by Robe
“He’s very reserved in his suffering,” Dalk said. “That may not be such a bad thing.”
“I would dispute that,” Auric said. “He should let his allies know of his weaknesses so we can compensate for them. If we have to keep this up much longer and Veese doesn’t settle down, he’s going to end up very hurt.”
“In his mind, he doesn’t have a choice, Auric,” Dalk replied. “To him, all of this is his fault, and he feels he has to correct it. Maybe we’ll get lucky and this ordeal will be over before it gets any stranger.”
“I doubt that will happen,” Auric said. “Speaking of strange, have you had any more… incidents?”
“You speak of the freezing?” Dalk asked. “No, that is something I do not wish to explore.”
“Could come in handy,” Auric said.
“It could also lead to some serious consequences,” Dalk replied.
There was silence between the two men as they strode past the pub where they had encountered the Evil God. The building was in the area that Veese and Reon were patrolling, but they had agreed it would not hurt if both pairs checked it every so often. The scene was quiet, and it appeared as if nothing at all had happened there the previous night should the busted-out window be overlooked. Gentle music was playing inside.
They passed the street, and Auric shivered. “Aren’t you cold?” he asked, pulling his cloak more tightly around him.
“Not at all,” Dalk said.
“But you’re wearing lighter clothing than I, and I’m freezing,” Auric said.
Dalk thought for a moment, and then the two of them looked at each other. “It can’t be…” Dalk said.
“Based on what we’ve already seen, I would have to guess that it can,” Auric responded.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t been cold any of the times you and the others were,” Dalk said.
“Maybe having a little extra something isn’t so bad,” Auric said. “Why don’t you try?”
“Try what?” Dalk asked.
“Try to make something happen,” Auric said.
“Because I don’t want to,” Dalk said.
“I’ll just keep my distance,” Auric said, and when Dalk gave him an exasperated look, he pressed on. “Listen, if you’re going to prevent it from hurting anyone, the best way is to control it, right? Why not give it a shot? At least figure out how.”
“Very well,”Dalk said bleakly, and he walked off the street between two buildings, away from curious eyes. Auric stopped to watch but stayed a safe stretch away. Dalk raised his hand and closed his eyes. After a few moments, it became apparent to him that Dalk was trying to use his power, yet proving unsuccessful. He lowered his hand and looked at Auric weakly.
Auric jogged toward him. “Try using your emotions,” he suggested. “Ziem first used his power when one of the Raugen jumped on him, and Reon kept catching fire during our battles. When we were in peril, you froze that creature. You and the others must have been using your panic, your feelings, to make such wonders happen.”
Dalk nodded, and Auric stepped back again as Dalk raised his hand in front of him. He closed his eyes and his face became unreadable. A few moments later, something did happen. Forming in Dalk’s hand was what looked like snow, and it began sprinkling to the ground as it filled Dalk’s palm and flowed over his fingers. Dalk opened his eyes and couldn’t help but laugh in amazement as he saw what he had achieved. Auric approached him, also laughing, and bent down to examine the snow as it floated to the ground before landing on the dirt. It only remained for a moment before melting away.
“Incredible,” Auric said. “Simply incredible.”
“It’s so small a thing, yet I feel as though I’ve moved a mountain,” Dalk said.
The pair’s happiness was cut short. Auric suddenly grabbed Dalk’s shoulder. Dalk looked up and saw what Auric had seen; the Evil God was standing at the end of the alley. He was looking around, but there was no indication he’d seen them. After a moment longer, he continued forward.
Auric started toward the end of the alley, but Dalk stopped him, grabbing him by the arm. “You should go and find the others,” Dalk said. “He hasn’t seen my face. I’ll follow him and try to signal to you.”
