It
was about midday when they first saw the smoke.
Riku and company were coming over a rise in the ground and saw what
looked to be a forest fire. They then
realized that the fire was in the same general area as the village. As they got closer, when they got within
sight of the village, they realized that the fire was the village. It had been completely ravaged and destroyed,
and was still smoldering. The groups
pace turned from a walk into an all-out run.
The sun was beginning to set, and the shadows of the mountains were
growing bigger by the second when they finally reached the outskirts. The destruction was horrible. It looked like a war zone had met a forest
fire. Complete and absolute destruction. Traito and Thrito immediately started running
throughout the remains in hopes of finding any survivors in the wreckage. Link was trying to keep himself from throwing
up, while Riku just stood there shocked.
When he heard a groaning coming from a nearby building, he snapped out
of it and rushed over. It was coming
from underneath a large pile of rubble that had been badly burnt. Riku called to Link to help him clear the
debris, and they managed to find the elder, dying, trapped beneath a stone
wall, and gasping for air. Traito rushed
over and instructed Link to continue helping Thrito with the search for other
survivors. Pulling out a sack of water
from one of the packs, he offered it to the elder, who drank it thankfully.
“Master, who did this to
you? Who else outside of us knew of the
cities existence? Please, tell me.” The elder struggled to say anything, for any
time that he tried to say a word, he would cough and ask for more water. Finally, he spoke saying all that he could
with his dying voice,
“The dead…they rose
up…destroyed…Demise…don’t let him gain…the courage…” with one last gasp of air,
he breathed his last, and went cold in instants. Traito tried to hold back tears, but was
struggling.
“Let it go son.” Said
Riku. “This tragedy cannot go without
mourning. This isn’t some war or battle
where you let the dead lie, this is worse than that.” Traito couldn’t hold it back any longer. Tears flowed from his eyes, and Thrito lost
his sense of control as well. Sora put
his hand on Thrito’s shoulder to somewhat comfort him, while Riku stood back
and got down on one knee. He closed his
eyes and a small tear crept out his eye.
He remembered what Eraqus told him long ago.
“This world is not made
for people to live forever. Even elves,
who are immortal, taste death at one point or another. Natural death is saddening, but it also means
that the person has lived a long and happy life. However, when life is cut short by violence,
then that is to be mourned. When a life
is snatched away by the claws of hate, it gives no chance for the victim to say
goodbye. It just swallows him or her up
and leaves them to suffer. That is why
Riku, you must remember, that no matter what circumstance or what reason,
killing things out of hate only leads to one road: despair.” Riku got back up and helped Traito to his
feet when he was ready to move on. They
then scrounged the site for any supplies or even a trace of life that could
somewhat lighten this darkened situation.
Nothing living was found, but they did find a hidden cache of herb seeds
buried beneath Traito and Thrito’s old house, as well as an old historic tome
buried beneath the old library. At
first, they thought it might lead to some answers about Demise, but it was no
more than a simple spellbook that Traito had mastered months ago. They also found some food that was only
slightly burned and was edible enough to get Link and Riku to Burnia, but it
wouldn’t be enough for all four of them.
“We could give you both a
lift on our ship to Galor. You could
start a new life there. I mean, it’s the
least we can do for you.” Riku offered.
“My family owns a ranch in
Feather Falls. They would be happy to
take you guys in until you got a place of your own. I mean, me and Riku also know the ruler of
Galor. You could probably crash with
him…” Traito cut Link off before he
could finish.
“Our elder gave me and
Thrito one last command. To make sure
that Demise did not get the courage. I
will honor his last wishes, and I will personally take vengeance on Demise and
those he used to destroy my home.” Link
was about to protest, but Riku put his hand on his shoulder, silently telling
him not to argue.
“And you Thrito?”
“Wherever my brother goes,
I go. The last order from the elder was
also my last order. I will follow it
through. I will not rest until I have
avenged the lives lost due to this dark event.”
Riku again nodded and asked them if there was some kind of funeral
ritual the town had that they would like to perform for the village. They said yes, and asked the two of them to
wait outside the village.
Link and Riku sat down on one of the small
hills just outside the village. It was
dark now, the sun having set only minutes ago.
“Um,
Riku? What do you think their doing?
“Paying their final
respects to their home. It only makes
sense. They just lost everything they
had, and everyone they knew. It is only
right to honor the dead.”
“Huh. Not sure I follow.”
“When you go off and fight
in a war, you might respect the dead a bit more.”
“Maybe. But don’t you think that their decision to go
with us might not be wise?”
“They want vengeance. It is completely understandable.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier for
them just to try and honor the village’s memory instead of adding more
bloodshed?”
“It is not that
simple. If they did just what you said,
then the beings that destroyed their home would destroy countless others. And if they just gave up and let the enemy
win, then the whole world would be destroyed.
Even if they hid, they would be found and destroyed. The only way to fight fire is with fire.”
