Gay Erotic Stories

Ch. 12a: The Final Prophecy – The Contested Realm "You are all my guests. Please sit down. Forgive me for the bad furniture." The Warriors of the Guardian were quite hesitant at Lord Falagor’s kind request, but obeyed once Atrus and Anna sat casually on the nearby tree stump. The small hut supported only simple furniture, mostly made from timber from the nearby wood. Even though the furniture was simple, the room was cozy. The small hut only had two exits, one led to the bedroom and the other one out. There was a small fireplace on the corner of the room with some simple cooking apparatus made out of clay. A round table and a few stumps were the only ‘valuables’ in the room. "Tea?" Falagor offered. "You plant tea around here?" Lynn the Fairy asked curiously. "Good question, young lady." Falagor smiled, then picked a clay teapot. "Remember the principle, if it’s illogical, it’s magic." The old wizard waved his hand over the pot and tilted it toward an empty cup. A hot stream of fresh tea came out from the pot. The party simply gazed in disbelief until they smelled the sweet scent in the air. "This is impossible!" Aurelia exclaimed. "I know the scent! This is tea from…" "…Land of Elom, southwestern region near the land of the Nomads." Falagor nodded. "You learnt your culture well, Miss Aurelia." "Your fame is well deserved, Lord Falagar." Calem said. Falagar gazed at the wizard. "You mean you can’t do this trick?" "I can manipulate things, but not create things." "I do not create things. No one can create things except the Gods." Falagar explained. "I manipulate things, just like you. All elements in the realm can be manipulated. You are all the chosen people, destined to fight for the very survival of this realm. The whole realm will be on your side. Only by manipulating them you can use their power and gain victory." "Gain victory?" Holgreb was deeply confused. "But the war hasn’t started, yet." "Then when does it start?" Falagor countered. "Tomorrow? The day after? Next week? Or perhaps yesterday or last week or last year? The real battle is not physical. The real battle was inside you." The Dwarf, along with the rest of the party, was more confused than ever. "Don’t understand." He grunted. "I’m not good at philosophy." And Aurelia was getting freaked out. "You’re not good at… what?" "Sleep on it." Falagor said, grinning. "You will understand soon." Atrus felt that his cue had come. "Master, we are confused at what we should do now. We know all the puzzle pieces yet we don’t know where to go." "You are restless, aren’t you?" Falagor asked Atrus. "You want to finish the war as soon as possible." "The longer we wait, more innocent lives may be lost." Atrus answered. "Is that all?" Falagor asked again. Atrus hesitated, then glanced at Anna, who in turn looked at him. "No… that’s not all." Falagor smiled. "You are honest, Atrus… forgive me if I called you by name. But there is more to be revealed before you are all set to go." "More prophecy again?" Anna asked. "You will see." Falagor said. "In fact, I’ve prepared a special audience for you all." "An audience?" Atrus frowned. "With who?" Falagor grinned. "I do hope you recognize your own father." "My… my father…?" Atrus was shocked. "My father is here?" And from the bedroom a tall figure appeared. The man was a bit taller than Atrus and almost as tall as the low ceiling in the hut. He posed a well-built body, showing the result of years and years of physical training. His face featured thick brown hair, brown eyes, and well-trimmed beard. Just like Atrus, the man also had think eyebrows and sharp gaze. He wore a set of leather armor of impressive design. Rows of silvery leather pad overlapped each other, topped with a single layer of chain mail. The armor and the armbands seemed seamless, offering maximum protection. A small slot on each shoulder provided a place to tuck the long golden cloak flowing on his back. On his chest was the picture of Aragon’s royal crest, carefully painted on the leather surface. On his hip hung a sword, covered in leather sheath. He held a giant war-bow across his left shoulder and a pack full of arrows across the other. The man just smiled as Atrus gasped. "F…father…?" "It has been two years and you’ve forgotten your own father?" The two men embraced each other with powerful grip. Atrus couldn’t believe it. It had been too long. It had been two years, being on his own, living among his friends. But his father was here now. He was once again with the man he admired most in his life. "I’m so proud of you, son," The man said. "Your deeds have not gone unheard among the Ranger clan. Your quest in gathering all races in an alliance has inspired all young Rangers to follow your footsteps." "I didn’t do it alone," Atrus said, then looked at his friends around the room. "My friends did most of the job. I was just the message guy." "Modest, as always," Holgreb grunted. "That’s good!" Lynn commented. "Compared to you!" "The distinguished Captain White Lion." Aurelia smiled. "It’s been too long." "Old age hasn’t affected your memory, Princess Aurelia." The captain smiled. "How old?" "Sixty-one this year." Aurelia replied, ignoring the dumb look from some members of the party. "But in Human life-span, I’m just twenty." "In Human life-span, you’re just a toddler!" Captain White Lion chuckled. "But are you the mysterious pretty girl Atrus has been mentioning in his letters?" Aurelia just giggled while Anna blushed in bright red. "I wish I was, Captain, but I’m not the lucky girl." "Dad, didn’t I mention anything about a girl with ribbon?" Atrus grunted. Captain White Lion quickly noticed Anna in the corner of his eyes. "Ah, she’s the one?" He frowned, eyeing her petite body. "This girl is small enough to be my granddaughter!" Anna was dumbfounded as Aurelia struggled to keep Atrus from slamming his head against the wall. "Uh… thanks… I guess…" "How old are you, young lady?" "Twenty one, Sir." "Twenty one? Your body tells me that you are only about fourteen." "Uh…?" "Are you sure you’re not lying about your age? You possess a body of a teenager, not a young woman." Captain White Lion stared intently at her breasts. "Your lower body is convincing enough, but your upper part… I don’t know…" Anna had had enough. "Well, let me tell you something, mister! I have told you the truth and you didn’t believe me! I know that my breasts are small, and I don’t care! I know that I’m shorter than normal women, and I don’t care! I don’t even care the standard size of women you’ve been with all your petty life!" The party just stared at the two of them, their jaws were dropped open. Atrus was ready to cry. "What I do care is that I love Atrus with all my heart and I know he does as well! I don’t care about your judgment of my body! I don’t care about how young you think I am! In fact, I don’t care about you at all!" Anna glared at him. "One more thing, you are the most despicable man I’ve ever met!!" Captain White Lion was silent for a while and the two of them exchanged glares. Finally the big man exploded in laughter and slapped the priestess, nearly sending the lithe girl flying across the room. "Atrus, my boy, you’ve selected wisely!! I like her!!" Atrus blinked. "What? You… like… her?" "Of course! See how she responded to my taunts! Just like your mother!" "You mean grandpa did the same thing to mother?" "Of course!" The Captain smiled proudly. "It’s a proud tradition to the White Lion family!" "Uh…" Atrus was dumbfounded. "I’m not sure I’m… that proud…" Captain White Lion turned to Anna, who was even more confused. "Adriana Freesland, right? If you really love my son, you have my full support! You have what it takes to wear the name of White Lion!" "Uh… thanks…" The captain nodded, then his face stiffened. He looked back at Lord Falagor expectantly. "The truth must be revealed now, Lord Falagor," he said slowly. "What truth?" Atrus asked. "Atrus…" Captain White Lion paused for a while, "The time has come to reveal who you really are. You are ready to face the real truth." "The real truth…?" "The truth only one can provide." A thundering sound of a violent storm was heard in the house, although nothing was blowing in the room except utter fear from the party. The two windows in the room were slammed close immediately and the candles were extinguished, leaving the room in darkness. Then a bright light appeared on the center of the room, blinding everyone with its powerful glare. Both Atrus and Anna recalled the same event going on just a few years ago in the forest of Whitewater, just after Atrus’ reunion with the girls. "Lord Guardian?" Anna said while slowly falling on her knees, followed by Atrus, "I greet thee, Lord Guardian." "And greetings to you, too, High