Auric nodded. “I’ll be fast. Take care.” He dashed off down the opposite side of the alley, and Dalk walked the other way. When he made it back to the street, he saw the Evil God strolling casually through the darkness. He seemed to keep away from the light but made his way slowly, if not calmly, and he held his head high. Dalk put his hands in his pockets and pulled his cloak around him to appear cold, and he followed the dark-haired man. As he watched the Evil God, he knew he was certainly following Weston Revidious, or what was left of him. The stranger in his friend’s body walked nothing like the Weston Dalk knew.
The Evil God seemed to be heading in a general direction; the western side of Rode. Dalk continued to mirror his target’s movement, but he was so far back that he couldn’t differentiate between the man he pursued and a small woman who strode past him. The Evil God made a sudden turn, and Dalk hurried to the corner to see where the man had gone. As Dalk passed the final building to the curb, he was astonished to see a vast field before him, and strutting through the field was his target. Past the open stretch of land was a massive forest, ranging farther into the horizon than the eye could see.
That must be the Western Barrier, Dalk thought to himself. The Western Barrier was the giant forest that separated Lon Gairdas from Rathelstat, and within it had dwelled the fabled Forest Guard, formed to protect the people of Rode against Rathelstat, which, back then, was a greedy nation of bandits and cutthroats. Many fighting styles had been based on the Forest Guard’s technique and sense of honor, but their once essential existence had all but been forgotten.
Dalk watched as the Evil God slowly made his way toward the Western Barrier. He certainly was taking his time, and Dalk hoped it would be enough for his companions to catch up. Behind him was a large opening in the street, a square with a fountain in the middle of it. Dalk waited, looking back and forth between the Evil God and the square where he hoped his group would eventually appear. His nerves started to get to him and he had to close his eyes for a moment and calm himself. Finally, Auric came into view with the other four close behind him, and Dalk waved, bringing them dashing his way.
“You barely made it in time,” Dalk said as his companions gathered around him.
“We would have shown much earlier if Auric hadn’t kept pointing me in the wrong direction,” Joan replied, and a look of deep apology flashed across Auric’s face. “I thought you’d come to the hill.”
“Is that him?” Veese asked, pointing to the Evil God as he grew close to the trees. Dalk nodded in reply as the forester continued, “He is placed inconveniently. We will not be able to sneak up on him.”
“We must be fast,” Auric said. “Once he disappears in there, we’ll need to sprint across that field.”
Everyone seemed to be in agreement on this and readied themselves for the dash as they watched the Evil God reach the forest and vanish among the trees. On Auric’s command, they raced out into the open. Keeping their heads low, they ran, the wind stinging their faces. Joan, who had never prided herself on her speed or endurance, was impressed that she was not only keeping up with the men, but surpassing them. Veese had fallen behind, and as the rest of the group plunged into the trees, he stumbled and would have hit the ground, had Reon not caught him.
“Are you alright?” Reon asked, but Veese simply steadied himself.
“What do we do now?” Joan whispered, though they could not see her. The woods were almost completely dark. Even though the party members stood only feet apart, they could see little more than the outlines of each other.
“Link hands,” Auric said, grabbing onto Veese’s unsuspecting grip, “and follow me.”
Together, the group felt their way through the darkness. Barely any starlight shined through the thick canopy, and they stumbl
ed over one another constantly. Through the darkness, there was a light, very dim at first, but growing more visible as they approached. It was bluish, and the closer the group got, the more they realized it was not a natural light. The source appeared to be a pond, and within it, the water was beautifully clear and glowing. As the party neared the ring of trees surrounding the pond, they crouched down behind the wood. Beside the pond kneeled a figure, and although they could not make out the face, it was clear by his posture and shape that it was the Evil God.
Not more than a few moments later, he stood and walked farther into the forest, away from the pool. Veese’s face appeared next to Auric, barely visible by the blue light of the water. He indicated with his eyes and a finger, and Auric nodded. They began to circle the clearing, Reon and Ziem following Auric counterclockwise while the other three went the opposite direction. Keeping their eyes open, they made their way to the halfway point across from the pool and met Veese, Dalk and Joan.
“Where did he go?” Reon whispered.
