059 those Who Watch the Sky - 59
59 – Children thrust Into the Sky 17
“Well, this is a bother and not one of these soldiers will
be of any use to us brother.”
Shoving the soldier from Foothold back into the crater that
he had escaped from Lute Mouser sighed heavily. His silver haired brother Pan
seemed less bothered and tossed the lock of hair that dangle by his eye to the side
as he stepped up beside his younger brother.
“We do seem to have accepted work from a most troublesome
of clients Lute.”
“That is an understatement brother. Look at this mess. It
seems the perfect analogue for the state of our reputation after accepting work
from that bishop.”
“It is something else Lute.”
Thou Pan agreed with Lute his tone of voice did not seem
bothered as he looked out over the crater that had shortly ago held a Foreigner
city. Raising his eyes from Balgun’s mobile fortress across the crater to the
city itself well above in the sky He surprised his brother with a smile.
“Am I missing something brother?”
“That maid in the chainmail, considering the presence of
the sorcerer it is likely we can’t even engage her anymore. That isn’t to say
that we can’t engage the rogue Sa·B·er and still pass along the bishop’s
invitation. It’s just a question of where he is and when that meeting will one
day take place.”
“I don’t even know where to begin with this mess.”
“You could begin by listening to me and allowing me to
reach the seal. I have no doubt that if I claim the Guardian’s power that I can
best this Darkness looming above us.”
“And what about the Poltergeist that thing is supposed to
be protecting us from?”
“You must be blind agent of Choir. Do you not see the blade
the boy wields? Surely he could slay the Poltergeist as Hazel and I have ventured
here to accomplish.”
“I don’t intend on listening to a rogue Sa·B·er and a
wanted man.”
“Even when that wanted man is still technically a member of
the Junk Birds, the group whose ship we’re all currently standing on. That and
I do have experience both with these cities and the airship we’re standing on.
Most importantly this ship is reaching its limit and that creature is ascending
faster than even the city. It won’t be long before we fail to prevent it from
reaching the world beyond. The damage it could inflict upon the world in its
current state…”
“Do please tell me more Mister Sycamore. I’m still waiting
for an explanation to what that Darkness is and why you are so familiar with
it.”
“And I’d really like it if you’d all respect my authority and
let me do the talking.”
Bird sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his head as he
faced the unusual group that had landed upon the airship he had conscripted for
his ends from the salvage company known as the Junk Birds. The most important
of those who comprised the group before him was none other than Hazel Sycamore
who was accompanied by a rodent like spirit upon his shoulder. Important as
Hazel was though he could not deny the authority that Elliot likely possessed
as the Knight Prince, nor the influence and power that Bellson controlled. Only
the centaur, Cliff, and sister, Clover, were inconsequential in the current
scenario. That scenario was not improving though.
Eyeing the distant walls of the Foreigner city’s central
shaft Bird could not deny that the ascent of the airship had slowed. Shifting
his eyes to the helmsman and captain above him at the helm the nods they
offered him told him that Hazel was not lying. With another sigh he turned his
attention onto Hazel and handled the situation appropriately.
“The report I’m going to have to write is going to be
murder, but fine Sower of Chaos, it’s your knowledge that we need. What is that
thing above us and how do we stop it?”
“It’s an experimental Foreigner beast that the Poltergeists
abandoned out of fear of the destructive power that it possesses. My brother
introduced me to it some years ago before I settled down in Elliot’s hometown.
I… I stole it out from under him believing that he was mad for wanting to use
it to slay the Poltergeists. I had seen once already the devastation that the
power that can do that can bring and swore I wouldn’t allow anyone to have it.
I spent years in secret trying to understand its power so I could seal it
away.”
“So what happened? Why the hell did you give it to some
welp of a girl who ended up walking into the middle of my work? Believe it or
not, but I promised your old pal Sorcerer Balgun that I’d give her a life of
some kind and looking at what’s going on here I don’t know if I can. You have
any idea what failing would do to my relationship with the old coot?”
“There are greater concerns at hand agent of Choir.”
“I disagree, rogue. The girl in question is a dear friend
of mine and if there is a way to save her then I would hear it. I will not
allow the efforts of Her Eminence, Lady Cardinal to be wasted for the
foolishness of Mister Sycamore.”
“That hurts to hear you say Elliot, but I get I deserve it.
Even still, she can be saved. I bonded the beast with a Foreigner parasite and
directly to a suit of armor that she should be wearing. I had thought the
process would have prevented it from ever manifesting itself in any capacity
and I don’t understand what went wrong.”
“It sounds like it might be our fault Elliot.”
Though he found that he agreed with him, as Hazel was not
yet finished talking it was easy for Elliot to ignore Feast whispering in his
ear with a smile.
