Chapter 1 Jinx
The demon's spirit is free of its body... they are winning. The fight had cost them nearly half of their numbers... but that doesn't matter. The only important thing is that the last of the Four is about to be sealed away from the Earth dimension for ever.
Even as they draw the demon spirit toward the Holy Place, it lashes out, killing another two. But, the monks do not falter.
Their Seers have said that sending the Four away will allow a great Sorcerer to rule the world, and a chaos demon named Morning Star to bring about two thousand years of war and hatred between the several races of man... but even that risk is worth it.
They reach the Holy Place, and force the evil spirit to the centre of a sacred circle... thirty odd monks gather around and start chanting... the language is long dead... forgotten to all but this Order. The spell they use calls on the power of a race of magical beings that haven't even been created yet... so, needless to say, it's a little difficult to pull off.
But they manage... they knew they would... otherwise, their Seers wouldn't have been able to tell them what the future was like. They watch as a rip in reality opens, showing them a dark, void dimension. Each of the Four were sent to a different prison... this is, perhaps, the worst. Nothing... absolute nothing, in the total meaning of the word.
They give a collective cheer of victory as the demonic spirit is drawn into the void, and they know that, at last, the terror that the Four brought upon the human race is over.
At least... as long as nobody opens a two way portal to the void, and leaves an empty body for the spirit to inhabit in the other dimension, and for some reason forgets to close the two way portal, allowing the demon to, once again, ravage the Earth...
... but, what are the chances of that?
* * * * * *
Brad stands before the fallen guardians of the temple. Of course, in this case, the guardians aren't the real challange... it's the actual people who live in the temple. The last members of some ancient Order of monks, or something silly like that.
Doesn't matter... they'll be a totally extinct Order in a few minutes. They turn towards him... he counts fifteen at first glance. They glance down at their fallen guardians, two Dragonite demons. The tall, lizardy things would be scary to most people, but the simple fact that he killed one the very first time he picked up a real weapon just kind of makes them seem all non-problemish.
He still has that weapon... and, ironicly, it is now stuck in the back of a Dragonite demon. The monks try to circle around him as he pulls the large, dragon wing blade from the reptile. One of the monks throws a spell at him, but he doesn't even care. He's wearing that armour... dark grey, enchanted metals... totally absorbs magic. The spell doesn't even really come into contact with the armour... it just kind of fizzles out before touching it.
Brad looks around at each of his opponents. He tries to tell them, without words (because talking would ruin the moment) that it's nothing personal... but that they should make peace with whatever it is they make peace with.
Each of the monks draws a weapon... daggers or short swords... nothing too fancy. Brad just shakes his head. He raises his axe in his right hand, and reaches behind his back with his left. His hand closes around the hilt of a heavy broad sword, and he pulls it out.
When the fighting starts, Brad is little more than a tornado of blades... heavy
axe crushing bodies, and broadsword cleaving limbs.
Within minutes, it is over.
* * * * * *
I've done it. That's the last group on your list.
Brad faces down the wizard before him... an old man... face partially hidden by a black hood. Three years ago, Brad came to this cave, located in the cliffs along the south shore of Nova Scotia. The sage, Sharod, had a deal to make. If Brad would eliminate his enemies... that is to say, every single damned person that has even the slightest grudge against him... Sharod would give him the one thing that the armour clad warrior is looking for.
Most of the ones on the list were evil, in some way or another... the rest... well, Brad tries not to think about that too much. He just stays focused on his goal. Sharod is the only one who is willing to give Brad what he needs...
Yes... you have finished your quests.
Sharod makes a small waving motion with his hand, and a book appears before Brad.
The secret magics you wish to envoke are contained within that text.
Brad grabs the book and flips through a couple of pages, shaking his head.
Okay... I don't have time to read this. You got a Sparks Notes version?
Sharod places a hand to his head.
Fine... here's the thing. It's not enough just to bring him back from the X-Zone. He drank the unicorn blood... he's cursed. But, there's a loophole to the curse... it only affects the body. His soul... the essence of his being are unaffected. So, the trick to bringing him back is this... create a new body for him here on Earth... open a two way portal to the X-Zone... rip his soul from his body within the void... pull the soul from the void and shove it into the new body.
Brad raises an eyebrow.
That's it? That'll work?
Yes... he will be back on Earth... and he will not be cursed.
Okay... but... what do I do with the cursed body?
Sharod pauses a moment, and shrugs...
I guess... you just leave it in the void. At that point, it'll just be an empty body... what could go wrong by just leaving it there?
Yeah... guess you're right.
There is more though... Sharod glances around, as if afraid of being overheard. When he is confident that nobody else is in the cave, he turns back toward Brad. ... two more things, actually. The spells required can only be cast by an experienced wizard. You are a great warrior... but there is very little magical power within you.
Brad just shrugs.
Yeah... well, I've got a wizard in mind for this. Just gotta talk him into helping. What's the second thing?
Yes... the second thing. Doing the spells is not enough. The magics alone will not assure your friend's return to this world. There is also a matter of prophecy.
Brad swears... one of the big swear words too!
I hate prophecies... they always mess things up.
Yes... well... this one is quite simple actually. You told me that your friend defeated Jove, correct? Well... it is told that the Warrior which ended the life of the God of Creation will only return to his world if there is one last great evil for him to face.
