The End of the Fantasy (Book #6 of the Sage Saga)

by Julius St. Clair

  “Stop right there,” a whisper echoed between the trees. Bastion halted his approach and put a hand to Lily’s shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. His eidolon still didn’t pick up a thing.

  “Who’s there?” Bastion asked, his eyes darting back and forth. Only silence followed. That was never a good sign.

  “A Quietus?” Lily asked as Bastion shook his head.

  “No,” Bastion said, gritting his teeth. “Worse. A Sage.” Bastion unsheathed his eidolon completely, letting the Gladius shine brilliantly and lighting up the forest around them. In that momentary flash, he saw his former classmates approaching from ten yards away, creeping ever so slowly, even after their faces were illuminated under the radiant blue light. As the light of his eidolon dimmed, it was as if they became one with the darkness once more.

  “Stay close, and get ready to defend yourself,” he whispered to her. He then straightened himself up and called out to his fellow Sages. “There is no reason for us to fight! I know that you follow Seeker, but even you must know that it will not end well for you if you do! Seeker isn’t a good man!” There were no replies. Just the occasional rustle and crunch of boot to leaves.

  “We are warriors!” Bastion shouted loud, the hair on his arms beginning to stand up. He could feel them getting closer. “We’re not meant to follow the will of a tyrant! Join me! Let us take back Allay and put an end to the Yama threat before they turn on you. They are not your friends! Please!”

  Bastion shot his head up as a groaning sound came from above. It wasn’t until he pointed his eidolon toward the source that he realized that one of the trees was falling down directly over his head. Bastion grabbed Lily and dove out the way as it crashed into the forest floor, sending a shockwave of leaves, dirt and branches flying into the back of their heads. A bright red straight sword eidolon shone brightly over his head and he barely parried the blow. He hadn’t realized that there had been a Sage riding the falling tree.

  Bastion rolled backwards and blocked a yellow halberd from taking off his head, and then he spun around and rushed to his feet. Lily punched the Sage with the yellow halberd in the face and sent her on her butt screaming and clutching her face. Bastion wasted no time with the student with the red eidolon. He put some extra strength into his swing and destroyed his enemy’s eidolon with one stroke. The student cried out and fell to his knees. Bastion looked behind him to see the other Sages rushing at him, and for them, he had no more remorse.

  “So be it,” he said to them, hoping to put fear in their bones. “We will settle this.” Bastion sprinted at the dozen in front of him without concern. Parrying their blows with uncanny power and blinding speed, he dealt them all crippling blows—only one stroke required for each of them. They fell quicker than the leaves floating in the breeze.

  “You okay?” Lily said, skidding to a stop as she reached his side. Bastion nodded.

  “Not even a bead of sweat. Are you okay?”

  “They were easy enough.”

  “Yeah, those were the weaker ones. They’re the frontline—meant to evaluate the enemy.”

  “What?” she asked in concern. “Wait, there’s more coming?”

  “I don’t know. But the stronger ones are definitely still around somewhere. It was why I took these out so quick. I didn’t want to give the enemy more than what was necessary. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a whole horde of them with eidolons outstretched, discussing what they felt from us.”

  “So they know we’re coming now.”

  “Yep,” he said with a sigh. “Let’s go around first through the village. I want to see a couple things. And who knows? They might grow weary of waiting and send an assassin our way. That will thin out their resources even further.”

  “I guess,” Lily giggled. “I have to say. I’m excited to see what’s going to happen. This is all so crazy.”

  “That makes one of us,” Bastion said, and then they began walking toward the eastern wall.

  * * *

  “Is this it?” Talia whispered, pressing a finger against the eight-foot-tall golden door. Having traveled along the entire beach, they had decided to check out the rest of the land around the city on the mountain, but they soon discovered that there was no way to circumvent the massive manmade structure. It completely closed off any paths they found, as if it served as a gate and checkpoint to the Yama’s lands themselves. They considered using a manifested dragon or bird to stay low and fly around that way, but the risk of being seen was too great. Having no options but to risk being seen or moving forward by finding an entrance, Marie suggested that they choose the latter.

