“There were some scouts sent out that died? I don’t remember telling anyone to send out any scouts?” The elf kings says.
“…Well, sure it was just protocol. We didn’t think it was important enough to tell you. You know we take care of all that boring stuff that you don’t have time to worry about. Please, my king, you should get back to your room, we will be sure to prepare your favourite for tonight.” The inner council member says.
The elf king smile “Well, I saw dragons there too. Be sure to do a better job at keeping those over grown rodents away from my kingdom.” The elf king says with a mean glare.
“Of course, my king!”
The elf king returns to his room. “How did it go Peter?”
“I’m alive aren’t I? We can discuss this later, Philip,” Peter says.
Rev lays there, his mind flooded with different voices fighting to see which one is louder.
“STOP!…PLEASE…please…just stop…” Rev cries out, sounding tired and defeated.
The cyclops looks at each other in confusion. Rev takes a deep breath and stands up while still looking straight down at the icy floor.
“Just show me the way out before I hurt anyone else,” Rev says.
The cyclops guiding Rev quickly disperse the forming crowd around them, leading Rev to the exit of the dome. They stand there face to face with the ice valley that awaits outside. The cyclops take one last look at Rev, a sign of quickly fading sympathy. Rev is left by himself once more. The day is young, and the snow is soft. Rev looks up at the distant clouds. “A blizzard is coming, of course it is.” Rev thought. Rev looked left, Rev looked right.
“Where am I?” Rev says, his breath visible in the cold.
Rev looks in his bag and pulls out Loka’s map. Rev takes a look at the map, then another looks around. Rev sighs and puts the map away. Rev tries to remember where he came from, but it’s all a blur. He chooses the direction that seems to leave out of the valley. The journey continues, Rev sets off. In the meantime, Loka has made it back to Carter.
“How are things going?” Loka asks.
“Well, if things keep going the way there going, the city will be rebuilt in 10-15 years. Most of these humans will be unable to work as effectively by then.” The elf says.
Loka runs his hand through his hair, scrunching it tightly before releasing it. “I guess we’ll have to get more, then.” Loka says.
Just then, a human working comes running over to Loka. “Loka, that elf is being unreasonable.We keep telling him we can’t carry that much, but he says to stop complaining and then he whips us. 3 of us have already gotten our backs injured and can’t work.” The man tells Loka.
The elf comes over. “GET BACK TO-”
Loka sends a water bolt through the elf’s head, having it expand mid way through his head.
“There problem solved. You heal the humans the best you can. It’s better to let them rest for a day than have them not be able to work for a month.” Loka says.
Loka looks over at the elf, his gaze cold and controlling. “Oh, and am going to be gone for a while…Don’t fuck this up.” Loka says.
The elf stiffens up-right "Yes sir!” He says.
Loka gets in his plane and heads towards Eden. Suddenly on the other side of the world, in the mountain palace. Saint Cass receives another vision.
“ahhhh…” Cass grones.
“What’s wrong, Cass?” Bron asks.
“War…..war is coming, Bron…I saw him.” Cass says.
“War? saw who?” Bron asks.
Cass looks over at Bron, his face saying more than words ever could. Bron backs up against the wall and lets himself sink to the floor.
“That fool…” Bron whispers.
Rev in that moment revives a chilling sensation in his soul. He continues his journey through the valley. The snow is so deep Rev can barely see above it all. As he pushes forwards, Rev pulls in all the surrounding source and pushing it in front of him in an attempt to clear a path. Day soon turns to night and Rev creates a stone shelter to rest in despite that, Rev doesn’t get a second of sleep that night. He stays awake thinking about his life. What it means to him. How he ended up here. He would cry, but he had no tears left in him. It feels as if the word itself is looking down on him. Ever where he goes, calamity follows. He lives to kill another, but what happens after he achieves his goal? “What purpose will I have then…” Rev thinks. Speaking of Loka, he has just landed by Eden.
“Hello, don’t worry, am not here to cause any trouble.” Loka says.
The elf guards look skeptical. “It’s fine; let him in.”
The guards look back in disbelief. “Thank you.” Loka says.
He follows the elf back to a newly rebuilt house. “What do you want, Loka?”
“It’s almost time. If I don’t do something soon, the world will fall apart. I trust you’ll make the right decision, Matthew.” Loka says.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Matthew locks eyes with Loka. “You have my word. Also Philip has been working with Peter back in Paradise to try to convert the others. It’s hard enough having the king watch our ever move. That lunatic kills people for the smallest things. That fight in the north didn’t help. We honestly don’t know how much longer we can keep this up.” Matthew tells Loka.
“Yeah, that wasn’t exactly part of the plane, but it worked out in the end. More importantly, do you have any information on where Cinder could be?” Loka asks.
“He was last seen on Esho about 2 months ago.” Matthew says.
Loka sighs. “If you get anymore information on him, tell me as soon as you can,” Loka says.
“Ok, let’s end things here then.” Matthew suggests.
Loka nods and leaves the building. He returns to his plane and flies off. Loka looks off towards Eaven. “You better still be alive out there,” Loka thinks. Rev is indeed alive, at least in the technical sense. He tries to remember what happened before he last passed out. That voice echoing through his head. “Rev…” Rev looked around, but with his eyes he know there wasn’t another living thing out here for miles. “Rev!” He hears again.
“Stop…I told you stop already. Just leave me alone.” Rev sulkily says.
Must kill Loka.
A bone chilling shiver runs through his body. “I know!” Rev yells.
“What? who are you? What are you…nevermind just shut up,” Rev says in an annoyed tone.
Mus-
“SHUT UP!” Rev yells.
Rev sighs and gets up from his shelter. He breaks out and starts pushing through the snow again.
