"Diana! Wake up! DIANA!" Someone shouted. She was still at her room. Her body sweating all over while someone was shaking her. She opened her eyes and looked closely to see who it is. Her vision blurry, trying to remember the nightmare she just had. The horror she just witnessed a few seconds ago. The living hell she just went through.
"Thank goodness, your awake" someone said. The voice sounds familiar but oddly distant. "A man's voice" she thought, her mind blank of everything that ever happened. Then, as if a bullet shot through her mind, the memories suddenly came back to her. She was on a mission with Joshua, trying to kill an assassin. Mother. Sion. Suddenly, she slapped herself atleast three times to awake her slumbering mind and is planning to slap herself more until....
"Hey, Hey, HEY!" Shouted Joshua, as he caught her two arms and held them firmly. "I understand you dreamt of Princess Spaghett, but that isn't the way to forg----"
"SHUT UP AND LET ME THINK!" She shouted as she cut short what he was going to say. She unclasped her arms and rubbed them a little bit, seeing the red soar his grip did. Then, she put her hands across both of her cheeks, up to her scarlet hair, trying to remember the nightmare she just had. Joshua, worried of this sudden outburst, asked.
"Hey, Diana, what's wrong?" He said, a look of worry on his face, a serious tone in that. "You can tell me anything and I swear on my life" He raised his hand "That I won't tell to a single soul." He said in a deep and serious tone.
Diana, realizing that Joshua is still there, thinked twice if she should tell him about her dream. As thinking it might've been a lunatic's dream, but it might also been a foresight only given to her. After a few minutes of thinking, with Joshua looking at her intently, she decided to take the risk and told him about her nightmare. The little girl, the central market, the fire, the demons, the undead, the castle falling apart, etc.
After telling him the whole story, his mouth dropped a little and his eyes looked at her suspiciously. He thinks about it for a while, then, he talked.
"Well, it's one crazy dream if you ask me." He said. "But crazy dreams also have the highest chances of becoming reality. Just like how Xereth dreamt of the great war before it even happened" He continued. A mix of fear and anxiety crept onto his voice, leaving Diana uneasy.
An awkward silence hung onto the room, until Diana spoke again.
"It might've been a false dream right? Besides, I don't have the sight of the magi to actually foretell the future. Maybe this dream is just a farce. A decoy to divert our attention at the task at hand. Let's just focus on the mission for now and --------"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH" A scream of a waitress tore the inn apart. Alerting them of a possible attack. Making Diana go to the table and pick up her sword while Joshua has gone outside to pick his as well. The door was broken in half, the scattered remains of wood and scraps of metal lay idle on the floor, as Diana already knew what happened by a quick glance.
As both of them ran down as fast as they could. Anxious about what's the screaming about. They headed towards the common room. They saw a woman in her twenties, wearing only a blue nightgown, shivering in fear, pointing towards the door outside. A look of pure horror and terror evident in her face.
"Dead....person...mangled...corpse....." she manage to say, shivering in fear of what she saw, until she past out. Her body lay idle on the wooden floor while her face looked as if she had a terrible nightmare. Diana and Joshua looked at each other, signaling the other for a silent plan.
Slowly, they crept towards the entrance, trying not to make a sound for the murderer to hear. After readying themselves for any attacks, they charged outside, only to see no one there. Only the hoot of the owl and the sound of the cricket was to be heard at midnight. Lampposts lit at every two blocks for light. The full moon shone light at the unsuspecting town.
Then, they looked down, to see a shadowy figure laying idle on the floor. A person's corpse, beaten up until the victim's face is unrecognizable while the body was mutilated all over. It didn't unnerved them, as they already saw worse things. Amputated body parts used as furniture. Heads placed on a pike, signifying as trophies of fear, and many more.
As they searched for any lead onto who murdered the person. The only clue is the person's clothing, a commoner's dress. Only scraps of black, blue, and white linen remained, guessing that the victim was either a girl or a woman. Then, at her chest, was a dagger with a letter patched onto the hilt, waving as the cold breeze blew, like a flag waving at the peak of a metal pole. Joshua picked up the dagger and removed the letter. Afterwards, he handed it over to Diana while he examined the dagger for any strain of poison or enchantment.
Diana, receiving the letter, looked at it for a while. The letter itself was plain parchment paper, wrapped in a black string. She untied the string and opened it. To her surprise, it contained cursive writing, as if a royal had written it.
