RE: The Broken Prophecy (Walls O' Text)
07-20-2012, 05:41 AM
"All right, then. What do I need to know about Damien?"
"Well, as you may have guessed, he's been partially corrupted by the demons. In your time, at any rate; as you saw, in this time he was almost completely demonic. To be perfectly honest, up until he gave us that chance to escape, I thought there wasn't any humanity left in him."
"You think that was a sign of humanity?"
"Just a small one. But let me start from the beginning, I think it will be simpler to explain that way."
"There was once a small village, not that far from here. It was founded by a great sage, long before Lecroa's time.
"He chose to build his village there for a reason: it was where the boundary between the human world and the demon world was at its weakest. So he had crafted a great magical seal there, and the villagers were to be his disciples, and maintain the seal so that the demons would not escape into this world.
"And so for a long time, the villagers protected the seal. But as time passed, the purpose of the village was forgotten, and as more time passed, it was even twisted.
"Because the boundary between the worlds was so weak, the villagers gradually became aware of the demons on the other side, and dreamed of the horrific torments they would bring to this world. Most passed it off as nightmares, and told no one, but a few saw these dreams differently.
"They welcomed the demons."
"It's Lasphem, isn't it," Edwin interjected. "The Forbidden Village."
Blackbird nodded.
"You've heard of it, then."
"Of course. The full details were always unclear, but we were well aware that a demon-worshipping cult had taken control. They held the rest of the village hostage, save a small number of escapees, and the King was reluctant to order an attack until... their safety could be guaranteed..."
Edwin's voice trailed off as realization struck. Father Lepid looked on in puzzlement.
"What's wrong, my boy?"
"I saw a vision. The King, or perhaps an impostor, was in league with the demons. Could he have been on their side even that far back?"
Blackbird shrugged.
"There's no way to know for sure, and it hardly matters at this point. Regardless, I suppose you know enough about the situation that I can skip ahead a bit in the story."
"Though the cultists welcomed the demons, they were not completely corrupted by them. Indeed, they treated the prisoners well, refusing to kill even those that managed to escape; rather, they spoke of the glory of their demon masters, and the rewards that would await the faithful. Their goal seemed to be conversion, not slaughter.
"Naturally, a few desperate souls did convert. But many held firm. And the faithful, in general, regarded the converts with even more disdain than their original captors.
"But there were still close ties between some, no matter their choice. Mothers still loved their sons, brothers still loved their sisters. In the end, there are bonds stronger than simple faith.
"And in one case, there was a bond between lovers. Though she would not abandon Lecroa, he had sworn himself to the demons. They wished to marry, but the cult would not allow it unless she renounced her faith. And of course, she refused.
"But no doubt you know well how stubborn young lovers can be. In the end, they decided to take matters into their own hands, wed or not. They were always careful not to be seen, but in the end, they could not escape discovery. Not once the child was born.
"The cult's leaders were furious. This was a direct challenge to their power, and from one of their own no less. You might think they would administer beatings to the transgressors, but no; they were not so direct. They were, however, no less cruel.
"As punishment for their defiance, the couple's son would be offered to the demons as a vessel, and then taken away to be raised in secret by cultists in another city. Neither of them would see their child again."
"And that was Damien?"
"Good," Blackbird replied with a grin."I didn't have to spell it out for you."
"But how did you find out all this?"
"I heard the tale from his parents; one of his father's compatriots in the cult took pity on them, and helped them escape. From what they told me, it sounded like the cult was preparing a ritual and their benefactor wanted to spare them before it began; and given that the demons were first seen a few days after that, I think we can make a pretty good guess about what the ritual was."
"Damn," Edwin muttered under his breath.
"Regardless, you need to find Damien, and help him overcome the demonic influence. I have reason to believe he'll be drawn back to his birthplace, so that would be the place to look. Of course, it will also likely be dangerous; if it's not outright swarming with demons, their cultists will still be running the place. And they won't take kindly to outsiders barging in."
Edwin sighed.
"It seems I have quite a few things to take care of," he said. "Is there anything else I should know about Damien?"
