Fan Fiction ❯ Mortal Gods ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

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

The cold breeze of the winter night cut easily through Damiel’s face. He could see his warm breath coming out in smoke. He could barely smell the pine along his way because of the heavy odor of the black steed he was on. He hugged his loose robe and gripped the reins harder. He had a bad feeling.

Seeing the other three ahead of them each engaged in a discussion he looked up to the full moon that bathed him well in light. All of the sudden, he felt a sudden burst of heat. It burned up in him. He looked around him but there was no fire. Where was the fire coming from? He opened up his robe in attempt to cool things but it became even more intense. It was too hot to bear now. He tried to shout for help but nothing came out his mouth. He tried to reach them but now his sight grew weak. It was getting blurry and dim. He soon gave up and fell from the pacing horse.

The thud took all attention from the others. They stopped and looked back but only saw the horse. The boy was gone. They all jumped down an took search for him. Rion went far back and soon saw a dark figure on the ground.

“Found him!” he echoed as he move to Damiel’s side.

Vincent raced towards them while Sagath took his time. Rion then turned the boy who was lying sideways. Then he noticed something. The boy was boiling hot. He could not even hold the boy for so long.

“He’s burned up. Literally.” Rion reported.

“Is he?” Vincent asked in a concerned tone.

“Of course not. He’s protected remember. No witch can touch him.” Sagath assured him and added; “Rion, bring him out the road there.” He pointed to a small grassland by the road.

As if heading to a command, Rion took the boy by the arms and brought him there. He knelt down and lay him slowly by the middle. Vincent arranged some firewood down and began to start a fire. As soon as it lit he went back to the boy. Sagath moved over to Damiel replacing Rion who was now deciding on what to eat.

“I suppose gruel will be on tonight’s menu?” Rion asked.

“How can you be thinking of food right now?” Vincent said in a disgusted face.

“Well, it’s nothing our old man cant handle. Right Sagath?” Rion said in assurance.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen this kind of thing before.” Sagath replied as he opened up the boy’s upper garments.

As soon as he saw the young man’s chest, he knew it now. The symbol in his chest was glowing. It was like the insignia was made of blue flame.

“This is the boy’s test.” Sagath reported.

“Inner flame? My God that’s too hard.” Vincent said shocked by Sagath’s account.

“That just means he’s strong. They wont give a test that cant be solved by him.” Rion answered while stirring up a pot of hot gruel.

“Rion’s right. But I’m curious on what’s causing this.” Sagath uttered.

Sagath noticed that his shadow was covering the sign so he moved out of the way to see it properly. Immediately after he did, Damiel unconsciously started to snarl in pain. He was in much greater pain that before. He was shaking everywhere. Then Sagath caught an idea. He rose his hand and casted a shadow over the mark. The reaction was immediate. The boy calmed down.

“You don’t mean-“ Vincent gasped seeing Sagath’s experiment.

“Yes. He’s test is moonlight.” The old man replied.

“Vincent, why are you so concerned of the boy?” Rion asked upon hearing Vinent’s reaction.

“That’s none of your business Rion.” Vincent retorted.

“Rion, set him up a tent. We must get him out of the moonlight.” Sagath ordered to cut off the two’s coming argument.

Rion, upon hearing Sagath’s order, took off to get the horses. Vincent took the spoon in the pot and started to stir it. He wanted something to take his mind off the boy.

“We shouldn’t have left Lorid immediately. Now look what’s happened.” Vincent blamed Sagath as he continued to stir the gruel.

“W ake up boy…”

“Rise my child…”

“Awaken my son!!”

Damiel woke up, shaken and damp. He looked around.

“Who was that?” Damiel thought.

That voice was somewhat, familiar to him. But for every time it sounded, a throb pops out in his head. For every beckon, a devastating attack on his very sanity. This was what caused him to wake, but now, the person who sought him, is not there. He observed where he was. He was in a tent. He sat up and found his clothes by his feet. He glanced at himself then at the tent opening. He remembered it now. The events of last night’s activity running through his head.

“What had happened to me?” Damiel asked himself.

“And that pain…” He added as he caressed the mark at his chest.

The yelling outside took his attention and begun to put on his outfit. As he slid on his chain mail, he couldn’t stop staring at the manacles that once and still restricted him. He wondered if it would ever be taken off. Out of curiosity, he once again tried to slip it off his bony wrist. He put down his right arm and placed the contraption in between his legs in hope to pry it off. After several painful moments, he gave up. He bent down in upset. Then, something caught his eye. There was something in his wrist. Covered by the cuffs. He pushed it up to try to see it by he could only see a part of it. It was another mark. Just like his but a different character was used. Surprised by the sudden discovery, he searched his left wrist. He saw another one. He took up his right leg and had some difficulty but finally found it. It was another one. And another in the other leg.

“What the hell?” He was panicked by the thought.

A growing anger filled his mind, but before anything else, someone slid in the tent.
Damiel looked up to see it was the one they call Vincent. The man was finely dressed and did not look like he was going to travel with that attire. He looked down at him and smiled. Damiel had only seen him smile twice. First at the cell and now this. He always thought it was kind of scary. But he hid that thought and decided to just return the favor. Damiel stared blankly into his face.

