(*Walks in and smiles awkwardly.* Heeyy! How's it goin? Heh... been a while. *scratches head awkwardly* Okay I'll just cut to the chase xD. I highly appreciate RamonaFranz, LimeLightt, ZilliusVoltaris, Midnighttnightmare72, LydiaOrgas, dontquit002, Fishy_Fish_ , Zahhydude2, and SoWreporter for following the random weirdo writer that is me. But however you all found your way here to this side of nowhere, WELCOME! I'm glad you've all decided to come here! I hope you enjoy your stay with this wacky writer girl!🤓 Please feel free to leave comments in each chapter, I love reading everyone's reactions. Anyway... enjoy. 😁)
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Feeling someone shake his shoulder, Ingressus opened his eyes. The sun shone down through a hole in the roof of the cave. His mind didn't feel as foggy, and his ears had stopped ringing. But as much as he'd hoped, pain still laced across his body. Thankfully, not as severely as before.
"Well, you don't look like a gutted dead fish, so there's something. Actually, I take that back. You look like a wrapped gutted dead fish." Ingressus recognized the voice immediately. Everything sounded clearer again! His thoughts were easier to comprehend.
He heard the sharp sound of a light smack. Raineus clutched the back of his head. "Ow, I was just being honest! What, you want me to say 'he looks fine?' Cause look at him, he's not," Raineus said while gesturing down towards Ingressus in his weakened state.
Tealeon rolled his eyes. "Or you could just shut up instead of stating the factual obvious. I'm sure Ingressus knows he's not fine, without your fish for brains telling him," Tealeon said jokingly. He looked down while Ingressus sat up.
"How long have I been here?" Ingressus asked.
"Awhile. We've been visiting every now and then. You should consider yourself lucky, you could have been hurt way worse than this."
"Well, I feel like I've reached that point already," Ingressus said casually.
"Yep, you sure are an overachiever," Raineus said, before huffing and hunching over once Tealeon had elbowed him in the stomach.
Ingressus smirked. As annoying as Raineus could be, Ingressus was glad to hear his friend's light-hearted humor. It made him feel less anxious. Humor could often help others sometimes.
"Where are we?" Ingressus questioned.
"Master Aegus' cave," Tealeon answered.
Ingressus felt somewhat relieved to be back in the sanctuary of the Master's cave. Looking around at all the familiar decorations. He always felt safe here. It was and had been, the first 'new' place he had discovered after waking up in this strange land of fishers. With their calming ways, simple duties, and the lushful land's ever-changing color of the seasons.
"I can see that a few days of rest did you some good," Tealeon remarked. "A lot of your swelling went down and your skin has most of its color back. You don't have to worry about changing your bandages, someone already took care of that."
Bandages... he needed to have his bandages changed? Ingressus looked down at the wraps of cloth covering his arms, legs, and torso. He had hardly noticed them... How bad must his injuries have been for him to wind up like this?
He remembered the stranger from the previous night. The shadow with the gentle, compelling voice. The stings that he had felt. Could the voice have been the one to have bandaged his wounds after he had fallen asleep?
Hold still, you big baby. Do you want me to let you sleep in your own blood?
This was his chance to get an answer.
"Who was it?" Ingressus asked.
"Hmm?"
Ingressus tried again. "Who was with me last night? I couldn't really tell who it was."
"Oh, that was Serena," Raineus said bluntly. "You'd think with the way she acted I think she thought you were going to die. She insisted on staying here all the time. She wouldn't stop talking or fussing about you when we would visit. It was getting so annoying. Every time it was always 'Do you think he's comfortable? He's burning up with a fever again,' or 'I can hear his stomach growling from here.' She just wouldn't stop," Raineus chuckled.
Ingressus felt like a rock had been dropped in the pit of his stomach.
The shadow in front of the light... had been Serena?!
Ingressus felt remorse and a pinch of guilt. He remembered how he'd been snappish and cold towards the figure. He hadn't realized it had been one of his friends... But even when he had been rude to her, harshly complaining in a condescending tone, Serena had replied and answered each of his questions with hushed tranquility, and a poised peace of mind.
But if it had been her, why had she felt the need to not tell him about the fight with the Magnorite? Every time he asked, she had attempted to redirect his thoughts to other topics.
Ingressus slowly stood up, feeling light-headed while he did so. He wobbled slightly, stopping to let the dizziness pass. Then cautiously walked to the other side of the room. Reaching up, he grabbed a few snacks off the wooden shelves before taking a seat.
He tore off small chunks of bread, chewing them slowly, determined to keep his food down.
