Dark Destiny

[Crow]

Chapter one – The Heroes

Sundown and as the city started to be engulfed in the darkness of the night, the last rays died away colouring the sky. Just before disappearing, they throw a shadow on a building from a young man who sighed as he sat on the edge of a roof watching the light die away.
That young man was called Rendo, a refugee from the demon filled world of Asgoth that came to Earth over five thousand years ago. He had become a cast-out when he refused to kill an elf from the magic world Surinia. Even after all the time passed since he remembered every detail.
The poor young girl was chained up in the middle of an army of demons while their leader, Hargan, watched and laughed at her tears.
“Come Haelon! Finish her off!” Hargan shouted.
The young man, wearing a black armour that was covered in blood stepped forward. In his left hand he had a sword with a black handle and a red blade. He walked over to the elf and raised his sword. But just as he was about to strike, the young elf looked at him with teary eyes. In that brief moment something changed inside the demon and Haelon broke her chains with his sword then took the elf into his arms and ran off with an army of demons running after them. But none could match his amazing speed and, in no time, they were far enough from them to afford to stop. He set her down and she started reciting the words to a spell that created a portal to her home world. After leaving her in her homeland, he left her and never saw her again.
Five thousand years later, with a new name and a new identity, Rendo spent his nights fighting demons and defending the mortal world of men that had separated itself from the rest when it forgot about them.
One night, he had planned a raid on one of the demons’ secret bases in town. However, when he got there, he found that four other warriors who were engaging the enemy had already begun the fight. Rendo did not waste a second and joined the battle. The others noticed him but seeing as he was on their side, they did not stop their own fighting.
However, one of them, an elf assassin kept looking in his direction. She used both swift blade attacks and a few spells in her fight, which was interesting because assassins were not known to have any knowledge of magic, even if they were elves.
At the end of the battle, the five warriors gathered in the middle of the room to talk. A fairly tall, well-built man with short blond hair and green eyes, in a knight’s armour, wielding a battle-axe was the first to speak:
“It’s refreshing to see new blood!” he said looking at Rendo.
“Indeed,” a tall man in a greyish cloak with long dark hair and a wooden staff interrupted him. “Allow me to make the introductions. This brave knight is Jolan Hemora. The one with red hair and a sneaky and price-evaluating look in his eyes is Shakin Minais.”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing,” Shakin said smiling. “You must be Rendo Darkwind. The converted demon we’ve been hearing about.”
“I am,” Rendo was quick to reply slightly tilting his head. “And you are?” he asked looking at the tall man in the grey cloak.
“That’s Atilu Wes! A wizard” Shakin stepped in. “And the elf assassin with a look in her eyes that could kill is Zedana Kael.”
The elf did not say a word but just looked to him and swiftly nodded her head. After the fight it seemed that all she wanted was to get away from Rendo as soon as possible. She appeared to be in a conflict with herself on what she wanted.
The knight looked around at the many bodies of dead demons around them that had already started to turn to dust. Once they died in the human world, demons quickly turned to dust, due a spell cast by magicians in Surinia, to keep the other worlds a secret from the mortal men who had forgotten about magic.
“More and more demons escape into this world,” Jolan said. “I’m starting to have suspicions about it.”
“I agree,” Rendo said stepping on the decaying skull of a demon. “And I might know why. Something tells me that the demons of Asgoth may be trying to make Earth their new home. I intend to go before the Elder Council of Atheon and ask for their advice in the matter.”
“We shall accompany you, if you will allow us,” the wizard said.
“We sure will!” Jolan stated. “This concerns all of us!”
Shakin smiled as he looked at their enthusiastic faces. Almost as if there was more going on in his mind than just how much he could get for the demons’ weapons and armours and said: “Yeah, why not? I might get some profit out of this.”
“I’ll come too,” Zedana said in a low voice.
Rendo made a portal to the land of Surinia and the five warriors left to see the Elder Council. On the way, Rendo and Zedana kept sneaking a peek at each other. The converted demon felt something strangely familiar about her but he had too much on his mind to try to talk to her.