  “The door feels cool to the touch,” Talia said, “and though it doesn’t look like it, it has a rippling touch, as if my finger is just below the surface of a stream.”

  “It might be alive,” Marie said, scanning the door with her eyes inch by inch. “No way to tell until we go through it.”

  “I still think that flying around the land is better,” Talia sighed, removing her finger and examining the tip. “We’ll have a better idea of what lies before us.”

  “I thought we went over this already. Though we’ll have the opportunity to survey the area, odds are that we’ll be seen as a threat and attacked. They may have projectiles or arrows that could destroy our manifestations, and then where would we be? This way, we can at least appear non-threatening. Provided this door is watched of course.”

  “Odds are that it is.”

  “Then we’ll more likely be treated with curiosity than hostility. A much better greeting.”

  “I’m with Marie on this,” Catherine spoke up finally. “We have a better chance of survival if it looks like we’re attempting negotiation.”

  “Hmph,” Talia replied, looking up at the colossal door before her. “Yeah, let’s go with Marie’s idea. I’m tired of being afraid.” Talia pressed the palms of her hands against the door and pushed with all her might, inching the door open with each grunt she emitted. Daisy soon came to her aid, and together they were able to get the group through.

  Before Catherine could walk into the mysterious unknown first, Daisy pushed the former Queen aside and took point. Catherine was shocked, but Talia nodded in approval. The young Sage knew her position—to protect.

  “This is interesting,” Daisy said as she stopped in her tracks. Catherine, Marie and Talia stepped through the door and into a spiraling dirt tunnel, lit up with rows of torches that hung along the wall. Surprisingly, the ground was covered in a bed of soft flower petals—lilacs, daisies and roses, all in a myriad of colors. Talia reached down to pick a rose and she rubbed the petal between her fingers.

  “It’s real as far as I can tell,” she said. “But what’s the point of this?”

  “It’s beautiful,” Daisy said, stooping down to rub her hand across the petal floor. Catherine looked over at her and nodded.

  “Yes, I think that is the point. It’s to be beautiful. And nothing more.”

  “What do you mean?” Marie asked and Catherine let a petal fall to the floor.

  “The Yama…we have this image of them as killers. These ruthless beings that have no regard for life or beauty. We see them as locusts, when they feel just as well as we do. Maybe I’ve been going about this all wrong. I keep thinking that this will end in violence when diplomacy really may be the best way. Instead of looking for weaknesses, perhaps we should focus on our commonalities.”

  “Be careful, Princess,” Marie replied. “While that would be best for all, it all hinges on coming to an understanding that makes sense to them, and if they think you’re desperate for catharsis, they may manipulate you. It’s no secret that your soft heart is not just one of your greatest strengths, but also your weakness. The Yama know you’re still out here unaccounted for. They might use your heart against you.”

  “So we just walk up there?” Talia asked, changing the subject and pointing further up the tunnel. “Or do we turn around?”

  “Let’s go,” Catherine said, gla
ncing at Marie for a second. “We’ve already wasted enough time. And who knows what could be happening at home.”

  Daisy took point once again, leading the charge with long confident strides to cover up the anxiety that reverberated throughout her body. The path stayed the same as it was at the beginning, composing of dirt walls and lush petal flooring. Until they reached the end at the top of the mountain.

  As they turned a corner, a blinding flash of light greeted them, and at first they considered being cautious, but Daisy was ready to face the unknown and get it over with. They followed her reluctantly, walking under the curtain of light and into the outdoors.

  It certainly was a city.

  And one unlike anything they had ever seen.