The party eyed the glowing pool nervously, and slowly, they crept into the opening. The unusual light flowed over them fully, and they had to squint as they looked into the brightness of the shallow resevoir. It appeared to be water, but it was much more enchanting. It rippled and flowed despite the fact nothing was touching the surface. The companions leaned down to gaze into the liquid, amazed by its otherworldly qualities.
“Quite captivating, isn’t it?” a voice spoke from the shadows, surprising the companions and making their nerves try to jump, yet somehow, they found themselves unable to move. As they tried to turn to see whose voice spoke, they realized their bodies were not obeying them. Despite their best efforts, they remained crouched in front of the pool. Auric’s eyes strained to his left and could see Dalk looking down at his sword.
“It seems to have worked perfectly, doesn’t it?” the voice continued. “Even on those with strong wills, it holds, forcing all to appreciate its beauty.” The voice was drawing nearer, and Auric could hear footsteps crunching through the grass. “So, to whom do I owe the pleasure of sharing this moment?”
To Auric’s right, Joan was momentarily freed from the spell that held her, and she exclaimed, pulling her sword from its sheath. A cry escaped her mouth as she turned, and the sword she held fell to the ground next to her. Auric forced his eyes so far to his right it felt as though they would pop out of his head, but Joan was out of his sight.
“Oh my,” the voice said. “I hope all of you aren’t as aggressive as your friend, or this could become unpleasant.” One by one, each of Auric’s companions were unbound and forced to turn and stand before being frozen in place again. When Auric felt his muscles loosen, he tried to fight the force pulling at him to stand, but it was too great, and he too turned to face the Evil God. The body of Weston Revidious was watching them, and he had a vile smirk spread across his lips.
9
“Tell me,” the Evil God said. “Why are you hunting me?”
None of the companions said anything, although they could feel the force binding their mouths fall away.
“Not talkative?” the Evil God asked. “Maybe pain will make conversation more appealing.” His smile left, and he raised his hand toward Ziem. After just a moment, Ziem screamed and his body strained to recoil against invisible bonds. As it happened, Auric thought for a brief instant that the magic shackles holding him loosened their grip.
“Stop!” Auric shouted.
With his hand still raised and Ziem still howling, the Evil God looked over to Auric. “Answer my question.”
“We seek to end your tyranny!” Auric cried. “To stop you before you can bring further pain to the people of the New World!”
The Evil God chuckled and lowered his hand, and Ziem became quiet. “You think to stop me? You must not know with whom you are dealing. I am Argain, creator of this world and ruler of this universe. Anything and everything can and will be bent to please me. I am invincible. Your bravery is wasted.”
“If you do not fear us, then why do you bind us?” Auric asked.
Argain laughed, a cackle so evil it made Auric and his companions sick. “You are smarter than you appear, Auric,” the Evil God said. Auric’s eyes widened as he heard Argain speak his name, and he wondered how the Evil God could possibly have known.
“A pity,” Argain said. “Only the strongest hunt me, the ones worthy of my respect. You will die, know this, but I do not end you without remorse. I do not know how this one gained the ability to manipulate fire,” the Evil God spoke, gesturing toward Reon, “but I will gladly reclaim my energy.” Argain raised his hand again, and it began to shine before a beautiful gleaming sword appeared in his hand.
Auric felt his bonds weaken again for a moment and struggled wildly against them, unsure if he would get another chance. To his surprise, the magical force holding him broke, and he stumbled forward before pulling his sword from its sheath. Argain was startled by the surprise escape, and with a sneer, he replaced his footing. He raised his hand to perform more magic, but as he did so, the others broke free as well.
Frowning, the Evil God backed away from his freed prisoners, continuing his sorcery. A shadowy, disembodied hand materialized before his own and began to grow as the companions watched and prepared themselves for what was to come. It grew larger and larger until it could hold one of them in its grip. Black and bony, each of its long, skeletal fingers were tipped with a sharp nail. The only thing it could have been compared to was a terrifying nightmare.
