A long pause filled the room as the guilt from their decision ran through Emil. As the memories replayed in his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if there could have been another way.
“I couldn’t let her come along with me. It was just too risky. No matter how much she insisted, I couldn’t march her to her death...not with a clear conscience. She wouldn’t have stood a chance if an ambush happened.”
“But you did tell her about Legion, right?”
“Yes, but that only made her more determined to help. After I saw Silvia’s mist the next morning, I left her in a cave I used when I was on the run.”
“You were on the run? With your family?”
“No,” Emil sharply exhaled. “The family that took me in was from Nerai. I lived with them after I saved the mother from a band of roadside bandits. My original family is no more.”
“I’m sorry. We’ve all lost something, it seems.” The look of remorse momentarily overwhelmed Omari’s face, but Emil failed to notice.
“After I left her, I ran into the mist knowing it was a trap. I was lured in by one of Silvia’s illusions. It was someone that I used to know...and then I was ambushed. I fought them off for as long as I could, but I was overpowered. Once I was beaten, Silvia appeared and said she was there to reform me. She said she wanted to wipe my memories clean using her abilities, but first I’d have to suffer. She wanted me to beg her to take my memories away.”
“And how did she plan to do that?”
“Her crystals had a liquid coating to them, probably a more concentrated amount than the fog. Once the stuff got in your system, you were linked to her. Your body no longer moved to your responses as freely and your head floats; almost like a dream. Once I was under her influence, she showed me everything. She was the one who killed the ones who took me in. She made me relive it through her eyes. The smell of their blood, the screams, the look on their faces... Through the link we had, I felt everything that she felt.”
Omari watched silently as Emil clenched the excess cloth of his pants in his fist. For some time, they sat there in silence, with only the burning brimstone and sound of smoldering wood to fill the gaps.
“So...now that you’ve had your revenge, is your heart at ease?”
“No.” Emil’s sunken head slowly rose until his sullen eyes met Omari’s. “How could I have revenge when it was me who killed them?”
Omari opened his mouth as if he was about to speak but not a single word escaped his lips.
“It’s funny. Hugo’s last words were the same thing. I tried my best to deny it, to pay the words of a dying foe no mind, but now I can see that his words were true. I led Legion to the village. Because of me, they all died. If they would not have known me...if I would have stayed in the forest...they would still be alive.”
“That may be so, but everything happens for a reason.”
“The reason was that I walked into their lives.”
“Hm. If you never would have met them, what would have become of the mother that day she was attacked by bandits? Because of your intervention, she had that much more time with her loved ones, including you. Often times things in life happen in ways we never expect. That is why I trust in a higher power and pray that he guides my path.” Omari pointed up towards the ceiling as if the being he spoke of was hovering over his head. “Tell me, Emil...do you believe in God?”
“Yeah...I believe he’s out there somewhere. No other way I could be the way I am. Doesn’t matter though. For someone who is so strong, he doesn’t do anything. He’s just some big guy in the sky that knows everything but does nothing. I can’t trust the man who cursed me. Especially if he knew what was to come and still went through with it.”
“While God may know the final outcome, free will has always been our birthright ever since the beginning. He will always know the answer, but we must choose our path in this life, as well as live with the choices we make.”
“I suppose so. Thank you, Omari...for everything,” Emil decided after a moment of reflection.
Omari slowly stood from his chair, the old floorboards that supported his slender frame creaking under his feet as he straightened his spine. “If it were me, I would have done the same thing. It seems that we both have a disposition for helping those in need. Sleep soundly tonight, Emil. There’s a room right next to Marona’s where you can stay. This place is secure. I’ve been here for quite some time. They have no reason to lay waste to an old church, at least without proper warning. If it makes sleeping any easier for you, I’ll be on watch for the remainder of the night.”
With his back to Emil, Omari attempted to exit the room, but his departure was impeded.
“Omari, one more thing. I’ve been meaning to ask...how did you find me?”
“Through Skye,” he calmly responded. “I believe she is developing the ability to sense others like us subconsciously. Though I am not sure. A few nights ago, she had a premonition about your village burning. She saw a figure with an aura of blue light fighting against a man who wielded fire. The following night, there was indeed a fire that blazed from Nerai, holding true to Skye’s vision.”
Omari momentarily paused in silent reflection before finishing his train of thought. “After hearing of the rumors and witnessing the foreign mist for myself, I decided to investigate further—which lead me to Marona and eventually, to you. One of my greatest regrets in this life is not intervening when I had the chance to save your village. Not knowing the manner of the situation, I hesitated, so I too have blood on my hands... Good night, Emil. I’m afraid I can’t neglect my watch any further.”
Before Emil could respond, Omari vanished from the room, leaving nothing behind but an empty space where he once stood.
From atop the terrace, Omari could see the construct of the town below; dimly lit from above by the stars and from oil lamps that swayed against their respective hinges. It was common practice for him to spend the majority of his night watching the twilight from a distance, as well as the town’s streets, despite the blatant hate towards both him and his people. Abnormals, Irregulars, Demons, whatever they called him, it was all from fear, despite the fact that he only came in good intentions and often times to their aid.
