"Another lonely night as I stare at the starry sky, from the depths of my soul reverberates the memories that haunted me; my gaze lowers to the steel in my lap, cleaning it every night is part of my routine but tonight I feel like plucking the reason for this quest I began not so long ago..."
A hundred fifty years ago it sat foot at the north of the continent, sprouting its evil seed among the towns and settlements of the living. The lords did not think much of it, those settlements far too sparse and unimportant, not even the horrendous claims from the survivors caused any effect on the counts or dukes of the Glevarian Kingdom. It wasn't until it sat root on the precious jewel of the north; the great city of Kanzi, when the voices of those survivors stirred the now known evil that is the Calamity.
The king, Yenti the third, who ruled from the capital that gave name to the kingdom, Glevaria, finally decided to act and committed a third of his army to the rescue effort in Kanzi. An army who never came back, fifty thousand souls that ended up feeding the Calamity even further.
King Yenti, afraid of sending more troops to fight the Calamity, decided to forsake the city of Kanzi, and its surrounding towns, and focused on waging a foolish war in the south. A decision that would spell doom for a third of the continent.
Yenti violently died fighting a war for survival against his neighboring kingdoms, the same that took control of the remains of Glevaria just to face the Calamity head first. They also couldn't find a solution, no matter the men, the weaponry or magic, it was no use. Like a unison thought, all of the northern kings decided to forsake Glevaria, the same way Kanzi was forsaken decades ago. In the span of one hundred years, the Calamity destroyed any living being east of the MiriadRiver. The five kings of the remaining kingdoms in the north met in the Holy City of Mön and, helped by the fact that the five shared the same faith, they formed a pact and a special army that kept the Calamity in check. A two decade peace was achieve and, from it, a dangerous sensation of contentedness.
Relaxed, thinking the Calamity had stop its advance, the five kingdoms fought among themselves in petty wars, completely disregarding the peace that bordered the Miriad. Fueled by the blood, rape, greed and wickedness of men, the Calamity crossed the river for the first time, thirsty to take the lives of those that bathed in the blood of war.
The Kingdom of Candia was first, then Lumbria, Kalakar and finally the Kingdom of Finn. It was too sudden and many of those troops were still fighting each other when the scarlet mist filled their fields, their houses and their lungs, and the lowly beasts of pure flesh had their way with men, women, children and animals. Just the Petty Kingdom of Noctumbria remained, hidden deep in the dark forest, they allowed the Calamity to completely cut them off in the south, isolating them from the rest of the continent. With the northern kingdoms defeated and their people used as fuel, the Calamity had a clear path south, only one remaining city stood, being the city that separated the north from the middle of the continent; the Holy City of Mön.
Hurriedly, the authorities of the faith rose their banners to protect the city, they called for the other kingdoms to help protect the holy site with their life, but it was too late. The Holy City nested the lives of more than a million, its importance couldn't be underestimated and its military and magical might was considered unbeatable for most armies. This was no army, and those prideful soldiers of the faith pissed their pants, abandoned their families and possessions, cried their eyes out at the sight of the Calamity bloodily disemboweling what once was their life.
There was fighting, there was resistance, for a few days some brave souls fought with nail and teeth to help survivors escape, the Holy City's walls became a cage for most and even if the mist dissipated, the nature of the enemy was sometimes too much for the eyes and mind. The Holy City fell, a million souls succumbed, and then the world finally heard.
This was twenty one years ago, the fall of Mön and the call for a holy war against the Calamity. A year later, my home town of Sonnda was attacked by the same evil, I was just a year old, but sometimes, in my dreams, vivid images come to my mind like blurry memories. My parents perished as with most of Sonnda and I was rescued by soldiers of the holy army that Mön called for; they arrived late for Mön and for the rest of the surrounding towns, but at least they managed to save some lives. I was taken south, as south as the continent allowed. I was raised in the Empire of Roda; there I was brought up in a military orphanage, taught everything a soldier needed to know, not to serve Roda but to one day become part of the army that would defeat the Calamity. Every day and every hour they made me train and pray, they told me to be proud of soon be part of the Shining Youth and face the evil that threatened the faith. "How lucky you are" they said, "You'll be the next hero of the faith" they promised. At twelve I was deployed along with the rest of the youngsters from the orphanage, I am thankful that I didn't saw those I considered my brothers ripped apart by the Calamity, even if I knew they would eventually face death.
Serving as a squire for the knights of the holy army, I saw the Calamity for the first time in the small town of Portsen. Is probably due to experience, but you can gauge the knight's resolve when you see them in front of that evil. We were about five thousand strong and, by recommendation of the veterans, we left our carriages and marched into the town. By that point Portsen had been under the Calamity's influence for almost eight years, and from far away it seemed completely empty, devoid of anything, the only telltale signs of evil being reddish traces, that spread like veins on the cobblestone and walls. Once inside the town our forces divided into two segments and began to search the houses and alleyways.
