Chapter 9: Purgatory

I continued to make my way toward Orcshire. Traveling was slow going. I refused to use my Vampiric speed, just in case I came across an Orc on the way. Or better yet, the traitorous Thresh. I could not believe that he did not die after Harbinger feasted on his blood. Perhaps I should have done the same thing. Nevertheless, I was on my way to fulfill my destiny. I was on my way to eradicate the filthy animals called Orcs. Almost two years ago a band of approximately ninety Orcs slaughtered my family and friends that resided in Reign’s Hall. The capitol of Reign’s Reach. My homeland. One day I knew I would have to return, but I knew there was nothing there for me any longer. After I complete my quest to destroy those filthy beasts, I had but yet another quest to journey on. I had to find my half sister that I never knew existed until that fateful, bloody night two years ago. The last known location of my sister was Ohmanry Star, the capitol of the mountainous land known as Ohmanry Glen. Ohmanry Star no longer existed. It had been vanquished from this realm in the blink of an eye. I had friends there. I had to find out how that happened as well. I had seen it all happen in my dream before it had even happened. It was the only time I had ever dreamt in my life. With a firm grip on my demonic sword called Harbinger, I steadied on. Always under the blanket of night, I marched deeper into Orcshire. I was nearing the end of my quest. I wondered aloud, “After finishing my sworn duty, what is left for me? Cirania had abandoned me. Thresh had betrayed me. And Ohmanry Star had been blinked out of existence.”

I heard the softest footsteps to my left. I stopped dead in my tracks and sniffed the air. I could smell the foulest stench of Orc. But I could also smell flowers. There was only one person that smelled that way, Cirania. I stepped as lightly as I could behind a maple tree and ducked down. Her footsteps had stopped as well. I could no longer smell the flowers either. Was this some sort of a trap laid down by Thresh? Is he here to try to kill me again? HA! I would love to see him try. Lost deep in thought I had neglected my surroundings. My head smashed against the thick maple tree and I seen stars. The next thing I knew my shoulders were being pinned to the ground and I could smell dog breath. “Aerol, you must stop this nonsense.” I opened my eyes and sure enough, on top of me and restraining me was the traitorous Thresh. Fire burned in my eyes as I spoke, “You filthy swine. I knew you would try to kill me when my back was turned.” I struggled to try to break free, but the Alpha Male Wolf was much stronger than I. Something was certainly amiss with this creature. “Aerol, I am not here to kill you. I am not here to harm you.” He said. “I am here to try to stop you. What you are doing is wrong, and you are wandering down a path so dark that none can follow.” I struggled furiously to break free from Thresh’s grip, but it was no use at all. “What I am doing is right, and it is righteous. They all deserve to die!” I screamed at Thresh. He pushed harder upon my shoulders, nearly puncturing the skin with his claws. He looked me right in the eye and said, “Why Lartas? What did that old hermit ever do to you? He was locked up in his cave, and has been for nearly a century.” Thresh leaned in closer, his nose nearly touching mine and said, “He was a mage Aerol. He was a high ranking mage, and you destroyed him with no thought or consequence. But I am here to tell you that there are indeed consequences coming. The Mage’s Guild has learned of what you have done, and are amassing an army of battle mage’s right now.” I fumbled to find Harbinger, which had fallen on the ground when Thresh crushed my head against the tree. “I killed a high ranking mage? Then I can kill low life battle mages.” I said confidently. Thresh shook his head back and forth. “No Aerol, you cannot. They are not your typical battle mages. They are Dragon Battle Mages.” I stopped clambering for Harbinger and quit struggling as well. I sat silent and still for a short moment and contemplated the consequences of my actions. With the power that has been granted me from my sire Dante, and from Zeshua himself I am invincible. A few Dragon Mages cannot kill me. “Let them come then Thresh. These Dragon Mages cannot kill me.” I said. He loosened his grip on my shoulders and shook his head again. “No Aerol, they do not want your blood. And they will not send you to the afterlife. They will send you to purgatory where your soul will never be able to escape. Where it will be tortured for all of eternity, for what you did death is too light of a punishment in their eyes.” I kept searching the ground for Harbinger when I smelled the flowers again. “Looking for your sword Aerol?” I lifted my head to look past Thresh, “Cirania, you came back for me. I knew you couldn’t stay away.” Cirania stood about five feet away from me. At her feet lay Harbinger.

She knelt down to pick it up when Thresh released me from his hold and leapt at Cirania. “NO CIRANIA, YOU MUSN’T!” He yelled, as he tackled her to the hard forest floor. Seizing the opportunity, I dove at my cursed weapon until it was once more in my possession. As I wrapped my fingers around the hilt I could feel its power surge through my body, as well as the evil and hatred. I stood up and drew back my sword. I charged my newfound enemy at full speed. Just as I was about to swing with all my strength, I was blindsided from the right. I was slammed to the ground so hard that once more Harbinger had been jarred from my hand. For the next ten minutes I tried to defend my face and chest with my hands from gnashing fangs. I knew this wasn’t Thresh. This was Oases, and she was out for my blood. I blocked at least twenty attacks in only a few seconds, and then I threw the hardest punch I could muster right into her ribcage. She only let out a small “gruff” as the blow landed. Oases was causing more gashes to my body than I could heal. She meant to kill me. From beyond the growling and the barking I could hear Thresh and Cirania scream for Oases to stop. After the first yell she continued the assault. It wasn’t until the second time the two yelled at her that she finally ceased her vicious attacks. She strutted confidently over to Thresh and Cirania as I lay motionless on the ground. My wounds tried to heal themselves, but they were taking unusually longer than they normally would. Oases had cut deep to the bone with each gnash of her teeth.

Thresh and Oases stood over me as I continued to try to heal my wounds. Thresh had actually placed Harbinger upon my chest. I struggled to move my hand to reach up and grab it, but it was to no avail. It was as if I had been paralyzed. Thresh looked deep into my eyes and spoke aloud, “You will be able to move before sun up Aerol. Oases only meant to send a message to you, not kill you. You are too valuable to Her.” Oases moved in closer and spoke aloud as well, “Aerol, I beg of you to rethink your path. I cannot lose you as I have already lost Dante.” At the mention of my sire my eyes widened as much as they could. I tried to speak, but all I could muster for words was a grunt. “Yes Aerol, Dante has been corrupted as Zehan foreseen he would. But you, you Aerol Reign. You are a shroud for him. Your future is cloudy and cannot be seen to the God of creation. For that reason I fear I will lose you as I have lost many other Druids in my time.” After she spoke, Oases trotted off into the trees. Thresh looked down upon me as Cirania knelt down next to me and placed a hand upon my brow. “Aerol,” Thresh said, “we have done all we can for you. You have ignored our warnings and our pleas. We can do no more. There is only one last hope for you before your soul is lost to Purgatory.” Thresh ran off into the woods to follow Oases. Cirania remained behind to care for me. Ah, my sweet Cirania. My love, I have wronged you. I will make it up to you. Somehow, I will make it up to you. Cirania leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips and whispered, “Thresh wasn’t lying to you, the Dragon Mages are coming. And I have been instructed to lead the battle against you.” She kissed me one more time and then stood up and walked away. I lay there, stunned for nearly an hour before I could get up and find shelter before the sun came up. Once hidden from my greatest adversary, I closed my eyes and began to dream once again.