David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation

by T. C. Crawford

  “It is important to know, too, that we may not yet know all of what the enemy forces possess. We have never truly battled against such foes in our times and have only our history to teach us what may come. This is why it is important to be prepared for anything that comes our way, and to adjust as you see fit on the battlefield. If you see that a tactic isn’t working, try another. If you come across a new enemy and find a way to take it down, spread the word as best you can.” continued Rex.

  “Communication will be our lifeline, men. We must ensure that our lines are not broken no matter the cost. If we can’t communicate with one another, then all will be lost. Understood?” he asked, to which everyone nodded in agreement.

  “Good! Now let’s get to training. Spread the word to your men so they are prepared for the coming days. Ensure they are well rested and trained up. I fear that our time of waiting will soon be coming to an end.”

  With that, the meeting finished, and the officers all went their separate ways, each going to their own division to disseminate the information given to them by their leaders.

  Rex and the King went to see to the preparation of the town’s folk to ensure they were prepared for their long march through the Southern Tunnel.

  When they reached the city, nearly everyone had already abandoned their homes and businesses and only a few last stragglers remained behind, packing up their final items before rushing out of the door and down the valley towards the tunnel in a hurry.

  The crescent moon was shining bright in the cloudless sky, and the stars were blazing brilliantly in the velvet blanket beyond, twinkling in an endless multitude that dotted the sky in every direction.

  A gentle breeze was rustling the fallen leaves and had scattered a few forgotten sheets of paper across the abandoned street, presumably that had fallen from one of the villager’s packs as they made their hasty escape from the doomed city.

  They made their way through the now desolate and littered streets and across the dimly lit valley as they went over their battle plans once again, making sure there weren’t any important items they forgot to address.

  When they arrived at the southern wall of the valley, a massive crowd of villagers and refugees were gathered together, embracing their loved ones that were staying behind to fight in an emotional scene of heartfelt goodbyes. Some held it together, their pride keeping back the tears, while others freely wept, not knowing if they would ever see their husbands, fathers, or sons again.

  When they finally determined they could wait no longer, the group of young soldiers who had been selected to lead the citizens to safety rounded up the last of the group and began reluctantly leading them into the Southern Tunnel before disappearing behind the bend.

  When the last of them had vanished from sight and the valley was once again silent, apart from the gentle rustling of the wind through the barren trees and the endless construction of the final fortifications in the distance, those soldiers who had been left behind got to work blocking the passageway once again.

  When the final boulder was set in place and the entrance was completely obscured from the unknowing eye, the two kings and their soldiers solemnly made their way across the valley and back towards their respective positions. Each in their own way, solemnly wondering what fate awaited them in the coming days.

  Chapter XI

  Wake up!” whispered Reingard, shaking David roughly.

  He slowly rolled over on his bedroll, trying to shake off the sudden intrusion. He had been in a deep sleep and was having a wonderful dream. But Reingard was persistent.

  “David, you have to wake up, now! We think they’ve been tracking us and have found our camp!” said Reingard, a sense of urgency in his voice.

  With this, David opened his eyes and looked around, trying to take in his surroundings.

  It was still dark, sometime in the middle of the night he assumed, given the position of the moon still high in the starry sky. The air was cool and clear, and the bitterness of the cold left his limbs stiff and somewhat uncooperative as he tried to stand up.

  He could see the others had already woken and were frantically moving about, gathering their things, and packing their bags as quickly as they could without making too much sound that would give away their position.

  David’s mind began to clear, and he focused on Reingard who was holding his finger up to his mouth.

  “Hush, lad. Gather your things quickly, we gotta get going before –” he was swiftly cut off when the unmistakable sound of a loud whistle shot out through the air.

  It was the alarm Tyrius had set up, and it meant they were about to have company.

  Immediately, David could see the outline of several dark figures creeping their way into the outskirts of the brush around their campsite. They were crouched down low, looking around at each other, trying to figure out which idiot had let out the loud whistle.

  David quickly gathered his wits about him and began packing his things as quietly as he could. He watched as Erin silently moved across the camp toward his location and crouched by his side.

  “I’ve counted at least a dozen. I think it’s the men from Ashmire, the ones we encountered outside of the inn,” she whispered. “They just don’t know when to give up, do they?” she asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

  “Why do you think they’re following us?” David asked, confused why these men would take such a keen interest in them.

  “I have no idea – but I don’t think we should sit around to find out.” whispered Erin. “Did you get all of your things?” she asked, looking at the pack by David’s side.

  He nodded in confirmation.

  “Good, let’s go!” she said, pulling his hand and, crouching low, swiftly crossed the campsite to where the others had gathered behind a small bundle of bushes.

  They each greeted David and made sure they had gathered everything before creeping away into the night. They headed north along the foothills of the mountain and continued until the moon had set and the sun was high in the sky.

  They rested for a brief meal before setting back out at a steady pace until night had fallen once again and the moon began to rise above the mountains on its journey across the deep dark sky.

