by Jarod Meyer
He would have a long meditation ahead of him, which he sorely needed. When he reached the Guardian’s Barracks, he pushed through the heavy wooden doors, reading their ever-ominous inscription under his breath.
“Only the strong may enter here.”
Next to it was a posting. The official mourning period after the battle was now over.
Shit, now I only get to see Angelica once a week.
He passed the statues paying tribute to ancient, heroic Guardians. Some whom defended the realm long ago, and others that were sculpted to commemorate those lost in the recent battle.
He walked into the familiar commons area, filled with plush furniture and walls decorated with weapons and mosaics of fantastic battles. William was completely exhausted, but he had so much to work out before his new mission began. Hell, he didn’t know how long he would have. Therefore, he decided that his preparations would have to start immediately.
His main focus was survival, which went hand in hand with his intense training. However, it was far from simple. He would need to blend in, but more importantly, make people believe the ruse.
William didn’t feel like being around anyone, so he went to one of the many secluded rooms in the wing, and sat cross-legged on the stone floor. A window ran the height of the outer wall, giving him a great view of the night sky. A green and yellow gas giant drifted lazily amongst the countless stars. He turned, noticing a statue behind him against the wall.
The statue was in the likeness of a woman so detailed it looked as though she had been coated in stone to preserve her forever. He admired the statue, which was presented in the nude. He tracked down from her shapely breasts to the attractive curve of her hips and legs. William’s eye was immediately drawn back to her upper chest, where two circular marks were engraved. He stood up slowly, and touched the raised surface with his finger. His hand then went to his own chest.
He looked down at the memorial at the base of the statue.
William read.
Hangaku Gozen
She bore the six signets of shame.
The mark of the Thief…
The mark of the Liar…
The mark of Wrath…
The mark of Pride…
The mark of Jealousy…
The mark of Evil…
She bore them proudly.
William couldn’t believe his eyes. His heart beat faster, and though he was weary a new wave of energy started to fill him. He sped out of the chamber. Weaving in and out of corridors, he summoned a small light from his hand to navigate the dimly lit halls.
He entered Valhalla’s library, expecting it to be completely empty, instead finding a fair crowd pouring over tomes and scrolls.
William soon found one of the many librarians.
“Good evening, Captain,” the small man said.
“Good evening. I was wondering if you had any texts on Hangaku Gozen?” William asked casually, trying to hide his surprise that the man new his rank.
The man looked William over briefly, apparently assessing his intentions, but after a moment politely nodded and blinked out of sight. William jumped when the man returned surprised by the bookkeeper’s speed.
The short man held a small book. Normally, when William wanted to study a subject, there were countless texts to choose from, all with their own unique perspective.
“Is this all there is?” William asked.
“Indeed. Gozen is not a regularly celebrated Archonian,” the man replied, and then was gone.
William took a seat at one of the study areas, and as he did an orb lit up in the middle of the table, shining light upon his text. William wasn’t familiar with the runes the author had used to write the book, but his Archonian mind translated it for him with only a small bit of focus.
Without the time or patience to read the entire text, William flipped through the book, luckily finding what he was looking for rather easily. They were scrawled in exquisite handwriting, the thick, black ink almost jumping off the page at him.
The Mark of the Thief
Possession is a fabrication of mankind. There can be no theft if there is no possession. This mark is symbolic of the acts of mortal men.
The Mark of the Liar
Words are perhaps the most powerful thing ever created by mankind. They have the power to wound or heal. Sometimes the truth is painful. This mark is symbolic of man’s capability to choose how to speak.
The Mark of Wrath
Man is mortal, and the necessity to survive has caused an innate drive to be violent. This mark is symbolic of mans need to conflict.
The Mark of Pride
Evolution of the mind made mankind develop more defensive tendencies. Every man is created equal, and yet, not all live in the mortal world equally. This mark is a symbol of man’s selfishness.
The Mark of Jealousy
With selfishness and possession comes the inevitable desire for more. Greed has shaped the history of the mortal world. This mark is symbolic of greed and man’s material weakness.
The Mark of Evil
Evil is a choice. Man is not born good or evil - rather they have the potential to be both. It is their elder’s choice to show them the way, but their own choices that tip them either way. This mark is symbolic of the choices man makes and the repercussions therein.
William was so engrossed, he read them again. After reading them a third time he was beyond excited. The people of Archonia used these symbols as marks of shame, or a crime. It seemed to him that their creator merely wore them as a reminder of what she had done in the past.
He sat at the library table for many moments mulling this prospect over in his head. His fingers drummed the paper of the tome in front of him rhythmically. It became clear to William what he wanted to do almost immediately. He had made a promise to himself that he would try to think things through a little more after his dramatic outburst in the Synod chamber.
He thought about the positives, he thought about the negatives. Ultimately his decision would help him in the days to come. Without further debate he whisked out of the library leaving his books on the table.
