The Legends of Valoria Book Two Rise of the Divine Knight
Chapter 19

Alec stood on the balcony looking over the ghost of a once great city beneath, which remained completely lifeless. As he stood there, he considered the many troubling things he had seen and been presented with the past several days.

“Still brooding I see,” Zerendil spoke as he leaned over the rail next to Alec. Alec had been surprised after Zerendil returned from being forcibly expelled from Highmoore. In fact, the man had almost been sympathetic to Alec’s predicament. Alec noticed that Zerendil was caressing his right arm.

“Still nursing that arm I see. How is it that you seem to tire while here? I mean I do momentarily, but after a manner of a few seconds I feel fully rested again.” Zerendil smiled and took a moment to contemplate his response.

“Perhaps, it is because in this place we are ruled by the mind more so than the body. You are young and still feel invulnerable; your presence here reflects that. On the other hand, I have personally seen, experienced and fallen prey to my limitations in such a way that my psyche has been scarred and cannot let go of such meaningless limitations. Or my other guess is that you are a malformed oddity of nature.” Alec glared at Zerendil who chuckled at his pupil’s discontent.

“As for my arm, that is simple. I obsess with it when I am here as it does not exist when I am in our world.” Alec’s eyes grew wide as a swell of questions came to him. Zerendil noticed the inquisitive look in his eyes and began to answer.

“It was a long time ago, before I had taken the long journey to the true spire of the goddess. I was a young paladin who had fallen to arrogance and complacency in the guise of wisdom and experience. I had in my care a young ward named Callisto. He was a timid and determined boy, but what I had failed to see was how tormented and troubled he was. I failed to mentor the boy as the father figure I had been chosen to be.” Zerendil trailed off for a minute, prompting Alec to ask.

“What became of Callisto?”

“He gave in to the dark?”

“What did you do?” Alec could see Zerendil cringe at the question.

“I was tasked with killing him as he had given himself freely to Daemon, the first and only time a paladin has done so. You see, most Daemon knights are made without their bodies, which is why we see them as hollow suits or armor. However, in cases such as Callisto, they are bound with their bodies and are immensely more powerful. I dare say the common practice of burning our dead in Highmooria was born out of this simple fact, though other cultures have their own reasons.

Anyway, with his loyalty, he also traded many of our secrets and began combining our gifts with those, which he had received from his new master. The techniques he created were so abhorrent that they were stricken from any public record and only senior paladins were instructed in their use in order to prepare our students to defend themselves against them. The perverse nature of these curses became unbearable to me and I sought out my former pupil to bring about his end.”

“Were you able to kill him?” Zerendil shook his head.

“I fought with him and defeated him, but was unable to strike the killing blow. The price of my indecision was my arm and the life of my dearest friend Caldras, who was once my lion hawk. Not only that, but my failure has allowed for Callisto to continue serving Daemon and countless others have now fallen to the magic of his Hex knights.”

“Hex knights?”

“They are similar to paladins only trained in the abominable runes and hexes that my former ward created. You will no doubt face him and his knights one day. Do not worry however. They will be no match for you.”

“How can you be sure?” Zerendil clapped Alec him on the back with the hand that did not actually exist.

“Because my boy, as I stated. You are an oddity. Now, do not focus on Callisto and his knights so much. The reason I have told you all of this is because there may be a time in the future where you will face such a fate as Callisto and I. You must not hesitate to do what must be done or the loss you will face shall be exponentially greater. As tragic as it would have been for me to destroy the only family I had, the price I ended paying could never have been greater.” Alec thought for a moment, the name Callisto, haunting his memory.

“I thought that Lady Serpahina destroyed Callisto? There was a scroll I read that spoke of it.” Zerendil shook his head.

“At the time of that scrolls recording, that was thought to be true. However, it was later that I encountered him again, long after Seraphina became trapped here. But please, you have your other matters to worry over.”

“Did Aurora talk to you?”

“She did, but I wonder your feelings.”

“She told me that many people are going to die and that it is up to me to save as many of them as I can. She also said that regardless of what I did there would be many who were beyond my help. How should I feel about that?”

Zerendil looked to Alec sympathetically before speaking again.

“Do you know to what lengths you are willing to go and what sacrifices you are willing to make in order to save both Valascaana and Highmooria? Would you be willing to sacrifice for your friends?”

“I would lay down my life for all the people of both kingdoms.”

“And what if your life was not enough?”

