Awakening

AZEL

I arrived in the fields and what met my eyes made my limbs shake.

There were beasts. Beasts so gnarly and hideous to describe. Beasts like the ones described in story books. It felt like I had been pulled into a nightmare, cursed and banished to the realm of the soulless.

They were here in Chiming Rock? Within the realms? Under the sky barrier? Why? How?

They littered the fields and I watched how the elite knights tried to hoard them away from the recruits. They were fighting. with everything they had. Sir Gaius crushed as many as approached using his massive fists. Lady Adora yielded her double swords slashing at the necks of the ones which inched in the recruits in milliseconds. Turning away she screamed, an insane pitchy sonic wave causing the beast to cry in agony and crumble afterwards. Sir Philip made use of arrows, a distance away, releasing five arrows at a go and killing more than eight enemies at a time. My mouth dropped in awe. They were amazing. So amazing. They were elite knights of the silver brotherhood afterall. My heart gradually wheeled back to normal.

The Knights were here and they had everything under control. Obviously my help would be as useless as teaching a mutt to fly. I was agitated over nothing. It would be better if I left. The last thing I would want was to get noticed by the enemy, captured and used as an obstacle to the elites who were fighting for the lives of everyone.

I made a turn but then I paused when a thunderous crash slapped into my ears. It made the earth shake and I couldn't help but know what it was. That outstanding power and force. Sir Caes! It had to be him. His very presence shook the earth.He was probably fighting on the other side! This was my one time opportunity to see him in action! I couldn't miss it. I turned again with a sharp twist and moved away till I hid behind a large rock where I wouldn't be seen, southwest to the fields where the thunderous claps were coming from. Slowly I peeped from behind the rock but then my blood ran cold at what I saw.

Sir Caes was fighting but...

Sir Caes flung his sword vigorously at the enemy who seemed to evade his attacks! He grunted and did the same thing again but the enemy easily toppled it, flying over him in a millisecond. Sir Caes… It seemed like he was…. struggling. He… seemed slow. Slower than he was supposed to be. Why? What was happening?

The enemy kept a smirk on his face and I could see how he was just toying with him and I shuddered. He must have noticed it. Sir Caes's slow and unrefined movements.

Sir Caes was known for his insane speed and massive strength. He had a soul stone similar to Freya which made him invincible. I've heard stories of him, I've seen him in action too but this ….this didn't look like the Sir Caes I knew. I saw him stagger a bit and clutch at his chest like…like he was in agony. My eyes widened. Something was wrong. My eyes caught sight of a lifeless body which laid by and I went cold.

That unmistakable shroud of darkness.

It was Sir Xander, master of the darkness! Terror crept up my bones.

He…he was killed? By…..that? I looked at the enemy who looked nothing more but a sickly figure. He had this aura of confidence oozing from him and it made me shudder. If he could kill Sir Xander…that meant…

Sir Caes drew back his sword arching it over his shoulders reinforcing his stance

Slyly breaking through Sir Caes's defense I saw him aim a powerful surge of lightning at Sir Caes's chest. Sir Caes gasped but he had noticed a minute too late! The impact was horrendous and it shook the entire earth. I held onto the rock as the wind spread furiously across the entire field. I cut my hands on the sharp rock but swallowed my pains.

The breeze subsided and I panted. What…what was that power?

The impact had sent every one else flying away like cloth. The rock I had been hiding behind had broken into pieces. I clenched my fist in pain and then it hit me. I gasped.

Did Sir Caes survive that?

I turned and what I saw was beyond devastating.

Sir Caes laid on the floor immobile. He was still breathing but his uniform had been destroyed by the impact and… his soul stone…his soul stone….was cracked!

Then I remembered the words of Mr Ed's teachings in basic school.

"Once a person loses their soul stone, they're as good as dead, especially if their soul stones are a part of their vital organs like the brain, the heart and the respiratory organs. Others whose soul stones are located elsewhere may survive but may be paralyzed"

Sir Caes had his soul stone on his chesy and it was cracked! If this went on any further, he would be killed!

Then I felt it, like a million voices were tearing through my head.

"Kiya stop this!

"You cannot do this to him! You cannot do this to me!

"Will he ever wake up?

"Let's wait and see"

"No child has ever survived without a soul stone. He's as good as dead!

"Stop! Please!

"Remember who you are, little one. You're my son! You were made for a reason"

The voice cooed into my ears and I felt an unbelievable surge of energy cackling through my spine and, through my blood vessels and colliding in my heart which throbbed hard. Painfully hard.

What was this? Whose voices were these? Why? Why?

CAES

I tried to move but I couldn't. Every inch I moved sent an inhumane pain shooting through my chest. I gasped for breath as I struggled to make for my sword. I was the leader of the silver brotherhood. I couldn't….I couldn't die. Not yet, not now…not like this…not against a parasite like Arne. I couldn't fail my team. I struggled but the pain intensified. My chest heaved violently and blood forced itself out along with a cough.

I felt weak. No…I couldn't die this way. I lifted my head with a struggle and I could see my squad members had all stopped moving. They had surprise smeared on all their faces. Surprise, dread and pain like Xander.

Why didn't I tell them? Why didn't I tell them that my soul stone had been cracked at the battle with the 'Unknown' and it had been getting worse since then? Why did I hide it from them all these years? I knew that was what flooded their minds.

Why? They probably wouldn't understand it. They wouldn't be able to understand.

I couldn't move at the moment. Xander laid a few feets away.. I didn't know if he was still alive… my teammates were in danger ...the children were frightened…..but .. my useless body wouldn't move!

I felt a foot stomp on my shoulder and I let out a grunt. Arne's cold eyes bore down on me.

"The Almighty Caes. Caes the wonderful. Caes the divine! Hahahaha! He cackled like a mad hound throwing his head back.

"How long have I waited to crumble you under my feet? Certainly this opportunity couldn't be more than sufficient. How much it delights me beholding your agony, your pain, your helplessness!

He stomped on my chest and I gave a forceful gasp gripping at his ankle.

"Uh, does it hurt? Feel you pain? Years you deluded yourself, Caes. Pretending to be some divine hero which you are not…the people feel safe knowing fully well that Caes the captain of the silver brotherwoods is strong and unmovable? What happens when they find out you've become nothing but a vegetable, powerless and useless. What happens after I destroy your soul stone completely and rend your humanity away from you!

"Caes! Adora's voice pierced through the air as she and Philip charged towards me but then they froze. That….that power….

"You…. you're…you're nothing but a coward Arne…..you wouldn't be able to lift a finger without your toys who aid you…if you despise my being so much, why not fight me one on one? I spat with a grunt.

"One on one? Arne gave a hysterical laughter.

"Ooh. Unlike you washed up knights, I care too little for honor and too much for my life. You may have brawn dear brother but your intellect has always been lacking. Now unfortunately you will die but worry not, I'll ensure you have a proper burial besides mother and father! Arne spat calmly but menaical and lifted up his hand, insane power surging to the tips of his fingers.

I wouldn't be able to survive the impact. If my soul stone shatters I was as good as dead because my soul stone was connected to my heart.

"Goodbye brother"

He brought it down and I closed my eyes in defeat. A tear rolled down my cheeks. I…had failed...to protect my teammates and the people….I failed and I knew that this was the very end.

But just then a blinding light force pierced through the air, sending heavy shockwaves and tremors on the earth. I opened my eyes and then I saw it. Arne's face crushing…on the impact of a fist…the fist of a young boy!

A young blonde haired boy!