Arbore Blasthaven - Fate of Two Hearts

Note: This is a sketch for my upcoming novel and not a story, if I get good feedback I will invest the $ per month and actually publish chapters for the story up... So while reading the synopsis, please listen to this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG7m1L6vSoU, it goes well with it! But refrain from listening when reading excerpts.]

Long ago, in a world far, far away, there were two kingdoms that sued for peace, and culminated their goodwill for the new era of peace with a marriage, between Prince Ferdand and Princess Roxanna. These two worked hard together, to bring unity to the kingdoms, in order that it may be reborn as one Nation. One year, when they finally became king and queen, they had a son, whom they named Arbore. For like a tree that spreads its limbs in all directions, striving to reach toward the warmth and light of the sun, so too did they hope, that their son would be the salvation and solution, for peace and prosperity to rule the land.

The royal astrologer predicted so, "Such are the deeds of your son, that he will blast through every obstacle set before him. Undeniably, he will be the safehaven to all who are in distress. He is a true champion of righteousness! May the One True Lord Watch over your child!" And so this is how he acquired the reputation as Blasthaven...

Unfortunately, Marooshja, brother of Queen Roxanna was a vile contemptible fellow. He sought to drive a wedge in the fragile peace, and usher in yet another age of strife and wars. In the dead of night, after the horoscope was cast, the vile man crept into the nursery, seeking to smother the boy in boiling oil! He was intervened from the deed, when the nephew of King Ferdand came forth from down the hallway, the young knight had ill sleep that night, and thus choose to roam the corridors.

A battle ensued! The young knight was slain trying to save the baby, and the child was flung outside the castle walls. The evil uncle of Arbore was not satisfied with this deed however, while the King and Queen were out searching for news of their lost son, assuming he was taken for ransom, the evil Marooshja plotted to usurp the throne. When they returned, the coup takes place and they are imprisoned.

So whatever happened to Arbore Blasthaven? What became of the two kingdoms? What happened to the evil uncle Marooshja?

That my friends is the story I will tell you, but for another time. Till then let this brief prologue enchant and entice you to listen further to my humble tale!



Canto II Excerpt of a Melody:

"After all these years, how could you not notice? how could you not understand? Call me not your sister nor your friend! These cruels words from your ice cold heart throw me into the bowels of hell and cause me great pains! Foolish Shev [Arbore] call me your beloved!"

"I... I don't know what to say," the forlorn Shev, " For how long had you this feeling?"

"I don't know how, but I have always loved you dearly, more than any man including my father. As we grew up together I noticed that no man, had more strength than thee. I talk not of strength in arms, or strength of your body. But you had a strength of heart that surpassed all men of these parts. And for that I did admire you."

"I don't understand Phyloestazia, what is so special about myself?"

"I cannot say what it really is. It is something that comes from deep within you. Like a lantern that refuses to be blown out by the wind on a night of strong gale. But I know that if I were in your arms nothing would be able to harm me. I feel that even if Hells gates were unhinged, even then I would be safe with you."

"What nonsense is this? I am only trash! I am one who owes your father his life and his service. Your father rescued me from a den of thieves. If it were not for he, I would be a thief, a rogue, perhaps even a murderer. I would have been a criminal! For all I know I may be from a long line of thieves. Can you really love a man that would steal from you, be savage to you, be cruel to you? By my low birth I could never be a man fit to marry, especially to be the man that protects you. I am unworthy of your love!"

"You speak like this because your heart is weak. You do not know your own strength."

"I do not know myself! I do not know my past! I do not know my father, my mother! I do not know what I am! I am a creature doomed to live in the shadows forever shackled to darkness. A man who knows not his birth, is a man who is good as dead!"

" If that were true than why do you hunt down criminals? Why do you seek to bring justice?"

"I am a bounty hunter by trade, sister that is what we do to eat and to live. That is all a man like me can do, is eat and live."

"Again you say that cruel word! Listen, man can forge their own fates, you are a man aren't you? Why is it so hard for men to accept the gifts that God bestow them? Why do men falter? It is because they forget their responsibilities. You owe it to yourself to make amends with whatever past you may have. A man can start his own destiny by his own actions!"

