The Broken Prophecy (Walls O' Text)

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The Great Elder spoke with authority.
"The Crystal cannot be wrong. So it is written in the Great Book of Lecroa."
Edwin was taken aback.
"But... Alicia has fallen! Are you saying that we are doomed?"
"No, of course not. Our conclusion is that a demon possessed you, and used illusions to fool us all into seeing a corrupted vision. We should have realized it before - a woman, the savior of all humanity? Ridiculous. You must be purified, so that we can see your vision for what it truly was. Surely this will give us the key to defeating the demons."
Two guards entered the chamber, and grabbed Edwin.
"Take him to the Hall of Cleansing," said the Great Elder. "He must not leave until the ritual is completed."
"But... The ritual will take two and a half months! The demon will surely awaken before then!"
"Nonsense, child. Lecroa will guide us to the truth, and to victory."

Edwin was shocked. The Church was clinging to its teachings desperately, yet they refused to face the prophecy of doom. And he was to be locked away for weeks while the demons advanced.
He knew he was no match for the guards of the Grand Church - they were far better trained than he.
But he had managed to retrieve a shard from his pouch before they grabbed him.

Boldly, Edwin shouted to the entire Council.
"I will forge my own Truth!"
Blinding light surrounded him, and the armor returned. It granted him great strength, allowing him to throw aside the guards. He ran out of the room.

"Seize the heretic!" the Great Elder shouted. "He cannot be allowed near the Crystal, lest he shatter ours as well!"
The idea struck Edwin as one with merit - he had a limited supply of shards, after all.

Striking down guards with the power of his crystalline armor, Edwin rushed for the Crystal of Truth's chamber. But, as he drew near, intending to shatter it, a new vision appeared on the crystal's surface...

Edwin saw himself, with sword raised, prepared to smash the crystal. Then, the vision divided.

On one side, he destroyed it, then cackled and turned his sword on the knights of the church. His crystalline armor changed to that of the crimson knight he had slain, and he formed an army. They chased away the demons, and then turned their attention to the people.
He would be known as Edwin the Bloody, ruler of the world. He came to seek immortality, and found it, changing himself and his army into demons...

On the other side, he spared the crystal. The guards ran in, and he fled, sparing their lives. He ran from the church, and from his men, and from the demons.
The demons overran the world, and Edwin simply hid for the rest of his life.

But suddenly, both visions vanished, and a new one took their place.

The world was consumed by darkness. The wicked roamed the earth, and the innocent lived in fear.
Save for one town.
An unfamiliar girl rallied the townspeople, and they fought against the demons. It was one glimmer of hope in a world of despair.
The girl lead them on to victory.
Only for the demons to return.
She fought them off again, and again, and again.

Suddenly, Alicia appeared over the image of the girl. She turned towards Edwin, and spoke.
"There's always hope, Edwin. The fight may continue forever, but you can't give up. Remember that, or I'll pound your head in when you get here."
Edwin nodded meekly.
"Now, listen closely. I've learned something important about these stupid crystals. They don't show the future, they create the future. There are four in all, counting the one you already destroyed; the demons have three, or I should say, two now. The last one is the only thing keeping them from controlling fate itself. If it's destroyed, or falls into demon hands, they'll be unstoppable. You can't let that happen."

Before Edwin could say anything, Alicia's image vanished, and the crystal was silent again. Heeding her warning, he decided to leave the crystal alone... but just as he was about to turn away, he saw one final vision.
He realized that it was his next destination.

The vision showed a long-abandoned house on the edge of Edwin's hometown. Edwin entered it, and pulled out one of the crystal shards.

He was about to see what happened next, but the sound of footsteps approaching convinced him to run. He would have to discover the house's secrets once he arrived.

He ran from the guards, knocking them aside, and fled the Grand Church. He hopped on his horse, ignoring the questions from the other knights, and began riding back home.

The knights were left dumbfounded, especially a few moments later when a priest ran out and told them to chase Edwin the Heretic. But he had already gained a substantial lead in the confusion, and his horse was the fastest among them. The knights sent to chase him soon returned, empty-handed.

It was a few days later that Edwin returned home. He barely recognized the village - it had been ten years since he had been here.

He came in at night, to avoid being recognized - he dared not deliver the sad news of Alicia, not while he had work to do, and certainly not while the Church was searching for him. He hid his horse in the nearby forest, and entered the decrepit house.

He had been here before, once, in his youth. It had been Alicia's idea. They hadn't found anything, however, and Alicia had soon gotten bored of the place.

