Remnant's Past- The Fall of Stoneholt

by Beaux Riley

  "I tried too hard." Kilo laughed hard and coughed at the same time.

  "You cheated." Asa stated, wiping the twigs from his person.

  "I improvised on a big scary attacker such as yourself." Kilo teased. Asa flexed his arm and sheathed his small blades on his backside holsters. Kilo giggled a bit at his gesture. "I mean, who'd hit a girl?"

  "You're a girl?" Asa questioned in a surprising way.

  "I am afraid I have to kick your ass now." Kilo stood, coughed and proceeded to charge at Asa again.

  Asa waved his hand in front of Kilo, a move she didn't expect from her combatant. Light blinded her and she fell, her sight temporarily gone. Asa casually walked up to her and took her polearm in his hand, she could feel this and used her power to engulf Asa in wind, once again. She was surprised as neither of them released their grips of the polearm and they were thrown across the field, landing in some crops of corn. Kilo and Asa both sighed at one another.

  "Truce?" Asa requested.

  "Why? I am winning." Kilo protested and laughed again.

  ***

  “I just don’t think I can hold a blade right, Kimura.” Lizoke said, fumbling around with a wooden sword. Lizoke felt she was head-strong, but lacked physical strength. Kimura spent months trying to teach her to work with weapons he himself, had mastered. Kimura sighed the same sigh he usually did with her, making the young elf feel useless.

  “I think you may be right. You have taken up a great time in the library though. What have you learned?” Kimura said, trying to change the topic. Lizoke dropped the sword next to several other dummy weapons, feeling inadequate.

  Lizoke led Kimura into Midian’s massive library. As they entered, he noticed every time of the sheer number of books, tomes and parchment the library had. He’d felt somewhat better since learning of her lost Archivum in the fires. She had since rearranged the books into her particular order and even spent time writing her own. Kimura was impressed by the notes she’d accumulated in a desk provided by the keepers in the temple. The library span about a hundred feet in any direction. It was much larger than the lesser Archivum that Lizoke had grown so accustomed to. Kimura noticed her attitude had grown less depressed over the past few years. He'd been worried about the effects of each potential losing their previous lives. To Kimura, this was a step in the right direction.

  “I may not have the strength of a sword, but I have the cunning of the pen, watch this.”

  Lizoke waved her hands over several of the pages on her desk. Blank parchment illuminated, revealing notes she'd written in a golden ink. Kimura was impressed by her unique way to conceal information that would react only to the Light. Kimura clapped, clearly amazed at her progress in the Light.

  Lizoke opened a book, waving her hands over the pages, forcing them to begin to move from cover to cover. The words began to glow. She waved her open hand over the glowing words, bringing them to life. The image of a man and women in elegant clothing danced on the top of the page. The characters of this book faced Lizoke and reached down, pulling more and more of the words into the image of dancers. She sat the book down, waving her hands, seeing the growing number of male and female dancers grow to the size of a person. The first image of a man she had summoned offered her a hand. Lizoke playfully took the gentleman’s offer and they began to dance, using the library as a ballroom.

  Lizoke further brought the dance to life by quickly pulling a book and again waving her hands over a sheet of music. As she took the hand of another male dancer, and an orchestra appeared across the room. The sounds of violins, flutes and other instruments made a place that was once for silence, now alive and exciting. Beings of golden white and in fancy and unusual clothing embraced each other in such a rhythmic dance.

  The dance continued, even Kimura to be brought in by a women the novel described as voluptuous and invited him to be a part of the great ball within the library.

  Time seemed to stand still. Lizoke’s display was without words. As the dance slowed to a halt, the men and women of Light bowed. They faded one by one until the single lady that had taken Kimura’s hand smiled at him. She placed an ethereal hand on his face and faded into the book’s words.

  “Thank you.” Said Kimura. His mind fresh with the written woman’s face. "You may not be a fighter, but you are definitely a warrior of your own domain."

