1 City

Wrote the first day I got the assignment.

 

1 City

 

The man grabbed the Artifact from a very powerful entity. Everything was Light now, and Life’s power has finally been captured. A man worthy enough to make it that far could only be a City warrior.

“Father,” he echoed.

“No Son…” The man that now possessed Life stabbed his supposed Father with a long blade.

The High Mage woke up startled from his dream.

“YES!” he droned out, clasping his hands together and rubbing them. “The last remaining Scott…He is the next chosen. I have foreseen it. We will have to move the day for the Chosen to leave…but if that’s the price I need to pay to get the ultimate power…then so be it!”

He walked out of bed and went to the orb that stood in the center of the next room. He studied it, and after an hour he smiled yet again. His plan would work he knew it. “I need Life…” he kept muttering. After yet another hour his plan was complete. He went to a mirror and called for the King, saying it was urgent. When he had arrived the Mage was in mid-sentence of-

“This cannot be! A full fledged dark entity has entered the city walls!”

            “What!? How? I need answers, and fast.”

            He gulped, “Sir I…have none to give...”

            The man drew his sword and aimed it at throat, “you will find an answer, or you will answer to me, Caster.”

            “Perhaps…perhaps…there is an increase in demonic activity?” the High Mage suggested.

             “Time for no such suggestion, Caster! Do something about it at once!” he said, turning around to leave, “or I will kill you myself” said looking back

            The High Mage watched him as he trotted out. Looking out the window he had seen him raise the alarm, and heard, soon after, distant shouts of panic and confusion

            Laughing and crying aloud, “Ha! How hellish the Sword is today! By appearance of some foul stench, he makes mockery of I, seer of the city, highest of the highest mages! Payment in twofold I justified by bringing such a smell about. Weakening defense a pinch, and fortification made to dwindle. Hah! My magic is great, and the people of this city? Well if I’m the light, then they are the moths! Even the great Swords of this City are nothing!”

            Pleased and smiling to himself, the mage sat back to his studies, leaving the room with a ball containing the image of a rather large demon ripping a small child limb from limb.

            Grabbing a quill, “They are sure in for a surprise.” He wrote the date in a large book and looked up, watching through the other room as the demon finished his meal. “Hah! My plans are always made in perfection indeed. May the gods have mercy on you, the son of that despicable Sword! It was rather fortunate though that Iscariot left when he had did. I wouldn’t want his surprise to be ruined after all!” He ended with a malicious laugh and went back to his writing, still smiling his filthy grin.

 

***

            There was no sound on the field where it stood, as the King unsheathed a massive sword. He was not intimidated by the darkness flowing from it, staining the perfect land and air. Blood covered the earth all around its feet.

            “Blood. Blood! So it has attacked then!” he shouted  

            With said notion, Iscariot led the men he gathered to defeat the twenty foot tall being. One mighty blow from any of the fierce warriors of City could cause earthquake; all of them being masters in earth type Art of course.

            In a dash, King Iscariot hurdled towards it, and with a slash, he opened the first wound. Ooze bubbled forth as more warriors swarmed. It was as if such a demon had no chance to begin with.

            As five minutes passed, the King quickly surveyed the battle. What he saw, and what he didn’t see, they seemed to intertwine, until a comrade gathered earthen energy inside the sword he held. He had successfully produced an earth-blade, and the final blow to end the fight. The King watched as the beast dropped, “Excellent.”

            A cry of victory rose high. Laughing and jeering, the rejoicing of the men was sweet

            Nodding his head, the King knew the battle had been won. Nothing could stop such a warrior as a City warrior. Not even the mages and the King knew this.

            “Enough, Enough! Pick up the body, we need a proper burial. You there! Get on it.”

            To the edge of battlement he walked. Stopping to contemplate how defense has weakened at the Wall. No darkness may enter this City, and yet it has. The Mages even assured that their Magic is strong, stronger than anything; even going so far as to say even the warriors of City, but the King did not believe this, not one word since we clearly just defeated the monster that has defeated magic; their magic. Could this demon have been stronger for some reason than that of the Wall, the Magic, and the Mages? The King knew that he must take this up with the Casters…his thoughts disappeared when he heard the panic of a fellow comrade.

            “Sir!” he gasped, startling Iscariot further, “you might want to take a look at the body.”

            “And what is so special about one body that I have to look Warrior!?” he said in a despicable tone.

            “Because…” bowing his head, “it is your Son.”

           

***

 

            “Due to the fact that Kings Son has died in a recent attack, we are moving up the day to choose who shall set out on The Path.”

            The High Mage heard an onslaught of:

“What?”

“This can’t be!”

“What if I’m chosen…?”

“No! The kings Son died?”

The Denizens were saying these things after hearing the news of this new ruling in the gathering at the square. They seemed scared, even frightened.

            The High Mage exclaimed “the day of choosing will be of course as soon as possible. The Gods allow only one to leave a year and today is one year exactly after the last chosen has left us. Usually we must wait another whole month to allow time of the Passing, but the time calls for a change in that matter. Today, the ninth of July, shall be the day we choose such a valiant person to take on such a terrible request to walk The Path and find the Artifact of Life. With it, one is said to be invincible, possessing mass quantities of power, and mastermind of each elemental force. Bring it back, and no darkness shall ever penetrate this sacred place we call home again.”

            Murmurs of excited tongues pierce the hearts and ears of others around. The crowd grows larger. More pile out of their homes, their work. The whole city was before the castle now.

            “Decision is drawing to a close brothers and sisters. We, the Mages, are in deliberation as we speak. Like always two seers have had different visions. We must allow only one to leave to their calling. We need to know that the man seen is the true chosen. This shall be the deciding factor…”

            He raised his encrusted staff high above his head, shouting the names of the Gods as he went. The crowd looked from below and started the chant with him.

            Rain clouds appeared. Terrible lightening bolts crashed overhead. But still the chanting rang louder.

            Lowering the staff, and raising his hand, a yellow bolt came and froze, inches from the High. A second mage appeared and said a prayer, so silent but so loud so that everyone could hear. “…Pitied once, and twice again became the baptism of the stars with moons. So cold becomes the surface. SHINE NOW.”          

            The bolt of color, discharged, and became Pure White. Still suspended, it crackled and twisted under the stare of the High.

            “Still, as it once was a thousand years ago, we make the choice; we call upon the skies for aid, all in search for the Holy, the Power, and the Glory that sleeps amongst us.”

            “REBIRTH!” the second framed. A shockwave made time literally collapse and freeze. The people could still see, but could not animate.

            A water casket formed around one man when time came back; one in the front.

            The High pointed, “NAME!”

            The casket collapsed and a figure stood where the water once did. Wrapped in black and armor, the Ranger looked up in astonishment and pride.

            A western dialect formed and he spoke, “Such a pleasure to serve this City, this King, This life and this generation.” Bowing now and speaking more clearly, “My name is Aiden Scott, Son and Brother of the last two Chosen.” He raised his eye to the High, but still bowing as he spoke the latter.  

Reviews

[Richy]

'"Time for no such suggestion, Caster! Do something about it at once!" he said, turning around to leave, "or I will kill you myself" said looking back'
he said looking back?
maybe

'tis good