But then, they had not possessed any shards of a Crystal of Truth in those days. Edwin held up one of his shards, wondering if he would have to use it up again. He readied himself to say the words, but then a bright light shone from the shard and he saw a strange gateway.

Realizing that this must have been where the vision meant to guide him, he entered the gateway, and everything went black...

Edwin woke up in an unfamiliar bed, stripped of his armor. He soon found it near the bed, and his other belongings - including the shards, thankfully - in a pouch on a nearby chair. He dressed himself and left the room.

Climbing down a flight of stairs, he found himself in an unfamiliar inn. The woman at the counter looked up from her book and smiled at him.
"Ah, you're awake. Haven't seen a knight near here in some time. We were beginning to wonder if there were any left. Have you news from the outside world, good sir?"
Edwin was unsure of what to answer, but a shout from outside gave him an opportunity to avoid the question.

"THE DEMONS! THE DEMONS ARE HERE!"

Edwin rushed outside; the innkeeper soon followed. A crowd of villagers had gathered in the town square, wielding pitchforks, torches, crudely forged swords, and other weaponry. At the front of the square was a single figure; Edwin tried to move forward through the crowd for a closer look.

"We'll show the demons!" the figure shouted. "We'll show them that we are not afraid! That even if the kingdom, the knights, and the church have abandoned us to our fate, we shall still fight! We will not submit!"

The crowd cheered, waving their weapons in the air. Edwin soon reached the front, and saw the leader who had inspired the town so.

It was the girl he had seen in one of the visions. She was here.

Edwin had so many questions, starting with where he was - this certainly was not his hometown. But they would have to wait. The demons were on their way, and he would aid as best he could. The girl, seeing him, seemed pleased.

"Ah, the knight. You've woken up just in time. Come with me, then - we could use an extra sword hand."

Edwin followed obediently - hopefully he could find explanations later. The townspeople scattered, and Edwin and the girl headed to the main entrance.

"There they are," she said, pointing to a mass of shadows in the distance. "They never learn a damn thing, always try to attack again. But they won't succeed."
Edwin simply watched, still unsure of what was happening. The demons soon came into view, and Edwin gasped in shock. Though he had seen many demons before, even he was surprised by what he saw approaching...

Marching at the vanguard of the demon army were a squad of knights. They wore no helmets, revealing their pale rotting flesh.
They were the walking dead. And more disconcertingly, Edwin recognized several of them.
But the greatest shock of all was the army's commander - Alicia, wearing a suit of disturbingly familiar crimson armor. She smiled and waved at him as she approached, in a mockery of a greeting.

"Ah, Edwin!" she said, her voice carrying the ominous echoes of the crimson knight's. "What a pleasant surprise to see you again. Have you come to die along with these pathetic..."

"NOW!" the unknown girl shouted. There was a loud noise, and a cannon fired from the upper floors of a nearby house. It struck the demonic commander in the head, bowling her over. She picked herself up, clearly angered.

"I see you've learned nothing, human girl. You are only delaying your inevitable demise. It would be so much less painful for you to accept that truth."

"Accept your truth?" she replied defiantly. "No, I think not."

The girl smiled slightly raised her sword - it was not nearly as fine as Edwin's. Several villagers ran out and joined her, and the next thing Edwin knew, they were shouting a battle cry. He found he knew what they were going to say, and joined in himself.

"We will forge our own Truth!"

The words echoed throughout the village, and a bright light shone from its center. The villagers' weapons shone brilliantly with the strange power, and as the demons advanced, they screamed with pain as the villagers fought back.

The creature that was both Alicia and the crimson knight snarled in frustration.

"Do you really believe we were not prepared for this? No, this time your pathetic village will fall. Behold! This day will be your last, humans!"

The commander raised her arms to the sky and cackled. Nothing could have prepared Edwin for what he saw happen next.

As the demon commander laughed, a great rift opened in the sky. From it, a massive black dragon emerged. The beast was surpassed in size only by the slumbering demon Edwin had seen before.

In the center of its underbelly, Edwin saw a Crystal of Truth; it was embedded within the dragon's scales. The monster roared ferociously, and small bursts of purple flames spewed from its gaping maw. It walked towards the village, the earth shaking with its every step.

"You are not the only ones with the power of a crystal," the demon with Alicia's face sneered. "But unlike you mortals, we know how to unleash the true potential within it. This mighty beast will burn your village to the ground with ease. And even if you were to prevail, all you would earn is the wrath of Rhakkashalgaros himself upon your village."

