Onward, Doom -- Part Three

Chapter XI: The Sun Emerges

         Arghness awoke, and the events he had seen -- experienced -- came rushing back, like water into a desert. It all made sense. He sat up from the bed in the shaman's home. The shaman sat at the fireplace as before, and upon Arghness standing, he waved in recognition.
         "How do you feel?" he said.
         "Great, and awful. That was me, a child, an adolescent, a man, and even recently. I was in the Army. I commanded forces, and my family, my beautiful family. Oh, I have to see them. Claudia, my wife. And my two children, Silas and Andrea. I am a dwarf, one of the few in existence. My powers were the result of my two parents. My father was the king of the late dwarf kingdom of Ardoras. And my mother, she was the queen of Kurland. They ran away from their respective countries and started a family. But, they could find no safe place to live. No country would house them. And eventually, they were caught and burned alive."
         The shaman interrupted, "all very interesting, and I'm sure you'll learn more over time. But I think you should see your family. And dwarf, yes, you are a dwarf. Perhaps the last one, even. Though, most assume you are just short and stocky. No, you're much more than that. Besides being capable of two powers, you have the blood of the ancient Dwarves, meaning you stand to reclaim the lost nation of Ardoras. But, all that in time. Go see your family and we'll talk later. We have much to discuss, regarding Buldingar and Big Boss, as you call him.
         Arghness's mind was busy with all the recent events and future ones as well. What did the shaman plan to do? He walked back into the room that housed his wife and children. His wife was not there, but his son and daughter were playing some sort of game. When he walked in, they looked up, with hesitant smiles. Arghness walked over and embraced them, saying how he had missed them, and asked where their mother was. They were positively beaming now, and he was in tears, being reunited with his family meant everything to him.
         But, he had to resolve things with Claudia. She would understand, he knew she would. Oh, how happy he was that she had waiting for him. She didn't know where he had gone, what she might think of him right now! His children said she was out in the pool in front of the city hall.
         He hugged his children and made of toward the city hall. So much to take in, he thought. His wife would calm his mind. He reached the pool in minutes and saw her beautiful self sitting alongside it, dipping her toes in slightly. The sun was shining above, and the pool was warmed enough to take the edge off of the cold weather. She seemed to like it. He sat down alongside her and said, "I'm sorry, my flower, but hear what I must say-" she interrupted him.
         "No worry, the shaman said you had amnesia about much of your past, but it seems you've gotten it back. I'm just glad you're back and you're ready to begin your life again with me. It's been so long. I've told your children all about you, and little Silas, he's becoming so much like you." Tears were forming in her eyes. "But, that Boss, he took you away from me, and, I thought you had died. I was told that you were, but I couldn't believe it!" He put his arms around her.
         "Don't worry, we're together now. I've been told similar lies, but it's not important now. The shaman and I have some plans for what we will do to Big Boss. He has become a scourge across this land, and it must end. I'm just so glad to see you, but I fear our time together will be short," she was trembling and crying now, "but don't worry, I'll be back, and we'll be safe from the evils of this land. But, we are not safe now, no, far from it. I must go, and I must combat this evil, or else we may never truly rest easy." He stood up and helped her up and they went back to the shaman's residence.
         They entered, and the shaman seemed to be expecting them. He offered them chairs, but he sat in front of the fire as usual.
He said, "Hundreds of years ago, shamans and Dwarves lived together in harmony, and no one bothered either because each would defend the other. It worked. But now, there are very few shamans, and even fewer Dwarves left. One could come about many theories why this happened, but all is really speculation. All written evidence of what may or may not have happened was purged long ago. My Order has a belief that the genocide against Dwarves was a result of mass jealousy of their potential power. Shamans, well, we always keep to ourselves, but for whatever reason, we were the likely target after the Dwarves. And so we have fled to the mountains and the caves to avoid completely eradication.
         "Dwarves, on the other hand, have been forgotten by most. Only professors of history and the most learned folk even see them as any relevance in this day and age. So, that brings me to you. You must rebuild your rightful empire, but, the land of Ardoras has been long lost."
