Legacy of Chaos (The Void Wielder Trilogy Book 2)

by Cesar Gonzalez

  With one hand K’ran shot green lightning at the cloud. It held it in place, but Falcon knew that it wouldn’t do so for long. His master was clearly overexerting himself.

  Volcseck wielded a long lance in his hand. It appeared to be made of flesh, with veins and arteries pumping blood through it as if it were alive.

  With lance in hand, he rushed toward K’ran. With his one free hand, the old master shot out the thickest bolt of red lightning Falcon had ever seen. Volcseck teleported. The bolt crashed into a nearby tree, which exploded into a thousand pieces.

  Aya and Faith both gasped as the lance drove into the master’s chest.

  “No!” cried Falcon, standing in disbelief. He shook his head. This can’t be happening.

  The cloud of energy dissolved, and Master K’ran finally let his hands down. He staggered back and forth but did not go down.

  “I’ve defeated entire armies, Master K’ran. What chance did you honestly think you had against me?” Volcseck drove the lance deeper into K’ran. There was a sickening sound of flesh tearing as the lance came out through K’ran’s back.

  Goosebumps rose on Falcon’s skin as his master screamed in agony. He wished nothing more than to leap to his rescue, but the lightning wall encasing him prevented him from moving an inch.

  “My intention was never to defeat you, Volcseck,” wheezed K’ran. “I simply needed you close enough for this!” In a flash K’ran took Volcseck’s hands and unleashed a storm of red lightning directly on them.

  Volcseck laughed. “Pathetic. I have seen all forms of lightning. Even red is useless on me.”

  Blood poured from the master’s mouth as he grinned. “All forms, you say? Let’s test that theory.” Suddenly the red lightning turned white. Falcon had to close his eyes and open them to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. He only knew of yellow, green, and red lightning. White was unheard of.

  Volcseck grunted in pain. The lightning rippled and crackled through his hands as K’ran slowly drove him to the ground. The master was inches away from downing his opponent when a puff of white smoke burst from under him.

  Volcseck reappeared atop the cabin. “Impressive, Master. I haven’t witnessed white lightning since my encounter with the Golden Wielder. Tell me, how is it that you know that skill?”

  “Don’t fret about that. You should worry about what white lightning does to your body instead.” Blood continued to gush from K’ran’s mouth as he spoke. “It sucks your wielding energy. Essentially, it makes it impossible for a person to wield. Never again will your wielding cause harm to the people of Va’siel.”

  Volcseck chuckled calmly. “No, Master. You see? I didn’t lie when I said that I am impervious to all lightning variants. You may have taken away some of my wielding abilities, but I’ll get them back soon­—very soon.” His hands dangled by his side. “And when that happens, I’ll be back for the holy wielder. Nothing and nobody will stop me.”

  K’ran coughed a stream of blood.

  Volcseck bowed his head once more. “It was an honor to duel you in your last battle, Master K’ran.” With those last words, he teleported out of view, the white smoke the only testament that he’d been there.

  K’ran crashed to the ground. The lightning barriers he had created dissolved.

  “Master…Master….” Falcon ran to K’ran. He threw himself next to him. “Master, don’t leave me.” He turned to Faith. “Do something with your holy wielding, please!”

  Faith rushed by K’ran’s side. She put her hands over him.

  “No,” said the old master, grabbing Faith’s hands. “I am beyond saving, you know that.”

  Faith grimaced as her head hung low.

  “What are you doing?” Falcon asked.

  “I’m sorry, Falcon,” she squeaked. “That was a chaos attack. The damage was too severe.”

  “It’s fine, young lady,” said K’ran. “I was dead the moment I used the white lightning. No amount of holy wielding would have changed that.”

  “I don’t understand,” whispered Falcon.

  “Then don’t try to. Just promise me that you won’t forget who your friends are and why you fight.”

  “I won’t, Master.”

  “It was my honor to have you as my student.”

  Falcon struggled to form words. His body ached, and his mind was a jumbled mess. “The honor was mine, Master.”

  K’ran grabbed both girls’ hands. “Ladies, you two are the last good things Falcon has in this world. Watch over him, and guide him if he loses his way.”

