Meridias

  ***

  Tanis weaves through the throng of armored people as he pushes his way to where the person with the blue robe is. Something flies overhead and a large explosion erupts several hundred feet behind him. The men and women advancing around him are unaffected by it but the shockwave sends Tanis flying face first into the ground. “Are you alright?” a voice asks him above the din. Tanis looks up to see an Elvin man clad in beautiful silver armor looking down at him. “Uh, yeah!” Tanis replies and takes the elf’s outstretched arm. “I need to get to the guy up in the air with the blue robe!” Tanis shouts above the noise and points to the man in the distance. The elf looks over and nods. “I shall get you there!” he says and gestures for Tanis to follow him.

  Tanis follows the elf as they weave through the army advancing forward. As they get closer to the person in the blue robe Tanis notices an emerald aura surrounding him like flames. A few moments later and they make it to where the man was flying. He seems to sense their approach and drops to the ground several feet in front of them. Tanis stares at the back of the robe in shock. It was there! The same gold and green, four-petal flower that is on the back of Elunduil’s robe! “Hey, █ █ █ █ this guy here wants to talk to you.” The elf says. For some reason there is a gap in the elf’s words. Tanis tingles with anticipation as the man turns. A familiar stoic gaze passes over him as the man turns to the elf. Except it was different.

  He doesn’t wear glasses and his eyes are a dark green. He is also a little taller than Elunduil, but Tanis feels as if it is the same person. “Adurin. It would seem that our magic is next to useless here. Whatever technology they possess seems to negate magic.” A hail of beams rain down from the sky above onto the enemy. “Those lasers… my brother has come to fight with us against the enemy,” the not quite Elunduil says.

  “Your brother is here █ █ █ █? Good maybe he’s found a way to fight against these machines.” Tanis is confused. He watches Adurin talk yet it seems like when he says the other Elunduil’s name the sound doesn’t come out. It’s like something is blocking it. The elf materializes two elegant curved blades that are silver and disappears so fast that there is an after image of him for a moment. “I see why Adurin chose to help guide you to me now. You look like someone I know but you are not.” Tanis is taken aback for a moment. There’s something else he hadn’t noticed about this Elunduil. His eyes are the eyes of someone that has lived for a long time. Not of someone who is old and weary but of someone whose experiences burn like a million stars in the night sky, and behind that gaze he feels as if there is someone else watching him.

  Tanis clears his throat. “So… you’re Elunduil right?” he asks. The other Elunduil gives him a curious look. “Elunduil? Who’s-” The other Elunduil stops midsentence. For some reason Tanis feels like this is what he is here for, but what importance can there be in telling this look-alike the name of Elunduil? He can’t fathom the reason but he feels like something will change if he says it. “Well that’s your name, duh!” As soon as Tanis says those words the man’s eyes change. Something is stirring in the depths behind his gaze and he looks away with a mixture of emotion on his face. “Elunduil… That’s not my name yet it feels as if it is. It’s familiar, so familiar yet it feels like my mind is blocked.” Frustration crosses his features. “What am I forgetting? There’s something important that I need to remember… there’s something missing. I hadn’t realized it until now…” Comprehension breaks out across his face. “Tanis… I see. I think I understand the true purpose of these seals now.”

  Golden lines appear on the other Elunduil. They form intricate patterns and circles across his form. One of the lines splinter and makes a sound like glass breaking. Tanis suddenly realizes that those around him are stopping to watch. The lines broke until one of the circles is completely shattered. Tanis doesn’t know what is going on but he can feel a sense of dread from those around them. The lines continue to crack and break at an increasing pace until there is but one left. The battlefield is eerily silent. Even the attacks from the enemy seem to have stopped. They must’ve sensed something is wrong. A blonde man with a black robe and a cloth covering the lower half of his face appears. He raises a gold staff that has a red jewel at the tip that is clutched by semi-circular gold similar to petals, and he points it at the other Elunduil. “Stop! If you break the final seal the whole universe could collapse!”