"I hold no love for myself. I am just street scum. I am nothing, nothing like you imagine me to be!"

"If not for yourself, then for those who love you, please! Be joyous and live your life as God ordained. Do not punish yourself so... I see now that you are not ready to talk about what will become of our future... You have defeated yourself with your own power, collapsed within yourself. As you are, you are of no use to anyone and as you said you are as good as dead!

I will pray that you become a whole man, one that knows himself and his worth. Till that day, I will not recognize you as the man I love! If you truly love me, even if only as a sister, then prove it and drag yourself out of the mud and cease your wallowing in dejected self-pity! Until then, you and I have nothing further to say to one another!"

Shev was crushed by a mountain. He tried to speak out but tears were streaming down, drowning him in a well of sorrow. Tossing the tools of his trade aside, he fell to the ground wallowing in a puddle of self-pity...

Canto III Righteous Power of Blasthaven:

""And the villain wheeled around quickly to discern the source of the bright light. Then he saw to his horror an awesome sight... Rising from the bowels of the earth where his righteous foe once lay, supposedly dead, was a blazing star, rising up with great haste, aiming full force towards the Heavens! The fiery luminescence was unmercifully scorching! And as best as he could, the villain tried to flee from the scorching heat, the great sphere seemed to follow in hot pursuit...There it was! There at the center! He saw a burning tree streaking sparks of molten copper as it sped towards him awaiting to devour him whole! There was Arbore the Blasthaven!""

Canto III- mysterious voice:

""It was then that I heard a soothing voice, its warm and majestic accent wrapping around me consoling and yet empowering me all at once, “ Calm thyself Arbore, son of Ferdand and Roxanna. Thy foe is no one greater and no one lesser than thyself. Indeed, thy foe is thyself. Ye hath the seed of doubt in thy heart, and thine reservoir of resolve was too little, too small to drown it. Hence, ye now find thyself in great perils. Stand now and summon all courage and face the greatest demon of all, the seed of doubt that grasps the hearts of even the bravest men!”

I looked about me to see who had that melodious and powerful voice. So eager was I that I stood transfixed. Despite my many weeping wounds, the crying pain of my broken body, the snapping roots of trees all around me, the grasses torn asunder about me, I cared not for all these things! I only thought of that rich and glorious voice! I called out to it so that I could hear it speak once again,

“Who is there? Stranger or not, your voice is well met and welcomed! I take you are one with great spiritual prowess, as you seem to know as much as my Master.”

“I am thy closest friend, thy brother, and thy father.” Responded the Great Voice.

I was unsatisfied at the answer and so asked in a quivering voice, “Again who are you?”

“I am thy strength in time of peril.” Again replied the Great Voice.

Still unsatisfied I pressed on, “Again, who are you?”

As if to eliminate and smash all doubts, the melodious voice spoke imperatively, “I am the one that gave thee life and vigor! I am the one ye called out to when ye was blind and lost in the dark! I am the one that absolves all evil! Know me as benefactor of the innocent!”

No! …No, it couldn’t be… could it? I asked whilst shaking all over, “Lord? Is it you? Is it you Holy Father! …Where are you?”

There was no answer for a moment, but during that moment my heart raced madly for I was experiencing great joy! My body felt simultaneously cold and hot. I felt euphoria and comfort. And my hair stood on end!""


Reunion scene from Canto IV Destiny Awakened:

"How dare you leave your poor Phyloestazia back home, while you are running about the world gallivanting, saving this people and that! Why did you go without me, my beloved Arbore?" she wept bitterly and ran into the arms of the astonished champion of the Sanctuary Guard, and when composed once more she said, "Love me, love me! Oh tell me that love me? Forever in this embrace, never depart from my vision, never from my touch, never from my heart! Forever, forever, forever, oh say that you will hold on forever!"

Regaining his composure from the shock Arbore tried to hide his great joy which took the form of a great torrent of flooding tears welling up before his eyes as he spoke, "M'lady, it seems that whatever I do, wherever I go, you will always track me down and never let me go. Just why have you come here?"

