Hmm.. yeah I'm having trouble thinking up chapter titles, sorry. =(
"And what are those two items?" Fendrel asked Althalos, and the latter stood before his accomplices, and in one of his hands, he held the Lich Blade, and in the other, the map. He had chosen beforehand to reveal everything the demon god had told him, apart from the black stone. That was a secret Althalos was willing to take to the grave, or at least until Merec orders him to do what he needed, which was place it on the absolute center of Summerset Isle. "I believe both came from Merec?"
Althalos noticed from the start the skeptical look everyone put on the moment he told his story, and the angry expression that was tainting Fendrel's aged face. They were sitting by the campfire, squatted down as they listened to the Champion of Merec.. Justin was putting Alianor to sleep in a nearby tent, and the Nightwalkers were leaning by a tree, looking at this young man who can destroy Magnus with one hand tied behind his back.
"Yes," Althalos answered. He belted the Lich Blade back into his belt as he continued,"My lord has granted me this gifts to aid me in our crusade against our foes. The blade is my own now, as well as my other one, and the Dragon Blade is with you, I presume?" He looked at Fendrel, raising a solitary eyebrow.
Fendrel unsheathed the blade of Merec, and Althalos nodded. "Good, that weapon would do well in our case."
"What's the purpose of this Lich Blade, was it?" Katelyn asked, crossing her arms. "And can't you lend me that black blade? I'm weaponless at the moment, you know?"
Althalos stood still, reticent for a moment, before pulling out the sheathe with the sword, and giving Doombringer to Katelyn, who smirked in an inconspicuous fashion when she was handed it.
"The Lich Blade," Althalos began,"is a blade that Lord Merec told me could raise the fallen, and its mere touch is cold to the core."
Too poetic for your own good, my Champion.
Merec's goon did not need to guess that who he had just head was none other than his lord, the lord of shadowy death.
"The map?" Fendrel motioned to the scroll held tightly by Althalos. "What is its significance then?"
Tell him that it reveals the location of the orc encampment where your precious girl was taken away to.
Althalos heeded his lord's advice, for it would have been surely unwise to not do so, correct? He relayed the god's words, and once Fendrel and the others sat up with anticipation for his next words, Althalos was explaining what it was.
"It is a gift by my god. And he has enchanted it to in the way that only the path from here to the orc encampment is detailed."
"Can I see it?" Fendrel asked, still looking very much doubtful of what Althalos told them.
Althalos hung back, and when Fendrel unrolled the scroll, he heard of the collective gasp everyone did. He approached them, and looked at the map. He took note the differen directions the map took, the routes divert against each other, and the labels of the location spelled out four locations.
Three encampments, and one base.
But Althalos saw that the others, Katelyn, Fendrel, and the Nightwalkers, they were only focused on one location, the orc war camp far off the northern wastes, deep into the icy lands of the North. That alone would have been puzzling enough, but the fact that they didn't seem to notice the others was all too confusing, should Althalos have the emotion of confusion.
"Wh.."
Speak not!
He held his tongue, and luckily, none heard what Althalos was about to say. They discussed the fastest way to head to the camp, and once there, sneak in there and retrieve Ayleth.
Speak now. I will need you alone now, my Champion. Send the others away, and leave only Astarte with you. I have a special task for you.
How should I hope to persuade them, milord? Althalos asked.
However you can. I will not hold your hand on every situation you are bound to get stuck in.
He dipped his head lightly, acknowledging Merec's words.
"If I might inquire,' Althalos said. "What is our plan exactly to free Ayleth Hadriansdotter?"
By now, everyone was already used to Althalos's apathetic behavior, but still, they can not help but feel unnerved at the complete lack of emotion he exhibited, which was shown when Fendrel looked just like that, unsettled by Althalos. And whatever sliver remained within him was all of blood lust and enmity.
"What do you plan on doing, Champion of Merec?" Miasmador interjected, calling Althalos that for the first time. "I'd guess since you share a bond with that almighty lord of yours, you'd know everything!"
The sarcasm dripped from every single letter, and Althalos felt the growing urge to shut the dragon up. A scowl painted itself on his face as he reached for Lich Blade, but a laugh resonating throughout his consciousness stemmed his hand.