  The other Elunduil looks somber. “No… that is not the true purpose of the seals. It was meant to seal away my power, knowledge, and memories. Everything that made me who I was. I need to remember! I gave up something important and I need to remember what!” The robed man weaves powerful magic with his staff on a scale that Tanis cannot believe and directs it at the other Elunduil. “This is for your own good Mage!” he shouts. More seals start to form on the other Elunduil’s body but an emerald aura flares up and wipes them away. The robed man put more energy into his magic but the other Elunduil sighs and raises a hand into the air. A lance of aura forms in the hand and with it he stabs at the seal on his chest. The seal shatters and the robed man is blown away. No one dares to move. They all look as if their worst nightmare is standing before them.

  The other Elunduil put a hand to his head. “I forgot all of that?! I guess I knew what I was getting into but still…” He sighs. “It’s like waking from a long dream. Except the dream is real and so is what I’ve done.” He looks up to Tanis as if he suddenly remembers something and strides forward. “Well to think that your journey to hear the Light led you to this place, and that you would be the one to make me realize I was missing something. The Light must’ve taken you here for this purpose.” Tanis is at a loss for words. This man had changed when those seals were broken. His eyes are Elunduil’s and they are not. “Wait, so is this the future or something then?” he asks. Elunduil chuckles.

  “Eh, you’ll find out at some point. Though it would seem as if my name is being blocked by the Light so,” he trails off. The robed man warily approaches Elunduil.

  “Do you always have to be so cryptic?” Tanis complains. Elunduil chuckles boisterously. “It’s been a long time since I laughed like that,” he replies.

  “You… don’t you seek to destroy everything?” The robed man asks with a confused look on his face. Elunduil cocks his head to the side. “Why would I wish for that? Ah, right they manipulated you into sealing my mind away. The only thing I desire is to save this world, and to reunite with those that I parted ways from,” Elunduil seems sad for a moment then shakes his head. “Anyway, Tanis there is one thing I would like you to remember when you awaken from your trance. Tell Elunduil that the visions he sees are the key to realizing his ideal. He will come to understand the meaning of those words someday.” Tanis isn’t quite sure why Elunduil told him that message but nods his head.

  Elunduil claps his hands together. “Now then there is a voice that is trying to call to you. Relax and let it guide you for you and I will meet here in this place again. Look into yourself and let the Light illuminate your path.” Tanis tries to listen but it doesn’t seem like anything was happening. “Heh, don’t try so hard. Let yourself drift away.” Tanis let himself relax. Then he feels something. Something is calling to him!

  He blinks his eyes and when he opens them again he is in a different place. He is standing on clouds surrounded by blue sky. A radiant gold light is in front of him. At last you can hear our voice. It is a harmonic sound yet Tanis can somehow understand what it meant. We brought you to that place so that light may illuminate that which had been hidden in darkness. He has suffered trapped in a cage for a long time. Unable to call out and unable to move. Though he is not a Champion of the Light like you he has always sought to bring light to the world. Tanis isn’t sure he understands why he is being told this. “Why bring me to here now? Why not wait until later?” he asks.

  Because you must remember what he told you. You must break the cycle so that the light can shine. There is much at stake but we cannot tell y
ou what. We will guide you if you let us so that you can meet him in that place again. He cannot illuminate the darkness alone. Tanis has more question than he’s gotten answers for but then he thinks about the other Elunduil, and he knows that he wants to help his friend. How long had he been trapped behind those seals? “Alright. I’ll do what I can but I’m not much of a fighter. I don’t know if I can be of any real use but whatever happened to Elunduil… I’ll bring to justice whatever it was that made him suffer enough to express it!” Tanis says with conviction. He has the sensation that the Light approves of his resolve. He feels himself starting to drift away and looks about in confusion. Remember Tanis. Though we will not always speak. We are always with you.