For a few moments I thought of nothing about what might've happened to this town. I mean, at the time, the Calamity seemed more like a myth; The same soldiers that formed the army sometimes joked about it, rumors went around about the Calamity actually being a foreign army from overseas or a disease… And, for a few moments in that town, I believed that might've been the case, but then I recalled, the day before, and the day before that in our journey to Portsen, like I usually did at night, I sat to read; normally the chirping of the crickets or the croak of a bullfrog would accompany me, but for these last two days, there was no sound, a silence that became unnerving once I realized. The Calamity would never allow any creature to exist in its territory, that was the teaching I received long ago; In the Calamity's realm you're unable to hear the bark of a dog, the singing of the birds or the hiss of a snake, just the wind, and if it had a heartbeat then the Calamity would hastily and swiftly end it. My steps became heavier as I went deeper into the town, a small relief seemed to brush me at the sight of the soldiers easily making haste of the town apparent abandonment, but it went away suddenly with a far exclaim, or scream? I cannot recall well, just that from every street and alleyway a violet mist slowly surrounded everyone. The smell of the mist is indescribable and I felt it sticking to my lungs, then sudden screams came from every direction as the soldiers closed themselves, tightening their formation and in turn crushing me in between, every screeching scream was accompanied with sudden absolute silence, like something was silencing them immediately.
This lasted but for a moment as the formation broke apart and the soldiers went in different directions as the unknown enemy seemed to attack us. From the silhouettes I could make the form of the deformed creatures, growths and tentacles came from them with tips that made easy work of my peers; with the speed of a whip it sawed limbs and heads. Those same tendrils coming from the gaps in the cobblestone and impaling the boots and legs of the soldiers, keeping them in place as the creatures pulled their bodies apart. A scene out of the nightmarish books I used to read… I didn't even have a weapon with me, I foolishly left it back in the carriage, I was a stupid kid and just a squire after all… I couldn't move, I couldn't understand also, many things went through my mind, one voice in my head told me to came back in me, run, hide or do something. One soldier ran across me and then fell; his heel caught by a creature's tendril, the soldier surely doubled me in age, in spite of this he hadn't even drawn his sword. The tendril grew… or moved from his heel and to his thigh as the soldier looked at me; crying like a child and babbling. The tendril once again moved, even faster this time, and reached his head, wrapping around his neck and decapitating the soldier with frightening precision. From inside the mist another one extended, penetrating the body from behind and extending inside the cadaver.
The sight finally prompted me back to myself and I looked around trying to find somewhere to run and hide. Then the cadaver rose from the ground as its limbs all cracked, the tendril breaking every bone and coming out from the throat, a wicked puppet that instantly turned to me. I wasn't going to die, that's what I told myself while turning and running somewhere, anywhere. I couldn't see anything in the mist that got more metallic with the smell of blood, I struck a window, breaking the glass and hurting myself in the process. I found myself inside a house and didn't have the time to revise my wounds as the urgency of the reanimated cadaver might get to me. I scrambled onto my feet and searched for the main entrance but then another soldier; covered in blood and gasping heavily entered, he instantly saw me and came to me, raising a finger in silence. "Don't make a noise, they can heard you" He said and guided me to the middle of the room, he asked me to help him push the table and under it, I could see the outline of a trapdoor. "I was born in this town. And I know most houses have this. It leads to the sewers, we might find more of these… things. But I know the sewers will lead us out of here"
This soldier was different from the one I saw die, he seemed… focused. We went down the sewers which were surprisingly peaceful and found another group of soldiers, all of them Portsen born. I was sent back, alone, through a route out of town and to the carriages so I could recount what happened and call for help. But when I returned the carriages were completely stripped from the horses and those that stayed behind, the Calamity spared no one, and it seemed its zone of influence extended far out from Portsen. So I waited… and waited and waited, but nobody from the town came. Luckily a small force of five hundred soldiers; that we left behind two days ago, reached me. I told them about everything and, still, most of them went into the town to at least rescue survivors, they placed me into a lonely carriage and sent me back.
Two days after that, I learned I was one of the five remaining survivors of the Portsen assault. My survival ensured me a "promotion". I was said to form part of the army as a whole, not as a squire but as a knight this time.
At the age of fourteen I was placed in the Holy Army, which held veterans, warriors and experts heroes. The change was significant as the veterans that led the companies knew of the Calamity's tricks and tactics, in the span of six months we liberated the village of Cocsisborough, the town of Sinder and lastly we took Portsen and I finally had the satisfaction to return to Sonnda, well, rather than satisfaction… a bittersweet closure as I wasn't able to find my home, it was probably destroyed among the other houses. Sonnda had become an inhospitable place, the ground was corrupted with the traces of the Calamity and it remained dangerously close to our next objective. The Holy City of Mön.
Among the various soldiers of the Holy Army, there were the five sages of the West Kingdom, the thirty five faithfuls of the Divine Exaltation and the private army of the Duchy of Sallas. But among all of them, there was the hero sent by the Empire of Roda, he was the one that made the difference in the reunification wars of the south and its said to have defeated a thousand men; Lyras of Iris or, as everyone knew him, The Crimson Sword.