So a Magnorite had been the threat... It seemed they had all made it out of the supply cave. But that hulking giant had been stubborn, breaking through his intended imprisonment before help could arrive.
"Where did you all go? I remember we all got separated in the woods," Ingressus said.
Tealeon leaned back against the wall. "We did what we had to, we sprinted all the way to the village. Thankfully, someone had been alerted of the situation. When a few of the warriors had gathered, everyone heard the blood-curdling yell."
Tealeon's face became etched with disgust, resenting the remembrance of hearing the unpleasant sound. Ingressus also felt uneasy... the Magnorite's yell had seemed so loud when it rang throughout the forest. The call that had brought the others later...
"After that, they followed the noise," Tealeon continued. "I guess there had been more threats than just the Magnorite. Apparently, some humans made a deal with the brute and were working together with him. The warriors didn't tell us anything more than that. By the time the thieves fled, there were more pressing and important matters to deal with."
"The warriors didn't go after them?" Ingressus asked.
"They couldn't, not with you and-"
"Okay, Tealeon I think he gets the idea," Raineus interrupted. "Let Ingressus finish his food, he looks like he needs it."
Ingressus stopped mid-chew. He narrowed his eyes, studying Raineus. His friend was always more of a jokester, the one who often 'lightened the load,' like he had done minutes before. And yet the way he spoke so casually now, almost too casually. It made Ingressus ponder... it wasn't like Raineus to do such a thing. What had Tealeon been meaning to say?
'Him and...' Ingressus paused as a thought dawned on him. There had been only one other ardoni beside him in the midst of the chaos that day. However long ago it had been since... The only one who hadn't run back to the village, but instead winded up with him. The ardoni Ingressus had been reassuring and calming while urging him to find his inner fighter when danger had been ever approaching. The one who had stood strongly, despite his quaking fear.
Why had Raineus interrupted Tealeon? Almost like they had been trying to avoid the very name that would lead to the question they both knew Ingressus would ask.
A nervous, tense feeling slowly crept into Ingressus when he realized they were hiding something from him. And he figured he knew why...
(Would suggest listening to Evenfall by David Chappell)
"Tealeon, Raineus, where is Achillean?" Ingressus asked calmly, yet a dangerous edge lingered in his tone.
His friends casted wavered glances towards one another. Why were they being so quiet? They had both been like their usual selves when Ingressus had woken up. But a dreadful tension seemed to fill the air at the mention of his best friend.
Setting his food down, Ingressus walked towards his friends, ignoring the festering pain he felt everywhere.
"Where is he?" Ingressus asked impatiently. He was almost tempted to snap and lose his patience if they tried to change the subject, or answer untruthfully. Hiding yet another deceitful lie under a comforting false hope. The dodged and avoided questions, trying to focus his mind on other things. Ploying with him like some sort of pawn! Some did try to change the topic to avert theirs and others' attention from unpleasant conversations.
A nagging feeling of bitterness rose within Ingressus. While he had been in bed, pretending and utterly allowing himself to become a liability. Something had happened, and from the way his friends spoke, Ingressus now understood.
Something had happened to Achillean, and whatever it was... it caused his friends to act like distant strangers towards him. Which could only mean... it must be bad...
"No..."
A hidden strength of adrenaline came from nowhere. Ingressus ran forward, shoving his friends aside.
"Ingressus wait!" Tealeon called after him. Ingressus could hear his friends pursuing him, but they hadn't built up the strength and endurance that he had, and quickly began to fall behind.
Ingressus ran through the cave entrance. Once outside, he blinked his eyes against the stranger of light in the sky. Everything felt so bright now. All the colors too much for his blurry eyes to take in.
Ingressus didn't need clear vision. He knew the path as well as any of them did. He sprinted, the gravel upturning from his footsteps. The familiar feeling of panic slowly rising within him. Fear making his heart beat fast. The trees that surrounded Ingressus moved quickly past him like they had days before. Only... he hadn't been running himself...
He had been gazing at the sky, finding the simplest cloud formations comforting to look at. Wondering what they would feel like if he were to reach them... The trees and bushes passing by his sight as if an illusion of a murky green river. Hardly feeling the swaying and rhythm of pounding footsteps.
"Run as fast as you can, both of you get them to Yamuna's hut now!"
That voice... It had been so deep and commanding. One Ingressus had remembered hearing faint wisps of when he had laid awake in the stillness of countless nights.
"Achillean! Keep moving! Don't stop! Help will be here soon! Just a little longer!" Ingressus yelled, dodging another swing.