Priestess Freesland, and to all of you." "L…lord Guardian…?" Aurelia staggered backward. "T…the leader of the Gods of the realm…? R…right before us…?" "Yes, he is indeed the one and only!" Lynn exclaimed, then fell on her knees, gracefully folding her wings, "I greet thee, Lord Guardian." As soon as the Fairy validated the claim, everyone in the room fell on their knees, except Holgreb the Dwarf. "Oh man," the Dwarf grunted, "I’m so screwed…" "It’s never too late," Falagor smiled. "You possess an honest heart the Gods approve." Holgreb slowly stared into the light and slowly fell on his knees. "I wish I could believe sooner…" "Yet my greetings include you, too, Sir Holgreb," the voice said. "And I am pleased to announce that the blessing of the Gods is upon you all. Your loyalty and dedication to us have kept the great races of the land together. You are all the life and blood of the alliance." "Only with your blessing, Lord Guardian," Atrus said politely. "Sir White Lion, I am pleased with you. Back then, you were just a mercenary, looking for money, fame, and your own identity. Now you are indeed a great warrior with great strength and wisdom." "My friends deserve more honor than me," Atrus replied. "Modest, as always," Falagor smirked. "Lord Guardian, I’m sorry for my directness," Atrus paused, "I’m the Champion of the Guardian, or that’s what people tell me who I am. Then if I’m not from this realm, who am I? Where do I come from?" "Ranger White Lion, perhaps you would like to explain." All eyes turned to the war hero, now sitting on his chair, staring weakly to the ground. His mighty shoulders now slumped as the burden he’d been carrying all these years came back to him, and it was back with vengeance. His voice came out choked, filled with despair. "Atrus… I’m not your father…" Everyone gasped in shock as the statement came out like a jet of acid on a block of butter. "Father… what do you mean?" Atrus asked in disbelief. "I’m with you since I was small!" Anna added, "And you said I was worthy of the name of White Lion!" "Captain, everyone in this realm knows that Atrus is your son!" Aurelia also added. "Yes, but I lied!" Again the captain hung his head weakly. "For so many years I have been forced to keep this secret. For so many years I have lived in this world of lies. For so many years I have lived with fear that this day would come." "B…but how could it be?" Atrus asked. "It was the day that soon would be your birthday, Atrus," the captain began. "I just finished leading the war against the raiders from Southern Aragon, which we won easily. I was walking down the river when I saw the sky exploding in bright red and orange flash. Most of my men were either sleeping or sealing themselves in the tents, but I witnessed it with my own eyes. I quickly found that the source was from the north, probably somewhere in the mysterious Northern Continent. That was when I saw the bright light soaring through the sky. It looked like an object, a fiery object, flying through the sky, making it look like a vast sea of red blood. The object flew over me and slammed on the ground around the forest. "I raced through the forest and that was where I found you. You were just a baby, lying on a cradle engulfed in bright flame. I noticed that the flame didn’t burn the grass and dry branches under the cradle, and the sound of your crying broke my heart. I picked you up and held you close, soothing you despite my anxiety and fear." "I remember now," Old Calem said. "The day after that event, the kingdom of Aragon released a statement concerning the Night of the Shooting Star. They claimed that it was the sign from the Gods that the wizards had gone crazy and had to be punished. That event resulted the destruction of the Great Temple of the Magi and the massacre of hundreds of our followers." The wizard nodded at the captain. "I’m aware that you are not into it." "That’s right, that’s why I condemned their decision, because I know what really happened that night," replied Captain White Lion. "Your mother, Atrus, was very delighted. She accepted you warmly and we finally decided to take you as our son, although she would not approve me telling you about your origin. I, on the other hand, believed otherwise. I knew you were special and blessed by the Gods. I felt responsible directly to the Gods in Paradise. That’s why I was so hard on you when you were small. That’s why I sent you to the Ranger camp, despite your mother’s protest, to attend the standard Ranger training. I knew you have a great destiny before you, and when it’s within your reach, I want you to be ready." "All this time you’ve been keeping this from me," Atrus said. "Why? Why didn’t you tell me the truth?" "Because you are not ready for the truth, Atrus!" Captain White Lion said. "Imagine what would have happened if I had told you the truth! You would probably leave us and deny your destiny altogether. What would I tell to the Gods?" "Imagine the pain your father has to endure for so many years, Atrus," Lord Falagor kindly offered. "He has to live day by day with fear that one day, you’d probably hate him because of this." "But that would never happen!" Atrus insisted. "Father, you know I admire you the most!" "Correct," his father replied. "I would be the last person you would think of ever lying to you. You would have never forgiven me if I had told you sooner." "But why? I mean, how could this be?" The voice behind the light began again, "To answer your question, we must go back to the early days of this realm. Many centuries ago, we created this land. We, the Gods of Paradise, gathered together and with our power we began to fill the realm with wonderful creations. One God created plants, the other created animals, the other shaped hills and mountains, and so on. Every God strove to contribute something to the land, and the realm you are living in right now is the result. "The creation process continued until one day there were only two Gods who hadn’t used their power, myself and a God named Agamesh. Using my power, I created great races of intellectual beings capable of conquering the previous creations for their welfare, Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and many other. The God Agamesh, however, created evil beings, Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, and other foul folks. "The two different factions, however, never got along together, causing uproar and bloodshed in our wonderful realm. For the first time we witnessed our creations turning into savage people. War rages across the land, sending civilization to ruins. The Gods went furious and demanded Agamesh to undo his creations. The agreement was finally set. When the war became inevitable, Agamesh would send the death angel, his own pet, the black dragon Kastor, to undo his creations." "And Agamesh turned against the Gods," Aurelia guessed. "Precisely," Lord Guardian said. "He used Kastor to instead raid my creations and helping his own creations to regain control over the land. If he had succeeded, he would have been the new leader of the Gods. However, we stopped him on time. With our power we created a pariah universe, the Underworld, and banished Agamesh and his creations there. His pet, Kastor, was imprisoned inside the bowel of the realm. Then we thought peace returned to the land, but again we were wrong. Agamesh kept on rupturing the barrier erected between the two realms and sending his armies to destroy the land. Every time we interfered, but the damage was done. My creations lived in fear and suffering." "Then what happened?" Holgreb asked impatiently. "Then the deal was made. Agamesh proposed a cease-fire. He proposed that we, the Gods, withdrew our affiliation with our creations, and in return he would leave the realm alone. However, the ownership of the realm was to be decided. Finally it was agreed that such decision would be made every a thousand years. At such time the seal of the Underworld would be opened. A selected warrior from the Underworld could pass through, destined to lead the army of demons to conquer the world. In response, the Gods would christened a warrior, born from and blessed by the Gods, to challenge the demonic warrior. That warrior is known as the Champion of the Guardian." "So I am the one. Who am I supposed to fight? Where will this duel commence?" Atrus asked. "The duel was fought in the Island of Paradise." Atrus’ eyes went wide. "You mean the duel has happened?" He swallowed hard. "Sir Falstoff… he… he was…" Atrus could see the sudden pain in Lynn’s eyes as the answer came, "Yes, Falstoff was the one. This time Agamesh has cheated the deal. Instead of sending a warrior through the portal, he captured the portal itself from the outside, defeating Goddess