This was it. This
magnificent spire that towered before me was the culmination of
my journey. For better or worse, I would find the truth.
When I entered it was as
though I had entered Althena's shrine. It was cold, dark, and
empty. Not a living soul was about. I checked the few treasure
chests I came across but all were empty.
I made my way to the
southwest end of the first floor and found huge closed doors. I
hadn't found a key to unlock them. Even though I knew they would
not open I tried to pry the large doors apart. Anything to get
them open.
"There is no need for
that Yasuo. Answer my question and the doors will open."
I turned to see an elderly
man in majestic robes and silvery hair.
"Damon?"
"Yes. Now, Yasuo: What
is the foundation of all life, which was given by the Goddess
Althena?"
Was this a test? If so, it
was quite easy. "Why, magic, of course."
"Correct, you may
proceed." He vanished and the doors opened.
I slowly climbed the
stairs. There must be some kind of catch. Something to do with
magic.
And as Althena would have
it I was attacked by a group of Bat Knights as I reached the
second floor. A few flame bombs took care of them rather quickly.
I hastened to the northeast end of this floor, something guiding
me yet I knew not what. Fortunately, the few battles I fought did
not take much effort. Most of my wounds from the battle back at
Reza had healed, but my back I was unsure of. One true hit to my
back could mean my end.
"Well done Yasuo. Now,
another question must you answer before moving on: What is the
power that controls strength?"
"Skills and
technique." I did not excel at swordplay, but I knew that
without skills and technique a swordsman is lost and could quite
easily be bested. But why was Damon asking these simple
questions? Best not to wonder I suppose. At least I was able to
answer them.
"Correct again."
The doors opened to the third floor.
As I climbed the stairs to
the third floor, I was overcome with a sense of dread. Magic was
needed to overcome the monsters on the previous level, but if I
needed special skills and techniques for this level then there
was a great possibility that I would not make it. I hadn't any
extraordinary skills or techniques with my sword.
The Hell Giants were in
abundance to my misfortune. There were at least two in every room
I tiptoed through. I saw the stairs leading to the fourth floor,
when the hairs rose on the back of my neck. I turned to see a
Hell Giant looking down at me with what I could only guess passed
as an evil grin, before it's massive arm sent me flying into the
wall on the other side of the room.
The pain in my back was
unbearable. I could not move an arm without pain radiating to the
tips of my fingers. I took deep breaths trying to rise above the
throbbing.
I used the wall as support
and could hear other Hell Giants entering the room. I peered
around the corner, and saw that two more occupied the room. I
hadn't much hope that I could run fast enough to escape a fight
with them. I looked around the room, there had to be some way
that I could indirectly fight them.
I closed my eyes and began
gathering the magic energy from around me. My body became warm,
and when I opened my eyes my hands were glowing. I hoped that
this would work!
"ICE LANCE!" The
power of all my concentrated magic summoned the icicles that
pierced not only the floor, but the ceiling as well! Like bars of
a jail cell the Hell Giants were trapped on the other side.
My triumph was short lived
as a sudden wave of dizziness washed over me and I almost passed
out. I staggered toward the stairs once again hoping that there
were no Giants waiting for me.
To my surprise there was a
man lying on the floor by the staircase.
"Sir? Are you all
right?" He appeared to be asleep.
I jumped back as his eyes
suddenly opened. "UGH! Help me, please! My stomach is going
to explode! UGH!"
I had two healing nuts
left, and I knew I needed one now. I looked back to the man and
he was clutching his stomach in such agony. If it was anything
like what I was going through then he unquestionably needed one.
Perhaps I would not need the other one.
I kneeled down beside him.
"Here sir, take this healing nut."
He looked up at me and then
sat up. "Thank you Yasuo, you are very kind."
My eyes widened in
surprise. His closed and a white light surrounded him; moments
later it was gone and Damon stood before me with an outstretched
hand. I gratefully took it and he helped me to stand.
"I can see you are
hurt badly, do you wish me to teleport you back to the first
floor? You could return with your friends."
"No, Damon. I wish to
continue." I reached into my bag and pulled out a Healing
Nut, I noticed that there were two again.
"Very well then. You
have passed the test for this floor. Please continue."
