08/07/337

Vasuki

Before Vasuki’s eyes opened he knew he was not in the right place. Unless he was in Ssirm’s Tundra he knew he wasn’t in the right place. He found himself on the side of a mountain, above the clouds, surrounded by a cold mist, keeping the outside world from view. He sat up and looked around him, behind him was the snow covered mountain, the mouth of a large cave sat before him. The entrance was decorated in large crystals of cobalt colored ice. He found this rather odd, he had no recollection of creating the ice around him. Upon closer inspection he found something different in these than his own. Under that cobalt outer layer he could see something swirling within, it looked like snow but if there was any shape to it he couldn’t see it properly. He hugged himself as a powerful wind blew against him. Not really having much of a choice he quickly ran into the cave, as he entered the darkness within he found himself quickly becoming warmer, and within the blink of an eye everything around him changed and warmth surrounded him.

Vasuki’s eyes opened to a stone roof over his head, a window next to his bed let in the light from the setting sun. He felt as though he had been in a head on collision with a galloping horse. The rooms details were all blurred together but the scent of food called to his gnawing stomach. He wanted to lay still and rest until his head stopped spinning, but the ache within his abdomen forced him to try to come to a stand.

After failing to stand Vasuki opted to instead crawl on his hands and knees. Towards the vague shape of the slightly ajar wooden door. Though even crawling was difficult as he found himself falling to the ground due to the lack of strength in his body. Eventually he made it to the door and pushed it open, before falling back to the ground.

“Vasuki!” He heard someone say, before he felt himself being lifted back up and put back in the bed, “You’ve got to be hungry. I’ll get you some of the food.” The man before him was a blurred shape, and his voice sounded distant, though he was pretty sure it was Rahzel.

The man came back with a stone bowl in his hands.

“It isn’t much, but the taste is sufficient.” Rahzel claimed, helping Vasuki take the soup in. He didn’t like being taken care of like this, but the alternative was going hungry. The soup had a sweet taste to it, and the vegetables had not been boiled long enough, nevertheless it was filling.

Only after the bowl was finished did Rahzel decide to speak further.

“Izenia and Gord found this place, it’s just south of Daemerall but covered by trees. Seems to be an abandoned monastery of some kind, not sure how they knew it was here, place was over run by the forest around us.” Rahzel claimed, “You feeling any better?” He asked. Vasuki gave a slow nod in response.

“I feel a bit better, but the room is still spinning. How long have I been out?”

“Going on five days. You were experiencing magic fatigue-”

“Etherea fatigue. It’s powerful, every single time I called it out…” Vasuki corrected before taking a deep breath, “I felt my body breaking. Limbs going numb, cramping, my bones creaking under it’s pressure. Magic would have made me tired, I could feel my body breaking down from the inside out.” Another deep breath, talking was exhausting.

“Etherea is that strong, huh? I was wondering why your ice was so damn cold. Want anymore food? Can’t you getting weak on us.” Vasuki shook his head.

“I just need some rest...Is she...you know?” Vasuki asked. His memory was foggy but the vividness of Audra in such a panic over her life made his heart ache, despite everything that had happened to him because of her, he felt a deep pit of regret.

“Dead?” Rahzel asked, “Not sure. Seemed like she was pretty close when we left her there. But…” Rahzel began. He seemed a little disturbed to speak.

“But what?”

“We wanted to throw her off, just in case, and when we backed around to the west just before heading south, we felt this pressure, we didn’t know what it was. Every sense of mine told me to get the hell out of dodge...I think it was her.” Rahzel claimed.

“No doubt...I’ll see her again.” Vasuki claimed, closing his eyes.

“Then you’ll need your rest, ain’t no way we can take her on.” Rahzel said coming to a stand and leaving the room.

When Vasuki next opened his eyes the room was as dark as the sky. The smell of food was still coming from the other room. He looked around him to see what the room had to offer him. The room was made, completely, out of stone. His bed was just large enough for a single person and was pushed against the wall on the other side of the room from the door, a single, cracked, window sat right above it. At the foot of the bed was a dilapidated book shelf, the books were all weathered by time and covered in dust. He sat up on the bed, a bit dizzily but he could manage.

Vasuki pushed the door to reveal the main hall of the monastery. It was a stone building, as he had expected, with pillars holding a balcony looking into the main hall, the room was filled with wooden pews. Three doors led out of the main hall, including the one that led to Vasuki’s room, one next to the altar and a giant set of wooden double doors that led outside. There were holes in the floor that revealed dirt underneath. A large cracked window allowed the moonlight to spill in, illuminating the entire hall.