"Yes. Don't let him use that crystal with his future memories right away. He might be overwhelmed by memories of the demonic side taking over; in fact, the small spark of humanity he still retains is the only reason that it might work out at all. You need to make sure he doesn't use it until he's strong enough to resist the demon."
"I understand," Edwin said. "And what can you tell me of Rhakkashalgaros?"
"Less than I'd like," Blackbird grumbled. "I've only got one piece of info, and it was damned tough to find it out. But you need to know it."
"What's that?"
"He's not a goddamned demon at all!"
Edwin blinked as he took in Blackbird's revelation.
"I don't understand. If he's not a demon, then... What is he?"
"I don't know what he actually is," Blackbird sighed. "But if you end up having to face him, which I fear you may, you can't fight him as if he's a demon. He's something else entirely, something ancient."
"Why do the demons revere him so, then?" Edwin asked.
"As best as I can tell, he was banished to their realm, asleep even then. But he could influence the minds of demons, just as they can influence the minds of men, and slowly they came to obey him."
Blackbird pulled out a small flask from his coat and took a sip before he continued.
"That said, demons are prideful. They don't like to reveal that they're following a non-demon, and indeed, it seems only his closest followers know even a fragment of the truth. You could force every one of them to tell you everything they know - no easy task given the power he's granted them - and you'd still be left with little more than I've told you now."
"That's all you know?" Edwin asked.
"All I know for sure, at any rate," Blackbird said. "I could tell you some half-baked guesses, but I don't think they're good enough to be worth keeping you away from home for any longer."
"I suppose not."
"And speaking of that, it's best you return now. This way."
Edwin followed Blackbird to a tunnel in the back of Father Lepid's cavernous new home. The old priest limped along behind them slowly. Before long, the tunnel seemed to end, and then Blackbird simply gestured for Edwin to step towards the wall.
As Edwin approached, a bright sphere of white light appeared from nowhere.
"This is the gateway," Blackbird explained. "Just step into there and you'll be back in your own time. Remember, you may be a bit hungry when you reach the other side."
"I'll keep that in mind," Edwin replied. "Blackbird, you've been a great help to me. Not just because of what you've told me and because you guided me here, but because of what you showed me."
"If you want to repay me, try your damnedest to fix things when you get back," Blackbird said with a smirk.
"That seems a fair price," Edwin laughed. He turned to the aging Father Lepid.
"Father, it was good to see you again," Edwin said. "It gives me great comfort to know that someone in the Church still has faith in me."
"May Lecroa guide you," Father Lepid replied, bowing his head slightly. "I wish you the best, Edwin."
Edwin returned the gesture, shook Blackbird's hand, and stepped through the gate.
And then he woke up.
Edwin groaned a bit. He was sprawled out on the floor of the abandoned shack. And, he noticed, he was more than a little hungry.
Was it a dream? An elaborate vision? Or had he truly traveled to the future? In his current state, all seemed possible.
Quickly, he checked his pouches. A crystal shard was missing, and two were carefully kept separate from the rest.
So it had been real, or at the very least something close to real. The Crystal of Truth had not guided him here simply to hallucinate.
Edwin breathed a sigh of relief, and reflected on what he had learned, and what he had to do now.
The King was in league with the demons, and held a Crystal of Truth. And the castle would soon fall. Edwin had to reclaim the crystal, and if possible reveal the King's deception and fight off the demons' attack.
What was more, the priest who had brought the Second Book of Lecroa to Mira's village had come from the castle. Might Edwin find the book there, as well?
And he had to find the young Mira. Edwin sighed sadly. She was so much like Alicia, strong in spirit, and refused to give up even in the face of overwhelming odds. Edwin needed to find her village, and give her the crystal shard to pass along the memories from her older self.
And then there was Damien. The boy was slowly turning into a demon, and Edwin had to save him. And hopefully gain his help.
The magic of Truth. Four heroes were needed. Edwin knew that even if he, Mira, and Damien were three, which was hardly certain, there was still a fourth to be found. Where would he even begin to search?
And, of course, he was hungry. For that matter, he was unsure if his horse would still be where he had left it.