The village girl was unimpressed.

"If your Rakkasha or whatever he's called is so powerful, why hasn't he just come here himself? I think he's afraid of us. And you are, too." She turned to Edwin. "You there, knight! Keep watch over me while I kill the dragon. I've taken on smaller ones before, I know how to deal with them. But we have to act fast, before it can spew its flame - I don't think the village will survive a blaze of that size."

The girl ran towards the dragon, wielding her sword. Nervously, Edwin followed her, his heart pounding as he remembered the beast that had slain Alicia.
Would this brave girl meet the same fate, before he could even learn her name?
No. He could not let that happen.

The girl swung at the dragon's ankles, drawing its attention. It raised its foot, but she swiftly ran, leaping onto its claw and plunging her sword in just before it struck the ground.
The dragon shrieked in pain, but the wound was ultimately minor; nevertheless, it diverted the beast, and gave the girl an opportunity to start climbing its scales, heading towards the crystal in its belly.

But as she did, Edwin saw the commander, the crimson knight with Alicia's body, chanting strangely. No doubt she was preparing to cast some form of magic upon the girl. Edwin had little time to act, and so he made his next move swiftly.

For the briefest of moments, Edwin thought of throwing his sword, but he quickly dismissed it; such a heavy weapon would never make it all that distance. He needed something lighter, but that would hurt enough that it might at least distract his foe.
And then he remembered.
When Edwin had checked his pouch earlier, he noted that one of his crystal shards was particularly sharp. He had moved it near the top to keep it from poking a hole in his pouch, and so it was easy to retrieve in but a moment.
He flung it at the demon commander, and whispered a small prayer, hoping the shard would reach its mark.
"Fly," he said. "Fly like an arrow."

Much to his surprise, it did. The shard transformed into the shape of an arrow, and it flew easily through the air towards Alicia.
As it drew near, Edwin shouted another command, hoping to make the blow even more power.
"Be my sword!" he yelled. "Pierce that monster's foul heart!"
In response, the crystalline arrow became a sword, and it struck Alicia in the heart. She recoiled from the blow, unleashing her spell before she was prepared; a dark flame flew from her hands, but rather than striking the girl, it hit the dragon's right wing, leaving behind a gaping hole.

Edwin wasted no time. The demon commander was wounded, but not yet dead; he rushed over and tackled Alicia. As she was stunned, he pulled the sword from her heart, then touched it to his own blade. The new sword shone with a brilliant light, and Edwin could sense that it was even more powerful than before. He held it to her neck, but then he saw the look on her face.
"Please, Edwin," she said. "If you kill me, what hope will there be left?"
He paused for a moment. Then he spoke.
"You are not Alicia."
He sliced the demon's head off.
"After all, you didn't call me an idiot even once."

The body crumbled to dust, and Edwin turned his attention to the dragon. The girl was drawing close to the crystal in its chest, but the beast had covered the gem with one of its claws. It looked down at her, readying its other hand to strike if she came near.
Edwin's blade suddenly glistened, and for a moment, he saw a vision.
The girl struck the claw, and shattered the crystal, but the beast grabbed her with its other hand. She pulled a shard from the broken crystal, and held it up as the beast squeezed her body.
"I give my life for a new Truth!" she shouted.
A bright pillar light emerged from the crystal, enveloping girl and dragon. A moment later, nothing was left of either.

Edwin suddenly found himself back on the battlefield. The girl was about to strike the claw. The vision had not yet come to pass! He might yet have a chance to save her!
But there was little time. He needed to make his move now.

Edwin reached into his pouch for another shard. He hoped it would work as well against the dragon as it had against its demonic master.

Edwin hurled the shard, and once more spoke the words, this time shouting them with conviction.

"Fly like an arrow!"

Much to his surprise, however, the shard did not change, but instead fell to the ground. Then, an instant later, he found himself being pulled forward.

He looked at his hands, and found himself gripping a large arrow. It was his sword that had changed, and it was flying towards the dragon, seemingly of its own will. Edwin feared what would happen if he let go of it, and so he simply allowed it to carry him along.

The tip of the crystalline arrow hit the dragon's right ankle, and it reeled from the pain. The claw covering its crystal moved for a moment; seeing an opening, the girl prepared to strike.

But Edwin's eyes caught the dragon's other claw, preparing a swipe. He held up his arrow and pointed it straight at the dragon's hand.

"Fly like an arrow!"

