The Broken Prophecy (Walls O' Text)

Show Content

Spoiler

"Hmm. That is a good question, isn't it." Mira looked thoughtful. "It seems the best choice is to search for these heroes, but if you can't read the clues..."
"Indeed. Ah, pardon me for a moment. I just remembered that I came out here to get some water."
Edwin turned towards the fountain and took a sip.
"Wait," Mira said, turning towards him. "You said there was something about each of the crystals showing a vision of one of the heroes?"
"That's what I could gather, yes. Why?"
"Well, we have a crystal right here, don't we? Perhaps we can see the vision. It might give us a clue."
Edwin stared at her.
"I mean, it might not, but it's worth a try, isn't it?"
"...Yes. Yes, it is."
It only struck Edwin once Mira spoke of it.
He had seen her in a vision!
Had the Grand Church's crystal guided him to one of the heroes? Was this why he had been sent here?
"What's wrong, Edwin?"
"Ah. Sorry. I suppose I was getting ahead of myself... I was wondering what to do about the two shattered crystals. But we can worry about those once we've had a look at the intact one."
"Well, you have shards from the other two. Perhaps we can still see a clue in those?"
"Hmm. Perhaps."
Edwin pulled out two pouches, and removed a shard from each. He had put the shards from the second crystal in another one, as he was worried about how full the first was.
Then he stared at them.
"Well, this might work, but I haven't got the faintest clue how," he finally concluded. "I suppose we'll try the intact one first. Any suggestions on how we can get it out of there?"

Mira squinted and looked at the water.
"I think I can get a good look at the crystal from here."
"Well, perhaps you can, but we're probably not going to get it to show any visions this far out. Some rope, perhaps?"
"Can't you just swim out there? Or even wade, it's not as if it's that deep."
"Well, I suppose, but it is your drinking water..."
"The crystal purifies it. You're going to put it back straight away, aren't you?"
"Well, yes, but... I'm in armor... er..."
Mira giggled.
"You can take it off for a little while, can't you? It's not as if you have to undress completely."
Edwin sighed.
"Fine, I'll leave my clothes at the inn. Give me a few minutes."
He walked off, taking the book with him, and headed to the inn.

Edwin returned a while later, wearing only a pair of shorts. Mira smirked at the sight.
"Please don't say anything," Edwin sighed. "I'm a bit... uncomfortable with this."
"Oh, perish the thought," she said, clearly stifling her laughter. "Just get the crystal, tell me if you see anything, and put it back."
Grumbling, Edwin climbed the edge of the fountain and stepped into the water. Mira watched, letting herself giggle a bit once he was some way in.
Neither of them noticed a pair of red eyes watching intently from the shadows.

Edwin soon reached the crystal, and bent down to pick it up. Just as he rose back above the water, he heard Mira screaming.
Edwin spun around quickly, and saw a tall, thin red-eyed demon with lengthy limbs holding Mira, its claws mere inches from her throat.
"Ah, excellent," the creature hissed. "Hand over the crystal, or I'll end this young lady's life. I suggest you avoid any trickery, it won't take me long to pierce her soft flesh."

Edwin stood for a moment in shock, then looked down at the crystal. He sighed.
"I suppose I don't have a choice," he muttered. He took a few steps forward.
Then a smile formed on his lips as he lifted the crystal up a bit.
"Catch!"

Edwin flung the crystal towards the demon. The monster swiftly stepped aside, moving with incredible agility.
"How foolish," it cackled. "Did you really think you could strike a Shadowwalker so easily? And if the crystal shatters, we win, for we have the last one. Why would I take the risk of catching it?"
Edwin smirked.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you think I was talking to you?"
The Shadowwalker glanced down, just in time to see Mira stab the sharp end of the crystal into its hand. It howled in pain, and released her. Before it could recover, she pierced its heart with the crystal, and its piercing scream echoed through the village as it crumbled to dust.