With each town we liberated we gained confidence and faith but, at the same time, we lost soldiers either by hand of the creatures, infection, disease, desertion or starvation which became a problem the deeper we went into Calamity ground, as nothing close to being consumable could be found, the Calamity rot the fruit and plants, destroying the soil in the process. By the time we reached the outskirts of Mön and set tent, our force was less than fifteen hundred. The duke of Sallas called for his army back to the duchy and the two sages that remained from the West Kingdom left in between transit. Sir Lyras became our spiritual leader and drafted the plan to reconquer Mön with the rest; First we would travel through the sewers of Mön, that, thanks to being a great city, extended to every point, and then we would secure the most important buildings.
The three days we remained outside of Mön, we felt an evil like we never felt in another place before. It could easily be notice, even with our low human senses, that the city was the source of the influence that would slowly make its way south to destroy all life if not stopped.
In the break of dawn, on day four, we entered the sewers of the city, never in my life have I've seen so many human bones which littered the walls and floors from those who hid there many years ago escaping from the Calamity, only to met their end in such a lowly place. When we reached a hub, we got divided into four groups, each one would take one objective; The East Watchtower, The Holy Guard's Barracks, The Sanctified Plaza and The Monastery of Saint Mön. I got into the group lead by Sir Lyras, the one that was tasked with retaking the monastery.
We marched in line through the sewer walkway, every corner and noise anxiously noticed as we knew that we would face a horrifying creature soon enough. After a few hours of movement we found ourselves unable to carry on, the way ahead had collapsed and the only choice was to climb to the surface and move through the streets of the city, an endeavor that took precious time and the light of dusk met us. Then we marched through narrow streets and alleyways, that seemed strangely peaceful but the feeling of uneasiness wouldn't wear out, everyone noticed the state of the city; it was relatively well kept and lacked the signs of abandonment expected from a city that fell more than a decade before. Our force seemed like an invading army, walking through a city where its inhabitants hid in fear, the same ones that were supposed to be dead long ago.
I made my way to the front as I wanted to see Sir Lyras up close, before this I have only heard of him or see him from afar as he delivered orders. Majestuous may be the right word; Sir Lyras was tall and skinny, his armor, that seemed dark and became a deep crimson under the sun light, covered every crook and cranny, tightened around his body, his sword, which had the same color as his armor, was long as a quint sword and angled at the end. Sir Lyras always wore a helmet, most if not all have never seen his face, and his voice, despite sounding young, transmitted a strong sense of cohesion. From behind I could see his cape waving and around him a group of knights constantly spoke to him, drowning him in suggestions and doubts but Sir Lyras seemed focused on reaching the monastery at all cost. Then all the soldiers bumped against each other at the sudden stop from Sir Lyras that already had a hand on his sword, ready to unsheathe. One of the knights next to Sir Lyras asked "Sir, is there something wrong?", "Why have we stopped?" Another exclaimed. Sir Lyras drew his sword and muttered "We are surrounded. I have made a mistake", and a sepulchral silence set, some soldiers still did not understood and Sir Lyras exclaimed "Soldiers! Unsheathe your swords! We're surrounded!". I unsheathed my sword as Sir Lyras commanded, but many still hadn't as the claim seemed exaggerated.
At that point, after many encounters with that evil, I already knew the Calamity preferred to attack hastily and frontal but this time was different. From the windows of the houses, from the narrow alleyways, from behind us, from somewhere, fine red protrusions that I can only describe as red arrows, impaled the heads of soldiers left and right with neck breaking force. "Cut the tendrils!" Sir Lyras commanded, the 'red arrows' had a fine thread that engorged into a tendril and, just like in Portsen, made its way inside the dead to reanimate them. The veteran soldiers stood their ground bravely, such horrendous scenes had become normal in the Calamity's realm, and fought the best they could. Myself was spare various times thanks to my lower stature, the tendrils seemed focused on older taller men, so I decided to get as close to Sir Lyras as possible, he was slicing the threads with ease, his armor protecting him despite the violent force of the tendril's thrust.
I helped the best I could, my sword was heavy and my mind was trying to get accustomed to the newfound speed of the creatures. Sir Lyras saved my life at least three times in the fight and managed to fend off the attack along with some veterans, "We mustn't retreat, move forward!" Sir Lyras ordered and we followed him to a small plaza next to a building with a basement which we entered without much thought. The words that Sir Lyras said before made sense while I counted the soldiers that rushed inside the safety of the basement, our group had halve. We couldn't retreat to the sewers because the Calamity must have already close our way out and consumed those in the back, leaving ourselves as a band of soldiers destined to perish soon.
We brushed the dust off and looked around, the basement belonged to an old inn close to the monastery. There was no sign of creatures in the building, Sir Lyras went up the stairs and came back after a few minutes, then he stood in the middle of the basement and addressed us, "Everyone who still breaths pay attention. Sadly, I can confirm that none of our comrades have accomplished any of their objectives, we have not secure the watchtower, the plaza or the barracks. Surely they've been slayed by the Calamity. We stand alone", Sir Lyras words broke the spirit even more even if they were true. Another knight approached and asked "But sir, how could you be so sure?" a simple question that got a few nods from the others and gave little hope. "You're welcome to go see for yourself, there's no smoke signal coming from any of the objectives. If the plans were followed as we discussed, then by this time we should have at least one of them secured, am I wrong?" Sir Lyras firmly answered and then continued, "If we have any supplies we may survive half a day in here, that if we don't manage to turn around and get to our carriages. Then our only choice is to push through and liberate the monastery".