Gaea, the protector of the realm and the defender of Emerald Tower, and also your mother, who guarded the Emerald Tower where the portal was located. With the portal Agamesh sent hordes of the demonic army to this realm and began his conquest. He hoped to slay the Champion of the Guardian before the event of the duel. He failed, however, because Goddess Gaea had sent the baby, you, to the Human world, near the Ranger encampment, where Captain White Lion found you. In his rage, Agamesh allowed his general, Lord Daemon, to violate Gaea. Sir Falstoff was the result." "Falstoff…" Atrus mouthed. "I… I just killed my own brother…" "It was the plan. Agamesh would do anything to hurt you, my son. The more he can hurt you, the easier it would be for his minions to slay you." Lord Guardian paused for a while. "If the Champion of the Guardian expires, the seal would be opened completely and Agamesh would came out to claim his rule in this realm." "But why don’t you stop him?" Anna asked. "Besides, you are a God!" "We are the rightful Gods of the realm, and we will not betray the deal," Lord Guardian replied. "We, however, countered the action by calling forth five warriors of the land to become the Warrior of the Guardian, to protect the Champion before the event of the duel. The Champion will also have to undo the demonic treachery by securing the Emerald Tower and capturing the portal so a new seal can be placed. The Warriors will support him in his task." "I must attack the Emerald Tower?" Atrus repeated. "You will not be alone, my son. The blessings of the Gods are upon you. The sword that you are carrying holds the combined power of the Gods. And after the fight we stand ready to do our part in punishing Agamesh. You, my son, will lead the way." "And you are not alone, Lord Atrus," the wizard Calem said to Atrus. "My destiny is to protect you, and protect you I will, even until the end." "And I will be there, too," Aurelia said, smiling. "We’ve gone this far, so we’re not going to stop here." "Yeah, me too," Holgreb cheered. "I got tired bashing worthless Underworld critters that I need true challenge. Battling an evil God should be… interesting…" "And I will go, too." Lynn paused for a while, fighting over the sadness in her heart. "And I mean it when I say that… I hold nothing against you for Falstoff’s death… I… I know it must have been hard for you… I… I’m sorry…" "There is nothing to be regretted," Anna said softly while circling her hand over the Fairy, soothing her. "We have come this far. We have shared joy and pain together. The time has come for us to witness the true destiny of this realm, and we are all going to make it happen." Anna looked at Atrus lovingly. "We are all with you, Lord Atrus." Atrus couldn’t hide his awe as all his friends pledged their loyalty and support for his cause. The fear vanished immediately. They all would succeed. "Thank you, all of you." Then he turned back toward the light. "Lord Guardian… I accept my destiny." "And accept it you will, Atrus," said Lord Guardian. "You will leave tomorrow morning. Falagor will send you to the Northern Continent for the final engagement." "But how about the realm?" Atrus asked. "Who will protect the realm?" "The Alliance you have forged will suffice to withstand the demonic assault." "The demonic assault?" Anna frowned. "You mean the demons will launch another assault?" There was a slight wait before Lord Guardian answered the question. "Yes, they will." "Where?" Anna demanded. Again, a slight pause. "If I tell you, I will betray the deal." "Lord Guardian, the demons have repeatedly betrayed the deal!" Anna countered. "Many lives can be saved if we can anticipate the assault." Finally, Lord Guardian yielded. "The final battle will commence… in the land of Elom… in three days…" Aurelia gasped in terror. "They’re going to attack my homeland? We’ve got to warn them!" "No need. I will return to Stromgard immediately with the news." Captain White Lion said. "Don’t worry, Princess. We will defend your homeland from those demons. I swear with my life." "In you I have no doubt," Aurelia nodded. "Thank you." "Warriors, I must wish you good luck in your journey," Lord Guardian said. "Remember, we, the Gods of the realm, stand on your side." With that the bright light faded, and the room became quiet once more. No one spoke for a while. All were deep in thought. They were facing a great battle, a battle that would decide the fate of their beloved realm. Indeed, the fate of the Land of Lore was at stake. Captain White Lion decided to break the silence, "I must waste no more time. Send me back to Stromgard. I must warn the royal court about the attack." "Tell that to Prince Roberto," Aurelia. "He’s preparing the alliance army for the war." "Good luck, Father…" Atrus said. The captain hesitated as he looked at the young man he had used to call son. "Lord Atrus, I’ve told you before, I’m not your father!" "Yes, you are. You have raised me since I was small. You have taught me everything I need to know to survive. Forever you will remain as my father. I will wear your name with pride." And the father and son, once again reunited, embraced each other. Both were lost in their emotional moment. Both were lost in the wave of admiration for one another. "Blood doesn’t define a family, Father. Relationship does." "I’m proud of you, my son…" Captain White Lion said. "My prayer will remain with you." Anna chanted the spell, and a dimension door was opened at one corner of the room. Captain White Lion took a moment to glance at the party, wishing them good luck for the impending battle. After some exchange of words, he was gone, swallowed by the swirling hole. "So, Lord Falagor," Atrus turned to the wizard, "What’s the plan?" "Rest now." The wizard smiled. "You need your strength for tomorrow." Roberto was furious, as always when things went insane. Nothing seemed to work right. The preparation for the Alliance army had gone poorly as the trainers at Stromgard were taken by surprise. Although elite armies came from many places to Stromgard, special training was still needed to consolidate them as one army, consisting of five races working together. There were, however, problems. Some of the Elves still felt uncomfortable being in the same detachment with their old nemesis, the Humans. Some of the Humans didn’t like having the Mages in their army, which they affectionately nicknamed ‘nerds with pointy hats’. Finally, the Dwarves complained that the Castle Stromgarde didn’t have toilets short enough to accommodate their… natural needs. And bad news came from all over the region. There was a locust outbreak at the western land of Aragon, threatening to destroy farms along the southern border. A flash flood near the Dwarven border slightly delayed the arms shipment from Seraphim. To top that out, various small raids done by the demons still raged across the land. The raids, even small, meant something. The demons were planning something big. And he had known, right after Captain White Lion’s return to Stromgard with the news. He felt good at knowing where he could anticipate his enemies. On the other hand, the news could act as another bad news. The demons were planning a final assault, and the conquest would start from Elom. Roberto had been drilling the army tirelessly, or at least in the inside. Physically, the effort had taken toll from his health. Captain Hawk was the only guy that stood between Roberto and total exhaustion. The young captain had used his personal friendship with the prince to ‘order’ him to take a rest. Roberto had grumbled all the way down the hall, although he didn’t dare to resist his friend. But when he entered his bedroom, all grumbling stopped, replaced by grateful feeling. At one corner of the massive bedroom, a young girl, Maya Murdock, knelt before his cabinet, cleaning the top with a small rug. Roberto couldn’t help but chuckle. Maya Murdock, the lady after his own heart, and now the future queen of Aragon, was on her knees, doing housework. She claimed she couldn’t resist the urge. She was indeed born to serve, and he admired that, just like Atrus admired her a lot. Quickly Maya spotted him near the door and her face blossomed with joy. It didn’t last, however, as plain annoyance and anger built up on her face. She looks cute when she’s angry… "You have outdone yourself again, Roberto!" she cried. "Two days and two nights without rest? Do you really want to die that much? With your current feat, it wouldn’t be long until you collapse during the drill from exhaustion. How do you like that?" With old Roberto, he would have ordered his guards to have her flogged for insulting him. But after so many adventures he had shared with his friends, he knew that she just