A horrible stench pervaded his nose.
"Urghh, what is this smell?"
The horrible stench of death wafted through the air, its properties evident as it remained with the corpses of various animal and plant species.
"Sir, do you really think that an heir to death was born? Sure there are corpses everywhere but couldn't it not have been one of the after effects of Star beast Rujir passing through the land?"
A stern gaze landed on the owner of the youthful voice. Black eyes obsolete of kindness nor care.
"You may be right. The Telemenphen King fought Star beast Rujir to a stale mate in the Avalon plains of Kasspire, but, why would Star beast Rujir flee south heading towards the wall? It makes no sense unless, an Heir to death has been born marking all this death and destruction."
His spoke in a stern tone filled with absolute confidence as he swept his gaze towards the grey ash and rotting carcasses of spiritual creatures. The owner of the youthful voice had a pensive look, his doubting eyes also swept through the same death and destruction.
"But it makes no sense, why would an Heir to death choose to appear now and here?"
He mumbled as he kicked a white skull of a unique creature spotting four different crevices atop its crown. His senior, a middle aged man with brown hair and stern features ignored the mumblings of the immature youth who seemed to doubt everything he spoke. Walking through the grey ash, he stumbled upon a path of emerald grass with different wildflowers that seemed to make a straight line heading east. The miraculous path continued until it reached a narrow pit small enough for a small child to crawl through, his already stern gaze narrowing at the unnatural path and its odd destination.
"Lecauf, bring the gadget."
Pricking his ears to hear his senior, the young man Lecauf greatly sighed as he arose from the ground, mumbling curses that seemed irrelevant. Bringing back a strange gadget from elsewhere, the stern senior grasped its pitch handles as he brought its blunt end towards the emerald grass with wild flowers, his intent to prod the green path. As he brought the long narrow end of the gadget towards the path, a faint glow began to emanate from its being as it lightly vibrated,
"this reading..."
The stern senior muttered as he brought the long perpendicular rod closer towards the path. The wildflowers swayed as an invisible wind fluttered through them carrying with it sparkling pollen that disappeared the moment they appeared as the strange pitch rod with two pitch perpendicular rods continually glowed brighter and brighter with a fainting humming emanating from its being. Touching the grass, the rod glowed brightly enough that it began to resemble a shining star that had fallen to the earth, its humming sounded more and more like melodious singing, moving the hearts of those who heard it.
Satisfied with the results, the stern senior pulled back the strange gadget handing it over to the perplexed Lecauf.
"Great Spirit... Officer Brignel. A Great spirit passed by..."
His voice filled with animated shock exclaimed. His eyes widened in apparent joy. Even the stern senior had also widened his eyes albeit slightly as the infectious animated joy left its print of his face, though not greatly evident.
"If a Great spirit has passed by, know that things are bad."
The sober stoking words shut down that apparent joy as Officer Brignel's face assumed its normal stern expression. His stern gaze did not remark anything beside his usual behavior but shock remained at the unexpected delivery of news.
'A Great spirit passed by. Such great news must be delivered to the Head of State.'
He thought as her brought his lean body to a walk, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Lecauf."
Officer Brignel shut down the excited cheers of the blonde haired Lecauf. Signaling that it was time for their departure, Lecauf produced a low "tch" as he adamantly brought his body to a slow but defiant walk amidst the grey ash.
The world seemed gray to where they were, gray ash was littered throughout the whole environment as not even the chirping of birds dared to echo throughout this desolate lands. Trees had died, animals had been killed, life had been robbed from the very earth itself yet two men dressed in white garments dared to walk these lands. One short with a defiant expression trudging behind one tall. His gaze stern and his walk disciplined, the two walked till they disappeared leaving no trace of their existence.
***
"Ughhh, my head."
Groggily waking up, the young boy hazily stared at where he was.
Darkness.
A sudden horror gripped him forcing him struggle freely.
"no, no, NO!!"
His struggles produced blunt chafing sounds as he desperately wanted to grow free from the darkness. Sharp feminine cries halted his movements as loud grunts resounded.
"Ha, sounds? Does that mean... "
He listened closely pricking his ears to hear the sharp cries of a woman who was been violated, the loud grunts of the caravan guards resounded as the cries of the woman were abruptly stopped. Those sounds didn't bring any sense of joy as worry surged throughout his being.
'Cries?'
Then he remembered. Who he was, how did he arrive here and what had he suffered post before the darkness claimed him.
"slave."
He muttered as the dull cold of the iron shackles remained though something was different. A faint energy pulsated within him empowering his very being... power was what it was called. Having travailed the dark lands for this very reason, he had brought back his most ardent desire though he couldn't very well use it properly, it was still there, pulsating like a heart in the deep darkness.
"That's right, I now have power. I can now grow strong."
The deep darkness that scared him didn't look so obsolete, in fact, it looked like a shining light that he could gaze upon freely and justly shattering the previous misconceptions people had of him.
"Hey there, boy."