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Black Knight
There was a presence behind me.
I turned around within the cavern walls and pillars of the compact, windowless place, only to see more torchlight that couldn't reach the dim corners.
So either that or perhaps I'm reaching further into insanity.
Surviving questers such as I were once again in another meeting room. Apparently to introduce our new members too, as Aziel, her family, and Vexx stood near me with the robed headmaster keeping close. More soldiers surrounding him than ever, while he carried a limp from the bandaged leg where he'd been shot.
A quiet yawn slipped out of me. Unlike everyone else in the chariots, I was awake almost all night. It's hard to sleep eight hours when you can't. . . remember everything.
Headmaster Chronisius told me that we were in Dwellven territory. Or, namely from what he said, soon-to-be. Until the oppressive Kyronia regime says otherwise, everyone and everything is forcibly marked under them.
And it could be possible to overpower the dark kingdom, with help from the rest of the world. Which is why most of our human forces from Thaussin left to assist other lands.
I felt like I was so close, yet so far, to understanding it all.
Then a relatively tall and older Dwellven, with a dark red cloak and long braided hair, stood on the one-man podium at the back of the cave.
After announcing his name as Seifer, the head of base, he'd just finished elaborating on the quest plan. Which was basically about how I'm supposed to take the Crown of Infinity, with help from my own squad. And other questers acting as distractions with troop reinforcements for battle.
That's the general gist of what I heard, anyway. After a while, it was hard not to notice the two other, shorter Dwellvens to his right and left side.
Seifer stretched his hand towards each of them, allowing the two figures to step forwards in their own individual way.
". . .and finally, I'd like to introduce quester trainees of my own. . ."
Behind them, was a Dwellven seemingly the same age and uniform as the prophet man, but with hair a tied in a bun, and a smaller four-feet stature as she hugged both the adolescents motherly.
Then Seifer continued with his proud arm around her.
". . . Ruby and I's two children who've waited their entire lives patiently enough. Thorne and Jade Aberra!"
The youngest Dwellven had a bright purple cone hat, creased backwards while matching her short dress and hair. She had the smile of an excited kid. Along with a little bronze scepter held in both hands, as the braided girl energetically waved at the audience below of her kind. Comparably, she was just a bit taller than her dwarfish mother. I presumed Jade was her name.
Meanwhile, Thorne held a reddish axe resting on his shoulder, which subtly glowed a shining orange like it was emitting a hint of magic. The older-looking brother stood taller than Jade, with a fist to his hip. A thinly bronze crown decorated with red jewels rested on his head, barely shorter than his father. His eyes, as sharp as his nose, fixated on the crowd cheering.
As easily as everyone apparently accepted them to the quest, I stayed motionless and confused as all hell. The Chronicle Order was for all heroes, sure.
But did they always find it necessary to allow more kids?
The two new questers were already eager, praised more than usual for their young enthusiasm, and probably even convinceable.
"What did I tell you, Az?" The guy named An quietly remarked beside his sister Aziel, loud enough for me to hear. "Two teenager looking peeps. One of them is probably twelve like you were."
She was longingly staring at the stage, like similiar memories flashed before her eyes, until noticing her daughter Yuna beside watching in awe, and snapping out of it.
"Oh- I mean, come on, Ander." Aziel stopped fidgeting with her messed-up braids to respond, while I figured out she said his actual name.
"It's not like they don't have questing ability or anything. And. . . they're probably not the focus anyway."
"What's the point of their inclusion, then?" I curiously whispered to them both, unhelmeted to view everything.
Aziel glanced at Yuna's hand in hers for a second, while the two new young questers with their parents stepped down the small podium, Dwellvens short and tall cheering.
"Well, they have a family too, I suppose." She finally said.
"Or their parents are rich questers."
Vexx added in a joking tone next to us, half-smiling while looking away from the Dwellven relatives greeting Headmaster Chronisius.
"Hah, lucky them, right?"
His sooted light helmet of thin iron was worn again. Perhaps just to mask his different face, for whatever reason. I haven't seen anyone like him yet.
After the briefly-held meeting cavern settled down, the headmaster walked over to our group with his human troops following.
He nodded to the each of us, then approached someone in particular.
"Aziel Korr."
She turned her head to face the leader. Surprised to see his more serious expression.
"Yes, headmaster?"
"We're swiftly moving our supplies and chariots, to the base of the Flivians far out, in case of another sudden attack." Headmaster Chronisius promptly gestured his hand towards Aziel's family."Escapees included, for their protection."
Her eyes widened and lit up as she immediately stared to the side in thought. There was a silent moment between Ander and his sister, as they exchanged looks. Then the messy-haired brother clapped a hand to the back of Aziel, smiling, gently taking Yuna's hand.
"Yuna and I will come with-"
"Wait."
Aziel called out, as I glanced behind me feeling the same looming presence as before.
Something felt close. Vexx noticed my confused expression, the pale teenager giving me a side eye.
