Other Fan Fiction ❯ Black Roses ❯ Father's Help ( Chapter 15 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Deep in the bowels of Bargate, Gladiator peered into cells, looking for the prisoner he had vowed to see. So far, he hadn’t found the woman, and the guards were reluctant to say anything without direct permission from the Warden.
She’s not in the torture chamber, nor any of the regular cells. So where is this prisoner?
The hero paused as he heard laughter burst from the around the corner, the deep voice unmistakably the Warden’s. A new one, for Gladiator had disposed of the Warden from his own prison days.
“Ah, you’re serious? I would never have guessed...”
Gladiator didn’t hear a response, though the Warden must have.
“That’s harsh, but not much more than our activities here.” Another booming laugh and the Warden walked into Gladiator’s view, a smaller individual at his side. The Warden stopped to address the hero.
“G’day to you, sir. Is there something you’re needing?”
“I’m looking for a certain prisoner. A woman that was found in here recently.”
“You must mean me.”
The person who had been walking with the Warden stepped forward, clad in dirty villager clothes, hair cut short. She was barely recognizable as a woman, her face not very feminine and dirty at the moment.
“Are you the one who-”
“-Was found here and scheduled for a beheading next week?”
Gladiator hid how much the girl had unsettled him and gave her a weary smile.
“Would you allow me to speak to you privately?”
“Warden, would you excuse us?” The girl stepped toward Gladiator, the Warden nodding and watching her leave.
“Please, follow me, sir.”
The hero quickly followed the prisoner, one of his great strides equaling two of hers. The girl led Gladiator to a secluded spot, taking a seat on a box full of clucking chickens.
“What would you like to hear, sir?”
“You know there’s something different about Evange?”
“Everyone is ‘different’. Evange is no more different than the rest.”
“You know about... about,” She’ll be dead soon, anyways. There’s no harm in telling her. “What the seeress saw in Evange’s future?”
The girl took her time responding, just staring at Gladiator with flat eyes.
“I know what the seeress thought she foresaw, yes.”
Gladiator sighed heavily, “I would’ve liked to save you from this place. But... he’s my son. I can’t let others shun him because of this prophecy.”
“Yet, you’re willing to kill him for the people that would shun him.” The girl looked away, “Do not worry about ‘saving’ me. I am comfortable here. There is no one to judge me and no one to tell me I have done wrong. And death doesn’t scare me. It’s just the beginning of something new.” She smiled.
“I... I don’t want to let him destroy all that I’ve worked for. My whole life has been used to protect and save Albion. And Evange will ruin all that.”
“Do not be so ready to believe in what others think that they have seen. Images, visions, can be twisted in a person’s mind. But that is not what you should worry about, now.”
Gladiator withheld his frustration. Would it be so hard for someone to give him a direct answer about all this?
“And what should I be worrying about, then?”
“There is a group of people that truly wishes to destroy Albion. They desire to bring forth the Old Kingdom, once more. Only those with Old Kingdom blood will be able to survive the ritual these people plan. They aren’t aware of that, and are not of Old Kingdom blood lines. Therefore, they are dooming themselves by carrying out this ritual.”
“A ritual? How- I mean, what exactly-”
“A ritual that involves countless sacrifices, dozens of will users scattered across Albion, and a lunar eclipse. Albion will perish if the ritual is carried out.”
Gladiator was having trouble taking all this in, his head buzzing painfully with all the unwelcome news.
“I have to stop this. But...” Gladiator looked at the girl worriedly, “I don’t know how to do that.”
“Already, three companions go to seek revenge on the group. But they are not going fast enough. You should go to them and hurry them along, help them with your experience. They will need it.”
“Where are these people?”
“Knothole Glade. I suggest you hurry if you hope to succeed. There are only seven nights left before the next lunar eclipse.”
Gladiator turned, ready to hurry on his way before looking back at the prisoner.
“How do you know all this? Are you a seeress?”