-3 days later.
Rev spots a large source pool in the distance. Rev approaches it, seeing that it’s underground. He sees a place to open to door and starts to turn the wheel as hard as he can, but it seems to be frozen. He cast fire inside himself, a skill that he has learned to keep as much heat inside him to keep him warm. Much more efficient than lighting himself on fire and having the snow quickly melt it. This makes his skin red hot. He then melts away the door itself. Rev walks through the dark hall follow the way further down. He makes his way closer and closer to the source. He notices the large amount of source metal around him. The closer he gets, the more red the source metal becomes until it turns purple. He is met by a fearsome, but calm presence.
“Uh…” The voice seems old tired.
Rev looks back to see a giant cage.
“A dragon…” Rev whispered.
Run!
Rev brushes the voice off. Rev then creates a flame for light. It was then he saw it. A dragon chained up with multiple giant source metal beams stuck inside its back, arms, legs, and wings. The chains line with sharp spike causing further restraint. The large source pull was not in the dragon itself, but the source metal that restrained it. Rev stepped closer, seeing that the dragon’s eyes had been sealed shut. It brings him back to when he was in prison. The closer Rev got, the better the dragon could sense him.
“Who…are you?” The dragon asked.
“My name is Rev.”
“Rev…my name is Steel. Can you take this thing off my head?” The Steel asks.
“Why should I?” Rev asks.
“Tell me, does the name Loka mean anything to you?” Steel asks.
Rev’s eye light up “What do you know about Loka! did he put you here?” Rev asks.
“I’ll tell you all you want, I just need to make sure you’re who I think you are,” Steel tells Rev.
Rev sighs and walks into the cage, easily slipping through. He climbs onto of Steels feeling his brittle scales crack with every step. He melts the rips the source metal around his head. It’s not easy as the source metal is fairly strong. Rev tries and tries, eventually breaking Steel free of his blindness. Rev steps down as Steel opens his eye. Rev stares right back at him. Steel smiles widely.
RUN!
Rev falls to his knees. “No need to be scared am more of a danger to myself than anyone else right now.” Steel laughs.
RUN! RUN! RUN!
“SHUT UP!” Rev yells
“Sorry-”
“Not you…ahhh!” Rev says as he catches his breath.
Steel looks closer at Rev. “You can hear them, can’t you? There telling you to run.” Steel says.
Rev looks up at Steel. “you can hear it too?” Rev asks.
RUN!
“No, I used to hear a similar voice. One that couldn’t hope to talk back to. I do know someone who can hear the same voice you hear, though. A troubled soul indeed. Am not saying Loka is a saint, but he has his reason.” Steel says.
Rev’s gaze turns to one of anger. “Loka! must die!-”
“Is that what the voices told you?” Steel asks.
Rev back off a little. “Shut up! He killed my family. He killed Ein. It’s all his fault!” Rev yells.
“yeah, that sound like him. Trust me, kid, I wanted to kill him far before you did. That’s how I ended up here. Day after day, Loka would tear me apart and study me. I was being tortured far before yo where born. The guy is more open to outside idea’s then you would think he would be. If you can prove to him that you're more useful alive than dead. He makes a much better ally than enemy. If you don’t believe me, then go over there. His journals should be there. If you can read through them and still not have your mind changed, then it seems it’s too late.” Steel tells Rev.
Rev takes a good look at Steel. “How can you trust the monster that put you in this cage? He stuck those pillars in you.”
“Do you think Loka enjoys killing? Well, I did. I Thought him in me was the same back then. Two monsters trying to kill each other, But I was wrong. I was the only monster in that fight. I had killed more elfs and humans than I could count. Do you think I shouldn’t be in this cage? Would you have even talked to me if I wasn’t chained up? Or would it be straight to combat with me?” Steel asks.
“…”Rev was at a loss for words.
“Rev, did you know your family? Were they good people?” Steel asks.
Rev’s face turned to a frustrated and disgusted look. “What do you know-”
“A lot more than you. You don’t even know your full name, do you? Rev haha” Steel laughs.
“What are you talking about?” Rev asks.
“Your full name; what is it?” Steel asks.
“My name is Rev! I told you that”
“Fine, I’ll tell you your full name is Reveshto Rise. You are of royal blood, in fact. That means your life would have been spent at the top. Reaping the benefits of the liking human slaves that built the very city you were born in.” Steel tells Rev.
“No…that…that can’t be true.” Rev’s voice trembled slightly.
“Rev, hear me. All that stuff doesn’t matter now, does it? What does matter is what you do with the life you now live. Tell me Rev what will you do with it. Is what you believe in worth fighting for? How many have you killed? How many times have you committed the same crime that keeps you up at night? The same crime that changed your life,” Steel asks.
“How many have I killed…” Rev whispers.
He thinks back to all he’s done. He had never thought of the pain he must have caused people. All in the chase for the one that caused him that same pain.
“To-”
LOKA MUST DIE!
“Ahhh!” Rev screams.
Steel sighs. “I can’t force you to change Rev. I’m not like him.” Steel says.
RUN! RUN! RUN!
“AHH! ENOUGH!” Rev yells.
He gets up and stumbles out of the cage.
“There should be some food in the other room.” Steel tells Rev.
Rev looks back and quickly faces forward as he hears the voice start to echo through his head. He catches his breath as he makes his way towards the food. Rev opens the fridge, seeing the source coming from inside of it.
“What is this?” Rev asks.
Rev heats the food up in his hands and immediately eats. He spends the rest of the day stuffing his face. The voices continue to tell him to run away, But Rev drowns them out. Rev that night finally gets some sleep as another storm rages on outside.