         What do you mean 'lost'?" asked Arghness.
         "I mean the continent is gone. It had been gone for some time, sunk right down into the ocean. I see you don't fully have your memory back. I would say it is a lost and could be found again, but Sir Arghness, it is just gone. Completely gone. Completely disappeared one day, it did.
         "But, that's not really important. What's important right now is that we do what is necessary to avoid certain death. Who you call Big Boss, and I call Narthalas, or 'Satan's Hand'. He must be brought down. In fact, his entire family needs to be done away with. You know that us shamans prefer neutrality in all aspects, but this is the exception. He threatens this entire province. Ever since he came to power fifteen seasons ago, the very land has turned black with despair. Their alchemical mutations and human testing have gone too far."
         Arghness was enraged by all of this. He had seen much of this in action when he was under the employ of Big Boss. This Narthalas or whatever needed to be stopped. But how?
         "It will take much effort, from you, from my order, but that will not be enough. He will not fall so easily, but an army is needed."
         Arghness thought of Buldingar and the army he had supposedly recruited.
The shaman seemingly knew this and said, "No, that will not work. While he is not in league with Narthalas, he will never agree to work with us. You see, that's the thing about religion, and God; one who believes and follows will not readily cooperate with shamans."
         "And what if I go and talk him into it? He wants to destroy Big Boss more than anyone. I think it is you, rather, who does not want to work with him."
"Perhaps. Then if you think he will be so useful, go talk to him. But, I should warn you, he is the one who told you that your family was dead to get you to aid their cause."
         "Don't think I have forgotten. I am angered at him, but I am more angered at the true enemy."
         "Yes, priorities. Now, your lovely wife here, we have done some talking and I think she should stay here, safe within our order. She has been safe with us for some time, but of course, it is up to her and yourself. So, take some time to consider your options, and once you have talked to Buldingar, then return to me."
Finally, Arghness asked, "but, shaman, I do not even know your name, what is it?"
The shaman uttered some sort of sound, several syllables long, and gave a great smile. He said, "Yes, that has always been so, dwarves just can't really understands us much, and likewise. But, that's what makes us able to work together without integrating, I suppose. Anyways, get yourself going already!"
So, Arghness and Claudia left promptly and returned to her residence. Shauni was waiting there for them. She began speaking, "Ah, hello you two! I have been summoned by fdsaklgsjgs to accompany you to visit Buldingar. Just let me know when you are ready to leave." She exited.
         Arghness turned to his wife and asked, "What do you think you should do about your whereabouts when I leave? I do not wish any harm to befall you, but I also do not want to force any situation upon you."
         "Oh, nonsense, I would do, happily, whatever you ask of me. Though, I think that I should stay here, as gdsjkfdsf, er, the shaman suggested. I know that you do not know these people, but remember that they have kept me safe here for the last season."
         "Aye, that they have. Then you, my love, shall stay here with my children. I will return after speaking to Buldingar, but I fear my absence will be very long after that. But, we will come to that when we come to it."
         He knew he had to say goodbye, but in his mind he had always known her and just met her all the same. To leave, to leave was not something he wanted to do. But, there were larger things happening in the world, and urgency was essential. He said goodbye to her, but not farewell, and went on his way out of the residence and to the large metallic gates of Yolsian. He wondered why he didn't see more people in this village, but in a way it seemed very much inhabited, even if he hadn't met many at all.
         Arghness exited the gates to find Shauni standing there with a rather smug look upon her face. He greeted her and she said, "You have such a lovely wife, and beautiful children! I didn't know you had such a wonderful family!"
Neither did he, until recently. He laughed, at that thought and at how random her comment was.
         "But, I am going as an escort, of sorts, for your meeting with Buldingar. Funny, a woman escorting a man, but I digress. We shall be taking a carriage west to Gerhhan, a small village inhabited by few, but recently his entire army as well. Here, hop on."
         He accepted, knowing that it would be faster and safer with her company.