[Nagato]

deci tu erai! am urmarit povestea asta cand inca mai era darkanime, mi se parea ciudat ca prea imi pare cunoscut!
chiar mi-a placut, si mi-a parut rau cand s-a inchis forumul ca eram curioasa cum se continua, asa ca pune mai repede si celelalte capitole:)

[Crow]

Chapter two – The secret

After they went through the portal, they walked almost all day long until they finally saw an immense white palace in the distance. Everyone in the Shelter of Light gave them a warm welcome and took them immediately to the Elder Council where Rendo told them what had happened.
The council members talked amongst themselves and then finally told them what the real threat really was. The demons of Asgoth were trying to destroy the dimensional walls that separated the four realms and create a single world where chaos will dominate. For that, they needed five long forgotten artefacts, a soul between light and darkness, innocent blood and a bleeding heart.
After the meeting with the council, the five warriors were shown to their rooms and allowed to rest. Rendo, however, could not sleep so he walked around the castle until he stopped at a balcony to look at the stars.
Kadar Thorn, one of the generals of Atheon saw him walking around and followed him. Once he found the warrior he walked up to him and said: “Long time no see, old friend.”
“I’ve been busy,” Rendo replied on a cold tone.
“I should think so,” Kadar said sitting on the ledge of the balcony. “Fifty million demons sent back to their world, that would definitely keep you busy.”
A silence followed as if the two were both avoiding a subject they knew would eventually come up in that conversation. Rendo looked at the stars above, pretending to ignore his companion while the general looked at him with both compassion and regret in his eyes.
“Have you seen her?” Kadar finally spoke.
“You know I haven’t seen her since then. Now if you don’t mind, I need to rest.”
After that Rendo left the balcony in a hurry and went up to his room without even looking at the people he passed by. He looked disturbed by the recent events and preferred to spend the rest of the night alone.
As the converted demon walked away, the general said to himself: ‘You haven’t slept in about five millennia.’ Then started walking towards his room. As he passed by the indoor gardens he saw Zedana, sitting alone on a bench next to the rose bushes. He walked over to her and spoke to her with a gentle voice: “He doesn’t know who you are.”
“And he’s not going to find out either,” she replied with a threatening look in her eyes.
“Why not? What do you want from him?”
“Want from him? I owe him, more than he will ever know. And I intend to pay him back for everything he has done for me.”
“That’s why you turned into this warrior?” he asked pointing at her blades. “That’s why you studied both the arts of combat and of wizardry for almost five millenniums?”
Zedana looked at him with a fierce look in her eyes and said: “This is the path I’ve been given.”
Seeing as there was no reasoning with her, Kadar stood up and walked to the door but stopped just before leaving and said: “Are you going to tell him?”
“I don’t know,” she sighed.
“It is your decision but he will figure it out sooner or later. Get some rest, Morwen, elf princess of Surinia, tomorrow will be a big day.”

ma bucur sa vad ca inca mai am fani (cel putin unul)

[andemon]

pune mah mai mult...k parca pana aici citisem si eu...
e faina povestea si te face curios..damn you crow!

[Crow]

oh yah, i remember you used to like it, reading it again?

Chapter three – The mission. The Alliance.

