Chapter Six: The Outcast and a Legend
A small bar in midst of a foggy port town. Patrons and travellers tell their tales over tall cold tankards of freshly imported ale. Each table had its own tales and more than its fair share of warm hearted laughter. A lone woman wandered in, sat down at the bar and called over the bartender.
"I thought I tol' you, don't you come 'round 'ere no more. 'Less you wanna get killed," the bartender scorned through his thick accent.
"I can handle myself," Snapped the woman. "I'm not one of your weak barmaids you sell. Now pour me some ale, you blackguard."
Two men got up from their table in the corner and began to approach the woman. Before they could get there, they began to bleed from their arms and face. Everyone stepped back, watching in horror as the two died in a pool of their own blood.
"Get out you witch!" the bartender snarled. "And don't come back 'ere again!"
"Brutish old man. I don't need your ale," the woman retorted, coldly. "Besides, only a fool would serve brackished ale."
The bartender ran back inside and returned promptly.
"Zihera you witch!" the bartender yelled in a furious tone. "I'll kill you!"
Zihera paid no more attention to him and left towards the market.
"Galaan, where are we?" Salena questioned.
"About a thousand paces over that hill and we'll be in Kall Hath Tuhen, a nymphian term for 'Kraken's last landing'. Its kind of serene there. Especially at the ports."
"You call that serene?" Kiresk asked pointing at the gray town standing below. "It is full thieves, witches and homeless people. And to mention, the..."
"Enough Kiresk," Galaan interrupted. "I was born there."
"You two stop bickering," Salena ordered. "We need to concentrate on the task at hand, rather than our own personal quarrels."
The three kept walking, with only the sound of their shoes treading on the dirt path, and Salena's robes blowing in the wind.
The three arrive at a tall iron gate that marked the entrance to Kall Hath Tuhen. A stout man with a short sword was there to greet them.
"Show your passports," the guard grunted, as the three reached into their gear. "All right, you're clear. Now move along."
No sooner than their entry to the city, they spot a crowd in the square.
"What's wrong with her?" asked a voice near the front of the crowd. "Isn't she that witch that lives by the ports?"
"Of all the stars in the heavens!" a woman cried. "Why are you thinking of helping her?
She's done nothing but cause problems and suffering here. Just let her die on the streets."
"We can't keep arguing over this," bellowed a stern voice. "I will take her to a doctor, where we can heal her wounds. No matter what she is or how much pain she has caused, she is still a living being, and we must do as much as we can to save her."
"You fool," another man snarled. "You can't possibly expect anyone to let this woman die. I, too think we should get her some help."
"Hey! You two!" Kiresk called out. "Wait for me! I'm going to help you as well. I cannot ignore a person in need. That would be immoral, and against my honorable position as ex-commander of the Belcourt's 7th legion. I don't know what my friends will do, but I am going to help you."
"What are you doing, Kiresk?" Salena asked. "Are you out of your mind? That mob is going to kill them."
"That is why I must help them," Kiresk responded. "Even if the 7th legion is now abandoned, I must uphold its honor."
"If you want to waste your life, then go ahead," Galaan snapped. "But I will find you later. I won't be a part of your insane ideal."
Kiresk rushed through the crowd to the to men who were trying to flee from the advancing crowd. He drew his sword and faced the mob at the front. Salena started to focus on the spot in front of Kiresk. Kiresk swung blindly at the crowd, but it struck a barrier put up by Salena. He put his sword away and followed the men.
Later, when things calmed down and the events were forgotten, Galaan and Salena found time to sit down and discuss Kiresk's actions. They sat down at the fountain in the square.
"You see Salena," Galaan began. "Kiresk grew up and was raised in Dekar-nessen, as a child. He dreamed of becoming a soldier for a long time, and trained almost every day. But since the west's army was nearly decimated by fate's initial strikes, there was no Dekar-nessen army to join. So he stowed away on a ship to Belcourt, which is where I met him. He told me about how he was going to join the army, and how he was the best fighter in the west. At seventeen, that was his attitude towards himself. When we arrived in Belcourt, they had just been attacked and had only six full legions, and one new one forming. He proved his skills to the recruitment, and made it as Tactical Advisor, just below Second in Command. Below him was Field Chief Calheth, a promising young fighter like Kiresk."
"Wait a minute," Salena interrupted. "Wasn't Calheth the rebel leader I killed?"
"Yes, he was. I'll get to that part in a moment. After a few battles, the Commander in Chief and his Second died," Galaan continued. "Kiresk took command and took in Calheth as his second. His dreams of becoming a hero were quickly becoming reality. The Belcourt 7th legion became famous for setting its own rules and discipline beyond the army's. They saved many people and Kiresk became a commanding presence on any battlefield. But Calheth was left in Kiresk's shadow. He was never recognized as the great fighter he was. Calheth abandoned the army after the war was over."
