The rain whipped the ruins of what one day was outside the imposing Temple of Erudition, trickling through the cracks of the broken ceiling and turning the crumbling marble floor into a muddy mirror. Thunderstorms were roaring, muffling the whispers that tore through the darkness. The hooded man wielded his sword, a nimble shadow in the midst of chaos, his muscles screaming in protest at each blow. The smell of metal and smoke filled the air, mixing with mold and wet earth.
"Damn... why are they appearing in the hills?" he growled, watching the monsters coming out of the shadows. The torch he once held was now caught in a magic beam of light, floating above them. Looking over his shoulder, he shouted, "How's it going?! Any sign of him waking up?"
The young woman touched the unconscious boy's face, a pale golden light pulsating from the marks on his skin. She was focused, protecting him with her own body, and just shook her head in a silent, negative response.
Damn it!
The hooded man brandished his sword, cutting off enemies to prevent them from approaching that broken altar where Cale lay. However, no matter how hard he tried to decimate them, more and more they came as plagues. The problem is that, despite not being intelligent at all, Guyel's creatures were organizing themselves to create baits, attracting his attention while others tried to approach the two on the altar.
With quick movements, he ran in time to prevent two monsters from stepping on the first broken marble next to the young woman. Using the weight of the sword, he pushed the monsters to the other side of the hall, opening a momentary gap. The tiredness was an exhaustion that sank into the bones.
"We have to get out of here!" he cried, his voice hoarse, without taking his eyes from the constant threat. "We can't wait for him to wake up!"
The man ran quickly to the altar. Impatient and determined, he grabbed Cale unconscious and put him on his shoulder, running out through the ruins. The young woman was right behind, using her own magical energy to keep the monsters chasing them as far away as possible.
"Is there somewhere we can hide and buy time?" He roared again, swinging his sword to decimate a monster that appeared before him suddenly.
"If we go down the stairs behind the altar, we can get to those chambers in which we woke up that time!" the woman shouted, holding her cheap staff firmly trying to use it while preventing the monsters from following them.
The man did not answer, he just ran, making sure that the sleeper remained safe on his arm. The adrenaline pulsed, but the frustration bitter his mouth. If he could at least transform, if he could at least show a force greater than the one he was using, he could ensure that those monsters would disappear.
Grinding his teeth, he pushed faster. Time was running out. He could feel the presence of the Holy Knights of Krynt approaching, attracted by the energy of Cale's return.
In the man's arms, Cale groaned. His eyes, previously closed in a deep unconsciousness, trembled.
He was waking up. The race became more urgent.
"Got it!", the young woman cried.
The man had not had time to question her, nor had he had a chance to slow down when a portal appeared ahead. Luckily, he recognized the energy that emanated.
Squeezing the step, he jumped into the portal. The cold enveloped him with the pitch, but he did not hesitate. Only blindly trusted.
His feet landed on the ground, and silence briefly enveloped him. The sound of the rain and the howling of the monsters disappeared completely, replaced by the echo of their own heavy breath.
"It's here", she murmured, stretching out the palm of her hand to create an artificial star to light up the environment "My goddess..."
He understood her surprise. What was once a clear ward, full of life, with priests coming in and out... now looked like a cave abandoned by the gods. It was sad, but the image of Melli in the broken stained glass showed that the weather had not been generous even with once sacred places.
Laying Cale on the rocky ground, the man leaned against the uneven wall. The young woman knelt beside him, eyes fixed on Cale's face.
"No injuries... Your skin is getting hot, sign of coming back."
The man took off his own cape and covered Cale's body. He looked at his sleeping face and sighed heavily.
"Your father's knights are here, you saw that, right?"
The young woman narrowed her eyes.
"They are humans who serve the god of war with devotion and honor. Unless we make some loud noise... or call their attention, we will be safe."
The man just nodded, exhausted. He tightened the handle of the sword, still ready for whatever came. His eyes scanned the camera, looking for the best defensive position. The brightness of the artificial star decreased, but it was still able to reveal faded engravings of walls, ancient runes and symbols of Melli.
"The last time we came here, it was when we returned from that place. When we swore to bring him back." He muttered thoughtfully. "We can't stay here for long."
The young woman lowered her hood, her silvery hair falling like a waterfall. Her cosmic eyes shone with a deep melancholy, but she nodded.
"I know. But our master needs a moment. In the meantime, we can study a safer escape route. We can't rely on my teleport knowing that Guyel may be around to follow my tracks."
She pulled a scroll out of her robe, and opened it on the ground near the men. The two leaned over and began to study the map with several lines signaling the paths.
As they argued, Cale opened his eyes. Completely. His purple eyes were blurry, sweeping the darkroom and the two figures sitting arguing over a map. An expression of deep confusion clouded his face.
He did not move immediately, stood still trying to assimilate what he saw. The darkness around, the cold...
Nuria!
Immediately he sat down, scaring the two subjects with the abrupt action.
His eyes... were filled with mixed terror and hatred. It was clear that he was alert, yet paralyzed by fear. The blood ran so quickly through his veins that he was dizzy for mere seconds. But seeing those familiar faces, the surprise came as a nostalgic and unpredictable hug.
"You....? Aries? Yvaine?"