He lifted himself off the floor, and thought about what to do first.
"Well, as you may have guessed, he's been partially corrupted by the demons. In your time, at any rate; as you saw, in this time he was almost completely demonic. To be perfectly honest, up until he gave us that chance to escape, I thought there wasn't any humanity left in him."
"You think that was a sign of humanity?"
"Just a small one. But let me start from the beginning, I think it will be simpler to explain that way."
"There was once a small village, not that far from here. It was founded by a great sage, long before Lecroa's time.
"He chose to build his village there for a reason: it was where the boundary between the human world and the demon world was at its weakest. So he had crafted a great magical seal there, and the villagers were to be his disciples, and maintain the seal so that the demons would not escape into this world.
"And so for a long time, the villagers protected the seal. But as time passed, the purpose of the village was forgotten, and as more time passed, it was even twisted.
"Because the boundary between the worlds was so weak, the villagers gradually became aware of the demons on the other side, and dreamed of the horrific torments they would bring to this world. Most passed it off as nightmares, and told no one, but a few saw these dreams differently.
"They welcomed the demons."
"It's Lasphem, isn't it," Edwin interjected. "The Forbidden Village."
Blackbird nodded.
"You've heard of it, then."
"Of course. The full details were always unclear, but we were well aware that a demon-worshipping cult had taken control. They held the rest of the village hostage, save a small number of escapees, and the King was reluctant to order an attack until... their safety could be guaranteed..."
Edwin's voice trailed off as realization struck. Father Lepid looked on in puzzlement.
"What's wrong, my boy?"
"I saw a vision. The King, or perhaps an impostor, was in league with the demons. Could he have been on their side even that far back?"
Blackbird shrugged.
"There's no way to know for sure, and it hardly matters at this point. Regardless, I suppose you know enough about the situation that I can skip ahead a bit in the story."
"Though the cultists welcomed the demons, they were not completely corrupted by them. Indeed, they treated the prisoners well, refusing to kill even those that managed to escape; rather, they spoke of the glory of their demon masters, and the rewards that would await the faithful. Their goal seemed to be conversion, not slaughter.
"Naturally, a few desperate souls did convert. But many held firm. And the faithful, in general, regarded the converts with even more disdain than their original captors.
"But there were still close ties between some, no matter their choice. Mothers still loved their sons, brothers still loved their sisters. In the end, there are bonds stronger than simple faith.
"And in one case, there was a bond between lovers. Though she would not abandon Lecroa, he had sworn himself to the demons. They wished to marry, but the cult would not allow it unless she renounced her faith. And of course, she refused.
"But no doubt you know well how stubborn young lovers can be. In the end, they decided to take matters into their own hands, wed or not. They were always careful not to be seen, but in the end, they could not escape discovery. Not once the child was born.
"The cult's leaders were furious. This was a direct challenge to their power, and from one of their own no less. You might think they would administer beatings to the transgressors, but no; they were not so direct. They were, however, no less cruel.
"As punishment for their defiance, the couple's son would be offered to the demons as a vessel, and then taken away to be raised in secret by cultists in another city. Neither of them would see their child again."
"And that was Damien?"
"Good," Blackbird replied with a grin."I didn't have to spell it out for you."
"But how did you find out all this?"
"I heard the tale from his parents; one of his father's compatriots in the cult took pity on them, and helped them escape. From what they told me, it sounded like the cult was preparing a ritual and their benefactor wanted to spare them before it began; and given that the demons were first seen a few days after that, I think we can make a pretty good guess about what the ritual was."
"Damn," Edwin muttered under his breath.
"Regardless, you need to find Damien, and help him overcome the demonic influence. I have reason to believe he'll be drawn back to his birthplace, so that would be the place to look. Of course, it will also likely be dangerous; if it's not outright swarming with demons, their cultists will still be running the place. And they won't take kindly to outsiders barging in."
Edwin sighed.
"It seems I have quite a few things to take care of," he said. "Is there anything else I should know about Damien?"