"So the only reason he started that rebellion was to get Kiresk?" Salena concluded. "That sounds like a real pain just to get at someone who took the spotlight."
"Yes, but there's more to his grudge than just fame," Galaan explained. "Kiresk was given a special sword called 'ElecBlade', the first weapon infused with magic. Calheth would do anything for ElecBlade. It was his ultimate goal to get it. Luckily, ElecBlade was left hidden by Kiresk. He sent it to Dekar-nessen where his sister took it and hid it. She then went to Belcourt to tell Kiresk where it was. She looked for him for many days until one day she asked me if I knew him. I fell for her and her jealous father killed her."
"Did she ever tell anyone where ElecBlade was?" Salena inquired. "It sounds like it's very important."
"She said she would only tell Kiresk", Galaan stated. "She told me something about putting it where only Kiresk could find it. I asked him about what his favorite place was when he was a kid. He told me several places, but I found out where she hid it. If we go back, I should retrieve it for him. But for now, we should find him. Because Kiresk was a hero, he likes to have the title of 'hero' to people, and often his morals get in the way of his thinking."
"Do you think that's why he helped me in Dekar-nessen?" Salena questioned. "Now that I think of it, he was pretty keen on saving me. Perhaps he has the same idea with this 'witch'. Besides, I want to meet her for myself."
The two got up from the edge of the fountain and asked some people where Kiresk went. They then left the square.
"Who is that woman?" Kiresk asked a man in a white lab coat.
"Her name is Zihera," the man explained. "The townspeople who don't know any better think she is a witch. However there are a few people who looked past cynicism, and saw that she is no witch. A witch needs to perform a ritual for her magic to work. She apparently has a gift called 'psychokenesis', which allowss her to make certain things happen by doing nothing more than thinking about them."
"Psychokenesis?" Kiresk remarked, confused. "Perhaps you could explain it to me in more detail. I am afraid I do not understand."
"Well," The man began. "All we really know is, it's like magic, but it doesn't work ther same. We know for sure there's no science to it, but that seems to be the problem. No one can understand it."
"Just like a full human to pick things apart," Kiresk laughed. "I should be trying to find my fellows now. I thank you kindly."
"There is nothing for you to be thankful to me for," the man stated. "I should be thanking you."
"No, you see," Kiresk explained. "I will be coming back here soon with my friends if you do not mind. I'm sure Salena will want to talk to Miss Zihera."
Galaan and Salena spotted Kiresk and called him over. The three of them met up on a side street.
"Galaan! Salena! Come with me," Kiresk exclaimed. "I want to talk with the woman I saved earlier, and..."
"Kiresk, why do you keep trying to play the hero?" Galaan exclaimed. "You think you haven't done enough already? You don't even know her..."
"No! Listen, you have to come with me, because she sounds like someone who may be able to help us.
"Kiresk, you fool," Galaan snapped. "I don't know why I'm going to let you take me to see her. But I'm willing to bet that she is just as useless to us as everyone else here... but actually, you instinct has never steered you and I wrong before. Fine, let's go, but would someone else say something!"
"Galaan, you seem kind of bothered by this," Salena remarked. "Are you sure you want to go see this woman?"
"I'll go," Galaan replied. "I trust Kiresk, but I feel a bit awkward going to see someone that I don't know."
"So do I," Salena giggled. "But we'll do it. We could help each other feel less awkward by staying together."
"Are you two ready to go?" Kiresk asked impatiently.
"Yes, Kiresk," Salena echoed.
When they got to the house where Zihera was, she was still asleep, but the same man was there, preparing a warm meal and some tea.
"Excuse me, sir," Kiresk called out. "Do you mind if my acquaintances and I come in?"
"Oh! Kiresk. Of course," the man greeted, cheerfully. "Come in. Would you like some tea? I will make some more if you'd like."
"I will have some tea," Kiresk stated, smiling politely. "Galaan, Salena, are you going to have some tea?"
"I haven't had tea in a long time, I'll gladly have a cup," Salena declared. "I love the smell of tea."
"I'll decline your offer," Galaan uttered. "But thanks for asking."
The man drew some water from a tightly sealed keg and set it over the fireplace, while Galaan, Kiresk and Salena all sat down at a small wooden table.
"She should be coming to soon," the man confirmed. "I will gladly answer any questions you may have about her."
"I have a question," Galaan told the man. "Where did she come from to be hated so much?"