  “We will, sir,” said Faith.

  “That’s a promise,” added Aya.

  “Alexandra,” whispered K’ran. “I can finally join you.” With those last words, his eyes closed.

  “No!” cried Falcon. He put his head over K’ran’s chest, but silence had now replaced his once lively heartbeat. “Thanks.” He knew K’ran could no longer hear him, but he had to say something…anything to put into words the gut-wrenching feeling he had lurking within him. “Thanks for putting up with me, thanks for taking me in, and thanks for being a father to me.” Tears and rain had now turned K’ran’s old tunic wet and cold, but Falcon didn’t care. He simply kept his head on his chest as if somehow that would bring him back to life. What else could he do after losing a father for the second time in his life?

  CHAPTER 4

  The first rays of the sun made their presence known as Falcon set the last rock atop K’ran’s grave. He knew of no better final resting place than behind the cabin. It was where he had lived his final years, after all.

  “Do you want to say something, Falcon?” Faith asked.

  Falcon looked up at her. “No, I said more than enough already. Let’s just take a few minutes of silence to honor him.”

  “Whatever you want,” said Aya. Both girls took a spot by Falcon’s side, taking his hands in theirs. The three of them stood there holding hands and facing the ground.

  “Perhaps I could say some words,” came a soft voice.

  Falcon turned. An old man with a large hump on his back stood in silence. His robe was pure black, a far cry from the usual bright-colored robes he wore. “Grandmaster Zoen, what are you doing here?”

  “Did you already forget? K’ran was a good friend of mine.”

  “Yes, of course. How could I have forgotten?”

  Zoen trudged in front of the grave. “I sensed Shal-Volcseck’s presence and came as soon as I could. Unfortunately, I’m not as fast as I once was. I see that I’m too late.”

  Falcon nodded, aware that Zoen spoke the truth. The old grandmaster relied on a cane to walk, and even with it he moved at a snail’s pace. He was old, very old. Falcon recalled his friend, Chonsey, once telling him that Grandmaster Zoen had been alive during the same time the Golden Wielder had been. If that were true, that would make Grandmaster Zoen over a hundred years old. He certainly looked like it.

  With trembling hands Zoen set a jade-colored ring on top of the rock that adorned the grave. “Old friend, I now return to you that which you gave me long ago.” A tear trickled to the ground. “I met K’ran a lifetime ago. He came to me a brash young man looking to make a name for himself.” There was a serene sadness in the old man’s words. “I still recall what he told me when he asked me to take him as a student. ‘I will grow up to be one of the greatest wielders in Va’siel, you’ll see.’”

  This was news to Falcon. He had no idea that Grandmaster Zoen had once been K’ran’s mentor, or that K’ran had been so brash in his younger days. The K’ran Falcon knew never cared for fame or wealth. He wondered what other things he didn’t know about his old master.

  “K’ran did become one the greatest wielders in Va’siel, but not only because of his physical strength,” Grandmaster Zoen continued. “No, his greatest power derived from his gentle heart and his willingness to always put others before him. We shall always remember him like this.” Grandmaster Zoen’s gaze met Falcon’s. “I take comfort in the thought that
his teachings and legacy will now live through you, Falcon. When in doubt, look back at his tutelage.”

  Falcon nodded, but inside he wondered if he could really be as kind as K’ran had been. Even now all he could think about was Volcseck and his many crimes: the murder of his mother and father, his many attacks on Asturia, his obsessive quest to kill Faith, and now the death of his master.

  Yes, Volcseck was all Falcon could think of. And next time they met, he was determined to make him pay.

  Once they had paid their respects, they took a seat on a set of tree stumps in the front yard. Falcon just couldn’t bring himself to go inside the cabin. Too many memories dwelled inside those walls.

  “Sir,” said Faith. “You don’t know me, but I’m here to see you.”

  “Me?” said the grandmaster.

  “My name is Faith Hemstath.”

  “Hemstath. I know that name. You wouldn’t happen to be Seth’s and Nara’s daughter?”

  “Yes, that’s me.”