The hand thrust forward toward Auric, and he had to dive aside to avoid its attack. Dalk pulled his blade free and lunged at the massive, disembodied grip, but it backhanded him, sending him crashing into the growth outside of the clearing.
Joan leaned down and picked her sword up before rushing past the levitating hand. She made eye contact with Argain as she prepared to strike, but he simply pointed his free fingers at her feet. Below her, vines sprung from the ground, tangling around her ankles and making her fall.
Just behind her was Reon, his sword in his right hand, and in his left, a ball of fire, humming. He hurled the ball towards Argain, but the Evil God simply raised his palm and the fireball exploded before it reached him, as if striking an invisible barrier. Reon formed another flame in his hand and sent it towards Argain, but again it smashed into the field around his target, with not even the smoke passing through.
In frustration, Reon ran forward, throwing another fireball at Argain that never made contact. He swung his sword at the villain, expecting it to strike an invisible wall. The weapon met no resistance and fell toward the Evil God. Argain defended himself with his own blade, and as the two swords collided, a blast of light exploded at the point of contact. Reon yelled in pain as his eyes slammed shut, and he fell, cowering away from the intense glow.
Auric too had to shield his eyes for a moment against the light, allowing for the hand to grab him. Its fingers curled around his body, and where the dark flesh touched his skin, it felt like knives were cutting into him. Dalk reappeared, stabbing into the conjuration with his sword. Releasing Auric from its curled fingers, the hand recoiled, writhing as if it were in pain for just a moment before tightening into a fist and knocking Dalk into the gleaming pool. The hand turned to Auric and struck at him, but he ducked its attack and cut it from beneath. Energy seeped from its wound in the form of a dark, murky smoke, and with each passing second, its movements were less fierce and precise, as if it was weakening.
In all the confusion, Ziem managed to break free from his bonds as well, despite being distressed from the terrible pain Argain had inflicted upon him. He rose to see Auric still fighting the hand while Veese locked blades with the Evil God himself. Joan and Reon were both on the ground, and Dalk was nowhere to be seen. As Ziem got to his feet, he saw Veese lose his footing and fall before the Evil God. The youngest of the companions rushed forward and released a shock of lightning from his hand. It struck against an invisible barrier, the same Reo
n’s fireballs had hit, but this time, the unknown protection ripped down the middle and splintered out around the point of impact. Looking up from Veese, Argain searched for who had thrown the lighting bolt. Ziem fired another blast of electricity at the Evil God, but the attack went over his target’s left shoulder, and he felt his legs buckle as the use of his power drained his strength.
Dalk pulled himself from the glowing water, drenched and with wet, heavy clothing. He saw Auric sparring with the hand and composed himself. Dashing forward, Dalk raised his sword over his head and chopped into the disembodied hand from behind. The blade went all the way through, and the hand shuddered as ashy whisps escaped from the wound. What was left of the Evil God’s creature crumpled to the ground in a heap and lay still.
Auric nodded to Dalk in thanks and then turned to the Evil God. Ziem was throwing lightning at him, but he was approaching the young man, and Ziem’s attacks were becoming less powerful and less accurate. Together, Dalk and Auric rushed at Argain, and the Evil God spotted them out of the corner of his eye. Dalk stopped and raised his hand. Focusing on his emotions, the adrenaline running through him and fear for his companions’ safety, he released a wave of frosty air that surprised the Evil God. A flash of uncertainty washed over the Evil God’s face as he realized his opponents were more powerful than he had anticipated, and he turned on his heel and fled into the density of the forest.
Auric pursued, throwing himself into the darkness outside the clearing. He could see the figure of the Evil God, his cloak reflecting the light from the pool, but as he chased, his target grew less and less visible until he was running in complete blindness. Refusing to give up, Auric pressed on, but he promptly tripped and fell into a small ditch.
After a few moments of panting, Auric caught his breath, and then he realized he could see nothing. The only shapes he could make out as he pushed himself to his feet were the stars, their twinkling barely visible through the canopy.