"Yes. Don't let him use that crystal with his future memories right away. He might be overwhelmed by memories of the demonic side taking over; in fact, the small spark of humanity he still retains is the only reason that it might work out at all. You need to make sure he doesn't use it until he's strong enough to resist the demon."
"I understand," Edwin said. "And what can you tell me of Rhakkashalgaros?"
"Less than I'd like," Blackbird grumbled. "I've only got one piece of info, and it was damned tough to find it out. But you need to know it."
"What's that?"
"He's not a goddamned demon at all!"
Edwin blinked as he took in Blackbird's revelation.
"I don't understand. If he's not a demon, then... What is he?"
"I don't know what he actually is," Blackbird sighed. "But if you end up having to face him, which I fear you may, you can't fight him as if he's a demon. He's something else entirely, something ancient."
"Why do the demons revere him so, then?" Edwin asked.
"As best as I can tell, he was banished to their realm, asleep even then. But he could influence the minds of demons, just as they can influence the minds of men, and slowly they came to obey him."
Blackbird pulled out a small flask from his coat and took a sip before he continued.
"That said, demons are prideful. They don't like to reveal that they're following a non-demon, and indeed, it seems only his closest followers know even a fragment of the truth. You could force every one of them to tell you everything they know - no easy task given the power he's granted them - and you'd still be left with little more than I've told you now."
"That's all you know?" Edwin asked.
"All I know for sure, at any rate," Blackbird said. "I could tell you some half-baked guesses, but I don't think they're good enough to be worth keeping you away from home for any longer."
"I suppose not."
"And speaking of that, it's best you return now. This way."
Edwin followed Blackbird to a tunnel in the back of Father Lepid's cavernous new home. The old priest limped along behind them slowly. Before long, the tunnel seemed to end, and then Blackbird simply gestured for Edwin to step towards the wall.
As Edwin approached, a bright sphere of white light appeared from nowhere.
"This is the gateway," Blackbird explained. "Just step into there and you'll be back in your own time. Remember, you may be a bit hungry when you reach the other side."
"I'll keep that in mind," Edwin replied. "Blackbird, you've been a great help to me. Not just because of what you've told me and because you guided me here, but because of what you showed me."
"If you want to repay me, try your damnedest to fix things when you get back," Blackbird said with a smirk.
"That seems a fair price," Edwin laughed. He turned to the aging Father Lepid.
"Father, it was good to see you again," Edwin said. "It gives me great comfort to know that someone in the Church still has faith in me."
"May Lecroa guide you," Father Lepid replied, bowing his head slightly. "I wish you the best, Edwin."
Edwin returned the gesture, shook Blackbird's hand, and stepped through the gate.
And then he woke up.
Edwin groaned a bit. He was sprawled out on the floor of the abandoned shack. And, he noticed, he was more than a little hungry.
Was it a dream? An elaborate vision? Or had he truly traveled to the future? In his current state, all seemed possible.
Quickly, he checked his pouches. A crystal shard was missing, and two were carefully kept separate from the rest.
So it had been real, or at the very least something close to real. The Crystal of Truth had not guided him here simply to hallucinate.
Edwin breathed a sigh of relief, and reflected on what he had learned, and what he had to do now.
The King was in league with the demons, and held a Crystal of Truth. And the castle would soon fall. Edwin had to reclaim the crystal, and if possible reveal the King's deception and fight off the demons' attack.
What was more, the priest who had brought the Second Book of Lecroa to Mira's village had come from the castle. Might Edwin find the book there, as well?
And he had to find the young Mira. Edwin sighed sadly. She was so much like Alicia, strong in spirit, and refused to give up even in the face of overwhelming odds. Edwin needed to find her village, and give her the crystal shard to pass along the memories from her older self.
And then there was Damien. The boy was slowly turning into a demon, and Edwin had to save him. And hopefully gain his help.
The magic of Truth. Four heroes were needed. Edwin knew that even if he, Mira, and Damien were three, which was hardly certain, there was still a fourth to be found. Where would he even begin to search?
And, of course, he was hungry. For that matter, he was unsure if his horse would still be where he had left it.
He lifted himself off the floor, and thought about what to do first.
Spoiler