  There were houses that were five stories high and covered in stained wood of deep red and light brown. Dark blue roofs and silk banners hung overhead, connecting one house to the other as if a festival was about to be underway. The streets were bustling with happy faces and frilly dresses. Elegant armor and elaborate gowns and robes, crafted so finely that Catherine, who was not one beholden to fashion, was instantly jealous of what she saw. Their boots were of the finest leather. Their stride was confident and loose, as if to say that they were excited about what the day would bring, but if trouble should arise, they were more than equipped to face it.

  And as they traversed the marble streets and weaved back and forth between gardens and fountains and statues of warriors past, Catherine suddenly came to a startling realization. None of them looked like Yama at all. Not a single one.

  Even if the Yama they had faced were simply wearing armor, none of the inhabitants of this quaint city were lanky enough to fit inside, nor did they have the sharp teeth that defined them. None of them had large eyes or that strange slow walk that their enemy possessed.

  Had they reached the Yama at all?

  “I want to live here,” Marie whispered under her breath, and Talia found herself nodding.

  “It’s beautiful,” Daisy said, looking around her. It was hard to explain, but the city had a vibe to it that professed culture, arts and harmony. It was in the air. And the buildings seemed to declare the same. Though the structures were tall and wide, they still maintained a Victorian coziness and a warm, homey aura about them.

  “This wasn’t what I was expecting,” Catherine laughed. “I expected an army.”

  “Maybe this is part of their trickery,” Marie replied. “In any case, what do we do now?”

  “Hello there,” a middle-aged man said, coming up from behind him. He tapped Catherine on the shoulder but she felt no danger emanating from him. They all turned without feeling the need to be on guard.

  “I take it you are new to town?” he asked. He had a top hat on his head that looked like it came from a magician’s closet, and he wore a long and thin black cloak that covered him from his popped collar down to his buckled shoes. “My name is Wilheim,” he said, giving them a short bow. “Welcome to Delahcourt.”

  “What is this place? What do you do here?” Catherine asked quickly and Wilheim raised an eyebrow.

  “So quick to gather information. Hmm. Here because of the Yama I take it?”

  “Perhaps,” Catherine said cautiously. “It depends on what the answer will bring us.”

  “No need to play coy,” he said with a chuckle. “Everyone comes here initially because of the Yama. So no worries. You are in the same boat as the rest of us.” He stopped to adjust his hat. “Besides, you can’t hide your battle worn cloaks and faded colors. They stand quite out of place here. I would recommend visiting one of the weavers so that they can craft you something more delectable to the eyes.”

  “Why does everyone come here because of the Yama?” Catherine asked, without giving too much information on their specific situation.

  “This is a Delilah town,” he said, waving his hands to the sky. “Filled with Delilah people. All from different walks of life. Where do you come from?”

  “That’s irrelevant,” Catherine said. “What matters is that we’re here to maintain peace in our land and we’ll do everything in our power to accomplish our goal.”

  “You’ve come to the right place then,” he said. “All come here to get the Yama off their backs. All stay and accomplish exactly that. Now, listen closely.” He pointed down the road. “If you continue on down the main road, you will reach an intersection of three paths. Take the left path and keep going straight. Straight and straight until you can’t go straight anymore. You’ll come across the Yama headquarters there. Make your case known and I’m sure that everything will work itself out.”

  “From what we’ve seen of the Yama, that hardly seems true,” Marie replied, but Wilheim shook his head.

  “You’re mistaken, I’m afraid. If you only knew what the Yama were, then you would be singing a different tune. Whatever troubles you have faced at their hands, it is for a reason. A specific purpose that you have yet to understand.”

  “You’re saying that the Yama are actually doing good by slaughtering our people?” Catherine asked. Wilheim stifled a gasp and then gave her a look of pity.

