William of Archonia: Redemption

by Jarod Meyer

  “Is that how you treat all new recruits?” William growled, furiously spitting out a glob of red.

  “Be silent. Were you fighting your true enemy, you would already be destroyed,” Silvos said seriously.

  “You’re a….” but again William could not get a word out before he was flying through the air.

  This time he slammed into the fence, which shattered from the impact. His body felt wrecked, but the feeling subsided a bit as adrenaline rushed in. This time he did not wait for Silvos to say something. He lunged up from the ground, dug his feet into the sand, and rushed at him.

  The crowd burst into laughter. William must have looked like a snail running towards him, because there was more laughing. Silvos chuckled, deftly dodging an attack, before cracking him on the back of the head.

  William caught a face full of sand again. Everything was blurring when he managed to lift his head. He could faintly make out a figure standing at the edge of the circle. He stood perfectly still, perhaps the one person not laughing or hollering. Then everything went dark.

  * * *

  William awoke, startled, and braced himself for the next blow, but it never fell. His head felt like it was in a vice, and he blubbered around a bit, pushing two fingers on each of his temples. Craning his neck slowly, he squinted his eyes looked around. He was lying on a stone slab in a room with few windows. The room’s high stone walls cast long shadows, leaving the room incredibly dark. He shifted painfully, taking in the rest of the room. There was a door. Compared to everything else in Archonia, this one looked relatively normal sized for once. It was made of a light colored wood, and was no less intricate than anything else.

  How many times have I been knocked unconscious lately? This can’t be good for my head, he thought to himself.

  “Damn it, I need to see a friggin’ doctor!”

  He felt a cool breeze fall upon his face and neck. The breeze fluttered through his linen clothes, sending a shiver up his spine. He stood, the stone of the floor cold against his bare feet. He pushed his hand against his chin and cracked his neck back and forth, and stretched his sore muscles.

  A sudden, low growl reverberated out of the shadows, interrupting his focus. A heartbeat later the room was quiet once again. For a moment William wondered if he had simply imagined it. He held his breath and listened intently in complete silence. There was no sound, and curiosity got the better of him. After a moment he started towards the door. As he did there was a thudding on the other side, not unlike footsteps.

  He paused momentarily, but then continued. He pushed, the door cracking open slowly. As it did, a wave of air rushed over him. It sounded strangely like something exhaling.

  He stopped for a second, and thought to himself that this could not possibly be good, but nothing good had really ever happened to him. He flexed his stomach to give him courage, and gritted his teeth.

  William gave the door a rough push and it swung open. The doorway opened into a large circular room, where a terrifying beast stood. It was all white and stood on four legs, each as thick as a tree trunk. Massive claws clicked against the granite floor. Two large heads sprouted from the creature’s breast. They looked like the heads of dogs or lions. Armor scales circled the neck of each head like a mane. The creature snapped and snarled, baring razor sharp teeth.

  William took a deep breath, and walked towards it. There were two possibilities. Either this was a test, or they had decided to execute him. Either way, he would have to fight.

  The beast didn’t appear to have noticed him. It seemed to be looking at something above. William craned his neck and followed its gaze. Ringed balconies lined the high walls above him, like some sort of amphitheatre. Soldiers filled each row, watching silently.

  William quickened his pace, hoping to catch the creature off guard, but as he approached one of the heads snapped in his direction. Fear gripped him, and he froze. He tried to assess his options, but his train of thought was completely lost as the head facing him roared, baring an array of yellowed teeth. The hot, sickening breath washed over him.

  Gabe said the laws of physics were different here. My mind determines how strong I am. He remembered the three foot thick stone wall that he had crumbled with his bare fist.

  “Alright let’s do this,” he said to himself.

  William burst forward, his bare feet finding purchase against the cool floor, and leapt. There was a rush of air and William was airborne. He closed the gap in a single bound. The creature jumped and met him in the air, teeth gnashing. William threw his shoulder into the beast, catching one of the heads in the nose. The creature howled and froze in mid-air. William bounced off, flying backwards hitting the hard granite floor and cracking a large indent into it. He turned over quickly, and sank an angry fist into the ruined floor. He pushed off, his feet digging in, further crushing the fragmented stone.

  The head he had struck hung limp, evidently still stunned from the previous blow. William jumped hard into the air, dodging the snapping teeth of the other head, and locked two strong hands around its two canine teeth. With the momentum of his body, he twisted the head and the creature along with it, wrestling it to the ground. William wrapped his muscular arms around the head and twisted, yelling with all his might. There were a series of sickening cracks as the head went limp in his arms and the tongue rolled out of its mouth.

  There was a howl of pain from the other head, and William cheered in silence, but his celebration was cut short. The second head ripped away from the dead one, leaving William holding a lifeless lump. The other head had separated into a completely different body. This new form turned on William and charged. Before he could react he caught a chest full of claws, the creature burying them deep into his flesh.

