Fate's Reluctant Heroes

A Real Monster - Alphonsus

Alphonsus was completely drained after the fight with the vampire. He had used a rare ability that allowed him to call on all of those who have had the same power before him and borrow their strength for a short period of time. It was powerful but risky to use because of how it left him after.

He was resting on a log and watched the villagers clean up the corpses one after another and burn them. They were being organized by Sergeant Alex, who was helping with the cleanup.

            Alphonsus sighed with relief. He knew traveling with the hero of light would be difficult, but he also knew he had yet to face any real trials. Acacius, Nicolas, and Nero were all resting up at one of the houses in the village where they were being treated by Susan.

Alphonsus got up and decided to check on them. He received many bows and words of thankfulness as he passed by the villagers. He smiled and said that it was not a problem to each one.

As he got nearer to the house where the others were staying at, he overheard some bickering,

“STOP MOVING!” came a voice that sounded much like Susan’s.

“C’mon! Ouch! Ya know that REALLY hurts when you rub that stuff on it!” this voice sounded much like Nicolas.

Alphonsus walked in and Susan was putting some healing herbs on Nicolas’s arm. Nero was lazing about on a bed in the next room, and Acacius was standing off to the side watching Susan put herbs on Nicolas’s arm.

Acacius was all healed due to his now natural healing abilities and glanced at Alphonsus. “Hey Al, how are you feeling?”

Acacius had a look of awe and worry as well as guilt within his eyes. Alphonsus gave a warm smile,

“I’m fine Acacius, don’t worry! I was just a bit tired after that fight.”

Acacius nodded but looked downtrodden.

Susan said, “All done! You can go do whatever you do now.”

Nicolas responded, “Thank you. Next time I will be more careful.”

He shot a friendly wink at Susan who blushed, crossed her arms, and sat down on a chair next to the table in the room, all while avoiding Nicolas’s gaze.

            The blush didn’t go unnoticed by Alphonsus, who smiled and chuckled quietly to himself. Everyone seemed to be in pretty good spirits after they won the fight against the vampire..

Even though he was feeling joyful, he felt a chill run down his spine, and he looked over and saw Nero standing next to him. Nero eyed Alphonsus and nodded at the door.

Acacius watched the two interact.

Alphonsus and Nero walked all the way out the gates of the village. Nero walked to an empty area and Alphonsus followed, curious.

            Nero looked at Alphonsus calmly, “Do you know what is really going on here?”

Alphonsus did not know how to respond to him. “What do you mean?” Suddenly a cold sweat ran down his back, and he felt heavy. His eyes widened as he realized he couldn’t move an inch.

Exuding an incredibly dark pressure, Nero said quietly but with a sinister voice, “I know who you are and why you are here! I will be the one to keep Acacius safe, and I don’t want you or the girl to get in my way. A series of events beyond your imagination will happen soon and you can’t comprehend it, so don’t play dumb with me. However stupid I think you are.”

As strong as Alphonsus was, he knew that there were those in this world that was much stronger than he. He realized now that he has been traveling with one such character.

Trembling with the pain that wracked his body he said, “If you know why I am here, then you know my intentions are the same as yours. I wish to keep Acacius and his friend safe. When did you know?”

Nero eyes were like an abyss. “Before we met you to travel. I only allowed you to come because Acacius and Nicolas both really like you. and they would’ve been suspicious of me if you had disappeared. Otherwise, I would’ve killed you. Be careful of your actions.”

With those final words, the pressure Alphonsus felt was gone, and Nero with it. Alphonsus could feel sweat dripping all over his body. He also felt relief.

He had gone through many hardships in his life, but he had never seen anyone as strong as Nero. Alphonsus had two questions in his mind, what interest do you have in Acacius, and what do you care what I do? 

Ch 21: Telling A Story - Mary

“Risus!!” called Mary as she came bursting through the door of the shop. Brutus was carrying the boy behind her.

“Did you get the materials?” Risus asked, smiling as he came out of the forge. His smile disappeared as he saw the boy, battered and bleeding.

“Pulchra!!” he called, and Pulchra came around the corner, smiling and beautiful. She also stopped smiling upon seeing the boy,

“Brutus, bring him to a table quickly!”

Brutus set down the boy on a table and Pulchra stood over him. She rolled up her sleeves and placed her hands upon the boy. A glowing white shone from her hands and eyes. The boy’s wounds slowly but visibly closed, and the bruises disappeared.

Once she was done, she sighed with relief and had Brutus to take him to a bed upstairs. Mary was awestruck at the sight, but was unable to speak or ask questions.

She looked at Risus who was watching Pulchra go up the stairs. He had a look of relief and contentment on his face. He looked down and saw Mary’s gaping mouth and chuckled. He waved his hand for Mary to follow him into the forge in back.

As soon as they were in the back, Mary asked, “What was that?! I didn’t know Pulchra had some power too!”