All around the soldiers and knights complained and discussed Sir Lyras words, one of them directly approached him in a disrespectful manner, "What are you asking?! We cannot throw ourselves into the meat grinder! You might be considered a legend and believe that you are better than us, but our lives are worth the same!", then the soldier turned and formed a line behind him, "I value my life, I have a family to come back to, who thinks the same can come with me, I'll make my way out of here!". Sir Lyras stood unchanged, letting half of the remaining soldiers to leave the basement and into the unknown of the streets. Another soldier approached and kneeled, looking up to Sir Lyras, "Sir, I mean no disrespect but is there actually a way?".
Sir Lyras gestured the soldier to stand and spoke, addressing all of us again, "Gentlemen. I am sorry. I made a mistake that I could only realize when we were halfway into the sewers. I was told by the mages and druids of Roda, a piece of information that, I now see I mistakenly kept silenced. I was told that during this campaign we might find a source of indiscriminate evil and I believe this evil is located in this city. I have reason to believe this city host a nest; a spawn for the Calamity's, that is emanating this miasma we felt around us for the last days. We all saw how the Calamity behaved in here, more calculating and cunning. I'm afraid that what the mages said is the truth, the Calamity has become intelligent and we have no choice but to finish what we started. I believe… I trust, that if we destroy the nest the rest of the creatures will perish with it". The admission of mistake seemed to give a sense that Sir Lyras may not be fit to be the leader and a soldier exclaimed, "Then the others are right, you are just going to send us to die!", the remaining soldiers discussed and it looked like they would also leave, this time Sir Lyras unsheathed his sword and struck the floor with force, having their attention once again he spoke, "You got it confused kind sir. I'm not sending anyone. I will be in the front, like I always been, leading the way and facing the enemy. I understand all of you have love ones; brothers, sisters, wives, sons and daughters. Family that awaits you back in your homelands. You have all see how difficult it was to get to this city, how we had to go town by town, wasteland to wasteland thanks to Calamity. We know what is to fight this thing and we know what happens to its victims. If we don't destroy this nest, I'm afraid we won't have any family to go back to, the Calamity will make its way down, claiming the lives of everyone… everything. I fought a hundred battles and only now I see the real enemy, the Calamity is the enemy of life and if we don't stop it… then… well, I hope you understand what will happen".
A pondering silence replaced the complains and the soldiers gazes seemed to get the implications. Sir Lyras understood that we, who remained, were going to see this endeavor through. "Then, take these next hours to pray and rest, we will rush the streets and assault the monastery as fast as we can. You mustn't stop for anything, the streets are too dangerous and the creatures will try to ambush us at every turn. I do not know what to expect inside the monastery, a nest is something nobody has seen before. But I do believe we have someway to destroy it and trust me, like the others battle I fought and won, I won't fail, not this time" Sir Lyras stated and turned to me, "Boy, I seen you having trouble keeping your sword steady, let me see it" I was in awe, The Crimson Sword was actually speaking to me? With trembling hands I presented my sword to him, "See, this is to heavy for you… You, exchange swords with him" One soldier came and handed his sword to me, it was more light indeed. "Much better, isn't it?". I bowed to the soldier and to Sir Lyras, "Y-yes.. thank you, sir!".
Sir Lyras placed a hand on my shoulder, "You surprise me the most, so young and in such a somber situation. I suppose not long ago you were a squire, no? Please, if you wouldn't mind, be my squire for a while", he said and kneeled… to me! How could I refuse, "Y-yes sir!" I exclaimed, my words not of a soldier but of a fan. I could heard a chuckle from Sir Lyras as he stood up, addressing the soldiers once again, "Everyone, let's secure the rest of this inn, we will make use of the abandon rooms". We spent the next hour looting the inn, logically nothing was of use, the food was long rot, but at least two barrels of ale were found, Sir Lyras warned the soldiers not to get completely drunk before the assault but then understood that the alcohol would help those most afraid.
Finally, the soldiers rested in the rooms of the inn, I managed to count just seventy six, seventy seven counting me. I shared the room with Sir Lyras, he handed me his sword to clean along with his cape. Then he took his helmet off; his face was delicate, and he undid his blonde hair which was held in a bun, allowing it to flew freely… he was a beautiful man indeed, not like the ones that I usually saw in battle. Sir Lyras was the fourth son of the Duke of Iris and was, by all means, an aristocrat whether he behaved like a knight or not. Back in Roda he was promise to one of the princesses of the Empire and, in hindsight, I supposed he used the excuse of battle to escape the politics of the Empire.