Gord and Izenia sat on the first pew while Rahzel sat on the stairs that led to the altar. They were around a campfire, that was set in one of the aforementioned holes, with a pile of wood next to it and a metal pot was suspended over the flame by a structure made of sticks.

“Western winds were blowing today, it’s a good sign.” She claimed.

“Why is that?” Gord asked, “I saw you smile every single time the wind blew. You mind letting us know what’s going on with that?”

“You’re telling me you’ve never heard the poem of the four winds? The legend behind each of their meanings?” Izenia asked. Vasuki opened the door the rest of the way.

“Same goes for me.” Vasuki said, while slowly making his way to the three of them.

“Good to see you’re awake.” Rahzel claimed.

“Good to be awake. So what is this poem?” Vasuki asked, sitting on the steps next to Rahzel.

“Well the legend goes that each of the winds represents one of the Ancient Gods. North represents Ssirm, South represents Surrir, East represents Zaurah, and West represents Nashatal. The poem is usually told in monasteries just like this, I learned it when I was a child.” Izenia explained, “It goes like this:

The Northern winds bring cold and fill your lungs with plague.

The Eastern winds bring despair and their warnings are vague.

The Southern winds bring fire, it’s rage tearing the kingdom into.

But the Western winds will protect you, and reveal what is true.” Izenia told, “I once heard there was a second verse but I never found it. No one I asked knew what it was.” She finished.

“That poem sounds like something they’d be interested in one of those religion islands.” Rahzel commented.

“Definitely not the Southern Isle!” Gord joked.

“I had family in the Southern Isle.” Rahzel claimed. Everyone looked at Rahzel sorrowfully.

“Not anymore.” Gord whispered. Rahzel stood up, Vasuki put his hand on his shoulder.

“Calm down, Rahzel.” He pleaded.

“I don’t want to hear another, damn, word out of your pitiful mouth!” Rahzel yelled. He spat at the man.

“Alright everyone calm yourselves down.” Vasuki ordered, “We don’t need to be at each others throats. I already have enough of that.”

Vasuki eventually got a bowl full of the stew from the metal pot over the fire, but only after everyone was calmed down. Gord was much quieter, and seemed to sit farther away from Rahzel and closer to Izenia.

Putting the bowl off to the side, Vasuki stood up and stretched his limbs. A smell that he couldn’t quite describe hit his nose, something otherworldly.

“The hell is that smell?” Rahzel asked.

“I...can’t remember.” A green scarf entered his mind, why couldn’t he put a face to the smell.

“You two on to something?” Izenia asked, “What is it boys? What are you after?” She teased.

“Not funny.” Vasuki pointed out, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up in fear. A spire of ice appeared next to him and quickly shifted into the black blade he had used against Audra.

“I’m glad to see you still have your edge.” A muffled voice echoed from the double doors, which were then slung open. Felix stood in the door way, his body was writhing with electricity, his scarf flapped behind his back in the wind. At that point everyone came to a stand, Rahzel and Izenia had their weapons drawn, Gord was just breathing heavily, obviously scared.

“Who are you?!” Izenia demanded.

“Everyone back off, this is Royal Knight Felix Zephyr.” Vasuki clarified. At that everyone seemed to back up an inch or two, but their weapons remained drawn.

Felix slowly began walking into the monastery.

“You left Audra in quite a pickle, and forced her to ascend so she could survive.” He claimed.

“So she’s fully ascended now.” Vasuki said, as if confirming the fact. He was glad to hear she was alive but was disappointed to know she had completed the process.

“She’s one tough bitch, I’ll give her that.” He stopped at the halfway point between them and the door, “But it seems you don’t carry that aspect!” Felix yelled, “So I’ll just have to force it out of you.” He reached forward and pulled an iron staff from thin air, he expertly twirled it and ended the flourish with it in his hand with one end approaching the floor and the other going behind his arm and slightly over his left shoulder, electricity danced around it.

“I’m not going to give in so easily, Felix.” Vasuki stated. He tilted his head and smiled.

"Fortunately your consent isn’t required.”

“W-wait. So you’re only here for Vasuki?” Gord asked.

“That’s right.” Felix confirmed.

“So if you let us leave...you’re not going to follow us?” Izenia asked.

“Why would I? None of you have what I’m looking for.” He pointed the rod at Vasuki, “Out of you four, he’s the only one that can ascend.”