"Well, she isn't quite the same as us," the man replied. "She has a special ability called 'psychokenesis', which allows her to change certain aspects of the world just by her belief. Where she comes from is a complete mystery to everyone. She has no memory of the past. All she can remember is living and being hated here. However, she does have several scars on her legs and on her back, so I think she may have forgotten the past because she doesn't want to remember."
"Well, maybe she is useful to us," Galaan laughed coldly.
"Galaan, don't be so rude!" Salena snapped.
"Yes, sir," a weary voice called from the corner. "It is very cruel to use people like me. Aside from that, I don't reccommend it very much."
"You are awake Miss Zihera?" Kiresk asked. "I must apologize for my friend's actions. He sometimes speeks before he thinks. I assure you he meant no harm."
"Well," Zihera answered. "You're forgiven, Galaan. Now, the person in front of me, who are you?"
"My name is Kiresk," Kiresk said, bowing down in his most formal possible kneel.
"You're something else, I'll tell you that," Zihera smiled, laughing. "You can get up now. I see that you're the one who kept the townspeople from killing me. Thank you. Don't ask how I know that, I can tell more about you by your gestures and the way you speak than if you told me, watch. You joined the army and climbed high in the ranks of the great 7th Belcourt Legion. You were the commander of that regime. Galaan, you grew up with your mother until you were sixteen. When you were eight, you saw your father die, and made a promise to him, that you would protect your mother and your fellows. You did so until sixteen, when you left Dekar-nessen to Belcourt. On the way there, you met this Kiresk. He was going to join the army, and he told you about his family, and showed him a letter he received with a small portrait of his sister and parents at the bottom. Salena, you are a trained magi, but you became more adept than your teachers and mentors, so you left off to travel the world."
"That's a lot to know for people you just met," Salena uttered.
Kiresk and Galaan stepped out of the door, and went to the alley to talk in private, away from the others, and other people.
"Galaan, I think she should travel with us," Kiresk explained. "If at least for a short time. We could learn a lot from her."
"Alright, Kiresk," Galaan stated. "But since you found her, you take care of her."
"But what about Salena," Kiresk protested.
"She can take care of herself," Galaan answered. "But if you're that concerned for her, then I'll keep her under my watch."
Having reached a reluctant agreement, the two left the alleyway, and went back into the young man's house.
"Miss Zihera?" Kiresk called out.
"Please stop calling me Miss Zihera, just Zihera will do fine," Zihera protested. "Now, what do you want to ask me?"
"I have a favour to ask," Kiresk explained. "I want you to come with us, to travel the world. We could use your help, and you just may find out something about your psychokinetic power."
"Did you really think I'd decline?" Zihera laughed. "When do we leave?"
After explaining to Zihera what happened, from when they left Dekar-nessen to what the priests at the Belcourt church had said. After hearing that, Zihera took them to her home to let them prepare for the journey. Before they were ready to leave, they took a small break from preparing.
"Sit down and I will tell you why we came here before we left," Zihera said, walking into the next room. She took a wall hanging from above her fireplace and spread it across her table. "This explains something towards what they priests said."
"What is it?" Salena asked. "I've never seen such strange writing."
"It's an old legend passed through a dead race of peoples who lived under the ocean in a palace. It sat with it's main tower just above the water, because the leader was a human. She was my ancestor, and I inherited the scrolls."
"Can you read them?" Kiresk inquired. "What do they say?"
"I can read some of it," Zihera responded. "About half of it. It's a legend about the six heroes who will come to the world in a time of need. One, a great mage, with the greatest magics of all the world. That's you, Salena. Then, there is her guardian, a troubled rogue and sword fighter. That's Galaaan. Then, the valiant and well mannered warrior, who could only be Kiresk. Also mentioned is someone with a mysterious ability, that's me. The last part I can read in full is about a fallen angel, who defies all the religions. The rest is something about a person collecting weapons of the old Gods. I can read the names of some of the weapons, too. Excalibur, Thor's Hammer, the Devil's Trident, and some others I can't read. I know the rest has something about the eight holy places, where each spirit was born."
"So you're saying that the four of us are a part of some ancient legend?" Salena inquired. "This must have something to do with the crown I'm supposed to have, along with my staff, ring and book."
"Well, Kiresk," Galaan sneered. "Look what we've been dragged into now. I don't like the idea of helping people for free, but I won't back out if it, either."
"I once again find myself bound to duty," Kiresk remarked. "But we still need to find that crown, where could that be?"
"I have an idea as to where to look," Zihera explained. "I once heard of a cave that leads to the undersea palace. Maybe it's in the palace. Of course entry may be near impossible, since it's underwater."