"Ha… what did I get myself into…" Sir Lyras sighed, staring at his necklace that sported the symbol of the faith, the Langedar. "What a beautiful necklace sir", the thought escaped my lips, probably trying to appease him in someway, he laughed lowly, letting the necklace fall inside his armor again and looked at me, "I guess it is, it doesn't mean much to me. Faith, it is something that every man needs to have, most place their faith in the gods or in an object. I have faith in me. Rest now boy. Soon we will see evil itself".
The light of the morning sun bathed us as we made our way through the cobblestones streets of the city. Like a thousand eyes, we watched every corner and window for sings of an ambush. I was close to Sir Lyras, he walked graciously like there was no danger until we reached the external walls that surrounded the enormous monastery. One soldier that knew the structure pointed to a back entrance that led us to the insides of the monastery.
Inside, the atmosphere felt different like an invisible fog was slowly crushing us, it was no mistake there was something in here. The hallways were clean, decorated with beautiful artistry of the faith, the walls had busts of saints and paintings but there were clear sings of fighting, broken walls, floors and ornaments. "We must reach the center and locate the source" Sir Lyras muttered and the soldier of before went to the front urging us to follow him. All the time I felt like a knife was grasping my heart, until a pinch could be felt, it was an instinct of the danger becoming present. From the tall ceiling a creature that I could describe like a centipede of flesh; its thousand legs had sharp ends like the tendrils, lowered and, in an instant, carve the soldier in a hundred pieces. Sir Lyras, sword in hand, rushed to the creature and sliced the top part, then its whole body fell from the ceiling and onto the floor, crushing soldiers and starting a panic. "Cut the beast!" Sir Lyras commanded as the creature turned itself on its legs and began to escape, cutting some soldiers in the way. "Damned beasts. Let's keep going, we cannot stop now" Sir Lyras grunted and hasted his pace.
We reached the doors that opened to the monastery's nave, Sir Lyras placed a hand on the robust wooden door, "Men, help me open this, be ready for what is ahead". Parting the doors open let a breeze out that reeked, it had the same smell as the mist. The nave was engulf in darkness, dimly lit by the dawning sun behind us. The nave itself was grandiose, arches extended far up to the ceiling like they were infinite, carved in marble symbols and illustrations of the faith everywhere, the walls had all of the saints of the faith which faces seemed sinister under the darkness. The soldiers prayed under the breath, they were standing in a holy site after all. It was too silent, no noise. Sir Lyras walked slowly, even cautiously. "We must reach the altar…" He muttered, altar? Wasn't we supposed to kill the nest? I wondered. Half of the massive nave was too dark, the altar could not be seen. Sir Lyras stopped, extending a hand to tell everyone else to do the same. There was nothing ahead but something made him stop… more than minute passed and nobody said anything but from the shadows something emerged. A kid, completely naked, probably around my age at the time stood before us, his legs trembled, not from fear but from trying to stand and walk. He opened his mouth, "Aa..aa.." Unable to produce any word. "Who are you? What are you doing in here?" Sir Lyras asked but a basic instinct seemed to be triggered as he unsheathed his sword. "Is that… a kid?", "What's a boy doing in here?", the soldiers asked. "That is not human… That is not human!" Sir Lyras exclaimed, the corner of the kid's mouth becoming larger, splitting his head open, Sir Lyras wasted no time and sliced the kid's body in half but from the insides, like last time, tendrils shoot up like arrows, they were even faster this time, not giving time to any of us to dodge. From every direction more creatures made themselves clear, we were surrounded again. Sir Lyras ran back, his armor creating sparks as the sharp tips of the tendrils ricocheted from it. His crimson sword trying his best to cut the incoming attacks… I think that for a moment he thought what could he do, because he decided to grab me by my chest and carry me. "Listen… we need to get to the altar no matter what" He said to me as he ran to the far side of the nave and got to the altar, then he dropped me. I could see his arm was damaged, a thread of blood coming from it and trickling to the floor. "Ah..ah.. damn it…" He complained, panting and turning towards the darkness from which more tendrils shoot up, with inhuman reaction Sir Lyras cut all of them but then growled, the pain was becoming to much. "I… can't believe… it's going to end like this… ah, damn it all" He took off his helmet and turned his head to look at me. "Listen boy and listen well! take this…" reaching to his neck he pulled the necklace and threw it at me. "You must go behind the altar and down to the holy crypt. The necklace-" A tendril shoot up and cut part of his neck, he instantly dodged and slice it before continuing, "I-it will break the seal and allow you inside, there you'll find it. I-I thought I was going to have it… ah… anyway. Once you are inside I'll push the altar over the hatch, it will keep you safe, find another exit…". Sir Lyras words came more slurred and the creatures came into view, a set of monsters carrying the impaling bodies of the soldiers with them. Sir Lyras grip on his sword tightened facing the enemy. "Find it! find the Godsword!". I rose to my feet, grabbed the necklace and ran to the altar, I could hear the sound of the steel from the crimson sword protecting me. Behind the altar there was a hidden wooden hatch that had a ladder heading downwards, I gave a last look to Sir Lyras before entering it. The small light coming from upside became extinguish as Sir Lyras, with his last effort, pushed the altar on top, concealing me.