Chapter XII: Gerhhan

         They arrived perhaps nine hours later, near sundown. The sinking sun had been blinding their journey for some time, but now it was below the farthest ridges and trees, leaving only a pale, warm glow that washed over the land like a blanket.
         Gerhhan was a small town, indeed. So small in fact that it did not have walls or a gate, or any guard towers. Just houses, some bigger than others. Most of the houses seemed recently built, perhaps even in the last week. He could tell this by how crudely they had been put together. Mud and twigs could make a better fashioned residence, he figured.
         As he and Shauni were cautiously traversing the main forked road which ran directly through the bunching of houses -- or village -- two armed guards approached from behind a nearby house. They stood, blocking the path.
         "Halt, who goes there?" the left guard announced with an assertive voice.
         "Have you a permit" squeeked the right guard.
         It was Shauni who made the first move. "Fellows, we are here, in your Gerhhan, on business, to see Sir Buldingar."
         The two guards came together and began whispering vehemently. Arghness caught few words, but the general conversation seemed quite negative in tone.
         After several minutes of chatter the left guard said, "It is no coincidence that you have come. We have been told to keep a look out for any red-haired individuals, and lookie here, both of ya have red hair. We're likely to take ya to the brig." The left guard motioned to the right to grab Shauni while he went after the dwarf.
         Arghness didn't see any reason why we should resist, or submit for that matter.
         Stand down
         The guards stood motionless. Quite confused looking, but motionless. Then, the left guard spoke up, "Alright, so it seems ye are sorcerers. What ye have us do then?" The right guard made not a sound.
         "I'd have you go to Buldingar and tell him a red-haired dwarf seeks his presence. Do go." The guards scampered off between two houses.
         "What do you make of that, Shauni?"
         "He's expecting us, and I dare say not just for hopes of eating dinner and sharing a drink with us."
         "Aye. We did leave him in quite a situation during the arena battle. Can't say I blame him."
         Moments later, the same two guards returned, panting and sweating from the commute. "Here, this way Master Arghness and Master Shauni. Forgive the earlier brashness of my partner and I!"
         The pair followed the two guards past the same two houses, and along a narrow alley behind several of the larger houses. On the right was a door on the backside of one of the largest houses in the village.
         They entered the residence to find a cozy and warm room with a fireplace lit. Buldingar was sitting in the far corner at a desk scribbling busily on some parchments. He glanced up and motioned for his guests to sit down in the two chairs nearest to the desk. The guards left promptly as well.
         Buldingar put the finishing touches on whatever he was writing, then turned and sat up, giving a most pleasant smile. "Hello, dear friends, you look well! I fear it has been too long since we have all been together! Care for a drink?" Argh accepted and was offered a glass of wine. "So, what business -- as I have heard from my guards --- are you on?" He looked very interested, and not at all angry or perturbed by their presence.
         "Noble Buldingar we have come with a rather urgent proposition," Shauni said while wringing her hands nervously, "a proposition that is in all ways serious and honest in nature."
         "Do not be afraid, I am not in any way spiteful or with-grudge about what has happened. Please, do go on."
         "Dwarf King Arghness of the land of Ardoras wishes to recruit you and your army to do battle with Narthalas of Scarbaugh." Buldingar's eyes lit up but he did not speak. "He is our common enemy and it will do the entire province, nay, the entire world good to do away with he and his comrades."
         "King, eh, so you really are special," Buld laughed. "Well, of course we'll join forces. But what is this about Ardoras? Where is that, is it a new land?"
Arghness responded, "No, not in the sense you mean. It was the land of the dwarves, and it has sunk below the sea. But I aim to reclaim it, in the form of Kurland. And that requires Big Boss, Narthalas, whatever, to be dethroned and hanged, or stabbed, or maimed. You see?"
         "I will ask my scholars of such things, but yes, I do see what must be done. My troops, over a thousand in total number, were planning an assault a fortnight from tomorrow, but I do say there is much to be reconsidered now. I have a question."
         "Ask," said Shauni.
         "Have you an army as well? You two've been gone for weeks now, so I figure you must have something."
