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

Chapter LVI: Ragnarok Pass

Even before the sun has had a chance to rise, Drayk is out meditating in the outskirts of town. He finds himself having a hard time keeping his mind off of the many things that has been learned the last few days. Months have passed now and so much has transpired. What bothers him the most is that cloaked lady in that celestial room. She lied to him about not being able to defeat Tundra. Whoever she was, she left a bad impression with Drayk and he senses that there is something very sinister about her. What was that place anyway? Sunlight hitting his face makes him realize it's time to head back and wake Roku up. Ragnarok Pass is several days away from here without resting or other delays.

Drayk walks back into town and heads for the inn. As soon as he reaches the doorway to the inn, Roku comes walking out with a big smile on her face. Considering all that she's been through, it didn't take long for her to get her chipperness back. She is truly the strongest woman Drayk has ever known. Just as Roku joins his side, Yarr approaches them from down the street.

"If you want to know more about your mother.... read this. It's her diary that she wrote in from time to time. She started it when she was a little girl and left it here when she left with Lance," Yarr speaks softly while handing him the book.

"I greatly appreciate it Yarr," Drayk thanks her.

"No trouble at all. I knew one day you'd be needing it," Yarr smiles as she turns to face down the street, "I must go now."

Yarr starts to walk down the road and waves her hand as she turns the corner of a building. Drayk stretches his arms while starting to walk towards the north end of town. Roku yawns and follows close behind him. She has no idea what she can expect from this Ragnarok Pass, all she knows is that with Drayk by her side, she'll be alright. Nervousness is eating away at her, knowing that they will be getting extremely close to the heart of the Elite Forces. Lord Xivaac's lair oversees the entire valley of Ragnarok.

A few days later ~

A treacherous looking mountain range is coming into view up ahead. A canyon-like opening can faintly be seen in the base of the largest peak and its closest neighboring peak.

"Drayk," Roku begins to say, but loses the words.

Drayk stops walking and looks at Roku. She stops walking as well and turns to face him.

"Yes?" Drayk smiles.

"What do you suppose Kraag meant when he mentioned Sammi?" Roku asks in a single breath.

"I'm not sure. He made it sound as though she has been tricked to helping the God of Darkness though. That's what I think."

"I've been thinking the same thing.... We'll save her Drayk. You won't lose her a second time."

A couple days later ~

Looking straight up the rockface of the mountains, the peaks cannot be seen. Jagged and impassable rocks with a small canyon opening. Ragnarok Pass. It is barely wide enough for Drayk and Roku to be able to walk side by side through it. A light cold air hits them from the mouth of the opening, a breeze that had made it from the other side. Roku reaches over and grabs Drayk's hand with hers. Fear has sunk in. She is frozen in place, unable to move and holding Drayk's hand tight.

"You're never scared," Drayk teases her.

~~~~~

Roku looks down and it appears that she is high above the jagged mountains. To her left she can see all over the land of Fire and to the right, Ragnarok. Red Mages pour out from the pass and strike oncoming soldiers from various Mage Clans. Death. Senselessly slaughtering one another.

~~~~~

Ragnarok Mages strike down townsfolk of various towns. Leaving no one in their wake. Finally coming to an end in a battle fought for years. All of this flashing before Roku's eyes at incredible speeds.

~~~~~

"Roku."

She can hear her name through a fogging haze.

"Roku."

She opens her eyes, staring up into Drayk's yellow eyes. It takes a moment, but she seen realizes she is laying on the ground. Her cheeks flush with a little red as she jumps up onto her feet.

"You ok?" Drayk asks with a smile on his face.

"Don't give me that look!" Roku jokes as she sticks her tongue out at him.

"What happened?"

"I felt the fear of millions of people. The people from back during the War of Ragnarok. I saw it Drayk.... years and years of death compacted into just a few minutes."

"Sorry for joking then. You're not hurt are you?"

"Not physically. No. It's puzzling though."

"What's that?"

"I saw a woman dressed in a black cloak.... but her face was never seen during the entire vision. She seemed to be organizing the entire war. Whoever she is.... nothing good can come from her."

"I've seen the woman you speak of. I saw her just before I had slain Tundra."

"Is there really a darkness more sinister and threatening than that of the Dark Lord?"

No words come to Drayk's mind. Nothing good anyway. He decides it would be best to end the conversation here, so he starts to walk into the pass. Roku sticks her tongue out again behind his back. He can be so stubborn sometimes. If he doesn't want to talk, he won't. She finds it annoying at times. This is starting to bug her and she wants to know. Knowing there is no way to find it out though, she jogs to catch up with Drayk. She definitely does not want to get too far from him in this place.

Ragnarok Pass seems to go on for quite awhile, just winding through the mountains like a snake. The occasional blast of cool air is the only thing moving through the pass. All of the waters that once carved this canyon-like rock have been dried up for many years. The ground beneath their feet is soft like sand. At one time, this tunnel must have been hard to walk through. The walls are smooth to the touch with no roughness at all. It feels nice against the palm of Roku's hand. Considering how deep into the mountain Ragnarok Pass is, it is very lit up. Light finds its way in through openings in the roof of the pass.

"There's something so.... comfortable about this place. I almost feel at home," Drayk jokes.

"It really does. Think it has to do with us having unlocked the use of Ragnarok Magic?" Roku asks.

"I'm not sure. I think there's more to it than that."

"Yeah. Maybe."

A bright light shines from up ahead. The end of the pass is near. The walls are beginning to widen as they closer to the other side. A distortion is suspended in midair just outside. It appears to be no more than a ball of blurriness. The outline of it glows golden yellow as the Bringers of Hope approach it.

"I don't think so!" A familiar voice calls out with a hiss behind its tone, "You will not enter the realm."

Drayk and Roku look up into the sky to see what looks like Sammi descending from up above. Her face looks the same, but her hair is pitch black. Her eyes are just as dark and her skin is kind of pale. The robe she wears is still that of their mother, but it is solid black. Sammi had succumbed to the darkness. She was lost to it. Consumed by it, her heart is filled with hatred and rage now.

"This is where your journey ends, Bringers of Hope!" Sammi yells.