Legend of Parocaav: The Quest for Redemption (First Draft)

Chapter XLIV: Drayk's Past

The sound of Roku's voice slowly fades away. Everything for Drayk goes black. He cannot see anything. Emptiness all around. Drayk tries to speak but he can't even hear his own voice.

~~~~

A young boy, about ten years of age, sits in his room playing with toys. The sound of a woman's voice is calling out from outside the boy's room. He stands to his feet and races out of the room. At the end of the hallway, the woman is waiting for him. She has long solid white hair, although she is only in her mid thirties. A beauty mark sits the right of her mouth and her skin is rather pink. Her hands are grasping her stomach. Sweat is dripping from her face.

"Find the bag Drayk," the woman tells him, "The baby's coming."

"Yes mother," Drayk replies as he runs down the hall to the master bedroom.

~~~~

Drayk is pacing back and forth along a wall. Lance walks up next to him and sets his hand on his shoulder.

"You'll be a big brother anytime now kiddo," Lance smiles.

"I know father. I'm not sure how I feel," Drayk sighs.

A young White Mage walks into the small waiting area and announces, "Lance Kirkwood. You have a new daughter. Come with me if you'd like to meet her."

Lance stands up and starts to walk over towards the mage. Drayk runs over and clings to his father's arm. They follow the mage down the hall to see the woman holding their new baby girl.

"She is so precious," Lance says.

"I'd like to name her Samantha Renee," the woman tells him.

Drayk is standing at the edge of the bed in awe. The sight of his new baby sister before him. His eyes widen real big with curiosity. A thousand little questions come to his young mind.

"Sammi," Drayk whispers nervously.

~~~~

The town sits in silence with their heads bowed down as Lance and Drayk walk to their home. Sammi is being carried in the blanket given to them by the White Mages. A great sorrow is felt throughout the townsfolk as they get passed by the freshly broken family. As they approach their home, a neighbor stops them.

"We've heard about what happened to Claire," the man spoke softly, "My condolences."

~~~~

"Train me dad!" Drayk shouts out.

Lance is relaxing in the grass out front of their house. He has only been back for a few hours from the mission he was sent on for the Resistance. His eyes roll in his head, but he knows he can't say no to his son. He had always hoped Drayk would follow in his footsteps as a warrior.

"Alright son," Lance smiles, "First thing in the morning. You will be my pupil. I will teach you the basis if what you will need to know about armed combat and use of alchemy in battle."

"Yay!" Drayk exclaims with excitement.

~~~~

"Come on Sammi!" Drayk shouts, "I need a training partner and all my friends are busy!"

"No! You cut my arm last time and it left a scar!" Sammi cries.

"Oh come on, you're almost seven years old now. You can take it," Drayk begs.

"You haven't stopped training for months Drayk. Why?" Sammi asks with big innocent eyes looking up at him.

"I am about to turn seventeen! I'll be old enough to join the Resistance," Drayk explains, "I want to help put an end this war. It's why I stared training. I want this senseless slaughter to come to an end."

~~~~

Dead bodies cover a dark and gloomy grass field. Drayk is dressed in combat garbs given to him by his commanding officer. His hand is slightly touching the handle to his father's blade. An itch to use the sword he had received just a few days ago as he shipped off to his first assignment with the Resistance. Second thoughts hit him as he sees the bodies scattered about.

This what he wanted to put an end to. All these people lost their lives because of a power change amongst the deities. Thoughts of hatred towards the Goddess of Light filled Drayk's mind. He soon remembers that she was betrayed by Grimm. None of this was her fault. Regardless of what happened between them, Drayk hated the idea of it leading to death amongst the mortals.

Drayk draws his sword as the sound of his commander ordering him to combat rings in his ears. He charges out into the field of bodies with his comrades close behind him. His blade ignites with fire using the alchemy his father taught him. An adrenaline rush courses through Drayk as he slices his broadsword through its first victim. A faceless Elite Soldier drops to the ground without crying out in pain. His body lay lifeless before Drayk. The rush subsiding within him, he almost feels bad he had to end this person's life.

~~~~

A crowd of Resistance soldiers and civilians are gathered around a large stage. Several high ranking generals, including Lance, are all sitting towards the back of the stage. A podium is front and center with an old man standing behind it.

"People of the Resistance! All from the great Land of Alchemy!" The old man calls out to the crowd, "I wish to bestow a great honor to one of our young soldiers!"

The crowd roars with applause and random whistles can be heard from all directions. The old man allows them to cheer as he signals for Drayk to walk over to the podium. Nervously and reluctantly, he slowly walks over.

"Keep the applause going for this young man right here! Drayk Kirkwood!" The man shouts out.

The audience claps and hollers out congratulatory phrases. Drayk smiles nervously and walks closer to the podium. He can't find words to speak. Everyone from the entire country showed up for him. They were here for his excellence in the field and for taking back a lost capital to the Resistance from the Elites. He had been promoted to lieutenant just before arriving here. Accomplishment fills Drayk, knowing he really is making a difference in this war.

~~~~

At the top of a high hill overseeing a peaceful valley, stands Drayk. A cloaked man is standing across from him several feet away. Both of them have weapons drawn. Drayk grips his father's broadsword tightly with both hands. The man in the black cloak holds a metallic staff. He swirls the staff in front of him and laughs. His face cannot be seen from under the hood. The laughter somehow seems familiar to Drayk.

The cloaked man rushes Drayk, not giving him a chance to react. The staff sweeps the feet out from underneath him and he falls on his backside. Drayk slashes at the man, making him give him space to get back up. His blade sparks on impact with the metal staff over and over again as they clash together. The next thing Drayk realizes, the cloaked man is now standing behind him. Pain shoots through the back of his head as he hits the ground face first.

~~~~

Opening his eyes, the sight of Sammi can he made out in a slight blurred vision. She comments Drayk's eyes being different and he runs down the hall to the bathroom. Yellow eyes are staring him in the face. The sign of Lady Parocaav.

~~~~

The stars are shining bright through the treetops of the forest clearing. Drayk lays back in the flower bed, gazing up at the stars. All that has happened recently has left him mostly sleepless at night. Thoughts of how he watched his village get burned by the Elites replay on his mind. The Forgotten Forest is quieter than most places he has been. Everything is so peaceful here.

"Thank you Lady Parocaav. You have given me the power to truly help my wish of ending this war," Drayk says to himself as he drifts off to sleep.