“I probably
shouldn’t have tried anything without consulting Balgun, but I just haven’t
been able to trust anyone since the Fall of Lucir due to my relationship with
their princess.”
“You’re wasting time Sycamore; how do we stop that thing
right here and now?”
“Isn’t that obvious? That beast is more powerful than even
the Poltergeists, so without the Light of Hope we don’t stand a chance.”
“You have become just as blind as the agent of Choir,
Hazel. Have you not seen the sword the boy wields? That light, it is obviously
Cardinal’s and he but needs a way to reach the darkness and face it.”
“Even if it is…”
“Mister Sycamore, I don’t know what you fear will transpire
should I face this Darkness, but my friend needs me, and the world likely needs
this Light.”
Holding his sword up before his face, Elliot looked past
the glowing blade at Hazel.
“Equalizer. That is the name of this Light that Her
Eminence, Lady Cardinal bestowed upon me. With it, for just a moment I can
stand equal to any task. I am for certain even this Darkness is not beyond me
for as long as I possess it, so tell me; how do I save her?”
Hazel studied the determination in Elliot’s eyes for what
seemed like an eternity before the spirit on his shoulder squeaked into his
ear. Turning his gaze onto it, Hazel was assaulted by a further barrage of
similar squeaks that seemed as though the spirit was nagging him. With a heavy
sigh he at last answered resignedly.
“That darkness hasn’t finished taking form. We’re fortunate
that the process of its awakening took place in here where light and darkness
can’t so easily be distinguished between from an Ambrosial standpoint. We are
running out of time though. If it makes it outside the final stage of its
awakening will surely begin.”
“Then I have one more question for you Mister Sycamore; are
the Guardians of Legend real?”
“They are but–”
“Then we’ve wasted enough time. All of you get to safety.
I’ll claim the Guardian as my own and slay this Darkness, the Poltergeist, and
save Link.”
“Wait! Elliot!”
“Silverlance⁈ What are you–⁈”
Elliot did not waste another moment dealing with the adults
who had all failed Link in one way or another and threw himself from the
airship. Wearing a serious expression as he dove into the heart of the
Foreigner city, he gladly welcomed Feast’s voice as it told him his control
over his own blood should be available to him.
“You don’t believe that you’re being hasty? It’s obvious
that he was withholding quite a lot of important information. Such as how the
Poltergeists, behind their seals, could create something more powerful than
themselves and that would fill them with such fear.”
“Isn’t it obvious Feast? With every other legend I’ve been
seeing confirmed to be real, then it stands to reason that the dark god of the
Foreigners is also real. The Light of Hope is said to banish that terror when
it descends upon the face of Icarus and it is likely to me that this beast
Mister Sycamore has bonded to Link is its spawn. But Link and I both have been
blessed with the Light of Her Eminence, Lady Cardinal. If I can reach out and
connect with that Light within her then we should be able to banish the
Darkness.”
“And of course, by being impatient you also avoid
potentially revealing her relation to the fool who so cursed her.”
Elliot simply smiled in answer to Feast’s supposition and
earned a smile from him in response. Like his own it was strained however as
the effects of keeping Equalizer lit was beginning to take its toll on his
body. Elliot did not relent though, and as he found himself descending upon a
temple compound of both familiar yet alien architecture suspended by three
bridges within the heart of the Foreigner city’s central shaft he forced a twin
stream of blood out from his back. His eyes turning red in color as he
concentrated both on maintaining Equalizer and transforming his ejected blood
into feathered wings of darkness, Elliot set foot upon the hallowed ground last
visited in ages past by the nāti.
“Child of Her Light, you have
come with blood lust in your heart. Do you intend to stain those hands bathed
in light in blood and fuel the hatred given flesh?”
“I’ve little time for your questions beast of an age long
past and in need of being forgotten.”
“You have no right to forget the
crimes of mankind Child of Her Light.”
“I cannot forget what I do not know.”
“Then listen well Child of Her
Light, as you come to sacrifice yourself on the altar of our hatred.”
Elliot had little intention of heeding the words of the
voice that echoed throughout his mind that he believed belonged to the
Poltergeist. His intent mattered little however and as he strolled into the
temple complex banishing the wings he had summoned, its voice assailed him. Its
words became lost as he entered the complex though as something interrupted the
connection between the Poltergeist and those who could hear its voice. To
Elliot it was obvious what had transpired as he saw to the other end of the
massive ornate hall he proceeded along.