cared for his health. And he was thankful for it. "Hmm, I never knew you care." "Of course I care! You’ve been drilling the army without rest since we returned here. Even Hawk had time to write a few letters home! I know you are dedicated to your job as the leader of the Alliance, but you just can’t go on like this! The battle might be lost before it even starts!" Roberto laughed lightly, "Come on, spare me the preaching. Hawk has done most of the job." "Of course! I made him do it!" Roberto came toward her and gave her a quick peck on her cheek. "I know, honey, I’m sorry I made you feel worried. Thank you for worrying." Maya’s pouting face brightened immediately after hearing the response. She lay her head on his chest armor and circled her slender arms around his neck. "In that case, welcome home, my prince." Roberto trailed the curves of her face, wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead and admiring the depth of her dark eyes, as if swallowing him whole. Softly he put his lips on hers and planted a deep kiss while pulling her waist closer to him. For a moment he was paralyzed by her charm. At least until he felt Maya curiously poking her thumbs over the back of his neck. "Uh, Maya…? What are you doing?" "My, my… Your muscles are all rock hard… Sit down. You need to relax." Maya helped him take off the plate armor. It was a tedious work, as the armor pieces usually took a least five minutes to be put on, yet remained comfortable to wear once it was on. Then she led him toward the bed and ordered him to sit on it. She then cleaned her hand with a wet washcloth and climbed the bed behind him and began her magic. Roberto hummed in pleasure as Maya’s hands found his tense muscles and slowly worked them into relaxation. She was indeed a master in the craft. It was clear on how she could turn a terribly wounded Atrus White Lion into a battle-ready Atrus White Lion with just the touch of her hands. "You have to teach me this sometimes," Roberto said. "I’d like to return the favor." "It’s a tricky skill to master. A simple mistake can result a painful knot on your muscles that can last for a week." "That bad, huh?" "Just one of a few skills that I actually mastered from my days of slavery. You see, Mistress Anna insisted that I taught her this. Since then she had been using Atrus’ back as… target practice. You witness how… shaky their relation is right now." "Fine." Roberto cringed. "I’ll let you do the job, then." After only a few minutes of close contact struggle with his protesting muscles, Maya finally announced that she had won the match. Slowly she pulled his body down, allowing him to lie down on the bed. The instant his bed took over the support of his weight, he felt like heaven. His tense muscles had been beaten into submission and relaxed. Maya then began peeling off his cotton shirt, slightly drenched with sweat. Then she took off his pants and lifted both his feet from the ground and onto the bed. Roberto was now lying on his bed, clothed only with his briefs. The wave of drowsiness quickly flew over him, but he quickly brushed it away. "Maya… I can’t go to sleep now…" "Of course you can’t," Maya responded from somewhere outside his limited field of view. "You are lying on your bed, but your thought is still out there, somewhere in the courtyard, watching your troops training." "I can’t help it." "I know, and as long as you can’t help it, you won’t get a fulfilling rest. Let me help." Maya came out in his field of view and Roberto gulped. She was dressed only in her undergarments. Her cotton white bras cleverly hid her breasts yet invitingly presented her charm well. She giggled as his gaze was quickly fixed on her breasts. "Naughty, naughty…" "You do this to Atrus all the time, too?" "Yup… That’s why Master Atrus is always afraid to be alone in a room with me." "I noticed the reason…" Maya planted another deep kiss on his lips while slowly massaging his broad chest, relaxing the front part of his body. Roberto tried to pull her closer, but she slapped his hands away. She gave him her wicked grin, then resumed kissing him. Roberto decided to submit. Here he was, the future king of Aragon, being dominated by a Human slave. Maya giggled as she noticed the bulge on his briefs. "Well, someone here is excited…" "I should blame you." Maya grinned, then kissed him again, occupying his mind. Her hands, however, found his member, aching in his briefs’ confinement. Teasingly she brushed her finger along its length, feeling it twitch. Roberto moaned in discomfort, yet she muffled him with another deep kiss. His member was now as hard as steel, even harder than any other muscles in his body before her treatment. And she would treat this muscle as well. Just in a different way. She grabbed the nearest pillow and put it over Roberto’s head. "Now, you don’t want to see the guards flocking into your room because of hearing your moan. Trust me, you’ll want to use the pillow." Roberto didn’t complain, so Maya resumed her work. She slowly pulled his briefs down, revealing his rock hard member, standing proud and erect. She began slowly stroking his member, drawing muffled moans from the prince. Then she took nearly the entire length of it in her mouth. Again, Roberto groaned because of the sudden warmth enveloping his member. Maya began moving up and down along his shaft, softly sucking his member. She lovingly played her tongue on it, making him groan even louder. Roberto’s hand then found her crotch and surprised her by playing with her pussy beneath her cotton panties. She stole a glance at him and smiled warmly, admiring the prince’s stubbornness to love and please her. In return she doubled her effort, sucking his member vigorously. Roberto’s treatment was wavered for a moment, then matched her enthusiasm. The two lovers were engaged in a match of love, each working toward one another’s victory. And the victor was decided quickly. With her years of experience as an unwilling slave, Maya finally brought Roberto to climax. He groaned loudly before shooting his load inside her mouth, which she gladly swallowed. Finally his body collapsed against the bed. Maya knelt beside his body and slowly stroked his hair. "How do you feel, my prince?" "Maya… thank you… that was wonderful…" Maya kissed him lightly on his lips then whispered, "Then sleep now. I will tell Hawk to take care of the training while you’re gone. Everything will be all right." "No…" Roberto said quickly. "You… you haven’t had your release…" She smiled warmly, "That’s sweet, my prince. Your happiness is my release. Your smile is my heaven. You don’t know how much joy you’ve brought into my life." "No, Maya…" Roberto struggled against the incredible wave of exhaustion from their lovemaking. "Please stay with me, then… At least until I go to sleep…" Maya smiled and nodded. She then lay down next to him and rested her head on his chest. Roberto put his arm around her and pulled her closer against him, feeling her warmth. She purred softly as his hand in turn stroked her long hair. He was happy. The only girl he loved was here, lying next to him. Silently he swore, whatever it took, that he would protect her at all cost. No one, not even the Gods, could take her away from him without a fight. "I love you, Maya…" There was no answer. When he looked at her, he found the girl already asleep in his embrace. He just smiled. He already knew her answer if she had been awake. And he surrendered himself to exhaustion and took flight to the world of dreams, knowing that his love was there as well, waiting for him. A bad dream welcomed him, though. In his dream, he saw his friend Roberto fighting for his life… "There are too many of them!!" Hawk heard it. He also heard the pitiful cry of his wounded troops, blended well with the barbaric cry of the invading Orcs and Ogres. The battle rages around him, and he could still hear victory roar from everywhere. On the corner of his eyes he could see one of many towers of the Temple of the Magi slowly eaten by fire, releasing puffs of black cloud into the sky. Fifteen minutes ago, he was still at the courtyard, drilling the Alliance troops, when a lone wizard stumbled out of a magic portal, with wounds all over his body. With his dying breath he informed him on the siege of the temple. Captain Hawk quickly rallied whatever troops he could spare and led them into the portal and right in the middle of the battlefield. Their initial mission was to push back the invading demons and defended the temple. Now their objective seemed to have shifted into survival. Three Orcs decided to attack him. One never got there as Hawk’s spear met his neck first. The other one swung his huge falchion at him, but he easily dodged it. Hawk quickly pivoted his