Hello! Just for a heads up I'm going on a hiking trip with my wife for a week (Monday to Sunday) starting today (June 20 / Father's Day). We both have elected that my wife will be the one to bring her phone and not me. To be honest that's smart because I'm on this thing all the time and I want to enjoy the scenery. I will probably update this part when I get back if I don't like it. Hope you understand.
With that out of the way I'd like to thank you for reading and enjoy the actual chapter. Goodbye and I'll talk to you later.
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(Eleven Hours After Last Chapter)
The force of Black Priors followed Erzebet and Jürgen through Ashfeld. On the way to the Blackstone camp in Valkenheim Erzebet noticed that Jürgen was still quiet and caught him sometimes staring off to nowhere. But this was also where she would get a good look at his face and his body. Yes she had seen him normally before but now it looked like he added some muscle to his body in just a day.
Erzebet also saw that Jürgen didn't have his own sword. He was only carrying his fathers sword.
Erzebet: "Where is your other sword?"
Jürgen didn't seem to hear her which annoyed Erzebet. She grabbed his shoulder and shook Jürgen slightly.
Erzebet: "Hey!"
Jürgen was startled from the sudden action and drew his sword quickly. He pointed it as Erzebet. The whole army of Black Priors stood still and watched both Erzebet and Jürgen stare at each other for a moment.
Erzebet smirked and put a hand on the blade of Jürgen's sword and knocked the blade downwards. Jürgen noticed what he had done and put the sword back onto his back.
Jürgen: "Sorry. I didn't expect that to happen. My bad"
Jürgen walked forward. Erzebet looked back to the army of Black Priors and nodded.
Erzebet: "Keep going"
After what felt like endless hours of marching the army found itself crossing into Valkenheim. They could see smoke from campfires in the sky. The army followed the smoke and arrived at the Blackstone camp. Vortiger and Erzebet hugged each other and began talking about their journeys to the camp. Apollyon and her tent stood on top of flat a and rocky hill. Apollyon watched as the newcomers began fo pour into the camp and combed through the crowd until finally finding who she was looking for.
She spotted Jürgen who was one of the last people to enter the camp. He didn't have his helmet and he had his fathers sword in hand. Small snowflakes also began to fall to the ground.
Jürgen didn't look like himself. Apollyon walked down from her tent and to ground level where everyone was. She walked passed a group of soldiers who were talking about what happened the few nights before.
???: "How did the attack on that village go?"
???: "It went well actually. You should have seen that new guy though. I don't remember his name but he surprised myself and a few of the people I was with"
???: "How so?"
???: "It's hard to explain. He looked different and acted differently. Like he was a completely different person"
???: "Huh?"
???: "Never mind let's just get some food and drink"
[Elias]
After the battle in the Myre Daubeny allowed us to come with him to Ashfeld with his protection. In return I agreed to help him reclaim his fortress.
On our march through Ashfeld smoke could be seen and crows could be heard in the distance.
"What is that about?"
I rode right beside Daubeny who was to my left.
Daubeny: "There must have been a battle between the Blackstone's and Iron Legion again"
"Should we check it out?"
Daubeny: "I guess so. Probably won't be anything left to salvage"
"Let's go"
We rode with our small army to the source of the smoke. When we arrived at the source the smell in the air was awful. Burned and rotting flesh filled the air. Many of my men put hands over their noses and some vomited on the ground.
Daubeny chuckled and dismounted.
Daubeny: "Follow me. Your men can leave"
I nodded and dismounted as well. Daubeny walked through the completely burned village. I followed close behind. What happened here was a massacre.
Daubeny knelt down beside a dead body and observed the cuts on it.
Daubeny: "Interesting"
"What?"
Daubeny: "These cuts couldn't have been made by a normal sword"
He looked up to me.
"Uh... care to elaborate?"
Daubeny: "These cuts are too clean"
"They look normal to me"
Daubeny: "Look closer. See how these men are wearing leather and steel armor? Yes a sword or an axe could cut through it but the wounds would be a little more shallow and jagged. These are too clean"
I leaned down and saw what Daubeny meant. This was strange. I lifted my head and saw a black iron helmet a few feet away. I stood up and walked to it. I picked it up.
Nearly a whole front half of the helmet was gone. I stared into the helmet and felt something. I felt a dark feeling in my chest.
Daubeny came up behind me and looked at the helmet.