Help... the help that they had all so desperately needed... and it never came. This similar circumstance when help was called upon and pleaded for... could it have come too late?
Ingressus ran harder. His lungs hurting from lack of use, he could feel his wounds opening the more he ran. But he didn't care. There was only one thing that could mend the wound he already had.
He reached the bottom of the hill. Finding the path that led straight to the village.
Ingressus didn't even give a wayward glance to the Nestoris he passed by. None of them carried the familiar markings he was searching for.
How can you all act so normally?! Don't you know something is wrong?! Ingressus thought.
He ran down the trail, the very same path faces had turned and looked towards days before. Eyes and expressions that had been filled with concern and worry. Shocked to find that a disturbance had been in their land. Ingressus passed crates and boxes that laid stacked against the huts...
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(Would suggest listening to African Night by Alec Koff)
Ingressus blocked a hit, but another thief quickly kicked him in the back of his knee. Ingressus' leg buckled slightly, dropping him down, right in line with the other thief's fist.
Ingressus tasted blood in his mouth from the punch.
He thrusted his knife forward, stabbing the thief in front of him. The knife wasn't meant to kill, but it had been Ingressus' saving grace, the attack causing the thieves to take a step back.
Ingressus' heart drummed with adrenaline. These thieves had clearly failed to understand that pain only fueled a Voltaris' anger. That through their torment, each would fight to their last dying gasp.
Ingressus felt as if he was dancing, losing himself in his mind while he followed his instincts. The swish of a whispering sword: a hinting strike that was to come, he dodged to the side. The churn of dirt behind him: a sign of approaching danger, a threat that was soon blocked, parried, and elbowed back.
Ingressus breathed heavily, his eyes never leaving his opponents'. He knew where they both were. He stood his ground, spitting the blood out of his mouth, clutching his knife tightly while staring the humans in the eyes with a piercing glare. He dared them to come a step closer. They had mocked, threatened, and assumed...
Such a dangerous combination to one's self-deprecating thoughts.
The humans' eyes widened, realizing there was something more to the young Nestoris that stood before them. They had been fools.
Ingressus began dueling again, putting more power behind his strikes. Taking on two opponents was hard enough, he hadn't even guessed a third would come.
He felt his arms become trapped at his sides. A thief behind him had caught him in a bear hug. The other two thieves quickly regained their footing and ran towards them.
Ingressus struggled in the arms of the thief, he would not allow himself to be trapped! He rammed his head back, hearing the sickening crack of bone, the thief's nose breaking from the impact. Moaning, the human released his hold on Ingressus.
The other two thieves came quickly, throwing a strike which Ingressus avoided. Ingressus managed to trip one of them, striking the second thief to his right, before swinging his knife at the other. Both thieves stumbled back in pain.
Ingressus huffed, struggling to control his breathing... he could feel himself tiring.
"Ahaha!" Achillean cried in pain.
Ingressus turned around. He hadn't even realized he had forgotten about his friend! How dumb could he have been?!
Achillean had been holding his own fairly well. But now, Ingressus could see his friend on the ground, clutching his arm. A thief towering above him.
Ingressus sprinted over towards the two. Throwing himself at the thief while he had been raising his sword, preparing to strike his friend. Ingressus wrapped his arms around the stranger's neck and squeezed, choking him.
Achillean remained on the ground, clutching his arm. From the awkward angle, it was in, Ingressus realized the thief had broken it! Ingressus tightened his grip. The human struggled, pulling at the young Nestoris' arms while he gagged.
As a last resort, the human unsheathed a hidden blade before thrusting it behind himself.
Ingressus felt the blade stab his stomach. He gasped in pain, loosening his grip.
The human threw Ingressus off him, causing the young Nestoris to tumble to the ground. Ingressus regained his footing, flinching a second later once shards of glass shattered on him.
A potion had been thrown at him!
"Ingressus!" Achillean yelled worriedly.
The potion emanated a dark purple effect. Ingressus had expected to feel something, but all he felt was dizziness. It slowly grew worse. Feeling like a shroud of heavy black smoke that began to descend and invade his thoughts.
No... Not now! Ingressus thought.
Everything started to sway, even though Ingressus knew he was standing still. He stumbled, his mind being overwhelmed by dizziness, the pain of a migraine, and his own self confusion.
"In-gre-ssusss!" Achillean yelled, running up to his friend and helping to support him. It sounded like they were inside of a cave. Had they ventured into one? No! They hadn't!
