Present
But we are not in Wales but another continent with more harsher receptions. Hell's Half Acre is not different from the Badlands of the south; a recent development of the land. The Hell's Half Acre Lava Trail crosses the desert through the rough terrain and contorted landscapes created by multiple lava flows. Instead of demons and darker creatures, we are greeted by the entourage of native dressed on mounts.
"Halt the assemble of Warrior of Light. We are the protector of this land; the Shaman Warriors. We pledged to remove the demons of these lands and even for those who traveled within the companies of the angels' warriors." The one who spoke is a tall man dressed in the native dressing and don the eagle feathers on his headgear. His associates numbered five more and they are all dressed alike except some who wear the furs or skins of other great creatures.
"None who travels with the Light of Warriors, does not bear demonic actions or causes. So we are not an adversary of yours and there is no need for us to answer to you. But if you grant us the Christian way of safe passage and food we would be most appreciated." I seek to delay the inevitable battle by means of reasoning from them. I know who they seek but we cannot offer him in this crucial moment. But I know forthright the coming answer as I see the six warriors of this land move apart to stand before us in an arc formation.
"I am afraid the Christian way does not apply to us whom you viewed as the New World. We have our ways which may be seen to be unrefined by your ways, but its the way of our father's. We begged no forgiveness for our way but we demand respect of our ways as we would of yours."The Shaman are bow dismounting from their horses and taking hold of their power wand. Its not any wand like what we seen before. Here the wand looks more like a stick withy intricate carvings on them in the images of creatures and man. "Give us him and we allowed not only safe passage but a series of hospitable of stops with food and rest."
The Shaman offers much yet he request is only a sacrifice of one demon. I looked at my friends and they all know the answer which I was to offered. I was to say my piece of words when the hand of the demon was placed on mine.
"Take care of my Lord and tell him to seek the Key to Nowhere. There the next route of my Lord's father would be revealed." Judas whispered to my ear and walked ahead of us to stand before the six Shaman warriors.
"I am here to be relieved of my demon self by your ways. Do your worse so I be sent to the Underworld swiftly. " Judas declared himself and walked forth among the six warriors.
"All of you may passed now." I told the rest to go through and they rode past Judas but everyone looked at him as they past. I was last and I see in him there is no remorse to be sacrificed for his Lord. But when I passed the six warriors ring when I have the leader of the warriors riding next to me.
"He would be treated as such of a brave warrior but I asked of you that you remove his Lord when your task is done." He looked at me in the eyes and I nodded on his request I do not why I agreed but I did. A decision I would find hard to perform when the time come. But I know one whom I may had to perform as its my task. A conflict in my objective; I doubt not so as I was to save the father and not that of the son. We rode on without Judas and on my first stop of rest, I took Ben aside to speak him alone. We were both holding our goblets of wine when we stepped outside.
"Why did you not intervene to help Judas? You could with a swing of your hand and yet you did not." I glanced at the young Lord of the demons.
"I would if I could but my powers are depleted from the last fights and in the tunnels. I spoke to Judas in my his mind to do the needed and he did exactly that. He knows my father's importance to his own and he regretted not of his decision. But I feel my powers are returning and I begged of you a short time to recover." Ben did not show any emotions as he re-count his action. I swung out my right hand at his face using the goblet as my weapon.
"Confer with me the next time before you act. Or I swear it would be you that I sent forth on the request for a demon's head." Ben took my blow and licked at the blood on his lips. He then took a drink from his unfinished drink before replying to me.
"You should had told me you are adding that into my wine as its does taste nicer with the blood."
Our ride through the lands of the Shaman was not with any incidents as arranged by the Shaman's. Soon we reached the land of the tall pine trees, and my squire takes the lead most times. I rode up to him and spoke to him.
"You may ride another path and to take the ocean route back to England. You need not relieve the memories here."
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Ten years ago
"Marcus, speak not of revenge now as the six tribes seek you to answer for the murder of Tomas. You cannot stay here any more and must be sent to another land." Marcus who was to be a squire for a great warrior., shook his head to clear the thoughts in his mind. He was rescued from the mob of creatures who all assumed their true identities to pursue the traitor now. Marcus was wounded in the fracas but he was saved by his father's trusted subjects who had taken him to safety.
"Marcus, you are no more of Mons and not of our people. You would be carried by the carriage to the far lands where the sea meet the land. There you would board the available ships to go forth where we may never seek you again." Marcus heard the words but his wounds prevent him from replying but he did nod his understanding. The trip to the coast was long and allowed him to recovered from his wounds.
He bought passage to the nearest and next to sail but he was taken aback that its only morning when the tides would carry the ship out. He hide out in the docks among the dead fishes and snoring sailors but his senses picked up a coming danger. He decided that the danger he is to face would need more than his claws. He searched the place and found what was needed; a fisherman's pike with its jagged blade. He weighed his weapon and find it fitting to combat not one but three of his kind. They scent him out and surrounded his hiding spot as they fished him out. There are three of them and they come in their savage form far from the familiar forest but they share one objective; my death for their leader Tomas.
I faced them with my human self as I do not want to fight them as one of them as that would be like killing your own kind. I held the pike in my hand and I challenged them to fight me.
"Have at me, you curs. I know all of you since small but your intent today puts you not as my friend but an enemy." They come and had me cornered which was their wrong move, as all hunters knows a wounded animal in a corner is a dangerous prey which many hunters has learned in their afterlife.
The one on my left is a young one and he is half crouched for a jump on me if I am distracted. The center one is the leader as he is older and seems to command the other two in the strategy. He is the least f my worries as he may be cautious in his moves. Now the one I am tempted to deal first is the one on my right as not only is he young but he is impatient from his agitated movements. He is feigning lunges at me to grab my attention to him, and he is what you may termed as crazy or a rabid creature. As he looked at me with his foaming mouth, I feared he has a more personal vendetta here. He is the one I took on first with my run forward and a leaping on the strength of my toes. Instead of a high slash movement, I did a side swing with my pike on the rabid creature who had jumped to join me in mid air.
My blow on the creature left side had it howling in pain as it falls to its right onto the older creature. On my descent I twisted my arms to bring the swinging pike on a downward slash that ripped into the rabid creature's left shoulder. When my pike made the slash I had twisted my body movement to the side to land facing the two fallen creatures. I was not to stop as I hit out one more time with the pike on the fallen creatures catching the elder one in the inner right thigh and severing some of the legs tendons. Both creatures are now injured and laying on the flooring as I pulled out the pike to thrust it once more into the rabid creature injured side with the jagged edge cutting in deep to the innards. Then I pulled the pike back with force and removing part of his innards with it. The rabid creature howls no more as he lies dead on the elder one.
"Keep clear, young one or suffer the same fate." I stared at the last standing creature who now saw what a bloody mess a battle can end up in, was taken aback on his earlier intentions. "Take your leader and withdraw. I shall not pursue as I am leave this land. Tell that to the Elders if they do seek me, their fate would be like the dead one."
The two surviving creatures left the docks while I am still leaning onto the pike for support. My injuries have all broken their seals to spurt out blood but I am needed on a ship soon in time. I kicked out at the carcass to the side of the port and watch it sink into the water, and then I returned the place where I have kept my spare clothes.
It was a cloaked man who board the ship to sailed for England, leaving behind a legacy he hope one day he would return to claim for his.
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Present
"No, master. The time for my return is never set before but I think now is a good time to see if its right." I looked at my squire and nodded to his request. I fear I may have need of him at my side in this tall pine forest.
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