A Time for Revenge

“You think you can take me on!” “You don’t stand a chance, boy!” The clash of steel rang over the field of green and black. Smoke rose from everywhere, acrid and nauseating. Ash fell all around. Flashes of images flared all around, bits and pieces of events, never fully forming a whole image in his mind. Pain struck him in the shoulder, a piercing pain that stole the breath out of him. He wailed into the smoke as the blade of a knife was pulled from his shoulder, blood already soaking his shirt crimson.

His life flashed by in front of him. Images of memories that raced by like misty clouds, fading as they passed. Light flared, enveloping him completely and dispelling the images around him.

Never forget, we are here to aide your people. We will always be by your side.

Mach sat up violently, breathless and in pain. The wound he had sustained after visiting Rajat near Tuindreg more than eighteen months ago burned horribly. He reached over and rubbed the scar, feeling the outline of what had been the wound. For a moment he thought he could feel blood, but as he glanced down at it he saw that it was as it had been. His heart hammered in his chest. All those images, scenes that he had relived over and over. Scenes that he had yet to experience.

The first rays of sunlight shined into his room. The first sun was cresting the horizon, bringing with it the new day. He dressed quickly and left his room for the meal hall. He would make sure to eat before attempting the use of the Stone. The words that he had heard before waking echoing in his mind.

“Good morning.” He announced as he pushed the door open. Breakfast was already in half over. As he sat down, pulling a plate of bread to him, the others smiled up at him.

“I understand that you have given the call to arms.” Mendoll commented over his bowl of oats. “Have we found where he is?”

“Not yet. But we will.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew the Stone of Sight. He had yet to tell any of them about his conversation with Panamy, and he was sure that she had not said anything either. He placed the Stone on the table in front of him. Every person at the table stood up, their chairs screeching on the floor as they slid across the floor.

“Is that…!” Sehto exclaimed, his voice lost in shock.

“How did you, I mean, when did, how…” Mendoll was flabbergasted and Bastra could only stare in disbelief.

Mach smiled at their expressions. “All that I will say for now is that I will be using this Stone in a bit to try and find him. Kyrthu came too yesterday, I was able to talk to him for a bit. With his information and with what we already had, or at least what we thought we had, I am confident it will not take long before we know exactly where he is.” He looked up at the expectant faces. The shock of seeing the Stone was gone and was replaced with a fierce look of readiness. They all wanted to end this war against Rubious, each of them for a different reason, but all of them just as determined as the other. “So yes, I have sent the call to arms. We need to be ready to move on him the moment I find out where he is.”

“How long do you think it will take?” Sehto asked, pulling his chair back to the table, his eyes still locked onto the Stone.

“Not sure.” He answered slowly, pouring himself a mug of water. “I would appreciate it if someone would check up on me every so often while I am using the Stone. Preferably you Mendoll, or at least someone with a Healer with them or the gift itself. Most of time when I use my gift to ‘see’ Rubious, I feel worn down and drained afterwards. I have no clue how I will feel during or after using the Stone.”

“I will have food and drink brought up to you.” Mendoll added, resuming his own meal.

That was one of the many things that he was grateful for. He could trust his friends with his own safety. He finished eating as quickly as he could and left the meal hall, Sehto right behind him. The two walked in silence during the entire trip to his room. Throughout the trip there, he held the Stone in his hand, rolling it around in his palm. To say that he was nervous was an understatement. His normal visions were odd enough, sometimes even dangerous.

“Is there anything else you want or need?” Sehto asked as Mach opened the door to his room.

He stepped in, holding onto the door for a moment and stared at his bed. “Just quiet.” He turned to his friend, smiling ruefully. “I am just going to need to be able to concentrate on what I am doing. I don’t want anything to pull me back because of something unimportant.”

“I can do that.” Sehto nodded and walked off. He closed the door behind him and stood there for a moment staring at his bed.

