The Reincarnation Of The Purple Mace

Alice was sitting near the mantelpiece, chewing a piece of bread and sipping tea, when Hilda came from behind and tapped on her shoulder. At first glance, Alice startled a little but then gave her a warm smile. Hilda looked at her and smiled, "You are Mother Manaca's choice, aren't you?" Alice nodded in approval. Hilda sat beside her and asked, "What is your name, dear?" Alice replied sweetly, "Alice Cooper." Hilda smiled, "A little uncommon for us, but a nice name." Alice asked, "Why do you want to kill your own brother? Shouldn't you be saving him?"

Hilda sighed, "What can I say, Alice? My brother, Krymon is not a good person. He has always put other's lives in danger for his own selfish interests. I thought that with time, he might change and see what troubles he has been giving others. But, nothing changed. With time, his needs got bigger and darker and soon he joined hands with equally immoral Jammy and Tammy and started smuggling local orc magic and treasured artifacts. Many elder orcs tried to warn him, but he didn't listened. He instilled hate and anger in young men and soon made a large army of brainwashed boys. I was young too and that time, our father was at war with orcs and bad things happened both sides and things turned ugly. Aliyah died and the elves and Manacan people also divided and soon civil wars started to bloom. Krymon funded the stronger side with both arms and men and soon started reaping rewards from Tammy and Jammy.

I got myself involved with the duties of the newly established Orc Valley and time passed like this. Krymon became more and more arrogant and evil day by day and when he heard about you and Aliyah's arrival, he tried to kill you to please the demons. When his raids started damaging our finances, I intervened and told him to stop the raids and have some sense in him. He as expected didn't listened to me and I couldn't do much because I was pregnant at that time. After, the birth of my kids, I tried to stop him, but he conspired and kidnapped my kids and killed one of my sons. I have tolerated his atrocities way too much and when he killed my son, I decided to end him for good."

Aliyah came from behind and said, "Stay away from Alice, Hilda. She is just a normal human being and not a threat to you." Hilda smiled, "Relax, Aliyah. I don't eat humans anymore and also why would I eat someone so special?" Aliyah asked, "Someone special?" Hilda smiled, "Yes, she is very special. You may not remember but when Mother Manaca created the Blood Spear with her blood, she also created the spear's brother, the Purple Mace. According to our legends, the protector of the spear will have the power to find the Purple Mace and appoint a protector of it."

Aliyah said grimly, "It's all a false and made up story. The Blood Spear has no siblings. The Purple Mace was a part of a small stone which was hit by Mother Manaca when she trapped Xao Lin's soul. The stone was not very kind to anyone but a very chaotic and disruptive element and also disappeared abruptly. No mace was created from it and no evidence of it was found anywhere. Orcs were illiterate and superstitious and slowly this made up story became their bedtime story and everyone started looking for it and many lost their lives in these baseless adventures. I, once read in a book about a small stone but no further information was present there. Librarian Hagaer said that the only information about it was given by an orc who was kind of nuts." Alice asked, "How can you be sure about it's non existence? I myself would have disbelieved the existence of the Blood Spear a year ago."

Hilda rose and took out an old scroll from her bag and opened it, "I don't blame Aliyah. She heard only what was told to her. But, the whole legend goes like this. Mother Manaca had a little brother named Kappa who was known as the rider of horses and symbolizes strength and vitality. He was a little mischievous and had raped many nymphs of the heaven and also had fathered many bastards on the mortal world.

Mother Manaca couldn't do anything and banished him from heaven and turned him into an old and poor beggar. Kappa suffered much humiliation and soon begged for forgiveness from Mother Manaca. But, she was helpless and couldn't help her brother. Kappa died with much humiliation and pain and turned into an evil ghoul and started torturing and raping young girls. Mother Manaca took the form of a young maiden and when Kappa tried to attack, she thrusted her spear in his chest and destroyed him in every form. Kappa begged for forgiveness and redemption and Mother Manaca turned him into a purple stone and buried him in the womb of the earth. When, Mother Manaca turned her essence into the spear, her brother escaped from the trap and tried to kill Mother Manaca, but she trapped him into a mace and buried him in a secret place."