  Searing pain came across his body as he hit the floor, digging into the magnificently detailed stone once again. He thought quickly. Years of street fighting and wrestling experience kicked in, and he crossed his arms over his face, catching the creature’s mouth and blocking its deadly teeth. He quickly twisted his torso, and wrapped his legs on the inside of the creature’s limb pinning him to the ground. He straightened his body with all his might, and there was another crack as the beast’s leg gave way to William’s strength.

  The claws hurt almost as much going out as they did going in, but he felt the pressure fall away as the creature collapsed sideways. William pushed off the ground, grabbed the howling creature by the jaw and upper lip, and used its falling body to bring himself upright. With brute force he whipped the creature around in a great arc, and let it loose, sending it flying across the room. It hit one of the room’s support pillars, fracturing the stone in a spray of dust and debris.

  Silence fell over the room, and William fell to his knees, the pain rushing in as the adrenaline wore off. Blood seeped from the puncture wounds made by the creature’s massive claws, staining the front of his white, linen shirt. Sweat dripped from his brow and into his eyes, blurring his vision. He made out a figure through the haze. They landed silently in front of him.

  There was a searing flash, and light poured over him onto him like a shower. He felt it pour into his wounds, spreading like warmth through the gashes and torn flesh. Relief flooded through him as his wounds started to close. Soon the pain and was gone. The light subsided, allowing his vision to return.

  William looked up to find not just one figure, but twenty or more standing before him. The closest man was of average size and had short, blonde hair. He wore silver plates that protected only certain vital areas of the body. He smiled and extended a hand to him. William took it and was lifted off the floor with surprising force. He staggered back, his free hand crawling over his chest, his shirt still damp with blood.

  “My chest,” he said.

  The man smiled, still gripping his hand.

  “I have healed your wounds, son,” he said, shaking Williams hand vigorously. “My name is Henry. Well done, my friend.”

  William muttered, “Thanks,” his confusion mou
nting.

  Zeus stood amidst the group, towering over them all. Standing next to him was a relatively normal looking man. He was average height, with long blond hair, and piercing blue eyes. He was not smiling or laughing like the others. He stood motionless, his arms crossed, his face emotionless. He wore dull, steel armor that looked distinctively Greek. A short sword was strapped to his back. It looked miniscule compared to some of the other men’s weapons.

  The clamor of voices died down as Zeus raised a hand.

  “So, Young Archonian, It seems you have some experience with battle,” Zeus said.

  William was surprised that he referred to him as an Archonian, when earlier he had called him tainted.

  “I have been in a few fights before,” William replied, getting up from his knees gingerly.

  Zeus laughed, the noise reverberating off the walls.

  “Indeed, only one other has ever defeated Henry’s Chimera on their first try.”

  “I assume you’re talking about the massive dog,” William said, pointing over to the pile of rubble.

  “Correct. Henry, you must be very displeased. Usually your beasts are much more formidable,” Zeus said, turning towards the man that had healed William.

  Henry smiled, and said, “On the contrary, sir, it was as strong as ever. It was bested fair and square by a truly powerful warrior.”

  “Truly powerful, indeed. He should be trained as a guardian,” Zeus said.

  “There is too much anger in him. He has done nothing but think of himself his entire mortal and immortal existence,” the man in the dull steel armor said, cutting in sternly.

  William’s eyes narrowed, and took a breath to argue but Zeus spoke first.

  “Oh come now, you must see a great warrior for what he is. Let him walk the path. The worst that would happen is that he would fail, and if he does, he will be trained as a Sentinel,” Zeus finished in a deep voice.

  The rest of the room turned to the smaller man, waiting for his response. He seemed to command great respect.

  “Very well, Commander. He will report to captain Chang Fei to begin his initiation.”

  With that the blond haired man and some of the others standing around him whirled around, and with unnatural speed were gone.

  “Come with me, William,” Henry said, putting his arm around William’s back.

  He followed, having to run just to keep up with Henry’s swift pace.

  “I’m sorry about your dog,” William said, worried that he had killed the man’s pet.

  “Not to worry, my friend, it was only a conjuration. It had no life in it,” Henry replied.

  “A conjur…what?

  “All Archonians have different abilities. Some are more unique than others. They are powers reflected from your life as a mortal. I was a British explorer in the year sixteen nineteen. I was very fond of animals, and came across the most incredible species on my journeys. Unfortunately it was one of the very beasts that I admired that destroyed my mortal body. I have a great connection to creatures of all kinds, and simply by seeing them I can project a sort of illusion of one, and in a way, it becomes real.”

  William began to wonder if he had any special powers.

  William ran his hands over his chest, inspecting the torn, stained fabric. “That thing seemed real enough to me. Did you really just imagine that ugly thing?” he asked.

  “I did indeed. The uglier the beast, the scarier it is for the adversary,” the man said with proper English etiquette.

  “The horrible breath was a particularly nice touch,” William responded, rolling his eyes.

  “The small details are the most important part, in my opinion,” Henry said, holding a closed hand up to William.

  There was a tiny flash of light, and when he opened his hand, a stunning butterfly sat on his palm. It was a brilliant aqua blue, marked with black spots. William watched as Henry let it fly into the air, before disappearing from sight.

