavon laughed again. He realize now, the error of his judgement.

  Stories of incredible elementals that walked alongside mages of old, filled with intelligence, garnering powers beyond the hopes of any mortals, and able to speak the tongue of men. The world was too wide and full of surprises. He knew now that try as he might, he could never escape from what was to come.

  He could do nothing but laugh at the unbelievable sight in front of him as his three remaining men saw what just happened and attempted to abandon their oaths to Tal’hrus.

  “Haaaaahaaaaahaaaa!” The wind blew and made an eerie laughter as the first of the escaping men was torn to pieces.

  One the escapees attempted to summon a wind spirit.

  Upon the spirit’s manifestation, instead of protecting his summoner, the wind spirit turned against his master and suffocated the man. The air sucked out of his lungs, the man wailed about fruitlessly before collapsing onto the ground. The spirit was then consumed by the tempest that manifested during the escape attempt.

  The third man never made it anywhere before the wind shredded him to bits.

  “Hahahaha!” Zavon laughed hysterically as tears rolled down his face. Everything that occurred within the explicit timeframe of realizing the boy’s identity just moments ago up to now had already become clear to him.

  Zavon could do nothing, but await his demise as the boy walked towards him.

  “Am I doomed to fail, Mr. Zavon?” the boy asked, standing in front of him.

  He had no replies to counter that statement. His group of at least 60 was decimated in minutes. What could he say to reinforce his threats?

  Staring at the boy’s glowing eyes, there was nothing in them. No emotion, no pity, no remorse, no hesitation, not even anger. The eyes bound him, and within them, he saw his own death.

  “I-I’ll do it.” He managed to eke out, forcing himself to not grovel before the boy. Keeping what’s left of his pride.

  “You’ll do what?”

  “I-I’ll pull my men out of Ferrent. We’ll never set foot within its vicinity ever again. You have my words!” He yelled out.

  “Not good enough.” The boy replied.

  “What do you want?! Tell me! I’ll do anything!” the words escaped his mouth before he could even think about them.

  He grimaced at what he had blurted out. His loyalty to Tal’hrus had been unquestionable since joining the organization, yet here he was, about to negotiate for his life. Within seconds of his regret, a calm washed over him.

  The possibly that he was the only survivor here gave him peace of mind.

  He knew Tal’hrus and how they operated. If he can get through this with his life, he could evade the organization. No one will ever know what happened here or tha
t he had divulged information about the organization. He would just be another dead man, ripped to shreds and scattered about here like all the others.

  “Who is your master? The leader of Tal’hrus?” Skipping any small talk, the boy went straight for the figurehead.

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  “We don’t know his real name. H-He is only known to us as ‘Master’.” Zavon quickly replied.

  “What does he look like? Where does he operate?” Kaidus queried.

  “An old man, possibly in his eighties. None of us seven masters know about his daily lives.” Another quick reply.

  “How do I reach him?”

  “I-I don’t know. He contacts us by messengers.” Zavon answered.

  Kaidus stepped forth and delivered a punch into the kneeling man’s chest, breaking a few bones. “You are lying.”

  “GUH! *cough!* I don’t know!” Zavon replied. “AUGH!” he moaned, spitting out blood as another blow nailed him in the chest.

  It was impossible. The boy knew he was lying.

  In his mind, tens of scenarios played out, but not a single one ended with his escape. He saw what happened to those who attempted to flee earlier. He remembered what happened when he first attempted to invoke a spell. The only reasons why he and the surviving members had been able to cast any spells at all, was because the boy had allowed them to. Zavon shivered in fear.

  “G-give me your word that you would leave me with my life!” He shouted, trying to bargain.

  “Your chances will depend on the information given and their honesty. Another lie, and you will join your friends.” Kaidus cautioned, glaring at the man.

  “A m-mirror shard in a secret r-room within the fort…” Zavon relented.

  “Where?”

  “Hidden behind a magic wall…”

  “What’s so special about the shard?”

  “The shard is a fragment of a relic… *hah…* the master discovered its abilities in the early days of Tal’hrus. We masters have been using them to travel across the seven continents.” Zavon answered.

  “Show me.”

  …

  Passing through a long hallway filled with rubble, they arrived at a wall.

  With an incantation, the wall vanished, revealing a hidden room.

  “It’s inside there.” Zavon motioned.

  Kaidus stepped inside.

  A small dank and almost empty room. The shard hung on a wall within; traces of ancient magic could be sensed circulating within it. He stepped forth to grab it.

  “Asiran. Gelnos Pleiss Vaynaras Toralg Zucet! Delovus Tretos Valatos!” Zavon quickly invoked, and the room was sealed once again.

  “You can rot in there!” He shouted happily as relief returned to him. The room was made to withstand magic attacks, preventing any of his subordinates from getting in without the spell. It should hold the boy for a while as he makes his escape.

  Zavon turned to run.

  *Shaaa* the walls sealing the boy disintegrated into sands before he could even take three steps.

  Turning around, “That’s…” He wanted to say the word ‘impossible’, but as if being used too much had removed it from his vocabulary, all he could do was stare blankly at the silver haired boy who was now walking out of the room. It did not classify as a room anymore, as the whole top half of the stone fort had been blown to bits. The sun was now shining down on them, and in the sunlight, the boy’s hair was shimmering with an otherworldly luster.

  “Thank you again.” Kaidus spoke. In his small hand was the mirror shard. An enormous amount of magic could be felt emanating from it. It truly was a relic from a bygone era.

  “n-” Zavon attempted to reply, but he could not move nor make a sound.

