No. 2
By Akanji
- 201 reads
No. 2
Power.
Only five letters, yet so strong a word it is. Such things as power possess the mind and soul of man, like a desiese, one that's spreading faster than AIDs itself as they grasp greedily at what they call happiness. Truly, if power brought happiness, than why do even the greatest of leaders die a cold, lonely death as they come to the realization that those they thought were their friends would merely shove them aside without a second thought to obtain what this fallen man has left behind; the power, the authority. Sure, they will be sad, but that wouldn't last long as they endorsed themselves in the riches of being on top. Oh, but the possessions of this world are worthless. They will soon see that.
Aiden opened his eyes, slowly, still filled with his dreams, his nightmares, the fear of being human. With these things still present in his mind, he stared blankly at the ceiling, only the rise and fall of his bare chest underneath his wool blanket the sole indication of life in this still, unmoving body, his eyes cemented to the crevice directly above him.
Outside, it was still night, almost midnight, and, soon, he will hear the bird in the grand wooded clock sound off as it struck twelve. The moon was full tonight, and unusually omniscient, as if it knew the events that were laid out before Aiden; even the stars, non- present in the dark, black sky, seemed to foreshadow something...
The wind slipped between the black, silk curtains of his previously left open window, pushing the drapes as is if some force, beyond human comprehension, and as if the world really were trying to say something, as soon as the clock struck twelve, a black owl swooped down and perched on his window sill, it's wise, bright orange eyes staring at Aiden as he slowly turned his head to meet the owls gaze.
The owl looked away from Aiden, his wise eyes landing on something just beyond himself, and as Aiden followed his gaze, he, too, knew was going to happen next. With one quick, silent movement, he threw himself off the bed, his eyes blank as he glided across the cold, wooden floor to where the owls eyes fell.
The Crimson Claymore.
Without hesitation, he picked it up, shivering and trembling under it's power, that now warped though his body like electricity. Almost immediately, he was overcome with power, standing firm and still as he braced himself for each wave of energy that crashed into his body. Gazing into the crimson blade, he saw not his reflection, but that of an unknown species he had never seen before. It had he ears of an Elf, yet, it's skin was too dark and tan to be that of an Elf. Strange markings, beautiful and inticate, lined the creatures forehead, moving down it's face, down on the ridge of his nose, down onto it's high, masculine cheekbones and intertwined down it's neck were it flowed like a waterfall down onto it's bare chest.
This creature was beautiful.
Aiden inhaled slowly, and with an exhale, he slowly gave the power back, letting it flow from himself back into the sword, and though half of him wanted to keep that power, he knew he shouldn't. No, he didn't want the power; he wanted knowledge, and quite a few questions rested in his mind now.
As if in his own body again, Aiden dropped the claymore and stumbled back into the wall. The owl still stared ominously at the claymore, but its concentration broke as the claymore hit the ground; it looked up at Aiden, then flew away.
"Aiden."
Aiden watched as the silent, black owl flew away, his eyes catching sight of the white circle on his back, like yin and yang...
"Aiden,"
Recluently, he looked up, his hazel brown eyes searching the face of his homeschool teacher, a shadow crossed over the teachers face, and for a moment, Aiden didn't see his homeschool teacher, but a valiant warrior who had seen eons of destruction, Aiden saw a wounded creature, like that he had seen in his claymore, but the marks only lined his forehead, struggling for breath as his "friends" left him for dead; for a moment, Aiden saw his whole history play in his eyes.
"We need to talk."
Aiden followed behind Marcion, silently, his eyes darting through the almost pitch black house, nearly tripping and falling to his utter demise as he tried to carefully walk down the stairs. He hadn't an idea where they were going, but, still, he didn't speak. Something in his teachers eyes told him to stay silent.
As they stealthily (for what reason they were being stealthy, Aiden was not sure) snuck out the house, he caught sight of the owl, perched calmly on the oak tree that nearly overcame the house with it's branches. He held his gaze with the owl for many moments, even staring in its direction as it left his sight, but finally his hazel brown eyes away as Marcion stopped suddenly at the edge of the evergreen.
"Do you feel that?"
Aiden looked into Marcions face, his eyes closed, but still, he saw. He followed Marcions example and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of the evergreen communicating amongst itself; he even could hear each animal sleeping within its boundaries, he heard the sound of a mouse hurriedly fleeing from the clutches of the horrid snake, he felt its heartbeat, fast and exhausted, and he felt a great sadness overcome him as it finally stopped beating. The snake had won. Most of all, he saw this world, and his world as they were, "Yes."
"Poor mouse." Marcion shook his head.
Aiden nodded.
Marcion sighed and opened his eyes, "I didn't come here to revel in the power of the evergreen, "Recluently, he turned, looking Aiden up and down, his eyes tracing something down to his chest, "I knew its' magick would wear off, even if temporary, the moment you lifted the blade..." He reached forward and touched Aidens forehead, who, though he found it odd that his teacher was touching his face, didn't pull away, "You have questions... I have the answers you seek."
Aiden nodded, slowly, not sure how to respond. Marcion turned and walked into the dark evergreen, using the forests magick to guide himself through the forest, expecting Aiden to follow suite, "I'll start with your father."