He took a deep breath and steadied himself. Tightening the grip on the Stone in his hand he marched over to his bed and sat down on it, cross legged. He held the stone in both hands, resting them on his legs. He could feel the Power within it waiting to be released. Staring into the crystal, its mostly transparent form glowing softly with an inner light that eased his mind. Focusing his mind inward, he stared into the Stone and let his Power flow freely. For a moment, the world around him went black.

He was lost to the nothingness of the void, an emptiness that was all consuming. Rubious. Focus on him. The Power of the Stone is mine, it is here with me. My Power is not alone, I am not alone. Within his hands he still held the Stone, its light glowing in the darkness, a beacon of light within the blackness. I must find him. I will find him. He stared into the Stone, remembering those evil red eyes and that horrid grin. Smoke clouded within the Stone, rolling through the interior like a storm. Bringing it closer to his eyes to see within it better, he felt the tug of Power. He did not resist the flow of Power, instead he fed it with his own. The swirling mist moved faster, thinning in spots and through those spots he could see the green and blue of a world below. He moved the Stone closer, feeling it draw him into the Stone itself. With one final tug of Power the darkness vanished and he was falling through the sky. Wind whipped passed him, clouds all around, and for the first time he could feel it as if he were truly there. The cold wetness of the clouds moistening his clothing and hair, droplets of water forming on his body and rising up across his face and hands before finally rising up off of his body.

The clouds parted, opening the land below him in a never ending display of green and blue. He fell as if he were in control. The fear that he would have expected was not present, the thrill of the moment overriding everything else.

Images flashed below him, changing from the beautiful green landscape that was to burnt ash of destruction that he had seen before. The two images flashed back and forth, merging with each other and separating from one moment to another. There had been an Empire here during the Great War that had been destroyed in one night, burnt completely with the mass combination of Mages of a rebel faction fighting against the Empires. He remembered this now. A single Empire that had reigned for centuries.

There was no sign of Rubious, nothing that would signify that the beast was here. But he knew that what he was looking for was here, hidden from his sight. Willing himself to move forward as he had done so many times before, he directed himself through the air. He remembered the last time he had attempted this and the rejection that had occurred that time would not dissuade him now. He used every sense he had, both magical and otherwise, to seek out the barrier he had found before.

He searched for what felt like marks, feeling his way around, all the while looking for any signs that may signify that magic had been used. Whatever it was that Rubious had done to hide his presence made it impossible to find him by use of magic. Or with any physical senses for that matter.

A haze rose up before him suddenly. It was not much, but the variance in coloration and the distortion of the grass beyond was enough to catch his attention. Carefully he moved toward it, reaching out his hands as he neared it. As his fingers met the resistance his stomach riled against itself, a horrid feeling swept over him exactly as it had the last time that he had seen Rubious on that battlefield outside of Gehnith. It had to be his Power that had created this.

The Power of the Stones was his, his own Power was greater than it had ever been before and he could finally admit and accept the fact that he was not alone. He would never be alone until the day he returned the Stones to where they belonged and by extension, those who came to him during his coronation. He placed both hands where he met the resistance and closed his eyes. Focusing his will against what was before him, he sent Power through his palms. He was stronger than this creation, his will would overcome it.

Never forget, we are here to aide your people. Those words rang through his mind again. He was not alone. Forging Power through himself and into his hands. He released it in pulses like hammer strikes, spreading it out over the barrier. He could still feel the gentle pulsing of the Stone of Sight, his heart beating in time with the pulsing energy. Allow me the sight. Grant me the Power to see what is hidden in the dark. He felt the barrier in front of him shift, it bowing away from him with each strike of his Power. He took the advantage and pushed, forcing his Power like a spear he drove it forward.

To his eyes, light flared and tendrils of lightning flashed out from where his hands touched. Shards of light like shattered glass fell away, opening up a sight that made him pause in fear. All around him the barrier he had felt collapsed revealing a city of horrific proportions. These lands had no population, there were no cities here. They were supposed to be empty. But strewn out before him was a city that defied his imagination.