Edwin was lifted into the air, and as he passed the girl, he pushed her aside just as she struck the crystal. She fell to the ground, and the dragon grabbed Edwin in her place.
He was unafraid. He still held the arrow; it was pulling on him as the dragon's grip tightened, but he knew he could still wield it.

"Be my sword once more."

The arrow changed back into a sword. Edwin used it to slice through the dragon's wrist, and the beast screamed as its claw plummeted to the ground. Its fearsome roar filled the air, as it started to fall to its knees; slowly, as the crystal shards fell from its belly, the dragon began to shrink.

"They must have used the crystal to make it that size!" the girl shouted. "Now it's just an ordinary dragon, and badly wounded. Strike now!"

The girl suddenly and swiftly leapt up to the dragon's back, striking its wings with her sword. It howled in agony, and the girl shouted to Edwin.

"This will keep it busy! Cut off its head!"

Edwin nodded in understand. He ran under its neck, watching nervously as small bursts of flame struck the ground near him. He soon saw a spot where the scales were lighter, and sliced with his sword.

The dragon's head fell to the ground, and its body collapsed soon after. Then it crumbled to dust, leaving only crystal shards behind.

Edwin's sword returned to normal. He looked back at the villagers; the demons lay dead at their feet, most of them crumbling. He breathed a sigh of relief as he retrieved shards of the dragon's crystal, as well as the shard he had thrown earlier.

The girl smiled at him.
"Very well done, Sir Knight. But tell me, what brings you to our village? For ten years, we have seen no visitors save the demons. We feared the rest of the kingdom had fallen long ago."
Edwin was puzzled. Ten years? The demons had only appeared a few months ago.
Had that gateway somehow brought him to the future?
And if so... was this village the last remnant of humanity?
What if he could not return to his own time?
Was there even anything left to fight for now?
The questions unnerved him. Then he noticed that the girl was staring at him impatiently. Her gaze reminded him of Alicia's disapproving glare.
Edwin realized that he would have to give her an answer, and thought about what to say.

Edwin considered telling her the whole story. After all, she showed no fear in the face of an enormous dragon; it was unlikely that she would be too shocked if he revealed he was from years in the past.
But he had doubts. For one, he still was unsure of exactly what had happened to him. And more importantly, he had no idea how to return. What if he was trapped here in the future, if that was indeed where he was?
He decided that, for now, he would not reveal everything. But he would tell her a tale that was close to the truth, at least. He did not wish to deceive her.

"I have been wandering the land, searching for a way to stop the demons," he said. "I destroyed one of their Crystals of Truth by sheer chance, and with the help of its shards, I managed to survive."
She looked at him with surprise.
"Have you been traveling all this time without a horse?"
"I had to leave mine behind some time ago."
"I see. That's a shame."
They walked on, returning to the village. The townspeople were cheering. An older man walked up to them and shook the girl's hand.
"You've saved us again, Mira," he said. "I don't know what we'd do without you."
"It's not all on me," she said modestly. "Everyone's done their part in this battle. And I owe this traveler my life, now."
"Ah, yes. The knight we found last night. What's your name, good sir?"
"Edwin," he replied. Then he turned to the girl. "I'd like to know more about this village. You've clearly challenged the demons many times; I believe there may be some clue in here to stopping them once and for all."
She nodded.
"Gladly. This way."

Edwin followed Mira back to the town square. A large fountain stood in the center; he had barely noticed it before, with the crowd surrounding it. He noticed that the water glistened.
"Look down there," Mira told him.
He did. He saw something shining in the depths of the fountain. He could just barely make out the shape, but it was familiar enough.
"A Crystal of Truth," he said.
"Ten years ago, a priest of Lecroa came here, carrying that crystal on horseback. He was badly wounded. With the last of his strength, he told us to protect that crystal from the demons, no matter the cost."
Mira looked down sadly.
"That cost has been high. I lost my parents to the demons eight years ago. This sword was once my father's."
"I'm sorry."
She sighed.
"No, I am. You asked about the village, and I was about to explain. We decided to hide the crystal in the fountain, and soon after, the water started to look different. When we drank it, we felt stronger. We think the crystal empowered it. That's how we gained the power to fight back. And it's probably why the demons are so determined to destroy us - this crystal may be the last threat to their power."
"I believe there are four crystals," Edwin said. "I destroyed one some time ago, as I said, and just now we destroyed another. With this one here, that means the demons only have one left."
"There's another thing," Mira replied. "The priest had a book with him. Not many of us can read, but even those of us who can aren't able to understand it - we don't know the language"
"I was a priest of Lecroa for some time," Edwin said. "I may just be able to read it. May I see the book?"
Mira nodded.
"Certainly. You've proven your bravery today, and it may hold a clue to defeating the demons. I'll get it for you. Feel free to take a look around the town while you wait for me - if I don't see you when I get back, I'll just leave it with the innkeeper."