The Guardian of legend, said to have been placed within the
hearts of the Foreigner cities when the nāti of the ancient past bound the
Poltergeists to flesh and robbed them of most of their power, stood with sword
drawn at its side. It was not what Elliot had come to expect at all and he was
not certain how to react. The nāti were said to be the oldest race of mankind
and in the ancient past of time immemorable the magic and technology they
wielded was without equal yet seeing what was effectively a Dolmen was well
beyond Elliot’s wildest dreams, even as it fulfilled his prayers. Sinewy and
lean even beyond the models of Dolmen used by the church militia, it was a
creature that seemed to have been as though an insect had grown in the form of
an armored man. The silver hued exoskeleton was a sight to behold, especially
the pylon like extrusions from the shoulders that took the ancient Dolmen from
a height of twenty-five meters to that of nearly thirty. The golden glowing
eyes that watched Elliot’s approach were chilling beyond compare, yet Elliot
held no fear as he heard a beating heart within its breast and Feast smiled
beside him.
“It’s alive Elliot.”
“It is Feast. A living Dolmen unlike anything man has made
in ages uncountable. How far we’ve fallen due to the Foreigners. I can almost
understand the rogue’s hatred for them.”
“Only almost?”
“Only almost. After all, they must hate us for some reason we
are ignorant to.”
“Yet you’re here to kill it and not talk. How very like you
Elliot.”
“It’s for Link’s sake Feast. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Keep telling yourself that Elliot, I’ll enjoy watching the
blood you spill with that excuse as your shield.”
“Don’t think you won’t be doing your part as well Feast.”
“Of course not. I’m rather looking forward to it.”
Smiling, Feast embraced his role as Elliot spun his sword
around and held it down to his side as he rested his left hand on the head of
his scabbard. Extending his thumb up past the guard of his sword, Elliot
pressed the tip into the edge of his blade of light. His thumb split open with
painless ease and he let flow a single drop of blood which became as crimson
light as it met the blade. Closing his eyes and gathering up his courage and
conviction Elliot let the words of his incantation fall from his lips. Around
him those words became as song on the air.
“~ I stand equal to the task
before me
Bathed in the Light of Her Eminence, Lady Cardinal
I rise to face all challenges
Equalizer‼ ~”
Bathed in the Light of Her Eminence, Lady Cardinal
I rise to face all challenges
Equalizer‼ ~”
Renewed by the incantation, the blade of light surged
brilliantly and seemed to hold all the light of the heavens in its masterwork
form. The light was not contained to merely the blade of Elliot’s sword though
as it could be seen seeping into his opened thumb. Filling with Cardinal’s
Light, Elliot’s crimson eyes began to glow and he set his stoic gaze upon the
ancient Guardian of the sealed Poltergeist. The unusual, living Dolmen
recognized the threat posed against it and took up it’s sword in both hands and
prepared to receive Elliot’s eminent charge. What it failed to realize however
was that Elliot desired only to score a wound deep enough to draw blood and by
lifting its sword it provided him the opening he sought. In a blink, a streak
of light defined the path that Elliot had taken to deliver a single clean
strike to the side of the living Dolmen’s foot. Such a blow would have been
insignificant against the ancient alloy of unknown composition had it been delivered
by any other weapon, but Elliot’s sword of light was unlike any other such
weapon. In response a gout of blood suddenly gushed forth from the nigh
invisible wound.
“You’re up Feast.”
Looking back with only his eyes, Elliot signaled the
Foreigner infection that had become a part of him to take action. Feast did so
with pleasure and the light trail that followed Elliot seeped into the ochre
fluid that spilled out of the living Dolmen’s foot. A horrible howl echoed
forth and filled the hall as the Guardian’s blood began to take on a red color.
Understanding what was happening to it, the guardian pivoted on its opposite
foot and brought its sword about to end Elliot where he stood. All it managed
to accomplish however was to blow about Elliot’s long coat and hair as its
sword stopped just a hair short of him. Looking down its arm as it took on a
crimson shade too where Elliot stood beyond its sword, the Guardian was met
with a sad and sympathetic smile from Elliot.
“I doubt this is how you expected to be rewarded for
completing your duty, and you have my sincerest apologies. But you may rest
well now. Know that I will personally see to it that the Poltergeist you watch
over will need guarded never again. Thank you for all that you’ve done and will
do as my aid. Good night ye ancient warrior forgotten as all but legend.”
The light within the ancient Dolmen’s eyes faded as Elliot relieved
it of its duty and it soon fell to its knees. After countless ages the spirit
that had served alone save its charge at last was allowed rest and a silence
fell over the hall it presided within. The silence would only last for a moment
however before the ancient Dolmen would serve its new master as Elliot had not
slain it for any reason other than to use it to save Link from the Darkness
that had engulfed her.
Copyright © 2019 Joshua D Tarwater
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