“All of you leave, there’s no need for you to witness what will happen here.” Vasuki ordered. There was no point in waiting for them to leave on their own volition, at least he could feel like he was the one that wanted them gone. They looked among themselves considering their decision.

“Sorry Vasuki, we don't want to die tonight, we'll be right outside.” Rahzel said, as the three of them ran past Felix and out the door, Izenia stopped and looked back.

"Good luck, Vasuki! Remember, the western winds are blowing!” She yelled before running into the surrounding forest.

The two of them stared at each other for a long moment, electricity literally flew in the air around them.

“The poem of the four winds won’t bring you any luck, Vasuki. It’s probably best you surrender before I hurt you.”

“I can have a little hope can’t I?”

“I saw your skirmish with Audra, the fact that you have any hope is your most redeeming quality. Do you actually believe you stand a snowball in hell’s chance in besting an actual Royal Knight?” Felix asked. Vasuki didn’t respond, he knew Felix was right, but one more act of defiance was all he wanted.

Vasuki grasped the chains of magic within his mind and called forth spears of ice from the ground under his feet. Felix jumped left to avoid the first, then backwards to avoid the second one, he jumped in between the first two, planting his feet on them and jumping off of them to avoid the next two, and to get closer to Vasuki, sensing less danger he slowly began to walk the rest of the way to him.

Letting go of the regular chains of magic, Vasuki grasped the colder, cobalt, ones. Ice erupted from in front of him, sending spears towards Felix. He felt his legs ache and cramp as Etherea broke away from his body. Felix was a blur of motion as he twirled the rod in his hands, smashing each spear of ice before it reached him. Vasuki sent some around the man but he responded by simply hitting them from behind him while only taking quick glances back. Soon he jumped on some of the broken ice and began to run towards Vasuki.

Calling Etherea to his weapon, Vasuki swung at Felix, just before he got in range of his blade, Vasuki felt his arms go numb as ice erupted from a horizontal swing just as the ice made it to Felix’s body, unbelievable heat erupted from him. Vasuki felt the heat push him back and slam him into the altar at the back of the monastery, the ice around the room melted instantly the wooden pews erupted into flames. Sweat began to form all over Vasuki’s body, it felt like he was sitting over an open flame. This was beyond what he felt when Noelem demonstrated Etherea. The blade in Vasuki’s hand quickly evaporated. He felt the metal rod in Felix’s hand hit his chest lightning coursed through his body, every muscle tensing up uncontrollably.

“You’re even less of a challenge than I thought.” Felix claimed, pulling the rod away. He reached up and grabbed the scarf off of his neck it slowly hardened and lost it’s color. Right before his eyes the green scarf became a colorless shortsword with a bit of the green scarf attached to the pommel. Vasuki’s body twitched uncontrollably as electricity ran through his body, effectively making him immobile, and helpless to stop Felix from impaling the blade into his chest. Vasuki gasped as he felt his body lose all of it’s air. He looked down and watched in confusion as the blade was entering some kind of vortex that had formed itself in his chest. Felix let go of the blade as it sank deeper into his body on it’s own free will, until it had completely lost itself inside of his chest. Felix pulled the green cloth away from the blade before the vortex closed around the blade, with a single flap the green cloth extended to the length of the scarf Felix had originally.

“Wh-what did you do to me?” Vasuki asked, still mostly breathless.

“This.” Felix balled his right hand and Vasuki felt pain scorch through his body, “Stand up.” Vasuki came to a standing position. He twisted his balled hand and Vasuki felt his body grow cold, the sight of his body being frozen in a glacier was clear as day in his mind, “Good, I’ll hand the reigns to Vistrata. Now that you’re ready to ascend. On your hands and knees, grovel at my feet.” Felix ordered. Vasuki helplessly followed orders.

“H-how are you doing this!?” Vasuki asked.

“None of your concern. All you need to know is that your birthright has been given to you, you ascension is ready at your call.” Felix claimed. Vasuki fought against his body’s restraint and looked up at Felix’s figure. Felix kicked him to his back, on top of the destroyed altar.

“Under that altar is the only flooring in this building that is made of wood. Do you know why that is?” Felix asked.

“How would…I know?” Vasuki asked through gritted teeth.

“Why don’t you go and find out?” Felix asked, before raising his foot directly above his head and bringing it down on Vasuki’s stomach. The first thing Vasuki felt was pain, then breathlessness, then the sound of wood breaking underneath him. The sight of a dark tunnel surrounded him until he hit the ground and everything went black.