TM
“You have a good heart do you know that Crich?”
“Why’d you say that?’”
“We’ll… nowadays not many people would risk their life to save a boy they hardly even know.”
“I just did what I thought was right Daniel.”
The path was narrow where the two friends walked, it was a dry dirt road whose sides were surrounded by tall grass, the wind was blowing mildly, and the sun was shining though hidden by the clouds, the smell of damp grass filled the air. The only lives in sight were the birds, chirping on every tree the two came across. Crichton walked on the right side of the path and Daniel walked on the left. A soft bark made Daniel stop and turn around, it was Drake.
“Drake old boy, I thought you wouldn’t catch up” Daniel kneeled and mildly stroked Drake on the forehead, the white beast licked his master’s cheek in return. “I’m glad you’re here now old friend.” Daniel stood up and tidied his long blue robe from sand and started walking again
“I told him to round up the beasts into their cages. I told him if he wanted to come he’d have to catch up”
“You’ve got a strong attachment to beasts don’t you Daniel?” Crichton said while looking at Daniel
“Yeah you could say that. They were my only family before I came to Thamos Sanctuary. My parents died on the first Arcania-Czelahn war when I was only six years old and I lived in Thamos forest since then.” Daniel said without looking at Crichton
“I’m sorry Daniel I didn’t mean to…” Crichton sadly interrupted
“It’s ok Crich, It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to talk about my past and I think it’s time I told someone else besides Father Reveni.” Daniel said as he was looking at the clouds. “Drake is the last family I have… my father always told me that he found Drake alone in the forest exactly the day I was born… he’s more than my pet you see. I treat him like my brother.”
Crichton looked down at the very noble looking Drake and smiled
Daniel looked at Drake who immediately looked back at him and stuck its tongue out as if it was smiling. “After my parents died Drake was all I had, he protected me and I protected him, we managed to live and survive in Thamos forest for four Lunars (years) on our own. Then Father Reveni stumbled upon us and took us into Sanctuary. I swore from that day on that I would care for every beast I came across, except for monsters that is. Father Reveni taught me the Arcean Arts, as well as Beast Studies. Since then I started to collect every endangered species in Threa so that I could bring them to Sanctuary and preserve their numbers. The only species I haven’t brought in are the ervons.”
“You have much more of a good heart Daniel” Crichton said smiling
“That makes us even Crich, he he.” Daniel said as he held his head in a shy like gesture. “What about you? What’s your story?”
“Well I ran away from home actually. I didn’t quite enjoy living a boring life. I always wanted to become an Arcanian soldier. You could say I’m just a 19 lunar old guy trying desperately to fulfill his dreams.” Crichton replied as he nudged the sack he was carrying at his back up. He smiled with a mischievous grin as a soft breeze blew on his wavy black hair and brown cloak.
“He, he I’m sure you’ll be accepted there Crich, you’ve got talent…” Daniel swayed his arms around as if he was holding a sword and fighting a monster
Crichton waved his hand as if disagreeing. “Don’t start Daniel, I told you…”
“AAARrrrgh Help!”
The two friend’s conversation was interrupted as they turned to the direction from which a loud yell of a man came.
Drake growled and the two looked at each other.
“Come on Daniel someone’s in trouble. Over there!” Crichton pointed towards the forest “in the forest!”
Crichton dropped his sack and removed his cloak which revealed his typical clothing once more. But beneath the white shirt he wore bandages could be clearly seen.
Crichton ran towards the forest and left Daniel and a growling Drake on the dirt path.
“CRICHTON WAIT!!! You’re unarmed! This place is infested with ogres… Crichton… CRICHTON!” Daniel cupped his hand to his mouth. “CRICHTON!!!” but there was no answer
“Come on Drake! We have to help him out” Daniel ran as fast as he could but his robe was restricting his movement. “Drake follow him, I’ll catch up”
The white beast followed his master immediately and ran deep into the forest.
The forest was dark and damp and tall trees surrounded a circular area. Right on the middle was a camp, and there lay a man’s lifeless body which was over a pool of blood, the man’s head was broken in half.
“Ogres, only ogres do this kind of damage.” “They could have been attracted to the heat.”
Crichton walked over to the man’s decapitated body and kneeled down. It was the first time Crichton noticed that the man held a single edged sword on his right hand “He fought back…”
A huge gray fist hit shattering the ground forming a small crater right where Crichton was, but with keen senses and swift movement he was able to jump back dodging the barrage.
A twelve foot creature emerged from the shadows and growled at Crichton. It was a gray, gigantic and bulky beast which stood upright just like a man, except it had only big round oil black and emotionless eyes. Its body rough and all covered with moss. It was an ogre. The creature growled and ran towards Crichton aiming its punch at Crichton’s torso. But Crichton was able to duck and roll forward with ease. Another arm emerged from the bushes and hit Crichton at the back with enough force to shatter every bone in his body. It sent Crichton flying to the air, but he was able to recover and land on his feet.
“Two of them, damn it!” Crichton looked at the man’s body once more. “The sword… I have to get the sword…”
The second ogre swung another punch at him but it was stopped short. Drake leapt to the air and bit the creature’s arm.
“Thanks Drake!” Crichton yelled as he ran towards the man’s body.
He bent over and picked the sword up, but as he turned back he saw the first ogre on the air just one foot away from him. Crichton readied himself for an attack. He rested the sword’s tip on the ground then leapt to the air as well.