  They walked for a short while, soon coming upon a familiar face. Brock beamed at William, slapping him on the back and almost knocking him to the ground again.

  “Well done, little brother!” he bellowed with a huge smile. “I have never seen anyone take down Henry’s two headed dog before. I myself only got one head. Damn thing split, and took me down. You are one hell of a fighter. What kind of combat did you see back on Earth?”

  “Just some firefights, mostly street fighting,” William responded.

  “You fight with fire in your time?” Brock asked, his face crinkling in confusion.

  William laughed. “No, in my time we use guns to kill each other, not swords.”

  “They use the expanding gas from a combustible powder to hurl projectiles at very high speeds,” Henry cut in, trying to explain for Brock.

  “Oh yes. I remember reading about those things one time. Those projectiles would not even tickle the weakest soldier here,” Brock said, laughing.

  “William, how have the weapons evolved since my time? Have they found better ways to slaughter one another?” Henry asked sarcastically.

  “Well, I fired a mini gun once that fired over two thousand rounds a minute,” William said with a smile.

  Henry stopped walking, his mouth hanging open in shock.

  “That is outrageous,” Henry said after recovering.

  “What exactly is a Guardian, and why am I no longer going to be a Sentinel?” William asked, trying to change the subject.

  Brock’s smile grew even wider.

  “Well, there are three different branches that make up our army. The Sentinels are defenders that protect the cities of Archonia, and keep the peace. Then there are the Adjudicators. This section of our fighting force is made up of mostly scholars, and tacticians. They also interpret the law of the Synod. But you, my friend, are going to become a Guardian. The Guardians are soldiers, the elite fighting force in Archonia. They focus primarily on warfare and are purely military,” Brock stated.

  “We answer only to the commander of the Guardians,” Henry said.

  “…he answers only to the Synod,” Brock finished for him.

  William already knew who that was.

  “That man in the grey armor,” he said quietly.

  “Correct,” Brock responded. “He is the most powerful warrior in Archonia. His name is Achilles. The only time he was ever defeated was on Earth, when an arrow shot by a lucky foe crippled him. Unfortunately that cowardly shot was all they needed to destroy his mortal body. He has otherwise never been defeated in single combat.”

  “So he has more influence than the Synod?” William asked.

  “No, little brother. The Synod was created after the war of souls. It was modeled after the first democracies of man for it was these first societies who began to crossover into our world. Archonia was founded as a republic. Therefore, there are checks and balances that must be kept in place to ensure that no one person possesses too much power.”

  “What about Zeus? He seemed to defer to Achilles. In my human histories, Zeus was a god and Achilles a man,” William said.

  “Many humans were thought to be gods in the early days of man. I can assure you that Zeus was just a man. He was a powerful leader, and was one of the first to be taught by the Archon Kronos. Hence many people thought that he was his son. In truth he is just as much an Archonian as you or I, little brother.”

  “I think I understand, at least the military. Sentinels are the police. Adjudicators are the judges, and I am going to be a soldier,” William said confidently.

  “Not just any soldier William. If you do not fail the training, you will be among the most powerful warriors in Archonia.”

  Chapter Seven

  A Friend

  After his fight with Henry’s two headed beast, Brock showed William to his living quarters. It was a small room on the first floor of Valhalla castle. Located nearest to the training grounds, the new recruit’s rooms allowed the younger and slower Archonians to get to their training sessions on time.
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br />   There wasn’t much to his quarters. A simple bathing tub sat in one corner, a small fountain of warm water flowing softly. There was a closet containing fresh garments as well as some training leathers. A doorway led into several smaller rooms. They contained neither beds nor storage, so he struggled to immediately identify their purpose. It was small, and simply, but without a doubt the finest lodging William had ever experienced.

  William changed into some of the thick leather training gear. It was composed of a hardened chest guard that was sleeveless to keep his arms free. Next, matching leather pants, which allowed for a surprising amount of movement, and finally tall, studded leather boots. He was ready to train, but quickly learned that physical training was not all that awaited him. When he left the changing room he was greeted by a Guardian who did not speak, and simply handed him a thick, bound stack of papers.

  William crinkled his brow, but before he could thank the soldier, the man dashed off. He strolled back into the room, opening the cover and rifling through the papers. It was a book. He found a schedule outlining academic courses as well as a rigorous training regimen. Brock had told him to expect this.

  Brock had also gone on to explain that he would have to complete his initiates training before continuing down the path of the Guardian, and that becoming a Guardian was no easy task. If he successfully completed this training he would be allowed to forge his armor. This part piqued William’s interest, but when he tried to press Brock for more information, he simply said, “You will get there in due time.”

  Guardian training would take place over the course of two Archonian months, which equated to roughly two hundred days. By the end of that time, he hoped to be proficient in combat, written studies, and Archonian laws.

  Before William knew it he was in the middle of another sparring circle. Brock stood across from him, and next to the large man was an enormous stone block. It had to be as big as a truck. It cast a shadow over William as he walked over to Brock, who stood lazily with one arm against it.