“My, you’ll loose a lot of time with the ladies if you do that.” The tall man chuckled.

Damiel knew what he meant and looked down to where he begun to put his boot on. He had nothing to say, like before.

“You’re quite the silent one are you, Damiel, is it?” Vincent asked trying to open something up between them.

Damiel ignored him and continued with the second boot.

“Very well, if you’re like that, then I’ll just leave.” Vincent turned around and slowly walked crept to the fold.

Damiel felt guilty. This man wanted to be friends with him and he just shook him off. He wanted to talk to him. He wanted to ask this man a lot of things. Like where they were going to and why. Why did they let him out. And many others. He felt up a deep breath and said;

“Wait.” The boy beckoned.

Vincent stopped and turned around wearing that same creepy smile in his face.

Finally, he talked.

“Yes?” Vincent said in a pleasing voice.

“What’s a ladies?” Damiel asked not knowing at all the things Vincent talks about.

Vincent’s crude smile turned into a confused face.

“What did he mean by ‘what’s a ladies’? Don’t tell me he doesn’t know what a lady is!?” Vincent asked himself.

It would be apparent that the boy only knew so little. But not to even know about women.

“Are you serious?” Vincent replied.

Damiel didn’t reply. He just stared at him with curious eyes.

“Well, do you know what a girl is?” Vincent inquired hoping to clear things out.

The kid nodded and said; “Spoiled useless untrustworthy humans with no power in battle.”

Vincent’s eyes widened. The shock of hearing that from a mere boy could not be taken easily.

“What!? Where did you get that gibberish!?” Vincent raised his voice.

“Gibberish? But it’s the truth.” Damiel retorted.

“Damiel, girls are not useless, they are trustworthy and they most certainly have power. Think of them as human beings opposite to men.” Vincent lectured trying to explain the sexes.

Damiel cant believe it. Had he been wrong? But it was different from the person who taught him.

“Where did you get that thought anyway?” Vincent asked trying to figure out who would say something like that and even teach a child that.

“I cant say.”

“Fine, just make sure never to make this sentiment out of your mouth while speaking to them.” Vincent said then added; “Very well. Breakfast is up. I’m sure you know what that is.” Vincent then exited the door.

Hearing what the man had said, his stomach begun to rumble. Damiel quickly decided to put on what’s remaining of his garment and went out to the camp.

The outside air was still much breezy to testify the time of morning it was. The moist grass beneath relieving form the sharp cut stones that lie beneath. Early morning pine smell covered most of the atmosphere much to anyone’s delight. The birds sang out most of the sound in the area being dueled by the sudden ranting of the horses. The sun gleamed clearly through the sky shining most of Damiel’s eyesight.

Out on the camp he was, and a camp it was. It was a full picturesque cliché. Complete with the tent, fire and the gruel-filled-pot. Set in a woodland area. Sagath could almost send out a chuckle. If only muster even an ounce of strength. He was too tired from the night’s dream.

Even if he tried, they still would come. Sagath always gets these dreams. Dreams that make him wake up in the middle of the night. Dreams that foretell the upcoming events. True, these dreams have saved their hides once or twice, but nothing compared to the banging headache following it. Sagath could not escape it. But even to this, he’s never told anyone.

Seeing the young man clutter through the small opening of the tent reassured most of them. He was safe now and they all knew it. The last thing they needed was a dead member. They had come all this way and wont give up to the young man’s defeat.

After all, it was his test. A test to remind and prove his purpose. A test to make sure he is ready to begin his journey. No matter how hard, how painfull, he must overcome the ordeal. Lest he will die.

Sagath’s thoughts cut off by Damiel who was now feasting on an undercooked gruel. But who would complain. This boy was barely fed. He gathered what remaining power he had and said;

“Remember to keep some for your companions, or Rion will skin you.” Sagath warned.

As soon as Damiel heard this, without stopping his heavy intake, set aside two bowlfuls.
And as if by some signal, immediately after that very bowl that was meant for Rion sounded on the ground, a giant stepped out of his place. Much wrecked looking that any of them.

The gruff man was trying to tidy himself up but failing at it. Several twigs and leaves stuck to his beard looked funny enough to make a chuckle from Vincent who had begun on his bowlful.

“How long do we have to sleep in this manner. I can never get used to rocks down my back you know.” Rion complained.

“I heard that somewhere up north, people meditate while lying on a bed of nails.” Vincent chipped.

“Not to worry Rion, just two more. Then we head to Angklar.” Sagath reassured Rion who was quite aghast by Vincent’s idea.

Rion ignored Sagath and walked up to Damiel who handed him his serving of gruel. As he took his ration, he obviously didn’t look too happy about it. He had no choice however. He had to eat. For the journey would still be hard and arduous.

Rion had often wondered why he was there. Why he had answered to the old man’s calling. Was it the grand speech he made or the offering of riches.