I was in complete darkness and couldn't hear any noise from anywhere… Then I noticed a faint glow coming from the Langedar, it got brighter when I made my way deeper into the crypt. My hand brushed the walls trying to find a lever or something… I hit my face against a wall and the necklace glowed brightly, a symbol in the wall answered the necklace by glowing with the same color and splitting open. A set of steps led even more downwards to a room that had light. As I made my way down I could hear… chanting… like a church, and the sound appeared to come from my head. It was a small room, inside there were five statues of the saints of the faith and at the end of the room, slightly hidden from view, laid the skeleton of a decapitated knight and next to its hand a two-handed sword rested. The chanting, accompanied by whispers now, became louder and louder as I got close to the sword. I could see on its blade, symbols that made themselves clear by a pulsing red glow. I grabbed the handle and the blade glowed completely red, a surge of… feelings or power… a typhoon of different emotions flowed into me, I saw memories in my head that weren't mine, I felt new strength in my muscles and new senses but most importantly, I gained a purpose.
At that moment I didn't know what I had signed up for. I just became the holder of the Godsword, a mythical weapon that bound my soul to it. The sword gave that information directly to my head, from that moment onward the sword would not left my side and I can only relinquish it if I do what it asked and that was… the complete destruction of the Calamity.
I cannot recall what happened after I grabbed the sword, blurry memories sometimes come up in my dreams. I regained consciousness and encountered myself on the outskirts of Mön, my clothes and armor were soaked with fluids that I guess came from the creatures, that, surely under trance, I had slayed. The carriages were gone, like in Portsen, the Calamity got to them as we were stranded in the city and nothing remained. From there I just remember walking and walking a ridiculous distance for a human, somehow I knew where to go, like a compass in my head I made my way southwest by foot. I remember my dry tongue and the cold of night on my skin, the huge stretches of nothingness; it was the large extend of the Calamity's territory, its influence driving wildlife away and rotting the plants. Many times I swear to have drop the sword in random spots but ending up finding it on my hands again. From the distance I saw a small farmhouse on a hill, it had lights, so I made my way there, I also recall calling the door and then instantly collapsing finally letting myself rest.
For the next three years I wandered around the northwest towns and cities, I did different kinds of work for different kinds of people, I did farm work, guard duty, delivery, among other things, but that final year I did more and more slaying work, clearing entire mountains full of dangerous animals. During those times the power of the Godsword became known to me; The blade seemed to be able to cut to everything, it wouldn't bent, chip or break, It heightened my senses and my strength, I was also able to call for it at any moment, no matter the distance it would appear in my hand if needed. I also learned a lot about the world and how the Calamity wasn't in most folks mind or worry. After a while I became known on the city of Lindelen; which became like another home to me and I made the foolish mistake of sharing my story in the pubs of the city. When I was doing an escort job for a slave owner in Kolkia, I got approached by knights with the Langedar on their vest, they were soldiers from Roda looking for someone matching my description… I decided to go in peace, because, you see, I wasn't keen into slaying humans… yet.
Shortly after the failure to reconquer Mön and the holy army complete defeat, the Empire of Roda entered a two front war with its neighbors; The Kingdom of Xion, from the west and The Confederation of the South in the east. With this somber prospect, Roda was desperately seeking a new hero, as the Crimson Sword was presumably dead, one appeared, the Knight of Light, Cassandra Lettenburg, but with only one hero it wasn't enough. As the war reached its first year, word came that the Kingdom of Centralia would involve itself and make this a three versus one; Centralia being the second biggest kingdom in the continent. And because I was the only survivor of Mön, they hoped that I could become their second hero… at least that is what I thought at the time.
Roda was supposedly my home in a certain way. In the military orphanage I receive strict teachings, norms and rules that shaped me somehow. There were as many bad people as there were good, one of them being Father Bardion a man who was the most like a real father to me. From him I learned many things along with the history of the Calamity and my mission as a holy soldier. If there was one reason to go back to Roda, it was to see him. I closed my heart to Roda during my younghood, with the promise that I could rebuild my life in the newly liberated Sonnda, just to find it completely barren and inhospitable, a promise that Father Bardion also shared, instilling me to dare to dream.
As I traveled with the two Roda soldiers in a trip that would last more than two months, I let myself wander in my imagination a bit, being the new hero of Roda? That would meant a lot, surely Father Bardion would be proud as the rest of the holy knights, I would be look up to. Silly thoughts not helped by the fact that the soldiers were as silent as a tomb, they wouldn't even look in my direction. I hoped that being a veteran and only survivor of the defeat in Mön would at least arouse some curiosity but no… nothing. We entered Roda not by the usual route, all the main roads were cut off thanks to the war and we were in danger of getting ambush, the two soldiers hid their symbols and clothes during parts of the trip, we stopped just two times to stock up and these stops didn't last even an hour.
Once in Roda's territory, the soldiers showed their emblems proudly and we stopped a few more times before reaching the capital. I did get nostalgic once inside, as it was, for twelve years, my home. I could still name most of the streets and traverse them with ease, much didn't change but the atmosphere was different, I could see they were in a war. Banners with Roda's crest were everywhere, knights and soldiers marched constantly and the guards in walls, and in patrol seemed doubled. Even if I wasn't that well treated during the trip, I foolishly thought that once in the capital I would be at least allowed to take a stroll but as I sat foot outside the carriage, I was put in custody, they bound my hands and confiscated my sword, then they took me to a cell on the prisoner's tower to await for an audience with the Empress.
