Chapter 11 - CH XI: Inside Your Soul Chaos Resides

“Thank you for the wonderful funeral Elias.” Ekyt said, bowing and shaking his hand. “You’re a friend of the realm, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. You’re certain you can’t wait here for a while longer?” Ekyt shook his head. “Linda-Su’s orders. She’s right, this ring is a menace, and it must be destroyed. And there’s only one way…one I can’t reveal…but it’s going to hurt…it’s going to hurt bad…”

Ekyt and Linda-Su were back on the path to the mission’s end. She was still wearing his black robes, while he was wearing a set of white ones. A symbol of his death. His steed matched, being a vibrant white in color. It was a magnificent animal that needed no coaxing to gallop.

“How is it that you’re alive?” Linda-Su finally asked. “Steppenwolf and the Council decided that my death was premature, and that I had enough integrity to return. Besides, I could hardly rest in peace knowing my mission had gone unfinished…” Linda-Su was about to answer when Ekyt suddenly reigned in his horse and motioned for her to do the same.

Down the road, he saw a couple robots. His bo staff was in front of him, in a cautious guard. He got off his horse and approached the robots. “Have you any news of the guardian’s death?” he called out. “State your name.” “Have you news? I’m anxious to hear of his death…” “The guardian was killed by Master Spectre.” That was enough for Ekyt. “Please, give your master my regards!” He sprang out, hitting one with his staff and grabbing the other, hitting it twice with his staff, then pushing it hard into a tree. It crackled for a moment, then the energy died.

Ekyt clambered back onto his horse. Linda-Su smiled at that. “I’m glad you’re alive. Truth be told, I really don’t know what I’d do without you…” He had no answer, so she asked her next question. “How do you plan to destroy the ring?” Ekyt shrugged. “I was told I had a new chaos power that would reveal itself when the time was right. I can only assume that’s the right time.” He paused for a minute, only the click-clack of the horse’s hooves was heard. Then he continued. “I hope I’m serving you alright…I always thought I was better suited to command alone than to serve under another…but I have to admit…Serving you is no chore…You’re not a hard master to please…I hope that doesn’t come across as offensive…” he said hopefully. “No, not at all, it’s an honor that you think that highly of me.” Ekyt said nothing, though he thought I have no experience, but I’m relatively sure you don’t tell a girl that kisses like that…well, you don’t tell her that you feel cramped by being forced to serve…That would be a lie…I really DON’T mind serving her…I wonder what I should think of that? I know she’s more than a mission to me, and I to her. It must come with friendship. Friendship…something I haven’t experienced until just recently…Something that I hope I’ll experience again…I feel strange…I can’t identify it, though. What does that mean?

The imposing shadow of Mount Fate was in site at last. Linda-Su and Ekyt tied the horses up and began the climb.

They weren’t alone. As they reached the halfway point, the mountain leveled off. Linda-Su wanted to rest. Ekyt understood that it had been a trying day for her, so he didn’t voice a complaint. He pulled off his robe, giving it to her to wrap up in. “What about you?” she asked. “Please, don’t be concerned with me. My job is to guard you, not to preserve myself.” His answer was so much like him that Linda-Su had to laugh. “Please, sit for a minute…” she requested, patting the ground next to her. He kneeled there, his hands resting on his legs. “Do I have to ORDER you to relax?” she joked. He nodded, serious. She laughed. “Okay, I ORDER you to relax.” Ekyt leaned back, still looking at her.

Linda-Su: Why didn’t you use your chaos powers when you were fighting Spectre?
Ekyt: You knew?
Linda-Su: I was told you had them. They would have saved your life…Why didn’t you do it.
Ekyt: It’s not how a duel works. (shrug)
Linda-Su (nods, changes subject) The times are changing Ekyt…You’ll notice my speech has changed.
Ekyt: (Nods)
Linda-Su: It’s almost time for me to reveal the truth to you…A truth I have had to keep guarded…One so disturbing that even you would show shock…
Ekyt: When will I know?
Linda-Su: After the mission…I know you are still uncomfortable…
Ekyt: Yeah…I just can’t shake the feeling I don’t belong here…

Linda-Su was about to explain that when Ekyt sprang to his feet and struck what appeared to be the night sky. But a “Crack!” was heard when the side of his hand connected with something solid.