* Foolish Sylverian knights. The one you seek is at the forests of Eriglow, the one staying at his villa near the cliffs. For I hope you come fast, or else he dies. But really? How stupid of you Diana, for not knowing sooner*
After reading the content, Diana was confused as to how the assassin knew her name, and who is the official foolish enough to leave the castle walls. Again, she cannot blame them, for no one can trust the other after the many assassinations that happened. Thinking that someone's pulling the strings, wanting more power. As she was rereading the whole thing again, making sure what she wasn't wrong at what she read herself. Joshua snatched the letter and read it himself.
"Fools? Really, this man is foolish himself. What kind of assassin would tell where he would assassinate next? And Diana, do you know this guy?" He said, looking suspiciously at her, thinking to himself that she might be a spy. Diana, knowing what's going on.
"How could I -------- I never even knew this guy!? Heck! I don't even know who he is or what he looks like!?" She said, looking enraged at the blame she's getting. Gripping the hilt of her sword more tightly than ever. Glaring at him for even thinking of the idea.
"Well, maybe the princess is as power mongering as the officials themselves?" He replied sarcastically. Sneering at her, only making her enrage more than ever before.
"O Almighty Magion, may you grant me thy power, to turn my enemies to -------"
"Hey, hey, I was joking, Joking!" He said as he interrupted her upon hearing the incantation. He apologized multiple times after. Bowing and apologizing sincerly for teasing her.
"What? Scared of being polymorphed?" She said, laughing a little at how stupid he looked. "You should've seen your face!" As she saw a look of terror and fear. A 6 foot man, shivering in fear of being turned into a hamster. "Now, back to the problem at hand" She said, coughing, looking serious and making her tone deep. Forgetting the comical moment that just happened mere moments ago. As Joshua stood up and regained his posture, looking at Diana seriously in the eye.
"Why would an assassin tell us where he would kill next?" She said as she wondered why. Putting herself to the shoes of the assassin, guessing what his plan is.
"Maybe because the location is bait itself! To lead us out of the kingdom and assassinate us!" He replied, heaving a sigh as he sat at the nearby stool inside. His sword placed onto the table. Diana, thinking about what could this mean, about why would an assassin send a letter about his next location target.
As she was trying to piece the clues together, like a child trying to construct a puzzle, she finally knew the reason why. She cursed herself for not realizing it until now. As she was gazing at the full moon, she hurriedly gone back inside to tell Joshua what she realized.
"Ummm, Joshua" She said nervously. Her whole body fidgeting at the cold and anxiety claiming her heart. She sat at the stool near him, facing the entrance of the inn. She wasn't this nervous except when she knew she really did something horribly wrong, or have forgotten something very important.
"Didn't the prime minister said weeks ago that he was going on his villa in Eriglow for a vacation" she said, anxiety evident in her voice.
"Yes, what about it?" He said, not surprised by the sudden news. As if he knew about this for a long, long time now.
"Well, the prime minister is at his villa with his family right now." She said, as she is a little bit irritated for Joshua not catching on. He contemplated about what he heard and a sudden jolt of realization hit him. Facepalming himself hard.
"WHY AM I SO DAMN STUPID!" He said as he cursed himself. "Why haven't I thought about this sooner! Diana, be ready at five minutes, we're gonna do some midnight traveling" He said as he immediately ran towards his room. Diana, delighted for him to actually realize the situation, ran towards her room. Climbing up the stairs then goes to the very far end corner of the corridor.
She realize that up till now, she hadn't really took detail into her room. While she was fixing her things, she noticed that there was only one window on the right side, giving a view of the market just outside the inn. A wooden table placed right beside it, with a chair pushed inside. The bed was placed at the left corner of the room, with the wardrobe placed in front of the bed, facing sidewards, and there was no decoration to it at all. It was only but wooden walls surrounding her.
After pushing the wardrobe at the entrance for privacy,(Since Joshua broke down the door), she then undress her nightgown and attached her armor, while wearing clothes underneath the armor. A black top tunic and a red bottom.
After organizing her things, she returned the wardrobe to its original place. Then, she made her way downstairs, meeting Joshua, who was for waiting her at the entrance.
"What took you so long?" He said as he asked, looking horribly bored. "Well, let me tell you something" Looking excited as a child showing what he found, forgetting to tease her for being late. Which she found commendable. "I hitched a white and brown stallion at the nearby stables. Don't worry, I left a letter to the owners saying that we are "borrowing" their horses for a while" He said, whistling while walking outside the inn to mount the horses he "borrowed" and stocked food and water at the sacks the horses had in their saddles. After Diana stocked food and water as well. She mounted the white stallion while Joshua mounted his. He then said an incantation for light.