“You may call me that, if you wish. However, my ‘visions’ come when I desire them to. I can see what is to be, what could be, what is, and what was. I am the master recorder of fate.”
The master recorder of fate? There’s no time to question her, now.
“Before I leave, may I ask your name or title?”
The prisoner smiled, “My name is Jarlin. But, I’m sure you won’t remember it. The next time we meet, I will be living under a new name.”
The hero nodded, “I’m Gladiator. I hope we meet again, thank you for your information.”
“One last thing you should know, hero... One of the three companions is the boy you wish wasn’t your son.”
Evange?!
Gladiator opened his mouth to demand an explanation to how Evange could possibly be able to be the one to both save and destroy Albion but was interrupted by the Warden.
“Excuse me, sir. ‘m afraid it’s the Miss’ turn to exercise. Shall we go?”
Jarlin nodded to Gladiator in goodbye and followed the Warden, the two chattering about various things the prisoner said she’d seen. Gladiator clenched his fists, torn on his feelings about the current matter.
I can’t let personal feelings get in the way, now. To save Albion, I have to help those three. So I’ll focus on just doing that for now.
The hero let his guild seal whisk him away to Knothole Glade.
Evange... I don’t want to kill you. Please prove your prophecy wrong.

~~~

‘The Masters Three’, the leaders of the Old Kingdom restoration effort, sat in tense silence. Though the three had been together, worked together, for some time, a matter had come up that threatened to split them.
They had stationed ships in the waters off Knothole Glade and a report had come back from one of the ships that had unsettled them. A ship had spotted the Grey ship, well away from Bargate waters where it was supposed to be. The Old Kingdom ship had followed, watching the deck of the other ship with keen eyes and had confirmed that Lady Grey was not on the ship, but that her son was.
Damn the Grey line! That filthy woman swore that she would keep our affairs hushed from unworthy ears. Yet, now we find that her bloody son is in our waters! Of course he must be her spy, but if we exterminate him, she’ll surely expose us and it will be that much harder to complete our goal. Damn it all!
The man of the group held his face in his hands, sure that they were stuck. He had once been a guard, before Evange was introduced to society. And his broad shoulders were obvious evidence of his past profession.
“We can’t do anything about this.” One of the women, Silent Breeze, said this with a sigh, her headache nearly driving her insane.
“We have to! That Grey woman could ruin all our plans.” The man was quick to answer back, his eyes angry but panicked.
The third member of the group, another woman, sat back, observing her companions with flat eyes.
Of course this could prove to be a problem... But they forget one thing. They’ve been away from the world for far too long.
“Friends, if I may speak?”
The other two shut their mouths, waiting.
“Thank you...” The woman folded her hands, “What makes you so sure that the boy is there on his mother’s orders?”
The other two were shocked for a moment, that possibility had not crossed their minds and they needed time to process it.
“Then,” The man spoke up, “if the boy’s not following his mother’s orders... Then he’s not only not a threat, we can use him against Grey!”
The woman, Rhynia, smiled wearily.
Poor fool. Don’t you think if his mother cared for him, she would keep him closer and away from our waters?
“I’ll get a message out to check out the boy.” Silent Breeze stood, “If all has been concluded...?”
The man hesitated to speak, knowing that Rhynia was wiser than him.
“Yes, that’s all, friend.” Rhynia smiled warmly, which sent Silent Breeze out the door, her headache dissipating.
“Henry, would you stay for a moment longer?” Rhynia spoke to the man as he got up, her smile slipping a bit.
“Yes, of course.”
“We are so close to our goal, yet, I feel unease. I have been thinking deeply on the seeress’ words.”
“She’s an old bat, surely. She was panicked when she gave us that warning, like she was scared that we wouldn’t think about what she said.”
Rhynia smiled, “Now, Henry...”
The seeress was panicked because of something else. Her mind wasn’t focused on what she was saying, alone. If she’s keeping something to herself, we’ll need to ease that information from her.