body and swung his own spear, cutting the foul beast into two. The last one was a bit smarter as he decided to run away. Hawk was quick on pursuit and split the creature’s skull open, instantly killing him. Some of his troops saw his action and roared victoriously, slightly increasing morale. At least for now. Garmeon, the current leader of the wizards, was bashing one Goblin with his staff. Even in his late sixties, the mage fought like a tiger, not willing to surrender to the demons. The old man was just as eager as a young knight, and Hawk knew that if he didn’t do anything, the wizard might perish. "Lord Garmeon, we must abandon the temple! Order your men to pull back!" "Never!" the wizard replied angrily. "I will fight to death to defend this temple!" For a moment the wizard was too distracted to notice a brave Orc storming from his behind, wielding a giant axe. At the last moment a Fairy tripped the Orc with her staff. As the Orc slumped against the hard ground, the Fairy swung her staff with all her might against the back of the monster’s skull, killing it instantly. Garmeon quickly found his savior and nodded his thanks. "Lord Garmeon, we really must leave!" Lyra the Fairy pleaded. "If we stay any longer, we will have no chance of escaping later!" "B…but… the temple…" "Give it up already!" Hawk snarled. "When this war is over, we’ll build you a temple out of crystals! Now let’s go already!" The wizard finally nodded. "Very well. We’ll go ahead and open the portal for you." After Garmeon left, Hawk quickly issued the order, "All Alliance troops, commence slow retreat to the hill immediately! Spearmen guard the back, archers provide cover, and the rest protect the flanks!" The troops didn’t disappoint him this time. They quickly assumed close formation and guard their comrades from all sides, deflecting the less-organized attacks from the foul folks. Behind him, the wizards had begun chanting their spell, working together to open a massive portal leading back to Stromgarde. Far beyond, the second tower surrendered to the fire and crumbled to the ground. For the first time after the war against the undead, Hawk wondered if they could still win the war. Atrus was awaken, probably for the sixth time that night. His shirt was drenched with cold sweat and he began to shiver. For a moment his mind was racing with the fleeing image in his memory. He couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t perceive anything. But he was sure he had heard something, during his sleep. Yet it was gone, blown by the night wind. Tomorrow he was to depart to the Northern Continent, a journey to decide the fate of the realm. Yet just now he had heard things eerie enough to shake his guts. He could still hear the echoes of those screams in his head. Who were they, or whose voices were those…? The screams were of pain and suffering, eerie enough for him to feel the shiver in his bones. Why were they here? Why now? His hand quickly darted to his side, trying to find Anna’s body, but he couldn’t find it. When he turned, Anna was nowhere in sight. She was supposed to be sleeping with him, for he remembered that she had always been awakened that night, too. Is she mad, so she left me? When he got up, he could feel cold breeze blowing from the open window. With the blanket still wrapped around his body, he darted through the door. Holgreb, Aurelia and Calem were sleeping in the living room, while Lynn was back to Heaven, probably sleeping on her own bed. For a moment Atrus wondered why the wizard and the Elf had volunteered to sleep in one room with Holgreb, since the Dwarf’s snoring was quite renowned. I wouldn’t mind my father’s snoring either, Atrus thought. These people are my family… we are all a family. Quietly Atrus opened the front door and walked outside, resisting the biting cold breeze that welcomed him. The mosquitoes were terrible, even near the end of fall. The moon, however, was full and wonderful tonight. And with the moonlight’s help, he quickly found his love sitting near the ledge, facing the vast landscape beneath. "You’re awakened again," Anna said without turning at him. "Sorry, I keep on disturbing your sleep," Atrus said. "No, it’s not your fault!" Anna quickly turned, smiling warmly at him. He could still notice the shadow around her eyes. She seemed to understand, too, and her smile faded. "It’s just… I… I could feel it, too…" "You heard those voices?" She nodded. "I’ve never heard such voices before. So full of pain… excruciating pain…" "Who are they?" Atrus asked. "Spirits of the dead," Anna replied. "Spirits from the world ages ago, probably not long after the time of creation." "After the Gods created the realm?" Again, Anna nodded. "All races of the realm prospered and expanded rapidly after the creation. Cities grew and evolved quickly in the face of the world. Then the war started. The foul folks, backed by the demons, invaded the land. The Gods rallied the races of the realm to defense. The great battle between good and evil was inevitable, and the place was at the Northern Continent. The Gods’ races were unprepared and were decimated quickly, forcing the Gods to intervene and banish the foul folks to the depth of the Underworld. But the damage was done. The once-beautiful continent is now nothing but a large patch of wasteland surrounded by stormy oceans." "And the voices…" "… were those of the dead, those who were slayed during that first war," Anna said. "They were forced to endure centuries of imprisonment in this realm as lost souls, waiting for those who could bail them out." "We are the ones they seek?" Atrus asked again. "No, there’s nothing we can do…" Anna replied weakly. "Only the Gods can reverse the curse placed upon them by the demons. And the Gods, as you know, won’t betray their words." "Unless…" That caught Anna’s attention. "What are you planning?" Atrus grinned, "If you borrow tons of money from me, how do you finish the deal?" "I… I’ll pay you in full," Anna offered. "Or you can always kill me," Atrus smirked, "And the deal is cancelled, right?" "So you are saying…" Anna’s eyes suddenly opened. "You’re going to kill Agamesh, the Lord of Darkness himself?" "If the Gods can’t do it, we can do it, right?" Atrus concluded. "This will allow the Gods to save these poor souls, and probably seal the fate of the realm forever." "But you just can’t do that!" Anna hissed. "You have to either invite him to this realm or go to the Underworld yourself to defeat him! And you can’t do either!" "I can do the latter." Atrus smiled. "But that’s crazy! I can’t let you do that!" "Anna, if it has to be done, it has to be done." "I know, but…" she hesitated, then hung her head, sobbing silently. "I… I don’t want to lose you… I’m just a selfish brat, aren’t I?" Atrus knelt before her, lifted her chin and kissed her fully on her lips. She was quite taken by surprise, but gratefully received the kiss. Her hands quickly clasped against the back of his neck and pulled them even closer together. They broke the kiss later, completely breathless, but the message was sent. "I don’t want to lose you, either," Atrus repeated. "But if I have to do so, I will. And you will be there with me, right?" "Yes!" Anna smiled, brushing the tears from her eyes. "I will be there for you." "My loyal slaves, the time is near," Lord Daemon announced. "The demise of the Gods is close at hand!" Gaea, the former protector goddess of the realm, didn’t respond. Still bound on her mocking throne and spread wide open for all eyes to see, the defeated goddess could only stare into empty space. Ursula, the former priestess of Lycra, was in no better condition, being sandwiched between two bulky Ocrist warriors. Her plea of mercy had long gone, knowing that mercy would never come for her. She could only grunt in pleasure and disgust as the Orcs continued their vile act. "No congratulations, my dear?" Daemon lifted Gaea’s chin with his finger, only to receive a well-placed spit in his eye. The goddess’ plot to anger him failed as the demon lord just chuckled. "I don’t have to deal with you now, Gaea. After I install my master as the supreme God, I will teach you how to behave. Perhaps in a few centuries, but in time, you will recognize my power over you." "Unfortunately, you’ll spend the next few centuries refurnishing your apartment in the Underworld," Gaea countered. "I will enjoy the last few seconds of my life watching you die." "The Champion of the Guardian is not a match for my superior skill," Daemon smirked. "And what can you do, my dear? You are my prisoner. I can do anything to you and there’s nothing you could do to stop me. Like this." With that Daemon inserted his erect member into her exposed vagina. Gaea couldn’t help but gasp at the sudden