Don't waste your time carving that lizard. Just tell them what I told you, mortal.
Another small dip of his head, and Althalos turned his sole attention back to all of them, and he saw Justin was now hearing in on their conversation, and Alianor lay asleep, probably minutes ago already. Fendrel and the others were awaiting his word, and he need only say his command, and not let it seem like it was a suicidal mission, and they would follow it.
Just tell it mortal, I will aid you.
Merec said more words, but he hadn't had time to hear it because he already relayed everything.
Such subservience. Merec's comment echoed through his brain, but he paid no heed to it at the moment.
Tell them that I have left something that is needed to be found in your previous home, your cave, and that you need to retrieve it to benefit all of you.
Words flew in and out of his mind, and it was becoming puzzling even for the Shadow Champion to keep track of whatever words the lord of shadowy death was saying.
"Merec has told me that he has left me an item in our previous home, the cave, and I need to retrieve it."
"For a champion such as you, I can't believe he's giving you too many of these so-called gifts," Katelyn said, snorting, which went unnoticed by the majority of the group except for the golden-eyed dragon, who narrowed his eyes at that.
"That is true," Miasmador commented, but shook his head, believing that it was all part of Merec's big unknown plan, and the unknown part was what is making him feel on edge.
Althalos continued, following every word that Merec told him like a common lapdog. "I am to search for it, and Miasmador and Astarte will go with me, and the others will go with you to search for Ayleth. If need be, I will also take Alianor with me, for she is but a child, and the dangers of the orcs are too much for a mere child such as her to handle."
Fendrel nodded, seemingly agreeing with the idea, but he looked at Althalos again, then turned to Katelyn and the others. "Is that plan satisfactory enough?"
"Why do we need to be separated, Champion of Merec?" Katelyn asked, not caring whether she was one of them or not.
"It will take less time, and we can kill two birds with one stone."
"How so?" Miasmador asked, followed by multiple nods.
"The moment I find whatever item Merec has assigned me to search for," Althalos began, scanning the crowd of dangerous entities with his sharp red-hued orbs of hidden insanity. He took a breath and continued on,"then we will begjn to search for the whereabouts of the Shades of Death. With Katelyn and Seere aiding you, the orcs stand no chance."
"That is true," A cocky Katelyn agreed with Althalos. "Since travelling, I've learned some magic skills with Seere, and with my limitless pools of energy that I share with Althalos, we can easily repel any who dare to attack us, for demon magic is more potent than any other."
"Why bring Miasmador then?" Fendrel asked. "Seeing as we would be delving deep into a camp of brutes that would kill each other for war, the dragon could certainly aid us should any attack."
"Sneak in." Was his response. "I agree that Miasmador would be beneficial to you, but you cannot so simply arouse the attention of every living orc in that war camp. Word would quickly reach Maelwyn should you raze that camp, and she will know that we are already on the rise."
"She already knows that," Katelyn explained, rolling her eyes. She turned to Seere, muttered unintelligible words, to which the demon seemed to agree with, then turned back to Althalos. "Seere and I agree with his plan."
Justin nodded, then looked at the others.
Fendrel exchanged glances with all but Althalos, then turned to the man in white, sighing. "It's too risky to be separated, but it's a shot that I'm willing to take if those bastards are to die in the end."
"Dragon?" Althalos asked, turning to the purple scaled form of Miasmador. "What say you?"
"I do not like it one bit, and I believe it to be a rash decision, but I agree with Fendrel. If this crusade ends with the Shades of Death lying in ruins, then I will concede."
Katelyn clapped her hands. "Alright! Now that that's out of the way, the next matter we need to discuss is.." She looked at Althalos, raised an eyebrow, then made a gesture. "Can you please scout for us?"
Odd.
Listen to her. I need to speak to you again anyway.
He nodded, acknowledging both the demon and the woman. He spun on his heels, and trudged away, out of earshot.
"What do you need from me, milord?" He asked.
Draw your blade, mortal.
He did so, and again, he asked what Merec desired for him to do.
Another test, shall we say. Since it is nighttime, my servants, the wraiths, regularly come out to feast upon dreams, and since you know for a fact how exhausting it is to even nick one, this is a test to prove to me just how competent you are.