  “I can’t say too much at the moment. But let me entertain you with a tale. I was once like you. Angry and afraid. Displaced among my people. We had suffered many wars. At the hands of our own countrymen and that of cities to our north and south. We fought and fought until we forgot what we were fighting about. It just didn’t matter. Fighting was just what we did. As easy as breathing. We could have stopped the fighting at any time, but we had lost the knowledge as to how. We deemed it out of our control when we could have simply said, ‘that’s it!’ and halted the bloodshed altogether. We were lost. But then the Yama found us. They found our true selves.”

  “He’s a lunatic,” Marie muttered under her breath. Daisy heard it and tried not to laugh.

  “They gave us a common enemy to fight. We forgot about how much we hated one another. And then, when it seemed like even our newfound union wasn’t enough, we were given another chance. Some of us were chosen. Others were left to their own vices. But what surprised us how was how the Yama didn’t destroy us as we originally thought they were going to do. They gave us a lesson. A lesson that has benefited many a people for decades now. A lesson that still is taught to this day. The results are manifest before you.” He waved his hand to the people, walking along the streets. “We are Delilah. The keepers of the world. And your land…is being tested. Learn the lesson, or perish under the might of the Delilah and their Yama.”

  Chapter 12 – Never Let Go

  “This is the village?” Lily asked, but Bastion wasn’t sure how to respond. Not really, would have probably been the proper answer. After all, they weren’t in the heart of the castle yet. They were still on the outskirts. An area of the kingdom that was considered a part of the village, but only for informational and legal purposes. For the majority of the villagers, the Sages, and the court—the outskirts was a blight. A place filled with stubborn and outdated minds that tried to make a living off the ancient way of farming rather than opting for the fast paced world of merchandise, trading and bartering.

  Few considered the fact that without those on the outskirts, the Kingdom would be forced to receive most of their produce and goods from their neighbors instead of providing for themselves. But all those not living in their world could think of was how dirty, hostile, and socially challenged those on the outskirts were.

  They were unwanted, but necessary.

  A notion that Bastion felt through and through. With each step he and Lily took upon the untilled ground and withered crops, he realized just how many had repented of their ways and decided to go further inside the castle walls—to become something they knew deep down they were not. Just to be accepted.

  “There’s no one around,” Lily whispered and Bastion nodded.

  “I doubted there would be. Few live in these parts as it is. Considering Seeker’s King now, and the Yama have been here, no one would want to be out here a
ll alone.”

  “Why would anyone live like this?” Lily shuddered, wiping the dirt off her lacey dress. “It’s cold and dark and lonely.”

  “Because it’s home,” Bastion replied. “It’s not always what you want, but it’s what you need. Seeing it like this…after so much has happened. I think I realize that now. After leaving Quietus, this seclusion…it’s what I needed most. I didn’t know how to talk to people back then. I think that if I was forced to live in the village when I returned, I would have snapped. I might have killed someone in a rage, and then…I would’ve been locked back up again. I needed time to detox. Sure, it wasn’t the best…but it was what I needed at the time.”

  “You don’t have to be alone again,” she said. “As long as we stick together.”

  “Right,” he said, taking in the view. Why hadn’t anyone stayed behind? It was strange. After all that Allay had experienced, he thought that surely there would be one. One sole farmer that decided to kick against the incoming force. Or maybe…they were just dead. Those that had a mind of their own were deemed liabilities. He could see Seeker calling for their execution.

  But whether the inhabitants of the outskirts were dead or not, the fact remained that the outskirts shouldn’t have been such a desolate place from the start. Even Catherine, in all her talk of unity and love, had shied away, either through absence of mind or all-out negligence. The outskirts should have been embraced and integrated into the Kingdom. They should have been made a part of society. But no. They continued to be a reminder of dead things. Of old ideas. Of division. Even Allay still had some growing up to do.

  “Say we live,” Bastion said, beginning to walk forward again. Lily, startled by his sudden movement tried to keep up. “We keep thinking we’re going to die but what if we live? What then? Do we try to become leaders of some kind? Or are we just hired help? Do we make allegiances to someone?”