  When camp was made and Tyrius had once again set up his alarm system and spell of concealment, they lit a small fire, sitting around talking while Reingard prepared their supper.

  “Do you think they’re still following us?” asked David, a hint of concern in his voice. They had been running nearly nonstop all day, and he was not sure how long he could go on this way without a decent night’s rest. He knew the other’s felt the same – they all looked just as exhausted as he felt.

  “I’m not sure…” replied Tyrius, “but something tells me we should expect the worst.”

  “Why are they so intent on following us?” asked Erin, “It’s not like we have stores of treasure enticing them to keep up their pursuit.”

  “Yeah, seriously…they need to give it a rest now, so we can get some rest!” said Holzer, rubbing his bare feet. They were rough and calloused from a lifetime in the rough terrain of the mountains, but something told David he wasn’t accustomed to cross-country running. He sympathized with him – David wasn’t accustomed to it either and he just knew if he looked, his feet would be covered in blisters. This world had been extremely rough on his body – and he didn’t know if he would ever get used to the constant battering he had been taking since he arrived.

  “We will have two people on watch tonight, just in case. I don’t think we should take any chances with the luck we’ve been having.” said Tyrius, looking into the fire.

  He looked old and ragged, even more than he had before. The past few days on the run had been taking its toll on the Elder – he wasn’t nearly as old as the Master Elder was, or even the other Elders, having been the last apprentice chosen to take on the sacred responsibility of protecting the orb, but ever since the Defiant One had returned through the breach in the seal he had fel
t like his powers were wearing thin with each passing day. Those powers are what allowed the Elders to age beyond any normal man – the Mystic magic within them causing their bodies to remain preserved in a way, giving them a deeper strength and resilience that a normal man his age couldn’t possibly possess.

  Before the other Elder’s had passed on, they had given up what remained of their powers into the last remaining Mystic Crystal. It was a tradition that had been repeated several times throughout the past couple thousand years and one that gave Tyrius full responsibility of the task of choosing and training the next five Elder’s. When chosen, he would pass the powers given to him into his new apprentices, one by one, until their ranks were complete once again, one Elder for each of the six Mystics of Creation.

  Unfortunately, with the Defiant One back in the world of the living, the powers within the Crystal had all but dwindled away, thereby rendering his mission obsolete. For the moment, he was the sole protector of the Orb, and the final Elder. If he were to die, the legacy of the Elders would die along with him.

  “I’ll volunteer first watch.” David and Erin said simultaneously. They looked at each other and smiled. They must have both noticed how weary Tyrius had looked and decided he needed the rest more than any of them.

  Much to their surprise, Tyrius didn’t object, but instead nodded silently and continued prodding the fire with a stick, lost deep in thought and exhausted from their flight through the night and ensuing day.

  It wasn’t long after they finished dinner that the others had fallen asleep, leaving David and Erin alone for the first time since they had left Ravenfell.

  David sat down on a nearby hill overlooking the camp and Erin came and sat beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder affectionately. He looked up at the sky and the endless array of tiny stars dotting the deep velvety blanket above, wondering if these were the same stars he used to watch as a child outside the orphanage. He didn’t recognize any of the formations, but he also knew from his studies in school that those same stars would look different depending on where you were located in the galaxy.

  He assumed he would never truly know, and instead decided to focus on the area around them, scanning for any signs of a threat.

  As they sat there together on the hilltop, hand in hand, David could almost forget the troubles of the world. He admired how peaceful the countryside seemed, despite knowing there were dangers lurking somewhere in the darkness.

  “What are you thinking about?” asked Erin, breaking the silence, but still keeping her head on David’s shoulder.

  “I was just thinking about how beautiful this world is, and how simple life could be here if it weren’t for everything else going on.” he replied.

  “Yeah…it is beautiful.” agreed Erin, looking out at the rolling hills. She squeezed David’s hand gently, sitting silent once again.

  “Do you think we will ever be free from the Defiant One?” asked David, doubt reflecting in his voice.

  Erin lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at the boy beside her that over the course of just a few shorts weeks, had been growing into a man before her eyes.

  She thought about how feeble and scared he had looked when she first found him in the temple. Since then, he had saved her life on many occasions, risked his life for near strangers, and faced off with the most powerful man in the world – General Krauss, who possessed terrifying black magic. She had never known someone so brave and selfless as David had been. In the face of absolute danger, he had gone running into the fray, prepared to lay down his life for a world he had never even known existed until a few short weeks ago.

  Her time with David had proven beyond a doubt in her mind that he had what it takes to make a real difference in this war. She believed in him, and she had come to love him deeply, not because of his heroism, but because of his kindness and willingness to help those around him.

  “David, the prophecy foretold your coming, and here you are. The prophecy also foretold that you would be the one who would bind the darkness away for good. You are the one from prophecy, there isn’t a doubt in my mind. But more than that, I believe in you, and so does everyone else. Not just because of what the prophecy says, but because of what we have seen you do.” she said gently.