So... you're saying... if I manage to bring him back at all... there'll be another big bad to fight?
That's right.
Well... isn't that going to be a nice 'welcome back' surprise for him?
* * * * * *
Brad goes back to his empty house...
Three years ago there were two other people here... soon after their last great battle Justin left... and then Saphir and Brad had a falling out of sorts.
They didn't fight... there was no yelling... or Brad cutting off Saphir's head... they just didn't agree on what to do next.
Brad wanted to do what he's doing... working toward getting Arrowny back. Saphir, however, did not want to 'cancel out' the sacrifice that their friend made during his destined mission.
With Brad unwilling to change his mind, and Saphir unwilling to help, the remaining two members of the Dragoon Warriors parted ways.
Nobody greats him as he enters... no body asks him how many of what he killed...
He heads downstairs, pausing only slightly as he passes by the two rooms in the basement... both occupants now 'dead'. He sets his axe against the wall in the special weapon's rack he built years ago... the spaces for all the other weapons are empty... and his broadsword goes in the common weapon locker.
He lets out a small sigh as he loosens the straps which keep his armour on... he was hunting those monks for a few days straight, so it's been a while since he's gone without the extra weight of the mystical metal. The armour gets set in its special place near the weapons...
Right now he needs a shower and a hot meal... he'll sleep well tonight... and tomorrow he's got some people to visit.
* * * * * *
KNOCK KNOCK!
Saphir wonders who that could be? All of his friends from Cheticamp call before they come over...
He opens the door and is surprised to find Brad on the other side... jeans, t-shirt, sunglasses... tall... geeky looking... but with quite a bit more muscle than before.
Brad... nice to see you and why are you here?
Brad nods.
Good to see you too... you busy?
Saphir glances around nerviously...
Um... no... not really?
Good. Get your gear together.
Are we... killing something?
Brad shakes his head...
No... we just need your gear.
Brad... Saphir shakes his head... I hope this isn't about that thing that we didn't agree on.
It's not.
Oh! Saphir's eyes widen in shock... Okay then.
He disappears into his house for a few minutes, and comes back carrying a dufflebag of supplies and his famous Glaive of Ceruleus, the mystical weapon of the Poirier family.
So... if we're not going to do that thing... and we're not killing something... what are we doing?
Brad shrugs...
We're gonna see a friend.
* * * * * *
So... you're telling me that we can track Justin... through all of space-time... by sending a letter from the Wolfville post-office?
Brad stops writing on the postcard he bought, and stares off into space for a moment...
Yeah... seems a little strange... doesn't it? But, before he left, he told me that if I ever needed to get in touch with him, all I had to do was send a postcard to a specific address, Brad motions toward the small slip of paper on which Justin wrote that specific address, and tell him when, and where, I'm sending the letter from.
Brad looks at his watch...
Right now, it's two twenty seven in the afternoon... he adds this bit of information to the card, and tosses it into the box.
So... what now?
Don't know?
Hey guys!
Both Saphir and Brad jump at the voice. They each turn around... Saphir with a hand over his heart... Brad looking quite ready to kill things...
... and there's Justin. He looks pretty much the same... long black coat... sunglasses...
I got your letter... are we killing something?
Brad throws his hands up in frustration...
Why does everybody think I came to see them just to kill something?
Justing shrugs...
Sorry... just figured it was the most likely reason...
Well... we won't be killing anything... at least... probably not... I think...
Brad doesn't look too sure of himself at the moment. Saphir and Justin just stand back and let him work out the possibility that they just might be killing something. After a few minutes, he blinks, and shakes his head...
Yeah... probably not. Let's go somewhere to talk.
* * * * * *
As soon as they walked through the door of the Dragoon Warriors home, Saphir went to check on his library... and he freaked... Brad had not exactly been taking good care of it. Each time he needed a book, he just tossed it to the floor. Saphir was shocked at the lack of care, and refused to listen to anything until he'd cleaned the entire mess up.
It took him about fifteen minutes... after which he takes a seat beside Justin in the living room to listen to what Brad has to say.
The axe wielding Warrior wastes no time.
Okay guys... I'm bringing Arrowny back.
Saphir shakes his head...
Brad... I told you I wasn't going to talk about this.
And, I'm not talking. I've already done all the research, and I know how to do it. It's going to happen... the only question is whether or not it will happen correctly. There's two things that I need for this to work... an experienced wizard, and a dimensional portal. Saphir... you're strong enough to do the spell, and you're Warp thingy combined with Justin's dimensional flux altering thingy can open a portal, like you did to get the Scythe.
Whatever you decide... I'm still going through with it. I'll find somebody else to do the spell, and I'll find another way to open the portal. But, without you guys, it'll probably go all to hell, and the Earth will probably end up sucked into the void... or something.
Saphir sighs...
Okay... fine. I'll help. But... I hope to GOD you know what you're doing.
Brad tries to reassure him, but Saphir will have none of it. He quickly turns away, heading back to the library... probably to check up on just what Brad's plan is.
Brad turns to Justin, who's still sitting on the couch, looking rather lost in thought.
I need you to be in on this as well.
Justin blinks a couple times.
What? Oh... that... whatever man... you had me convinced at the 'okay guys' part.