intrusion. Despite the disgust she was feeling, years of slavery had weakened her stubbornness and crushed her defense. "P…please… stop…" "Oh, please." Daemon grinned. "Just tell me how much you love it. I know you’re enjoying every second of it." Gaea tried to struggle, but every struggle only enhanced the sensation in her loins. The Orcs, long grown tired of Ursula, tossed her weakened body onto the floor and turned to watch the show. "You can’t resist it, slave!" Daemon hissed. "You are enjoying the whole thing. You love being violated, right?" "N…no… Ugh…" "Go on, slave… Tell the world how much you love it…" "N…no…" Despite her resistance, she slowly succumbed to the pleasure building inside of her. With a loud groan the demon lord reached climax inside of her, quickly sending her to the top as well. Her sweating body bucked wildly as the waves of pleasure overcame her. For a moment she was lost in the middle of Daemon’s roar and the Orcs’ sneering laugh. As the sensation left her, she collapsed to the throne, exhausted and overcome with grief and shame. "The little slave goddess is enjoying herself a bit too much," one Orc jeered. Gaea just hung her head in shame. "Don’t worry, my slave," Daemon finally said. "I’ll deal with the Champion of the Guardian and his petty band soon, then nothing can separate us anymore." Not willing to experience the nightmare anymore, Atrus had decided not to go back to sleep. Therefore, he was glad that Anna had agreed to accompany him. Together they just sat outside, enjoying the night and taking pleasure in each other’s presence. "It’s almost dawn," Atrus said lazily. He was feeling very comfortable, having rested his head on Anna’s lap. "Time walks fast when I’m with you." Anna chuckled lightly while stroking Atrus’ hair with her fingers. "I disagree. When we’re together, there’s no such thing as time." Atrus turned to her. "You mean you just don’t care?" "That’s right, honey," she replied. "You always occupy the largest space in my mind." Atrus grinned. He carefully slipped his finger into her golden High Priestess badge collar and slowly pulled her closer, making her bow forward. As their lips touched, he felt her hands lifting his head, crushing their lips together. He’d never felt so happy before. He was here, with the woman he loved. Yet he’d never felt so… uneasy before. Perhaps it was fear? Fear of losing the very woman he loved? Fear of losing his friends he respected? Fear that he would be fighting his last battle? Fear is the first step toward defeat, he said to himself. Yet faith grants strength to overcome the worst storm. Anna’s presence in the upcoming battle was like a curse, yet a blessing for him. For countless times she had been by his side, cheering him up when he’s down, backing him up when he’s weak. He wouldn’t know how to fight without her by his side. "Hmm…" Anna hummed softly, closing her eyes. "Lord Falagor just woke up. He knows we’re here, too. He just probed into my mind." "I wonder why Master Falagor won’t assist us in the upcoming battle." Atrus asked. "Perhaps it isn’t his battle," Anna offered. "It’s ours." "That sounds scary," Atrus agreed. "It seems that we’re the only one fighting for the realm." "Prince Roberto is rallying his troops to hold the demons, true?" "Yes, but it’s different…" Atrus hesitated. "You’re afraid, honey?" Anna looked at him intently. "Yeah," he nodded. "It’s my turn to chicken out. I’m sorry if I bring you down." "You’re here with me," Anna smiled. "Nothing can bring me down." "That’s swee…" Atrus didn’t continue. He fell silent just abruptly. He was sure he just heard something, like broken branches. They were in the middle of a forest; the sounds of broken branches were normal, but repeated sounds of broken branches weren’t. And the sounds were heard in slow intervals, as if the subjects were trying to conceal them. Anna sensed his worry. She quickly chanted her Eagle Eye spell. Her mind wandered far high, as high as an eagle could fly. Then she observed the surrounding area, as careful as an eagle searching for its victims. "There’s a crowd of people, probably about fifteen or sixteen of them, heading this way." "Villagers?" Atrus asked. The hamlet was located near the village of Whitewater. Anna hummed softly, then frowned. "No… The villagers were still back in the village." "Then this means trouble," Atrus concluded. "Warn Master Falagor about this." "Already did," Anna whispered. "He’s going to wake everyone up." "Good," Atrus nodded. "Stay here. I’ll be right back." "Honey, you’re unarmed!" Anna hissed. "I’m just going to spy on them. I’ll be fine." Before Anna could protest, Atrus dashed toward the woods. He was glad he still wore his rubber-soiled shoes, as it gave away minimal sound. His old days in Ranger camp had also taught him a lot about stealth. With his sharp hearing, he pinpointed the direction of the uninvited guests and headed that way. When he felt that he was close enough to them, he climbed the nearest tree, knelt on a branch and stayed completely silent. And he listened. He couldn’t hear a thing! Could it be that they have somehow heard me coming? If so, then he was in trouble. He reached out for his left ankle and sighed in relief after finding his trusty dagger still tucked in its sheath. A Ranger never wanders around without a secondary weapon. And the game began. The enemies he was facing were also masters of stealth and disguise. He could still hear weird noises, but not enough to allow him to pinpoint the source. This was just like his Ranger training years ago, when he had to play hide-and-seek with his Ranger fellow. This time, however, he was not familiar with the forest, especially at near dawn. And his life might be at stake. His fear returned and urged him to come out from his hiding place and challenge his foes. With only a dagger? He cursed himself and waited again, trying to be as motionless as possible. He was one with nature and the nature was gratefully concealing him. But if he withdrew, the nature would reveal his position. He couldn’t afford that. His heart almost jumped in excitement when he saw the silhouette of his foe passing through the forest path. The figure wore long dark cloak, perfect for near-dawn infiltration. The cloak covered its head, so Atrus couldn’t perceive his race, but the figure was as tall as a normal Human. Could it be that he’s just a normal traveler? No, he thought quickly as the figure stopped and drew its blade. The creature was hunting, probably for him. With the alien figure standing close to his hiding place, Atrus couldn’t withdraw just like he had planned, at least without being discovered. If these uninvited guests were as skillful as he was in hide-and-seek game, he would be found sooner or later. However, he had a dagger in his hand, and the advantage of surprise was his. He could single-handedly thin out their number until his friends backed him up. He carefully shifted his feet, getting ready for his attack. And Atrus leaped from his hiding place, landing near the cloaked figure. The figure didn’t even have a chance to flinch as the dagger reached its target and slit the figure’s throat. Fresh green blood spurted from the victim’s neck, staining Atrus’ shirt and cloak. The victim’s body collapsed noisily and Atrus turned to face the second victim. There was no second victim. He was the only one standing on the forest path. His mind screamed in alarm. He had been a fool. This was a classic trap, using a bait to draw him out. Now the entire forest knew where he was, including his enemies. He went back to defensive, and his foes didn’t disappoint him this time. The barrage of throwing knives came from all direction. Atrus quickly ducked and rolled away from his spot. One of the blades scratched his arm, causing a nasty burning sensation. He quickly checked the wound and found some green patches around the opening. The blades were poisoned! Following his survival instinct, he put his mouth around the wound, sucked the foul substance and spit it out. The burning sensation remained, but most of the poison was gone. Atrus decided that this was a good time to withdraw from battle. He pinpointed the direction home and dashed through the forest. The second barrage came, and this time his eyes did their work. Atrus evaded the knives easily and found one of the sources, another cloaked figure hiding behind the bushes. Atrus leaped over the bushes past the victim’s surprised form, turned around and swung his dagger with all his might. The cloaked figure was on the verge of drawing its own scimitar when the dagger connected, leaving a clean cut across its chest. The second strike was fatal, a straight jab through the heart. Atrus didn’t even attempt to pull his dagger, but