         "Yes, but perhaps not as much as you would expect. We have the whole of the shamanistic order, as well as many sorcerers and sorceresses from my Easthaven who have agreed to aid us. Probably no more than one hundred in total."
         "From what I know of your kind, and the shamanistic order, that is as good as three thousand able-bodies men. They will prove quite helpful indeed!" He had a glow about him, of relief and joy no doubt. "So it is settled! How soon can your help arrive here? As soon as they arrive the inertia can be attained in this bloody battle."
         "They are already here. Outside the city, beyond any of your guards' vision. You forget about the powers of teleportation!" She laughed.
         "Oh ho, and so I have!" Buld said. "As much as I'd love to sit and catch up about what you two've been up to, I have pressing matters to deal with. Two separate residences have been readied for your occupation. There are still plenty of room in our homes for your wizards and sorceresses to come out from under the starry night and get warm. And so I must go!" Buldingar exited quickly, patting Arghness on the shoulder as he went past.
         The dwarf turned to Shauni and they exchanged relieved shrugs.
But, not more than a minute later, three armed guards and what looked to be a sorcerer entered the small room. The largest of the three guards, a rather hefty man in plated armor commanded his guards to stand at attention, and motioned for the sorcerer to come forward.
         "Hello, I am Ergalas, the local wizard. I've come with tidings of death. You two are sentenced to immediate execution, here and now. These walls are reinforced doubly, and don't think -- dwarf -- that your tricks have any effect on myself. I have been specially chosen by Sir Lord Buldingar for this task because I have a rare gift-"
         Shauni cut him off with a fire-whip to his face. The old sorcerer screamed in agony as his face burned and seared. He raised his arms, as if to the gods, and the house began to shake violently. The floor began to break apart, and the walls separated from each other. The sorcerer fell headlong into one of the cracks in the ground, but Arghness and Shauni were able to maneuver around them, heading toward the door.
         The three armed guards were blocking the way, but Arghness was in no mood for such antics. He raised his mace-flail and with all his might swung it upon the right-most soldier. The impact felled two of the soldiers, who fell upon the third. The dwarf and the sorceress exited the residence promptly.
         "What do you suppose that was all about?" asked Argh.
         "How should I know? If anything, it's a trap. I knew that Buldingar was too cordial and forgiving. He's really just a coward."
         As they entered the valley, they were greeting by archers high upon the rooftops raining arrows down upon them. Shauni deflected the majority of these with precise flame-blasts.
         While they were running headlong down the alley, escaping the archers, Buldingar appeared at the end of the alley which led to the main road.
"Halt. You shall go no farther, dwarf and accompanying sorceress. Your end will be met here. You have offended and spat upon the ground of the One True God countless times, and no more! No more!" His face was wildly contorted and eyes crazed. Was this the same man they were just speaking with?
         A dozen armed men backed up Buldingar and completely blocked their escape.
         Arghness was silent, but enraged. He did not know what he would do.
         "Quick," Shauni whispered, "command them to relent."
         "No, they will just redouble and hunt us down as soon as it wears off," Argh said audibly enough for the rest to hear. "No, we will just cut a path to the exit. Ye who stands in our way, shall you learn the better and turn away now, ye shall be saved."
         Buldingar laughed. "Oh ho, such venomous and egotistical words you say! You, who was eternally neutral, is now ready to cut down enemies regardless. I love it!"
         Arghness began steadily walking toward Buldingar.
         "I, Arghness, am the King of the Dwarves. I will soon be the king of these lands and build my kingdom anew, and you and your petty spiteful hate are nothing but mosquitos atop my armor. You're trying to suck my blood, but it's your blood I shall spill when my hand squashes your all." Argh was simply furious, his face glowing a bright red, and all of the veins in his neck were bulging quite aggressively.
         For the first time, Buldingar seemed to be fearful. He no longer had a fanatical look upon his face, but rather a look of awe and guilt.
         He then ordered all of his archers and guards to collectively overwhelm the two criminals as he backed away and got lost from Argh's view in the crowd of soldiers.
         The collective force bore down upon Arghness and his female companion. Try as she might, her flames did not cause the men to retreat, but instead they came at them faster; inflamed, as it were.