The next day, Rendo and the others woke up early to see what the Elder Council had decided had to be done. Once they entered the large, round room, the twenty elders stopped talking and looked at them. They were sitting at a long table and in the middle, an old man with a long white beard and a concerned look on his face spoke to them:
“Our decision is to send someone to investigate what is going on. The first place to go will be the Temple of the Eye and ask the Seers what they can see in their premonitions. We also need someone who can fight any weapon Asgoth has.
Rendo stepped forward and spoke without a moment’s hesitation: “I will go.”
A deafening silence followed his statement. The elders were surprised by his decision, although they were aware of his reputation. The High Elder smiled at him and said:
“We cannot ask this of you after all that you have done for us.”
“It is my duty and I will gladly do it,” the warrior replied.
“Then we will send General Kadar along with you,” one of the Elders stated.
Zedana quickly took a step forward and said with a louder voice than she had exhibited before: “I will go as well.”
Jolan followed her and so did Atilu. Both seemed equally enthusiastic to go on such a perilous trip and neither one showed the slightest hint of doubt in their convictions.
“It will be an honour to embark on such a noble crusade,” the wizard said, holding his staff firmly in his right hand.
Jolan pulled out his axe and lifted it as high as his hand could reach as he almost shouted: “I’ve been trained to fight the darkness everywhere and anywhere it spawns, count me in!”
Shakin watched them with an amused look on his face but if anyone examined his eyes more carefully, they could have seen that there was more to the rogue than met the eye.
“All right!” he said. “I’ll go too, who knows, those artefacts may be worth something… after you’re done with them, of course.”
The Elders bid them farewell and they immediately left for the Shelter of Light and headed towards the Temple of the Eye. But at only a few miles away from the temple, the six companions saw smoke coming from the direction they were headed and ran towards it. They found the temple swarmed by the small demonic creatures called imps.
After killing a few hundred of those small monsters they entered the temple where they found a demon holding a young woman in a white blood covered robe, prisoner. The demon stood six feet tall, had black skin, yellow eyes and two small horns on its forehead. Rendo frowned and grabbed his sword then shouted at the creature:
“Let her go, Garsk!”
The creature turned to them looking confused that someone knew its name.
“You know that… thing?” Shakin asked nervously.
“Yes, its one of the Dark One’s generals and a low one at that.”
“You have the upper hand,” the creature spoke. “You know me but I don’t know you.”
“It’s enough for you to know that I’m your end,” Rendo said pulling out his sword.
The monster was infuriated by his challenger’s boldness so he pushed his captive aside and charged him. Rendo needed only to deliver one blow with his sword to bring down the beast that with its last breath said: “Whoever you are, you won’t be able to stop him.”
“The Dark One has been defeated before seven thousand years ago, what makes you think it won’t be the same this time?”
“I was not talking about the Dark One,” the monster said and with a final twitch, died.
After they made sure it was dead, the young woman stood and walked over to her champion.
“I thank you, noble warrior, for saving me.”
“Are you injured?” Rendo asked looking at the blood on her robe.
“No, this is not my blood.”
“Who are you?” Atilu asked.
“I am Mila, the priestess of this temple.”
“And where are the Seers?” the wizard continued.
“They managed to escape just when the fighting began, I can show you where they went.”
After making sure there were no other demons around and burying the corpses of the ones the demons had killed, the six warriors followed the young woman.

[Crow]

Chapter four – The Trap

On the way to the Seers hideout, Rendo and the others had to travel through the Gobble swamp. It was called that because of the many quicksand pits found in it. However, because night had set in, Rendo thought it would be best if they set up camp.
“Let’s set up camp and we’ll cross the swamp in the morning. Jolan, go make sure we haven’t been followed.”
“Right away!” the knight said and ran back down the path.
“Shakin! You said you know the swamp, right?” Rendo asked sitting down next to a tree.
“Like the back of my hand!” Shakin replied boasting.
“Good! Then you can go on ahead and find the fastest route through it.”
Before Shakin could take a single step, Jolan ran back and shouting: “An army of Alks is headed straight for us!”
The Alks were creatures from Asgoth that stood eight feet tall and weighed several tones each. They fought with large axes or hammers as large as a grown man.
“How many are they and how close?” Rendo asked jumping to his feet.
“At least a hundred… and they have dozens of hell-hounds with them!” Jolan said catching his breath.
“Accursed beasts! We can’t fight them here and take care of Mila!” Rendo stated. “Atilu, a barrier and a smoke cloud!”
“I can make smoke quickly but the barrier will not be too strong,” the wizard said and started to chant the words to make a quick barrier.
“Do what you can, everyone else, we’re going in!”
They all ran inside the swamp led by Shakin and followed by Atilu after a couple of minutes. After walking for a few hundred miles, Shakin suddenly stopped. He had a worried look on his face as he said: “Wait a sec.”
“What now?” Jolan asked.
“Listen! They’re still following us.”
“So what?” the knight asked confused because he did not understand why that was important seeing as it was obvious they would not have given up so easily.
The forest was pitch-black but Rendo used his demon eyes to see through it and saw that the demons really were behind them, advancing slowly but surely.
“All demons are afraid of this swamp, especially Alks. Something is very wrong here,” Rendo said grabbing his sword.
“And another thing, the ground here is solid. It should be so soft you would sink in it up to your ankles,” Shakin stated.
Suddenly, a sound of flapping wings and laughter was heard above their heads in the thick foliage that blocked out the sky. Rendo needed only a few seconds to see with his eyes what was making the sound.
“Run! We’re surrounded by death-harpies!” he shouted.
Death-harpies were Asgothian demons that only fed on pure flesh and only could survive in their homeland for a short time. If they could not manage to hide in the caves and forests of Surinia or Atheon they would not reach maturity.
They ran off as fast as they could but soon had to stop because Alks that had come through the other side cut off their escape. It had been a carefully placed trap and they had fallen in it. But Rendo was not about to give up. With a determined tone in his voice, Rendo started commanding the others:
“Atilu, a nine foot barrier around you. Jolan, Shakin, Zedana and Kadar, after the barrier falls I want you to defend Mila at all costs.”
“But what are you going to do?” Zedana said on a frightened tone.
Just then, Rendo grabbed his sword and mace and charged the Alks. Zedana tried to go after him, shouting: “You can’t fight them all alone.”
But Rendo pushed her back using her magic: “Stay back! That’s an order!”
Atilu’s barrier closed and Rendo was left all alone to face the army of demons.

