The Key

376 14 3
                                    

The Key

:It begins in a time unable to be marked by history. When the ancients traveled the world and spread their magic and abilities amongst the people. When Evil was free to roam and wreak havoc on the delicate life that was man. A prophecy was made about the defeat of Evil. The Virtuous Knight, the Blind Seer, and the Limitless Mage...:

"Don't let him escape!" Kain roared as he chased the slithering Darkness down the elegant corridors of the ancient palace. "Viyar!"

"I know!" The blast of magical energy from Viyar's hand lit up the hallway left stained by the Abyss's dark touch. He may have been fleeing, but that didn't make Him less dangerous.

"Kain, He's heading for the courtyard!" Mira warned on his left. "If He gets out, we'll never catch Him again! This is our only chance!"

Kain cursed under his breath, trying not to let his own exhaustion be his defeat. He couldn't be brought down now. Not now. He had been training, chasing, sacrificing for this moment for seven years. He would not let it all be for naught!

His  armor, once shining silver so bright it could blind under the sun, was smudged with grime and the dark blood of Evil. The holy sword in his hand, blessed by Mira and Viyar both, was still glowing as it always did even through a thick layer of the Monster's dark blood coating half of its body. The shield in his hand was growing heavier by the minute, dragging him down painfully.

He didn't release the burdens. He didn't slow down. He was so close to his victory. Once this was done, once the prophecy was fulfilled, he could finally begin living his life. He and Mira could, at long last, truly be together as man and woman were meant to. No more endless days and nights chasing Evil. No more brushes with death. No more burdens of virtue to weigh him down.

"Viyar, can you block him inside? Something?!"

"What do you think I'm doing?" His best friend snapped angrily. The exhaustion of the battle, which had been waging for most of the day, well into the night, was weighing heavily on him as well. Though the mage had no armor to drag him down, the cost of so much magic was draining his energy just as efficiently as Kain's efforts.

"Viyar, use the mirrors!" Mira pointed to the ceiling above them. "The ancients used to use the light and mirrors to keep the Darkness out! Use them to trap Him in!"

Viyar raised his hands immediately and released a burst of light that reflected off of the large brass dish hanging from the ceiling and was passed onto the others in the series. The darkened hallway, made all the more desolate by the Abyss, burst forth with light. They could hear a loud, screeching sound like bronze being shredded as the light hit the Darkness and He screamed. In pain or in anger, it was impossible to tell.

"That's it!" Kain yelled, beaming. "More Viyar! This is it! We can do it!"

Groaning with effort, Viyar increased the strength of the light. The Darkness began seeping further into the ancient, abandoned castle to escape his power. Exactly where they wanted Him.

With the bright light flowing over them, Kain could see his comrades properly. See the strain this battle was putting on them.

Vicar, his shaking arms raised to the ceiling, was sweating. His billowing robes had once been a series of beautiful blue dyes. Now, the grime and Darkness had stained them ruddy brown. There was a long cut along his forehead that had dripped down his chin before clotting. His brown hair, long enough to be bound in a braid down his back, had tendrils stuck to the flaking blood.

By Kain's side, as she always was, Mira moved gracefully well for a blind woman. Her white eyes may not have been able to detect even light, however that didn't mean she couldn't see. There was no one, and never had been anyone, that had more skill than she at the spiritual arts.

The Chronicles of Namtar: Son of FlameWhere stories live. Discover now