Daubeny: "Elias put that down right now"
I looked over to Daubeny.
"Why?"
Daubeny: "Because that dark feeling we are having is only made by one thing. Well person really. So put it down"
I did as told and dropped the helmet. It hit the ground hard and a small amount of tan-gold smoke arose from the large open hole in the faceplate.
Daubeny: "I'll tell you why that thing needs to go"
Daubeny kicked the helmet away and looked to me.
Daubeny: "It was rumored that long ago when the three territories, Ashfeld, Valkenheim and the Myre were founded there was a powerful golden sphere found in a specific place in Ashfeld. The golden piece was said to have been made of ancient technology, and was fought and bled over"
"What did this sphere do exactly?"
Daubeny: "The sphere wask told to have powers that could surpass any witchcraft or strength"
Daubeny knelt down to ground and rubbed the ash mixed dirt in between his index finger and thumb.
Daubeny: "When the sphere was found found however, it was said that it could speak to people in whispers. Telling the listener what to do. For example, the first person to find it was rumored to have killed their entire living bloodline because it had told them to do so. These types of events kept happening which then resulted in the Order of the Wardens being formed"
"You know why the Order of the Wardens was created?"
Daubeny: "I read the ancient texts. But the Wardens were tasked with keeping this ancient piece protected at all costs. The first three Wardens who were the best of the best were tasked with protecting the sphere with their lives. They did. Over the centuries generations of Wardens protected the golden piece, but over time Ashfeld and the rest of the territories forgot about this ancient technology. Leaving them in the past. I had a childhood friend who was a Warden who was tasked by his master with protecting something that sounded similar to the Sphere. He died long ago though"
"Do you know what else the golden sphere did?"
Daubeny: "In the ancient texts it said it glowed bright yellow in the center. It also had appearance and behavior changing capabilities. The voices it was said to possess were also told to drive a person mad. It would also give the person with the piece unrivaled strength."
I looked down to the ground.
"What was the golden sphere called?"
Daubeny: "It was called a piece of Eden"
Daubeny sighed and I began to think.
"Are you sure this thing even existed?"
Daubeny: "The ancient texts are clearly old so maybe not. But it would make sense to think so"
I had one last question.
"Do you know his name?"
Daubeny: "Who's?"
"The name of your friend who died defending the alleged gem?"
Daubeny: "Of course"
Daubeny turned around so we were facing in opposite directions.
Daubeny: "His name was Hans Müller"
[Sarah]
Noah and I buried the woman's body in the village graveyard and stood over the vast rows of gravestones.
"You need to evacuate this village. It isn't safe"
Noah: "Are you crazy? These people won't just leave because someone told them to. They've been living here for generations"
"Listen to me. I saw an army in that forest the night the woman we just buried came. From what she said there's something out there. For the villagers safety I say you evacuate now instead of staying and suffering the same fate"
Before Noah could say anything the archers at the front gate began to yell and draw their bows.
Noah and I rushed to the gate and stood on top of the walls. We both looked over the walls and saw a golden Centurion and a bronze Warden. Behind them was a small army.
Daubeny: "We are an army who fought a battle far away from here. We're tired and need food and water. Would you care to help us?"
Noah looked to me as if asking me what to do.
"Let them through!"
The archers looked at me like I was crazy but did as ordered. The front gate opened and the army came inside the walls. Noah and I descended from the walls to meet the two obvious commander's.
We came up to the two men and I realized that I recognized the Warden.
"Hervis Daubeny?"
The man turned around and looked at me.
Daubeny: "My goodness! Sarah my dear is that you?"
I nodded and hugged him. Daubeny returned the hug. We both released and looked at each other.
Daubeny: "I thought you would be out of Ashfeld by now. Exploring the world and what not"
"Change of plans"
Daubeny: "Obviously"
The centurion behind Daubeny cleared his throat which gained our attention.
???: "Do you two know each other?"
Daubeny: "Of course! Sarah was my apprentice for nearly a year when I still had my fortress. She was the best second I ever had"
"What about Alan?"
Daubeny: "Second best just behind you"
???: "Well then. I'll get myself and my men situated"
The centurion walked away and his men followed.
Daubeny: "He's tired that's why he's quick to leave. You should talk to him when you get the chance. He's a nice man"
"What's his name?"
Daubeny: "Elias"
"Elias?"