Aliyah smiled, "And you want us to find that mace for you, am I right?" Hilda smiled, "Partially. I have no use of that mace and also what will I get from having a mace anyway? I'm already very powerful and have many weapons. I just want to strengthen your arsenal, Alice. Fighting Krymon will take much effort and I don't think that alone Alice and Aliyah can do anything. Alice is slowly learning and may not prove efficient in the war and even Aliyah can vouch for it."

Aliyah sighed, "I know what you are trying to say, Hilda. But, finding the mace will take a lot of time and also we don't have enough time for it. Krymon has already created his base inside the kingdom and his pet dog, Tammy will easily give him everything in return of the small rewards that Krymon has been entertaining him with." Hilda smiled, "Don't sweat, ghost. I have already done all the homework and also traced the location. It is in the bed of the Yatsu River." Aliyah said angrily, "Are you insane, Hilda? That place is the habitat of the fire lions and you are suggesting us to unnecessarily risk our lives in such crucial times." Hilda said, "I won't force anyone. The mace will always remain in the bed of the Yatsu River, but Krymon won't remain silent. If we want to win the war, we should respect every help we can get." She went away. Alice looked at Aliyah and said slowly, "I don't see much trouble in her suggestion. She is just trying to help us."

Aliyah said angrily, "Shut up, Alice. You don't know what type of selfish person this bitch is. She will definitely try to make us bait in front of the lions and capture the mace. She may be not harming us right now, but in the long run she will try to betray us." Alice asked, "If you distrust her so much, then why are you okay with her being with us?" Aliyah said grimly, "My experience says that she genuinely wants to harm her brother and if that intuition is correct, her hatred will be our strength. Again, the mace is just an additional weapon which like the spear will need a protector and will get a ghost with it." Alice asked, "What do you mean?" Aliyah said annoyed, "You should listen to people's talks carefully, Alice. Kappa's soul is trapped inside that mace and if someone becomes the bearer of the mace, then he or she will have to connect with Kappa. From what I have heard Kappa is not much friendly towards others, so anyone becoming the protector of the mace will be quite unlucky." Alice asked, "What about the power?" Aliyah replied, "Unlimited strength and never-ending immunity. The bearer of the mace can defeat a whole army single-handedly, but will also have uncontrollable lust and rage."

Alice asked, "Was there someone who became its bearer before?" Aliyah replied grimly, "No. No one could control its volatile nature and also they considered these much power as counterproductive. Orcs tried quite hard to have their hands on that mace, but they couldn't defeat the fire lions and also the Yatsu river is quite deep and no one can hold there breath for that much time underwater. Many orcs and demons have lost their lives in the quest of the mace. The whole concept was based on legends which had no visual evidence and with time, the legend of the Purple Mace became a myth.

My grandfather, King Jalacapa restricted entry in those areas and also evicted the people living near it and brought them inside the kingdom. Shinigano and Shuken people were far less in touch with those wild areas, but after the pact of union was signed, the wild areas were completely abandoned by all. The First War of West forced my father to open the barriers and take those wild areas under control to save them from becoming enemies's secret hideouts. The fire lions were not there that time, but created by some wizards in the name of creating guards. But, with time the lions mated with female lions and created the new untamed and fierce predators who killed King Jamalus. The Purple Mace never excited the honest people so with time its importance ceased. Hilda's interest in the mace is not very good for us. Because if she is ready to awake Kappa for her brother's death, then she might be lethal for us in the future."