Alec looked at Zerendil confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“What if the price to be paid was not your life? Surely, you do not plan on dying for every cause you believe in. Without you, the Divine would be helpless against Daemon. You have a responsibility to fulfill. Now, which will it be? What if it was Eliza?” Zerendil’s tone grew increasingly aggressive until he was shouting.

“What?”

“What if it was Eliza’s life to be paid? Her life for the lives of all the Exodon. What would you do? What if it was Talia’s?”

“Enough!” Alec yelled. I cannot make such decisions. Why are you asking me such things?”

Zerendil changed back to his soft, yet dark tone.

“Alec, whether you wish it or not, you will soon be faced with an impossible choice and, whether you hesitate or embrace the will to act, you will have made a choice. Your choice, either way may come at the price of life. This is the burden that we carry as defenders of the people, an ironic twist of fate that will destroy your very being if you cannot accept it. This is the part of Marec’s training where he strayed. He could not accept that he might have to say goodbye to those he loved in order to defend those who needed to be saved; just as he was never able to deal with the death of his brother Talos. Did you know that, before the fall, there were several offensives, which occurred outside of the city of Highmooria? Were you aware that, after Highmooria broke off ties with Valascaana, the paladins were needed to fight off the Forsaken time and time again in order to defend the border towns?”

Alec did not have anything to say and so simply shook his head.

“Marec was placed within the home of a most prominent Highmoorian noble family whose daughter had just been discovered to be a Divine.

“Talia’s?”

Zerendil nodded his head and after a moment resumed his story.

“He was tasked with escorting the Degracias from their home to the capitol where we hoped that they would be safe. Marec was accompanied by several of our highly trained paladins and was traveling with a caravan. Sadly, however, Marec and his men were betrayed by someone within Highmooria; they were ambushed while out on the open road. Marec and his men did their absolute best to defend the entire caravan instead of defending the three individuals that he was responsible for. In the end, he lost all but a few of his men and narrowly managed to reach safety with less than half of the caravan intact.”

“But he saved those people. How is that wrong? Should he have just abandoned them?”

“Yes.” Alec looked at Zerendil without words to express his outrage.

“How is that the right choice!?” Alec was growing angry.

“What do you think would have hurt Highmooria most? The loss of many of its elite knights, our head senator and his wife, the high priestess and mother to the Divine or thirty peasants whose names were never recorded in our history?”

Alec did not realize that Talia’s parents had died in such a way. After a few minutes, he weakly replied.

“Neither answer is right, but I still do not think Marec was wrong. I would have probably made the same decision if I was presented with the same problem. He had no way of knowing what his choice would have cost.”

“And would you have been able to live with the consequences of your actions?” Alec nodded his head.

“I would.”

Zerendil smiled and clapped Alec on the back.

“You will be alright young paladin. I do not condemn Sir Marec for his decision. I only blame myself for not preparing him for the true cruelty of life before assigning him such a dangerous mission. That mission destroyed him. He once was a family man but, after what happened, he swore to defend Talia until his dying breath. Never again did he allow himself to see his family, too afraid of what might happen should he again be faced with such an impossible decision.” Alec and Zerendil both remained silent for some time before Alec broke the silence.

“What happened to Marec’s family?”

“Most regrettably, there were so few paladins remaining in Highmooria in those final days that we were unable to reach them.”

“Marec must have been devastated.”

“He was, though he never came to me for counsel. In fact, I can only think of three instances since the fall that he and I have spoken and that was only to relay vital information. When he devoted himself to Talia and the Grand Cathedral, he basically cut himself off from contact with the entire paladin order.” Alec began to think upon everything that Zerendil was telling him.

“Do you think that Marec’s heart was at peace when he died?”

Zerendil shook his head.

“I truly hope so, but there is no way to be sure. Tragedy followed that man as if it were a lost puppy. A great many things befell him that would have destroyed many others. Yet, he found a way to endure by embracing a purpose greater than himself. I will admit that it took some convincing for me to accept that he was gone. I often thought that he would grow to outlive me, even with my lengthened life. I can only hope that his legacy outlives me, as your impact grows.” Zerendil patted Alec on the shoulder. Zerendil stopped and Alec knew how hard it must have been for him to carry on.

“How long do you think I have until my return?”

“It is hard to say, but I would guess sooner rather than later. I think you are about as ready as can be expected.” Zerendil began to leave when Alec spoke again.