         Shauni saw a bright light. A large explosion occurred. Here ears heard nothing. Silence and the opposite of the darkness. Pure lightness, nothing but pure white. She could feel nothing but her fear, seizing her heart like a vice. Her body was undoubtedly dead and she must be going onto the next life. There was no other possibility. It was all over.
         But then the light faded, and a piercing ring pierced her ears. She was staring up at the sky. It looked so peaceful, the stars and moon all hovering watchfully. She looked around. Nothing but wilderness. But wait.
         A face appeared above her, a man with a large red beard and a grumpy smirk. Arghness.
         "Here, let me help you up." She got to her feet.
         "What, what happened?"
         "I'm not entirely sure, but some sort of explosion went off and nothing except us two are here. Everything else, within a couple hundred feet, is just gone.
She was stunned and shocked at the destruction surrounding them. Nothing, not even the earth survived. A massive crater is what they were standing in. What on earth had happened?
         "In any case, let's get going back to Yolsian. We've obviously found out what we came to find out." Arghness turned from her and stood silently, no doubt surveying the destruction. "Can't you teleport us there? You can do stuff like that, right?"
         "No, I can only summon flames to do my bidding. We'll just have to go there the normal way."
         "What about your army outside the city?"
         Shauni laughed. "That was a bluff you dolt. In any case, I'm glad they aren't here, or else they'd have gotten leveled too."

Chapter: Recoup and Redirect: R&R

"So, shaman, what do you say? What WAS that?"
"I have my theories. The humorous thing is that I felt it all the way here. Miles away. It wasn't an explosion, or not at least in the sense of fire and ignition. Judging by your words, I'd say you probably caused that, noble Arghness."
"What?!"
"Remember, you have two powers, one unknown to us both. My prevailing theory is that that....demonstration you caused, that was your second power. First, you can command minds to do whatever you say. The other, well, you can destroy all enemies, while obviously shielding any allies, unconsciously."
Arghness sat down, clearly dumbstruck.
"I....I am capable of such things?"
"Indeed. For you are the king of Dwarf-kind, you are capable of much. And your parents were capable as well, to have bestowed such powers upon you. Surely they knew you were destined for greatness."
"It seems my life is just one series of events after another. Destiny never asks permission, does it?" He had to chuckle at that, even if bitterly. "So what now? Where will destiny lead me now?"
"I can only guess," said the shaman. "My mystic and hallucinatory visions are only possibilities out of the thousands. I can offer to show you a glimpse, of....of what could be."
Arghness nodded. His wife Claudia sat patiently, clinging to her husband's arm. Her expression was inquisitive but worried all the same.
They were all in a semi-circle around the hearth, which was quietly ablaze. The shaman added a powder to the fire and began softly chanting incomprehensible words, or syllables rather. The fire turned a purpleish hue, then green, then blue, back to red, then resting upon a turquoise, with red and black mixed in. Arghness lost himself in the fire.
He saw a beach, with a vast ocean stretching forth. He was standing upon the sand, standing, watching, looking. Ships, large ships went by, sounding their foghorns occasionally. The seagulls flew overhead, making incessant noises. He wandered up and down the beach, always watching for ships. He saw all the ships. They were extraordinary, after all. Where were they going? What were they carrying?
The sun, overhead, gleamed proudly. The tropical trees that encroached upon the beach, behind the rocks, were obviously happy to see the sun. The trees seemed to dance and even talk. In fact, the entire scene seemed to make a sort of music with all the voices of the sand, rocks, seagulls, ships, all singing together. But, the man on the sand did not sing. He only walked and watched.
But then he came upon a dock. He walked onto it, slowly, watching his feet touch each plank of wood. Watching for splinters and knots. He came to the end of the dock. Sitting down, he resumed watching the boats. The sounds of the sea were louder than ever, as if his being on the dock amplified them. Carps and bluegills and whales and dolphins and many fish he didn't know were all around the dock, singing their songs. Such beautiful melodies. The man laid his back upon the dock and drifted into a sleep.
A time later, a small boat, a fishing boat neared the dock. The boat was commandeered by no one. It came to rest right before Arghness. He awoke to find it in front of him. Promptly, he boarded it. Without a delay, the boat sailed forward, without an oar or propellant. It faced out toward the ocean, toward the ships, toward the dolphins, toward the setting sun. He sailed on. To where?
A massive whale came up alongside the boat. The whale's song was not of happiness or joy, but of foreboding, of warning. Of turbulence. But before the man on the boat could question this message, the messenger was gone.
And promptly, the seas became rough, and the seas black, as it was night. The clouds obscured the stars, but the moon was up there, behind clouds, but up there. The sounds of the creatures of the sea were replaced by the sounds of the storm. The rain as it pattered upon the sea, and the wood of the boat. The creaking of the stressed wood of the boat. The alarmed look of the passenger.
Rocks jutted out of the ocean, all around, looking like the menacing teeth of a foul creature. There were no songs of joy or happiness, only the frantic grunts of a man trying to remove excess water from his boat, unsuccessfully.
As the boat filled, it began to sing, and his cries became desperate and full of rage. He cursed the sky, and he cursed the sea, and he cursed himself. He cursed all things.
But then the clouds parted slightly, to let the moon shine through. The full moon shone through. Its rays of caring light washed over the boat, and the man as he heaved swash and swash of water from the boat. The man craned upward toward the moon. His expression changed to that of peace and resolution. He sat down upon the end of the sinking boat. The boat capsized.
The man clung to the edge of the boat as it drifted along the stormy seas. He boarded the -- once -- underside of the boat proudly and pointed toward the direction he was heading. He let forth a wail and the teeth rising from the ocean seemed to part and make way. In the direction he was heading, the seas were calm and the sky clear. There was land, too. It looked to be a fortress residing on an isolated island.
The seas were clear, and the morning sun was making its way up from behind the boat, along the horizon. The song was back, the song of the ocean, the creatures, the sun itself. And of the man. The man was singing praises with a rousing voice. The creatures, and everything sung along with him. All was with him, and he was with all, toward the fortress upon the island.

