Hell's Bane (COMPLETED)

Chapter Four: Secrets

Davis seemed troubled by the question. "No one really knows completely, but there was a time when magic was as common as day, which I believe also explains the creation of every magical artifact we've ever found. I believe the two brothers, enhanced by what the power gave them before they hid it away, managed to create all the barriers that stopped people from simply stopping by and taking the power. It's what all Brimstone Faction people know, and what all of them believe."

"Brimstone Faction?" Drea asked, and then turned to look at the figure. Her eyes said it all – you were leaving out a lot of information.

Davis clicked his tongue. "Now we're getting closer to our current time. Your newfound friend has already educated you on some of the history, but she forgot to mention that the Brimstone Faction was the name of the business that the people who knew about the secret hid behind."

"All this is confusing," Hugo muttered, though excitement still flickered in his eyes. "Some things don't stack up."

Davis nodded. "I can understand your confusion. As a direct descendant of the bloodline of the brothers who discovered the power, I was also surprised the first time I realized that I would be one of the two leaders who looked over the Brimstone Faction."

"You're their leader?!" Hugo sputtered out. "You?!"

Davis shrugged. "One of the two. I apologize for being so discreet this entire time. As I said before, it was for your own protection.'

"Anyway, as I had said before, part of the Brimstone Faction did not simply choose to go rogue and try to find the power. No, they started it off quite diplomatically – this struggle to protect the power began quite recently, in my generation of the Brimstone Faction. The other leader came up to me and suggested that it would be better if we had control of the power, and then started to try to convince me that it was the right choice. I still believe that the leader meant what he said – a mark that his lust for power is driven by some strange madness that lurks behind everything he does. Perhaps that's why some of this sounds so unbelievable."

Hugo nodded in approval. Davis continued.

"On the fateful day when the other leader managed to gain enough followers, a debate was held in the Brimstone Faction court. We argued for hours – the other leader's followers against mine. We tried to remind them that it was not the original brother's intention to expose the power to human hands, but they relented. We thought all was over when a final jury decision rejected the other leader's idea, but-" Davis gave a faint sigh. "-It appears that was truly the start of our struggles.'

"The moment the other leader realized that he'd lost, an array of soldiers planning to ambush us were revealed to be lurking all around the court. It was a bloodbath after that – it was clear that the other leader wouldn't give up, and, with everyone else expecting the debate to be a peaceful meeting, no one was prepared for the battle the ensued.'

"Most of my men barely made it out, and I'm the only survivor that remains true to the Brimstone Faction cause. All the other ones are either tainted by the other leader, or dead. I'd like to believe that some are in hiding, but it's been years now, and not even one has appeared."

Davis swallowed, reminiscing the horrors that he'd seen with his own eyes. Hugo looked at the ground, his expression saying it all in one word – Pity.

"So you started over," Hugo said, guessing at what happened next. "You formed the Claimant, and slowly, you made an exploring company, but it wasn't until now when you decided that you should go find Kazim's Blade?"