"Lamprós" He murmured. As a resplendent light shined brightly in front of him. A dazzling light, delighted to be of service.
"Lamprós" She also murmured. Having the same results as Joshua did, lighting up the route towards their destination.
After making sure they didn't forget anything. They went off, mildly kicking her horse to signal it to gallop off. They headed towards southeast, towards the forests of Eriglow.
A half an hour has passed by and they were now out on the kingdom, bypassing the security at the castle gates and galloping at the countryside. A cold wind blew on her face, as she heard the rustle of leaves and wheat. It still amazes her as to how she had progress throughout the years. From a lonely girl, that is only kept inside the castle walls, to a woman, a knight that has freedom to do whatever she desires.
She only ever saw the countryside for when the battlemaidens took her in to their sanctity, to be trained for a kind of weapon called "Insignia". She still thought about what they meant. As they never told her anything about the weapon. She also didn't knew about the "great prophecy" nonsense they were talking about a decade ago. The battlemaidens and her father always say the same thing. "In time, you will know". As she was about to go to her personal space to think, leaving herself mildly vulnerable, Joshua talked.
"You know, ever since my first time going out to the countryside. It still doesn't fail to amaze me how beautiful it is" He said, as he slowly looked up, gazing at the stars above him. Twinkling with its alluring beauty
"The first time I ever gone out the walls, is for when I had trained to become a battlemage. For how the years had passed." He said, breathing heavily, as if he was quite nostalgic.
"Hey, can you explain to me on how you became a battlemage?" Diana asked, wondering about how Joshua became one anyways.
Joshua thinked for a few seconds, then he concluded to tell her. He spoke.
"Well, back in the day until now. Crestian boys and girls, at the age of 13, will be taken from their homes, for they will be trained to become battlemages. They will study the basics for one to two years, depending on how well they've gotten throughout those years. Then, at the age of 15, they will be given a choice to pick their specialty. It can be either aggresive, defensive, or support.
"Aggresive battlemages are either put in the front lines or in the back, depending on the spells they will use and their skill on melee and range. They will be given lighter armor for speed and may also choose on which weapon they want to use. May it be a sword, a dagger, a spear, a bow, etc. Making them a key factor on causing chaos and destruction on their enemie".
"Meanwhile, defensive battlemages will always be put at the front. To act as a shield to the ranged aggresive and support, while helping the aggresive melee. They will also be given stronger armor, a sword, and a shield. Making them much more formidable and long lasting. As they are a key factor on protecting the damage dealers".
"Then lastly, supportive battle mages. They specialize in spells of healing, buff, and debuff spells. They are mostly at the backlines and serves as medics, or giving buffs to frontliners, and debuffs to their foes. Making them a key factor on healing their allies and bolstering their numbers".
"Every type is also taught teleportation spells. To make them much more effective when it comes to sudden reinfocements. Making the army of Farcrest a formidable one, 2nd to the army of Sylveria. I have chosen the aggresive route." Joshua finished. Catching his breath, as if he spoke a long, long speech.
"How come you never brought me to your homecountry?" Said Diana. As even though she ventured to the home of the battlemaidens. She never came to visit Farcrest. As her father forbids her to visit there, thinking that she might be endangered of being abducted. While Joshua thinks its better if she didn't visit, as certain problems came to be at the kingdom. Making Diana very annoyed by how cruel fate is.
"I already told you right? That there's a crisis happening at Farcrest at this very moment, and I can't afford you to be mixed into it" He replied, worried about her being involve in some big crisis he says. She trained for almost a decade! There's no way she'll be that weak than before.
She tried to argue that she wasn't as weak as he knew before until he spoke.
"We're here" Joshua said.
Diana looked in front of her and was amazed by what she saw. The forest was filled with fireflies roaming all over the area. She saw a variety of different kinds drift around as the light at their tail flicker, changing depending on their behaviour.
Today, Green is the most dominant one, signifying the coming of the breeding season. Fireflies that shone green light imply that they are ready for breeding. Red means that the firefly is either fertile or tired to participate in the manner. Yellow is a sign of old age. While blue represent royalty, and only two of the fireflies has blue light at the end of their tails. Meaning they are the king and queen of the horde of fireflies. Diana read about this at the library long ago. Her mother taught her while she was very young. Making her a little teary, for the fireflies is a distant memory of her mother.
She blinked fast, hoping to not get caught by Joshua or she will be yet anohter laughing stock. She wiped her eyes and unmounted her horse, calming the stallion, and guided her using a leash that was attached to its face.