I could recall my sword and instantly leave but I decided to stay, I was intrigued. It was a matter of a few hours before I was taken in custody again and led to the royal palace where Empress Liza awaited me. The Empress was… is the most powerful woman in the world, she became the empress once her side won the reunification wars, with the Crimson Sword as her sworn knight. Well, that was the first topic of discussion. I was taken to the throne room, a ridiculously long room, practically dragged at some point, force to kneel before the Empress who spoke to me in a cold tone, "Hmpf, so you are the famous knight that I heard some much about these last weeks. Brought here at a young age, raise to brandish the Langedar with pride and sent to the Holy City… I admit I'm quite envious, to set foot in such a holy place… anyhow", She turned to one of the knights that kept me in custody, my sword in his hands, "I suppose that is his weapon, yes? Then please bring it to me and leave me be. Do not worry, Cassandra is beside me", I rose my gaze and I could see her, from behind the throne the Knight of Light, her silvery armor in full display and sword in hand, emerged. The other knight presented my sword to the empress and hastily left. This time I rose my head to see both of them, slowly approaching me, stopping to, I guess, get a better look at my face, the Empress frowned her brow and asked, "You are not lying to me, right? You actually come from Mön?", I thought of how to speak, trying to remember royal courtesy, "I-I, yes your majesty. I was in Mön… I fought the Calamity in Mön", a tiny smile formed on the Empress's lips, she unsheathed my sword, pointing the tip to my throat, "Then you fought along side him. You fought next to the Crimson Sword, you saw him at least, surely you did… how could you not… Where is he? Why hasn't he comeback?", the Empress spout in an accusatory matter, despite knowing my sword wouldn't kill me I tried to think of how to deescalate the situation, I decided to be truthful. "Y-your majesty, I, yes, I fought along side Sir Lyras, during the liberation of many towns and the assault of Mön", the name seem to struck a nerve, the Empress's eyes became glossy, "In that case… then why isn't he here with you… why…" She said, her voice slowly fading and then picking back up, "Why are you holding the Godsword then?!", I gulped and answered, "Your majesty, the Crimson Sword- Sir Lyras, well, we… were in a dire situation and at the last moment he decided to hand his necklace to me, he told me to retrieve the sword… I'm sad to say that he perished bravely sacrificing himself to allow me to get it", tears flowed freely from the Empress eyes, she stared at me dumbfounded but then she began to grind her teeth, "That… that… dirty... bastard dog! No, no, no, no, he is unbeatable, he surely escaped and is going around… offering himself to others… other kingdoms!" She cursed between teeth as she struck the marble floor with my sword. Cassandra tried to calm the Empress, "Majesty, please don't lose your everlasting temper with such a lowly beast. Please tell me what to do to this… traitor!", that at least stopped the Empress from breaking the floor but then she turned to me, "You… Even if you have now brought this weapon, you should've had come here immediately, I see you have no allegiance to me or the Empire and that's fine by me. I have promise the Godsword to Cassandra and I know that I need to unbind it off you", Then I understood that the mission I was groomed to wasn't anything but a quest to bring back the sword, there was no liberation of Mön, just the Godsword. The Empress half smiled, pointed at me and sentenced, "Tak of Sonnda, I hereby sentenced you to death. You'll be executed and your name will be erased from the Holy Knight's record". As the last words came from the Empress mouth Cassandra raised her sword, ready to behead me, at that moment I could heard a voice in my head telling me to finish this, take the sword and leave, telling me I still have an unresolved matter with destiny. "What are you doing?!" the Empress sudden shout echoed stopping her knight, "Were you about to behead him here? In my throne room? Hmpf, I sometimes forget you can be such a brute. take him back to his cell, we will perform a public execution tomorrow. We could make him look like a captured Xion knight or spy, gain some support from this… lowlife. Now leave".
Cassandra bowed and apologized multiple times before taking me back to my cell, mocking me all the way. In my cell I took some time to reflex, it was the first time I actually understood I had no home to return to, during my time in Lindelen I got a tiny hut and some things but I knew it was just temporary, sooner or later the Calamity would make its way down and corrupt everything. The sword would transfer me strength every time I needed it but it would also transfer its need, see, the Godsword cannot posses me or use me as vessel to conduct its will, I think my soul was enough payment for me to wield it, still, everyday the sword would ask for me to fulfill its goal, to seek the Calamity and kill it, something I would refuse, I didn't want to go alone and die fighting it, I was afraid and too young to risk it so soon. At last I decided to leave my cell, I knew that once I called back my sword their guards would rush to me but I obviously didn't care, Roda was, definitely, not my home. "Recall", I muttered under my breath, the image of the Godsword clear in my head. A sudden rush of air was followed by the weight of the weapon in my hand. I made easy work from the steel bars of the cell and used a cloak to cover myself, this cloak being of the city guards helped me get by with ease.