Chapter XIV: Hmmm

Arghness woke with much drowsiness. He was resting in his home inside Yolsian, with is wife at his side. She was awake, watching him intently already. Every since his eyes had opened, his wife had been gripping his arm. She must have not gotten much rest.
"You're awake," she said.
"Yes," he said. "Yes I am."
They rose and after a time headed back to the shaman's residence. The door was already open and he resided at his desk. He looked up and with a warm smile beckoned for both to enter and take a seat.
"About the vision," said the dwarf.
"Yes, yes, that was quite the trip, was it not?" The shaman was quite energetic today. He was standing and pacing the room now. "Yes, that was truly remarkable. It was so clear, so vivid, and full of tellings."
"Tellings of what, exactly?"
"This one was unusual. It was like a metaphorical recount and foretelling of your life and your life to come. We can speculate until we're blue in the face about what exactly that dark fortress upon the island was all about, but only you can decide its meaning and how that will affect your life."
"Hmmm," Arghness pondered, "well, it looked -- to me -- remarkably like Big Boss' castle in Scarbaugh, without the rest of the city, of course. I have known what I must do, and this is just further proof of where I must go now. But, while I am lost on many aspects of that....vision, what was the deal with the moon?"
"Oh, I think you know that."
"I'm pretty sure I don't."
The shaman smiled. "Think of it as your Guardian Angel, though I don't believe in such things."
Arghness looked up, though he felt foolish when it was only the ceiling. He wondered about the shaman's words.

Chapter XV: War and

Arghness, mounted upon his radiant white horse, held the banner of Ardoras in one hand, and his golden-brazed sword in the other. His mounted troops were roused and poised for this. There was much shouting and general affirmation to Arghness' shouts of victory and how they would be back to see their families in no time.
The enemy was the town, Scarbaugh, on the other side of the hill.