The Guardian Chronicles: The Shadow Alliance

The False Chosen and The Healing Chamber

The False Chosen

    The battle was over and the aura around Noxx disappeared. Noxx felt something in his mind letting go. Noxx sheathed his sword and thought that it had never felt so justified to use his blade. He felt…free. For the first time in his life, there were no threats, no insults. In a flash, his mind was filled with images. He saw all the visions from Twisted Spine again and he saw the face of a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes…her name was Marie. Noxx heard a cry from behind, he turned and saw Journey still lying on the ground, but something was different, he had a soft golden glow around him.

    Journey closed his eyes as he let the Khatha he had left flood him. He felt his wounds healing, every one of them began to close up and even his robes began to weave themselves back together. In a few moments, an astonished Noxx watched as Journey stood up and looked as if nothing had even happened. Journey sheathed his sword and a whisper came from his blade, “I shall emerge again…to bring death…sweet and swift…this death shall be…” the sword then fell silent as it slid fully into its scabbard.

    Journey smiled at Noxx, “I’m glad you came when you did. I enjoyed seeing Rale land on his tail end.”

    “I…think I heard you scream…or maybe it was Rale…I don’t…know…” Noxx said.

    Journey shook his head, “Either way, I’m glad you were here.” Journey grinned, “Do you feel like you just lost your chains?”

    Noxx blinked, “Yes…that is exactly how it feels…it’s so…”

    “Free…” Journey said and his eyes seemed to remember something he had decided so long ago that barely anything was left from then, “Don’t ever go back…”

    Noxx looked at Journey quizzically. He wondered why Journey would have said that, he was about to say something when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he heard Garigh’s voice, “Welcome, Noxx Bastion…welcome back.”

    Noxx turned and saw Garigh standing there with a benevolent look on his face; Noxx could not remember ever seeing anyone like Garigh. He was sure that no evil could look on the face of a Lenoran and not cringe. Noxx felt shame surge up inside of him and he hung his head and said, “I…have done terrible things in the name of my Order. I do not deserve a welcome…”

    Garigh’s smile grew and he shrugged, “What have you done?”

    “At the Monastery…I let them kill and rape…I killed! I murdered them all and they could not stop me! I…” Noxx began to weep.

    Journey looked at Noxx in wonder, how could anyone wield so much power and be so…quick to cry? What was in this man’s heart that made him so tender? His life had been hard and he had been softened by it? Journey shook his head and smiled.

    Garigh shook his head, “None that you struck died at Ashlizon Monastery.”

    Noxx looked at him in shock, “H-how can that be? I saw their blood on their mouths! I saw them fall down! I…”

    “You held yourself back, Noxx. Even if you did not know it at the time, you held your power back from the innocent ones you were forced to fight. The girls that they hurt were all healed and so were most of the other students. Only a few were too badly hurt to be saved.”

    Noxx stared at him for a long while and could not say anything; he only stared. They suddenly began to hear sirens in the distance. The local Constabulary was headed to where they stood to see what all the noise had been about. They saw five people come running up towards them seemingly from out of nowhere. They all wore Guardian robes. They rode up to Garigh.