Greeted by the moonlight and the cool breeze of summer, I walked down the streets of the capital; this I could miss, lighten streets full of people, open stores and the rich scent of southern cuisine. Despite wanting badly to stay longer, the guards were probably already alerted and I had to make my escape quickly. The way out of downtown was simple enough, already walked these streets a thousand times before but I wasn't aiming for the exit, I was going to pay a visit to Father Bardion.
Finding Father Bardion was the easiest, every summer night he would sit on the garden of the orphanage and stargaze. I jumped the wall and approached him slowly so he could recognize me, and he did, "Is… is that you Tak?", Father Bardion's voice felt like a caress to my heart, like revisiting the memories of a past me, a me who died. "Yes father", I bowed to him almost like an instinct, I could see him clearly under the candle light; he had gotten much older and he wore the tunic of the faith like he always did, "Taky, you've grown so much, I thought I would never see you again", he embraced me with the same care as if I were a child, "I thanks the gods for this", he took some steps back and straighten his tunic, "Please, do tell me how you've been, I've been praying for you and your brothers everyday. Oh, I got too many questions, are you able to stay for a while and satisfy this old man's curiosity?", I bit my lips a bit as I really wanted to stay and tell everything to Father Bardion but time was of the essence. "Father, I apologize. I failed my task, I-we couldn't take Mön back. And I'm sorry for not coming back sooner", Father Bardion chuckled a bit and tap me on my shoulder, "Hehehe, do not worry my child. But do tell me, why are you wearing a guard's cloak?", I raised the cloak and took my sword out, extending it to show him, "I believe I'm a fugitive… no, I am a fugitive. I was taken here by Roda's soldiers, put into custody and presented to the Empress. She wants me to relinquish this, the thing is, I can't, I have to die first", I explained but Father Bardion just laughed, "Just for a sword? Is it that good that you are willing to die for it? I know we taught you to love your weapon and all but… this seems kind of excessive…", I decided to show him this was not regular sword, I suddenly threw the sword so far away it went behind the wall, "This is no normal sword. Recall", I could hear the sword hitting the stone wall before it came darting to my hand. Father Bardion was shocked, "No normal sword indeed… its blade is glowing too, please, let me see", I handed the sword and he inspected the blade; what appeared to be letters and symbols glowed red in a pulsating manner. "This is old writing, from a time before the Calamity itself. Sadly, I cannot translate any of it but rest assure as this has some kind of connection with the faith… Maybe I should ask the sage…", I sheathed my sword again, "No, I have no time. I need to leave the capital at once", then the thought finally came clear in my head, I came to see Father Bardion, not to make just a visit but to seek guidance. If someone had a single drop of care in the world for me, it would be him. He pondered for a moment and then spoke, "I understand child. Listen, if you cannot see anyone of the faith in Roda, then go see Maestre Kendall, he runs the church in Sallas. It may be tough as Sallas is in a war at the moment but surely he will help you. Also, you'll be able to swiftly escape through the tunnels that go under the wall, there's an entrance by the pub", I nodded in acknowledgment and gratitude, then Father Bardion took my hand and placed a necklace with the Langedar on my palm, "I know in my heart you'll accomplish what you seek. Remember to always have faith. Also, please come see me before I die, I'm getting awfully old", I cracked a smile and caressed his hand before letting go. I rushed to where the tunnel was, not wanting to attract attention to Father Bardion and involve him in my problems. As he said, a tunnel built in older times stretched from under the pub and outside the main walls, leading to the outer houses, from there I had to find me a horse and head north, only north.
I thought it would be simple… not escaping the capital, that was a breeze, but actually leaving Roda?, that was another thing. My policy of using the Godsword only on beasts and against the Calamity worked against me every step of the way, getting myself in a constant cycle of entering a town, getting recognized, then captured then escaping, constantly. Sometimes I wanted to feel like a hero and jumped into situations or felt like doing good and getting side tracked. This went on for three years, three years of no progress. Finally I cracked, at another town even if I didn't get recognized that time, I got into an argument somehow, a couple of thugs that exploited displaced families from the war asked me for a toll to go through, naturally I refused and they wouldn't stop annoying me, I hate it, I hate it, I hate them, they round up women and children to sell them, extort businesses and all in all they are a pest just like the Calamity… so, I gave in and split one of them in half… I was actually surprise, the Godsword cuts humans as perfectly as any other animal, it felt good, it felt right. Then the rest of the thugs, then their boss… then, well, the city guards… their horses and the small force they sent to kill me. Surely then, if I wasn't easily recognized in Roda before I was now!
What was I doing? I had the only weapon that could eradicate an evil so great but wandered like an adventurer from place to place. During this time I hardly heard something about the Calamity, it practically didn't exist this far south, only talk of war, a war that good worst as Centralia eventually joined… this was not my war, my war was bigger. I made my way to the town of Saint Dorian; a town close to the border with the Confederation of the South, I readied myself and finally began my quest. I know it will be hard, I know it will hurt but the complete destruction of the Calamity is my duty and I will see it through.