[andemon]

pfua...de knd nu am mai dat pe aici...desi parca pana aici citisem deja....xcum, keep the story alive!

[Crow]

Chapter five - New secrets

Rendo jumped into battle without hesitation determined to keep the enemy as far away from the others for as long as possible. He was hitting and slashing left and right and the monsters were falling dead after only two or three blows from Rendo’s weapons. He also used lightning bolts, fireballs and other spell to take down as many as he could. But eventually, exhaustion set in and he fell to the ground form a blow received from one of the Alks, and then another one knocked his weapons out of his hands. He was immediately surrounded by hell-hounds that attacked him mercilessly and after a total of thirty blows received, he fell to the ground, half-dead.
Just as the demons were going to deliver the final blow, Atilu lowered the barrier and threw an energy ball that made them step back and then the others rushed to defend their captain. When the fight was over everyone was tired, especially Zedana, who had fought the hardest. Mila and Atilu went to check up on Rendo to see what they could do.
Zedana walked slowly towards them with a worried look on her face. She was afraid they would give her bad news.
“Well? What are you waiting for?” she asked with teary eyes. “He defended you, now heal him, do something!”
With a sad look on his face, Atilu turned to her and said: “I have little experience with that kind of spells. I would do more harm if I tried anything!”
“I don’t know what I could do for him either,” Mila said looking at the wounded body. “To heal someone, I have to give them my life-force…”
“So what’s the problem?” Zedana interrupted.
“I’ve only healed mortals so far who had a much smaller life-force than me. He has as much compared to me as I have compared to a mortal man. But I will do my best.”
Mila put her hands on Rendo’s chest and started reciting a chant. Her hands started glowing and she stayed like that for a few minutes until she collapsed and almost fainted.
“I can’t do more than this unless I tell you where you have to go and then give him whatever energy I have left.”
“No!” Zedana said looking away. “He risked his life for you, I won’t let you do the same.”
Atilu helped Mila stand up and seeing that no one else was going to take charge, decided to take up the role of temporary captain.
“Kadar, Jolan, make a stretcher so we can carry him with. Shakin, Zedana, go up ahead and see if the road is clear.”
After the stretcher was ready, they sat him down gently and covered him with a blanket and then left the swamp, led by Mila and Shakin. They all had concerned looks on their faces because they worried about their leader’s fate.
On the way, Zedana remained in the rear with Jolan.
“Did you notice that during the fight,” Zedana began. “Shakin just sat next to Mila and none of the monsters ever came close to him? It was almost as if they avoided him.”
“Really? I never noticed,” the knight said smiling. “Maybe he’s just lucky.”
Zedana remained silent after that but kept a suspicious eye on the rogue the whole way. Kadar also had a suspicious look on his face as he looked at them. ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to do what the council ordered me to do,” he said to himself. ‘I won’t be able to do it without having to kill one of them.’
After a while, Atilu remained back with Zedana to talk to her.
“You and Rendo seem close.”
“Why do you say that? We’ve only met!” she replied defensively.
“It’s just that you seem close in the way you keep looking at each other. I feel a connection between you two,” the wizard insisted.
“We… have a past but it’s a long and sad story.”
Zedana lowered her head, remembering all the things she and her champion had gone through the past five millenniums. Atilu quickened his pace, realising she needed time to be alone and decided to talk to Shakin, who seemed to be troubled by something.
Sensing him close, the rogue said: “Atilu, I thought that only a few in the world were chosen to receive the power to heal and that even fewer were still alive.”
“You’re right! The gift to heal is transmitted from generation to generation but many who had it had died before they could pass it on to the next generation.”
“Then how is the priestess able to heal?” Shakin asked confused. “She doesn’t seem to be too good at it either.”
“A good question but we have no time for it now,” the wizard said, seeing that Mila had stopped in front of a cliff.
“We’re here!” she stated.
“We’re where? This is a mountain!” Shakin said on a distrusting tone.
The priestess walked to the stone wall and as she put her hand on it, a door-like shape started glowing and then opened.