"That was far too close," Mira gasped, as Edwin reached the edge of the fountain. "It's been years since a demon's made it this far into the village." She frowned at Edwin. "And what were you thinking, trying a crazy stunt like that? You could have shattered the crystal! I could have been killed!"
Edwin looked embarrassed.
"Well, er, I glanced at the crystal and saw a vision where I threw it and you caught it..."
Mira glared at him.
"Let's try to avoid having it come to that in the future, shall we? We'll look at this vision, then you can put the crystal back and get your armor back on in case there are any other nasty surprises."
"Ah. Yes, that would be a good idea."
Edwin touched the crystal, and a vision appeared in it.

Show Content

SpoilerWhat did it show?

The crystal showed a beautiful meadow, with a forested mountain in the distance.
Then, suddenly, destruction rained from the sky. Shadowy meteors fell to earth, becoming demons.
As they arrived, the land itself decayed. The meadow rotted away, leaving a putrid swamp, and the mountain's peak burst, bringing with it an explosion of lava.
Suddenly, a thin young boy rode through the marsh on horseback. The demons chased after him, screaming wildly.
Then the vision shifted, showing the boy's face. Edwin and Mira gasped at the sight.
He had sharp fangs, pointed ears, and dark red eyes.
"He... He looks like a demon himself!" Mira stuttered. "What could have happened to this boy?"
"That's not all," Edwin said. "I think he's riding my horse!"
They stared at each other for a few moments. Edwin took the crystal back.
"I'd best put this back in its hiding spot," he said, walking back to the center of the fountain. "And then I'll get dressed. After that, we can think about our next move."

Show Content

SpoilerWhat's the plan for finding this strange boy with a demonic face?

"That's going to take some thinking," Mira said, as Edwin put the crystal back. "Perhaps we should meet back later. I'll see you at the tavern in a few hours, shall I? We can discuss plans then."
"I think that may be good, yes." Edwin stepped out of the fountain. "I can take some time to look over the book, perhaps I can find out something else. I'll see you at dinner, then."

Edwin returned to the inn and dressed himself again, then turned his attention to the book. He found that much of it was unreadable; it was filled with obscure terms that he had never learned. He wondered what secrets the book still held. Still, there was some information that looked promising amongst the unfamiliar words; in particular, a line about a "ghaltak leading between the past and future" caught his eye. Was that how he had made his way here? And was there some way he could return?

After a few hours, the innkeeper knocked on his door.
"Mira said to come and fetch you if you were still here by now," she said to him. "I think she rather likes you, young man."
"Er. Thank you. I've been a bit lost in thought. I'll be heading over to the tavern now, thank you."
He walked off, still holding the book. He had much to think about.
His mind was on a particular sentence he had just read, one which he already knew from the other Book of Lecroa and was surprised to see again:
"Sometimes, secrets must be kept. But sometimes, they must be shared."
He had taken it as a sign.

Mira was waiting for him, in a fancier dress than he remembered her wearing before. She waved him over to her table, where he found two rolls and some peas on a plate.
"I'm afraid it's not much, but it's what we've got," she said apologetically. "So, did you find anything else in the book?"
"Er. Perhaps. But it seems the book is filled with words that never came up in my studies." He paused. "Listen, there's... something I didn't tell you before. I wasn't sure what to make of it myself, but I believe you should know."
She looked at him expectantly.
"And what might that be, Sir Edwin?"
He leaned in close and spoke softly.
"I'm from the past, just after the demon invasion began. Somehow, I found my way here, to this future. And... I think I may need to find a way back."
She stared at him. After a few minutes of silence, she asked a question.
"But what happens to us if you go back? Will you be able to defeat the demons and save our village before it gets this bad? Or will nothing at all change?"
"Er... I honestly don't know. I think I found something in the book about it, but I could only make out a small portion of the words."
"Well, I'd prefer you found out about it before you go messing with time. Who knows what could happen if you make the wrong move?"
"I suppose... perhaps if I went back to what's left of the Grand Church, I might find something to help me translate... and I do need to leave to search for this demonic-looking boy..."
"Well, as for me, I'm trying to make up my mind. I'd like to help you out, but the village needs all the hands it can get..."

