Fantasy and Myth

A Chosen Soul

Blood dripped from the edge of the hero's blade. The guards had been supposedly protecting the entrance to the Guild Woods. In reality, they'd been a mere annoyance, barely able to delay the hero for the few, brief moments it had taken to cut them down. His golden armor rattled as he marched past the dead men and into the woods.

Trees stood tall beside the leaf covered pathways weaving their way between pools of still water. Massive pieces of carved stone were situated here and there, ruins left from the Old Kingdom. The Guild Woods had always been a favorite of the hero during his training, but the enjoyment of his surroundings was halted by the lethal purpose in his heart.

Standing a short distance from the hero was an old man. The only hair on the man's head was his eyebrows and full mustache of pure white. His long, blue coat, trimmed in gold, matched the colors and adornments of his gauntlets and boots.

The hero had always thought the Guild Master possessed the look of a honorable warrior-scholar. A cold rage filled the hero to his very core, fingers tightening around the grip of his sword as he remembered how wrong his assumption had been. This confrontation had been a long time coming, ever since the hero had read the history of the Guild and learned what his former instructor had done.

The Guild Master turned from the guard he'd been speaking with to face the hero more directly.

"I still remember the night you were brought to us, my lad," the Guild Master lamented. "I knew even then what great potential you had, what great things you would accomplish. Such a pity it has to end like this. Can't you see Jack is using you to destroy the Guild?"

"Do not blame Jack; your actions led to this," the hero countered. "The world was in torment with its people robbing and murdering each other, and the Heroes' Guild was getting rich from the chaos as they hired themselves out to whoever had gold. It was only when the Guild was put upon the path of honor, taking only the quests for good did they truly become heroes and not mere mercenaries and paid assassins."

The hero took a step closer, pointing his bloodied blade at the Guild Master. Crimson fell from it to pool on the ground. Drip. Drip. Drip.

"You destroyed the Guild," the hero accused. His voice from within his concealing helmet was a low growl. "You murdered heroes, men and women dedicated to serving the people with honor and integrity, under the rule of law. You called it a fight for freedom, but who, other than those who are evil, want the freedom to do evil? Today, you shall face justice."

"I can't allow you to do this," the Guild Master said. "Guards!"

Light blossomed around the Guild Master as he teleported a short distance away to stand atop the ruins of some forgotten structure.

"If you fight for this murderer, I shall strike you down," the hero warned, but the guards rushed forward to attack, so he met them in battle.

Energy arced from the Guild Master to surround several of the guards in auras of glowing blue light. The hero's sword bounced off the aura, turning harmless what should have been a killing blow. Scanning the area, the hero found not all the guards were magically shielded, and he went after them. He realized the Guild Master's power had its limits, and it would be impossible to save all the guards. One fell, then another, and another.

The Guild Master tried to shift his protection to the guards in danger, but it caused the enchantment to fail altogether, leaving every remaining soldiers vulnerable. The hero moved swiftly, dispatching two more guards before the defensive aura was placed upon those who still lived. More soldiers rushed from the woods to join the fray, but they'd been at a distance when the magic had been cast, leaving them at the hero's mercy. Swords clashed, and one by one the guards fell.

The protection enchantment broke a second time. The hero didn't know if it was from trying to alter it again or if the magical strain of shielding so many had become too much for the old man. It didn't matter the reason because the results were the same. The hero's sword moved this way and that, cutting through air, armor, and flesh with equal ease until the last guard fell dead at his feet. With only the two of them left, the hero turned to the Guild Master who had left his perch atop the ruins and stood a few feet away.

"When Maze betrayed me I knew he was a coward," the Guild Master said. He pointed an accusing finger at the hero. "But you...you are the biggest disappointment of all. You have been given too much power. And it has corrupted you. But it isn't too late to turn back. Stop this now, and there is still hope for you. For all of us. Please, let me teleport you to the Graveyard. Take Nostro's soul instead!"

"You say my power has corrupted me," the hero told his former instructor. "Was it not you who killed countless heroes so the Guild could take missions of thievery and murder? I didn't come here merely for a soul to unlock the Bronze Gate and fight Jack of Blades. I will stop Jack, but I will also cleanse the Guild of those who want to make us gold hungry mercenaries, lacking any concern for what is good or evil, starting with you."

"Very well, Hero," the Guild Master puffed. "Do your worst. I am no defenseless old man! I have powers that you can't begin to..."

A solid kick sent the old man tumbling backwards to land face down on the ground. He didn't even try to rise again.

"You didn't want heroes to only do quests of good," the hero said softly as he walked over to where his vanquished opponent lay, raising his sword above the prone figure. "You wanted them to be able to do deeds of evil as well. If you consider my killing you an evil deed, then take peace in your final moments, for you succeeded."

The blade came down in a final, piercing strike. The hero pulled the sword free and produced the mask of Jack of Blades from under his armor, using the enchanted item to capture the Guild Master's soul. The hero had what he needed to open the magical lock and face Jack of Blades once more. He paused a moment to look upon the Guild Master. Much work still needed to be done to fully cleanse the Guild of the evil infesting it, but it would have to wait.

The hero had defeated Jack of Blades once before, and this time, he was determined to make certain Jack stayed dead. Activating the ability of his Guild medallion, the Hero teleported away to face his old enemy.