  “How is your father? We have not spoken in many years.”

  “Thanks to the Rohads you sent…” She motioned toward Falcon and Aya. “My father’s village and its people are safe. However, there is another urgent matter that he was hoping you could help with.”

  Zoen’s features changed to those of curiosity. “Yes?”

  “It’s my element. Volcseck wishes to take my emblem to complete his collection.”

  Zoen rubbed his white, bushy goatee. “K’ran and I discussed this at length many times. Such a thing has never been done. I fear that doing so could bring forth catastrophic results.”

  “Like what?” asked Falcon slowly.

  “I suspect that Volcseck will be able to create an attack that will end life in Va’siel as we know it.”

  The girls gasped.

  “But why?” asked Falcon.

  “I can’t say. Only he holds the answer to that question.”

  Faith stood before Zoen. “Then I hope that you are the answer my dad wished for. My father can no longer suppress my powers, but perhaps you could.”

  “I can try, but holy is a strange element. It won’t be as easy to block its energy.” He extended his hand to her. “Come closer, please.”

  Faith took a few slow steps forward. She got on her knees and closed her eyes.

  The grandmaster reached out with shaky hands. His right hand rested on Faith’s forehead.

  “What is he doing?” asked Falcon.

  Aya lifted her shoulders. “Just watch. You’ll see.”

  “Do re mi sa lu ke tore,” chanted the grandmaster. A small ghostly creature forced itself out of Zoen’s head. It had the head of a squirrel, but the body of a slug.

  Falcon stumbled back, unable to believe his eyes. “What is that?”

  “It’s a mental memory,” said Aya knowingly. “Seriously, Falcon, you should read more books.”

  “Books? I rarely waste time with those. They take away from my training.”

  “Books give knowledge.” Aya pointed at the squirrel-like creature that had made its way down from the grandmaster’s head. Since it had no legs, it slithered across his arm. “Those hide your energy. They come in very handy in stealth missions where the enemy has energy readers.”

  Falcon bobbed his head, finally understanding. “So they suck your energy.”

  “No. The ones that suck your energy are the memory leeches. You wouldn’t want to use a leech on yourself because it would only drain you before a mission.”

  Maybe I should read more books. He gritted his teeth with anxiety as the ghostly creature struggled into Faith’s head. It squealed loudly as it jerked its small body back and forth. A second later, it broke through. Its head was the first to disappear, and then its whole body was gone.

  Zoen opened her eyes. “It is done.”

  “Is that it?” asked Falcon as the grandmaster removed his hand from Faith’s forehead. “That was creepy enough, but is that all that it takes to keep Volcseck from sensing her?”

  “Yes, that’s it.” The grandmaster gazed at the holy wielder. “Faith’s abilities are exceptionally strong. It proved somewhat difficult, but her holy energy readings are now fully hidden.”

  Difficult? Falcon mused. He just placed his hand on her head for a few seconds. If that’s difficult for him, what does he consider easy?

  “Thanks, Grandmaster Zoen,” said Faith. “I appreciate your kindness.”

  “There is no need for titles, dear. Falcon and Aya are Rohad mercenaries at the academy. They are obliged to refer to me formally. You, on the other hand, are not confined by those obligations. All my friends simply refer to me as Zoen.”

  Faith’s cheeks turned a bright red. “Okay. Thank you, Zoen, sir.”

  Falcon and Aya eyed each other. In all their years at Rohad, they had never heard Zoen allow anyone to refer to him without his entire title.

  “Don’t thank me just yet, Faith. This energy blockade won’t last forever. It will wear out in time.”

  “How much time?” asked Aya.

  Grandmaster Zoen scratched his overly wrinkled cheeks. “That’s difficult to assess. I’ve never dealt with holy energy before, and I can sense Faith’s powers growing substantially.” He pushed his cane hard on the ground as he struggled to his feet. “What I do know is that eventually even I will not be able to hide your energy.”

  Faith nodded slowly. “That is fine, Grandmast…I mean, Zoen.”