Halfway up the stairs I sat
down. Had I been wrong? Should I have continued on with Kirei and
Kage, then came here? This would have been so much easier. I
could have done without all of this ache. My back was bleeding
once again. All the Healing Nuts in the world now would most
likely have no effect. The dizziness had left with the help of
the last nut, and a starlight restored half my magic.
I took a deep breath and
rose. I knew not how many floors remained, but I could not stop
now.
On the fourth floor thank
Althena there were few monsters to deal with, and the ones I was
forced to fight were easy enough to kill. The last room I entered
was completely empty. No doors, nor stairs.
"Yasuo, I will give
you time now to heal, and one last chance to decide whether you
wish to return later or continue you on to the next floor.
Circumstances as they are, I will open the way to the fifth floor
without a challenge, only this one time." Damon's voice
echoed throughout the large room.
"I will heal now and
continue on Damon. I have come so far that it would be foolish to
turn back now. Again, I thank you."
The wall at the north end
of the room open and stairs leading up were revealed.
I was becoming weaker much
faster now. I took the last Healing Nut from my bag and ate it. I
could feel minor wounds and bruises heal. I closed my eyes and
took a few deep breaths and continued on.
The fifth floor was as
eerie as the first. Only there were warrior statues everywhere,
their lifeless eyes following my every move. Thank Althena there
were no enemies to contend with.
I then came upon the last
room where a pile of clay lay in the middle of the floor. Much
like the last room on the fourth floor, there were no doors, nor
stairs.
"Your last test Yasuo.
You must create something with the clay that will move me. Call
my name when you are done."
I looked back to the pile
of shapeless clay on the floor. Something that would move him?
How could I mold anything to move him, when I knew him not? If
Kirei and Portia were here they would know what to make. They
would have some clue. I could not think of one thing. Nothing
that that would surely move him.
I touched the clay and
squeezed, it was cool to the touch as it moved between my
fingers. My hands seemed to take on a mind of their own and
before too long I was finished.
I stood and moved a few
feet back.
Had I created the
absolutely beautiful sculpture before my eyes? I had never
touched clay a day in my life! It most definitely moved something
within me, but would it have the same effect on Damon? This
sculpture that looked so much like a fusion of Portia and Kirei?
With Portia's beastman ears, and eyes, and Kirei's mouth and long
pony-tailed hair...
"Damon."
"It is a magnificent
piece Yasuo. Something that could only come from the heart. Your
soul emanates from this creation, and it indeed moves me. Please,
carry on to the next floor."
I felt a moment of peace
then as I gazed at the statue. But that peace disappeared the
moment that the statue vanished. The stairs to the next floor
appeared.
How I wish that Portia and
Kirei were here. I needed their strength.
When I entered the six
floor, if felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from my
shoulders. This was the top of the spire. No more fighting no
more tests.
"Well done Yasuo.
Please, come and sit." Damon beckoned from behind a huge
mahogany desk.
I sank into the comfortable
chair, thankful for the rest. But the moment was fleeting as I
looked to Damon. Now that I was at last here I was unsure what to
ask. I could not just blatantly ask. Could I?
"I have followed your
quest here from Vane, Yasuo. I know the hardships you had to
endure to make it thus far. Whatever is on your mind, feel free
to ask me. I hope however that whatever it is that you ask that I
am able to provide you with the answers."
I pushed my hood off.
"What is happening to me Damon?" At least he was not
surprised, or was good at hiding it.
"Yes, your
metamorphosis."
He looked thoughtful, and I
became uneasy. Was he not the all knowing one? If he had been
following my travels, then would it not stand to reason that he
would know that I was here to ask that very question and would
already have the answer? It seemed to me the most obvious of any
question I would ask him. Then again, perhaps he was hoping to
put it into kind words.
"Please Damon,
whatever it is, tell me. Tell me in full, do not hold anything
back."
"Hold nothing
back?" He laughed. "As you wish..." He snapped his
fingers and from out of no where a body fell onto his desk!
I stood and looked
closer... What was this? Damon's body! But how? What? I looked
up.
"You are such a
foolish twit Yasuo. Did you really think that you were going to
find the answers so easily? That they would be hand fed to
you?" Damon moved around the desk to stand beside me, his
skin began to melt away...
"Royce!"