“It had to be riches!” Rion thought.

Sounds of horses break the silent chirping of birds. The sounds of hoof beats grew stronger. And soon riders came. They were quite the batch of men. By their looks and the outfit that bore no crest, they were mercenaries at most.

People in these areas were not entirely fearsome. Many of which preferred silent lively hood. Thus merchant cities were constructed instead of castles. It would have been useless. Who were there to defend it? That’s why the rich nobles resorted to hiring mercenaries.

“So, they’ve made us bounty.” Sagath murmured.

“Are we to fight old man?” Vincent asked like a dog waiting for his master to throw him a bone.

“Sorry Vincent, not this time.” Sagath replied.

The riders head up the way. They were only a few feet from the camp. They had stopped for some reason.

“How could they not see us?” Damiel thought as he armed himself with the nearest thing he could find. With spoon at hand he stood up, ready the brawl.

One of the riders grew closer to the camp. Not good looking was he. A small cut by the brow and several scabs make him look of war. Then, to his companion’s surprised, he sniffed around. He instantly turned around and reported to the others;

“Gruel!” he shouted.

The rest of them laughed in exuberance.

“You sure you took breakfast before we left the tavern?” asked a rider who was more fine looking. He was most neat of all too giving some impression he was the leader of the group.

“They must have come this way then. Let’s head on further.” Another one of them assumed.

They all agreed to this and soon left.

Damiel was at awe. He was practically in front of them. Why couldn’t they have seen him. Plus, why were the others not even moving a muscle while he was scared to his life in fear of having to defend himself. He glanced at the old man who was in deep concentration. Damiel noted that he was sweating heavily. Was he as scared as him?

“They’re gone now.” Vincent reported.

As soon as he heard this, Sagath opened his eyes and wiped his face.

“That curious one was a nuisance.” Sagath retorted.

“You should teach me that sometime old man.” Rion jerked.

Damiel got it now. Sagath was a sorcerer, a wizard, a spellcaster. He had made the whole camp invincible. Unseen to the mortal eye. Now he understood. He also understood about the chains in that prison. The bright light. Everything. Now that he understood and took notice of his newfound aspect at his companion, he took a much greater respect to this one they called Sagath.

“Did you make us invisible?” Damiel asked to certify his guess.

“Yes…” Sagath replied; “You’re quite smart aren’t you?”

“How did you do that?” Damiel much curious at his abilities.

Sagath didn’t answer with words. He just pointed to his head. Smirking.

Amazed by witnessing such abilities, a door opened in Damiel’s mind. The things he could do with those powers. A power of a sorcerer. Feared by many yet respected. A thought emerged from him. He could be his mentor. He could teach me his power. Yes, he should. Without anymore thoughts, he quipped out;

“Can you teach me?”

“No.” was the immediate reply of the wizard.

Damiel’s high enthusiasm was broken into a frown.

“Why not? Why wouldn’t he? Maybe because we barely know each other. Right! If I get to know him, maybe he’ll change his mind.” Damiel thought silently.

“Did you see the kid earlier?” Rion beckoned to Vincent hoping to end such boring topics.

“Were you really ready to fight with a wooden spoon?” Vincent asked in a serious tone.

“Can you even fight?” Rion added.

Damiel pondered to himself for a while and answered; “A little.”

Gags and laughs were heard from all his three new friends. Or at least he assumed them to be. They had rescued him from that dreaded prison. Why did they do that anyway? What was their cause to rescue a criminal? Who were they? He wanted to know the answers and he knew whom of the three to talk to.

Damiel, with those serious look in his eyes, turned to Sagath.

“Why?”

“About what?” Sagath asked startled by the boy’s question.

“Why rescue me. Help me. Why?” Damiel explained his question.

“You will know later on.” Sagath answered.

Sagath knew it was not yet time. He should not yet be told of the plan. The journey ahead will only scar him further. Telling him anything will make the pain seen more painful.
No, he will not tell him. And he had instructed the other two the night before not to tell the young man. In time, he will learn and soon cope with it. But for now, it is better to keep him guessing.

This journey had been planned for years and cannot be interrupted by the account of a kid. This will continue with or without him. There would be more to accompany them. When all is gathered, he will tell them. He signed with a nod to himself.

Sagath, still being given the cold stare from the boy stood up and slowly drifted towards his tent.

“Pack up, we are going soon.” Were the last words heard from the man.

Damiel heard this but paid no attention. He shifted his eyes towards the other two.
Vincent and Rion already knew this look. They were not to tell him however. Their refusal was simple enough. They made no contact with him. That is, until he called one of them.

“Vincent?” he called out in that innocent tone of his.

With no choice but to reply; “Yes?”

“There’s still this question you haven’t answered.” Damiel, who was not giving full attention to Vincent upon realizing his bowl was done.

Rion was not much help to Vincent. What was worse, he had deserted him. When Vincent looked for him, he was back at his tent.

“I will get you for this.” He quivered, then said to Damiel. “What question?” Hoping to receive another question than the one given to Sagath.

“What’s a ladies?”

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