“I have been thinking a lot. You know about what Aurora said about me needing to prepare myself for a great personal tragedy. I want to take the sorrow of my people and build them a future in a reclaimed Highmooria. If I must carry some of that sorrow for them in order to achieve my ideal, then I will accept what fate I create.” Zerendil nodded, then smiled.

“Do not forget those words. Eventually, one way or another, we all fall from the path and must replace our way back through the darkness. I hope, in time, if you are chosen, as I was, to answer the call. I hope that you consider your words just now. I ignored the call for some time and was forced to battle Callisto. Fate does not often choose a path for us but, for those that are chosen, ignoring its call comes with great consequences.”

“Sir Zerendil. What is the call?” Alec asked, but suddenly Zerendil gazed upright and began looking around. Alec noticed an irritating buzzing and watched as the walls began to ripple resembling a waterfall.

“What is happening?” He questioned.

“Someone is trying to force their way through the veil..”

“I thought that only nymphs, paladins and divines could enter here?”

“There is one with violent intentions who fits that description.”

Alec’s eyes opened wide as he realized who.

“Nemesis.”

Alec and Zerendil both quickly armed themselves, preparing for a fight. They waited vigilantly as the rippling and buzzing intensified and the wall at the far end of the throne room, shattered above them.

“Quickly Alec! Up the stairs! We must expel that beast from this sacred place!” They both made for the stairs, but they too collapsed. As the rock crumbled, they heard the crazed laughter of the mad nymph from above.

“Alec, my guess is that she is after Lady Seraphina and then, she will be coming after you. I do not know what will become of you should you die here. We must help Lady Seraphina and hope that we are enough to fend off Nemesis.” Alec and Zerendil began to look for an alternate way to the upper floor when Alec spotted the hole from Nemesis’ dramatic entrance.

“There, we can go through there!” Alec pointed and Zerendil smiled.

“Care to give an old man a boost?” Alec ran beneath the hole and crouching down, lifted his shield up and placed his entire body beneath it. Zerendil ran towards Alec and jumped. As Zerendil’s feet touched the shield, Alec pushed skyward with his arms and legs, launching him to the next floor. As Zerendil pulled himself up, he looked down at Alec.

“Now jump up to me.” He whispered as he looked around for Nemesis. He reached out his hand. Alec climbed atop the pile of rubble from the floor’s collapse and jumped. Zerendil latched onto his hand and pulled Alec up. The two began examining the room for clues.

There were some minor signs of damage. The obvious clue they found was the hole in the floor, connected to the shattered wall but all over were signs that could easily have been a result of Nemesis’ attack. After a few seconds of searching, they could hear a commotion from further up above.

”They” They must be on the roof,” they spoke together and turned toward the portion of the staircase that wasn’t destroyed. As they entered, they could see the collapsed portion and began following the intact stairs upwards. As they wound around multiple times, they came to the ladder, which would lead them to the roof. Zerendil held out his hand in a halting gesture.

“Allow me to go first. If it is a trap and I am killed, I can simply return to my body and attempt to come back. You cannot.” Alec did not agree with the idea, but decided to go along with it. Zerendil began to ascend the ladder and as he reached the top, he quickly dove to the side as a bolt of purple light struck near to him and burst into dancing purple flames. Alec readied to ascend the ladder as he heard Zerendil and Seraphina engage Nemesis.

“I am here for my sister and the shield. I have no interest in you.” Nemesis spoke in the same cold voice that Alec remembered.

“You will have neither. Now leave this place before we expel you.”

Alec reached the top of the ladder and carefully peeked out, waiting for Nemesis to turn her back.

Alec heard the crazed laugh of a depraved mind as Nemesis hovered into sight.

“Threats mean little from the shadow of a crippled old paladin. I have no intentions to leave until I have destroyed the shield and have Seraphina as my prisoner.” Alec could see Seraphina ready herself for another assault.

“You will replace that I am not so helpless as you once knew me to be.” Nemesis smiled as she reached out her hand to form another bolt. Alec rose above the ladder as Nemesis turned her back. Alec began to creep about, being sure to stay in line with her back the entire time as Seraphina and Zerendil remained transfixed on Nemesis so as not to give him away.

“And what do you hope to achieve boy? Did you think that you would have an opportunity to strike me? Your pathetic schemes fail to amuse me; I think I’ll kill you now!” Nemesis spun and released the purple bolt, which soared toward Alec who narrowly avoided it. Alec attempted to put out the few flames that flared up on his clothing. Nemesis laughed as she turned to engage Seraphina and Zerendil.

