Reaching the Purgatory Gate, we survey the ancient place. It has a lot of torn-down temple ruins, many single rusty columns, and weeds covering most of the rubble. I'm astounded this place is the last footprint of the war.
I wondered who was here fighting Shallos and his malefics. Was norms facing these monsters off, I don't see any skeletal remains or any human relics. What about the mages. How they fared here.
We eventually park the harpies a few yards away from the large column arch. Terra, Camille, Silas, and Icarus are already hopping of their bikes and begin walking around the ruins. I slowly get off my cycle. I pace a few steps across the dusty ground. Weeds overtake a lot space. Soon I stand nearby the ruins.
"I hope we don't have to wait all day." Camille says expressing her disgust.
We all remain standing, and then I notice Terra walking a bit forward towards some temple ruins. I want to follow her, yet I spot Silas feeling scared. I walk over to him.
"You're okay."
"Why should I?"
A bit surprised when he said that.
"Sorry, just it's going to be a lot of them."
"I think so."
Before we can honestly talk more possibly about him trying to reveal he's a mage to the others. Yet when I see his eyes, I think his fear over this battle will clout his judgment. And then I hear Icarus yelling.
"Here they come!"
My eyes pivot to the west. There are a bevy of malefics from wraiths to bygors to other creatures I hardly recognize with weird horns. Leading the monstrous bunch is a group of Acolytes—most having daemonics etched on their white and reddish skin. As they come, I then wonder about one more Acolyte.
Where is Raudan?
I keep checking and Raudan is nowhere near the group of malefics. As the horde come, I pace myself. The others get into their defensive stance. I then hear Camille yelling for Terra to come back here, that we need her in this fight. Terra begins to rush back to us. We all stay close as we notice the malefic horde getting closer. As the others get their hands firm on their weapons, I try to get to my blade behind me. Suddenly, I try to see if Raudan is playing another game. I get fooled when my vision is blocked by two bygors coming at me.
Grabbing hard on the curved handle, I swiftly take the blade rest near my side. As one begins to show, roaring its stinky yet powerful scream. I then swing the weapon right at the first bygor. One of the sharp edges makes contact. The beast collapses down presumably dead. Before I can retrieve the blade, the other bygor roars crazy and sprints at me. I begin to muster up the nerves; I begin to tease the creature.
As it tries to get to me, I try use the training as inspiration. I even move with such finesse. I'm able to run back to the first bygor's unmoved body. I get the blade back in my arms. And as the second get ready to strike, I quickly swing the blade around like a boomerang. The blade rotates around and hits the head of the second bygor. The creature falls to the ground. I try to relax, however one of the trollish goons appears. It begins to knock me back. I stumble a little bit, my legs not up to par. I try to regain some footing. Glancing back at the trollish freak coming at me, I still have hold of the blade. Beginning to swing the blade, I react surprised when the troll-like goon weaves around.
It then tries to surprise me by spitting out numerous fiery spitballs. I lunge to the ground, rolling away. I keep hold of the blade. My head turns to notice the spit is also acidic, after a few pieces of rocks were smoking and disintegrating in a strange greenish flame.
The troll-goon is set to spit again. I try to rush and hit it a couple of punches and kicks. However it looks like it's immune to what I do to it.
As I try to swing my blade at it, the goon pushes me back with its hard fist. It felt like a boulder shattering my chest. The force knocks me back a little, yet I haven't let go of my blade. Amazing it's still in my hands after that hit. But before I can catch a breather or get up, the troll-goon is already coming towards me. Its mouth drops down, showing the nasty teeth and drool. And then it seems like it's about to fire another set of fiery spitballs. I try to defend against it. I push the blade in front of me, acting like a shield. However, something small flew past me and lands straight at the troll's belly. What I see next is the troll beast blown up.
I look stunned as Silas rushes over leaning his hand out for me to touch. I reach to him. He pulls me back up to my feet. I thank him as we both nod at each other and fist bump. We both smile. Silas then tries to talk to me, yet a couple of bygors appear out of nowhere. They start pursuing us. However, Silas leans out his right hand. Two large rocks are suddenly thrown right at the beasts. They both get hit and fall to the ground.