The buildings were symmetrical, identical in every way as they rose grid like throughout a city. Walls layered in sections as if the city had been built in sections with each new layer being walled off before the new part of the city was started. A siege against a place like this would be impossible! To begin an attack on a place this well fortified would be mad. They would have to draw him out.

There was just one last thing that he needed to do. He needed to make sure that Rubious was here. He did not want to take the risk that he was sending his men to attack someone other than Rubious. Although, if this was another enemy, this could be just as bad. He could find out that they were fighting a war on two fronts.

Willing himself forward he began his search. The world below was alight with the soft glow of life. Men and women marched about with a single minded purpose. Their movements were not like those that he had seen in Eldour and Gehnith. Back home, people moved around half hazard as they searched out for the items they wished or the stores they wished to find. But the people below him, oblivious to his spectral form above them, marched with a single minded purpose.

In the distance he could see a palace rising up behind a wall. Closing his eyes he willed himself there, if Rubious was here that is where the beast would be. He felt his feet touch hard ground and he could sense the life around him. Slowly he opened his eyes to find himself face to face with the man he wanted to eliminate. Rage burned inside as he looked within those red eyes, that feral grin wide with pleasure. If only he could kill the man right here, end his life where he stood.

“Your army is growing nicely, Emperor.” A voice called out from beside him. He turned to see a man clad in heavy black armor, the man had his helmet tucked under his arm. There was the same look of glory in this other man’s eyes as there was in Rubious’. “There will be no stopping your dreams once it is complete.”

Mach looked back at Rubious, whose eyes still stared out over his shoulder. “Captain, this is still only the beginning. I still have much that I plan on doing before I am ready. But yes, it is glorious. There will be nothing that will stand in my way once I am done. And every army that falls before me will rise again to fuel my Empire.” Rubious sighed gleefully at what he saw before him.

Mach turned to a sight that was far worse than what he had seen moments before. Under the burning suns was an army larger than any other that he had seen before. Men, women, all of whom were clad in black armor stood at perfect attention to their master. He stared in fear as he attempted to count the rows after rows of heads. And this may not even be all that he has! All those that I saw in the city itself! He could throw them in armor and march them into battle without a second thought! For all that is Holy in this world, may the Gods help us!

A mass of roars echoed over the wind and for a moment he thought the palace was under attack. He searched quickly for the incoming group and nearly fell to his knees as shock hit him. Standing at attention, obediently waiting for their own instructions, was a mass group of Dragons. His heart felt as if it had beat its last as he stared in disbelief. He has Dragons! How does he have Dragons! Why would they work for him!

He turned to Rubious, the man’s eyes were on the Dragons, a look of victory thick on his face. No! This cannot be! I will not allow it! No! “NO!” He screamed the last word with all he had, forcing his Power through his body and into his fist and swung with all his might. The look of glory on Rubious’ face faded quickly to fear for the briefest of moments before everything went black.

Rubious walked through the halls of his palace, followed closely by the man he had promoted to Captain of his forces. He had not bothered to give any of them names, nor had he bothered to find out if any of his constructs had memories, therefore had names of their own. None of that mattered to him. These constructs were here to do one thing, serve his will.

The time would soon come when he would be ready to begin his conquest of the Five Empires area. After that, he would begin with the rest of the world. He grinned to himself at the thought of what that would lead to. Emperor Rubious, Ruler of the World. The sound of it rang in his mind as he marched down the hallway. It would be the beginning to his lifelong dream.

A sudden shock of energy ripped through him, sending him to his knees. His first thought was that he was under attack. Without a moment’s hesitation his appointed Captain was by his side, weapon drawn and searching for the intruder. His head spun wildly as he knelt on the floor. Just as quickly as it the feeling came it left. Sweat poured down his neck and from his brow. It felt as if the ground had dropped out below him, or if he had been struck in the stomach but without the pain. It was such an odd experience, unlike anything that he had felt before.