Risus responded with a nod and proud face, “Her power is awesome! She has some power over light, which includes healing. Now that I think about it, she had the same feeling as another boy who came in here earlier.”

Risus shrugged to himself.

             “Why haven’t you guys done more amazing things with your powers? But why don’t you guys live more glamorously with them?”

Risus shook his head, “We don’t have any need for money, and besides, this kind of lifestyle is so much better than what I used to have.”

He said it casually, but Mary knew there was a story behind this man. Before she could ask any more questions, Risus made her get to work on producing some magic equipment.

A day passed and the boy was still resting upstairs. Brutus was asleep in his bed after eating a meal fit for 4 large men. Pulchra was cleaning the shop and Risus was resting in a chair reading a book about someone living in a quiet cottage in the woods and how they interact and grow in the community.

Mary pulled up a stool next to Risus after working hard all morning. Risus looked up and smiled, but didn’t say anything. He then went back to reading his book.

Mary took in the peaceful moment. Her curiosity was getting the better of her, however, and she decided to ask Risus the question that was hanging in the back of her mind. “Risus, what was your life like before living here?”

Risus looked up and then out the window. He closed his book and laid it off to the side, “Sure, I can tell that story.”

He stood up and stretched for a moment before going to grab a dark sword that hung by the demonic and dark armor.

He walked back and with a pained face said, “This wasn’t made for someone else, but used to be mine.”

He sat back down and handed the sword to Mary. Mary grunted for a second as the weapon was heavy in her hands, and seemed to carry something in it that made her heart heavy as well. She set it aside and looked intently at Risus, getting ready for a story.

Risus smiled an empty smile, “I... was not as I am now, for quite a long time.” He looked out the window, “I’ve told you about powers and how the world is so much bigger than it seems. But it really is much...much bigger. I was once one of the beings with immense power. There is actually one stage higher that only a few have gotten to since the beginning of time, and that’s those who can influence the entire world. They are those with world power. I was a demon that served one with such world power.”

He looked downcast and guilty..

Risus continued, “I killed thousands, destroyed families, and conquered much, all in the name of myself and the devil with world power. I continued doing so for maybe one thousand years until I found myself facing an entire army of ‘angels,’ as they were called. I stood laughing from my castle as I began to s*******r all of them. None of them were strong enough to face me, and finally, I faced off against the Archangel leading the army.” Risus looked through the doorway at his wife who was sweeping, “My wife Pulchra was that archangel.”

Mary’s jaw dropped as low as it could go in her shock.

Risus smiled, “I fought her for quite a while and finally I was on top. Looking down at her, all I had was hatred and anger. Suddenly, I was dealt a blow that I knew I could not withstand, but I did not die.

“There was a light I could not even look at, and Pulchra was kneeling towards this light. She called out to it. ‘God’ she cried, and apparently, he came.

“I was broken and beaten, an inch away from death, when I was told that I would be given another chance. The one I was serving was dead, and I couldn’t believe it, honestly.”

Risus stared out the window for a moment then corrected himself, “I could actually believe that the one I was serving was dead, with the amount of force used on me. What I couldn’t believe is why would he spare me? I destroyed armies, destroyed livelihoods and shamed many who were weaker than me, yet he spared me. I was the downfall of nations and parts of the world! Yet he told me that good things were in store for me.”

Tears began to stream down his face and he continued, “Everything in my world was destroyed before me. I thought that being the strongest would make me happy, living a carefree life with the power I had was my joy, but I never realized that I was just a walking skeleton. I had never felt less ashamed and freer than I felt at that moment of mercy. Pulchra healed me because God asked her to, but she was mourning all the comrades I had slain before her.”

Risus sadly chuckled to himself, “Understandably she hated me, and I wasn’t able to find her or even get to apologize for about thirty years.”

Risus looked around at his forge. “One of my powers was to forge incredible magic weapons and armor, so I created a powerful set that I put all of my powers in except for my forging powers.” He glanced at the dark armor on the wall, “Whoever wore that armor would have all the power, but also all the anger and sorrow that I created when I was a demon.”

He looked back out the door to his wife, “I was eventually able to find Pulchra. God let her live among the people of this world, and I took that as my opportunity to apologize. I found her and apologized over and over, for maybe another fifty years. Eventually, I grew feelings for her though, and it switched from apologizing to wooing.”

Risus smiled and had one of his classic chuckles again. “Who could’ve thought that the demon who had slain thousands would end up having the chance to marry a woman as incredible as her.”

He sighed and finished with, “That’s my story.”

Mary’s mouth was wide open, and she didn’t even blink for the longest time. These incredible people who she had been living were even more incredible than she thought, and so much older too! As awestruck as she was, she felt determination and said,

“Teach me all of your skill over the forge...please.”

Risus smiled and simply and quietly said, “Okay.”