As Omari sat on top the rooftop, the cool breeze aggravated his right hand, reminding him of his previous battle. In aggravation, he raised his hand up from its resting place on his knee and spread his fingers before contracting them into a fist. From behind, a knock against the wooden doorframe stirred his senses, causing him to turn his head momentarily to the source of the noise before turning back to the stars overhead.
A girl, not much younger than himself, leaned against the wall behind him, bearing a look of sincere compassion that flooded through her hazel eyes. Her head clung lazily to the wall, cushioned by her neatly braided black hair.
“Are you ok?” she asked.
From her posture, he could tell that she was not at full strength—she merely wore a façade underneath her soft smile to hide the fatigue she harbored from healing the others.
“I’m fine, Skye. Just doing my watch. Things haven’t been exactly peaceful as of late. Even for our terms. How are the others?”
“The girl, Marona, she’s okay. She’s sleeping now and should be at full strength tomorrow. Emil, he’s sleeping as well. He’s fine physically, but he’s troubled. He’s...sad, you know? There’s a cloud around him and it just lingers. I can feel it. It bothers me.”
“The village that you saw that night, it was his. What you saw in your vision was him fighting to save a village of people from a member of Legion. Emil fought and won, but ultimately, they took everything away from him. A family that had taken him in escaped the initial onslaught but was executed by another member. Through the executioner’s abilities, he was forced to live it through her eyes.”
Skye raised her hand to her mouth as her eyes began to well up with tears. “Oh my God,” she whispered faintly.
“Up to this point, it seems that
the thought of the family who showed him love being alive gave him the strength to carry on, but now I don’t know what to think. While I can’t experience emotion on your level, I do know that I feel his sorrow to the fullest of my capacity.”
“Brother, you know that it’s not your fault. We’ve been doing so well, and you just wanted to make sure we stayed safe.”
“Perhaps...but one cannot simply change the way one feels.”
Chapter 12: The Dreamer and the Deceiver
Six Years Ago
“Stay behind me, boys!”
The door came buckling down as their home quickly filled with troops armed with the intent to kill. Once inside, the guards quickly surrounded the occupants of the household. The father drew his sword with one hand while using the other to shield his wife and two sons.
“Sir Lancaster.” A voice emerged from the small battalion of guards before them. The crowd parted to make way for a man outfitted in bronze armor, which uniquely complemented the brown ponytail trailing behind him. “The boy, give him to me. You safeguard him even though he is cursed. You of all people should know the dangers that this child brings to our land.” The general’s eyes shifted over to the boy who was partially hidden behind his father’s cloak. “Though he looks like one of us, do acknowledge that he is not one of us. I’m sure you have seen what the townspeople have spoken of; the unholy aura that this child brings to the world. It brings disease, death, and famine...all of these things and yet you hold onto him still. I find it more than a coincidence that you resigned from your position with us under the new orders from the king. What do you plan on doing, exactly?”
“Raphael, stop this! You’ve held Emil with your own two hands! You’ve watched him grow! He is but a child!” Emil’s father sternly retorted. “Let him live!”
Raphael scoffed at the father’s sentiment, not even giving a second of his thoughts the time of day. Emil’s father continued on, but no matter how hard he tried, his plea fell on deaf ears.
Raphael was steadfast on his superior’s order.
“The child’s blue hellfire is not of this earth. You know this. Beneath the exterior of that child lies a demon of insurmountable power. If he lives, the deeds of darkness he will learn to commit will be unfathomable. Surrender the child, or surrender your life.”
“Lies! You know what the king speaks of is lies! Emil is no demon! Call off your men!”
“Silence traitor! You were once my brother in arms, but now I only see you as a shell of the man you once were. You disappoint me.”
“Raphael, please. You know that Emil is no demon. He is my son...a child. Why do you blindly follow the king’s orders?”
“That’s enough! I do what I am told because I must. His judgment is far more decisive than my own. Give me the boy, and I will let your family live. If not, we will kill your family where you stand.”
Emil’s father turned back and looked into the eyes of both his children and then into those of his loving wife. Emil was now fastened close to his brother. Both boys stood in front of their mother who towered over them, her eyes filled with tears, knowing that it would be the last time her gaze would meet her husband’s.
“Raphael, you know that I cannot give up my son.”
“Then you will die here today along with your loved ones.”
From both sides of Raphael, his guards gathered at his decree. Emil’s father readied his sword, centering it in front of his body. He placed his free hand firmly around the handle of his concave blade as he mentally prepared himself to fight against the men that threatened to take everything that he held dear.
“Run!” Emil’s father called out as the guards came forward, but his command was quickly cut off by a rain of blades that cleaved through his skin. The guards of Raphael’s squadron gave him no mercy as he fell to the hands of the enemy. From behind him, the screams of his wife echoed throughout the bloodstained hall. Emil and his older brother stood horrified as they watched their father’s life slowly slip away.