He unsheathed the Lich Blade, and the mist from the tip hung in the air, twisting around in icy swirls, right before dissipating, a testament to the pure ice that is borne within the blade.
I will summon three of your previous kin, as you were almost one once, and you will be tasked to defeat them all in combat.
He nodded, and as he did so, three spirits materialized before Althalos.
They were as Althalos had seen before, normal men. But the ethereal white skin, the whispers that only they could manage instead of a normal voice, and their chilling touch was an attestation of these entities supernatural traits.
"I live again!" One shouted, holding out his arms, then turned to Althalos.
"Darkness fuels my hatred," One whispered, turning to the first one, then turning to the Shadow Champion again.
"Another life!" The last one gave a long thanks to the lord of shadowy death before focusing on the sole semi-immortal before them who wielded a silver blade of ice.
"Oh, a mortal fool dare face a wraith?" One commented, circling Althalos.
"Three wraiths, to be exact? Are you mad, mortal?"
"Doesn't matter anyway, his dreams and his blood will be drained in mere minutes anyway!"
"Yes! Yes! This mortal will die!"
"His soul is mine."
"His dreams belong to me!"
"I own his blood now!"
"Can I have his liver?" One said.
"Oh! Sweet liver!"
"I'll eat his heart next!"
"Mortal fool, you will never see the light of dawn!"
"Speak none of this blasphemy that these light-worshipping fanatics speak so highly about!" One of them, Althalos could not determine because of their ethereal faces, berated the other.
Althalos stood dead-still, observing the three ghost-like men encircling him. One wielded a blade that was of a unique design, completely alien to him, and the two others were weaponless,but both had spells that were clearly ice glowing on the palms of their hands.
Ignore their babbling. Powerful they may be, but they can bore you to no end.
Silence reigned in, though the things the wraiths were talking about broke it every few seconds, but finally, Merec made himself known to the four of them.
Silence, you fools. Now you three, test his abilities.
"Will do, master! This mortal is going to die!"
"He is!'
"Agreed."
This mortal you completely try undermine with words is my Champion. Tread carefully fools, for I will not tolerate that kind of action.
"Pardon u...."
Silence.
Merec's words broke the three apparitions off, and they all looked at Althalos with a newfound trepidation for the lord, and perhaps, respect?
"You must be a powerful one to have garnered Merec's attention for so long."
"The Champion!"
"So it is to come true then!"
"What is to come true?" Althalos said, cocking an eyebrow.
"The prophecy!" They replied in unison.
"Yes!"
"The great legend of the dark lord!"
"Legend?"
Althalos was interested in what these ghost would have to say.
"Legend has it that..."
Unfortunately, Merec interrupted them all.
Fight now. I have no time for trivialities such as this!
Althalos suddenly charged, unbeknownst to the still bantering ghosts. Using his enhanced speed, he stabbed one, right in the heart, and instantly as the wraith was talking, all was left was nothing but a cloud of mist as the wraith screamed in pain, and its voice could not have carried on for miles, as whispers only tore out of its throat, right before dissipating completely.
The two others expressed surprise at this, and they immediately drew their weapons, one the sword, the other, magic.
Sanity's eclipse.
Althalos smirked as his eyes glowed a darker shade of red, more of the color of blood rather than amber. He tightened his clutch on the Lich Blade, and his stance straightened up to the cockiness he exhibited whenever his demented side showed itself.
None stand a chance to the power of my blade, mortal. Put it to good use.
Now fight! And so they did, as the dreamwalking wraiths attacked at once.
Althalos's lust for blood overpowered his inital careful attitude, and he never expected the speed in which they attacked him. They were faster than Althalos, for Merec's sake! To any human, their eyes would have only seen a blur in their surroudings before being slaughtered by these hungry ghosts of the night.
"Die, puny one!"
Althalos did all he could to parry and evade every attacks, every projectile, shot into his way. He fought back with every ounce of his strength, but the ghosts were not to be denied victory.
