Nova and the 100-year march

CHAPTER SIX, VOLUME 1, THE FIRST CYCLE: MEAD AND RUPTURE

Vision at ease, at last, Nova, a refugee of old lands, a cask of lost memories, a shard of old times, seeks answers,  purpose, and light.

A life of march became a lifetime of dusk, now that he saw, saw what became of his memories, now that he walked through that gate, now that he felt that haze, hovered over his head, showed him his inner-self, revealed what's under his psyche, made him realize how empty Nova is, how all that knowledge was a nebulous part of his, at that moment, he was certain, a part of him was missing, maybe it died with his companion. 

How come he knows things he shouldn't know and remember faces he never met as if he does not own that knowledge and memories, a mere vessel burdened by the memories of others? Nothing more?

Nova had a good share of questions to ask himself after that incident at the plaza, a purpose unfoldes within, and a lapse of self-control was very enough to awaken that flame he bares inside again, a flame of older times, the one destined to reach the new world and guide the living into build it to thrive again, hope's unchained, finally founds a place In the vein of the lad's head.

Back to Nova and Chad, as they laugh and exchange chats'n words, the crowd gradually expands around them, mead's poured and laughter swells through that sunset," for all that abyss of death, mead's a burial for sorrows and a refuge to whom looked the other way", says Chad.

The guards along with Chad tried persuading Nova to drink some, which he eventually did, and didn't like, and did threw up, and said disgustingly," I can't help but ask, why does the liquor share my name?"

One of the guards said, "We grew up, hearing these stories of old times, about a man who lived a great life, a king's rule of old lands, so powerful, so just, ruled over the whole world, where everyone followed his voice, everyone shared his thoughts, and everyone lived in harmony and calm". Another guard follows, "I heard he had a rule over lands and skies, lived a very long life ", another one continues," they say darkness found no place in either day or night, always a good day, even a true goodnight ".

As this memorial moment passes by, the sky above them tweaks in a light glitter, as if it throws stars over heads.

"They say the world met its demise when that man passed, the mead's called Nova because it makes the sorrow pass away a bit and makes nights seem like daylight".Tiddo intervenes, "Wait, hold on a minute, he vanished, didn't pass away! ", Ramon says, "And what's the difference anyway, Tid", "It does make a difference, I mean who the fuck can remember someone that passed away, I know you can't, it has no impact since you can see it coming nowadays so it's very common, but since no one thought of him disappearing back then, it left an impact on people in a way they can't leave it or forget it, that exactly why we still hear that name, it left an impact", says Tid.

"Besides you being drunk as shit, it's just a fairy tale, it does not add up to any sense, it's mead for fuck sake, and you my friend have a terrible history when it comes to common use", says Ramon, half drunk." That's rich coming from a sheep-fucker", Tid Reacted.

While the two soldiers start going back and forth fighting and the rest laugh at what's happening, the night sky, casting its gentle glow over the ancient fortress atop that hill, the group of soldiers and their esteemed guest continue the mead-drinking party, filled with hearty laughter and animated chatter as tales of fighting back the damned creatures of night.

Nova, overwhelmed by the environment the soldiers cast, slowly notices the echoey laughter fades, and a stillness of that particular moment leaves the guest isolated in a void of a profound sense of disconnection and looks straightly to Chad, for all the chaos he can sense this time, was the utmost truth.

Chad could not help but notice the unbalanced sight he had, he knew it was not due to liquor, it was about something he knew very well, the surface beneath them was about to get folded, he shouted," Everyone! Get out of the yard, to the halls, now!".Tid and Ramon were the last ones to notice the alert and started running to the staircase leading to the chambers beneath, but it was late, Ramon pushed Tid to the staircase where he sustained a head injury.

The hill that the fortress set on, fell. The tremor, grew in intensity until the very ground seemed to shackle with fury, making the environmental balance dance between the city's entrance and that hillside where the hold fell whole in a cascade of stone and dust and screams of falling soldiers in between.

Miraculously, the plaza containing the people didn't take a lot of damage, able to withstand the tremor, but unable to counter back the fear among people.

Nova and the others were able to prevail, Alas! some couldn't survive that fall, Ramon who suffered from dislocated and crushed limbs, was no longer among survivors.

One by one, they got out from beneath the ruins and gathered over Chad, who was trying to lift the decayed rock off Tid's leg, one of the guards tells him about Ramon, knowing what becomes of his friend served him no solace, as he tries to confront the raw emotions, his face betrayed the depths of sorrow his eyes labored to embrace.

The city was not far, and not so close either, but a quake was not the real threat, not more than what comes after, as the creatures of the night lurk from dusk to sunrise and every dark corner, but when chaos occurs, they come no matter what.

That much was clear enough for the group of soldiers and our stranded guest whom shall share the same fate, not lost and not saved either, city close by, yet they're locked out, and now surrounded by the shadows of decay, 30 remaining soldiers, Chad and Nova find themselves in the face of rupture.

Chad: SOLDIERS!! BACK TO FORMATION, WE'RE IN THE FACE OF DEATH, FIGHT NOW AND DIE FEARLESSLY , CAST THE FUCKERS AWAY, DIE OUT OF FEAR AND FEED THE RUPTURE AGAIN.

IT IS FIGHT OR DEATH, WHAT WILL IT BE, SOLDIERS? 

Every soldier screams the battle cry and Nova, shocked by the new scenery of this battleground, stunned by the soldiers' will to die, until what comes next changes the visionary of things battle tides

Chad: WITH ME, IGNITE THE FUCKING STEEL!!!

And here comes the storming of ruins.