"Wait, shouldn't we get Nelly?" Aiden followed behind Marcion, "Doesn't she deserve to know? It is her parents, too..."
As if he didn't hear him, he continued on, as if he were lecturing the way he did in history lessons, "Your mothers name was Miranda Vespare," He paused to let it soak in, "She was the last Renoka. Have you heard of them?"
"No, sir."
"That's because they are extinct." Marcion said gravely.
"Oh." A shiver went down Aidens spine.
"This is the fault of the Damma," Marcion continued on, changing directions suddenly, that Aiden lost his orientation for a moment, "They say that the Renoka killed their king, so that they could take power, since the Damma were the ruling race back in the day," he grunted, "And, now, humans are."
Aiden nodded.
"They wanted revenge, and superiority, so they set forth a law that stated that all Renoka must be captured, and handed over to the head Doc' Marra, a secret agency powerful enough to take out the entire world, where they were executed, sold off as laborers, or brainwashed into becoming another member of the Doc' Marra."
The rushing sound of a river filled Aidens ears as they neared the river that ran through the forest, and emptied out into the shores of Sharrah, where villagers of Sharrah went for the fresh water. Aiden looked at his teacher as he stopped just a few inches short of the river, "So... There's a chance my mother is alive?"
"Yes," Marcion leaned against a tree, the shadows of the branches masking his face, "Now, your father, he was an elf, but I bet you figured that out on your own," Marcion chuckled, "You two are very perceptive children. But, you don't know that he was one of the the elven Queens bodyguard," Marcions eyes twinkled from within the shadows, "He should have been born an Azerai Guardian."
"What's an Azerai Guardian?" Aiden had heard the name before, but he had heard that the vast majority of them were killed off, though the ones that were alive stayed in the shadows, dwelling in caves, forests, and jungles, away from society.
"Why, you're looking at one!" Marcion laughed, and the tree branches stirred, the moonlight shining through them and onto Marcion, and once again, Aiden saw that creature laying wounded in the snow, his friends leaving him for dead, "It's easy for me to hide the marks." He touched his face, "but... Sometimes I don't want to... God gave me these marks, and I hope someday, I'll be able to wear the marks of an Azerai Guardian with pride again..."
"The creature in the claymores blade had the same marks..." Aiden stepped back, "No, you're my teacher, not an ancient guardian..." Aiden felt the need to correct him, hoping that by doing this, the unease that had settled in the pit if his stomach would ebb away... But the feeling only grew stronger.
"Aiden, you know that I am speaking the truth." Marcion stepped toward Aiden, letting him see the marks in all it's glory, "These marks are Gods gift to all Azerai Guardians and Renoka to set us apart; to show our power."
"Stay back." Aiden stepped back, but in the second he did so, Marcion disappeared, reappearing behind him in the same second, and took hold of his shoulders,
"I call that a flash step." Marcion turned Aidens body so he was facing the river, and looking at his own reflection, Aiden accepted the truth, that creature staring back at him was him.
"It's all so... Unreal." Aiden shook his head.
"But, it is real." Marcion smiled, "Can you deny what is staring you in the face, boy?"
"That means... I.. And Nelly... Am the last..."
"Renoka." Marcion finished his sentence, "You are. And, as your Guardian, I know that you must stop the Damma before the find out about Nelly and you."
"But, I need to find my mother..." Aiden looked away from his reflection.
"There's no way to be sure she's even alive." Marcion argued, "It's better if you just put an end to the Damma reign, before they decide to rid the world of the human race for taking control. I can tell you right now, the Doc' Marra are plotting to kill the human king this very moment! You are a Renoka, this is your destiny!"
"I never asked to be a Renoka!" Aiden turned towards Marcion, his eyes flashing with anger, "I'd rather stay human and live a happy life without all this ridiculous responsibility to take out the Doc' Marra! I'm not even a fighter, let alone a killer, or avenger!" Aiden fell to his knees and covered his face as tears began to flow down his face, "Why did it have to be me?"
"Because, Aiden," Marcion wrapped his arms around the weeping soul, his eyes scanning the horizon where the sun now peeked, "You are no longer a boy. Today, you are a man."
~~~
Aiden hadn't gotten much sleep before Uncle Jack had come parading in, singing "happy birthday" with a small cake lit with sixteen candles. Marcion was behind him, and winked, mouthing, "you are a man." The events of last night cane flooding back, and he turned away, but, in an effort to please his "Uncle", he tried to swallow down the cake, though he wasn't really that hungry...
"You look back to your normal human form," Marcion observed, when he had found Aiden sitting against a tree on the outskirts of the evergreen, his head lowered in between his knees, alone, "You know, there is a party going down there on your behalf," He pointed down the hill, but Aiden did not look up, "There are pretty ladies your age awaiting your company," Marcion eyed Aiden and sighed, sitting down beside Aiden, "Cheer up, Aiden."
Aiden lifted his head, slowly, and looked up at the sky, his hazel brown eyes fringed with red, "Marcion?"
"Yes?"
"Can you teach me how to do that flash step? It might come in handy."
Marcion laughed, "Yes, of course, and much more." He looked down at Aiden with hope, faith, and compassion.
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