Fated Demise: Quenderian Wars

An Awful Bargain

I moved closer to him. He tried to crawl and escape.

I placed my hands on my sword saying "In the name of King Darryn Dilton, I, Ethan Artem Dilton, sentence you to die. What say you?"

It had been so easy for me to kill a spirit. I never killed a human being yet. But what's the difference?

I recognized that all the claws on one of Raymore's hands were crushed.

What could have been the reason for it? Had a mortal already battled with this beast?

I looked at Raymore, held my sword with both of my hands.

"Damn mortals, unknowing of what's to come. Kill me so I shall rise again."

I stabbed him right into his heart. I believed that he took his last breath with honor because for him to lose and die was better than living in defeat.

It was calm. Soothing enough for me to return to my latter state - keeping my spirit inside.

I saw the well as it sprouted from the land. It was true that the stones of perfection were surrounding it so I picked one and kept it.

The well had seen the powers I bear in the Astral Dimension and with a calm voice it spoke to me, "Would you like to make a sacrifice?"

"What sacrifice? To what end?" I bowed and replied.

It was six feet across and appeared to be full of water. It was just a plain well without cover, and large stones surrounded it to distinguish the end of the dry land and the start of the well's lips. The stones on their circumference were painted with great pictographs. They were surely red - seemed to be blood and not the lovely dye of a rose.

A work of art, a work of extreme emotions - could be a burning rage or an intimate love, a symbol of truth and unfold lies, and an object for recollecting our deepest selves, for me, they have been them.

"Do you find it amazing, the power I had lent you? Can you feel the authority? To have the world in your grasp? To be a god even for a moment."

I was confused.

"This and more, you can possess. Eliezerim - descendant of the Nephilims. You can have power that exceeds that of Nephilims, Angels, and gods. You are meant for a greater purpose and I can help you reach your full potential. You only have to choose the right purpose. Join me and let me taste a drop of your blood".

The moment it said it, I knew something was not right. What could it be scheming?

"How would my blood be of great use to you?", I asked as I moved away slowly from the well.

"It matters not", it replied.

I didn't really long for power but only peace so I ended the conversation quickly saying, "I am deeply sorry, I couldn't give such".

"You only speak of that for you had never experienced suffering but take away everyone you love, I know you will come running to me for another deal", it said.

Was that a threat?

"I decline your offer."

Shaking and trembling was it when it heard my statement for the well could not accept how I refused its offer.

A voice then came loudly saying, "You dare show me disrespect?" and added "I am a god. I shall get your blood myself."

The well swamped the place, covering the dry land and all of its forests with a strong current of water. The flood was so high that it almost reached the clouds and the sky.

And suddenly I heard the sound of animals unleashed from the well. There I saw rough and scaly leviathans which came out, eager to devour me with their titanic teeth.

My mind teetered for I didn't expect such monstrousity. I never prepared for this. I could never fight without breathing, and the water made it even more difficult for me to move.

The leviathans were swimming rashly with their tails following their bodies to where I was as fright almost took over me.

Mixed emotions bloomed until I noticed an empty spear bag attached to my back.

Finally, a certain emotion outshone all there was - the feeling of hope.

"What's this?" the question I asked myself wondering how that thing went there.

I had recalled my preparations before I started my journey realizing I hadn't brought any.

As I spoke, the bubbles captured the sound and the water raised it above. I held my breath.

Not minding this and knowing it was empty, I confidently inserted my hand inside the bag. What other action could have been there to do?

I was shocked as I drew a spear as charged as lightning that seemed to be made of mud and rocks.

Water, as we know it, attracts electricity yet the weapon happened to be designed to take effect only when inside a body.

I couldn't stay any longer for I was running out of air in my lungs so, quickly, I threw it to a leviathan.

I had seen the spear as it slowly hit the leviathan's guts but the power was too high for its body to handle so it burnt and exploded while the ashes slowly settled.

As I saw it happen so carefully, hope revealed itself more. I also swam toward the leviathans throwing spears consecutively through their heads. They received each of my thrown spears and like the first hit, they were burnt to ashes.

Moment by moment, that hope evolved and became the assurance of my victory. I became complacent, given that I had the weapon I needed to feel my reign.

I looked at each of them - feeling a bit sense of pride until my focus slipped out of me. I missed to watch out for the largest leviathan which swam toward me. The size of 5 men combined. That leviathan swayed its tail and used it to smash my head.

It was too late; I had been hit and was not able to avenge myself.

I tried to remember how I got here. How did the Chasers summon me to this realm?