decided to take the scimitar instead with his blood-drenched hand. Another cloaked figure foolishly charged him, swinging its scimitar wildly in the air. Atrus parried the attack with his own blade, but his foe successfully made a small cut on his side. Atrus normally wielded a broadsword and therefore had little experience in using curved sword. Atrus, retreat! Help is on the way! Atrus’ thought snapped back. Master Falagor just called me telepathically! His opponent was still there, blocking the way back to Falagor’s shed. Atrus suddenly lunged forward, swinging his scimitar like crazy. The cloaked figure easily parried the blow, but was stunned by the ferocity for a moment. When it recovered and countered the attack, Atrus already went pass him and dashed through the forest. Not long after that he heard weird strange voice whistling in the wind, and quickly leaped out of danger’s way as three daggers landed near the tree trunk where his head would have been had he been late for another second. The cloaked figures quickly converged to his position, effectively trapping him in the middle. And for the first time Atrus felt grateful at hearing the Dwarf’s usual war cry. Holgreb’s axe soared and landed a few feet from Atrus’ position. While the axe didn’t hurt anyone, it gave Atrus a split-second to knock down his nearest attacker with his fist and get out of the way. All hell broke loose as all the Warriors of the Guardian emerged from their hiding place and converged on the assailants. Atrus quickly located Anna, who was having trouble carrying his stone sword. She launched her magic blasts at the pursuing figure, then tossed the heavy sword at Atrus. The moment he touched the sword grip, the stone surface exploded in bright light, and instantly turned pure crystalline. With the Sword of Faith in his hand, Atrus rushed back to the battle, joining Holgreb who was creating havoc in enemy’s ranks. Lynn appeared and hummed her magical song of valor, and Holgreb roared his famous war cry. By the time Atrus arrived by his side, he had dispatched three cloaked figures single-handedly. There was only one odd thing. Atrus wasn’t empowered by Lynn’s song. One assassin approached and tested his might, and he responded. He swung his Sword of Faith first, and the creature took defensive move. This time his crystal sword obeyed him and flared brightly as it cut through the thin scimitar blade, the linen cloak, and finally the creature’s belly. Bright green blood spurted from the doomed creature, staining the blade and Atrus’ clothes. He immediately took defensive stance and scanned his surroundings for immediate threat. There was none, but he felt a surge of energy coming from his sword. The Sword of Faith was glowing wildly! For a moment he was so dazed he didn’t see an assassin coming toward him until Aurelia planted an arrow right into its skull. "Atrus, stop dreaming!" she scolded. "We’re in danger here!" Calem the Wizard stepped out and cast a paralyze spell, freezing the assassins in place. Atrus and Holgreb simultaneously charged ahead slaying the immobilized demons around them while the rest of the party sniped from afar. The battle ended quickly, leaving no one but the party itself standing. And Atrus was still troubled. The Sword of Faith hadn’t stopped glowing. Atrus tried calming himself and easing his breath, yet the sword refused to turn back to stone. The party, sensing that something was wrong, gathered around him. "That is odd," Calem observed. "According to the legend, the Sword of Faith always obeys the Chosen One without question." "Even though it has the power of the Gods flowing inside?" Aurelia asked. "Yes, it’s the sign of the Gods’ commitment of resisting Agamesh and his minions, even after the treaty," Lynn nodded. "The Chosen One will wield the power of the Gods stored inside the sword." "Then why doesn’t the sword obey him?" Calem asked. "Look!" Anna pointed at the green stains on the sword surface. The sword blazed fiercely around the stains, slowly disintegrating the green substance. "The sword seems to be eating out the blood." For a moment Atrus was quite fascinated. It quickly changed, though, as he started feeling lightheaded. He quickly brushed the feeling away, yet it refused to leave. He slowly felt his feet betraying him. "Atrus!!" Anna’s panicked cry was the last voice he heard before he slammed his back against something bulky that smelled like a Dwarf. Then darkness enveloped him. Roberto woke up, fully refreshed, just in time to see his troops returning home after the battle at the Temple of the Magi. He quickly went nuts when he saw his troops wounded and disheartened. He quickly found his friend Captain Hawk and sighed in relief to find him alive, wounded, but not badly. Maya who was with him quickly volunteered to help the Priestesses of Lycra in tending the wounded, leaving Roberto alone. He then proceeded with the normal formality to Lord Garmeon, expressing regret for the loss of his temple to the demons, and making promises for the future. The wizard, weary and sulky, held nothing against the prince, but his utter disappointment was apparent. He promised not to withdraw his support for the Alliance army, then left for his quarter. The vice-commander of the army then approached the prince for the battle report, but Roberto quickly dismissed him. Reports could wait, and knowing that his friend Hawk survived the battle was enough. Hawk would definitely tell him the story later, and he wouldn’t exaggerate. "Just check on the soldiers," Roberto ordered the vice-commander. "Send the wounded ones to the healer. Gather the rest on the courtyard. I would like to address the troops." The vice-commander acknowledged the order and left. Then he spotted Maya running back to him. "I dropped Hawk off at the healer’s tent. They don’t have a room for me, though," Maya pouted. "There are already plenty of helpers, and they need professionals." "Aw, come on, hon.… They’ll see you as a professional once you show them your massage trick," Roberto offered. She smiled cutely. "Nah… I usually reserve it for someone special." Roberto just grinned. "Maya… What are you going to do for the upcoming battle?" "Well… I suppose I’ll be helping the wounded…" "Maya… I’d like to ask for a favor." Maya blinked. "Why sure! Ask me anything!" "Don’t be a helper," Roberto said slowly. "What?" She frowned. "You’re starting to sound like Master Atrus! You can’t just keep me away from action while you are doing your stunts! I want to go to the battle, too!" "No, no, no, just listen to me for once!" Roberto quickly added. "Don’t be a helper… I want you to be with me… by my side…" She was stunned by the offer. "B…by your side?" "Yes… by my side… as my advisor… as my second-in-command…" "B… but I c…cant…" Maya gulped. "I have no military background at all…" "What do you mean?" Roberto asked. "You’ve been around Atrus, Hawk, and myself for years! Besides, I do have another purpose for this." "To keep me out of danger?" Maya asked. "That’s one. I also feel safer with you watching my back. Plus, it’s good for the troops’ morale, seeing my future bride being in the middle of the group with them. That will give them one more person to protect. "Hey, I can take care of myself!" Roberto grinned. "Then you’ll accept?" Maya smiled. "Of course, my prince. I’ll be your eyes and ears." The party gathered around Atrus, who was lying on the bed. Lord Falagor was silent, holding his hand and inspecting him with magic. No one made a noise, not willing to break the wizard’s concentration. Anna was sitting at the other side of the bed, gripping Atrus’ other hand with such force that one might think she was trying to crush his bones to pieces. Aurelia the Elf was nervously pacing back and forth around the room, unintentionally adding others’ stress and annoyance. Holgreb the Dwarf was just sitting at the corner, grumbling softly. Lynn was standing near the bed, flapping her tiny wings nervously, while Calem was sitting, staring expressionlessly on the wall. "You said the creatures’ blood might be the cause?" Falagor asked, breaking the silence. "Y…yes, that’s right," Anna replied. "What do you find? Can you cure him?" "I can sense the foreign substance in his veins, and whatever it is, it’s resisting my magic." Falagor sighed. "The poison isn’t exactly killing him slowly, but it’s weakening him from inside. If he’s putting too much strain in his ability, the poison might devour him. That’s why he collapsed just now." "Putting too much strain?" Aurelia frowned. "Then… he won’t…" "He won’t be able to use his hidden power," Calem finished. "He’s a commoner, a simple Human." He quickly noticed Anna’s cold stare. "You know I really hate to say that." "The poison