"Why? Has there never been a clearer answer to that question! It is because you are dear to me, I will never know how to live even another day if it’s not a day shared with you. At first, when you left me, I thought you were an idiot and I thought I could give up on you and find for myself someone that would treat me right, never giving me pains and anxieties, but at the very next moment I found myself on my knees, distressed pangs of grief wrenching my heart, breaking it to pieces! I then realized that mine heart was pining after you, lost and grief stricken from separation from you, and so to cure my ailing heart I went out, journeying across many lands to find you. I need your love to live, like food and water I will die without it; there is no one else that could ease this agony for me. And so following this heart of mine I came here, my heart slowly easing in its pain the closer I drew to you. I have searched for you many long months, so please... do not forsake me again!"

Even more joy welled onto his eyes, thus he then turned around trying to maintain his demeanor of a cool and calculating tactician, " Why did you really come here? For this trivial matter? Foolish lassy, you know not what you have done, you have undone all my efforts. I did this so that you would no longer be troubled by the dangers nor burdened by the herculean tasks set before me. You should go back to old man Arunozov, unlike myself, he can take care of you, tend to your needs, and make sure that no harm befall you. For me, the straight and solitary path is appropriate, if I carelessly involved myself to care for someone dearly they will be in danger and then my mind would be detracted from my duty, my mission. Therefore, I cannot return your affections. Leave me, leave me...please!"

"Leave you! Leave you? Leave you...," Phyloestazia asked bewilderedly, "Can a fish leave water, can a bird leave the sky? Nay! If they do, they will surely die without living in the place they belong. My place is with you, wherever you go, I will go. I cannot think of a happier place, I would even forsake my own father and mother, my kinsmen, my clan, my people, even my own motherland... to be with you. Remember the oath I gave you that day when you so eager in mind yet so youthfully raw in experience, stepped boldly into the wide world, boldly facing your first adventure, 'Always dearest, always will I be with you. Remember me in your travels, for my thoughts will reach you, and your thoughts will reach mine.' Do you remember this vow, my heart?"

"I cannot say that I do not...", no longer could he restrain himself and so he turned around revealing his weeping joy, "Do you see, my dear Phyloestazia, the moment I saw you I could barely hold back these tears. Damn these impudent tears! Despite all I do to try restraining them, despite my own desire, they want to meet you, even at the cost at rebellion against my will. And so to greet you and welcome you, after a very long separation, they pour out my eyes and afflict me with stinging words, these tears speak to me saying, ' Foolish, foolish Arbore! How could you forsake your truest joy? Knowing full well that she was the reason you fought, that she was the reason you are still alive, that she was the reason you are not the servant of hell, that she is your greatest strength! So why did you deny yourself, cut yourself to pieces? ...Over concern of losing her? Nay! It was because you feared to feel any joy, any happiness, for if you did, that icy heart of yours would melt away revealing yourself to be truly weak and venerable. Sad man, make amends now! For it was only she that stood by you on your darkest hour whilst all others abandoned you, it was only she believing fully in your strength! After all we said, if you do not willingly comply, then we will drag your fame in the dust, revealing to the world that the Lord's "great servant" is nothing more than a crying infant, and we will continue to torment you so until you muster the courage to say to her your true feelings.' Yay, it is these words my tears speak to me. And so now...," he took off his cloak, put down his sword in scabbard, and kneeled,"...and so now, in my helpless condition, I surrender to my accursed rebellious tears... I will now do something that I have so dreaded in petrified fear and yet so terribly longed for... O my dearest heart, will you forgive me? Will you, my dearest Phyloestazia... will you be the one to share my life, my joys and sorrows, my fortunes and distresses? ...Will you be my wife and bear my children? "

And so Phyloestazia knelt down herself and picked him up, covering his face with her hands to wipe away his tears, and with that she spoke, " To your tears, I welcome your help my allies, you have done me a great service, one that I will not forget! And to you... You fool... You know this is the one thing I want most, more than anything else in the world. Praise be the Lord! For he has finally given you intelligence!" And with that they embraced for a good and long time, the sun rose high in the sky brimming with great warmth and mirth spreading its rays of rosy joy across the land, and the birds chirped sweetly to comment upon the merry weather of the day. Indeed, the whole world seemed to be in bliss...!"