TheAwakening

Lifting the Shadows

Dark Age Chronicles

AfanfictionofMidwaysMace:TheDarkAge

By
GiuseppeNg

Part II

Wemustmakehaste!

In the large stone halls of Katraz, the floating palace of the dead, the blind monk in tattered
robes, Xiao Long, urged as his spirit companion, Toghun Qaimish, as the ghost in armour
helped him navigate the castle keep. Every so often, Xiao Long wouldhaltbeforefallinginto a
meditative trance, feeling the threadsoftheTapestryofEternitytoknowhowclosetheywereto
hiscomrades.

As the two went through each hall, Xiao Longwouldsayaprayertokeeptheundeadmonsters

that lurked in the deepest recesses of the castle from finding them. With every step the monk
took, he could tell they were closer to Mordos Kulls thread. He realized, however, that along
with the mercenary, something sinister approached him. If he was going to save Mordos Kull,
timewasoftheessence.

"Dregan is there, Galap.", Toghun swiftly identified the threat that Xiao Long sensed. "The
master of this labyrinth of dreams and memories has come to take his spirit away.", headded,
feelingthatalltheirefforttoaidthemercenarywouldbefornaught. "Yourcompanionistrapped
byhisownpast.Thereisnochanceforhimtobefreeoftheseshackles!"

"Not if we find them, my friend.", Xiao Long quickly cut the spirit guide while sprinting through
the hallway. As soon as he uttered those words, however, his senses told him there was a
strangesourceofenergy,andthatthiswasneitherKullnorDregan.

"That warrior is only knownastheExecutioner.",Toghun'svoiceechoedinXiaoLong'smindas

heexplained."Itisamagicalconstructthatharnessesthesoulsharvestedbytheferryman."

TheFerryman

Xiao Long remembered his battle with the monster that scoured through Vitulia. They wereall
slaves forced to carry on the bidding of the King of the Undead. Each of them brought those
souls to the Executioner to twist life and conjure some horrifying spell. What spell could ever
needsuchwidespreaddestructionofnature?


"It is the will of the dark lord, Asmodeus.", Toghun answered with great certainty the question
that hovered in Xiao Longs mind. The greatdevilisthearchitectofthisgrandschemeandhe
standstoreceivegreatprowessattheexpenseofalltheliving.

The blind monk, Xiao Long, realized that the threat to corrupt all of nature and life could only
come from one being that possessed the essence of millions of souls. This dark corruption
spread throughout Ebrio and Vitulia, reaching far and wide into Ruffun. Every life touched
twisted into terrible abominations, the same kind of magic that conjured the agents of
destruction:theferrymen,theExecutioner,andKoyasha.

"Sheischanging,butisittoomuchtoosoon?"

"It was the only way to saveherafterthephantasmicattack. Icanonly hopethatmymemories

can shape her morality.", Xiao Long responded as he sensed the world around him change.
Katrazs stone dungeon walls opens out into a vast world of mountain rangesengulfedinwalls
of fire. There was wreckage everywhere, smoldering from the unstoppable destruction of
Asmodeus horde. Right before the two was the castle walls of Medlum,thescreamsofagony
couldbeheardfromwithinthecity.

Toghun quickly turned to Xiao Long, the grave seriousness in his voice evidentforthemonkto
hear.YourealizethatwhatyouvedonebestoweduponherAerendescurse?

It is a curse and a blessing, Toghun. It will show her the life and existence that a soulless
vessel could never realize. She hasthechancetoleadanobleexistence. Aerendesgiftisthe
key.

Your past is not theonlyoneshehastosortout., Galapimmediatelyshot back. Thisplaceis

teeming with various lives, each of them bearing miserable tales of tragedy. Aerendes curse
meansshecouldbeseeingallofthematonce.

Xiao Longs eyes glowed with energy, his senses revealing thecastlewallsofthebesiegedcity
before him. This tragic memory was incredibly vivid and having the ninja Koyasha relive all of
that was indeed agreatdanger. Yet,themonkwasnot asdistressedashislongtimecomrade.
Ihavefaithinher.,camehiscurtyetconfidentresponse.JustasAerendehadfaithinme.

~o~

AtoasttothechampionofMedlum!

Thewomanwithemeraldeyes!Sheiscoming!

The high windows of the banquet hall shattered into a million pieces asthemadladyleaptout.
Mordos Kulls wife was a shell of herself, her regal dress and jewelries could not hide the
insanity that stirred inside of her. She had had enough of the mental torture, choosing death
thanliveanothermomentofit.

Mordos Kull watched in horrorashiswifeplummetedtoherdoom. Standinginthebanquethall

and surrounded by skeletal warriors bearing the hydra emblem, the griefstricken mercenary
readied his morningstar while preparing for the worst. Beyond the skeletal horde was Dregan,
laughingashestruckdowneveryguestofthehall.

"Mordos Kull, the fool who thinks he can defy me.",Dregansnidelychidedthemercenarywhile

his fingers toyed an all too familiar coin: the token from Ebrio. Twisting your loved one into
madnesswaseasy.Themindisafragilething.,headded,tossingthetokenontoMordosfeet.