  “I have no more need of you. With this, I will be able to locate the other pieces.” Kaidus gave the frozen man a sinister grin. “Allow me to give you my utmost gratitude.” He expressed, with a curt bow.

  With a thought, Zavon’s fingers exploded and three rings flew up to him. “I’ll also be taking these.” Kaidus grabbed and pocketed three metallic rings that are almost identical to the one he had taken off of Raleun.

  “!!— GRUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!” Zavon shouted as the silence was lifted.

  “Hahh… Ha….! If there’s no further need of me, then leave!” He shouted, fighting back the fear and the pain within him. Hoping against all hopes that the child would leave him be.

  “True. I will leave you with your life.” Kaidus replied, walking towards Zavon.

  “GYAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!” Zavon screamed out once more. Both his arms had been cleanly severed, and fell onto the ground. His body immobilized, he could do nothing but scream in agony.

  “How long you retain that pitiful life of yours, I do not know.” Kaidus walked past Zavon, and the screaming stopped. Another silence spell had been implemented against the man.

  “I WILL Obliterate Tal’hrus, and you will die here knowing you brought about its ruin.”

  Unlike that of a child, a man’s voice: imposing, filled with determination and hatred slither and coiled around Zavon’s throat, crushing it slowly. A sudden gust blew from behind him, and the presence of the boy vanished. On the verge of death, his name surfaced within his mind. Bleeding and unable to voice any spells, Zavon’s eyes teared as death overtook him.

  ——————-

  The entity called Zion propelled its master gleefully through the air.

  Its master’s parting words for the dead man echoed through its very being.

  “I WILL Obliterate Tal’hrus, and you will die here knowing you brought about its ruin.”

  It was not the message that was delivered, but the voice that delivered it.

  After innumerable eons, its master’s true voice once again sounded through the winds. The unrelenting voice that had entrapped and bound Zion’s own indomitable will to this god of death.

  Today was but a glimpse of the deaths and destruction that will undoubtedly follow, and it would be there at its master’s side.

  Chapter 40 – Forest Encounter

  Having rested the morning and afternoon away, Kaidus was walking through the forest, searching for dinner. What he was after today was a derring boar that he heard grunting and snarling through the forest while he was trying to sleep.

  It’s been two days since his talk with Zavon, and obtaining the mirror shard that was now in his shirt. He was also making good time getting back home.

  Approaching his prey, Kaidus fanned out his mana to investigating his surroundings, making sure there were no predators in store for him.

  Derring boars are small and only about the size of a small dog, but they are extremely ferocious. With metal tusks half the size of their body and a bite that could sheer through rocks, derring could even stand up to larger predators—three to four times their size—that share their territories. Unlike other species of boars, derrings are solitary, only seeking companions during the mating season and killing any would be competitions.

  They have been known to kill many unlucky hunters.

  Not sensing any other presence besides the boar, he stepped forward and looked through the thicket.

  A derring was feeding on roots and plants, minding its own business. Adorned with a glossy coat of red and black, the animal sported two tusks of iron, gleaming as the rays of light that penetrated the forest canopy hit it. Kaidus willed the thicket to move aside and it obeyed, opening a path for him.

  The boar noticed him almost instantly and turned to face him. Fur of red and black flared up, and it charged, two sword-like tusks outward aiming to pierce him.

  As the grunting boar closed in, Kaidus caught the boar’s tusks. His body infused with mana, he stopped the boar in its tracks, then delivered a forceful blow into the boar’s head, killing it instantly.

  Using the knife he bought from the village several days ago, he bled and skinned a part of the animal, cutting off a large chunk of meat. With a sturdy stick, he conjured a fire and be
gan spit-roasting his dinner. Using the time it would take to cook, he made off into the forest to scrounge for any edible plant that may supplement his meal.

  Night was descending, and he was enjoying his dinner of fire roasted boar meat and forest roots and greens.

  The rustling of leaves could be heard again as he ate quietly.

  He already discouraged a pack of wolves that tried to steal his boar earlier, but this time was different. As it got closer, the sound of people brushing away leaves and hacking at branches as they rushed through the dense forest could be heard.

  Sending out a wave of mana, three distinct presences were headed straight at him, followed by a larger group.

  “Don’t do anything.” He commanded Zion.

  Kaidus put on the cloak’s hood and stood his ground, waiting to see who in their right mind was this far away from the main roads. If they were bandits, he would deal with them before he sets off. The hood was to conceal his face in case they were hunters that had spotted his fire.

  In the light of the fire, three men came out of the thickets.

  A short older man wearing a leather jerkin, black trousers, and a head of long and graying unkempt hair. The man had a short sword and a couple of daggers at his waist.

  The second was stocky bald man. The man wore a pair of metal greaves, leggings, and chest plate, but had no helmet or arm guards. He had a long two handed sword strapped on his back.

  The third man was a skinny man wearing patched leather armor. He had a short bow, half a quiver of arrows, and carried a short sword in his hand.

  All three looked disheveled and exhausted.

  The three looked at him in shock.

  “Seize him!” The graying man commanded, and the other two wrapped around to his sides, pointing their swords at him.

  ————————————-

  Armored in steel, forged with magic fire, a man ran alongside his six subordinates who were wearing mercenary leather. He was already in his early 50s but even in heavy armor, he ran swiftly—not falling behind the others.

  They were chasing the leaders of a group of brigands.

  Thurllton, a hunting town in northern Darsus had been plagued by bandits for the past two turns, and had commissioned the mercenary guild to get rid of the bandit infestation.