“But, wouldn’t the world
burn alongside it? I mean, if the army
of the enemy is already destroying lives, wouldn’t a war just add to the
bloodshed?”
“The lives of those
determined to protect is always more honorable than the blood spilled by the
innocent. Now be quiet. I think they are about to perform their
funeral ritual. Be quiet. It shows respect. Link watched in awe as Traito and Thrito each
took a piece of the remains of the town and placed them where the center of the
village would have been in the shape of an X.
They lit it on fire, and let it burn in the night sky. Traito said something that Link couldn’t
quite make out, then they walked over towards the group.
“What was that all about?”
Link asked as they approached him.
“It is custom to burn the
dead on a pyre made of trees. And since
our village was dead, and our houses were made of trees, we did just that. It is to symbolize that when someone dies, a
part of the painting of nature dies with him or her. Since the town was completely burned away, it
is only right to take a part of the village and say that it wasn’t just a
living thing, but also a part of nature.
In a way, the village was not just a pile of sticks and stones, but also
a part of the nature of this world. We
grew up in this place, as did so many other people. It only seemed right.”
“Um…I don’t understand
completely, but okay.” Riku whacked Link
on the back of the head when he said that.
“Link, this is a hard time
for them. Give them some space.”
“It doesn’t matter Riku.”
Said Traito. “Let us just be on our way
to Burnia, and to your ship.” With that
said, they made their way to the port city of Burnia, with nothing but
smoldering wood and memories behind them.
“Oh come on.
Again?!” Link was standing in the
exact same field as he had been in his dreams for the last several nights. He looked around. Same mysterious surroundings, same field, and
as usual, the mysterious lady wasn’t here yet.
“Look lady, I know you are trying to be weird and
mysterious and all, but this is ridiculous!
I mean, why not just tell me what I need to know instead of giving me
these stupid context clues?!”
“Because I can’t be
discovered by him.” The mysterious lady
appeared out of thin air once again, and was wearing the same clothes she had
been for the last several dreams.
“Why not just tell me what
I need to know. I mean, it’s not like
the world is going to end if you do, am I right?”
“It’s not that
simple. You see…”
“I’ve found you at
last.” They both looked up into the sky
to see a giant black hole in the gaping sky with darkness spewing forth from
it. A giant being fell out of it and
landed perfectly on one knee, head down, with flaming hair.
“Uh, lady? Who or what in the name of the goddesses is
that?”
“Demise. So you have found me.”
“My dear lady, I never
lost you. I just didn’t expect you to
think that this pathetic boy was the chosen one.”
“You prophecy won’t come
true Demise. The goddesses have seen to
that.”
“Why? Just because they have hidden themselves from
me? Because they realize that they can’t
destroy me without killing themselves?”
“Um, I’m a bit confused
here.”
“It doesn’t matter mortal!
Once I am finished here, you won’t be confused ever again! You’ll be stone dead before you can even
think! You would make a fine addition to
my army.” Demise, now standing upright,
waved his hand in the air and a giant sword appeared out of nowhere. He started to move towards Link, but then the
strange lady got in the way, holding her arms out to the side to keep him from
passing.
“Stupid little lady. Did you really think I was here to kill this
kid?! I was here to kill YOU!” He swung his sword straight at her, and
landed a direct hit…on her force field.
She held him, but was struggling to keep herself protected.
“Link! Listen to me.
When you get back to your ship, you must make sure that Riku tells the
captain to set a course for Unto.”
“What? Why Unto?”
“NO!!!” Demise yelled as
he continued to punish the force field in between him and his target.
“Trust me Link, it must be
done. A friend of Riku’s is already
there. Please, you must hurry.
“NO!!!!”
“You must wake up
Link.” Link looked around and saw the
world around him begin to collapse as he felt himself getting pulled back into
the waking world.
“CURSE YOU…CURSE YOU SAGE
OF TIME!!!”
“Uh, Link, are you okay?” Link looked around and got his bearings. He was on a hill within the mountains with
the town of Burnia just off in the distance, about a half-day’s journey away. He was lying in what was his sleeping
blanket, but was now more like a rag for his cold sweat. Thrito was standing over him with a confused
look on his face. Traito was standing
over the cooking fire rubbing something on his arm and Riku was standing about
three paces away facing the mountains where they had just come from.
“I’m fine Thrito. What’s wrong.”
“You were twisting and
turning and working up a sweat. It
almost as if you seemed like you were having a nightmare.”
“Huh. Didn’t really seem like one. Weird dream though.” Link got up and brushed himself off and went
over to the fire where Traito was to grab some food.
“Hey, Traito, do you mind?”
“Can you give me a quick
moment here Link? I am trying to use one
of my herbs.”
“On your arm?”
“Remember the spell
sickness that fell upon me just the other day?”
“Oh yeah. Forgot about that.” Link waited for Traito to finish, then got
himself a bowl and what little scraps were still warm in the pot. Afterwards, the group packed everything up
and began the last stretch of their journey to Burnia.
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