DukeofEbrio,1300

EmeraldEyes

Mordos Kulls gaze fell upon the token on the ground, seeing it glow with a strange arcane
power. He could hear from it the screams of his wife as she agonized about those green
emerald eyes that haunted her. Lingering on the token on the ground, the mercenary saw
flashesofapainfulmorerecentpast.

Iamtheladyofyourdestiny.Iholdtheanswersyouseek.

Takethesacrificeforthecovenant...

The mercenary remembered showing the coin to his love, Teresa. He could see the swift
change in her demeanor as soon as it was revealed. The moment Teresa touched the coin a
burst of light blinded Mordos Kull to everything but her face. Her eyes glowed with an energy
4

that he had never witnessed before. What sort of witchcraft is this?, hemutteredunderneath
hisbreathinshock.

I am the lady of your destiny. Come and embrace your destiny, Mordos Kull., Teresa spoke,
but it was not her consciousness that addressed the mercenary. Mordos Kull knew the lady
who pulled the strings from afar. Taria had shared to him about sacrificing forthecovenantas
the means of lifting this horrifying blight that ravaged the world. Her call for his aid, however,
had meant all these painful deaths of those dearest to him. Now, while facing the agent of
destruction, he had to find the means tocompletethequestTariahad bestoweduponhim. But
there no such strength inhislimbs,hismind andsoulovercomewithgriefandagony. Hestood
there with the morningstar in his hands against thehordeofskeletalmonstersandcouldnotdo
anything.

I will strike you down, Cabredo, Kull, whatever name you may concoct for yourself. We, the
conspirators, know whoyouare.,Dregansaidmockinglyashemarchedforwardwithhissword
in hand. Impressive that youve managed to break the willofyourmistress. Itisashamethat
nobodyelsewilleverwitnesssuchprowess!

Withanguishtakingoverhim,MordosKulldroppedhisweaponsasDreganloomedlargebefore
him, hissword highup andreadytostrikethemercenarydown. Dreganswunghard,themalice
inhisglowingeyesburningintenselyonlytofindhisswingingbladestayedbyawoodenstaff.

Xiao Long swiftly and skillfully blocked the strike from the undead master. As theskeletalking
prepared for another strike, the blind monk spun and unleashed apowerfulenergythatpushed
further away all the warriors that circled them. Dregan however was unfazed by the display of
power.

Pretty, but pointless., the knight quipped before defiantly marching towards the monk. Xiao
Long used hisswiftnessashestruckDregancountlesstimes,butnothingseemedtoslowdown
theundeadknight.

We must flee., came the voice of the spirit Toghun, emerging from the shadows and
approaching Mordos Kull. Take my hand., the Sung Ku spirit calmly requested. Kull tried to
grab the hand before him and was surprised by the energy Toghun possessed as if the spirit
had become momentarily physical and tangible. Turning to Xiao Long, the spirit extended his
otherarmtoreachforthemonk'sshoulder."Galap,it'stime!"
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As soon as he heard those words, Xiao Long recited a short prayer and spreadhisarmswide.
A great wave of energy spread through the chamber. Everysingleskeletalwarriorengulfedby
the field froze still save for Dregan and his ever present companion, the Executioner. Toghun
grippedthemonk'sshoulderhardasablindinglightemanatedfromhisbody.

Flash!

That was all it took for the three to vanish without a trace. As the monk's power dissipated,
each of the skeletal warriors were released from their bonds. The banquet hall, engulfed in
flames, swiftly faded back into the cold dungeons of Katraz. Dregan seemed amused by
everything that had transpired, yet as he surveyed the scene before him, he found something
farmoreintriguing.

On the stone floor, at the foot of theflightofstairson thelefthall,wereseveraltinyseeds. The

skeletal knight looked closer at the seeds, recognizing that these had from certain rareplantin
the mountain ranges of Ebrio. "Hallita seedsss.", he hissed as the truth of Mordos Kull's
presence dawned upon him. "First, thisss lackey will perish. Then, I will make her pay.", he
utteredwithgreatintenserage.

~o~

WhatamIseeking?

The endless space of white emptiness slowly took shape and form of tall trees from Ruffun's
great forest. Through branch after branch, Koyasha dashed with incredible speed as many
thoughts swirled in her mind. She had witnessed many memories, fragments from various
walks of life, much of those images originating from the warrior known as Galap Hakan.
Through the visions, she had come to understand the vicious cycle of destruction he had
plunged himself into after the deaths of his loved ones. There was much pain and suffering
both in him and those around him. In the wake of his demolition,Galaphadalsocaused more
deaths,allinthenameofvengeance.

WhathaveIdone?

In the journey to understand Galapsbeing,Koyashasmindhadmanagedtotouchthefabricof

the Tapestry of Eternity. While listening to it, she had realized how much her existence had
mirrored Galaps past. Her heart beat furiously as faces of the dead flashed before her eyes.
Each of those dead men, women and children were caused by her own hand as Ichiro'sagent
ofdestruction.Thatwasthepurposeofherentireexistence,thereasonTariacreatedherfor.

ThePlague

Ruffun had descended into chaos as the curse reached far and wide. The influence of the
Covenant stretched from Europa, its darkness covering and corrupting everything in its path.
Ichiro sent the kunoichi ninja there, wielding the magic Taria had bestowed upon them. With
that prowess, the nation was overrun by the Covenant's monstrosities. Families were ruined.
Lives were taken, twisted into Ichiro's undead army. All the prince,Takeshi,coulddowasflee.
TheconquestofRuffunwascomplete.

Youareavesselwithoutasoul.

Yourejustakiller.

Koyasha unleashed the venom in the water supplies of every village in Ruffun. Not once did
she hesitate to destroy the villages inthenameofhermaster. Withoutunderstandingthevalue
oflife,shecouldnotpossiblytreasurethemenandwomenshehadwillfullyruined.

The undead knight Dregan was right to call her a killer. She was nothing but a merciless
assassin, willing to kill forhermaster. Therewasnorightorwronginherworld. Onlythewillof
her own master mattered to her. This was Tarias gift to Ichiro: a vessel without a soul, a
magicalconstructinexchangeforhisunfeignedloyalty.

DieGalap!Fall!

Koyasha remembered vividly that memory as it played back in her mind. The warrior, Galap
Hakan, and his vicious cycle of chaos had brought him to that fateful day when his own blood
lust would be his undoing. Everything he gained, he took by force. Alltherichesthathisarmy
seized, he claimed as his. It was only a matter of time before his own comrades would turn
againsthim.

There atop the hill, Toghun himself met the great warrior. Galap turned to him, wondering
where the promised mystical powerswouldbeburied. Atthatmoment,Toghununsheathedthe
knife to reveal the betrayal. In one swift motion, Toghun stabbed his brethren and Galap was
leftfordead,aloneatthefootofthehill.

Onlywhenyouvelearnedfromyourwickedwayswillthecursebelifted.

A strange voice echoed deep in Galaps mind as the pain seared inside him. He could nottell
the source of this personspeakingtohim,onlythatwhoever itwaswaseverpresent. Whoare
you?,Galapsvoicewasfailinghim.

I am Aerende, master of life and death.,thevoicespokewithasofttone. You,GalapHakan,

have caused unspeakablepaintothosearoundyou. Youandyourwarlordshavehelped cause
theimbalanceandforthat,allofyouwillbepunished.

What do you want from me?, Galap quickly tried to get to his feet, but his limbs were failing
him.

I will take your vision, warlord, for your eyes are beset with wickedness. You do not deserve
the gift of sight. Instead, I give you the curse of sense., Aerendes voice boomed loud in the
warriors ears. You will feel the agonyandthehorrifyingthoughts ofthosewhohaveperished.
You will feel every single pain of every drop of blood. This gift will rip the blindfold from your
eyes andshowyoutheripplesofdestruction. Onlywhenyouvelearnedfrom yourwickedways
willthecursebelifted.

Instantly following those words, many dead faces flashed before Galaps eyes. Many of them
wonder why they had been slain. Villageswererazedbythesenselessviolencehehadspread
throughout the nation of Sung Ku. Galap felt the anguish each and every life he had taken.
Horrors upon horrors were thrusted into his consciousness, driving him into the edge of
madness. The warlord would soon realize that the pain that rippled through his body was one
hewasfamiliarwith.

Gal recalled what it felt like to see his own family massacred by the oppressive rulers of long
ago. There he was,inhisburningvillage,withhisbloodieddeadsoninhis arms. Despairfilled
his heart and that swiftly turned to rage and vengeance, a terrible impulse that resonated with

the survivors of his village. Among those was Toghun Qaimish, the warrior who would rise to
becometrustedGalap'srighthandman.Thiswasthemanwhowouldsoonbetrayhim.

XiaoLong

The once great warlord was now a helpless blind, stumbling in the world of darkness as his
senses tortured him with grief, pain and agony. He understood then the gravity of his crimes.
Through Aerende's gift, he had seen the terrible consequence of the path of war he and his
followers had unleashed. The day of his enlightenment was the day Galap Hakan perished.
With great conviction, he vowed to be the rising dragon that uplifts the lives of thosewhohave
suffered. Dedicating his entire existence for Aerende, Xiao Long embarked on the journey to
RuffunandeventuallyhereinVitulia.

WhathaveIdone?

Koyasha pondered deeply the notion of right and wrong and how it shaped Xiao Long's days
since his transformation. Rousing from the rage and lust for vengeance, the warlord had
realized how much he had a hand in the tremendous suffering and oppression that stretched
throughout Sung Ku. Guilt and grief were powerful emotions that filled Xiao Long's heart, the
very same emotion that now gripped the ninja, Koyasha. Like the monk, Koyasha now
pondered on her own redemption. How could she pay back for the terrible deeds she had
done?

With no answer in sight,Koyashadeftlyleaptthrougheverytreebranch,feelingthecoolbreeze

as it stroke her hairandcaressedherface. Nomatterhowfastsheflewwiththewindhowever,
her greatly troubled heart continued to be tormented by her new found knowledge. The new
sensations that stirred within her mortified her to a state of panic. She closed her eyes as she
took every step into the endless wilderness, praying that she could flee from the torture that
constantly burdened her. Suddenly, she felt herself floating, drifting in what seemed to be an
emptyspace.

WhereamI?

Koyasha opened her eyes to the new world beforeher.Shefoundherselfinsomebedchamber

with large silky curtains billowing withthewind.Cladinsimplewhiterobes,sherousedfromher

bed to study her environment. The architecture was verymuchunknowntoher,lookingnothing

likeRuffunandmorelikeaharem.Shefeltnopainandherheartwasatease.

Immediately, she tapped into the new found senses, recognizing that this must be another
memory that she was witnessing. Before she could dwell deep into the Tapestry of Eternity,
however,adistressedwoman'svoicecalledouttoher.

Areyouhurt?Howareyoufeeling?

The ninjaturnedtohersidetoseeawomaninintricatelywovenrobes.A darksatinveilcovered

her long black hair, a great contrast to herbrightcomplexion.Sheboregreatbeautyandcharm
as she stepped in. Concern hung on her face, her eyes tensely fixed towards her bedridden
guest.

No matter how much she strained to remember, Koyasha could not recognize the lady before
her. With great curiosity, she decided to let the memory play out and see whatever insight she
couldliftfromit.

Who are you?, Koyasha heardwhatseemedlike afamiliarvoiceofa manwhosememoryshe

waswitnessing.

I am Princess Tulwara Ibrahim., the princess introduced herself carefully, Koyasha could
sense ahintofapprehensionfromthelady toguestunderhercare.Perhaps, thesetwowereno
morethanmereacquaintances.Idon'tknowifyourecall,butyouwerehurt.

I remember..., the man responded, his voice trailing as his mind drifted elsewhere. I
rememberthehundreddaymarch.

It was smolderingly hot that day. The morale of his knights had been crushed completely, the
sense of defeat still hovering in each and everyone's minds. Though their campaign had had
some successes, Ibrahim's horde of warriors were simply too much for them. So began their
hundreddaymarchastheyallfledbeforethehordecompletelyslewallofthem.

Tensions had been building swiftly with each day that passed with basic supplies running
alarmingly low. As the knightsmarchedforth,theysawasmallsettlementfromafar.Tomany of

10

the defeatedwarriors,thiswasachancetopillageforsupplies.Allofthem werewillingtoignore

theirfaithandoathsforthechancetoeasetheachesoftheirbellies.

"Stayyourblade!"

That was the call of this mysterious man to his fellow men. His voice boomed with authority,
pleading to them that there was no honor in slaying unarmed villagers. Nothing he said could
detertheknights,however,fortheywerealldrivenbythepinchofhunger.

This mysterious knight drew his sword without hesitation, swiftly putting himself between the
defenseless and his sworn brethrens. "You allmadeavowto aidtheoppressedandtheweak!
We serve his holiness and this is how you carry on his task? I willnotabandonmypromiseto
my faith and let you betrayers pillage this settlement!" He was fearless in his defense against
insurmountable odds. Carefully withthebluntendofhis sword,thewarriormade everyeffortto
keep them away without blood being spilled. Unfortunately, one of the knights snuck behind
himandwithonewellplacedstrike,themysteriousknightlosthisconsciousness.

"My people thanks you, brave knight, for standing by your principles. What you did was
admirable.", Princess Tulwara spoke with asenseofgratitudeoverthisunexpectedgesture. "It
is strange times when bitter enemies become allies in a mere span of days.", she added,
alludingtothebattleagainstIbrahim,herveryownfather.

"I only did what I thought was right, my lady.", the knight shared his own insight. He couldnot
help but wonder, however, what had transpired since he had been out cold. "Even so, I know
notwhathappened.Ifailed.Ifailedtostopthem.",heclosedwitharegretfulsigh.

"Nay, brave one.", Tulwara immediately interjected. "I was there when you made your stand.
Fortunately, my father's men arrived before your knights could begintheirassault. Withoutyou
toslowdowntheirprogress,bloodwouldhavebeenspilled."

"But, what happened to my brothers?", the knight asked with great concernforthementhathe
hadlivedwithforabetterpartofhislife."Wherearethey?"

Tulwara turned away, her gaze fixedatthevastskiesfromthenearbywindow. "Youknowvery

wellwheretheyare.Theyhadchosentheirpaths."

11

Grief and sorrow gripped the knight's heart, realizing that there had to be only one end to the
ordeal. His emotions touched the lone spectator of this memory. Koyasha felt the bond of
camaraderie that the knight had with his fellow men. I hope they finally find peace..., he
muttered under his breath ashisgazefellupontheshiny marbledfloor. Itwastheonly thinghe
coulddonow.

Where am I, my lady? Why am I here?, he asked while trying to piece together the missing
eventstogether.

Princess Tulwaras eyes remained on the vast and peaceful horizon, but the tightening of her
nerves was evident. I took you under my care., her voice was weak, almost whispering her
response. I know myfather isnot capableofmercyregardlessofthepersonsmerits. Nobody
knowsyoureheresaveforthoseItrust,thepeopleIholddear.

As she uttered those words, hermindseeminglydwelleduponathought,apersonthatshehad

longed to see again. With a sense of urgency, she turned towards the knight with a question
she held with great importance. Did you see a wizard? We were supposed to meet in the
village, that day. We always did. We used to..., there was a great struggle in her as she
pushedthewordsoutofhermouth.

Iamsorry,mylady.Untilwesawthesettlement,therouteshadbeendeserted.

"Tell me your name. I wish to know.", she spoke as their eyes met each other, both of them
lingeringinthatverymoment.

Itistimetoendtheoppressionyouwhore!

Halt!Releaseher!

Swiftly, a past memory flooded Koyashas senses, taking her back to a vision she once saw.
She remembered the knight who fell defending Tulwara from Khalids raiding rebels right until
hebreathedhislastwiththestrikeoftheaxeatthehandsoftheExecutioner.

~o~

12

Flashes of light assaulted Mordos Kulls sight as he floated into a vast empty space. Heknew
not where Toghun had sent him, only that the spirit had saved him from the clutches of the
undead king. While gathering his bearings, he could barely make out astrangeportalbursting
with a fury of colours before him. The mercenary found himself drawn to the mesmerizing
display,reachingouthishandstotouchthearcanestructure.

Itsalmosttime.Youknowwhatmustbedone.

Tarias words echoed in Mordos Kulls mind, a firm reminder of what he came here to do, well
before the distractions of his own past life. He knew he had to focus on the task at hand and
that every moment delayed would onlyaidintheirundoing. Ashetouchedtheportal,astrange
energysurgedthroughhim,finallytakinghimtohisdestination,butwhosetthatcourse?

It took a moment for Mordos Kull to find his bearings but he soon found himself in a royal hall
withundeniablyAravyanorigins. Tothefar leftwasathroneroomwithadeadkingsprawledon
the floor. At the very heart of the chamber was a dead woman, a princess with her dress in
tatters. Her eyes, sore from the tears, aimlessly stared at the ceiling. There was no peace in
herpassing,onlypain,agonyandshame.

Before the Vitulian mercenary could drawfurthercluesfrom thescene,amagicalportalopened

before him as Xiao Long, themonk,fellthroughandlandedgracefullywithstaffinhand. Unlike
Mordos,XiaoLongfeltunrattledbythejourney.

Wherearewe?,MordosKullquizzedthemonk.

I sense a power unlike anything before., Xiao Long muttered while tapping into his keen
senses. Memories are tangled here, so it is difficult to ascertain which one we had found
ourselvesin,butIbelievesomeonewantsustobefound.

Youreright,Galap.

Before Mordos Kull and Xiao Long emerged the spirit, Toghun Qaimish, the warrior clad in
ceremonial armour. Dregan knewthatIhadusedthelabyrinthsportalstodrawyoubothaway
from harm. He managed to stir our course into the most powerful memory he knew. This is
whereheismostpowerful.

13

And most vulnerable., Xiao Long added. For the undead master to achieve this, he has to
dive deep into a memory thatheknowsintimately. Perhapsitisavisionthattormentshim.,he
wonderedaloud.

Mordos Kulls amulet pulses with great magic, reminding him ofthepowerthatithad. Takingit
offandshowingittotheothers,themercenarysharedwhatheknew.

This is an amulet from my mistress, Taria. It is said to be attracted tosoulsandwouldprotect

me from the phantasms that plague my land. But with enough power from the souls and
memories, we can use it to trap Dregans soul. I am told that that will crush this structure and
freemylandandallothernationsofthisevil.Ibelievethatishowwestophim.

Nobody knows where Dregans soul is., Toghun frowned. I always thought he had neither
soulnorheart.,headdedwithadeepsigh.

Wewillknowwhenthetimeisright.,XiaoLongcalmlyresponded.

Itisthepriceforwhatyoumostdesire.

Right after the monks words, Mordos Kull remembered the Hallita seeds that Taria had given
him. He wondered whether the seeds aided him in finding the ghosts of his past and whether
they can give him the focus to carryouthertask. Unfortunately,however,hefoundthathehad
somehowlostthepouchshehadgivenhim.

As a state of panic descended upon the warrior, a devilish laughter echoed through the
chamber. Dregan, the undead king, and his trusted guardian, the Executioner, emerged from
thefootstepstothethrone.

Is this what you were seeking, Mordos Kull?, Dregan taunted him while tossing the pouch of
seeds. Your mistress is indeed a sly one and she will meet her end after I deal with you,
traitor.

Enough!, Xiao Long twirled his staff and dashed towards the knight, thrusting his weapon at
themonster.HisstrikehadlittleeffecthoweverasDregandrewhissword.

14

Engarde, blind one. Thisss time, you will have nowhere to flee., Dregan snarled while
readyinghisstance.Bothofussscantakeyouall.Comeandmeetyourend!

The Executioner leapt forward, brandishing the great axeinhishandsashegrowledbeforethe

mercenary. With one swift motion, the axe came crashing down as Mordos Kull rolled to the
side. Dregans black hooded warrior displayed a relentless pressure that the mercenary had
never witnessed before. After dodging multiple assaults, the Executioner let out a frustrated
growl.

Mordos Kull turned to Xiao Long, who was completely focused on fighting the undead knight.
Toghun joined the monk in his battle, hoping that whatever spiritual magic he had left inside
couldaidthemonktovanquishtheenemy.Itseemedthatnothingtheydiddeterredthefoes

Readying his morning star, Mordos Kull threw a wild swing at the Executioner onlyforitschain
to meet the warriors great axe. With the weaponstangled,the mercenaryattemptedtodisarm
hisfoe,buttheExecutionerprovedtobeformidableinstrength.

In that moment where nobody hadtheupperhand,MordosKullnoticedastrangefigureflashby

from the corner of his eyes. Before he knew it, that something dashed and struck the
Executioner with great precision. Several well placed attacks had Dregans guardian wincing
from the pain. The Executioner withdrew his focus from Mordos Kull and swung at the
unexpectedintruder,hittingnothingbutthenearbypillar.

The kunoichi ninja landed softly, several feetawayfrom thegreatwarrior. Koyashareadiedthe

small sword inherhandwith asteelycourageandcommitmentshehadneverhadbefore. With
swiftness and finesse, she darted in, flipping through the wild swings of the Executioners axe
andslicingthewarriorshands.SheeventuallyrolledtoMordosKullsside.

That axe is the key., she whispered to him, but never failing to stress the importance of
disarmingthemuscularguardian.Weneedtodestroyit.

The Executioner turned towards Toghun who was well too preoccupied with aiding his
compatriot, XiaoLongagainstDregan. Hisstrikewasswiftandpowerfulasthebladeoftheaxe
glowedwithgreatmysticalenergy.

15

Immediately, Xiao Long sensed this, delivering a swift but crippling blow to Dregan and then
expertly blocked the Executioners assault with his staff. He realized,however,thattheenergy
of the axe comes from the spirits in proximity and now, his guide, Toghun, was its next prey.
Swiftly, the monk recited a prayer to summon all his prowess. A magical field emanated from
hisbodytoshieldhisfriend.

Now!, Koyasha shouted while leaping towards the Executioners back, knife in hand for a
critical blow. As her blade sunk into the flesh of this evil construct, Mordos Kull swung his
morningstarwithallhismightatthebladethatpulsedwithgreatevil.

Orkhi

The axe shattered in a million pieces, its energy dispersing throughout the chamber.
Immediately, millions of souls criedout loud,freefromtheperpetualagonywhilsttrappedwithin
this weapons blade. This powerful blast hurled all of them away save for Toghun who stood
there,admiringthebeautifuldeedbeforehim.

Immediately, the Executioners body turned to stone, crumbling into ashes with its powers
dissipating. There was no soul in this body and in ashes whence it came, to ashes it now
returned.

Sir Dregan wasthrowntothethrone,sitting onitasthefinalundeadkingoftherealm. Hiseyes

stared at the display of great magicbeforehimashisconsciousnessbegantofade. He triedto
speak, but no voice came. He tried to move his limbs, but no strength came. His existence
started with his death unreleased, and now he was becoming the empty shellhewasmeantto
be.

Koyasha turned to see Xiao Long lay motionless on the floor. Sensing thatshewas losingher
longlostbrother,sherantohisside.Theireyesmetandtheninjafeltabondlikeneverbefore.

I can see you now, my sister., Xiao Longs voice was faint as he smiled to her. I can see
again... life and all its beauty., he added, with great trouble stringing together his words. He
coughedoutbloodbutitdidlittletodeterthesensationofrelief.

You gave your all to protect Toghun, the one who betrayed you solongago.,Koyashaspoke
asgriefrushedintoherheart.
16


The monk shook his head at her response as he seemingly foundthestrengthtospeak. Nay,
my sister. We all make mistakes. We all give into the darkest thoughts at one time. The
triumph is seeingwhatwevedoneandrealizingourfailure. Ourtriumphisfindingitinsideusto
forgiveandletgo.

He cupped her pearl white cheeks before continuing. I was once driven to take away the evil
that stole my family. I was taken by rage and violence and I was blind to it. I was blind that I
had become the evil I sought to destroy. This was a neverendingcyclethathadtobebroken.
Toghun would follow my footsteps and he would bekilledbyanotherwhowouldfollowthepath
wesetforth.

Find your compassion, my sister, as I have found mine. Tell the mercenary to learn from the
past, but live for the future. Orkhi. It is now time for me to go and be with my family., Xiao
Longoncemoresmiled,beforesinkingintoapeacefulslumber.

Tears rolled down Koyashas cheeks, feeling the pain of someone dear to her gone from this
world.

Mordos Kull was behind her, listening to every word of wisdom the monk had for them. His
gaze fell upon the amulet in his possession, the one thathisgreatmistress,Taria, hadgivento
him. It now glowed with great energy as the hissing of a great evil was trapped insideit. With
theamuletinhishand,amillionthoughtsrushedintothemercenarysmind.

The axe released countless of souls and one of them was that of the fallen knight, SirDregan.
In life, he wielded great strength,tryinghisbesttobringjusticein accordanceto hisfaith. Inhis
final moments, he tried tosaveTulwarafromtherebelsandinstead,hisownsoulwasstolenby
theExecutioner.

Mordos Kullseyeswereopened bythefloodingofthoughtsfromthisspirit. Hebegantorealize

why Taria had sent himintothisjourney. HispurposewastodefeatSirDregan,butnotdestroy
him. Instead, in this amulet she had crafted, he now possessed thepower toraise anarmyfor
her.

Forher

17

Mordos Kull remembered being at her side while in bed that final nighttogether. Herpresence
was intoxicating. The mere sight of her drove himmad. Withobsession,hestudiedeveryinch
of her as she slept. She was his and he was hers. Together the passion they shared wasfar
more real than anything he had ever known. For her, he would move mountains. For her, he
wouldlaydownhislife.

Noteverythingisasitseems,MordosKull.

A great voice echoed through the hall that crumbled away into a great empty space. Mordos
Kull and Koyasha stood before a great dragon that emerged from where the souls had been
freed. Whatever grief that consumed Koyasha vanished instantly. They both lookeduptothis
greatcreatureasitspoke.

I am Aerende. I am the balance oflifeanddeath. Ithankyouforreleasingthecursethatheld

me., its voice was ever present, with no sense of origin. Mordos Kull,youhavebeenapawn
for as long as you have lived. You were a pawn of foolish kings and a pawn now for an
ambitiouswoman.

Speak and drop the riddles!, Mordos Kull hotly responded, feeling very defensive about the
oneheloved.

You are her slave. You willingly ingest the seeds that take away your will. You are blinded
fromherguilebyherbeauty.Youareherewithoutquestion,becauseshewillsit.

Howcanyousaythat?Isawmypast.Isawmywife!IsawTeresa!,MordosKullprotested.

A past conjured by the undead one to let your guard down., Aerende countered. Make no
mistake. Your mistress may have genuine thoughts for you, but you are not her drive to exist.
She aspires for something greater and far more sinister. You aspire to be her willing servant,
justasshewantedyoutobe.

The seeds..., Mordos Kull muttered under his breath. Was it true? There was trust between
them and this understanding was their unbreakable bond. He had always followed her
unquestioned. She was his purpose of living. Aerende spoke with sense, but the mercenary
remainedunsureastowhethertobelieveeverythingfromthisdragon.

18

What happened to you? What about my brother,XiaoLong?,Koyashaaskedthegreatbeing

to share his wisdom with them so that they may finally understand everything that was
transpiring.

Xiao Longslifeiscomplete,Koyasha. HehadaccomplishedwhatIsetforthforhim.,Aerende

answered solemnly. He had learned to turn away from his selfish acts and to pay it forward
andsacrifice.HewillinglygavehislifenotonlyforToghun,butalsotosaveyou.

I understand that. I have seen his past life., Koyasha nodded. His energy was already
waningeversincehehadgivenmethesamegiftyouhadbestoweduponhim.

Indeed and unlike other meaningless constructs spun out from the magics ofothers,youhave
a spirit and have that bond to the Tapestry of Eternity. He gave that to you, so that you can
learnfromyourwaysandturnawayfromthepathofself,andtowardsthepathforothers.

I humbly accept, Aerende. I only wish to knowifmy brotheris safe.,Koyasharesponded,but

herquestionremainedunanswered.

Your brother, Xiao Long, is unharmed in the world of spirits, Koyasha. I,however, amunable
totrulybringhimtothatpeacefulend,notwhileAsmodeusremainsinthisworld.

Why?,theninjapressedon.

The balance is broken and the spirits here will seek a guide for relief from the agony that
Asmodeus dark magic had subjected them all to. Xiao Long will be that guide. He willbethe
bridgeforallofthemtoapeacefulexistenceuntilthebalanceisrestored.

Twogreathorrifyingmonstersemergedfromthedarkness. Oneseemedtobeagreathydra,its
great many heads stretching farandwide. Theotheragreathumanlikewhitewolfthatborean
evergrowingcravingtoconsumealloftheliving.

Many centuries ago, I had been at odds with a great evil known as Asmodeus, a demon who
had the ambition to rule the world. Hewishedtoenslaveallthosewhowillinglylistenedtohim,
ensnared with the promisetogiftsofpower. Asmodeuslongedtodisturbthebalanceoflifethat
Ihadmaintained.Thisbattlebetweenuswasalongburdenforbothofus,Aerendeexplained.

19

Asmodeus ambition, however, would spawn another great evil. He was lesser demon known
as the Wulf and later assumed the name, the Wolf King by his own devoted followers. They
were jaded by Asmodeus leadership and sought to usurp him and command the great army
againstme.

Swiftly, images of battles betweendemonsandmanywolvesfilledtheemptyspaceasAerende

continued. Each of the Wolf Kings followers became wolves and each of them followed his
leadership without question. The betrayal caught Asmodeus off guard, and their battle was
fierce.LittledidtheyknowthatIwouldspringthefinalsurprisetoendthisconflict.

The great white wolf was shown to have been petrified while Asmodeus had sunk into a great
hole. I had trapped the Wolf King into a statue, burying it deep in the mines of Solskaag and
for Asmodeus, I had woven a magic prison in Tanis, so that he may forever languish inside.
Thiswastheendofthefirstgreatwar.

From the empty space that the two stood, millions of golden threads, each connected to each
other,andallofthemcreatingavastbrightlandscape.

This is the Tapestry of Eternity and this is the bond between every living person. This is my
domain and I control thebalance. Whenitistimeforonemanto go,histhreadiscompleteand
his existence is lifted from the Tapestry, under my care., the wise dragon explained. In all of
time, I had reached out to people of different walks of life. I had given those without goals
purposetopreservethatbalance,but...

As Aerende continued, the luster and brillianceoftheTapestrydecayedswiftly. ...Asmodeuss

charms were not removed, for he was able to ensnare a man who had the same ambition he
had. That man was the wizard, Azur Halabaster. When the curse was placed on me, the
Tapestry had lost its guardian and those that die cannot be released from their pains. This is
whatAsmodeuscravesmost.SirDreganandhisguardianwasusedtosupplyhimthatpower.

Thesunrisesyetbearsnolight,
blackerstillthananynight.
Swordsdescendfromthedarknessinthesky
itschaosconsumeswitheverycry.

Themoonstandsbetweenhopeanddespair,
20

keepingmenawayfromthebrightflare.
Madnessreignsintheheartsofall,
leavingmentowhimperandcrawl.

Thehellspawnbornfromthesunandthemoon
willrisetomeettheshadowssoon.
Theoutcastofmenwillbearthetorch,
perishingthenight,itssacrificewillscorch.

My influence was waning because of the curse placed upon me. Asmodeus had thought of
himself victorious for it. His ways will always leadtohisownundoinghowever. Inmyvisions,I
had sent a message through the Tapestry, knowing that those who can listen will know of the
messageIsent.

I know the message you speak of, great one., Koyasha said calmly. I know my brother
shared it with the compassionate prince, Takeshi. This is my calling, great one. Iwillcarryon
thetaskthatneedstobedone.

Theprophecy.,MordosKullquicklysaid.Tariaknewofthisprophecy!

Indeed. She serves theprophecyandattemptstofulfillit.,Aerendeswiftlyconcurredwithlittle

sense of doubt. But, her machinations will bring about her own undoing. She twists the
messagenottoaidanyoneelse.Sheservesforherself.

The great dragon looked into theeyesofthemercenary. Koyashahadfoundhercalling. Iask

youthis,mercenary.Whatisyours?

Mordos Kull gaze turned to the amulet in his hands as the whispers of the gem echoed in his
mind. Those words came not from the sorceress, but rather from the soul, Dregan, trapped
within it. Listentohim,MordosKull. ThoseHallitaseedsarenotwhattheyseemtobe. These
aretheseedsthatformabondbetweentwobeings,themasteranditsslave. Throughtime,the
slaves strength wanes and the master takes over. This is why Ihadrealized ofherdeception,
notonlytome,buttoyouaswell.

After weighingthewordsofthetrappedsoul, MordosKullturnedtoAerende.Iamapawnofno

one.Iamthemasterofmyowndestiny.
21


The mercenary pulled the amulet from his neck and threw it down, its gem smashing into a
great many pieces as the empty space vanished. Koyasha and Mordos Kullfoundthemselves
inanemptygrasslandinVitulia,theireyesfocusedonthebrokenornamentonthefloor.

Koyasha rested her palm on Mordos Kulls shoulder. To find Aerendes balance, Asmodeus
and all his followers must be vanquished. I will seek Ichiro. He must bethefirsttopay. What
willyoudo?,theninjaspokewithgenuinecuriosity.

I knownot whattodo,Koyasha,onlythat Iwillfindwhat Iseek.,heansweredbeforeturningto

her.

Iwishyouthebest,mercenary.

Andyouaswell.,MordosKullgaveherarespectfulnodasshedeparted.

EmeraldEyes

When he was finally alone, an image coursed throughremnantsofthegem,formingthevisage

oftheeverbeautifulTariadeCastillo.

I know what you did, Mordos Kull., Taria spoke with great disappointment. How could you
betraythetrustIputintoyou?Ourundeadarmynowgonebecauseofyourfoolishness.

Isittrue?Weretheseedstocontrolmymind?,MordosKullquicklyturnedthetablestoher.

Tariahesitatedbeforeanswering,herwordsboreanemotionalburdenthatweighedonherfora
long while. Yes. I thought our time would bond us together andthatitwouldbeunbreakable.
But when you were finally about to set sail, I had realized I did not want to lose you and I was
willingtogotowhateverdepthstokeepyou.

You were wrong! I loved you!,MordosKullhotlysnappedbackather. Andyouusedmelike

a tool! Like your father used you! Just like all the undead spirits you plan to use foryourown
campaign.Itsover,Taria!Wewillnotspeakagain.

MordosKullsteppedonthegem,feelingitcrushunderhisfeet.
22


~o~

Iseethatheisfreefromyourclutches.

A great voice spoke from behind Taria. The contessa wore a silver armour that shimmered
before the blazing sun. She had a large expedition through the great mountain ranges that
extended to the horizon. Above her was the grey skies that served as an ominous sign of
wheretheywere.Tariaturnedtothewarriorbehindher,LordDiemos.

It is but a minor setback, my lord. I always have plans in place whensomethingfallsthrough.

Wehaveenoughsoulsforthespell.

Lord Diemos towered over her as she explained, nodding as he took her words in. See to it
thatyoudo.,heinstructedher.

Without delay, Tariaturnedtothewomanbehindthem,theslavewithlongblackhairanddesert

robesandgoldjewels.Namira,playthemusic.

Namira drew out a strange flutelike musical instrument and wove the music that made the
groundquake.Alowvoiceechoedthroughthemountains.

WeaveroftheAravyanNocturne.Whodaresstepfootintothethesewalls?

Tariasmiledassheknewthathertriumphwasnowwellwithinhergrasp.

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