seemed to resist the effect of my song, too," Lynn said. "It affected Holgreb." "Aye, it did!" The Dwarf agreed. "That didn’t seem to bother him, though. He just rushed those beasts like Gurkhar the Dwarf when he’s just 17 years old! Man, you should have seen his action…" "So anyway, can you cure him?" Anna quickly asked, annoyed. "The substance resisted my divine spell," Falagor replied slowly. "There is only one cause..." "The substance is devilish," Calem continued. "I’d bet Daemon or Agamesh must be behind that attack." "They could have killed him," Aurelia offered, but quickly continued before Anna scolded her, "but they just weakened him… It’s kind of like bait, too, since they can infect Atrus by letting him kill them… But why?" "To prevent us from assaulting the Emerald Tower," Calem said. "They know that if Atrus is disabled, we would postpone the assault…" "Then… we’ll… have… to… depart…" Atrus suddenly groaned softly. "Atrus!" Anna returned her attention to her loved one. "You’re all right, honey? Are you hurt? Tell me which part?" "I’d suggest one question at a time, girl…" Lynn scowled. Atrus suddenly cringed and jerked his chest upward from pain. Anna instinctively cast her healing spell on the spot, yet was surprised to find him jerking wildly from pain more intense than the previous one. "W…what…? What h…happened? Atrus? Are you all right?" "Stop it!" Falagor silenced her. "Haven’t I told you enough? He has devilish venom flowing all over his veins! All divine spells will backfire against him now! You may think you’re curing him, but you’re just hurting him further!" "A…Atrus… I’m really sorry, hon.…" "That’s all right…" Atrus struggled to reply. "I’m okay now… Thanks… for helping me out…" "Don’t mention it," Calem replied. "How do you feel?" Atrus closed his eyes. "Weak. Very weak. I don’t know why… Well… now I know." "Miss Adriana has told me of your intention in invading the Underworld," Falagor muttered. "Yeah… do I have any chance of winning…?" "No," the wizard said. "Not with this condition. You’ve lost your power. Miss Adriana won’t be able to heal you, and Miss Lynn’s song doesn’t affect you. And with that pain in your chest, you won’t be able to go far." "So we have to postpone the battle?" Holgreb asked. "No, we can’t!" Atrus quickly yelled, but cringed at the pain. "The war in Elom would be tomorrow… If we don’t stop the demons by then… the realm is… lost…" "But attacking the demons in your condition is suicidal! You can’t save the realm like this!" Lynn protested. "I… don’t… care… even if I have to die…" "Your death is the demons’ victory, Atrus," Falagor interrupted. "They have so much to gain and so little to lose. You, in this case, hold the fate of the entire realm in your hand. You must survive." The party was silent for a moment. The situation seemed grim. The demons had, unfairly, gained upper hand, pinning the party in the game of gamble. Indeed, they had so much to lose. "There’s got to be a way out of this…" Aurelia sighed. "Oh, there is," Falagor agreed. "I didn’t say there isn’t." "Wha… How?" Anna blurted. "Atrus might be paralyzed, but his purpose in this battle is clear, to seal the portal to the Underworld. I suppose you should forget the part of invading the Underworld by now." Atrus nodded unwillingly. "So if all of you can protect him all the way to the Emerald Tower, you can still save the realm and stop the battle from waging in Elom." "But Atrus is hurt! He can’t stand a chance!" Lynn protested. "I can find a way around it, but I might need your help." Falagor instantly saw resistance in Calem’s eyes, but quickly replied with sharper gaze. "Lord Calem, get warm clothes for all of you in my dresser, now!" Calem hesitated for a moment, but sighed and obeyed the command. "Now listen to me. I will cast a spell called Lifeleech. I will draw a small portion of life force from every single one of you and inject it to Atrus. You would feel weaker, but that won’t affect your combat ability too much. The combined life force would resist the effect of the venom. Atrus wouldn’t be able to fight with full potential, but he should be able to keep up with you." Falagor paused, glad that he still had the party’s attention. "Remember, your task is to protect Atrus at all cost! If the Champion of the Guardian falls, the seal will be broken and the portal will remain open for the next millennium. By then, our beautiful realm would be reduced to lands of charred earth and scorched ground. Protect Atrus at all cost, with your life if necessary. Say your vow." "I will do so," Aurelia replied instantly. "I will protect you with my life." "And so will I," Lynn followed. "I will protect you to the death." Holgreb blinked as Falagor’s deep stare fell upon him. "Oh… Uh… Sure, kid. I’ll protect you with this small, bulky form of mine!" "And you know I will do so, honey," Anna said while holding his hand, tears falling from her eyes. "I’m willing to die to see you live." "Anna, I don’t want you to die…" Atrus turned to everyone. "I want none of you to die." "You have a task to fulfill, Champion of the Guardian," Lynn said. "We are to see that it would be fulfilled to the fullest. And for that, we are willing to sacrifice anything." "Well said, sister," Aurelia agreed, then turned to Falagor. "Take what you need." "The vows are sealed, then." Falagor turned to Atrus. "You have the hopes of your friends, and all people of the realm in your hand. Will you accept the responsibility?" Atrus gazed around the room; to his friends he’d spent the last few years with. He could see a hint of determination in each of them, eyes burning with desire to fulfill their vows. They had been asked, and they had voiced their readiness. The question was now his. Indeed he had a task to do. Yet the fact that he was the sole hope of the realm’s continuing existence was burdening him heavily. And the fact that he might see his friends die was even worse. Yet, his friends were willing to lay down their lives for him. He would do it, whatever it took. "I will do it." The party suddenly jerked and twisted uncontrollably as Falagor’s magic took effect. Atrus quickly went panic as he lost grip of Anna’s hand, and watched in horror as the magic robbed his friends’ life force in a twisted manner. As the magic subside, the party one by one collapsed to the ground, heaving heavily from exhaustion. Falagor quickly touched Atrus’ forehead and he felt a sudden surge of electricity flowing into his body. He felt… refreshed… in a very odd way. The pain in his chest vanished suddenly. Power returned to his limbs. His mind became clear and the headache was gone. He felt brand new! Yet he felt guilty. He quickly scrambled to his feet and reached out for Anna. She looked all right, although a bit dizzy. She recovered from whatever she’d previously gone through, and got back to her feet in no time. Lynn, Aurelia, and Holgreb were up soon, and they seemed unhurt. "How do you feel?" Falagor queried. "Strange…" Anna replied. "A bit weak, but okay." "And my pain is gone," Atrus declared. "Thank you, all of you." Calem returned, carrying warm clothes in both his hands. He was stunned for a moment at Atrus’ recovered form, and then proceeded to divide the warm clothes among them in silence. Atrus noticed this, and was about to ask when Falagor continued. "I will open a dimension portal to the southern tip of the Northern Continent. You are then to proceed north through the mountains to reach the Emerald Tower. The land is now a wasteland, the result of the war against the demons millennia ago. The weather is cold and cruel, and demons most likely lurk that area. Work together. Support each other. And protect Atrus at all cost." With that, Falagor opened a small dimension door, so small that even the Dwarf had to duck to get inside. The party one by one entered the door, leaving Atrus and Anna last. "Thank you for everything, Master Falagor," Atrus said politely. "Wish us luck." "I will pray for you, Champion of the Guardian." Falagor smiled weakly. And they entered the portal. The black hole blinked for a moment before closing, sealing the entrance to the Northern Continent. "Indeed you’ve spoken, Lord Guardian… Agony beyond imagination will threaten him… He will be tortured from inside out…" he sighed. "Be with him… be with him…" He smiled, and closed his eyes. This time, it’s for good. To Be Continued... * * * * * I’m sorry for the long delay. I got back from my vacation a month ago, yet this chapter took longer than I expected. As the next part might require a bit of thinking, I decided to split the chapter into 2… Again, thank you for those who have sent encouragements (read: threats). No, really… I appreciate them. Here’s for you, folks... vipers101@hotmail.com