"I'll distract them." He says.
Silas gives me a chance to run as he handles the bygors. I would be afraid for him defeating two by himself. Yet he's a mage. He can handle them. I just hope the others see him shine.
A half-mile away I notice a bunch of Acolytes coming. I hold tight on the blade, ready to throw. Yet then out of the blue, an animal jumps into the scene. His silver and black coat. His ice blue eyes.
Addie!
Addie starts barking at the daemonic-covered freaks. He then starts running at them continuing to bark. And as he leaps forward, he suddenly morphs into his human form. In mid-air, he appears to be taking out a bone makeshift fist gun. He fires a lot of sharp-edged discs—probably made of bone. That same musty, yellowish-white tint. Each disc hits on its target. Those unlucky Acolytes. Each one collapsing on the ground dead, cracking in a grayish shell.
I look proud seeing Addie here. He told me he would have other skills. I didn't know he's a good shooter albeit great. My eyes then pivot back a few miles away across the ruins to see Camille using her thorn-laced whip, smacking a lot of Acolytes and several wraiths. Icarus is not that far away from her, using his axe. He keeps using a lot of elemental power as he handles the other troll beast and a few more wraiths. Already finished defeating the bygors, Silas is fending off against other Acolytes. And then as Addie smirks at me, he does his thing and joins the others in the fight.
Yet I stare perplexed, where's Terra. I don't even see her battling alongside her sister. I survey around, and that cold feeling I felt when I was in the Acolytes' nest months ago. I then shift my focus up, and there's a dark cloud forming around a lonely column. I then pause, looking back down a group of more malefics—more Acolytes and horn-covered beasts—are about to come.
As the others are preoccupied and don't even notice the second brigade, I decide to rush close to the middle. As the group of malefics still coming, I stand in defense. My hand holds firmly on the curved handle of the blade. I believe in the blade as I suddenly begin to feel the Triadic. It's close. It's somewhere around. But as I hear the other malefics roaring and shouting, I decide to believe in the blade. I then throw it; the blade spins furiously. It trails a golden-band of light. Shimmering bright, it flies through the bunch. Most of them collapse and perish while it diminishes the brigade to at least seven remaining.
The blade like a boomerang flies back to my hand. I extend it out as I grab hold of it. I then hear gasps from behind me. I turn to see the guys a bit shock and impressed of what the blade can deliver. I smile as they finally take notice of the power. The bond with the Triadic is something else. And then I veer to my right. Terra suddenly appears.
"Where were you?" I ask bewildered.
"I took an early scout. I spotted Merissa down beneath an underground tomb." She continues, "That's where I saw that black fabric and the Triadic."
Good thing I told her what the object looked like before we came here.
Yet I soon ponder if they were going to unleash Shallos's spirit, they would just only need the Triadic right. Unless there's more to it. Why this malevolent beast hasn't been out. Terrorizing this place and then towards Dawning. But why I'm sounding so gloom. There's still a chance we can end this resurrection before it begins.
And suddenly I get bad news from Terra that she can't contact Emmet through her telen. Guess the Acolytes are doing something to block the communication. Terra then mentions to me about not letting Shallos out.
"I can stall Merissa from getting her hands on the Triadic." She says.
Before she can turn around, I quickly grab hold of her left arm. She then looks confused.
"Whatever you do, don't hurt her."
"I'll try not to."
"And..." I hesitate a little. "And you too." I then pause. She looks at me, not saying anything. I look into her emerald eyes. Her radiance shining. She then nods quickly with a reply.
"I'll do my best."
She smiles as I watch her run to the round tomb several yards away. She steps down the stairs. As I know the others are fending off the rest of the malefics, the cold feeling lingers again. My body shakes violently. In the corner of my left eye, the black cloud hovers towards me. I can sense what it is. I hold the blade extremely close.
The cloud forms into a human figure. Not surprising almost expecting, it's Raudan. That gold tattooed, pitch black face. He glances at me with some passion. I've been waiting for this moment. Avenging the losses of The Orre, Anita, Rufus, and even Lance. The torture he did on my sister, and so much pain he did to me and the others. I don't know about the fire, but I know this ends now.