Suddenly, there was a shout.
"Demons!" someone screamed. "They're in the village! Everyone, to arms!"
"Damn!" Mira swore. "I should have guessed they'd try something after that attack by the fountain." She stood up and pulled her sword out of its sheath. "Luckily, I'm not completely unprepared."
Edwin drew his own sword and ran after her.

The village was filled with Shadowwalkers just like the beast that had attacked Mira before, and they were fierce opponents. They dodged the villagers' blows swiftly, and retaliated with their own deadly claws.
A few of the demons went down, but the villagers were suffering severe wounds. By the time five of the demons had been slain, three villagers had died, and a dozen more were too weak to stand. Meanwhile, the Shadowwalkers were still advancing.
"This is bad," Mira said. "The other one must have told them where the crystal was. That's why they're only attacking now."
"Damn!" Edwin cursed. "If I hadn't gone asking questions, they might never have realized it. I bear some of the blame."
"Well, there's not much we can do about it now except fight them off before they do any more damage," Mira said, thrusting her blade through the heart of a sixth Shadowwalker as it tried to lunge at Edwin. "Although if you've got any brilliant ideas, it would be nice to hear them now."

"I'm afraid I haven't got any," Edwin said, jumping back as another Shadowwalker leapt at him. Mira stabbed it from behind as it landed.
"Pity. Then I suppose we'll just have to fight them as they come."
Edwin and Mira soon found themselves being pushed back, towards the fountain. Another Shadowwalker lunged forward suddenly, and Mira pushed Edwin aside. The beast turned to face them, but the bartender rushed into the fray and struck it with a club, knocking it into the water.
There was a terrible shriek. Mira glanced in the water and saw the Shadowwalker melt into a black sludge, which soon vanished as the crystal purified the water.
"They can't go in the water!" Mira exclaimed. "That must be why the one before grabbed me. It needed you to take the crystal out!"
"Seems we've got a nice weapon, then," the bartender commented. He was interrupted by a shriek as a Shadowwalker's claws tore through another villager.
"It won't do us much good at this rate. We might win, but we'll lose a lot of people in the process." Edwin paused. "But there might be a chance. Hang on."
He shouted at the demons.

"Attention, demons! We know the water of the fountain can destroy you. You cannot claim the crystal, but we stand to lose many lives. Continuing this fight would be painful for both sides. And so I propose a challenge. Our champion against yours. Should you win, we hand over the crystal and assure your victory. Should you lose, the demons will not attack this village for another year."
A figure emerged from the shadows nearby. It had the shape of the Shadowwalkers, but it wore a dark cloak over its body. It held up its arms, and a double-bladed scythe appeared in them, with a dark aura about it.
"Your challenge intrigues me, human," it said, in a raspy voice. "You have crystal shards, do you not? If we both touch one and swear an oath, then neither side can renege upon our deal."
"I do," Edwin said, and he pulled one out.
"But I wish to negotiate one point. Should your side win, you will have one month of freedom from attacks, rather than one year. And it shall only apply within the border of the village. Any humans who wander outside, I cannot make any promises for their safety."
"Very well," Edwin said reluctantly. "One month."
"Excellent. Very well then, I shall fight on behalf of the demons. Will you be the village's champion?"
Mira tugged on his arm.
"This is a mad plan, Edwin. They'll probably find some way to cheat the bargain even if he loses. But if we're going through with it, I'm going to fight him. No offense, but your technique is, well, unrefined. I'm the best fighter in this village. Do you understand?"
Edwin considered her words carefully before replying.

Show Content

SpoilerShould Mira fight the demon? Or Edwin?

Also, feel free to suggest other things! Such as any terms that should be added to the deal, things to do once the battle starts, or any other ideas you have.