  Lizoke raised a finger for Kimura to wait. The paladin sat at a table, casually watching some of the guardians of the temple trying to make sense of Lizoke's organizational skills. She returned promptly with a book that had several pages inserted in it and set it in front of Kimura. He opened the book to see a map of a town on the borders of Averia.

  "Worren?" Kimura asked curiously.

  "This town is something Kilo and I had done some research on. They are religious zealots, extreme in fact. They worship the Light and more so, the guardians of the Light, paladins." Lizoke stated. Kimura sat in amazement, trying to think how this town was avoided for so long.

  "How is this....yea, I remember." Kimura suddenly thought back to the night Lossetta was destroyed. They'd evacuated the citizens from the town. Those people had to be the same that lived in Worren now. "I wonder. Maybe a paladin managed to get away. Aedrius and I might not be the last...well outside of you and the others." Lizoke felt pride in her work.

  "It might be beneficial to visit them and see. I might recommend avoiding mentioning being a paladin, though." Lizoke suggested. Kimura smiled. They both said nothing, having lived in secrecy of being Light users this entire time.

  "I'll be taking a few of the others instead." Kimura finally said. Lizoke's heart sank a bit.

  "The others?" Lizoke said sadly.

  "I've spent a great deal of time with you, Kilo, Asa and Crowlis. It's a big task to continue to teach everyone to master this power. I'd like to see how the others are doing, though, it’s nothing against you." Kimura did have a point as Lizoke noticed. One teacher and several students was a task in any way it was sliced. She felt that her 'training' or whatever it was considered to be in their one on one sessions, was now nearing its completion. Kimura began to visit her less and less, as though a mother cat was weaning its kitten.

  "What should I do in my studies, in the mean time?" Lizoke bowed her head as she couldn't hide her sense of disappointment. She'd wanted to visit the far off lands for a long while.

  "The Paladine needs someone with intelligence like you for more than fighting. I've learned that." Kimura said, patting Lizoke on the head. Her ears went red from blushing. "I believe you'll discover secrets of the Light even I don't know."

  ***

  “I’m honestly more scared of that horse than anyone who controls the elements. He’s huge.” Jaya commented as she entered the stable. Kimura couldn’t contain his laughter.

  The four travelled for three days towards Worren. Angaea and Kimura had spent much of that time talking, while Archen and Jaya had remained silent. Kimura had made jokes many times of their silence only to be put in his place when Crowlis mentioned that Kimura could spend hours talking about nothing and if they came upon a stream of water, Crowlis would introduce the two.

  The wide open fields of Ethra to the east of Midian were the only lands not occupied by any of the four Kingdoms. Kimura understood this to be advantageous as they travelled along a pathway that allowed them to enter the forest to retire for the evening and continue in the open plains when trying to cover distance.

  "When we arrive, do you suppose they'll sacrifice a virgin?" Crowlis finally spoke again after a day and a half. Kimura stopped ahead and turned his horse towards Crowlis, who had chosen to remain at the rear of their single line caravan.

  "We know about as much as Lizoke was able to gather. The odds of a paladin having survived the purge...let's just say that Aedrius and I would have been pushed towards this place sooner. "Kimura said in a reminiscent manner. “We’re simply visitors."

  "I don't think we should follow your manner and leave it to chance. If y
ou find someone you know, what then?" Crowlis said, in a bit of an impatient tone. Kimura understood his concerns. Even he didn't know what he'd do if someone came up to him and said hello.

  "We could sorely use another ally. Hell, I've all but given up on the hopes of any water elementalists surviving." Said Kimura. Crowlis didn't dig further into their discussion, watching Kimura continue to lead their horses down the path. Being the last of anything must truly worry their teacher, as Crowlis had started to realize.

  Hours passed as the sun had reached what they'd say was about three in the afternoon. The group agreed to sit at the edge of the forest for some much needed shade. The horses had moved to a nearby stream, slightly down from where they sat at the base of the forest. Kimura eyed Crowlis worriedly that he'd be thrown into it. Crowlis laughed for the first time. It scared the paladin.