"It's over." I bluntly say.
"You can't stop the awakening." He twitches his neck. "You know why you're called the Harbinger."
"Because my birth shouldn't happen."
Raudan laughs sinisterly. "Before Magefall, before the war, there was an oracle who stated a boy will become the Harbinger. This Harbinger would be a being that's not mage nor malefic. This being will foretell the Reckoning."
What is this Reckoning?
And all this time, mostly everyone see me as this Harbinger. This omen of what doomsday? My head lowers in fear and confusion. I don't know what to make of me.
Who am I?
"My parents?!" I murmur.
And as if Raudan thought I was talking to him, he gives me a response about them.
"Your father. I knew him. He used to be a powerful mage at that time. Shame he had to married a pitiful norm woman."
I want to stop him right there. I can feel the anger trying to consume me. My right hand still holding on the blade, yet my other hand is clutched into a fist. As I try to stay calm before one nerve in me snap, Raudan continues.
"Your sister's birth was a normal mage birth. However, yours...well."
"Tell me." I say.
He doesn't quickly respond. He just snickers. His rotten left eye stares so soulless, so evil. He's trying to mess with me. I don't know why I'm helping him. But I am. And after a minute, he finally says something back.
"Well if you want your powers back, all you have to do just wait. Wait until the summer solstice ends." He then looks up in the blue sky, and then he focuses his sight to the sun. "When Mercury and Mars are aligning to the sun, the oracle predicted this day. And now the time has come to bring back Master Shallos. Accomplish the utopia where malefics will rule; mages who want to live would use their magic, and where norms will be replaced if you know what I mean."
I understand now. This utopia thing. When Shallos is awakened, he wants to exterminate all norms around the world. Recreate the world for the malefics. Its nuts. "Everyone should have a right to live equally. That's why Shallos will never return." I state determined.
Raudan smiles, "As much as I promised not to kill you, I can surely take the pleasure of torturing you."
He then begins to show out his hand. He widens his fingers. And suddenly it's like he is grabbing hold of my heart from within. Raudan then closes his hand squeezing it. The pain is unbelievable. I stumble to the ground on my knees. I lose the blade, but before I can think about getting it back. I begin to lose my breath. Raudan continues squeezing his hand. I place my left hand over the chest plate and cotton shirt that is protecting my chest, inside my heart is like it's getting itself ripped.
Soon I hear my name, as I see Addie running up. He pulls up his fist gun ready to fire the discs right at Raudan. Raudan still holding firm on my heart uses his other hand to subdue Addie. Addie drops his weapon, as Raudan then forces Addie to the ground. Addie's name is what I want to scream. Yet I can't. My voice is being block by my unsteady breathing. My lungs losing air because my heart is being stopped by that freak. I watch helplessly like I seen with Anita, I see in horror as my best friend is getting pummeled.
I can see the Triadic blade feet away from me. I push myself down, my hands landing on the dirty ground. I struggle to crawl myself to the blade. My fingers inch closer to the handle. I try to get up, yet the hold Raudan has on me strikes me back down to my knees. I squint in agony, grimacing in pain. My heart is ready to explode, but I try to muster through. Then I get startled as I hear Addie's yells. Ten yards away from me, Addie lies there bloodied and bruised on the ground. And there's Raudan trying to use Addie's weapon against him. I muster through the pain, my throat feel so much soreness. Yet I gather incredible muscle to speak. To holler one thing to that freak. "Hey!"
Raudan turns to me. "You see Harbinger. Master Shallos will conquer. As soon as the sun goes down, and the true power of the Triadic will activate." He starts walking towards me slowly. He continues, "The world will be righted once again. No more Pentacle interference, just total darkness. Along as that girl down there do her part right."
Guess he's talking about my sister. I struggle to speak up again, as my throat still hurts. The hold on my heart still feels painful. "You're done hurting...the people I care about." I continue.
"I may not be...norm...or what my powers are. Who am I...?" And then I spot Addie crawling towards him unnoticed as Raudan keeps staring at me. Glancing back at him.
"I know who I'll become."