"I understand what you're saying," Edwin said carefully. "And you have a point. But, well... listen, there's someone you remind me of. Someone I couldn't protect. I don't mean to deny your skill, but it's very hard for me to ask you to..."
"My patience is not infinite," the cloaked demon growled. "I am holding my minions back for now, but if you take too long to choose your champion, I may change my mind. After all, this could be a stalling tactic."
"Ah. Yes." Edwin looked at Mira nervously. He still couldn't bring himself to do it.
Then a voice called out from the distance.
"If you're having trouble picking a champion, I'd be glad to take the role."

Edwin and the demon turned towards the voice. A man wearing a long coat and large hat walked towards them. He took his hat off and tipped it to Edwin, revealing his gray hair and stubble-covered face.
"The name's Blackbird. I'm a mercenary. Just arrived here an hour ago, I was checking out a rumor that there were still people all the way out here. And I'd just like to say that I'm the best there is. I'll take care of your demon problem... for a small price."
Edwin and Mira stared at him.
"What's your price?" Edwin asked.
"I heard that demon say you've got some crystal shards. Now, I've heard a thing or two about those, and they'd be real handy in my line of work. A man could build a good reputation with them. Give me a bag of those, and I'll take care of this guy in no time. What do you say?"
"Wait a minute," Mira interjected. "You're a mercenary? Still looking for work? We haven't heard from anyone in years, until Edwin appeared! Are you saying there are still other people out there?"
Blackbird turned his head towards Edwin slightly and winked.
"Let's just say, there are where he and I come from." He leaned in close and whispered in Edwin's ear. "And I can help you get back there. No extra charge."
Blackbird turned to the demon before Edwin could respond.
"You don't mind giving these folks a chance to consider my offer before the fight, right?"
The demon grumbled. "No. But again, my patience is not infinite. Be quick about it!"
"Yeah, yeah. And let's get the terms clear right off. No outside help, no harming bystanders on either side, no other fighting during the duel. If one side breaks any of those rules, they forfeit. And if I fight, I want a month free of demon attacks while I'm traveling, on top of you leaving this village alone."
"I agree to those terms, and add one of my own: No crystal shards during the battle."
Blackbird smirked.
"Well, what do you think? I'm pretty sure I can handle this guy without shards, but if one of you is going to fight, you might want to negotiate something else. It's your call, I'm just making my offer."
He smirked at Edwin.
"If you fight him, and live, I'll help you get back home free of charge," he whispered. "If the lady fights... well, then it's going to cost you a few shards. What's it going to be, champ?"

Show Content

SpoilerWho will fight: Edwin, Mira, or Blackbird?

If it's not Blackbird, will you negotiate something else for the right to use crystal shards in the fight?

And feel free to make any other potentially applicable suggestions, including things to do once the fight starts.

Edwin thought over the stranger's words.
He knew nothing about this man. But Edwin was not much of a fighter, and he certainly would be no match for this demon without the crystal shards.
And what could he offer in exchange for removing that clause?
But he could not bring himself to ask Mira to fight. She reminded him too much of Alicia, and however skilled a warrior she was, he was too worried about seeing her die. Especially if he could do nothing to help.
Besides which... Blackbird's words had piqued his curiosity. This mercenary seemed to be from his own time, and knew of a way back. That alone had raised his interest.
Still, an entire bag of crystal shards... And could he even trust the man? What if this was a ploy by the demons, and Blackbird would simply throw the fight?
Yet, it seemed the best choice. He just needed something to convince him it was a safe one.

"I am strongly considering your offer, Blackbird," Edwin finally said. "But I need to know one thing. How can I be sure I can trust you?"
"Straight and to the point. I like that," Blackbird smirked. "And here's my answer."
He took something out of his coat pocket and showed it to Edwin.

Show Content

SpoilerWhat did Blackbird show Edwin?