  Kimura eyed Jaya and Crowlis as they sat across from each other, silent. Jaya had taken a book from the library at the request of Lizoke, and was forced to read as Lizoke believed that Jaya needed to talk more. She believed Jaya had shut herself out from others and needed a way to express herself.

  Lunch went rather fast for the four. Kimura had been known to give minor lessons, even after classes had finished. The Light always seemed to intrigue him. In terms of progress, Crowlis had been the furthest along behind Jaya and Angaea. He could perform simple tricks like illumination, but failed at fully mastering the offensive uses of their power. They all remembered seeing Kimura face his open palm to a tree and seemingly fire a blast of white energy, destroying the entirety of his target.

  Crowlis' proficiency came in another form. Defense. The large Averian sported a shield unlike most traditional shields. It was a dark smoky black metal that had spikes and was long instead of round. It span down the length of his arm and could be used as more of an extension of his armor to fight with, rather than prevent attacks. Like every paladin-in-training, he also carried a short sword on his right side. Kimura witnessed on occasion during sparring matches, the Light would surround concentrated impacts on Crowlis and deflect them.

  Kimura made it a point to have the paladins develop their own unique uses for the Light, including basic skills that he had learned from Zahn. Unlike traditional military training and as Kimura understood the elemental power, he attempted to be unique in his teachings.

  "I'd like to show you how to imbue your weapons." Kimura sat on a stump of a long-dead tree and removed a dagger from his boot. Jaya had sat against a tree with her own shoes off, enjoying the momentary bliss of the dirt between her toes. Kimura made his hand glow the signature color the Light was known for, only this time, he managed to keep its glow to span no farther than the center of his palm. Crowlis had since walked over and leaned in, observing every motion of Kimura's hands. In Kimura's left hand, he'd straightened his fingers over the side of the blade. The Light seemed to resonate with the metal and slowly bled onto its outer layer, enveloping it with a small aura.

  "Amazing. You can store the Light in inanimate objects?" Asked Crowlis.

  "I've seen this metal here has a special relationship with elemental power. Unlike steel or iron, Zetion metal seems to allow the Light to empower it. The longer you sit and envelop your weapon, the longer it will last." Said Kimura as he stopped waving his hand back and forth from the hilt to the end of the dagger.

  "So how did we get imbued permanently?" Jaya asked, setting her book aside.

  "Great question. I received my Light by passing the trials of the Paladine. It was my reward for proving my worth. For you, you received it by coincidence. At least, I believe so." Kimura's answer left many more questions for Jaya.

  "By mistake, you mean?" Crowlis said demanding an honest answer.

  "The Light chooses its own. I don't see gaining any of my own kind a kind of accident. I'm even happier that none of you were found by the Char, untrained." Said Kimura. The paladin placed his left hand again on the dagger, instead of a rigid fingers, he motioned as though he were pulling on something invisible. The Light he had just imbued into the weapon seemed to be pulled from it and returned to Kimura's palm.

  ***

  Kimura and the others arrived at the town of Worren just as the sun rose on the fourth day. Tired and dirty they chose to find some lodgings to stay in while they discovered what the place had to offer. Kimura noticed there were many blonde individuals in the town, something that was not known to be seen in Vathra. He stayed close to the others while searching for an Inn. They'd chosen to park their horses at a nearby stable. Kimura gave the elderly man running it, a bag of coins, to which the elder was excited and much more interested in helping Kimura and his gang.

  "It seems there is a great deal of Averians staying here." Said Kimura to Crowlis. "Anyone you recognize?" Crowlis shook his head.

  "This close to the borders of Averia, it was bound to happen. I'm sure that if we came to the most northeastern part of the city, we can see the walls of Averia." Said Crowlis.

  Jaya's eyes began to wonder. She seemed preoccupied by something she was looking for in a place she'd never been. Jaya tapped Kimura on the shoulder, beckoning his attention as they got out of the middle of the street.

  "This town is only a few years old right? It's amazing how much has been built in that time." Said Jaya. Kimura nodded. If these people were Vathrans, they clearly had help from Averia to rebuild, or had found this town by chance and adapted into it.