A wail tore out of the wraith's throat, and as it did so, Althalos felt something plaguing his brain, as if it was being assaulted. Pain did not exist within him anymore, but if the thing was powerful enough to make him feel something even though he wasn't supposed to, then this entity is truly a powerful one, powerful enough to momentarily break the spell of the demon lord.
The wail could have reached for miles on end, but none, not even the flocks of birds watching their every move reacted to the screech the wraith did, and that alone would have confused him should he had the feeling of being confused.
His ears bled, as he continued his assault, as well as his enemies, who, for the first time, were faster and stronger than him. As the feeling assaulted his brain, thus distracting him, one slipped past Althalos's defenses, and landed a deep wound on his side.
The wraiths stopped their attacks as Althalos fell to the ground, holding his side as he dropped the Lich Blade. They laughed.
"Your effort is commendable, mortal, but it is only futile in the end!" One cockily told Althalos, laughing in the end.
But these ghosts were deprived of one key information; Althalos did not know pain anymore, but he did know how to trick and to deceive. As the spirits went about bragging about their prowess, and they had every right to, Althalos silently picked up his blade, and as he did so, he whispered,"Myrkr."
Instead of dark matter bursting into life on his own skin, as he had grown extremely accustomed to, Althalos saw the silver blade of his weapon turn black in color, and suddenly a purplish-like aura glowed outwards of the blade, giving it an entirely new appearance, though that same mist emanating off the blade was still visible.
Your past weapon is nothing compared to my own. See what powers you have unlocked!
Althalos charged, and as with one strike, sent the sword of the wraith flying into who-knows-where. He twisted, and struck the wraith again, this time on the waist.
The blade went through the ghost, and as he turned his attention to the other who kept firing off ice-like projectiles since he retaliated, the other one uttered another ear-splitting shriek before disappearing in a cloud of mist.
Althalos felt.. something within his blade, and it resonated through, and the purplish aura glowed even more prominently than before, but not much, only a slight shine added to it. He did not mind it though, he even thought nothing of it, believing it to be only a minor change.
The wraith, seeming to have losen hope as Althalos slowly trudged towards him with a smile on his handsome face, did something all wraiths are well known for, make a man experience his every fear;know the true meaning of fear.
But, as pain was not to exist within Althalos, so does fear and any other detrimental feelings that could undermine him. And so, images of pure nothingness invaded his mind, and simply put, he was only irritated at the pathetic attempt the wraith did as a last resort.
"You will die, puny one." His voice has changed, undertaking a deeper tone rather than the light-hearted tone that was normally heard, even when his sanity temporary collapsed when facing battle.
He stabbed the wraith with speed the did not match what the ghost possessed, but was still formidable. He pulled the Lich Blade out, and spun, repeating his same move from before, striking mid-waist, and again, the same thing happened, a terrifyingly loud wail emanated tore out of its throat as it quickly disappeared in a cloud of gas.
He stood up, and sheathed the Lich Blade, but not before noticing that the blade had undertaken a more shiny glow to it, becoming more of a light amethyst rather than the dark lavender it was earlier on.
Praiseworthy for a novice such as you.
Novice?
That felt.. wrong in his ears.
Althalos felt the slight urge to tell the demon lord of his supposed "mistake" that was that word, but he faltered under the mere words of Merec.
I make no mistakes, mortal.
Now, I praise you for a good fight between those three, but the fact that they have gloated on about made it easier for you.
What is your plan milord? He thought of, sending its words back to the demon lord he shared a bond with.
Let's just say you are bound for another test soon.
"Is there any other things I need to know about?"
The stone? A humming sound echoed in his head as he whipped out the black rock that was hidden in his back pocket since he'd found it.
Guard it. And never forget my task for you to search for my treasure in your home.
Treasure?
It is another thing that is valuable to me. It is a scroll, and in it, are words in my tongue, and I am know that you've learned our tongue because I was the one to grant it to you.
What am I to do with it, milord?
After I order you to place the stone in the pedestal of the fountain in Shardizar, read the scroll, it will do something that can change this whole world.
What change is that?
A laugh resonated throughout his brain. You will see.
Now, return to your comrades, and speak nothing of this. I will expect true obedience from you, my Champion.
Althalos nodded, then turned away, walking towards his camp as if nothing had happened in the first place.