I stared further into our barely lit surroundings of the small cave. Studying every corner as if I needed to, while the others continued conversing in the background.
"I know I've said it before, but I really mean it this time." I heard Ander say."You have a point to get involved. And I'd like to save ourselves, too."
There was another second of silence. Only interrupted by the Dwellvens in the room talking their weirdly noticeable sharp accents.
But as I continued analyzing my surroundings for information, my sight stopped towards the three family members in an embrace. Aziel held the both of them tight, a single tear down her face. I could tell she had accepted it without having to argue.
"I'll come back for you guys. . . I promise."
"Come on now, Az." Ander lightly pushed her with a fist. "You're acting like this is your first time on the job."
"I hope you fight good still, momma." said Yuna in a quieter tone, yet her freckled face remained in a half-smile.
Aziel wiped her glossy eyes, smiling, before letting go of their tight embrace. Some of the Chronicle Order soldiers from outside came up to escort them towards further safety.
As Ander and Yuna, hand-in-hand, started walking out of the caverns with the other troops. They looked back at me, waving farewell, then similiarly to the rest of our group.
I raised up an open hand in response. Not instinctually knowing what to do with it. And I watched them leave out the metal door out.
A wave of feeling washed over as I shifted my palm back, to the hilt of the double-edged sheathed blade. Even if the whole room was relatively emptier than before, there was something watching, or someone. I couldn't get it out of my head.
"Do any of you feel that-?"
"Those are the other questers! Right, Thorne?"
Before anyone else could say anything more, the short girl holding her scepter stepped in front of her fancily blue-robed Dwellven family. She was pointing at us while they were coming over, looking up at Thorne to potentially prove a point.
"Alright, maybe, but calm down-"
"See? I told you!"
The assumingly older brother sighed while walking with Jade, sheathing his eye-catching red axe to the holster on his back.
"Oh. My." Jade's eyeballs widened when she turned her focus to Aziel."Name of Reytus and Niytri it's really her, fate for all!"
Reytus? I thought. Is that another god?
"I can't believe it's the actual Aziel Korr! I'm Jade: professional wizard!"
"You mean a twelve-year-old wizard in training." Thorne added with his arms crossed.
She pointed a finger towards his unfazed demeanor to quiet him.
"Shush, you're only three years older."
Then like a spark that wouldn't go out, the kid started speaking rapidly in excitement to Aziel.
"Oh, my, gods, you need to tell me everything. Did it hurt when you used that fire staff to defeat the Dragon of Asher Mount? How much energy did you have to withhold to summon the magma ball? Ooh, how about when you saved those villagers in- oh wait- maybe you failed that one with your weapon destroyed, but I assure that you can use my scepter anytime-"
"Jade!"
Thorne whispered in a tone louder than Ander's. The rest of the attired Dwellven family caught up behind her, with the elder sibling stepping in front of his sister to scold.
Meanwhile, Aziel couldn't help a very surprised smile in the sudden moment.
Then as if a mental gust of wind hit me again, my head turned behind yet again towards the darkened corner. Torchlight flickered under some shadow within the rugged walls of the cave. Possibly watching, the presence was nearer now than ever.
Then a dark silhouette behind a pillar left the other open exit of the room.
The entryway was tall, roughly shaped like a natural doorway, leading to more narrow hallways of torches in the cavern. I didn't know where the rocky gap in the wall led to, but I needed to find out somehow.
But the sight of some figure leaving was nothing out of the ordinary. Dwellvens exited and entered the tunnel like normal. So I could just be going crazy.
However, a tug in my gut told me I wasn't, so I trusted it at once.
"Vexx." I said in a low voice to the Flivian by my side, who didn't bat an eye. "Tell Headmaster Chronisius I'm. . . using the restroom."
Then I turned around and quiety began heading for the entryway. My black armour camouflaged me even more. Behind in realization, Vexx called out while the headmaster was busy speaking with Seifer.
"Hey, wait, you serious? Do you even know where. . ."
The skeptical echoing voice eventually faded away. I turned a sharp corner to another path in the long, narrow cave, of different locked rooms with wooden doors. And I looked around to follow the figure.
A few scattered Dwellven troops, with their kindred covering armour and cloaks of deep green, walked within the corriders lit by torchfire.
For what else I didn't know about anything, my mind somehow knew to follow the ordinary hooded one taking another turn in front of me.
I barely saw the silhouette. Yet I was beginning to lose sense of the presence. And it wasn't even that far.
After making a few more instinctual paths, fewer soldiers were marching around the halls. I was recieving a lot less of confused helmeted stares.
It took about a minute or two until knowing to stop in place, and look at my surroundings again. I was nearing a rocky dead end. But the hallway seemed as usual as the rest.
That is, until I noticed an unlocked metal door to my right. It was the only door I've seen left open. Not to mention the bronze lock fallen to the ground in front of it. Someone was clearly given access to enter.
I immediately trusted what I knew, and after glancing both ways for no witnesses, ran into the darker hallway unpermitted.