  "I believe this is a mixed town." Said Kimura. He looked around, seeing many people, faces he felt he might remember and those he'd never seen. He stopped beside a building that was two stories tall, a pub most likely, and continued to survey the town. Worren was not as large as Maiden's Point, but it was incredible in comparison. It seemed to mirror this side of the country as a trading hub for Averia, though it wasn't well known. There were a plethora of people, as he noticed. A blacksmith station, shops, butchery places and what he'd come to expect from the basics of a town comprised the state of Worren. What he failed to see or feel, were any of his own kind. Kimura saw for the first time, the looks of a church that was at least a hundred feet from where they stood.

  "Crowlis, I am leaving you to watch over Angaea and...Where is Jaya?" Kimura said with his heart skipping a beat.

  "She informed me that she 'outranks' me and will be purchasing some books for Lizoke, her new best friend." Crowlis said this in a tone of utter defeat and as though this were a common occurrence.

  "Then I am afraid our leader will be buying a book. Can you watch them while I visit that convent behind me?" Said Kimura, playing with Jaya's game. Crowlis made his signature nod and Angaea jumped on Crowlis's back playfully.

  "We'd best stay out of sight until Kimura comes back." Angaea suggested. Crowlis thought to himself that was the best advice his well-endowed friend ever made. Crowlis made the effort to carry Angaea towards the bookshop after Jaya on her own mission.

  Kimura walked for several minutes, avoiding and dodging busy citizens who were in their own world, making no effort to acknowledge Kimura's presence. He ensured that the paladins had kept their hoods up and tried to keep themselves from standing out.

  As he came closer and closer to the church, he noticed what seemed to be people dressed...just like paladins. His heart sank for the second time in an hour and wanted to call out until he stared at the faces of these people. They had the dress of a paladin, but absolutely no Light came from them. They were simply emulating his people.

  Perhaps they were inspired by Zahn's dress code? Kimura thought to himself. He approached one of these would-be paladins and bowed his head, not allowing the upper half of his face to be seen.

  The person noticed Kimura and returned the bowing gesture.

  "Welcome to the Church of the Kaeoth, how may I help you, child?" The servant of the church stated as though they've spoken the phrase hundreds of times.

  "I am just a traveler." Said Kimura, realizing that he had much to ask and much more to hide. "What is this place?" Kimura po
inted to the Church of Kaeoth's building. It stood all white, compared to the other buildings in Worren, which had varying colors of brown wood and stone.

  "This is the Sanctum. We pray to our fallen saviors, the Paladine and our lord, Zahn Kaeott." The servant said. "Have you come to join us in the blessing of the Light?"

  How in the hell has this place not been burned to the ground by the Char? Kimura thought hard to himself.

  "Might I talk to your leader?" Asked Kimura.

  "You wish to speak to Father Serict?" The servant asked politely. "By all means, he is currently giving a sermon in the church as we speak. Please enter." The servant beckoned Kimura up the stairs and through the large doors. As Kimura entered, he saw the normal look of a monastery with seats on both side of him and a podium at the end of a carpeted entrance.

  Kimura saw anger, then confusion and finally pushed all these emotions into his stomach as he caught a glimpse of Serict, the third and last surviving member of the Paladine. He was Zahn's last student and equal in power to Kimura and his late brother. Kimura heard Serict preaching. His blind fury forced him to sit down in the furthest row back, waiting for his former ally to finish talking. Serict had been an older man when he gained the Light. His gray hair and beard were unusual among so many paladins who were at the prime of their youth. Kimura always noticed how tired he looked. Though it was Serict's blue eyes could make anyone sad.

  What seemed like an eternity passed as the sermon ended and the people left the church one by one. Serict was the last to leave and noticed Kimura sitting in his seat.

  Serict sighed and sat beside Kimura, who was dumbfounded.

  "I see you've finally found me..." Serict said as he brushed his hand over a book containing preaching and other lessons. "…Kimura."

  "It wasn't hard when you look far enough. Why didn't you come looking for us? We had...we have a mission." Kimura stopped, his fist balled up. He couldn't understand where his anger was coming from.