[Nagato]

aaaa ink stiu povestea, mai pune, mai pune
scuze ca raspund asa tarziu, lipsa de timp lately

[Crow]

Chapter six – The Dream, The Mission

Once at the Seers hiding place, they waited for five days for Rendo to recover. But one night he woke up screaming and sweating. Everyone woke up frightened and ran to his room to see what was wrong but he told them to leave, saying it had only been a nightmare.
The following morning, he asked to talk to the Seers by himself. They openly agreed to see him in a private chamber, where they all sat down at a table, and asked:
“You asked to see us, what do you wish?” one of them asked.
“I had a terrible dream,” Rendo began. “I saw myself and all the others in it. Zedana, Mila, Jolan, everyone was dead and I was standing over their dead bodies laughing.” He seemed to get more and more nervous with each word he muttered. “What did I see? Was it a vision of the future? Is there anything I could do to prevent it?”
The Seers started whispering to one another, looking at the warrior from time to time.
“Answer me!” Rendo shouted, hitting the table with his fist.
“We cannot be sure,” one of the Seers finally said.
“The future is what we make of it,” said another.
“I sense you will have to make great decisions in the future. Be careful of what you choose,” the Grand Seer said.
Rendo went back to his room to think and refused to see anyone. He was not at all pleased with what the Seers had told him and their words also worried him.
Zedana and Jolan were worried about him but not as much as they were about Shakin being a possible traitor so they decided they should speak to him. After they had said all they had on their minds, the rogue frowned and said:
“So what are you saying? That I’m a traitor?”
“We’re not saying anything,” Jolan replied. “But you have to admit it’s strange.”
Zedana had been watching him with a suspicious look on her face but finally said what she had been thinking about ever since the fight: “None of them even approached you! No one is that lucky!”
“I’m not a traitor!” Shakin shouted. “And I don’t have to listen to either of you!”
The rogue walked away, leaving the two still suspicious and Kadar as well, who had been hiding in the shadows and now had a suspicious and sad look on his face.
After the Seers had had time to discuss among themselves, they called the five warriors to them and the Grand Seer spoke to them: “We have had no clear vision because of a power greater than ours has been blocking our powers. All we know is that the first weapon is somewhere in the Razor Mountains, north of here. You should begin there.”
“Alright! Let’s go!” Rendo said putting on his cloak. “Mila will stay here, right?”
“But I want to help,” the priestess said with a look in her eyes that begged him to let her accompany them.
“It’s too dangerous to have you with us,” Rendo replied, unimpressed by her sad look.
“I don’t care! It’s my duty as priestess!”
Unable to talk her out of it, they agreed to let her go along and took one of the priests there, for extra protection. On the way, everyone seemed to be preoccupied by something.
Rendo could not forget what the Grand Elder had said: “Be careful what you choose.”
The order given to him by the Elders kept repeating itself in Kadar’s mind: “There will be a traitor among them, eliminate him!”
Shakin kept repeating the same words in his mind, over and over again: “I will prove I’m not a traitor!”
Jolan kept clenching the handle of his axe tighter and tighter as he repeated to himself: “I must be strong! I must fight the darkness!”
Atilu kept looking left and right with a confused look on his face, thinking: “There’s a dark aura among us but who could it be?”
Mila clenched her hands around the medallion in her hand hoping she had not made a mistake: “I have to help them, I have to!”
And Zedana seemed to have the saddest look of them all as she looked at Rendo with the corner of her eye: “I want to tell you who I am, my love. But will you like me the way I am now?”
Only the priest seemed to be able to keep a clear and calm mind and smiled joyfully.