"The forests of Eriglow" Diana said. "No wonder it's named Eriglow. Eri means "Glory", while glow indicates "Light". If formed together, a glorious light. Like the one I'm seeing." She finished. She was left in awe. Dazed at the light show she witnessed and how her sudden realization came to be. Everything all seems to be a fever dream until....
"Yeah, yeah, glory, light, princess spaghett. Nothing is different. Just like how you look the same as spaghetti. The only difference in that is you don't have any brown spots. If there were, it should be signifying meatballs." He said, ruining the beautiful moment Diana had and now had her glaring at him. As if saying he is gonna pay dearly for this.
Before Diana even thought of a payback, Joshua patted her in the head and said. "Don't forget about the mission, spaghett, or else the kingdom will be in serious trouble".
Diana, reminded of the problem they had, is now trying to forget about the surrounding and concentrating harder. She then walk straight towards the villa, breaking branches, avoiding holes, and trying not to stumble at random ledges. The random trees and shrubs rustle at the breeze once in a while.
While Diana is at the front, Joshua also guides his horse towards the villa, taking momentary breaks to calm or feed his stallion, or sip water at his canteen for some time. After passing small lakes, to which Diana regretted not to look at or admire it at all, they had finally reach the villa.
The villa itself was not that big nor to small. It was placed near the cliff, to where anyone who goes into this particular location, can witness a beautiful view of the sea. Waves crashing down at the rocks, as the full moon in its full glory shone brightly at the night sky. Stars twinkling, as if excited to be admired from a far.
The villa was painted in white, with a wall surrounding the house itself, and a gate at the center, guarded by two guards. The walls were made by gray bricks at the bottom, and clay painted at white on top.
A pathway is put on top with guards patrolling area, which there should've been one. They walked closer to the castle gates. The guards not moving even an inch, as if they were frozen. Diana moved forward towards the right guard. She used her index finger and placed it on the guard's neck. She felt no pulse.
"He's dead" She said, while looking for anything that maybe the cause of their death. Which, she found a needle, drenched in poison at its tip. She found it pierced at the very back of his neck. Placed in the very center, at the spinal cord, for the poison to flow much more effectively.
"The other one is dead too" Joshua replied. Plucking out the needle from its back and checking it for any clues of the poison.
"Exetázo" He murmured. Two circles of light is evident on his right eye. It was green, twirling around as if examining the item with great haste. Then, after a few minutes, he spoke.
"Well, its type 5 poison. Normally, you can get this type from the western part of the continent. To where the jungles and deserts are" He said, as he looked around the needle, searching for anymore clues.
"This guy may either be a traveler, or has connections within the black market. As type 5 poison can easily spread without any medical help. I reckon to say 5 minutes before the poison reaches the heart." He finished, finally putting the needle to his sack for further research.
Diana was taught by the battlemaidens that there are six types of poison, with one as the weakest, and six as the strongest. Only a very few people can attain the 6th type, as it can only be attained by extracting or killing the biggest wyvern to the west, to which it is close to impossible to extract poison from, neither to kill.
As they gave their silent prayer to the guards, giving peace to their tortured souls. They then headed towards the villa itself. It doesn't seem to be big on the outside, but is vast on the inside. A two floor structure erected inside the walls, with a spire built at the each side, serving as the corner wall and foundation of the place. It was built in gray bricks and clay, just like how the walls are built. Then, a blackish rock on top, called slate, is used on the rooftop. Serving as protection from the torrent storms and the fiery sunlight.
Looking around, they noticed fountain
on the center, with stone pavements used as the pathways and flooring of the place. The fountain was built in limestone, a goddess bestowing gifts to mankind. Water spewing out of her basket, as she smiled, happy to help the impoverished. They left their horses at the castle gates, tying them using a leash. Then, they headed towards the entrance of the villa.
"Diana, don't you think it's been quiet for quite some time?" He said, as he walked up the stairs, towards the doors.
"Well, quite, but we just have to be on our guard. Hoping that we aren't too late" Diana replied, feeling uneasy about the silence the place emits.
They didn't stumble on any corpse on their way towards the doors, except for the guards at the gates. Only the splash of water on the fountain is to be heard at the middle of the night.
Joshua opened the door, which made a creaking sound as it was pushed, letting some of the moon's light shone across the halls. The main hall was deserted, with only two stairs leading up and two doors at each side was to be found. The two both stared at each other, thinking of a plan
"You check upstairs, I'll check here" Joshua said, as Diana gave a nod, and they went their separate ways. They walked slowly, as she had gone up the stairs, while he opened the nearest door to the left. Hoping that whatever happened here, they weren't too late. As Diana had gone up, she steeled her nerves, knowing that whatever she will see, it won't be a pleasant one.