She ran off, leaving Edwin to his own devices.

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SpoilerEdwin's exploring the town. Feel free to suggest what he might do, and places and people he might find.

Also, I'd just like to take a moment to say that I appreciate the positive comments I've gotten on this adventure. I'm having quite a bit of fun writing it, and I plan on doing another adventure in this narrative style in the future. So I'm glad to know you guys are enjoying it!

Thanks to everyone for reading and suggesting!

The first thing Edwin noticed was that quite a few of the villagers were headed into a nearby building with a broken sign. He decided to follow.

Inside, he was greeted by the conflicting smells of ale and freshly-baked bread. Various patrons sat around the tables, talking, drinking, and eating; a glance to the bar revealed both a gruff, muscular bartender and a thin woman wearing an apron standing behind it. The man waved to Edwin.

"Well, if it isn't our new knight! Come for the victory celebration, have you? Have a glass of ale, on me."
Edwin walked over to the bar and waved the glass away.
"I'll have to pass, I'm afraid. Priest of Lecroa, not allowed to drink."
The bartender grinned, revealing his missing tooth.
"Priest and a knight, eh? Must be a good story behind that. I'd fetch you some milk, then, but I'm afraid our last cow died a month ago."
"Water will be fine."
"Just take a sip from the fountain if you want water. Not too much, though; that needs to last us until the next rain." The barman turned to his partner. "Hey, Sarah! Be a darling and fetch our new friend a bun, would you? I'll wager he could use a good meal."
The woman nodded, and handed a small roll to Edwin. He thanked her and ate it. The barman smiled as she walked away.
"Poor Sarah. Lost her husband and her bakery four years ago. Doesn't talk much, but she's a sweetheart. Makes a damn good loaf, too."
Edwin nodded.
"This is indeed delicious. So you let her set up shop in your bar?"
"Works out well enough. People come here to eat, and to drink. Keeps things simple if they can do both in the same place." The barman sighed. "Don't know how long we can hold out, though. We may be able to fight the demons, but it's getting harder and harder just to get by. At this rate, it's a wonder they don't just wait us out."
"I suppose demons aren't known for the virtue of patience."
"Hah, true enough. Well, 'tis nice to see a new face around here. It may make the rations a bit tighter, but if you fight the next time like you did today, I should think there won't be many complaints about your earning it."
Edwin smiled weakly as he finished his roll.
"I suppose I'll be here a while, won't I. It must be hard on you all, having faced so many losses."
"Aye, that it is. But I'll say one thing for it... you learn to appreciate what you've got left." He pointed to a group of young men talking at a nearby table. "You see those three? Before the demons attacked, they were bitter rivals. For love, for money - they fought over everything."
"But not now."
"Best of friends now. Oh, granted, it wasn't always this way. Quite a few refused to listen to Mira when she first took up her father's sword. I'm ashamed to say I was one of them." The barman bowed his head and sighed. "We learned a harsh lesson in that next battle, at the cost of lives."
Edwin found himself at a loss for words. After a moment's pause, he got up.
"I think I'll fetch myself some water now," he said. "Tell Sarah the bread was delicious."
"She'll be glad to hear that," the bartender said with a weak smile. "Come back any time."

Edwin stepped out and returned to the fountain, where Mira was waiting. She smiled at him.
"I've got the book," she said. "Been talking to Old Jack, have you?"
"Old... oh, the barman! I never quite caught his name."
"He's a good man. Always been friendly, if a bit old-fashioned. Anyways, see if you can make any sense of this thing." She handed him the book.
Edwin looked at the cover and simply stared.
"What's wrong?" Mira asked. "You can't understand it, either?"
"No, I can. That's what's so strange. This says it's the Second Book of Lecroa."
"I never paid much attention to your religion. Is that an important book or something?"
"Until about ten seconds ago, I thought there was only one Book of Lecroa."
"Ah. Now that sounds very interesting. So what does this book that doesn't exist say?"
Edwin opened the book, and began to read.

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SpoilerWhat information did Edwin find in the book?