My consciousness came back.

I was then again hit.

I traveled somewhere else because of the great impact like when you sleep and choose to travel to a different dimension, and was pushed away too far.

On my hands, I was holding bars of gold and my fingers were full of diamond rings - each was different from the other in terms of its designs and value. They were inscribed with different symbols, a griffin, a pegasus, a basilisk, elephant skulls, and teardrops.

I was still confused by what I had experienced, continued to walk, and arrived at my stables. I saw my horses with full golden armors, equipped for my battles. At their backs were the treasure chests containing everything I had always wanted.

I moved along and saw our castle all made from expensive materials where its foundations were not stones nor bricks but from the strongest elements men had not yet discovered. It was the fantasy everyone wished to live, including myself.

Did I want it?

From it, I heard a manly voice that whispered "You could have had all the treasures men have always wanted because of this sacrifice" and added "a drop of blood for everything".

"An awful bargain, not a sacrifice", I said.

"Artem, you don't have to fight."

It had opened my eyes to a lot of things.

I saw myself travelling to the far side of the world with the woman I love. A woman with no face, nonetheless. But she seemed familiar. I was happy.

I saw Jiun and Ron grow up to be the persons they always wanted to become.

I saw mother, walking toward Factor to help him prepare for his wedding.

Everything.

I saw them.

A world without hunger, war, not even fear.

"Mortal, wake up", an angelic voice caught my attention and I was brought back to my consciousness.

My soul traveled, wandered, explored, and sailed to one of the well's bests. And when I opened my eyes, the flood left a dry ground, and an angel stood in front of me.

The mood became brighter - a shred of evidence that righteousness, again, defeated evil.

But no, whatever I saw wasn't evil, it was beautiful. How can a lie be that beautiful?

The angel's divine wings were molded from the brightest of lights.

She offered a hand and made me stand beside her. I experienced goosebumps whilst even not receiving her hand yet.

"My name is Afriel - the Angel of Youth," she spoke.

Her wings were the blue sky as well as the clothes she wore. Together with the apricot hair fixed behind her, she had the softest lips that were about to, then again, open.

She softly added, "I was sent here to save you from death. There are things that I cannot speak about but those you have encountered were the source of chaos to some kingdoms and lands - Chasers."

I asked, "I am honored... but, Your Holiness, why save a mortal? And where are the leviathans?"

For my first question, I figured she'd never answer.

But she stated, "Providing the answer for that is beyond my task. You shall continue to understand, soon enough."

She drew a jar and said: "They are detained here and will be banished by the gods soon. However, the demon - Azazel - that took charge got away. It is in the mortal realms' best interest for you to know that some of your kind work for him. The gods warn you to be vigilant."

I glanced at the destroyed well - crushed and irretrievable - and continued asking "Forgive my curiosity, Your Holiness, but are those mortals from any of the five kingdoms of Quendere?"

"Indeed." Afriel replied.

She added, "Azazel speaks from hell through these wells. We can just hope that it is all he'll do."

"Investigate his plans and put an end to it."

I felt frightened that such evil exists in the lands of Quendere. But with the power I just amassed, I knew I can stop it.

Gazed into the mesmerizing beauty of the Eastern Mountains of Atur - the lifeless mountains, they say. However, I saw a mountain that was unlike the others. Smoke came off of its surface. Even from afar, I could see buildings on it. I knew people are living on that mountain. I just had to figure it out myself but was it the most important thing to think about right then?

I almost forgot the presence of the angel and there I placed my focus. I had regretted not savoring that moment with her. It is not every day that a mortal encounters a celestial being.

I had to remember that place, the place where the gods redeemed me.

When I looked back at the angel, she was gone. She left nothing but a satisfying mystery for the continuation of my quest.

I had to look as near as I could so I ran closely for the mountains and reached for it but when I placed a foot on the ground near, the ground shook and a red spark-like light moved circularly and made me the center point.

When I saw my hands, they were slowly becoming translucent; finally, I disappeared from that place and began being ported back to our castle.

When my eyes lifted their lids, there I saw my brother still seated on his chair.

The weapons that were laid on the ground were not cleaned up yet. Had I just been gone for a second?

Nevertheless, it was a moment of silence and recovery. And rest for my body who had been battling within the spirit realm all day.

He finished it when he spoke to me "You, bastard, used the weapon I gave you, haven't you? If I didn't know any better, I'd say it is I who brought you victory."

We laughed. I smiled with gladness in my heart, ran, and embraced my brother for his help.

"My brother, let's prepare for our dinner."