“You? Nothing. But don’t beat yourself up or anything because neither can I.”
“What do you mean? You guys were able to help me after the fights on the bridge, weren’t you? How is that any different to now?”
“Your case was a bit, how do I put this, different. As a matter of fact, you should know as well as I do that you surviving the way you did was a miracle. Unfortunately, we don’t have the means to help Kendra when she’s in such a critical condition.”
“Then what happens now? We have to do something!”
“Just calm down,” Lady Aida says, while revealing a small crystal necklace.
“Fortunately, I’ve prepared for such eventualities. Like I said, there isn’t much time, so I need you to act quickly.”
“And do what? What do you plan on doing? If there’s nothing that can’t be done here in the village, then where can Kendra get the help that she needs?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Lady Aida says as a bright light begins to emit from her crystal. “At last, it is time for you to see Sage Haden.”
Chapter Ten
“Sage Haden? How is that even possible?”
“What? Do you think that this crystal is glowing for my health? Now come around with Kendra and stand next to me,” Lady Aida instructs. “The two of you will be at the Hatre Forest in no time.”
“Gotcha,” Keenth says, while lifting Kendra on his back. “What do I need to do once we get there?”
“Believe. All you have to do is believe. It seems like this Sage has been anticipating your arrival. Truth be told, I intended to send you to his forest today, but once the attack happened–”
“I understand. No need to blame yourself for anything either, Lady Aida. What’s done is done. All I care about is getting help for Kendra.”
“You and me both. You probably couldn’t tell just by looking at us, but I’ve been raising Kendra since she was a little girl,” Lady Aida says as the crystal’s light intensifies.
“She’s the closest thing to a daughter that I’ve ever had. It pains me to place such a heavy burden on you like this, but please save her. Without Kendra, this village’s days are numbered. Without Kendra, my heart cannot…”
“There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll make sure that she’s taken care of. You have my word,” Keenth swears with his words comforting not just Aida, but himself.
“Thank you. The release is now complete. Once I place my hand on your shoulder, you will arrive at your destination within a few moments. It may not be much, but this is the best way I can help you on your journey. I leave the rest to you, Keenth.”
The young warrior nodded as the village elder raised her necklace, engulfing Keenth and Kendra with a brimming, sublime light.
Leaving the fate of Kendra and the village in Keenth’s hands, Lady Aida broke down in tears as she stood alone in the middle of Azoco.
“It saddens me to put you through all of this. Perhaps if we had made wiser decisions along the way, we wouldn’t be forced to ask so much of you,” Lady Aida thought to herself as the rain began to subside.
“But the time for regret and reflection is gone. The future is in your young hands now and I have faith you will make things right moving forward.”
As Lady Aida continued her silent prayers, Keenth and Kendra safely made their arrival. Unlike the lush forests of Azoco and the rest of Tortuga, it seemed as though they were in a thick jungle than anything else.
While the rain had calmed down, dark clouds and a foreboding fog surrounded the two young travelers.
After what felt like hours, Keenth realized that night had fallen and there was still no Sage in sight. He almost began to voice his frustrations, but Keenth remembered Lady Aida’s guidance to believe.
“Don’t worry, Kendra, we’ll be there before you know it. Though if you were awake, you would’ve called me out for walking in circles.”
“After all of this time, you would think that you would learn your way around a forest.”
“This voice...That cloak, those robes...Is it really–”
“It’s been a while, Keenth. As much as I would love to catch up with you right now, we need to get her to safety right away,” Cory replies. “If you follow me, we’ll be arriving at the temple shortly.”
The moonlight guides Keenth and Cory deeper through the forest until at long last, they finally make it to the forest temple. More properly known as the Hatre Temple, it is a secluded location that isn’t easily accessible to most.
The atmosphere is as haunting as it is serene, and Cory gives Keenth an assuring smile to let him know that things would work for the best.
She removes her cloak, and asks Keenth to lay Kendra on a wooden altar towards the center of the temple before positioning herself to quietly meditate.
Keenth attempts to ask Cory what she is doing, but he is interrupted by the presence of an unfamiliar Auraen behind him. He quickly turns, but no one is there.
When Keenth refocuses on Kendra, but he sees a mysterious individual synchronized in meditation with Cory.
“Are you are…?”
“Just a moment,” the individual replies with their hand over Kendra’s forehead. “We have time to get to formalities soon, but right now my focus on Ms. Leight over here.”
“How do you know her name?”
“I wouldn’t be much of a Sage if I didn’t know who you two were, don’t you agree? Fortunately, she has tremendous willpower. It’ll take some work, but I believe Kendra will be okay.”
Despite this being the first time meeting him, Keenth feels a tremendous amount of reassurance at this revolution.
A true to word gentle giant, the Sage’s large intricate robes are a lavish green compared to what Cory normally wears.
His long dark hair, matching beard, and stern brown eyes left little doubt to Keenth who he was face-to-face with.
“...You must be Lord Haden?”
“That is correct. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Keenth. You have gone through many hardships, haven’t you?”