Ekyt felt the one assailant, keeping one hand on him. He kneed him twice, then tossed his aside, grabbing the second assailant. That one had no more luck with Ekyt; he would up falling to the ground while Ekyt held his hand in place after a hard uppercut.

Linda-Su got up. “We’ve got to keep moving! We’ve got to get to the top and seal that ring! That’s the only way to…” she stopped, shaking her head. “No, no, later, right now we’ve got to go!” They climbed as fast as they could.

Upon reaching the summit, Linda-Su handed Ekyt the ring. “You know what you have to do?” Ekyt nodded. He drew his dagger. She grabbed his arm. “I forbid you to kill yourself.” Ekyt nodded again. “As you say.” He put the dagger lightly into his arm, carving symbols onto his flesh. He didn’t look like he was in pain. Linda watched in shock as the same symbols appeared on the ring. She was even more shocked to find both he and the ring were bleeding.

“After them!” Linda-Su cursed. More enemies! Ekyt kept carving away, seemingly unconcerned.

Ekyt had the last symbol on his skin. It appeared on the ring as well. The blood stopped flowing on both. A fierce wind kicked up. Ekyt chanted some words as his enemies were blown backward:

The time has come,
Upon reaching the mountain’s summit,
The guardian gives flesh willingly,
To appease the angry entity called “war”

In out hearts, chaos resides,
Unlocked with purity, for good,
Unlocked with power, for evil,
The two must co-exist,
With neither dominating the other.

For where there is good, there will be evil.
Where there is sun, there must be rain,
Where there is water, one must drown,
Where there is fire, one must burn…

It is in this burning out souls become clean,
Once more ready to live, to stamp out destruction,
For good shall always triumph over evil.

As long as there are defenders of freedom,
Friends of liberty, and allies of justice,
Good shall not perish,
But live on for generations,
Continuing in a never ending cycle.

Now I call upon chaos’ powers,
Good and evil alike,
Take residence in this object,
Seal away the destructive forces within!
Seal away the over-powering evil!
Release the good this day,
Here my call!

From Ekyt’s hand, the ring was raised up. It shook, releasing first a green beam, then a purple, a yellow, a blue, a white, a red, and a gray. The colors rotated, swirling and forming symbols in the air, spelling out symbols.

Then it ended. The chaos the ring had bestowed was stored away safely, the ring itself a casualty of it’s own powers.

The children soon told stories by the fireside, about the death and re-birth of a hero. About how, against all odds, he became a guardian in his own right.

But that came later. First, a series of events happened, one that even the two present have a hard time describing.

Ekyt put his arms down, sagging, exhausted. “So that was it…the ability to seal away the evil…thank you…I hope I have the courage for one more trying event…”

He turned to Linda-Su. He was still kneeling. “Linda-Su…Master…So much has happened in three short days…but I feel like I’ve known you my whole life…” He paused, wondering how to continue. “I read my second letter that your mother gave me. It explained SoulTouch. That’s an ability between a guardian and their soul mate to identify each other. And I think…I know…that it’s you.” He reached behind him, grabbing the ring, now a plain, gold ring. When he placed it on her finger, it became anything but ordinary.

“I love you.” Ekyt had managed to say it. “I know as a servant I shouldn’t say that, but after SoulTouch revealed itself, I could no longer deny it.” He paused. She was beaming at him. “Please, on your feet if you’re able, we’re equals.” She helped him up. She stepped into him, hugging him. “I love you, too.” Their eyes met, and then their lips met, a tender kiss between two lovers who had journeyed to hell and back together. The kiss cemented an unbreakable bond between the two of them.

NOTE: STOP HERE IF YOU LIKE THIS ENDING! BUT FOR THE TRUE ENDING, CONTINUE READING THE NEXT CH!

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment