my army clad in dark armor ready to kill. I looked at myself seeing the new armor that has been made for me similar to the previous lord but etched on the chest was a symbol of an Olath an axe and a gauntlet. I looked at my followers and saw the rage in their eyes they were ready and so was I. I summoned my axe and raised it high into to the sky and began the charge with the loudest roar I could summon.
Our war cries echoed across the fields and animals scattered to the winds. I told Beast to charge the gate I would give him the power to break it down. I placed my gauntlet at his neck and summoned my power of darkness and covered his body in mine blue flame. He began to run with incredible speed leaving my army behind.
Leaving the army in the dust Beast and I hit the gate with incredible force shattering it into thousands of pieces. The arrows hit my fire and were incinerated causing us no harm. We hit the feeble human army with all our might sending bodies flying in every direction I tore into their ranks with a mighty thirst for blood. Pieces of silver armor went flying into the air blood stains could be seen splattered amongst the light.
The army of Alcheema was quickly behind me tearing into the opposing army like a wave of darkness. They were not ready for us our strength our desire to fight, to kill they knew nothing of us. The enemy fell swiftly under my axe while Beast skewered many with his tusks. It only took a few hours to wipe out their army to almost nothing. The ground was littered with dismembered corpses, limbs and blood. I could see a few deserters from their ranks running in fear trying to save their miserable existence.
I paused for a moment and listened to my knights flooding into the city I could hear them catching surviving soldiers cowering by the wall like snakes. 2,000 light soldiers scattered across the city in what felt like mere moments. I looked at the archway and saw that the mage was gone I heard no magic, felt no magic during the fight why would he not attack?
The city became silent as my troops swarmed the streets killing anyone with a weapon, I dismounted Beast and made my way towards the tower, the doors had a barrier of silver light that I could not penetrate with my mightiest blow. The doors opened behind the barrier and Dallente stood with a grin on his face.
He spoke in an arrogant tone, “You surprised me. No magic? I never expected that kind of intelligence from a farm boy. Yes, I know you and I know your lineage I helped you to draw all of your kind out of hiding. I spoke with your predecessor and had him delay the attack if I would help push you in the right direction. I was hoping you would be wiser and we could find another solution to the hate.” I eyed him up and down trying to find a way past the barrier so I could maul the pathetic smirk on his face. “I am going to propose another deal if you let me and my people survive. We will return to our islands and you will never hear from us again.”
The deal was tempting but I had my own proposal for the mage, “I will make my own offer and you WILL accept. First a wall will be built from this city to the east and the west of this land. And everything south of the wall will be ours. Second, every ten months you will provide 10 women and 5 men they will breed for us and will be returned after their children are born. These children will not be harmed but they will be ours and you will make no attempt to retrieve them. One final note before I let you leave I want every piece of information on my father and his father.”
Dallente eyes rolled into the back of his head and he shuddered for a moment. I slight shimmer of red slid down the tower removing the barrier leaving the mage staring at me scowling. “I will agree to those terms if you give us time to collect our supplies and survivors.” He spoke with a slight admiration and I cannot explain but I allowed him his time.
“You have 6 weeks, I will leave my first knight as guard; he commands 1000 troops and they will garrison this city. I will return in that time for the final part of the bargain.” I returned to the main gate and found my second; I gave him strict orders knowing he would obey them. I walked with Beast out of the city and returned to the pits.
The tunnels and hallways for my new home were dark, quiet the solace was comforting. Beast tried to speak to me but I felt like being alone so I let him run free for a while I would summon him when he was needed. I spent the next two days trying to draw courage to face my true enemy the one who made what I was a tool of destruction and hatred. The darkness was comforting removing the ideas and chaotic light; in the dark I was home in the dark I was happy.
I tried to sleep but my dreams were filled with rage and pain every time I would wake my room was destroyed and I had used the magic in here to rebuild it. I decided to confront my demon now I would no longer let it consume me. I gathered a few supplies and went looking for Beast. I found him chasing a rabbit across the field of dirt, he was in a playful mood since he wasn’t trying to eat it but playing. He reminded of a dog the way his tongue hung out panting looking at me with friendly eyes when I called his name.
“Fuzzy fun; too small to eat.” He said out of breath as he came trotting up to me. I stood there petting his snout he looked like a child with no worries in the world, then I had come to the realization he was my only friend. He will never turn on me, he will never betray me every time I look at him I feel comforted. Now that he can speak to me I feel a much deeper connection. I told him it was time to go, he was a little sad I asked him what was wrong, he said it was the snowfields that hurt his feet. I remember finding him there but he explained that he was desperate for food the humans expanded into his home a drove his food out.
I chuckled at him mounted him and began heading towards where everything started. There was no rush so we took our time getting there; the trip was uneventful but relaxing we spent most nights laughing and telling stories of each other’s species. Every time I slept I was full of anger the snow was melted every time I woke for several feet around me. It was a misty morning when we came up to my old farm house; it was in worse shape than when I left it. Neglect could be seen in everything the animals were running free unchecked.
We made our way to the broken fence I had Beast wait here until I returned. I opened the short gate as it crumbled from rotten wood. I looked across the fields that now lay dead, a few strange animals were scavenging for food and scattered when I came closer. The barn was left open letting the animals escape into the nearby woods. I came to the house and opened the front door. The stench of filth entered my nose as I peered inside looking at my old home. The house should be burnt to the ground the wood was rotted vermin and bugs scattered about the floor and walls.
The mist had seeped into the house through several broken windows and a few holes in the roof. A storm must have come through to cause damage to the already broken home. The floor creaked with every step I took I felt as if I would fall any moment now. There was a rustling from upstairs he was here.
I felt sick to my stomach as I went up the stairs, my heart started racing as I got closer to the sound that was coming from my mother’s room. This was it I would face him one final time and lay to rest what he has done and what he has created. I did not try to be quiet he could hear me coming with my heavy armor on the weak wooden floor.
I pushed the door open to my mother’s room, I saw my father crouched over a small wooden box he was crying letting his tears hit the floor. I became enraged letting my flames burn brighter than they have ever before. He saw the light from the fire and turned to face me, the look of shock on his face was priceless. I didn’t give him time to speak as I dashed over and grabbed him by the throat lifting him into the air.
I thought of what has happened over my lifetime and I found my final words to this demon, my father. I removed my helmet to see him eye to eye, “I have returned father…..I am here to thank you. I thank you for your hatred, your torture, your neglect, the malicious way you treated me worse than an animal. If it was not for you I would not be what I am now. I am here to pay my respects to my mother and myself for being able to endure such a filthy human being. Now you will suffer knowing
that YOU made me the lord of the Alcheema and the human race will be removed from our lands. KNOW that this is your doing and this is the price you will pay! “I could feel his heart slowing as he kicked and struggled for freedom. His eyes were full of fear as they slowly rolled into the back of his head, his body went limp and I let him drop to the floor to lay in his own filth.
I stood quietly for an eternity trying to understand what just happened. I felt calm now and I knew what I had done was right and he will never come near anyone again. Now, to finish what I had started I made my way out the front door. I turned to face the house summoning my fire and grabbing the door frame setting it ablaze. The fire touched the sky as I sat next to Beast and watched it burn through the night. When the sun rose I mounted Beast and began our trip back home to finish what I had started.
The trip back to Meckando was surprisingly peaceful there were several nights I slept, for the first time I truly slept. I still had nightmares and sometimes images of my mother but they never become what they once were.
I sat quietly by a fire sipping on cup of wine. Dallente sat across from me in an old wooden