Warily he rose to his feet, keeping his senses open for another attack. Whatever that had been, whoever had been stupid enough to attempt an attack on him would pay dearly for it. He straightened his coat and nodded to his Captain. The man sheathed his blade and they continued on their way. He would not be caught off guard like that again.

He left the confines of the hallway for the open balcony that overlooked that main gathering area where part of his army had gathered for inspection. As he walked to the edge of the stone terrace he looked out to see the beauty of what he had created. His Empire was growing steadily, the forces that he had charged with the construction projects were working as they should. He could push them more, force them to work longer or add more teams to the project. But at the rate that his population was growing to the rate that the buildings were rising, there was no need. Perhaps he may look into expanding his Empire another way.

His constructs were powerful, their stamina was unlike any normal human. They could and would out perform any living creature of their own species and he could always create more. But what they had in strength they lacked in artistic and ingenuity. The capital of his Empire was proof enough of that lack of style. He may consider absorbing other Kingdom’s populations to his own by way of annexation. Naturally he would eliminate anyone who opposed him, but allowing the non aggressors to live would heighten the culture of his Empire greatly.

“Your army is growing nicely, Emperor.” His Captain stepped ahead of him, looking out over the balcony. “There will be no stopping your dreams once it is complete.”

“Captain, this is still only the beginning.” He replied, oh it was magnificent. “I still have much that I plan on doing before I am ready. But yes, it is glorious. There will be nothing that will stand in my way once I am done. And every army that falls before me will rise again to fuel my Empire.” He sighed gleefully at what he saw before him. This was beautiful beyond anything that he could remember seeing.

A roar echoed over the training field and the sound of it filled him with excitement. Such magnificent creatures, Dragons. Such Power, such loyalty, such obedience. Another roar came from his loyal pets. He felt another wash of Power, much as he had before. This time the feeling was different, somehow… closer. A haze of blurred energy swirled in front of him, coalescing into the form of a man. Rage contorted the face of the man that phased himself in front of him, his golden hair moving as if he were a drifting through water. Rubious raised his arms to defend himself as this man’s fist neared him, coming at him with a fierce determination that was almost demon like. He braced himself for the blow that never came.

As he opened his eyes to see where the attacker was he found the sword of his faithful Captain an arms reach away from him, exactly where the man had been. Already there were other guards running to his side, ready to defend him from an attack. The Captain was in pure shock, completely lost to what had just occurred. This was not the first time that this had happened, although the previous times he had thought that it had just been his own imagination creating the images. The fact that his Captain had moved to defend him, he know knew that it was not only him that was seeing the apparition. The man looked familiar and he knew that he had seen him before. It was that same child who had been following him for over a year now, the same one that he had met on the island that held the Dragon Temple.

“What was that, Emperor?” The Captain was now searching for any signs of the intruder, the guards hunting through the parameter of the balcony.

He could not tell the man who it was, he really was not sure himself. How was this even possible? How could that brat find him? Why was he still looking for him? “I don’t know.”

“What orders shall I give?” the man saluted and bowed his head, waiting obediently.

“Double the guard.” He answered. “I want a watch set on every corner. Patrols are to be sent out looking for any signs of an attack.”

“Is that likely, Emperor?” Rubious could not get angry at the question. The uniqueness of this occurrence was absurd.

He looked out at his army. No army within the Five Empires would be large enough to match his strength now, but the work that he would have to do to rebuild his ranks would be a waste of Power if he was not careful. The more he planned now, the better off his constructs would be when the time came. Eventually that boy would come for him, just as he had done in the past. Every sighting like this eventually led to a meeting of some sort. But this time he would be ready for the brat. Not only that, but he had an idea of who the child was. Faded memories were coming to him of some of his past encounters. He would search through those memories and find the answers while his men readied themselves for battle.

“Prepare for war.” He said suddenly, turning from the terrace and marching back to his room. Yes, he would seek out the answers in the comfort of his room and find out if there was a connection. If there was, perhaps he could use that to his advantage. Yes, we must prepare for war.