  Zoen turned his attention to Falcon and Aya. “Now to other matters. You were given a two-week mission to Asturia, but you stayed much longer than that. Professor Kraimaster informed me that he went to collect you and bring you back when the contract was over, but unlike Sheridan, you two refused to return.”

  Aya answered. “We had to stay behind. The Suteckh Empire was the one attacking Asturia, not bandits. We then discovered that they were plotting to conquer the capital city of Sandoria.” She took a breath. “If Sandoria were to fall, that would put all the small villages between there and Ladria in danger, including Falcon’s home village of Asturia.”

  “Falcon’s home village?” asked Grandmaster Zoen, puzzled.

  “Yes, sir. Falcon was born in Asturia but later moved to Ladria. The traumatizing events he suffered made him forget all about his time there, but with the help of Mayor Seth, Falcon regained most of his memories of his childhood.”

  “Hmmm, I see,” said Zoen, rubbing his goatee as he usually did.

  Falcon stood. “The Suteckh are planning an invasion on all the capital cities of Va’siel. If Sandoria had fallen, Ladria would have been next on their list. We couldn’t let that happen. That’s why we did not return with Professor Kraimaster. I know that my actions will have consequences, and I’m willing to face them. But please forgive Aya. I was in charge of the mission. I made the choice to stay, so I should be held responsible for—”

  “No sir,” interrupted Aya. “I stayed of my own accord. I should be held responsible as well. We are all responsible for own actions, right?”

  Falcon shot a look of disapproval at Aya. Why did she always have to be like this? She drove him mad sometimes.

  “While I admire your devotion to one another,” said Zoen in a low voice, “There won’t be any punishment for anyone today.”

  “What do you mean, sir?” asked a puzzled Falcon.

  “Mister Calhoun told me what happened, and now so did you. I will speak to the Rohad council on your behalf.”

  Falcon was confused. “So if you knew what had happened, why were you interrogating us just now?”

  “To see if Mr. Calhoun had been truthful. He seemed awfully sorry for leaving you two behind. In his despair he could easily have lied to me. I’m glad to see that that wasn’t the case.”

  “Thank you,” said Falcon and Aya in unison.

  As the old grandmaster opened the wooden gate to head back to Ladria, he turned back to Falcon. “I suppose what Mr. Calhoun told me about Mister Keen is also correct?”

  “Y
es,” answered Falcon with sadness in his voice. Lao had been like his brother for half of his life. They had done everything together, and now he was gone. “Lao was to infiltrate the Suteckh army and report back on their movements. But instead he joined them, and even led us into a trap. Many Asturian soldiers died because of his betrayal.” Falcon calmed his shaky voice. “Afterwards he tried to kidnap the emperor of Sandoria. I defeated him, but I couldn’t bring myself to kill him. I let him go. He was later found dead in a nearby cave. Someone murdered him.”

  Grandmaster Zoen sighed as he trudged back to Ladria. “That’s unfortunate. He was a good young man.”

  Falcon’s mind flashed back to the day he’d met Lao, to the many jokes they’d played on unsuspecting professors, to the many sparring sessions they’d had.

  “Yes he was,” whispered Falcon to himself. “Before he lost himself with the illusion of power, he truly was.”

  CHAPTER 5

  It was midday when they reached Ladria.

  Falcon stared at thick city gates. They looked indestructible, but he knew better. It would take more than thick metal walls to keep the Suteckh out of Ladria. Much more.

  “Wow, the walls are as big as those from Sandoria,” said Faith.

  “Except the walls from Sandoria are made of rock, and these are made out of metal alloy,” Aya pointed out. She turned to Falcon. “So, what’s the plan?”

  “We go back to the academy and await our next mission, but first we must warn Emperor Romus of the Suteckh Empire’s threat.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me.”

  The three of them walked past the large gates and directly into the city’s flea market. Stand after stand stood beside each other. The vendors waved their hands around and displayed their goods. Their shouts intermingled, creating a frenzied symphony of voices.

  “Fish, get your fresh fish here!”

  “Water, fresh spring water. Only two gold coins per mug!”

  “Spring water is a thing of the past. Come and revel as you taste mineral-enhanced water from the east.”