[sungoddess]

  foarte interesant..ma face curioasa...wanna read more of it..so..keep going..

[Crow]

Chapter seven – A New Enemy: part one - The Suspicion

On the way, they stopped at the foot of the mountains to get supplies and rest. Seizing the occasion, Shakin and Jolan suggested they went to an inn to… relax and have a drink. Rendo reluctantly agreed: “As long as we don’t stay long. We rest for the night and leave first thing in the morning.”
“Don’t worry!” Shakin said smiling. “It won’t kill us to party a little!”
But once inside, Shakin, Jolan, Mila and the priest seemed to be the only ones enjoying themselves. Rendo kept looking out the window at the mountains, sensing a small demonic presence. Zedana was tending to her weapons; Atilu was meditating in a room upstairs while Kadar looked at everyone at the bar with a suspicious look in his eyes.
As the clock reached midnight, Rendo decided it had been enough fun for one night and everyone went upstairs. He had barely sat down on the bed when Rendo felt a powerful demonic aura approaching them at an alarming speed.
He grabbed his sword and ran out of his room, followed by Atilu and Zedana, who had also sensed the danger.
“Where’s it coming from?” Rendo shouted running out of the inn.
“I think it’s coming from the same direction we came here from,” the elf replied. “Atilu, can’t you use your powers to see anything?”
“I’m afraid not. Something keeps blocking my powers.”
“Zedana, wake the others and head for the mountains! Atilu and I will hold whatever it is back!”
The two warriors ran of on the path that had brought them there hoping they would find the danger before it reached the village but as they got closer, the former demon general realised what it was that had come after them.
“I knew it!” Rendo stated when he got to a small group of creatures wearing large black robes. “Well it seems we’ve attracted some attention if they sent the Executioners after us!
“You know these heinous creatures?” the wizard asked preparing his staff in case a fight broke out.
“I do. They’re a group of assassins from Asgoth. But how come you don’t have a master? Assassins like you are no smarter than a bunch of hell-hounds. Where’s you master?”
One of them, a shorter one, stepped forward and took of his hood.
“I’m right here! But I am surprised that you should know so much about us when we are so secretive,” the master of the Executioners said.
Rendo pulled out his sword and was ready to fight while Atilu looked at him with a weary look in his eyes after he heard what the demon said.
“If you know them, then you know me as well,” the leader of the assassins continued.
“How could I not? You’re Chula! The trainer and owner of these brainless walking corpses!” Rendo replied with a trace of repugnance towards them.
“To be honest, you look familiar as well. But what does it matter? I will keep your head after you’re dead. Executioners, kill them!”
The others took off their robes, revealing purple skin covering robust arms and legs. They each had small blades in their hands with which they attacked Rendo…

To be continued…

[andemon]

fi-ti-ar TBC-ul sa iti fie!
baga restu!

[Crow]

 

