Arodin Chronicles

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Iren and I ran into the cave and huddled in there as fast as we could. We could hear what was happening just outside as the rock creature, which I now realized was a golem, fought our oppressors. We heard a large rock slide out from right next to us. "Down here!" we heard a very nervous voice say to us.   We quickly took the ladder that was attached to the wall of the hole and headed down. The hole seemed very large, as if it took years to dig. It didn't seem much like a home but there was a small chest in the corner. There was also a long hallway that led to who knows where. We also saw who the voice had came from. It was a ghost?
The ghost came back down and started pacing, or floating I guess, around the room in a worrying fashion. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh...this is NOT good! No not good at all! Oh my... What's going to happen? What are the bloodriders doing here now? The whole world is in danger! What's Melgo going to think? Where is he anyway? What are we going to do? Ahhhh! We're all going to die! Well some of us will at least, I mean I'm already dead! And I'm freaking out! Ha! Who would think? A ghost worrying for his life?" The ghost started to breathe in and out very heavily and quickly. I honestly never knew that a ghost could hyperventilate. "Woah chill out." I said. "Everything is going to be fine." Iren tried to calm him down but to no avail.
"Fine?!" The ghost said.
It looked as if it were about to disagree with another long worrying lecture, but it decided that it was too tired so it stopped to try and catch its breath...if ghosts do that...I guess.  This ghost didn't look quite like how I expected ghosts to. First off, it was very small. It didn't really look like a person either. You know how a little kid might draw a ghost? Like if they had a sheet with two holes cut into it for eyes floating in midair? Well it looked kind of like that. The ghost looked up at me for a minute. "Fredrick, I presume? And you're Iren right?" The ghost said, still rather nervously. "Yes...how did you?..." I asked.
"I was friends with your grandfather in life, and well in death too I suppose. My name is Jonathan."
"Hi, um pleasure to meet you...How did you know my grandpa?"
"I helped him to make those goggles that you're wearing right now actually. It's a bit of a long story of how we know each so I'll have to save that for later. But for now I should tell you what's happening." Jonathan took a deep breath and began. "Long ago, there was a creature named Sigris, who was made completely out of crystals. No one knows of his origins but we know that he believes that this world disgusts him. He would have loved nothing more than to destroy the world and create a new one in his image. Your grandfather, me, and a few others stopped him by chipping gemstone in his crown. At that time the gem seemed to be the source of his power, but given the fact that he was able to summon his minions with out the gem in his crown now means he's much more powerful than before. If he gets ahold of that gemstone now there's no telling what could happen. Besides, well you know, death and destruction, genocide, pain, suffering,..." Jonathan started to freak out again and Iren tried to console him but was interrupted when we heard the rock move again. The big hulking golem struggled to climb down the ladder which somehow supported his massive weight. It lumbered off the wall and strode towards us. "Hello Fredrick. My name is Melgo." The golem said.
"Ummm hi... So I understand how Jonathan knows me, but how do you?"
"Your grandfather had many friends. He helped me find purpose when my master died."
The golem saw that I was obviously confused. "I see that you must have many questions. We do not have much time but I will answer anything I can quickly." I didn't even know where to begin. Who is this Sigris? What does he want with me? Why am I receiving so much information at once!? I decided on one particular question which hopefully would help explain everything. "Jonathan already explained who Sigris was but, What is he doing and how do we stop him?" The golem took a deep breath. Again if golems do that... "Sigris is a powerful being who is somehow managing to regain his strength. We thought that his power was contained in the gem in his crown but obviously that is no longer true. He is still unable to move or use his powers but he can talk to humans and other creatures mentally, which is an indicator of his power itself. If he gets his gem back then he will awaken from his slumber and purge the world into darkness."  Melgo stopped abruptly and walked over to the chest. He pulled out some kind of bottle with old black liquid inside. "This is a bottle of poison. I have spent 47 years getting all of the ingredients and making this concoction. We have to somehow manage to pour it on Sigris. It will not kill him, but it will render his powers useless." Melgo started to walk down the long hallway and said some odd, short chanting. After he uttered the phrase, torches all the way down the hall suddenly lit and brightened the hall. "We should be off. This hallway will bring us closer to his cavern where he sleeps." Melgo, Iren, and I started down the hallway. Melgo looked back at Jonathan who was now hiding behind a rock. "Y-you guys go ahead...I'll stay back and..uh...guard this rock...this rock is...important?"
"Jonathan you must to come! You have seen Sigris's true power before, and you are the most informed about him." Melgo said.
Jonathan meekly floated out and followed down the hall with us. A few minutes into the hall, Iren asked; "Umm...Melgo?" The golem replied, "Yes, child? What is it?"