  “You choose to fight when others would have run. You choose to stand up for our world when others would have walked away. Your spirit is strong, stronger than you give yourself credit for. If anyone can stop the Defiant One, it’s you.” Erin finished with a warm smile and a gentle kiss on his cheek before settling back into her position with her head resting on his shoulder, looking out at the scene around them.

  The light from the moon was reflecting off the rolling hills, covering the landscape in a blanket of gentle silver. The hills extended far into the distance to the north, and some ways to the east before dropping into vast flat plains dotted with trees. Far into the distance the trees became thicker and seemed to dominate the landscape.

  They sat there together for some time in silence, just enjoying each other’s company. When the moon reached its apex in the sky, they decided to head back down to camp to get some rest and change out their shift with Holzer and Reingard.

  As they made their way down the gentle slope, David’s eye caught some movement in the shadows just south of the camp. He quickly stopped and notified Erin, pointing in the direction of the movement.

  As they peered into the night, the shadows once again moved with the malicious intent of a stalker. There were dozens of them, and they were moving more quickly as they approached the campsite. Moonlight briefly reflected off something metallic – it was unmistakably a sword. Despite the spell of concealment, and their furious flight through the previous night and day, their pursuers had found them!

  Knowing time was running out, David and Erin sprinted as fast as they could down the hill towards the camp in a race to get to the others before the gang breached the alarms and sent them into a frenzy.

  As soon as they reached the camp, the alarm went off, sending a shrilling whistle through the air followed by the yells of men running into battle – this time, they recognized the sound for what it was and were determined to prevent their victims from escaping.

  Tyrius and the others quickly jumped up from their positions, struggling to shake of their sleep and grasping for their weapons while David and Erin rushed toward the incoming enemy with their blades drawn, hoping to give their companions enough time to prepare for the battle.

  When the men left the shadows of the trees they had been creeping around and the light from the moon revealed their true numbers, David’s heart sank to his stomach. There was more than just a dozen – there were at least three times that, maybe more, and they were coming at them like a horde of raging pirates.

  Prepared to stand their ground and fight to the death, David and Erin planted their feet and swung with all their might as the crowd of men crashed into them.

  The majority of the men flew past them towards the camp, while a couple met their blades with equal ferocity, clashing steel against steel and forcing David and Erin on their heels.

  Fortunately, they were becoming more seasoned fighters and they quickly deflected their charging opponent’s attacks, each breaking off into their own isolated battles while hoping their friends had had sufficient time to wake up and prepare for the incoming attack.

  The sound of screams and a sudden intense flash of fire erupting through the darkness told Erin that Tyrius had successfully prepared for the attack and had cast a fury of powerful spells towards the aggressors. Several of the men caught fire and started running wildly into the darkness, weapons and anger forgotten once the flames began licking their flesh.

  As she fought back her opponent, she heard the unmistakable roar of her barbarian friends as they ran into battle and a smile flashed across her face – they, too, were ready – the fight was on.

  She quickly ducked under an attack that left her opponent’s right side open, giving her am
ple time to stab her dagger deep into the man’s ribs before she kicked him hard in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

  She pulled back her dagger and threw it hard into an incoming man’s chest, dropping him instantly to the ground.

  No time to spare, she lifted up her sword to deflect an incoming attack, blocking it and deflecting it back into the air before ramming her pommel hard into the face of her newest victim, sending a spray of blood from his mouth and nose before dropping him with a swift and fatal cut to his throat.

  Meanwhile, David was locked in combat with a man he recognized all too well – it was one of the men from Ashmire.

  The man was a fierce opponent and attacked relentlessly and with abandon, leaving David little time to react between each blow.

  As he dodged the endless fray of attacks, he quickly focused on trying to find an opening that would allow him to catch his opponent off guard and give him the chance he needed to turn the tides and go on the offensive.

  That moment finally came.

  The man put all his weight into an overhead swing, hoping it would knock David down when he tried to block – instead, he side-stepped out of the way, causing the man to stumble forward with the unexpected lack of resistance. David used this to his advantage and twirled around, arcing his blade outward towards the man’s exposed back. It made contact, slicing a deep gash across his upper back, and forcing him to turn around with the blow.

  David didn’t let up, knowing doing so could cause him to lose the advantage. He followed with a series of swift jabs and cuts, which the man just barely blocked. David could see the man was starting to tire, his movements were becoming slower and his breath more labored. He was losing a lot of blood, and soon he would become too weak to fight any longer.

  Knowing this, David pressed on even harder, until the opening he was waiting for finally came. The man had anticipated a high cut, leaving his lower half unguarded. David quickly diverted his attack into a low sweep with his leg, taking out the man’s legs from beneath him, sending him landing hard on the ground. David quickly plunged his sword into the man’s stomach with a finishing blow before running off toward the camp to help his friends.