When the last beat of his heart failed to bring life to his body, the guards approached Emil with the same intent.
However, before they could lay a hand on him, his mother stepped in front of both her sons, forming a human barricade.
The tears flowed like rivers as she served as a wall, separating her offspring from the harm that would inevitably befall her. “Please,” she sobbed. “Just let them live.”
The guards slowly approached her, stepping over her slain husband, but Raphael stopped them from raising their blades once more.
“Very well,” he said as he met her face-to-face. “I will spare your first born, Arius, who bears no curse. He is innocent. If you give me the Abnormal, I will let you and your boy go; free from harm. It was a rather bleak turn of events that your husband passed, but seeing that he blatantly overstepped his bounds, I was left no other choice. You do understand this, right?”
Raphael waited for a response but Emil’s mother remained silent, only sobbing to herself as she stared down the demon in front of her.
“So what will it be, Lady Cassandra?” he said as he raised his sword up to her breast.
“Raphael, you know I can’t do that.”
A sudden wisp of air escaped from her lungs as Raphael’s sword sank into her chest. Cold and methodically, he killed her. From her mouth, blood spilled onto the baseboard, coloring her garments on the way down.
“I...love...you both. Take care of each other.”
Raphael’s eyes remained unfazed as he watched the horror of her fate resonate through her very being, not caring that he had just robbed two young innocents of their mother.
“I know...and that is why you will die today with your husband,” he commented as she fell to her knees and then face forward onto the floor.
From behind her slain body, a blue light began to fill the room, radiating from Emil. The look on the young boy’s face was no longer that of helplessness or confusion, but that of rage—a deep-seeded hatred that could only be purified with their deaths.
Raphael’s men steadily backed away as Emil’s aura began to contort around his body.
“Do not waiver at the sight of this demon’s true power! He is still just a boy. Hold fast and kill this monster!”
“You killed my mother and father in cold blood, and yet I’m the monster?” Emil said as his aura began to violently shift around him. Slowly, he walked to his father’s deceased body and grasped the sword that lay underneath his lifeless hand. “I’ll kill you all.”
“Formation! We kill him, now!” Raphael yelled as his troops aggregated around him, ready to defend their leader.
Twisted with rage, Emil rushed into the battalion, desperate to avenge his parents.
“Go!”
From their defensive ranks, three guards charged forward, blocking Emil’s path to their commander and initiated an attack of their own. Strategically, they surrounded Emil in a triangle formation and launched their assault from all sides.
“Emil!” Arius cried out as he watched, unable to do anything as he remained crouched at his mother’s side.
At once, the three swordsmen slashed at Emil, but he dodged them, only being grazed by the last one. Emil went for a counter attack, slicing at the guard who stood directly in front of him.
The sharp cling of metal followed after his target successfully blocked the attack.
A guard swiped at his back, cutting Emil and causing him to lunge forward in pain.
“See, the boy can be killed! Do not be afraid of this abomination!” Raphael called out from behind his ranks at the sight of Emil’s mishap.
From above, the blade of the swordsmen came down at Emil’s extended head. Emil narrowly dodged the blade that aimed to decapitate him and swung at the guard behind him, cutting into his burgundy plated armor. Even at full strength, with his recently manifested powers, at best he was only able to match Raphael’s elite guards in terms of raw power.
“Go, go, go! Kill him!” Raphael
sent more men towards the wounded boy, eager to capitalize on his weakness.
“Rahhhhhh!” Emil yelled as he continued to press on, fighting against the slew of opponents Raphael sent his way.
From the foreground, Raphael watched silently, amused with the raw talent that the boy displayed when matched against his best men. Though at first he was able to hold his own, through the shear amount of men that came at Emil, he was slowly beginning to become overwhelmed. The strikes that he would have normally dodged nicked him, and those that would only nick him, tore his flesh.
“Well done my boy, but it seems that twelve seems to be your lucky number,” Raphael said from behind his men.
Emil could barely hear him over the sounds of his ragged breaths. On both sides, injuries were taken. Cuts and bruises were scattered across Emil’s body—killing blows that were nullified by the now faint aura that wisped around him. Of Raphael’s men, only about a fourth were wounded, but even still they struck at the opportune time.
“A young boy, at the age of sixteen, holding his own against twelve of my best men. Impressive. But still, today you die. Finish the job, men.”
From all sides they attacked him, wearing down on his already nearly depleted stamina. Even with his rage driving his blade, it wasn’t nearly enough to do anything but bide time to avoid the inevitable.
“Stop!” Arius yelled. “Can’t you see he’s had enough?!”
Raphael’s men paid no mind to the normal child’s plea for mercy and continued their assault against his brother.
From where he stood, Arius watched the downfall of his brother, blow after blow, growing in intensity, almost as if they were beginning to enjoy themselves before the slaughter.
“Arius...get out of here while you still can! They’re after me!”
The Last Light Series Omnibus One: - The Dreamer and the Deceiver - All Things Eternal - Ode to the King: A Superhero Epic Fantasy Collection (The Last Light Collection Book 1) Page 8