He found Brock in the mead hall, downing drinks with his subordinates and friends who no longer needed to meditate.
“Little brother, have a beer!”
“Not tonight, Brock. I have business.”
“And what kind of business keeps friends from drinking together?”
“I need your help,” William replied.
“Of course, little brother. What is the task?” Brock asked, standing and following him.
“Have you heard of the ancient warrior Hangaku Gozen?” William asked, as they exited the mead hall.
“I have. There is a likeness of her in the barracks. I believe it is the only memorial to her left in all of Archonia. The rest were destroyed by the first Synod many years ago. Achilles, however, used his authority to move the last one here,” Brock said.
William nodded. It made sense even more sense to him now why she was not renowned.
“Yes, I have seen it. Her signets,” William stated. “They didn’t always bear the same meaning as they do today.”
“Your questions would be better suited for one of our older brethren, little brother,” Brock replied.
They made it to the door of the barracks, and Brock stopped.
“William, why do you ask these questions? What is it you seek?” the large man asked.
“I have a mission, Brock…I can’t tell you what it is. Suffice it to say that I need to appear as an enemy to Archonia,” William said.
Brock’s thick brow furrowed in confusion.
William sighed and motioned for Brock to follow him. They found a secluded room with many animal heads hanging on the walls. Their perfectly preserved faces stared at the two in the evening dimness.
William took off his sleeveless shirt as he walked to the center of the room, revealing the two burned signets on his chest. “I need the other ones,” William offered, flatl
y.
Brock shook his head almost immediately.
“Little brother, why? There is no need for you to endure such pain and mutilation for any mission,” Brock said.
William turned and looked out one of the many windows. The night was still in its infancy, the huge planets in the sky pouring light into the building. They looked much too close to be real.
“Brock, I’m doing this for more than just my mission. I, more than most, need a reminder of what I am capable of,” William said softly. “I read the ancient tome about Hangaku Gozen, and I have seen the true meaning of these symbols, Brock. I just read about their creator. I believe she wore them proudly to remind herself that she was once human, and that she was capable of terrible things.”
Brock considered him carefully, before finally saying, “I do not like this, but I will assist you, my friend.”
* * *
William stood in just his slacks as the morning sun fell upon the training field. His skin drank the light. Katrina stared at him. His recruits stood at attention. His body screamed, where just hours before it was scorched by hot iron.
He now bore six brands upon his body. The two on his chest were completely healed, while the two on his upper back and arms were fresh. Katrina knew what they were, which was also why she was in shock when he made her watch him get branded and didn’t tell her why. His recruits, however, seemed ignorant to their meaning.
“Okay, recruits lets go for a run. Remember, your lungs don’t need air, and your muscles don’t need rest. Conquer these things with your mind,” William barked.
He was trying to be a better leader than Chang Fei, his old instructor. Chang Fei always simply watched. William wanted to lead by example.
He set the pace so that his men had to run full out to keep up. Katrina glided easily next to him, and didn’t wait to accost him with questions.
“What in Dichonia did you do that for?” she asked, accusingly.
“I am, or have been, guilty of all of these things at some point, Kat,” William said, casually.
“That may be, but you are no traitor. Meredox even removed your brand,” she said exasperated.
“People refer to it as the mark of the traitor because all those that have worn it have become a traitor. Save only for one. These signets were created by an ancient samurai woman who believed that people should be reminded of their past deeds. This,” William said, pointing at his left arm, “is called the mark of evil.”
“For the love of the makers, William, you are not evil!” Katrina shouted, before stopping, and putting a hand on William’s chest. The rest of the group caught up shortly after, and came to a stop.
“Continue. I want one hundred laps in the next two hours,” William said, pointing, but not taking his eyes off of Katrina.
They let the men pass, and once they were out of earshot, William continued. “Men have the capability to be both good and evil. That will never change. I have done evil things, and this mark will serve as my reminder. It is just a symbol,” he said, speaking softly.
Katrina still looked furious, but didn’t speak.
“Plus, I will need them to complete my act.”
Katrina’s eyes grew wide, “What act? Where are you going? What are you doing?!” she asked frantically.
William held up his hands to calm her down.
“Kat I can’t tell you, it is classified, and I’ve already said too much,” William stated. He felt a crisp pain jolt against his ribs as she struck him. He winced, but let it go.
“That is a load of Horse Dung, William of Archonia!” Katrina shouted. “Since when has anything that came out of your mouth been classified?”
William and his close circle of friends never kept secrets from one another. Not since he put his faith in them during his quest to prove Meredox guilty of treason. He thought it over for a moment, before finally caving in. He knew that she would not let up.
“Achilles has asked me to go to Dichonia,” William said softly.
“What?!” Katrina shouted, taking a step back, a glint of fear in her emerald eyes.