  Tanis suddenly found himself back in the small room and sitting on the ground with his legs crossed. He tried to remember what happened. He had the vague feeling that he’d seen something crazy but couldn’t recall it. He remembered a place with clouds and talking to the Light. Of course! He had something to tell to Elunduil! Something about his ideal. “I see you were successful.” Angurvadel said shaking Tanis out of his reverie.

  “Uh, yeah. Actually I have to tell Elunduil something and…” he also had a strong feeling that he needed to help Elunduil. “I need to help him! Hey, Sean didn’t that one person say they went on some dangerous mission? Maybe something is about to go wrong!” Tanis got up in a hurry and started to rush towards the door. “Tanis when you’re done with your task I’d like to speak with you again. Perhaps the next time you come?” the elder said. Tanis looked to the elder and nodded then with Cerra, Felras, and Sean he rushed out of the town hall and to where the transports were. Luckily there was already one waiting for them so they quickly got in and returned to Ragnarok.

  Once back in the city they quickly made their way to Tel’kedar and to their surprise they ran into Elunduil and Tim at the sliding doors. Tanis instantly noticed that they looked battered and weary. “What happened to you guys?” he asked in a concerned voice. Elunduil shook a hand. “Eh, a bunch of stuff. What were you guys up to?” he asked. Tanis explained what had happened with them and about communing with the Light. Tim looked fairly surprised but Elunduil just had an interested expression in his eyes. “A Champion of the Light, huh? I guess that means you can do magic just not in the way we do,” he said after Tanis’ tale was done.

  Elunduil and Tim quickly regaled their tale to the others and when they were done there was a shocked silence. “That’s crazy! So those Cerebus only got defeated because some creepy looking bug creature appeared and defeated them!” Tanis exclaimed. Elunduil and Tim nodded glumly. To their surprise Cerra started examining them from top to bottom. “I’m glad to see that the two of you are alright,” she said with relief after she was finished. “Lesser Cerebus are not something even we elves dare to trifle with without careful preparation. Still is it alright, Elunduil? Showing those other children your full strength?” Elunduil gave a half shrug.

  “Honestly if I hadn’t used my Firewall Flower to save Maria she probably would’ve died… it was weird though. It was like I saw a vision of the future but for some reason it felt more like something that had happened before.” He frowned and Tanis remembered the message he was supposed to convey. “Hey, Elunduil when I was talking with the Light I got a message to tell you that your visions hold the key to realizing your ideal? I don’t really get it but I remember that it was important to tell you that for some reason,” he said. Elunduil looked confused. “My ideal? What is that supposed to mean? Did the Light tell you that?” Tanis frowned and shook his head. “No… before I talked to the Light I think I went somewhere else. A battle or something and someone told me that. I think the Light just told me to remember those words to tell you.” There was something else though. “Elunduil didn’t you say that you used holy magic to get rid of the corruption seeping up from the earth? I think maybe my purpose in finding you was to help get rid of it. At least that’s how I feel.”

  Elunduil looked to Tim who shrugged. “Just because you feel like you know what your purpose is doesn’t make it so. However you are right. If you are a Champion of the Light and can channel it than with Elunduil and I we may be able to cleanse the rest of the land for good. Let us meet back here tomorrow so I can think of a plan.” Tim said. Tanis nodded. He felt kind of excited knowing that he was able to use some kind of magic and that he could help his friends. Though he was curious about Elunduil’s vision. They bid Cerra farewell and then went inside the tower and took the portal back to their world.

  Tim and Sean took off after they returned to Earth leaving Elunduil and Tanis alone while Felras went to the bathroom. Tanis looked to Elunduil. “Hey, Elunduil what did you see in your vision?” he asked. Elunduil frowned.

  “I saw Maria,” he replied and looked off to the side. Tanis chuckled.

  “Heh, heh so is that your ideal? Alicia’s pretty good looking but Maria isn’t bad either.” Tanis had a smug smile on his face. There was an awkward silence and then Elunduil said, “I saw her die.” Tanis’ smile faded.