Different footsteps echoed around the stone floors, as I travelled deeper. I wasn't the only person in here. The heavy noises encircled me, even from behind.
In a moment, there was another unlocked metal door left open before my eyes. And I went into the lantern-lit cluttered room without a second thought.
Strands of hay dispersed on the dusty cemented ground. Horses softly neighed and whinnied in their unpolished wooden stables, built next to the grey walls. Loads of chariot equipment and broken white Chronicle Order carriages were left in the far corners, waiting to be used. And a wooden rolling door laid dormant on the other wall, fit for them, while completely covering the outside of the cave system.
More footsteps drew nearer. The doorway I ran through shut closed.
I focused towards the metal door again. But instead of someone running at me, a figure of Dwellven verdant robes stood before the entry with a hand hid in his pocket. A still cape to his back.
Then, as if to reveal something known to me, he took off his thin mask of steel and unhooded his dark-haired head.
With no hesitation, I pulled out my long double-edged blade of similiar material. I held the weapon with both hands while tilting it forwards where the person was.
Except the seemingly man's appearance wasn't as I thought. Like myself, there were noticeable dark scales around his neck. He was almost the same height. Same sharp nose and facial features. Same greyish colored hair.
Then I realized, he was a Drownei too. And most likely one for the overlord.
"Kallei, brother." The deeper, accented voice of the figure said while he stared at my unhelmeted face. "One question. Why did you join them?"
Kallei? Was that supposed to be me?
I raised my longsword slightly. He has the wrong individual. But I decided to counter him anyway.
"You're not supposed to be here, Drownei." I stated forcibly in response to the figure, who I knew was a part of our enemy. "Identify your reason for spying now, or face execution."
He stayed silent. Like it was hard for a word to come out of his mouth. I saw his eyes stare directly at my defensive expression, as if to analyze. I stepped back, as the Drownei stepped forward. Then he continued speaking as if to prod further.
"What would father think now that his heir is a traitor? Working for those planning to destroy the world. To end all unity. I heard everything in that meeting room."
The unhooded, unmasked man continued to slowly walk towards me. I continued to walk backwards without keeping my eye off him.
"Even your ego knows it's incorrect. You know this." He claimed like truth. "So, why?"
"Father. . .?"
His mention of a parent sounded like information I needed to know. The person left me silent in thought. I was left searching for more within myself. No matter how much I tried to, I was left to no avail.
"No. I'm not the one you're referring to." I finally stated. "Who. . ."
I tried to focus on the task of perhaps bringing him to the headmaster. Maybe identifying the subject first. But I couldn't get the personal unknown out of my head.
". . .who are you?"
He stepped back a foot. His eyes widened ever so slightly, as he maintained his calm standing posture. "Zeleos. Your brother."
I maintained my position as Zeleos walked towards me again. Carefully, he narrowed his sight.
"Do you not remember? Or perhaps you're just. . ."
From the inside of his pocket, where he hid his right hand, a mist of dark seeped outward.
". . .lying, like the rest of them. I know you love doing that a lot for self-image. Next overlord, and all."
As I backed away and he approached, parts of the ground beneath us began to crumble away. From under the surface, bones surrounding only myself climbed out slowly. The reanimated pulled their parts together, undead ancient-looking beasts of different kinds. From four legged spiny creatures the size of a horse, to small winged snake-like specimen digging up with their fangs.
I had no clear idea about what the man himself wanted with me. But I understood he was possibly trying to kill me.
And. . . I was the next overlord?
"I don't know what you're talking about." I told the caped stranger finally.
All I knew and decided upon, was that the Drownei needed to die. Even if all he said was true.
Their powerful empire did nothing to help the innocent against the Unity's attacks. They were still the wrong side.
I charged forwards with my blade, about to swing the metal at Zeleos. He stood unfazed while holding out a blood-red black stone.
Then it glowed. And I was immediately rammed by a fist smashing upwards.
Midair, I heard the subtle clicking reload of a bullet in the distance.
I barely had time to land on my feet, despite my natural strength. Tiredness was finally catching up to me.
My steel sword almost fell out of my hands. But I grasped onto it as I stood up again.
The hand of the summoned entity climbed out of the underground, revealing itself to be a two-legged tank of a humanoid being, made of rock but turned into the color of spilling ink.
Zeleos' eyes turned into a glowing dark, the whisks of black swirling around. He took another step forward with the stone in his hand. Then he stared his mystifying sight straight towards me.
"Listen, come back to Kyronia and resolve everything, if you're really not a part of this order."
The creatures of the dead encircled closer. And so did the stranger who claimed to be my brother. But the Drownei are as deceptive as they are oppressive, we were told.
"I can tell they need you, Kallei. We do too. But not for their malice."
Bullets then shot straight through his scaled head from behind.
He fell to the ground, the different beasts frozen like stone statues meant to be left untouched.
In the distance was a feather-winged, white armoured figure, with the familiar stature of a late teenager.
Then Zeleos regenerated and stood back up.