Nemesis lashed out at them, causing the two to separate in an attempt to flank their opponent. Nemesis continued to smile and as Alec approached from behind, she tipped her head back and began singing an ominous and potent melody that made Alec’s skin crawl. Alec’s body felt heavier and he felt the all too familiar effect of Belias’ gravity attack. As Alec strained to move, he noticed that Zerendil and Seraphina were similarly affected, though Zerendil seemed to take it the worst as he was practically paralyzed.

As Alec and Seraphina moved toward Nemesis, the fallen nymph readied another barrage of purple light and unleashed it upon the trio. Seraphina and Zerendil immediately placed their wards though Alec struggled to cast so many at once and, instead, did his best to dive out of the way.

“Alec!” Both Zerendil and Seraphina yelled as Alec hit the ground hard, but still managed to roll out of the blast radius. Nemesis stared at Zerendil and instantly moved across the space and floated above him.

“You should be more worried about yourself.” Nemesis spoke as she began to pour purple flames onto Zerendil. Though his wards held, Alec could tell that he was losing control. Alec and Seraphina rushed to Zerendil’s rescue as Nemesis threw out her hand toward Alec and again launched the purple flames. Alec tried to slow himself to dodge, but he had already gotten so close that he knew he would not escape unscathed. Alec jumped sideways in an attempt to escape as much of the blast as possible.

As the flames reached out for Alec, he shielded himself and closed his eyes. Just before his body, the ground and searing flame all became acquainted, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him in a warm embrace. Alec opened his eyes to see that Seraphina had rushed to his aid and shielded him from the fire.

“Nothing better than sentiment to force one to lower their guard.” Nemesis spoke as she approached behind Seraphina and impaled her through the back. Serpahina jerked upright as the sword protruded from her stomach and gouged Alec in the shoulder. Nemesis laughed as she removed the blade and Seraphina fell to the ground. Zerendil attempted to rise as Nemesis shot out a blast of flame that broke through Zerendil’s shield and expelled him from Highmooria.

“You will never be allowed to get away with this Nemesis. Aurora will stop you.” Seraphina panted to which Nemesis smiled.

“Aurora has already been disposed of. You two are the last remaining threats on my list before our conquest of the Exodon.” Alec and Seraphina both were taken by surprise at the news that Aurora had been bested. Alec gently lowered Seraphina to the ground as his body began to tremble.

“Can you feel that little puppet? Can you feel the fear coursing through your veins?” Alec smiled as he tapped into the deep well within himself.

“No, but you did just mention that I am a threat. Allow me to show you why Abaddon is worried.” Alec grabbed hold of his hidden power and for the first time since being in the memory of Highmoore, he entered his ascended trance state. Nemesis mused for a moment.

“Though you are not a Divine, you are still able to assume trance. Ah, but even a Nymphaen such as yourself will prove little threat to one such as me. You are after all only a cheap imitation of the real thing.” Nemesis began swelling with her purple light as Seraphina reached out to Alec.

“Alec...I can feel myself fading as if I am being led away. If that happens then this place will fade as well and I do not know what will become of you. You are much more than a paladin. You are the very beacon that illuminates a path through this eternal dark. Do not ever allow for your light to fade.” Alec turned to face Nemesis as he held out his left hand and began to create a rune from thought. Seraphina eased slightly as the runes for mending and rejuvenation appeared and stacked upon one another.

Alec continued to stare Nemesis down as he held out his other hand and began summoning a multitude of force runes. Nemesis continued to smile as Alec focused and allowed the force runes to hover around him as he drew his sword. Nemesis eyed him curiously, as she maintained her malicious smile. Alec did his best to begin stacking his healing runes as he waited for Nemesis to make her first move.

“That is a most intriguing technique. It is no wonder that Lord Abaddon wanted you brought to our side. However, I have been ordered to destroy you but, before I do, I must thank you for helping me replace this place.”

“I didn’t help you replace anything.”

“Oh but on the contrary you did. You see long before the fall of Highmooria, I had spent some time making sure to eliminate any record of certain more powerful runes. The rune of Martyr was one such rune and yet somehow you had managed to learn of this rune. I will admit that it took me some time to the put the pieces together, but I knew that there could only be one possible place for such knowledge to exist and that is what brought me here to you now.” Alec was reminded of how much he hated it when Nemesis was right.

“I have no regrets. Saving the divine Talia Degracia was necessary for the world to be saved from Daemon. I did what had to be done as I will again now.” Nemesis laughed at him as he finished his rune casting and lifted his shield from the ground.