Ingressus struggled to get a hold of his thoughts. It had to be the potion doing this! The words and sounds resounding unclearly in a dissonance. He could see cloaked figures in his vision, and one who was very tall.
"Achillean... look ou-" Ingressus said weakly.
By the time Achillean turned around, the Magnorite had sent his lumbering fist towards the two ardoni.
All Ingressus could remember afterwards, was being pushed when Achillean was knocked into him. Both had tumbled into the crates that had been stacked near the trees. The wooden boxes shattering.
The pain felt like numerous thorns had been pierced in Ingressus' skin, while his ears began ringing deafeningly.
(Would suggest listening to Tomorrow Is Another Day by Jo Wandrini)
Time seemed to hold nothing... droning on meaninglessly. Each pinprick on his skin was the only thing keeping Ingressus somewhat connected with his confusing reality.
A pile of sea urchins on the ocean floor? Ingressus wondered. Was he underwater again? The sea's darkness trying to swallow him up?
Ingressus heard muffled footsteps around him, with hateful laughters of amusement and mockery accompanying them.
He turned his head to the side, seeing that Achillean laid only a few feet away from him, his eyes closed.
Ingressus nearly choked on the blood he tasted pooling in his mouth. "Ach.. aakill..en."
The pain was unbearable. It felt like a fire was licking against his skin, but Ingressus was too weak to move away from it. No, there was no fire... there had never been one... Hadn't they been underwater moments ago? Could a fire have started...? Could someone have pulled them from the ocean?
Ingressus couldn't even tell the figures apart now as they stood over him. There was no difference between them. They all shared the same hateful thoughts.
"You dolts, why didn't you help?" one of the thieves yelled at the Magnorite.
"Oh don't complain, if you can't even handle a few weaklings what makes you think your even worth my time?" the Magnorite questioned. "Besides, it was entertaining to watch."
"Stupid ardoni! Thinking you could take on a Magnorite," one of the humans snarled sadistically. "I never liked ardoni, all about peace and loving nature, even naming the land after them."
"You fight well for ones so young. I can tell you're more different from the rest of them," the human said while looking at Ingressus. "You have the eyes of a killer, the way you move. It's as if you grew up fighting. But what do I know about all these 'clans?' Blue, green, purple, they're all the same in my eyes."
"Wasn't there a red ardoni clan too?" another thief asked.
The other nodded. "At one point there might have been. But I ain't ever seen too much of the red ones. In fact, it's been years since I've seen one of those. Must be all gone by now... seems the ardoni are killing each other off these days he he he so much for peace," he said humorously.
Ingressus wondered if an anvil was against his chest while he gasped for air. Each breath felt like trying to inhale clouds of smoke. How easy it would be to not breathe... to be free of this pain.
Ingressus fought for breath. No! He wouldn't give up! He glanced over at Achillean. They could still fight, they needed to!
But once Ingressus laid his eyes on his friend to call out to him, in the few seconds that had passed, a pool of blood that was gradually increasing, stained the grass. Achillean's markings were beginning to flicker!
No! Ingressus thought. He couldn't allow his friend to leave! But he was still too weak to move.
Come on! Ingressus thought as he struggled to sit up. Come on move!
One of the humans planted his foot on Ingressus' chest, pressing against his wounds, the ardoni's blood staining the soles of the human's boot. Ingressus struggled, trying to push the human away.
Another thief walked over to Achillean, unsheathing his knife. No... it wasn't a thief... it was a Champion!
"No-ahhh- get away from him!" Ingressus yelled through clenched teeth. He knew nothing good ever came from them. How did one get here?!
"Aww is this your little friend?" the Champion asked. He stooped low, laying two fingers against Achillean's neck before pausing briefly.
The Champion smiled wickedly. "Pulses were overrated anyway. This is what happens to those who keep secrets. Those who hide the truth. We will always find them."
It was that one saying, those few hateful words that had sent enough power into Ingressus, giving him strength.
Ingressus grabbed his knife on the ground, before stabbing it into the thief's ankle.
The thief howled in pain, the pressure leaving Ingressus and allowing him to breathe normally. But not before another thief came and kicked him.
"So, the ardoni still has a little fight left in him? Well how abo-"
But the stranger never finished his sentence, before an arrow was sent into his shoulder.
An arrow...? Ingressus wondered. There had been another arrow that had saved his life once. But from what?
The other thieves quickly looked around worriedly. "Forget it, let's leave the parasites and go!"
The humans began sprinting, with the Magnorite lumbering with them, while warriors swarmed around the clearing, taking in the situation.
