by Cody Loewen
“That’s right. You died. How are we communicating right now?” I ask out loud once again.
“We are currently in your subconscious,” Timaeus replies. “I pulled us in here using my conscious, that is now trapped inside of the ruby you carry in your sword. Because of the power possessed in the mortal world, I am able to use my essence, along with the ruby, to talk to you for a brief time before I am swept away into its magic, like all the other creatures you have been hunting all these years.”
I suddenly think about all my hunts, and the people I have been killing, and the idea that Valerius was lying to me makes me sick to my stomach.
“So, all of those people and creatures I was killing on Valerius’ orders, was I really,,,was I-“I begin to ask him, but he quickly cuts me off.
“No need to worry, little one,” he says to me soothingly. “Those creatures and people truly were evil. See, that is the genius of Valerius’ plan. He really was sending you after evil and darkness, making you believe you were making the world a better place. What he didn’t do was truly explain to you the way that your ruby works. As you know, when the wielder of that gem vanquishes an enemy, their life force is sucked into the artifact. That is where the power that you feel comes from, but it will also sway your mind. That is why after killing evil for so long, you felt so angry and dark, and obsessed. You were channeling the power of years-worth of evil kills, and it was turning you toward the darkness.”
“Is that why I felt different after I killed you?” I ask him, my face flushing again as the words come out of my mouth. He chuckles at me, releasing my tension. “That’s exactly right,” he explains. “With my death, the gem’s power was set back toward a more balanced level, my light offsetting all of the darkness it had been infused with. So, while you were killing evil, in a way, you were slowly becoming evil, which was exactly what Valerius wanted you to do. It is just as the prophecy states.”
As he says that, his gaze drifts away in thought for a moment.
“What prophecy?” I ask him, having never heard anything of this before.
“The prophecy was written a very long time ago by a being of massive power who could see events in the future,” he begins to explain. “The prophecy states, ‘When a pure soul turned to darkness is harvested and harnessed, then the scales of the universe will tip and cast everything into darkness. Only when that same soul brings back the light will balance be restored to the world.’”
My eyes open wide at the magnitude of his words.
“So, I just let darkness win the battle it has been fighting since the beginning of time?” I ask him in horror, digesting his words and their meaning. “Obviously, I’m the soul. So, what really happens now?”
“With the collection of your soul, which is what Valerius took from you before he left, he was able to raise his dark lieutenants from their captivity,” he states matter of factly. “With their return, his power grows tremendously, making him nearly impervious to any attack against him. His lieutenants will spread out, wreaking havoc throughout the universe and continuing to disrupt the order and balance. According to the prophecy, you are the only one who can stop this.”
“My soul?” I ask him, those words ringing louder than the others. “You said he took my soul?”
“Yes, that is correct,” he answers patiently. “He ripped your soul out of your body. It is a sort of magical essence present in each of us. It is the connection to life and death. Ironically enough, as the only one who can now stop Valerius, he allowed you the time to do so.”
I look at him, confused at the meaning of the words, and he quickly continues.
“Without a soul, you will not age. You have no connection to a natural death. You may be slain in combat, but you are nearly immortal now.”
“So, how do I make this right?” I ask as the shock of finding out I am now soulless wears off
“The only way to bring back the light is to hunt down each of those lieutenants and destroy them. That is the only way you will gain enough power to be able to stand against Valerius.”
More hunting.
“That is correct,” he replies with a nod. “But you won’t have to face this task alone.”
I look at him curiously, having completed my quest up to this point with no one beside me after Rayfe’s departure.
“As it is in your bloodline to wield the power of that ruby and fulfill this dark prophecy, there are other bloodlines all over the world who are destined to assist you on this journey in front of you,” he says. “You will need to seek them out and utilize their expertise in order to defeat these dark enemies.”
“How will I know where to find these people who are destined to help me and the lieutenants that I must destroy?” I ask him, feeling overwhelmed by the task in front of me, but determined to fix this mistake that I have made.
“The heroes will make themselves apparent to you as you search for your enemies,” he replies. “The lieutenants, however, may take time to surface.”
“Be patient in your quest,” he urges me. “Bide your time and wait for one of them to make enough darkness around him for you to follow, and then utilize your own abilities and any help you find to vanquish them. I fear that my time here has come to an end.”
“No!” I exclaim. I have so many more questions. He gives me a small smile as he begins to fade away, his form losing its shape.
“Good luck, young one,” he says to me gently, before the last wisps of his essence are lost in the breeze. I close my eyes to steady myself. And find myself back in the field of grass when I open them. I sit down for several minutes, digesting the fact that everything I have been doing for the past five years was leading to the end of the world, and that now I must be the one to set it right.
I take his words about patience to heart, using my newfound peace that came with the absence of anger in my heart, and decide to wait until I hear of a darkness that might be one of the lieutenants I am tasked with defeating.
Only one place makes sense for me to settle down and rest before the coming storm. I smile widely to myself, ready for the trip ahead of me and the looming task of restoring the balance in the world.
I’m going home.