"My Lord" Yvaine approached quickly, to check his condition.
As for Aries... he just stood still.
The surprise present in his countenance was a chain that held him in place. He just stared at Cale, seeing those amethyst eyes shining so empty. So different from those times...
He could still remember when he was resting on the Academy tree, when he saw those purple eyes and smile teasing him amused.
Such brightness... where had to stop?
"What... what happened? where am I?"
Yvaine touched his shoulder carefully.
"You're back, my lord. You're no longer in the kingdom of Nuria."
Cale blinked stunned and looked around. There were no branches in the form of claws spread. Nor did that chamber resemble the prison in which he had been chained and tortured.
Oh yeah!
He lowered his eyes to his arms and legs. All there! The golden mark still present on his skin. Cale touched his fingertips, feeling an energy coming from it. The weavers' memories, silently sewing their limbs. And also... that fellow.
The Keeper of Time.
The deal he made. The answers he got.
Clenching his fists, Cale's expression became gloomy.
"Those damn..."
A sudden touch appeared on his shoulder, distracting him from his anger. The green eyes of Aries were so close that for a moment Cale forgot to breathe.
"How are you?"
The question sounded so simple and somewhat laughable to Cale. A little mockery escaped from his lips.
"How am I? Do you really know?" The bitter answer was already on the tip of his tongue, it was only prevented by a detail that caught more attention from Cale "What kind of face is this, little dragon? You didn't have a scar on your eyebrow before."
Aries raised his eyebrow to the response full of sarcasm. The nostalgia embraced him too, and the edge of irritation for being called a little dragon as in the old days, was ambiguous.
"Little dra—" he stopped to lean back, crossing his arms. "Ha... I'm much better than you, brat. Not even your clothes seem to have survived."
Cale looked at her clothes. The tunic he had worn during the coming-of-age ceremony was torn, and his shirt too, completely soiled with dirt and stains of dried blood. The sleeves of the tunic were torn, and his pants also exposed his legs, as well as being barefoot.
Only then he realized the cold, and pulled out the cover that covered him, seeking more heat.
"That..." he began to say, but a knot formed in his throat when he remembered the true image of Nuria as he dismembered it.
A shiver passed through his spine, and all his body trembled with dread.
"We need to get out of here." Yvaine stepped in, looking at them "The knights will soon reach this part of the Judgement's Ruin."
Frowning, Cale stared at them, then looked around.
"Judgement's Ruin?", noticing the stained glass with the figure of Melli, he paralyzed. "Why would Melli have a Judgement's Ruin?"
"He had not, until the day of your judgment" Yvaine said looking at the stained glass with a sad countenance. "These are the ruins of the Temple of Erudition, whose last breath of life was five hundred years ago, in your coming-of-age ceremony, my lord."
Cale was stunned. It took him long seconds to turn his head towards Yvaine, looking at that starry sky in her eyes. The uncomfortable feeling of pain and anger now mixed with unbelief.
Both Yvaine and Aries shuddered when Cale looked at them seriously. Not angry, not disbelieving. Just an empty expression and a low, threatening tone of voice.
"What... did you just say?"
Before Cale could press them for more answers, the air around them changed. A low sound, almost like a grunt, reverberated through the ruins. Yvaine rose quickly, her eyes scanning the environment.
"They are here."
Aries drew his sword, standing between Cale and the darkness that was beginning to form around.
"They who?" asked Cale, struggling to get up.
"Servants of Guyel", replied Aries. "He will not miss the chance to catch you now that he is back."
Two bright eyes emerged from the shadows, followed by a grotesque figure with sharp claws and a body that looked like solidified smoke. More creatures appeared, their distorted forms advancing silently.
"Stay behind us", ordered Aries, his sword shining with a golden light.
Yvaine raised her hands, and the stars began to shine around her, forming small orbs of light that shot at the monsters, exploding like silent explosions. Aries advanced, cutting the servants with relentless precision, but he kept coming, his forms regenerating almost instantly.
Cale felt a wave of impotence. He wanted to help, but his body was weak and the sight of the creatures made his curse of cowardice whisper in his mind, telling him to run.
"You have to fight, boy!" cried Aries with frustration. "They won't stop until they destroy us!"
The cry of Aries crossed the fear of Cale, making him move instinctively. He found a large stone on the ground and held it with all his strength, throwing it against one of the creatures that were advancing towards him. The stone pierced the dark form of the monster, but at least it made him hesitate for a moment.
"This is not how you fight!" growled Aries delivering another blow.
"Stop, Aries!" rebuked Yvaine, "He just got back. You can't expect me to fight like a warrior."
Cale felt the humiliation burning in his veins, but did not have time to respond. The fight continued, and he knew he was putting everyone in danger.
"To the portal!" shouted Yvaine, pointing at a passage that was beginning to shine in the background of the ruins, "Now!"
Aries moved first, creating a barrier with his sword to prevent the monsters from advancing. Yvaine pulled Cale by the arm, and the three ran towards the light.
When they crossed the portal, the world changed. The heavy air of the ruins gave way to a cool breeze, and they found themselves in a dense forest, illuminated by the soft glow of the moon.
Cale fell to his knees, panting, while the other two watched.
This was much more than a curse.