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Chapter 3: The Spirit Awakens |
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Over the next year, we trained in the camp and went out on some very minor missions. Every night, after everyone was in their quarters, I would meet the Emperor in the circle and we would train our techniques. Though, one night near the end of our training, when we met something new happened. As I channeled my energy I felt a sudden burst, almost like a flame run through my body. There was another presence in me, something evil that should not have been awakened. I remember with vivid detail what happened next. I had this strange aura around me; it was so powerful the ground began to crack. Quickly, I moved behind the Emperor and swept his feet out from under him, then punched him in the back with all of the force I could muster. He flew across the grounds and into a stable, sending the horses running. This had of course awoken the entire camp and they came outside to see what was going on. I moved with demonic speed towards my opponent, grabbed him by the neck and threw him up into the air. I crouched down, and jumped high into the air above him. I saw the look of terror in his eyes and that drove me further into my rage. I began to pummel him in mid-air then knocked him away, and repeated this process for more than an hour. Finally, I launched him far above the camp, and moved above him. I shouted “This is the end of you!” and focused all my energy into the next attack. With both hands I struck him down towards the ground, listening to the screams of the camp as he rocketed towards the ground. Just before he slammed into the ground, I recovered from what had taken over me, and looked in shock of what was about to happen. I tried to fall and catch up to him to slow his descent, but there was nothing I could do. He crashed into the sand, sending out a shockwave that knocked everyone off of their feet, and I landed on my feet a few yards away from the impact. I walked over to see what had happened, and the sight I saw has been burned into my memory ever since. There he was, the mighty Emperor, skin shredded, bleeding, and severely terrified of what had just happened.
Over the next few weeks the only people who came near me where Ryuka and Avalon. After seeing what I was capable of, the other soldiers avoided all contact with me. One day, the camp healers told me that the Emperor would like the see me. As I walked into the tent, I felt an overwhelming guilt wash over me as I saw him broken and shattered in that cot. He said in a weak voice “Sokein, what was that that you released that night? I have never seen a technique of such strength. Do you have any idea of the power you posses?!” I replied, dumbstruck by these words “Sir, I do not know what happened inside of me that night, I felt like there was another being inside of me, trying to spill as much blood as possible.” After what seemed like an eternity, he said “I have heard legends tell of such power, but no one has ever seen such a thing. I will summon a historian from the King; he may know more of what happened. If you posses what I think you do, you are the fate of this entire kingdom. That is all, return to your room, and continue your normal training, for obvious reasons, I will not be able to train with you at night, so I will entrust you to train alone.” As I walked back, I couldn’t help but wonder what he meant by “You are the fate of the entire kingdom”, but it felt like what he said was true. As I slept that night, I knew something important had been started when I unleashed that power.
Exactly one month later, I met with the historian the Emperor had sent for. He told me the legend of the Sealed Dragon. Once, long ago, a great dragon almost destroyed the entire kingdom, but one warrior who had a hidden technique that was rumored to resemble the one I had unleashed that night. The legend goes on to say that the battle took place for seven days and seven nights in the Valley Of Fear. On the eighth day, a great wave rushed across the land, the Final Strike was about to be unleashed. They knew this was the end of the battle, for when the wave stopped, a great red beam of light shot into the clouds from where the Dragon was. The Dragon was sealed into the mountains and a temple was built around the place where he fell, so that there would always be guardians around this sacred ground. With a grave look in his eyes, the historian said “The latest translations of the legend foretell the coming of a great Knight. When the knight reaches his potential, the Dragon will wake and begin the reign of terror over again. We believe you are on the path to becoming this legendary knight.” Confused and reeling from this story, I responded with “So you believe that this legendary knight’s power is inside of me? Why have I never felt it before?” “I do not know, my boy. But all we know is that you have great potential that is waiting to be unlocked. Your trainer, Talon, has agreed to hand you over to the Debari, a secret and powerful group that trains those of great talent in the ways of Spirit Combat. Will you go to them and receive training so that you may unlock this potential? But know this, you will be going alone, your companions will not see or hear from you until you are finished training.” I told him I would think it over and give him my answer tomorrow.
That night, I called a meeting with Ryuka and Avalon; I wanted to discuss what I had been told. After I explained to them what I was told and offered, I asked them “What do you think I should do, my friends? I want to protect this land but I don’t know if I can abandon you like this.” Avalon thought for a second and said “I think you should go, no matter how long we are separated, we will be friends for eternity. Go, train and grow strong so that someday we will be able to protect this land like none before.” I nodded, and looked to Ryuka. Something was wrong, she was shaking, and I noticed tears on the ground. Before I could say anything she ran off into the shadows. I told Avalon that I would handle this and to get some rest. I looked for hours trying to find her, and finally spotted her at the top of the Northwest tower. As I came up behind her, she spun around and tried to strike me, but slipped and fell into me as I caught her in my arms. I looked into her tear-filled eyes and asked what was wrong. “You’re leaving me, after all we have been through, and you are going to drop all we hoped for to do something that a stranger asked of you! What about our families and friends that were slaughtered?! What about Avalon and me?! How can you do this?” I never realized she felt this way, but I realized in that moment that I felt the same way. In a low voice I whispered to her “I will never abandon you. I will always be with you, in heart and soul. But this is something I must do, if the legend is true, and I do nothing, what is the point of getting revenge? It will not mean a thing.” Still in our embrace, we stared into each others eyes for an eternity. Finally, she backed up and said “Very well, but I want you to swear to me, on your life, that you will come back. That you will not leave me alone, that no matter how far you go, you will never forget your friends.” I wrapped my arms around her again, and said gently “I swear on all that is right and just, I will return to you.” We sat on the edge of the tower and looked out over the land, embracing each other until the sun came up.
-Xhaos Incarnate- · Thu Feb 22, 2007 @ 04:15am · 1 Comments |
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