Henry rose, “I need to speak with some will users, Rhynia. I’ll leave you to your own duties if that’s all you wanted...”
“Yes, I was just rambling, forgive me, friend.” Rhynia stood, walking out a door, keeping her face averted.
Maybe I’m just the one going insane, here? How can it be that others don’t see what is so clear to me?
Rhynia retreated to her room, firmly locking the door. The room was plain, only a bed, desk and chair, all white, in it. Where others would put trophies or paintings, Rhynia left the walls blank.
While others dwelled in their memories and held them on their sleeves, Rhynia hid hers. Her memories for her only, she didn’t need others feeling anything for her based on her past.
The woman sighed, sinking onto her chair, drawing her knees up.
It’s been so long, my dears... How are you? I hope you’re resting in peace. Forgive me for being so selfish in doing this... Forgive me.
Tears welled up in Rhynia’s green eyes, but she pushed them away with violent force.
For our Old Kingdom, I need to be strong. These tears can be shed, later...
She stood, her face free of any grief, and walked the halls, her mind focused only on what had to be done. Rhynia didn’t like dwelling in her memories, hated them at times. She wished her life had been better, wished Avo was real and could save her. Could protect her loved ones... But Albion was cruel.
The Old Kingdom will not be cruel. Mothers and wives won’t have to cry, anymore... And neither will I.

~~~

Evange hid his sigh of relief as he stepped foot on land. Leisurely, he stretched, glad to finally be able to walk about confidently. Mathiues glanced around, noting how empty this stretch of the beach was.
It was about time we got off that damn ship.
“So, Leah, should we begin by asking people?”
“...Yea, the guards would probably be our best bet. Though the villagers might be more willing to part with information.”
“No matter who we ask, they’re going to want some sort of bribe. Or I could frighten them into telling.”
Evange smirked, rolling his shoulders. Leah just frowned, turning towards the village, Mathiues chose to glare at Evange, hurrying away after Leah. With a roll of his eyes, Evange followed suit.
What bores.
The three walked, not knowing that just ahead Gladiator waited. He had spotted the ship coming in but had predicted Evange would come this way and had settled in for a wait.
The hero was nervous, desperately trying not to wring his hands or scratch at his arm. Those were old nervous habits he thought he had let die long ago. Gladiator subtly took deep breathes to focus and calm down.
Evange... I’ll help you. If you turn out as horribly as I’ve believed all these years, then I’ll kill you. If you turn out differently... then I’ll grovel to you forgiveness.
“Shouldn’t we have hit Knothole Glade by now? Did you take the wrong way, girl?”
Leah clenched her fists, going faster to try and escape Evange’s comments. She didn’t want to deal with him now or ever again after finding out the truth behind her ‘dream’.
“If you’d admit you took the wrong way we could turn around and get there before dusk.”
More silence.
“Of course you’re too stubborn to listen to reason.”
Shut up! I know where I’m going!
“If you don’t turn around, perhaps I can arrange another dream for you.”
Leah nearly growled, not turning around to see the smug smirk that Evange sported, and started to run the rest of the way. Mathiues looked between the two with worry, quickening his pace to keep up with the girl.
I’ll show you, Evange, you creep!
Smoke wafting through the air made Leah turn, now sure she had gone the right way, and run backwards as she screamed back at Evange.
“I know where I’m going! So just shut-”
Evange froze in shock as Leah rammed into a hulking figure. The girl tried to turn to see what she had ran into but tripped on her feet. As Leah fell, two large hands gripped her shoulders and set her upright. The girl stared up, recalling the man.
“Oh, er, excuse me, sir Gladiator!”
Father?! What is he doing here?
Gladiator smiled down at Leah nervously before glancing up, finally taking in the sight of his son, his heart faltering for a moment.
“Evange...”
The man stepped towards Evange who involuntarily jerked backwards. Gladiator halted in his steps.
“I want to help you from now on.”
What did he say?!

~~~