“To be honest, I don’t even know where to start…”
“That’s fine. I’m well aware of what happened at the Academy, on the bridge, and recently, over in Azoco. That is quite a bit for someone your age to go through.”
“Wait, how do you know all of that? I could understand you knowing most through Cory, but Kendra and I were the only ones fighting in Azoco and not too long ago.”
“As strange as it may sound to you, the world spoke to me. It only tells the truth to those who are willing to listen.”
“The world? Sorry, but with all due respect, I–”
“I know, I know. It sounds like ramblings of a crazy old hermit, but that is the truth. As you’ve surely seen through Cory, users of Hatre are in touch with Earth-based abilities. But these abilities are often mistaken only as the means to manipulate the world around us.”
“What do you mean? Like you said, I saw Cory using Hatre quite a bit when we fought alongside one another.”
“The common misunderstanding is that the elements are here to be used by us, when the truth is that these elements are here to be used alongside us. If you spent time in Azoco, then surely you know that everything is made of Auraen. The world we live in serves as the backdrop to all events–past, present, and future.”
“So, when you say the world spoke to you…”
“I normally interpret the messages through my dreams and share what I know accordingly. I believe you’ve had similar experiences as well, haven’t you, Keenth?”
“Yes. I didn’t think anyone would believe me if I told them, but I had vivid dreams about the attack on Agent Keyes more times than I care to count.”
“But that isn’t all, is it?”
“No, it isn’t. The strange thing is, I started having the dreams before Agent Keyes and the others were attacked. It was almost as if–”
“I see. Do you remember any other specific dreams, Keenth?”
&nb
sp; “No, nothing like that. The only other dreams that come to mind were mostly memories of my time growing up in Colonia.”
“Are you okay with sharing those, Keenth?”
“They don't matter right now. Sorry, but what exactly do we gain from talking about dreams? Listen, Kusari and Fallon are probably on their way back to Azoco, so please tell me how you plan on saving the village.”
“How do I do what now? Apologizes, but you must be mistaken. I have no intention of saving Azoco.”
“What the hell did you just say? You saw what they did to Kendra and I, so why aren’t you doing anything to help us?”
“Do you hear yourself right now, Keenth? Asking how I plan on saving Azoco? Asking why I am not doing anything to help? Where is your shame? Where is your pride as a warrior?”
“Pride? Do you think this has anything to do with pride? I’ve seen Cory’s abilities and, if she’s just your apprentice, then you should be more than enough to–”
“Handle your problems? You should be thankful Kendra isn’t conscious to hear this because–”
“Don’t you dare speak her name,” Keenth shouts, causing the foundations of the temple to shake. Realizing this, Keenth begins to apologize to Haden before being admonished.
“Sorry? Yes, you should be. Especially considering that you have everything you need to define your own fate.”
“I don’t think you understand. I barely made it out of Azoco alive and I’m honestly in no position to fight them off again any time soon.”
“While I do agree that time is not a luxury at the moment, it seems as though I need to explain this in a way that you would understand. Cory, please continue on here until I get back.”
“Get back? Kendra needs your help, so what could be more important than that?”
“Saving your world, Keenth. Now, quiet down. I’ll be able to answer your questions in a place that you should be very familiar with.”
“Wait, somewhere that I’m familiar with–”
Keenth is cut off by an abrupt boom that removed them from the Hatre Temple. Once he opens his eyes, he is surprised to see that the Sage was true to his word.
There was no doubt that in his mind that he was now hearing the nostalgic sounds of waves reaching the shores of his childhood.
“This can’t be...Are we in…”
“Yes, Keenth. We’re here in Colonia. I take it has been some time since you’ve been home, hasn’t it?”
“I didn’t think something like this was even possible. It’s nothing at all like how Cory and Lady Aida did things.”
“I guess me being, I don’t know, a Sage might have something to do with it. But what do I know?” Haden points out toward the ocean. “This looks like quite the place to call home, Keenth.”
“It really is, but what exactly are we doing here?”
“Right. So, something told me you weren’t willing to open up about a few things in the Temple. I believe that you would feel more comfortable to do so here. Is that something that you agree with?”
“Yeah, I guess,” Keenth replies as he looks around, lost in thought. “I’m sorry, what was the question again?”
“The question was about dreams. Namely, the memories of growing up here.”
“Oh, yes...It has been a while since I have had them, so they’re a bit hazy. What I remember most are voices and the sounds of things going around near the beaches.”
“You’ve gotta work with me a bit here, Island Boy.”
“Right, right...So there’s a younger voice that I definitely recognize as my own. The other belongs to Mark, my older brother. I can’t put my finger on it, but it sounds like we’re racing one another or something.”
“Racing on the beach, huh? You must have been full of energy. Just the thought of it makes my knee begin to hurt, Keenth.”
“Really? That sounds like something an old timer like Renzel would say. Speaking of which, just how old are you anyway?”
“Hey now, let’s just focus on those dreams before you get distracted again.”