Daubeny: "That's what he told me his name was"
Noah: "Follow me, I can take you and your men to a large area to set up camp"
Daubeny nodded and followed Noah along with his soldiers. When they left I turned in the direction the centurion had left. I'm going to pay him a visit.
[Jürgen]
The Blackstone soldiers in the camp decided to have a small celebration over the recent victories and just making it to Valkenheim. They drank and danced to music around a large bonfire.
I sat on an elevated rock, watching them celebrate. I took a drink of my water and heard snow crunching from behind me. I turned my head and saw a black wolf sniffing the ground.
I gripped the hilt of my sword and stayed calm. The wolf looked up from the ground and saw me. It growled and backed away into the shadows behind it. Emerging from the shadows however was Apollyon.
I rolled my eyes and looked back to the bonfire.
Apollyon: "It looks like the attack was a success"
"If you can call it that"
Apollyon: "You wouldn't?"
I gripped the hilt of my sword again out of frustration.
"I was tricked into killing villagers who I was told were Vikings! I'm supposed to protect villagers not kill them!"
Apollyon came closer behind me and put a hand on my shoulder.
Apollyon: "Those people helped the Vikings. So we considered them as Viking"
"That's not how that should work"
I pulled my body forward from her hand and stood farther away.
"I lost myself that night..."
Apollyon: "Explain"
"I-It was like nothing I've felt before. When one of the men attacking me nearly cut my head off I just snapped. I lost control of myself and in the process killed a whole fucking family"
Apollyon: "You say this as if it's a bad thing"
"What the hell? Of course it's a bad thing! I just went against all of my morals in an instant! I'm ashamed of myself!"
Apollyon moved so she was standing next to me. She was standing to my left.
Apollyon: "You should not be ashamed of yourself Jürgen. You showed them all what you are. The soldiers down there talk about you. They talk about how different you were. They talk about why they wouldn't mess with you after seeing what you did that night"
I looked down to my feet.
Apollyon: "You are strong Jürgen. That's all that matters in this world. That's all that matters to me Young Wolf"
Apollyon walked away with her pet wolf into the darkness. I sat back down onto the ground and drank the last of my water. I looked at the soldiers below me and watched them continue to celebrate.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened my eyes I looked to the ground on my left. I saw a familiar box. It the box that spoke to me. I stood up looking around for anyone who might have placed it there. No one was around.
I went to the box and picked it up. The chains covering the box were warm.
???: "Break the chains. Summon the key"
I shook my head and rubbed my eyes.
???: "Do it Jürgen. You must"
The air began to become heavy and my heart began to pound out of my chest"
???: "It is your destiny!"
I threw the box on the ground and the voices stopped.
I sighed in relief.
"What the hell is that thing?"
[Elias]
I stood outside of my tent watching the rest of my troops set up their camps. I was tired and needed to get some sleep.
Before I could enter my tent and get some sleep however the woman who was talking to Daubeny when we first arrived.
Sarah: "Mind if I speak with you?"
I sighed and Sarah walked up to me.
Sarah: "You are Elias correct?"
"Yes"
Sarah: "This may be a weird question but where were you raised when you were younger?"
That came out of nowhere but I still answered.
"I grew up on the Ashfeld countryside near Valkenheim"
Sarah: "I see..."
"Are you asking me this for any particular reason?"
Sarah: "What happened to your home?"
"It was burned down. That's all I remember besides my family"
Sarah had a look of both joy and slight sadness.
Sarah: "What happened to your family?"
This was beginning to become too personal yet I still answered.
"They were killed..."
Sarah: "Do you remember any of them? Do you remember any of their names?"
I nodded.
Sarah: "Who do you remember?"
"I remember everyone from my family. But my father was my hero"
Sarah: "Who was your father? What was his name?"
At this point she sounded desperate. I looked into her eyes and saw hope in them.
"His name was Hans Müller"
Sarah: "My father had the same name..."
Sarah looked into my eyes.
"What?"
Sarah: "E-Elias?"
She had tears I her eyes. I began to realize where she was going with the questions she asked me.
"Sarah?"
I could feel the warm tears begin to form in my eyes.
"B-Big sister?"
Sarah nodded and hugged me tightly. I returned the hug. We both began to cry into one another.
Sarah: "I've missed you so, so much"
She said into my chest.
-To be continued-