“Leaping was a mistake you foul beast, with that I can execute my tech, Grievance Strike.” Crichton said in his mind. Crichton thrust his sword forward towards the ogre’s midsection. The sword skewered into the ogre’s body like. The ogre exploded and split into half and its red blood spurted everywhere. Crichton and the ogre’s split body fell to the ground at the exact same time. But a third ogre emerged from the bushes behind Crichton and leapt at him. Crichton turned but a black rope like thing wrapped around the ogre’s neck.
“Crichton, are you ok!?!” Daniel yelled while keeping the ogre at bay with his long black snakelike whip.
“Yeah, I’m fine, where have you been Dan!?!”
“These robes aren’t meant for running you know”
Crichton ran towards the second ogre which was waving its arms wildly in hopes of breaking Drakes grip. Drake let go as soon as Crichton was near enough. Crichton swept the ogres foot in a circular motion and the creature fell forward towards him. At the end of his sweeping motion Crichton knelt and hit the ogre’s abdomen with the blunt edge of his sword which sent the creature flying to the air. Crichton leapt once more and caught up with the stunned giant, in midair he kicked the ogre downwards which sent it crashing to the ground.
“Now’s the time! Fallen Angel!” Crichton said in his mind while on a falling motion with his sword rested on his right shoulder. He swayed the sword at the stunned ogre’s abdomen right before he hit the ground. Blood sprayed from the giant’s body uncontrollably. Crichton stood up. He saw Daniel whose whip was now tied to the third ogre’s right hand. A second whip emerged from Daniel’s right sleeve and wrapped itself on the creature’s left arm. The ogre’s was desperately forcing itself free from Daniel’s grip but Daniel didn’t budge. Daniel’s eyes were closed and he was in deep concentration, though far away Crichton saw that he was mumbling. Daniel’s body glowed with silver energy. His robe was now swaying wildly and his long silver hair rose. For the first time Crichton saw a small silver earring on Daniels left ear.
“He’s casting… Daniel’s casting… but how … how could he?…” Crichton said in disbelief
“The forces of nature free the deadly beast within, release the vagrant soul, wreak havoc and vanquish sin” “BLOOD BANE!!!”
As Daniel uttered these words Drake’s once white body turned blood red. Drake let out a blood curling howl and he growled spilling red saliva on the ground. Drake charged at the ogre at incredible speed and a blinding light filled the dark forest. When the light cleared the third ogre was nothing more but scattered pieces of blood, flesh and bone. Drake transfigured to his old noble self once more.
“Are you ok Daniel?”
Crichton asked as he sheathed the sword he held and pulled his kneeling friend to back his feet.
“Yeah I’m fine what about Drake?” Daniel asked as he pulled his whips back to his sleeve. He fixed his hair, hiding his silver earring from sight. He straightened his robe and tidied it from dirt.
“Yeah… he’s fine”
Drake strode to where the two were, still bearing his noble and proud stance it always had. As soon as Drake reached him Daniel patted the beast’s head and said “Thank you brother…”
“We better get going, it’ll be dark soon” Daniel told Crichton in a serious tone.
The two went back to the path and Crichton collected his things and put on his cloak once more. They started walking once more. But this time Daniel was on the right side of the path.
“The creatures of Vladimitri have been acting more viciously lately” Crichton said as he stared up at the setting sun
“The Black Moon is coming in ten lunians Crichton. That could be the reason why they’ve been acting up.” Daniel said without looking at Crichton
Crichton looked at Daniel’s hair and remembered about the earring he saw.
“You never told me you had a Gem of Erad”
“He, he you never asked Crich”
“That gem removes a person’s restrictum allowing him or her to use the Arcean Arts, like the one you just did back there. And it is only given to high class soldiers, and it is set to a specific person’s lifeline, surely you didn’t just pick it up and used it…”
“Crich I’m not only a scholar at Sanctuary… I’m the Sanctuary guardian, me and Drake. Father Reveni appointed us guardians when he saw our Arcean potential’s. We were granted Gems by the royal council when we were both 18.”
Crichton looked at Drake and for the first time he saw a white sparkling gem mounted on a silver earring on Drakes left ear.
“Daniel… you said you know every beast in Threa… does that count monsters too?”
“Yeah, why’d you ask Crichton?”
“Do you know of a monster that carries a scythe and wears a long torn black cloak?”
“The closest monster to that description is a specter, they are the only creatures that wear cloaks, but no creature in Threa ever carried a scythe… why’d you ask?”
“Oh, nothing… I was just testing you, hehehe”
“Were here Crich… Lithia forest”
The three entered the forest which was more chilling than before because it was nighttime. Crichton looked around and he saw a huge portion of trees cleared as though parted by a powerful force. The forest was a mess, as if it hosted an army’s battle. Many trees were torn down and leaves and bushes all scattered on the ground.
“This is where I found you and Raymund Crichton.” Daniel pointed on a clean spot on the forest and surrounding it were the scattered pieces of the Rifter.
Crichton bent down and picked up the creatures head which was still fresh even at the passing of the days.
“I could fetch a good price for these…”
“You earned them Crich…”
Crichton picked up the other pieces he could find. But one piece caught his attention. He picked it up and held it up. The moon made the piece glisten like a gem.
It was the Rifter Blade.