“Alright, fine. So, we run on and on as if the world was our playground. As tiring as it may sound, I wouldn’t trade moments like those for the world.”
“I believe that. Still, don’t you think it is a little dangerous to be so young and running around the beach alone like that? Was this Renzel person around? If so, what was he thinking?”
“Renzel? He’s been our village elder for as long as I can remember. He wouldn’t feel right letting us play around alone like that. It’s fine since we were definitely in good hands at the time.”
“Really now? So, who was there then?”
“My dad,” Keenth replies, feeling bittersweet emotions. “Funny that you ask because it’s been a while since I could remember his face so clearly. Mark and I were always told how much we look like him.”
“I see. So, what are you all doing around the beach in this dream?”
“Well, Mark and I are racing off to meet up with my dad. He would normally watch us from cliffs, like the ones that we are standing on right now. Only this time, he had a surprise waiting for us when we reached him.”
“A surprise, huh? I bet you were really excited. Is it something that you still keep around these days?”
“Why don’t you take a look for yourself?” Keenth replies as he hands Haden his sword. “Even though we were young, my dad gave us matching swords. He figured that since we were his boys, we would be more than capable of handling them properly.”
“That’s really something,” Haden states as he returns the heirloom. “Do you know if there's any particular reason why he gave you this that day?”
“I honestly couldn’t tell you. My dad would just have these feelings, you know? He’d follow his gut on a lot of things and taught us to trust the process.”
“That’s respectable. Is there anything else that you remember from the dream?”
“I wish I did, but that’s pretty much where it ends. The swords that he gave us were smaller versions of the one that he used for years. Just when he would start to explain why he gave them to us, I normally begin to wake up.”
“Very interesting...Thanks for sharing, Keenth. Now, why do you think those memories return through your dreams?”
“I don’t know, maybe because island life these days can be pretty boring?”
“Keenth…”
“Okay, okay. It’s just not something that I go out of my way to think about often. Do you think that’s weird?”
“No, not at all. If anything, it helps telling you what I’m about to say slightly easier.”
“Really? What’s that?”
“Keenth, I think it would be for the best if you stay here and never return to Tortuga.”
“Is this some sort of joke? Why the hell would you say even that?”
“You should understand that this isn’t something that I would say lightly. There is clearly something about the past that is calling to you. Until you come to terms with that, you will never be at peace with your future.”
“So that’s it, huh? Cory and the others risked their lives for me to meet you only to hear this? Thanks for absolutely nothing! Now get out of my way, I have to make my way back to the Azoco.”
“What do you hope to accomplish there, Keenth?”
“The only time airships are here is when they make their way out from the mainland. If I could get a boat from Renzel and the others, then I...Wait, what’s it to you anyway?”
“If your goal is to return to Tortuga, then why aren’t you asking to be brought there the same way you came here?”
“Because you are worthless to me,” Keenth shouts. “You’ve done nothing, but waste my time and shattered the last ounces of hope that I had left. Are you happy? Is that what you want to hear?”
“If that’s how you feel, then so be it. I can’t force you to do anything, Keenth. If I leave now, then there’s still time for Kendra to–”
“Kendra? What do you plan on doin
g with her?”
“To do what Aida originally sent you to me for, or did you forget already? While I will be able to help her recover, it’s unlikely that her strength will be at a level where she can defeat your opponents from earlier.”
“Wait, no! If you do that then–”
“Yes, she’ll more than likely die when they decide to return to Azoco Village.”
“And that’s okay to you? Do you even hear yourself right now?”
“Not to speak on Kendra’s behalf, but I’m sure she’d accept this. She is the guardian of her village. Her purpose is to protect Azoco with her life and she wouldn’t think twice about sacrificing herself for the sake of her people. Tell me that I’m wrong, Keenth.”
“No, you’re right. You’re absolutely right. But that still doesn’t make it okay. What good am I if I’m not around to join the battle as well? After all, I’m part of the reason why Azoco was attacked in the first place.”
“You would only get in their way, Keenth. You’ve made it as far as you have thanks to being guided by Kendra and the others, but these opponents are of a completely different caliber. I’ve spoken enough on this. If you really want to do something for Kendra, have faith in her and believe that–”
“He wasn’t here to protect us!”
“Keenth…”
“When my dad died, Mark and I were all we had for one another. As time went on, we realized how cold this world can really be. For years, we learned how to defend ourselves on our own…”
The Sage quietly listened as the raw anger continued to flow through Keenth’s words. Whether he knew it or not, this was the most liberated that his soul has been in years. Between the events of the past and the ones from the Training Academy until now, Keenth’s emotions had finally reached their boiling point.
“But just when we finally got to a place where we could proudly stand on our own two feet, Mark up and died on me too.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know that. But Keenth–”
“So, you know what, Haden, you’re right, I’m mad. I’m pissed. I’ve got a whole lot of things to work through, but the last thing I’ll have on my conscience is losing Kendra because I wasn’t strong enough to do anything!!”
Fighter's Fever: The Metallic Siege Page 14