I have seen chaos. Destruction. The collapse of this world. All will crumble before the might of the demons. Not even the strongest or bravest warriors can defeat them.

This was the world's fate before I created the Crystals of Truth.

In my mind, I saw countless visions, all leading to the same place: the Great Awakening. Rhakkashalgaros, the mightiest of demons, would be roused from his slumber, and no force on earth could stop him.

Thousands of paths stood before me. Not one avoided this terrible fate, this inescapable truth.

And so, I made a vow. A vow that I - no, that humanity itself - would find a new path, a new fate. We would forge our own Truth, one that offered us hope.

This would come at a great cost, however. There was only one force I knew of that might be able to manipulate the truth itself - the Four Crystals.

Each of the crystals held the power of one of the elemental forces - fire, water, wind, and earth. It was through their power that we could channel this magic.

In order to change fate, I would need to fill the crystals with the essence of Truth itself. But in doing so, I would rob this world of magic, perhaps forever.

And there was no guarantee that the crystals alone would save us. But there was no other hope. Without the crystals, we would surely fall to the demons.

With heavy heart, I cast the ritual, and found my mind clear. I had lost the power of prophecy, and had created the Crystals of Truth - the key to humanity's future.

As I created the crystals, I infused them with a new truth - that Rhakkashalgaros will never awaken. So long as even one crystal remains whole, this shall be the Truth.

I wrote the first Book of Lecroa to help my disciples guide the future. But the crystals have warned me not to make this second book so easily found - even the Church founded in my name must not know of it.

I entrust this book to my disciple Rial. It is her task to preserve it. One day, this book will find its way into the hands of one who may change the future.

Finally, there is one more detail. I shall tell my disciples of this, but this tome shall be the only place where it shall be recorded or spoken of.

The crystals once held the essence of the elements, and allowed magic to be cast. They now hold the essence of Truth. In principle, they can still be used in the same way.

The rite I am about to describe allows one to use the magic of Truth. This power will surely be valuable if the demons return. The Elder Priests of my Church shall be the only ones trusted with this knowledge, save for those who learn of it through these words...

Edwin stopped reading.
"This... This is too much to take in."
"What? Is it the bit about the magic?"
"Everything! This is a complete contradiction to the Church's doctrine. Magic never existed, only the blessings of Lecroa and the Crystals of Truth! Rial, the only female disciple, betrayed Lecroa, and in doing so proved the inherent wickedness of women! Er, not that I ever truly believed that myself, but regardless..."
"All right, I get the idea, this isn't easy for you. But put that aside for a moment and read on! What does it say about the rite to gain magic? If we can perform it, that's bound to help us against the demons."
Edwin looked over the next passage. A frown crossed his face.
"I'm afraid it won't be that simple."

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SpoilerWhat has to be done?

The place where I cast the ritual is rich with the power of Truth. If all four crystals are placed near it in the correct positions, they will return to their original forms for but a few moments. Those standing within the square they create will be granted a link to the crystals; this is the power of Truth.

"And two crystals have been destroyed. I suppose that's not really an option."
"There's more. It seems that's just the first step, hold on."

This power may be granted to others; I will instruct my disciples to do this once they have chosen their successors, so that the Elder Priests may have the aid of these powers even once the crystals are divided. However, should calamity strike and the Elder Priests die out with no one taking on their powers, there remains one hope even if the crystals are shattered.

"Oh, this could be promising."
"I'm not sure. Usually this means doing things the hard way. And this next bit is difficult to translate, I've never seen some of these words before..."

If the four Heroes of Truth meet where I cast the ritual, under the light of a full moon, then the power of Truth will awaken in them.

"And that's what I've got from here. I think the next lines are clues to their identity, something about seeing a vision of each in each of the crystals, but there are a lot of words I'm not familiar with."
"Damn. Don't suppose there's anything else?"
"Er... I'll keep reading... oh dear."
"What?"
"There's one more way, but... um."
"Well what? Out with it!"

If the situation is truly dire, there is one last way. The sacrifice of someone pure-hearted. Spill their blood upon a crystal, and it will gain power, granting its magic to the killer. This may not happen by chance, but by intent, and the sacrifice need not be willing. I hesitate to even write these words, for fear they shall doom some innocent soul, but it may prove to be necessary one day. This is something that not even I can foresee.

Mira and Edwin looked at each other.
"We are not doing that," Mira said firmly.
"Certainly not!" Edwin replied with conviction. "But, ah, that raises a question... what exactly are we going to do next?"