Chapter eight – A new enemy part two The Truth

The seven assassins charged Rendo and Atilu but they were more than ready to face them. Rendo took on five of them, using his elfish blades, to be able to attack faster than with his sword and mace while Atilu proved more than capable to fight with only his staff against them, without having to resort to spells.
“Atilu! Watch their master, he can do more than just control these mindless drones!” Rendo shouted remembering that Chula was also a spellcaster.
Chula looked at them and seeing that his assassins were having a hard time against the two warriors started reciting a chant. After the assassins were down, Rendo and Atilu only had time to look at their master because he had finish reciting the spell:
“Spirit Cage!”
Suddenly, a cage of blue light appeared out of thin air and trapped the two warriors.
“The Spirit cage will keep you two busy until I decide what to do with you,” Chula said smiling.
“You honestly believe you can keep us from killing you with this?” Rendo asked with a confident smirk on his face. “Atilu, can you break the spell?”
“Yes, but I need time,” the wizard replied and sat down on the ground.
“I’ll do the best I can.”
Rendo seemed to have a plan on how to buy time by the almost arrogant look on his face.
“Tell me!” the warrior began. “How did one of the Dark One’s top commanders get to be flunkey sent on investigations?
“Whoever said I had been degraded? In fact, I’ve been promoted! And if I get rid of you and the others, I’ll be richly rewarded,” the demon said rubbing his hands together.
“A, I see. I take it you want access to the Book of Shadows.”
Chula was stunned to see how much his opponent knew about him. He searched his memories to try to remember where he knew him from while thinking: ‘How could he know about the book?’ but started smiling when he figured out how to find the truth about his foe and started reciting a truth spell.
Recognising the words, Rendo turned to Atilu and said: “Tell me you’re done with braking this spell.”
“Not yet,” the wizard answered without opening his eyes.
Rendo was getting anxious as he looked at either the wizard or the demon, hoping he would not have to reveal his identity. Suddenly, Chula looked at him and said: “Disclosure! Now you can’t lie to me so tell me who you are!”
Just then, Atilu managed to break the cage of light around them and Rendo charged the demon. A few feet away, he jumped in the air and yelled:
“You want to know who I am? Take this knowledge to the grave: I am Healon Deathslash!”
But before his sword could cut through the demon, he disappeared and Rendo landed on the ground with an angry look on his face. He put his sword and stood with his back to the wizard, fearing his reaction but Atilu stood up and said:
“Haelon Deathslash? I’ve heard of him. He used to be one of the Dark One’s generals and one of his cruellest demons.”
As the wizard walked closer and closer, Rendo said nothing and stood still, thinking he would be attacked but if that were to happen, he would not fight back. However, Atilu put his hand on his shoulder and said smiling:
“I would be afraid to travel with Haelon because I would not be able to trust him. But I’m travelling with Rendo and I trust him.”
Atilu had such a calm face and such a comforting tone that Rendo calmed down and smiled back. The wizard had been able to see into his heart where he saw nothing that would bring him or the others any harm.
“Come, my demonic friend, let’s join the others.”

[Crow]

Chapter nine – The Frozen Axe of Banishment

The journey through the mountains was hard and they did not have any sort of animals with them to carry the supplies, which made the walk exhausting. A terrible storm was raging from the top of the highest peak but Rendo and the others did not feel the cold thanks to the thick furs they wore from an animal that lived in those mountains.
After a while, Shakin shouted: “How much longer to the top?”
Jolan stopped and looked up and answered: “You don’t want to know.”
Seeing Mila shaking harder and harder and walking slower and slower, Zedana walked up to Rendo and said: “We need to rest!”
“Very well, I saw a cave not much farther, we can spend the night there,” he replied.
Once at the cave, they gathered weeds and roots sticking out of the walls and made a fire. Everyone was quick to fall asleep except for Rendo. After a few hours, Kadar woke up because he was having a nightmare. Seeing his friend awake he decided to see what was bothering him.
“What’s on your mind?”
“Atilu and that damn demon found out who I am.”
“And you’re afraid he’ll tell the others?” the general asked siting down next to him.
“Atilu won’t say anything, he trusts me. But that Chula will tell his superiors about me and more and more demons will come after us,” the warrior said, his tone very sad.
“We’ll be able to handle them!” Kadar said confidently.
“Will we? I certainly hope so.”
By morning, the storm had stopped and they continued their journey to the Crystal Castle. Once there, they found that the doors were closed but not locked. Inside they found the dead bodies of the guards. They realised that the demons had already been there and the storm from last night was the power of the artefact, defending itself. In the great hall, the entire army of demons had been frozen by the axe that would not let them wield it.
Shakin looked at the horrific scene and said with a nervous voice: “If they were frozen by the axe, how are we supposed to get it?”
Rendo walked up to the axe, took a good look at it and said: “The legend says that only a true warrior with a noble spirit and a pure heart will be allowed to use its power. Why don’t you try, Jolan?
The knight looked at him, half confused, half afraid and said: “Me? You must be joking!”
“You are a knight of the old code and you’ve always fought for justice. I know the axe will feel the same way as I do,” Rendo said walking up to him.
Still a bit frightened but with more confidence, Jolan walked slowly towards the axe, grabbed it by the handle and pulled it out, with his eyes closed. After giving a sigh of relief, he replaced his new weapon with the artefact and then turned smiling to the others and asked: “Where to now?”
“The Forest of Silence,” Mila replied on a joyful tone.
“Then onwards my comrades!” Jolan yelled with a voice full of joy and pride.
On the way back down the mountain, the priest kept looking at the axe and had a strange look of content on his face.