"Follow your heart, Agapios. Do whatever you can to achieve this dream of yours." a tear flowed out of Agapios' eye. It seemed like an eternity but also an instant since he had last heard this soft and caring voice.
The gentle warm breeze, the sun hanging high in the sky, it made everything so appeasing. Agapios opened his eyes, his pale blue eyes looked at the clear blue sky in confusion.
"No....I was with....with who was I? This voice, who does it belong to?" Agapios felt like he had forgotten about everything, he slowly stood up and looked around.
He was standing in the middle of a large wheat field. When he looked far away in the horizon, he could distinguish the large stone walls of Lithen, the largest city of the Kingdom of Turhen.
Looking at it made Agapios feel sick. He could smell, hear and sense the negative and bad emotions to the deepest layers of his being. Prostitution, murder, r*pe, kidnapping, this was everything he could think of when he looked at Lithen.
In fact, not only Lithen, but the whole Human land. The Human land was divided in three Kingdoms. The Kingdom of Thuren, The Kingdom of Loren and the Kingdom of Ephemestos. Two of the three Kingdoms were filled with poverty, sin and crime, Ephemestos being the most prosper of the three.
One would ask himself why the two Kingdoms turned like that. One would say that it's because of the unending invasions of the Orcs and the forces of Chaos. Agapios would not completely agree to that statement.
"Yes, the Orcs and the forces of Chaos have ragaved the two Kingdoms. But why do us, the Humans, still fight against each other when it's imperative for us to unite?" Agapios shook his head in dissapointment and sadness. He was sad because of the fate the Humans had shaped for themselves.
"The invasions have brought destruction. Destruction brought in negative energy. Negative energy gives birth to negative emotions. Negative emotions in a prolonged period of time are the triggers to negative actions. It's a vicious cycle that needs to be disrupted. As long as we do not unite and as long as the Orcs and the forces of Chaos invade and ragave without been stopped, the vicious cycle will never cease to exist."
The fate the Human race had shaped for itself was complete destruction, decimation, it was to be erased from the face of the world. Only because the Humans have allowed the negativity to corrupt their spirits, their minds, their whole beings. Agapios could not be mad about this. All the atrocious sights they must have beholded, all the suffering they experienced, madness was the only possible outcome.
"Everyday they pray, the Gods never respond to their prayers. The Gods have lost hope for us, they have forsaken us, it's sad. But I will not let sadness take over my mind, I must strife forward. If the Gods have no intentions to help us anymore, then I'll be the one who'll help the ones in need." Agapios picked his sword up from the ground. He walked down the wheat field towards the dark and sinister city of Lithen.
When Apagios made his way out of the wheat field, the wheat lost its beautiful golden color and became darker. His presence only made things more beautiful, Apagios had no idea about it. He left the vicinity of the wheat field and walked on the large stone road that led to Lithen's massive door.
"Good sir.....fo-food please. I'm hungry....food." Agapios looked in pity at the bonny men who was literally suffering from hunger. His eyes seemed lifeless, his voice had no strength, his energy had left his body, his soul was slowly fading away. Agapios sat on the stone road next to the man.
"My friend, I have no food, I have no money. I only have my sword and my long white tunic. Tell me, what can I do to appease you?" the bonny men looked at Agapios with widened eyes, it was the first someone called him 'friend'. He smiled and closed his eyes.
"End m-my....life of suffering. I beg....of you kind sir." those words shattered Agapios' heart, for a man to beg for his death was truly terrible. There was no gift better than life itself, one had to sherish this gift more than anything else.
"I'm not willing to take your life, my friend. No matter what you are living, no matter how much you suffered, embrace life. Embrace it more than anything else. Tell me, what is your name?" the bonny man was dissapointed, he wanted to die. He had suffered enough in this cruel world, he didn't know why Agapios didn't want to kill him with a slash of his blade.
"Since...my birth, I've seen people...kill other people like they were insects. Life has no worth in Thuren(1). I've crawled....like a dog from Lithen(1) to here-" Agapios placed his finger on the bonny men's dry lips.
"Forget about the past, live in the present. What has been done, has been done. You've crawled away from Lithen, because you sherished your life, if you stayed there you would've already been dead with all the evil people living in this hellhole. This is the proof that you sherish your life, so never beg for your death. Answer my question, what is your name?" the bonny man didn't dare to look in Agapios' eyes from shame, he averted his look and gazed down.
"My n-name is....Thoman." Agapios nodded, he placed his hand on Thoman's head. He started to murmur all kind of gibberish, Thoman looked at Agapios both in confusion and amazement. His body started to gain color, Thoman's pale skin became beige. His tired face visibly gained some extra energy.
"What have you done to me, savior? My skin became colorful, my tiredness faded away!" Agapios smiled, his heart blossomed. He could see how Thoman became lively in the way he spoke. Agapios helped Thoman up and acted like a support. Regaining his energy didn't mean to be able to properly walk again. Thoman's muscles and bones were weak because of the lack of food.
"I'm no savior Thoman, my name is Agapios. Will you follow me back to Lithen? I have things to take care off." Thoman's expression changed by just hearing the name of the city.
"Savior Agapios, you must not be from Thuren. Judging from your name and blond hair, you must be from Ephemestos(2). Lithen is the most terrible city you'll ever visit in your life! Many who enter the city without knowing the dangers are never to be found again! When they'll see your handsome appearance, your shoulder length blond hair, your blond beard, they will know that you're from Ephemestos!" Agapios wasn't scared one bit.
"Let them come to me, I shall purify their evil and corrupted spirits! From Ephemestos to here, I've traveled to rid the corrupted Humans from evil. Thoman, guide me in my quest! Show me the atrocities of Lithen and I shall show you my might!" Thoman couldn't help but smile, his eyes suddenly glimmed with hope. He had witnessed Agapios' strange powers, not even mages were capable of reinvigorating a dying man in a matter of seconds.
"Savior Agapios! I, Thoman, will guide you through the atrocities of Lithen. The Gods have finally answered our prayers by sending you, a true man of the good to save us, the Humans." Agapios nodded a few times, he didn't answer Thoman. One thing was sure, the Gods had not sent him, he could only remember been able to wield those powers since a young age back in Ephemestos.
"Let's go, Thoman. It's time for us to walk to Lithen. If you get tired, just tell me and we'll take a break." Agapios supported Thoman, the two of them walked down the stone road towards the Infamous Lithen, the city of atrocities.
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(1) The Kingdom of Thuren is the only Human Kingdom bordering with both the land of the Orcs and the land of Chaos, making it the Kingdom with the baddest state. Its largest city is the Infamous Lithen.
(2) The Kingdom of Ephemestos is the most prosper among the three Human Kingdoms, its people are recognized by their blond hair and blue eyes. The people of the other two Kingdoms are envious of them, it happened that some Ephemests were killed because of that.