“Luxor must be stopped, Katrina. We cannot sit around and wait for him to attack again. I will go to Dichonia, and end this once and for all,” William whispered.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She growled angrily and stomped around awkwardly, clearly trying to stifle them. Then she ran over and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her petite body.
He had never seen her this way. Katrina was always tough, unflappable. He moved to pull her closer, but she balled up a fist, and slammed it hard onto his chest, knocking him back a step. Before he could speak she took off into the sky, leaving a cloud of dust at William’s feet.
It took William a few seconds to catch up to his ten recruits who were already gasping for air. “Let’s go soldiers!” he bellowed.
He spent the rest of the morning drilling his initiates, taking them through every required exercise. His tactical Guardian training in the afternoon flew by. They underwent the same simulation they did the previous day. This time William stayed with the group, and as a team they were able to achieve victory.
After dunking his head in the cool water of the Kronos fountain, he headed to the castle entrance where Meredox stood, waiting for him. William had his guard up and was ready for anything. His new teacher watched him approach, motionless.
William blinked involuntarily, and Meredox was gone. He could already feel him at his back, and turned just in time to parry a strike. Wrapping a thick arm around the striking arm he held him firm.
“Good,” the Greek said, relaxing.
William let him go.
“Follow me,” Meredox said, and took off into the sky.
They flew swiftly over the plains to the north, the sky already growing dark. William followed silently, watching Meredox waiting for him to strike.
“Your marks will aid in your deception quite nicely. Was this your intention?” Meredox inquired casually.
William shook his head.
“I thought not. You are a unique individual, William of Archonia. You bear the marks like one of the ancients,” he chuckled.
They flew for a minute longer until Meredox slowed, and descended to the ground.
“This will do. We are far enough away from prying eyes.”
William landed a good twenty yards away.
“Did you think about my advice yesterday, young William?”
William nodded, “How can I be faster? I have to avoid injury at all cost…I’m no good at healing,” he said, flatly.
“You are as fast as your mind makes you, Guardian. You are strong and fast, only because your will has allowed you to be this way. Now you must learn to completely let go.
“How long will we be training tonight? I will need to keep up on my meditation,” William said.
“You will not meditate until I deem it necessary.”
William scoffed, instantly reminded why he disliked Meredox so much.
Without warning Meredox sprung. William kicked off the ground, parrying lightning fast strikes. His teacher spoke through the barrage of fists and kicks. “You must be faster. There is no limit to your speed. You do not move through the world. The world moves around you.”
They clashed like thunder. William hadn’t summoned his armor yet, and he was trying his hardest to hold it together. The armor helped channel his power, and he was much weaker without it.
Meredox didn’t let up, and a burst of light surrounded William as his armor clamped down around him. He caught Meredox’s fist, and looked at him for a moment. The ex-Grand Justicar flicked his wrist, and grabbed William’s forearm, clamping down hard on the metallic plate and leaving a handprint. He then used his leverage and hurled William towards the ground. His body hit the soft dirt, and was already blocking more attacks.
“Your armor will not save you in the underworld,” Meredox spat ferociously. Strike after strike came, William feeling every impact. Each one was as powerful as the last.
William held firm, and was surprised to find that Meredox kept leaving his left side unguarded to keep up with his barrage. William tried to take advantage of this, and ducked a blow striking out hard. A blinding flash issued from Meredox’s eyes and William couldn’t see. He could still feel though, and he felt his jaw shift three different times before his mind told him the pain was there. He must not have been conscious for a moment because he didn’t feel himself hit the ground. His vision returned and Meredox was standing over him waiting.
“Neat trick with your eyes. I’ll have to remember that one,” William said.
Hours went by, and William was beaten to a bloody pulp. Meredox finally let up only when William fell to the ground, and didn’t get back up.
“You must heal yourself as you fight. You only channel your inner energy to your fists, William. Project like you would any other time let it cover your skin, both healing and protecting you.
William lay face down in a mound of dirt and long white grass. He focused his mind, and felt his warm energy sweep over his skin. It healed small bruises and cuts, but not the deep tissue damage. He struggled to his knees, and then eventually, his feet.
“You asked me to aid you in making you faster. Catch this, and you will be allowed to meditate. If not, then I will see you at the entrance to the castle tomorrow evening after your training,” Meredox offered. He held open his palm, and a light formed. It turned into a glowing insect, and shot off into the night.
William was on the brink of collapse, but he jumped into the air after it. He didn’t think that Meredox was serious at the beginning of this session. The man really was going to starve him of meditation. It made him wonder what would happen to the mind if it didn’t get rest.
Perhaps I’ll simply go into a coma. Hopefully I wake up.
The light from the sun had already faded. Meredox dissolved into the darkness as William tried to catch the tiny firefly. It was a projection, evidently designed to be as fast as its creator, because William couldn’t keep up.