  “That’s, uh, grim.” Elunduil grunted. “But you saved her in the end didn’t you? If the visions are the key to your ideal then maybe it has something to do with protecting people?” Tanis mused. Elunduil shrugged. He wasn’t really sure but there was one thing bugging him. “That vision felt like something I’d seen before…”

  “Well yeah that makes sense, I mean seeing a vision is like it actually happening. Although…” Tanis trailed off and Elunduil gave him a bemused look. “There is another possibility…” Felras returned soon after and they parted ways for the day. Elunduil was curious what Tanis would come up with about the vision and spent the rest of the day mulling it over.

  Chapter 10

  A Bug Problem

  Elunduil was tired the next day when he woke. When he got out of bed he thought more about the message Tanis had delivered him. The visions that he saw were the key to realizing his ideal? He hadn’t figured out what that was and he wasn’t sure what the vision he’d seen had to do with anything. He got dressed then went downstairs to eat breakfast before heading out. Alicia had called last night and said that she would be able to meet with them this afternoon so he wanted to deal with the tainted land before then.

  He met with Tanis and Tim at the VR center and together they went to Meridias. Upon arrival Tim sought out the nearest knight, a woman with short brown hair, and he explained the situation to her. “If you are certain that you can do something about that corruption then we shall escort you!” she said with a solemn nod. “Sebastian! Myers! Suit up! We have a mission!” she ordered to two men standing nearby. One had short black hair and the other had ruffled brown hair. The men saluted and fiddled with their APL devices. Black armor appeared on the men and sheathed swords at their sides. “Now before we go children I would like to lay down a couple of rules. 1. You follow my lead. 2. If anything dangerous comes out like yesterday we retreat. 3. No heroics. Simple enough, yes? Any questions?” Elunduil shook his head. Tanis spoke up and asked, “What’s your name?” Elunduil swore he heard a chuckled from under the helmet. “I am Melony. You will address me as ma’am. Is that clear?” Tanis nodded his head. Something about her seemed familiar but Elunduil couldn’t put his finger on it.

  They gathered next to the Terminus and Melony activated it with her device. The next thing he knew they were standing in the gorge again. “Stay behind us and don’t wander off okay? Let’s move out!” Melony said. There was that feeling again. Something about her reminded Elunduil of something but he wasn’t sure what. He furrowed his brow as they cautiously walked to the edge of the blackened earth. They stopped for a moment for Tim to place his wards on them when it hit Elunduil. He’d met a female knight before back when he’d been trying to stop the laser from firing. Was it the same person? It’d been so long that he wasn’t certain but she definitely seemed familiar. He didn’t feel like this was the time or place to ask so he kept silent as they continued their march into the corrup
ted land.

  Elunduil could somehow tell by the way the landscape was tainted that they were close to the spot. Tim had gone over the plan with them as they had walked to the corruption beforehand so now all they had to do was execute it. Tim would set up a field with his magic that would use Tanis as the central conduit while he and Elunduil would funnel their energy to Tanis. The idea was that they’d create a cleansing field that would expand out in all directions and return the land to normal. If it worked. They still had to find out whether or not Tanis was capable of wielding the Light.

  When they arrived Tim immediately went to work. Using his magic he drew lines into the earth and created a small circle with several lines going to the middle of it. Tanis stood in the circle and Tim created two more circles for himself and Elunduil and then drew lines between the circles to the middle one. The circles were placed evenly around the crevice that the corruption had been oozing from. This magic circle would act as the central part of the field. Now all they had to do was activate it and Tanis would be the one in control of expanding the field. “Well are you guys ready?” Tim asked. Elunduil and Tanis nodded and took their places. Tim followed suit and with a wave of his staff he used his magic to create the conduits along the lines he’d drawn in the earth. The lines were pale blue in color. Elunduil looked to Tanis and saw the he’d closed his eyes. Tanis’ sword was out and pointed towards the center. They were ready. Elunduil could feel the conduits underneath his feet and put his energy into it. The light from the lines grew brighter.