"And what's that?"
"The Raver who just defeated you." I glance back at Addie. He winks at me. I then summon all my voice as my heart is still in Raudan's control, yet I let out a loud yell. "Now!"
Addie grabs hold of Raudan's feet. Raudan then stomps back on his hands hard. Addie takes the pain in. However, I fight through mines long enough to grab the blade. And quickly jubilant feelings rocks through my system as the bond is helping me out, I feel a soothing protecting my heart. When Raudan turns his head, to look back at me. I take the chance and pounce. I suddenly swing right at Raudan. The next thing, his head is left rolling few yards to my feet. Staring at Raudan's blank reaction, I slowly smile ecstatic.
The freak is dead.
As I still grasp hard on the blade, I then notice Camille, Icarus, and Silas are already finishing off the very last few of the malefics. They're taking control. Seeing Raudan's headless body turning into a grey shell, I look back at his decapitated head. I smirk again. I then walk back to Addie. I help him out, as his face has a couple of wounds. I don't know if it's serious. Seeing Addie is overall still alive, I let him know there's more that still need to get done. Addie should know what I mean. As a few more malefics are still scavenging, Addie mentions to me. "Raudan may be gone, but we still have that ceremony. We must stop it."
He wants me to focus on stopping my sister from using that weapon. I then get word that the others got the rest of the malefic brigade. I nod. Feeling Terra and Merissa should only be in a silly catfight or yelling at each other, stalling enough time. I rush to the round tomb with the blade intact, as I place it behind my back. Bypassing a narrow entry, I venture down the stairs. And I halt when I suddenly hear ladies screaming.
I hope they're both okay?
Running through the narrow hallway, I finally reach to a medium-sized underground room, filled with concrete slabs and cryptic symbols. Soon I spot the black tapestry lying across on a slab table, and the Triadic itself nearby the fabric. Taking my eyes off, I completely ignore the hollering. And as I focus nearby the third table, Terra is still fighting off Merissa. And then Merissa takes out a dagger and stabs Terra near her side.
"No!" I yell.
Terra collapses in pain. I run to her kneeling down on one knee. I check to see if she's alright. I rub her right cheek, caressing it. And then I gander down to her right waist side. She still has her bowguns on both wrists, yet she places one hand over her wound. I try to make sure she's okay. Terra keeps nodding and smiling. Trying to make me believe everything is okay. And it's not.
"Please Naven. Don't allow your boyish crush to blind you from what is real." Merissa continues as she lays the Triadic on top of the tapestry. "We can bring back our family magic, restore what was."
I nod at Terra and then I rose back up. Staring at Merissa, hoping the sister I saw yesterday. A glimmer of her real self is still inside her. I try to reason. "Raudan tricked you, but you don't have to worry. He's dead now." Seeing the tapestry and Triadic both glowing eerie. "Shallos will never bring back our magic!"
I turn back to see Terra trying to get herself up, still placing one hand over her injured waist. I want to stop her from moving, but I wonder should I do it. I then hear my sister keep babbling about this nonsense.
"You know this is true, just you wait little brother."
And then without warning, Terra yells at me. "Stop the Triadic!" As she lunges and attacks Merissa.
"What are you doing?"
"Naven, do it!" Terra says as she tries to what give me a distraction. I want to stop the two from fighting, yet a sudden urge makes me wonder. To stop the Triadic, I turn back at the slab table to where it is sited on top. If I can't get to my sister, since she's not listening to me. This has to be the breaking point. And then I remember what The Orre said the last time I saw him.
The Triadic can only destroy itself.
And then it clicks me. The bond. I suddenly grab hold of the blade from the back. Glancing at the blade and then back to the Triadic. I then decide this is where it all must end before it can begin. I suddenly slam the blade as the pointed edge strikes hard on both the Triadic and the tapestry. Splitting them apart. And then as the Triadic is suddenly broken in half, a strange glow appears on the tapestry and then I can hear a faint voice.
A voice that sounds somber in tone.
"Naven, you can't escape from me. I will return. The Reckoning will happen."
My blood pressure rises, my eyes widen in terror. That has to be him.
Shallos