Chapter 8

Flaming balls of stone flew through the sky reaching their target: the walls. The ones that didn't hit the walls either fell short of them or they were planted within the city. It'll take some time to destroy the first of the three walls, but it won't take long. Iceltic troops are fighting outside the first wall. They aren't doing well. The Argostia troops have numbers and a better trained military than Iceltic does. In the distance, she could see her father's robes billowing in the wind. He's hovering above his army flinging dark spells in every direction.

"It seems that my daughter has finally arrived." Nefal's voice rings through my head.

"Get out of my head!" I scream out loud.

I catch up to Yomon and Tosta who look at me weird.

"Just go!" I yell at them, "I'm fine!"

Tosta shrugs and pulls Yomon towards the battle. I unsheathe the golden sword. It hummed with energy. This is one powerful weapon. I could feel its power flowing throughout my body. I launch myself into battle. I strike down one soldier instantly. They barely had time to see my face. I had time to look at theirs though. The confidence of seeing tomorrow, heading home, vanished in an instant. The horrifying glance after getting struck down and the pain in their face is always on my mind. I remember all I've killed just from a glance. I twist around and block a blow. The sword never wavered in my hands. I throw the women's sword aside and stab her through the gut. She falls into a coughing fit onto the ground. I couldn't let her suffer so I finish her off with a stab to her spine. The sword went through bone and muscle as if it was water. Sharp pain flares in my back and I turn to see a soldier with a spiked club. I knock the club out of his hands and slash at his neck. I close my eyes to stop blood from getting in them. I wipe the blood off my face and look around. Argostia soldiers lay all around on the plain. Iceltic troops are pouring in from the Icelia. I look up towards my father, who has a look of hatred on his face. He points his finger at me and murmurs something under his breath. A beam of black energy slams into me. I gasp in pain as I fall to the ground. I hear Nefal's evil laugh as I hit the ground.

****

I wake up in a bed. My sword sits next to me cleaned of all the blood. I sit up groggily. All around the room are paintings of my father and I before he went crazy. The thing is, is that I don't recognize them at all or remember posing for any paintings with my father. The room is gigantic. Golden red doors are the only way out. The windows are barred so I can't get out that way. Guards are next to the door. I'll have to take them out to escape wherever I'm at. I grab my sword, but get shocked instead. Nefal must have captured me and cursed my sword! Damn it!

Knocking at the door grabs my attention. The doors open and Nefal steps into the room.

"Hello my daughter." He smiles evilly, "Welcome home to Mankana. The camp where you ran away from is the capital of my country. After I lost to those monks, I founded Argostia and raised a massive army. I swiftly conquered the land. I stretched from the Iceltic Strait all the way to the Forbidden Mountains. Now I have conquered the other side of the Strait and will head towards Icelia with my undead army."

"That's impossible!" I try to get off the bed, but an invisible force is keeping me from leaving, "You don't have the Ice Crystal!"

"That's where you are wrong again." He steps forward, "Only you can control its power and only I can control you. You have my blood yet you have your mother's mind. You have the cursed mark that I placed on you when you were first born. Your mother saw that my obsession with the Ice Crystal was making me mad and I feared she would send you away. I placed the cursed mark of Scion upon you. This allows me to see where you go and control whatever you can do. I know where the Ice Crystal is buried. It's in the Iceltic Strait underwater since the the last war. You will take the tunnel into the underground castle and get me that Crystal."

"I won't do it." I cross my arms, "You'll have to kill me before I do such a thing."

"Then it will have to be the hard way." He snaps his fingers, "Guards fetch my daughter and bring her into the throne room. I'll have to put pure darkness into her to get her to listen to me. Make sure she does not escape. Now come let's go!"

The heavily armed guards step forwards and thrust their hands through the invisible force and pull me through it. I struggle, but to no avail. Their grip is just to strong for me to break. I stop struggling and walk with them to make my life easier. They take me through a pretty hallway. It's all a golden red color throughout, but with the torches on the walls, they seemed to glow brighter. A red carpet is on the floor signalling the colors of Argostia. The emblem of Argostia hung over the throne room doors. It's two snakes tangled around a sword embedded into a shield. The doors open and the guards take to a magic circle. I sensed dark magic everywhere around the room.

"Will you still stand against me?" Nefal asks quietly, "Or will you join me in ending this futile war?"

"All you want to do is control everything!" I say angered, "You won't control me or anybody else!"

"Against me it is." He holds up his hands to the ceiling and starts speaking the ancient language, "With this pure darkness in you, you will see the error of your ways and see the true nature of Vizion."

Darkness flows around Nefal. He keeps gathering it until I can't see him no more. I hear a gust of wind and the darkness flows towards me. It envelopes me and all I see is darkness. I feel its cold grip on my skin as it starts to find its way in. Voices are all around me: Vizion is a manipulator. Trust your father. Trust your true instincts. Why did you run? Why do you struggle? Why do you stray from your destiny?

I grab my head in pain as the darkness begins to fade. I look up to see Nefal with a smile on his face. Beads of sweat rolls down my face and my breathing comes in gasps. What's going on? I look around to see where I'm at. This used to be the camp. All these years had gone by and this gigantic city rose from that small camp. What had happened to me?

"I'm sure that you have many questions," Nefal walks down to me, "and you need answers. Come, we have a lot of catching up to do."