Ingressus felt himself being carefully rolled over. He expected to see the outlines of figures above him... but all his eyes could see was the sky. So bright and blue... could they possibly be there?
"-get them to Yamuna's hut now!" a deep voice yelled. The sound almost brought Ingressus out of his daze. That voice... he had heard it before. He knew he had!
Ingressus felt himself being lifted up, but his eyes never left the sky. Everything moved by so quickly it was almost as if he were flying.
What seemed like an eternity later, Ingressus soon felt himself being laid against a hard surface. He opened his eyes, even though everything was still blurry. But he could see the outlines of taller ardoni laying a Nestoris on another table on the other side of the room. One whose markings were slowly diminishing...
Ingressus struggled to sit up, trying to shuffle off the table and make sure Achillean would be okay. But no sooner had he leaned forward, an invisible weight pushed against him, gently pushing him down. First, it had been pulling Achillean down to his demise, now it seemed to have come for Ingressus as well!
The weight wanted to drag him down into the sea, so he could die and never see the light again in the endless darkness. The water suffocating and burning his lungs with its salty water...
Ingressus continued to struggle up. But any effort he put in was never enough. And still, he saw the flickering markings...
Guilt clawed away at Ingressus, not from his physical pain, but from the pain of knowing his strength wasn't- and hadn't been enough to save his friend.
"Please... please he's dying... I can't let him... Don't make me watch him die," Ingressus moaned weakly.
Please...
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Ingressus ran down the final path, seeing the destination he had been sprinting towards. He had to still be there. Where else could he possibly be?
But before Ingressus reached the doorway, Tealeon ran in front of him and pushed against him.
"Would you just listen to us?!" Tealeon yelled. "Why do you think we were so hesitant to tell you?! We knew you'd get like this!"
"My best friend is in there, and I am going to see him!" Ingressus yelled back.
"And is it going to help you if-"
"Tealeon stop!" another voice piped in. Both the ardoni youths stopped their bickering, turning to look at the doorway. There Serena stood, a look of concern and worry on her face.
"What did you do?!" she exclaimed, looking down at the bandages that were now covered in blood.
Ingressus breathed deeply while catching his breath. The burning pain almost like a fiery adrenaline to him.
"I need to see him," Ingressus said levelly.
Serena looked down. Glancing over at Tealeon, wondering if it was a good idea.
"Let him come in, it may be the only way he'll learn," Yamuna said, standing in the doorway.
(Would suggest listening to Blade Runner - Rachel's Song)
Without another word, Ingressus walked inside the hut, limping slightly. Maybe he shouldn't have done what he did... running out of the Master's cave and causing a ruckus. But he had been desperate. None of them had been willing enough to tell him answers themselves.
Ingressus looked around the dim room, taking in the torches and candles that were lit. Herbal supplies were laid neatly organized, and an assortment of other things were scattered throughout the room. Ingressus could understand why this was the medical cave. A small cozy area, with just enough light that it was neither too bright nor too dark in the sunlight.
And then he saw him...
Ingressus slowly limped over to the wooden piece of furniture, clutching his stomach that felt like it was in knots from the pain.
Lying on the oak table, motionless, covered in bandages, was Achillean. Bruises and cuts covered him, and his right arm was secured in a splint made of sticks. His skin didn't carry its healthy gray color. Instead, it was pale and ashy. Dark bruises lined areas on his arms and head. He looked so weak... his breathing barely audibly. Achillean looked as if he were sleeping... The thought made Ingressus flinch uncomfortably.
"Father, why isn't she waking up? And why do her markings look like that? Where are their bright colors?"
Ingressus felt tears in his eyes... At least he had the knowledge in knowing Achillean's heart still kept him alive. But... his friend, normally so full of energy and positivity, who always had the same friendly smile every day. Eager to teach endearing lessons, or talk at the pier, or tell funny fishing stories... now lay broken and unresponsive.
"How... how long has he been like this?" Ingressus asked quietly.
"He's been like that for days, no different than you have been," Serena said.
She reached forward to comfort him, but Ingressus moved away from her. She needed to stay away.
This is what happens to those who keep secrets.
Could that have been why? Ingressus wondered. Because Achillean had carried a secret so dangerous that danger had found him... because of that very secret?
Is this my fault...? Ingressus wondered. Was he the reason his best friend was like this now?
If Achillean had run to the village with the others instead of finding me, he wouldn't be like this. What would have happened if I'd never been here? Ingressus thought.
Everyone turned towards the sound of footsteps in the doorway. It was the young pearl diver, Neo.
"Master Aegus has returned from his trip from the tournament."