It was a book, bound in a shining green cover, with a shining jewel inlaid in the center. The title was in an ancient language, but Edwin didn't even need to translate the words to recognize it.
"The Book of Lecroa," Edwin gasped. "But the cover... this is how the very first book was described! This is the original! How did you get it?"
Blackbird handed the book to him with a smile. The jewel on the cover seemed to shine more brightly as Edwin took hold of it.
"Take a quick look through it if you still have doubts. I'm sure you have quite a few questions, but we can discuss them after this demon's taken care of."
Edwin flipped through. The text on every page was just as he remembered. This was the real book.
"I'll pay your price," he said, reaching for his pouch.
"I'd prefer the other pouch, actually," Blackbird said. "And just hand me one shard from it for now so we can bind this deal. I know you're a man of your word."
Edwin handed him the shard, a bit puzzled. Blackbird thanked him and headed over to the demon.
"Are you sure about this?" Mira whispered.
"Not completely," Edwin replied. "But this jewel... it's said that it resonates with the soul of its holder. And it was quite bright when he held it. I believe we can trust him."

Blackbird walked over to the demon, and held out the shard. The demon grasped it with a clawed hand.
"Here is the contract," the mercenary said. "You and I shall fight to the death, unaided. No one else shall attack for the duration of the battle, and we will not attack anyone other than each other. Neither of us may use the power of the crystal shards in our fight. If I win, then this village will be free of demon attacks for one month, as will I when I am traveling. If you win, then one of the villagers will give you their Crystal of Truth. I accept these terms. Do you?"
"I accept the terms," the demon replied.
The shard began to glow.
"We are now bound to the contract," Blackbird said, putting the shard in his coat pocket. "Should anyone here break the contract, they forfeit the challenge. The demons will not attack the villagers, and the villagers will not attack the demons. Nor will they interfere in our battle."
"Excellent. Then let us see how well you fight, human!"
"The battle begins once I draw my weapon, since you already have yours ready. Just give me a moment."
Blackbird smirked, and turned his head back to Edwin.
"Watch the fight closely, friend!" he shouted. "You might learn something useful."
He reached into his coat and pulled out his weapon.

Show Content

SpoilerChoose Blackbird's weapon! And also feel free to suggest things that might happen during the battle.

When Blackbird withdrew his hand, he was wearing a clawed gauntlet. He raised his now-armored fist and smiled, and then flung a half-dozen knives in the direction of the demon without a word.
The Shadowwalker swung his scythe, and knocked five of the knives to the ground. The sixth struck the demon's wrist; his glowing eyes narrowed as he glared back at the mercenary.

"First point to me," Blackbird said, reaching his other hand into his coat and pulling out more knives.
"A minor wound," the demon growled. "Insignificant. We'll see how you do against my blades."
The demon charged forward, spinning its scythe with great speed. Blackbird stood perfectly still as his opponent approached.
Then, just as the scythe drew near, he stepped to the side and the demon went flying past him, striking the side of a nearby building. It quickly turned around, just in time to block the knives Blackbird had flung at its exposed back.
Unfortunately, this move diverted its attention from the punch Blackbird delivered to its side. It screamed as his claws dug into its cloak.
"Sometimes, speed can be a disadvantage," Blackbird said calmly, pulling his claws out and jumping back as the demon swung in retaliation. "The faster you move, the less time you have to react. It may just give your opponent a chance to catch you by surprise."
"You dare to lecture me, human?" the Shadowwalker hissed. "I've won hundreds of battles! My scythe has claimed the blood of countless mortals!"
"That's another thing," Blackbird said, flinging another handful of daggers. The demon blocked them all this time, and started creeping forward. "You're letting your anger get to you. Bad idea. Makes you careless. Really, I didn't expect to be fighting such an amateur."
The demon howled, and leapt in the air towards Blackbird. The mercenary quickly backed away, and the demon's scythe struck the earth.
"See what I mean? You're opting for raw power over real technique." Blackbird flung another handful of knives; the demon quickly pulled its scythe from the ground and knocked them aside.
But it was not prepared for Blackbird's gauntlet flying towards its face. The glove struck its right eye, and it howled in pain.