"Well I was just wondering, how can I see you and John without the goggles?" Iren asked.
"That is a tad bit complicated. Some creatures have control over how humans perceive them. They can make themselves seen or unseen. However it makes them more vulnerable to other creatures or humans." The golem replied.  "Oh...wow... This is all so crazy." Iren muttered to herself. The golem noticed Iren again and turned to her. "I am sorry to have forced you into this predicament. What lies ahead is mainly Fredrick's destiny and it could be quite dangerous. If you no longer wish to continue then turn back and head home." Iren didn't know what to say. I could tell she was clearly lost in thought. Then she said; "No. I started this with him and I should be with him to see it till the end. Plus, have you seen this guy? He couldn't fix a loose bolt if I wasn't around."Melgo chuckled to himself and replied,"Well if that is your decision then I welcome you to come with us. If we are lucky this will take no time at all." He finished and we continued down the cave. We kept walking for another few minutes but there were still questions fluttering in my mind. "Melgo?" I asked. "Yes Fredrick? What do you need?"
"I was just wondering, could you go more in depth about how you know my grandfather?"
"Ahh, yes of course. I guess I would have to start from my beginning. My master used to be a wizard who ran a small shop on the outskirts of your village. He traded and sold potions and other wizardry items. My master created me to fetch items and defend the shop from any attack. He was a very special man for he could also see what you can see, even without you're goggles,which was one of the reasons he created me. Anyone who can see any of the creatures that you can see are in danger from evil creatures, so I was his protection. Anyway, Your grandfather just so happened to be a regular customers at his shop, always looking for different potions and herbs. They weren't very well acquainted but they frequently talked together. Which actually leads me to believe that are a few others in this world who can see us. Then one day my master received a message that his home town was under attack and he had left to help defend it. I waited 2 weeks for my master to return but to no avail. I knew the truth, I knew that my master must have died in battle and knowing that made me slip away from reality. I could barely move and I felt as if I were going to die. And then you're grandfather returned to our shop. He helped me up and I explained everything to him. He took pity on me and did his best to help me recover. For the next few days I followed him, studied under him, and learned much. Until finally I asked him to take me to my master's home village. He agreed and we traveled all the way to his islands. When we arrived we saw the aftermath of what looked to be a disaster. I saw broken houses and buildings, and the ones that were still intact housed any ill and wounded people. As we walked around I noticed that nobody had  payed any attention to me the entire time. Suddenly I realized that nobody could even see me, I had become invisible. You're grandfather told me that I had been away from my master too long and had disappeared. He told me not to worry though, he had seen this happen many times before. Thankfully, he was able to ask all the questions for me. We asked some of the locals and they had said that my master arrived there and drove off the offenders, but as soon as they were gone he disappeared. Many of them believe that one of the attackers must have taken him. They did not think that he survived. We helped best we could at the village then returned home. When we returned I promised that I would assist your grandfather in any way I could. I spent a few days with him then he asked me to gather the materials for this potion." Melgo held up the black poison potion again. "Before I began however he told me of  Sigris and his plans for destruction. I was a bit suspicious of this Sigris creature, until I met him for myself. I was waiting in my master's shop for your grandfather to return when he appeared and attacked me. I managed to hold my own for a while but he soon overpowered me. Your grandfather returned within the nick of time to save me. Your grandfather saved my life once more it seemed. Afterwards however, your grandfather seemed....off. There seemed to be something incredibly wrong. He never explained what was wrong but he told me not to worry. He explained that the potion would render Sigris powerless and asked me to continue to gather the materials to the poison. I agreed, and continued to search for all those years." Melgo stopped in the middle of the hallway and sighed.
"And then, about a week or two ago, your grandfather was killed..."
"Wait, what?!" I interrupted.
"Yes Fredrick, I'm sorry to say, but your grandfather was attacked and killed by those bloodstriders then. I was there with him, and I did my best to defend him, but one of them got in one strike and killed him. His last command was to keep you safe from Sigris, and to destroy him if I had the chance. He also said that the goggles will fall to you and that you may have to take him on of I had not been able to. I had planned to take him on later but things just so happened to fall into place, and you were attacked. If we're lucky, this will be over with soon."
"We could only hope." I replied weakly.
I once again was speechless. I felt more anger slowly build up in me as I remembered that it was apparently the bloodriders who killed my grandfather. No, it wasn't them. It was Sigris who ultimately gave the order. I need to take him down once and for all. This was no longer about saving the world, this was about getting revenge for my grandfather. And...well...the world too. I guess it would be more about saving the world now that I think about it. Yeah revenge is nice but I think saving the world is better. Anyway we continued down the hallway for a few minutes more until we reached the end.