“I hope you realize that it is far too late for you to save Seraphina. I created a physical link between this realm and your own when I stabbed her. My priestesses are summoning her to a vessel now as we speak. You are only buying her time and weakening yourself. In fact, she is growing weaker by the second maintaining this place just so you do not fade.”

Alec looked to Seraphina, whose expression proved it to be true. After a moment, Alec’s confidence returned and he readdressed Nemesis.

“Well, it sounds to me as if I have nothing to lose and no reason to hold myself back.” Alec charged towards Nemesis who began to charge a burst of her purple lightning fire. As Alec approached, one of his runes began to jitter and then launched itself at Nemesis. Nemesis was knocked backwards and lost control of her attack, causing it to burst around her. Alec seized his chance and struck out at Nemesis, who blocked the blow. Quickly Alec jumped backwards as another force rune propelled towards her.

“I am going to kill you, you little wretch.” Nemesis shrieked as she recovered from the second force rune blast. Alec smiled glad that, doomed as he was. He could at least still cause a great deal of grief for Nemesis. Alec stopped and readied himself for another assault. He noticed one of his three remaining runes begin to wriggle and he turned as it launched behind him. Alec barely had enough time to raise his shield as Nemesis’ sword came close to impaling him. She vanished just as the rune burst and appeared again. Alec defended and slashed at Nemesis as the force rune again blasted off. Nemesis reappeared again a decent distance away from Alec.

“You see young Nymphaen. Powerful you may be, but, as I said, you are hardly more than a cheap imitation of the real thing.” Nemesis faded away again prompting Alec to run to Seraphina’s side and wait.

“Alec, I cannot hold on much longer. Just remember your mission, your dreams, and your friends. Remember who you are in your heart and everything and everyone that causes it to burn so brightly. Do not let your light fade and you will replace your way back to Talia, I promise.” Seraphina flinched and she began fading until she had become semitransparent.

“Please just hold on, I can beat her.” Seraphina forced a smile. She placed her hand on his cheek.

“You are just as stubborn as I remember your father being but it is already too late.” The last bit of sparkle faded from Seraphina and she vanished. The floor, the sky and everything in between began to crack and quake around him. He looked up and watched as the sky began to break apart, shards of a shattered pane of glass, revealing nothing but blackness beyond it. As Alec readied himself for the end, Nemesis reappeared and lashed out at him.

“All out of time, boy. It seems that fate made a mistake when it chose you.” Nemesis launched at Alec who parried and stabbed.

“The only mistake here is you Angemesis. Now be gone!” Nemesis’ face contained a series of shock, anger and extreme confusion as she attempted to strike Alec again. Alec struck her sword arm down and allowed for his light to shine through his weapon. As his blade began to glow a chain of lightning forked out from its tip and sliced across Nemesis’ ghostly flesh. Nemesis screamed with anger as her ethereal form broke apart and vanished, leaving no trace of her madness behind. Now, Alec was completely alone as the memory of Highmooria continued to collapse all around him. The sky was nonexistent and Alec shifted back forth, looking for a place to stand as the ground fell out from beneath him.

Alec jumped to the side as the ground beneath him began to tumble away, revealing the floor below. Alec jumped to the next floor and began making his way through the debris toward the stairwell. Alec descended to the next floor through a series of jumps and found himself on the level where he and Zerendil had been training. Alec looked across the room and saw the balcony where he would look out to see his beloved Highmooria. He could see in the distance a rolling tide of blackness rolling in, crashing down, and blanketing everything in darkness.

Accepting the situation, Alec walked to the balcony as the roof continued to collapse around him. He fixated his vision on one singular faint and familiar source of light that was many leagues away and, knowing it to be Talia’s, it brought him hope. He watched Talia’s light sparkle and dance as the swelling tide began eating away at the lower levels of the castle.

“I am the beacon, which illuminates the passageway through the darkness and into the light.” Alec called out defiantly into the ever amassing void before him. “I am the beacon, which illuminates the passageway through the darkness and into the light,” he called out again, challenging any to oppose him as his body entered trance, providing a singular light source. He watched as the darkness rose up above him, a tidal wave crashing over a single grain of sand. As his trance reached its zenith, he cried out a third time, declaring that he would not be swept away. “I AM THE BEACON, WHICH ILLUMINATES THE PASSAGEWAY THROUGH THE DARKNESS AND INTO THE LIGHT!” Alec barely managed to finish as the wave descended and crashed down on top of him.