"An effective strike, human," the demon snarled, pulling the claw away. "But it cost you your weapon."
"I've got more than one," Blackbird said calmly, reaching into his coat. He pulled out a pair of short rods attached on a chain, and started swinging it around. "And you haven't even landed a single blow on me. Some champion you turned out to be. Rhakkashalgaros must be so disappointed in you."
"Do you really think such a puny weapon is a match for my scythe?" The demon swung suddenly. Blackbird jumped to the side, but the blade still grazed his shoulder and he was knocked to the ground. He winced as he started to pick himself up.
"That's a pretty nasty blade you've got there, I have to admit. Stings quite a bit. And now I'll have to mend this coat!"
"I should think that will be the least of your concerns, mortal."
The demon raised its scythe and struck down towards Blackbird's prone form. The mercenary rolled to the side quickly, and groaned a bit as he got to his feet.
"Now you've made me get dust in that wound! Do you want it to get infected?"
"Why do you prattle on about trivialities? Have you no fear, human?"
"Yeah. But not for weaklings like you."
The demon swung its scythe again. Blackbird quickly ducked to the ground and rolled under it, smacking the demon's wrist with his crude flail. It dropped its scythe in shock; Blackbird used the opportunity to run up behind the demon and started pulling the chain of his flail around its neck.
"Looks like this fight's just about over," he said, pulling the flail tighter. "Shame, it was just starting to get interesting."
"How... odd..." the demon gasped as the chain tightened. "I was... about to... say the same!"
A great shadowy hand emerged from the demon's back, under the folds of its cloak. It flung Blackbird to the ground and held him there, his flail falling loose.
The demon retrieved its scythe with its other hands, and laughed.
"You did remarkably well, human. But this match was never close."
Blackbird smirked.
"You got that right, monster. Enjoy your last moments on this earth."

Show Content

SpoilerWhat does Blackbird do next?

As Blackbird spoke, he slipped his hand into his sleeve and retrieved a crossbow. In one quick motion, he fired a bolt at the demon's heart.
The Shadowwalker quickly stepped aside, keeping its third hand pressed on Blackbird.
"A good effort, human," the demon sneered. "But a wasted one. You gained a few more precious seconds of life."
"And a good shot at your back," Blackbird said, firing again.
There was a sound like glass shattering.
"Specifically, at the bottle of fountain water I planted there earlier. Shame you didn't catch that."
The demon screeched painfully as the water burned its flesh. It dropped its scythe and lifted its shadowy hand from Blackbird's body. The mercenary picked himself up and smirked at the writhing demon.
"It seems I win," he said.
"Then there's no need for me to hold to our conditions!" the demon shrieked. Its third hand quickly reached for the dropped scythe, and flung it at the crowd of onlookers.
Straight at Mira.
"Enjoy your victory, hunter!" the demon cried, its last words before it melted away.
The scythe was moving fast. Edwin knew he had mere seconds to save Mira. He couldn't let her die.

Mira barely had time to think before she was pushed to the ground. She looked up just in time to see the scythe flying towards Edwin.
"Edwin! Look out!" she shouted.
But it was too late. The spinning scythe struck Edwin, and knocked him into the fountain. The scythe disintegrated as it touched the surface of the water.
Mira picked herself up, and, preparing for the worst, she looked into the fountain for the body.
And then Edwin picked himself up, adorned in crystal armor.
"That was unpleasantly close," he muttered.
Blackbird ran over and grinned at the two of them.
"Glad to see you're all right," he said. "Now, about my fee..."
"Ah, yes." Edwin took out the pouch and offered it to the mercenary. "I'm afraid I used a shard from the pouch you wanted, I was in a bit of a hurry..."
Blackbird simply claimed the shards and laughed.
"Don't worry, there's plenty for my purposes. And besides, I'm sure there's quite a few things you'd like to ask me about." He looked around at the Shadowwalkers fleeing the village. "And it looks to me like we've got the time to talk now. Let's find a good place to sit down, and you can ask me whatever you'd like. But I'll warn you now, there are some questions I'd rather not answer just yet."

Show Content

SpoilerIt's question time! What do you want Edwin (or Mira, for that matter) to ask Blackbird about?