Alice said, "I don't know what to say right now. If you cannot trust Hilda, then she will have trust issues too. I don't know what grudges you two had earlier in your lives, but right now you two are kind of dependent on each other and if there is no trust between you two then with time this union will break." Aliyah said in annoyed tone, "I don't care about her small union with me. We started our journey together and if she doesn't want to help us then I will happily tell her to fuck off." Alice smiled, "Companionship doesn't work like that." Aliyah said angrily, "To hell with her and her companionship. If she doesn't follow my orders then she can happily go her own way." Alice said, "Okay. Quarreling with you won't prove any good, so I better go and look for my friends." Alice rose and quickly sprinted away. Aliyah looked at her going and sighed in despair, "Poor innocent moron. Only Mother Manaca can give her some wisdom."

Alice stopped near an old tree and her glance fell on a young girl playing with a snake. The snake was quite beautiful and looked venomous from its head structure. Alice wanted to ask her the reason but quitted the thought on realizing that they are awkward people. She searched for Elena and Trisha, but found them nowhere. She wanted to ask Aliyah but she was already quite angry with her and she didn't want to get any scolding from her. She tightly grasped her heart, where the Blood Spear was and tried to pull it out. Alice soon realized that to pull the spear out, she needed much more strength to pull it out and also it drains too much strength out of her body. She stopped halfway and then pushed it back inside, but that action was equally painful. She fell on her knees and fell on the ground face first. Surrounding Shinigano people looked at her, but decided to ignore her. Alice raised her head and slowly and weakly asked for help, but no one could understand her language. The sudden displacement of the spear created a sort of disturbance around her and her slow and weak voice equally contributed to it. After some groaning and panting, the same young maiden came near her and picked her up and took her to a small rest house.

She looked at Alice carefully and then closed her eyes with her hand and after sometime, Alice felt a strong bite on her chest, but her pain disappeared in a jiffy. Alice looked at her and saw that the same girl and her snake dangling around her neck. She asked, "Did your snake bit me?" The girl signaled to Alice's chest and said, "No pain." Alice understood that the girl either couldn't understand her language or she was not Shinigano or Shuken. Alice asked slowly, "Your name?" The girl smiled and sprinted away. Alice looked at her going and shrugged. Alice came out of the hut and saw Aliyah has caught Hilda in a nelson hold. Hilda said, "It's not my fault, Aliyah. All orcs looked same." Aliyah said angrily, "Oh! Shut up, you bitch. I knew from the start that something terrible will happen with your ominous arrival." Alice pulled Hilda and asked, "What happened now? Why are you two fighting like wild monkeys?" Aliyah said angrily, "This bitch's men kidnapped Elena and Trisha and now they are asking for ransom." Hilda said, "I swear on my mother, Alice. I didn't knew they would kidnap your friends and ask for ransom." Alice asked sadly, "What ransom do they want?" Aliyah and Hilda both looked at each other and said together, "The Blood Spear." Alice looked at Aliyah and asked, "Is it possible?" Aliyah said, "Never. To give the Blood Spear, you have to fight them and die. And I'm not going to let you die." Hilda said grimly, "Even if she dies, the Blood Spear won't go to someone so easily. They have to prove their worth for it." Alice asked, "Then why are they demanding for something impossible?" Hilda said grimly, "They are not asking for the spear outside of you, but with you." Alice and Aliyah asked, "What do you mean?"

Hilda said grimly, "They have taken your friends inside the kingdom. They are Krymon's men." Alice and Aliyah looked at each other and punched Hilda in the stomach. Hilda said weakly, "We have no other option but to fight them." Alice said, "I think it's good only. If they want to fasten things up then, I don't see any problem." Aliyah punched Alice on the head and said, "What good? They have taken this step with careful observation and calculations. They perfectly know our strengths and weaknesses and we don't even know their one weakness. How can we fight them?" Alice said, "I don't know, but I have faith in Mother Manaca." Aliyah said grimly, "Only Mother Manaca can do something now." Hilda said, "I will talk with the army and get them ready for the war." She climbed her horse and sprinted away, as Alice and Aliyah looked at her going with mixed emotions...