She took the right side, moving along towards the corridors, cautiously not making a sound to not alert the assassin of their presence. As she was walking, she noticed that one of the doors are a little ajar. Only making a little opening towards the room. She then dispelled the light spell she casted a while ago, and slowly opened the door to the right. What she saw was nauseating, even for her, as she fight herself, trying not to vomit.
Blood splattered at the whole room, with eyes, nose, hands, arms scattered across the room. Guards, wearing chainmail armor, were torn to half. Faces of the murdered stare at her, a look of pure terror evident on their faces. As if they were killed by an innumerable amounts of fear.
A girl pulled out of hair, a lot blood on the parts were her hair was suppose to be. In her mouth, was something inconceivable, that even made Diana angered than ever. Amidst the massacre, a boy was on the far corner, crying, as if scared from what he saw.
"A boy, someone's alive" Diana thought, as she was about to run towards the boy. She saw something at the corner of her eye, a man holding a dagger. Sitting atop the countless corpses of guards, with the prime minister and his family at the top.
"Well, well Diana, pleasure to meet you here" The man said. He was wearing a long black robe, with the cloak covering his face. He was wearing black pants and what seems to be a black shirt. He was sitting with legs crossed.
"Who are you? And how do you know me?" Diana shouted as sheasked, confused about how the guy knew her, and furious about the massacre he created, especially the little girl. Anger evident onto her voice. Her face beet red by fury. Wanting revenge for what he had done.
"Calm down Diana, for you don't remember your old friend?" The man replied, making her calm down. Which, for Diana, made her a lot more infuriated.
"Calm down!?" She shouted. "You monster! HOW CAN YOU DO THIS, ESPECIALLY TO A LITTLE GIRL!?!?" She shouted as she pointed to the girl next to the boy in the corner. Her eyes blank, as if she her mind was never there. While the man is amused of her behaviour. Her anger. Her fury.
"The girl is still alive, what you see is only but an illusion to her, and to the ones seeing it. Including you." He said calmly, as if he weren't affected by his surroundings.
"But the ones surrounding her, I'm afraid, are far from an illusion" He replied as he grinned. As he pointed the corpses surrounding him. There, he chuckled. Overjoyed by what he sees as interesting to him.
"Diana" He said. "Don't you remember several years ago? A boy you met at the garden? The boy who cared for you after your mother died. The boy that captivated your precious, feeble heart?" He said. As he lowered his cloak. The brown, calculative eyes. His dark, untidy hair. His warm and relaxing smile. He stood up and came down the pillaring corpses. Putting his hands at the pockets of his robe. Facing Diana, eye to eye.
"Si....Sion?" She said, hit by the painful realization, as she didn't find the words to explain. Her legs gave out, shocked by the sudden revelation. She failed to unsheath her sword, for there are no words to explain what she felt. Betrayal. Disappointment. Relief. After longing for him for several years. After she patiently waited for so long....
Before they could even speak, a man suddenly charged towards the door as he just finished his spell.
"Fylakízo" He shouted. Iron chains came from behind him, imprisoning Sion, tying him up. Rendering his ways to escape the household. Him struggling to break free, but to no use. The spell was too strong, even for him to dispel.
"Are you okay Diana?" Joshua asked. Worried about what happened and calming her as she shuddered by the certain thought. Makiing her to utter a single word. Clasping her hands to her ears, not wanting to hear the truth.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?" He yelled. Furious to whatever Sion did to Diana. His hands shivering in anger, his vision darkened.
"Really, I did nothing but tell the truth" He said, still struggling to break free to no avail. A smug grin evident on his face, which made Joshua angrier even more. He formed a fist and was about to punch the living hell out of Sion till Sion spoke.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you" He warned. His fist stopped nearly at Sion's face, a few inch before it actually hit.
"And why should I?" He said, now trying to calm himself and see reason. His anger slowly diminishing.
"You should probably go outside and take a look" Sion replied, as he blankly stared at him. Joshua, then checked the iron chains imprisoning Sion, before he had gone towards the window, looking for anything outside. His body and face suddenly stiffened, as if frozen by fear.
Diana, regaining herself slowly, asked. "What's wrong Joshua?"
Then, Joshua looked at her. His face, saying that something far worst has happened. Something he never thought to see in his lifetime. He forced himself to speak.
"The kingdom, Diana, it's burning"