"Why so surprised
Yasuo? I know that by now you had to have put together the fact
that you were being followed. Vane, Meribia, Althena's Shrine,
Nanza... I thought Reza made it unquestionable clear."
"But why? All this
time..." I was losing my mind. I had risked the life of
others and mine own to get here, and now I would continue to live
without knowing what was happening to me? It could not be! I
would kill the witch!
"Poor, pitiful, Yasuo.
You have something that Ghaleon and my sisters want of course. Is
that not what all villains want? Something that helps them in
their quest of world domination?" She laughed and continued.
"Do not worry so much Yasuo, you are involved in a great
mission. Ghaleon will reward you greatly."
Ghaleon was involved in
this! How in the hell did I not hear about this? "Ghaleon is
the Magic Emperor?"
"That is quite a jest
Yasuo. You almost had me fooled... you are not joking are you?
How could you not know! Well no matter, now you do. Oh and before
I go, I know you are just dying to know about your precious
Portia..." Her voice trailed off in that way that makes a
normally sane person want to do tremendous harm upon the other
person.
"Out with it! Are you
going to tell me she is dead? That you killed her to spite me! I
will not believe you. If that had been your intent you would have
left her body for me to find."
"Well apparently you
do have some brains. Quite right Yasuo. She is alive and well.
Though I am not quite sure you would recognize her in her
present... state. Oh well now, look at the grains! I stood here
torturing you long enough. I have other evil witchy things to
attend to while you continue with your suffering. Take care now,
Yasuo. Give Kirei a big kiss for me." Her laughter echoed
throughout the room.
I wanted to scream and
break something. I smothered the impulse and turned to the desk
where the late Damon lay.
"I am to blame for
your death Damon. I will not even ask your soul for forgiveness.
Your death will not be in vain I promise. I will find out what is
happening in this world. Lunar shall miss your wisdom." I
unhooked my cape and began covering his body with it.
"Do not... blame
yourself Yasuo."
He was alive! I leaned
closer to hear his whispers.
"You now know that
Ghaleon is... involved. I am unsure of what he... wants... from
you. Travel to the Frontier. Find... Althena..."
"I must get help for
you! I can..."
"No! I am not... long
for this world Yasuo. Your change... your dreams... read my
books."
My stomach was in knots; I
could do nothing to save him. No matter what he said, I knew this
was my doing.
"I will Damon."
"Your statue... it was
equal... to that of Althena. I saw it before... before Royce...
Kirei is..."
I closed my eyes in a
moment of silent prayer, asking Althena to keep safe Damon's
spirit, and gently closed his eyes. I pulled the cloak the rest
of the way over the wise man, and tried to calm my frayed nerves.
If only I could have made it here sooner! My change and dreams
were connected? I had begun to think so as well, but I was unsure
of how. And Kirei, what was he going to say about her?
I had to find Kirei first,
and then I would come back to read this books. Something must
have happened to her!
"Yasuo! What
happened?" I turned to see an unsteady Kirei in the doorway.
"Kirei!" I was at
her side in the next moment. "Are you all right? You are not
wounded?" I scanned her arms and such looking for injuries.
"I am fine Yasuo. Just
tired." I led her over to the chair and knelt before her.
"Kage and I were almost to Iluk when I could no longer shake
the feeling of dread I felt. I had to come here. I know it is not
what you wanted, but I could not stay away. I had to be with
you!"
Her blue eyes looked into
mine with that same look at the crossroads.
"Kirei..."
"Yasuo, I..."
"Quiet now."
We leaned toward each other
and our lips met with emotion so indescribable. Her hands cupped
my face and drew away.
She sniffled and her tears
flowed once more. "Please, forgive me..."
"Kirei?" My eyes
widened with a mixture of surprise and fear, and then a roar of
pure agony clawed from my very soul and ripped through each cell
of my being. How could I have so quickly forgotten Royce's last
words! I rose only to fall to my knees again. My vision blurred
with a red haze... The sickness!
I could vaguely hear
Kirei's cries. The cloud of confusion formed again... I was able
to open my eyes only to see blood running from the tips of my
fingers as long sharp claws grew out from under my fingernails.
As before my tears were my blood.
The last thing I remember before the darkness took over was Kirei's blood and her look of utter terror as I knelt over her trembling body.
§ Chapter 12 § Tear Main § Chapter 14 §
