Dypes The Soul Keeper. (2)

Chapter 2: The Truth.

Hours had passed since the funeral, The Asura were now packing supplies ready to take their journey south towards Gord. Just on the outskirts of the village stood Samth and Dypes. What they stood in was a small woods. In the very centre of all the trees was a little circle big enough for children to play in and about the size of a good room for adults. The ground here wasn’t as thick with snow as the trees blocked most of it off.

Standing in the middle of the circle was Dypes. Samth was on the outside looking at him.

“This is where we used to practice magic and fighting.” Dypes said as he looked around with a faint smile on his face.

“Your stalling you said you would tell me the truth!” Barked Samth as she clenched her fist. Her eyes big with passion and bold with bravery.

“You are right… I will tell you the truth.” Sitting down on a broken tree branch Dypes began to talk. “Years ago I found a purple magic book. I was the first to read from it. It gave me magic I had never ever read about amazing power.” Pulling up his left arm a great twist of white smoke spun round and up into the air. “Look very close.” Samth looked deep into the smoke as it moved around. Looking back was the eyes of tens of people twirling in agony.

“What is that?” Samth ordered.

“The souls of the people I have taken. As an added bonus I take all their knowledge, power and physical ability.”

“Wait does that mean Espex?”

Dypes just nodded before continuing. “Yes Espex soul is within me. I took it once he converted back to human form. I have all his knowledge and powers.

Samth hit the ground with a thud. “Your own brother can never find peace because you have him trapped inside you!”

Dypes just looked into Samth’s big blue eyes and spoke. “Indeed but I now can finish his mission. With what I am going to tell you will either make you want to help me fulfil his last wish or you will join Fure and go to Gord.” Standing up from the tree and patting his butt he walked over to her and knelt down. “All this time Samth Espex was looking for our father. An Asura who was the first to be kicked out for using magic, but he was special even among mages. He could completely destroy some ones use of magic forever. Espex craved this if he could destroy his magic he could not harness the demon inside him or summon creatures from the void. All the alterations within his body would revert and he would be fully human again. His sanity wouldn’t have been eaten away.” Standing up as Samth took all the information in. “Let me ask you this. Did you ever see Espex sleep?”

Samth sat in the snow and thought back she must have. She travelled with him for months she must have seen him sleep. Didn’t she? Before she could answer Dypes did.

“The answer is no. My brother survived on three hours of sleep a night, Anymore and the other him would whisper things into his ears that would make you cry. Any less and he would have been useless in any situation. Espex carried a lot in his life. He started a war between mage and knight, he killed hundreds of people. Each person he killed haunted him.” Looking down at Samth Dypes just smiled. “My brother was cold to you but you saw at the very end he was gentle. He was always soft he may have had the madness of a demon and the power of an Asura but he was gentle, he should never have been taught magic or how to fight.” Kneeling down and closing his face close to Samth’s shocked one Dypes spoke gently. “Do you know what my brother wished more than anything in the entire world? He wanted to run an Inn with a wife and have kids. That’s all my brother craved in life and life gave him none of that in return.”

A tear rolled down Samth’s peach face as sadness embraced her gentle heart.

“The night you met him. He sat on a corner table watching the party and you served him. Do you know how happy he was that he was there and do you know how sad he was it wasn’t him? He saw a chance to try a normal life with you that’s why he invited you. On a whim.”

“Why are you telling me this?” a hurt Samth blurted out.

“You need to know the true Espex before carrying on for him. Our father is a man who can destroy any mage mana; he is also an Asura capable of fighting anyone and anything. I need you ready. Walking back over to the stump and sitting down. Dypes continued. “Samth just because he picked you on a whim doesn’t mean anything now. You heard his last words, he grew to love you and you grew to become a powerful mage. This world is chaos there is really no right or reason you just make do with what you have. Pulling his hand out again and starting the soul vortex “These souls will be forever a part of me as will Espex. He will haunt me forever and rightly so I am the one who told him to read the purple book and I am the one who taught him magic.  If I was never around he would be a totally different person but he would have never met you.” Wisping the vortex away as he clamped his hand. “Maybe you were meant to meet my brother maybe you weren’t all I know is you got dragged into this mess of a country and know you are a key player. If you join me and try to find our father you will need to train your body as well as your mind magic alone will not bring him down, remember he can destroy it.”

“What’s the point? Espex is dead you can’t undo what has been done to him!”

Dypes looked at Samth with a grim expression. “I see my lie wasn’t good enough. Ok I will tell you the truth. Espex did want to find our father and get rid of his demon side but that was just a by-product of his real goal.”

“That was? Answer me you’re going around in circles keeping me away from the truth.” Yelled an angry Samth.

Dypes just laughed and spoke the truth for once. “With our fathers ability used on a big enough platforms Espex could wipe out magic entirely in everyone forever. A world without magic would lead people to stop fighting for titled ranks, would stop the rich from abusing magic on the weak and stop King Coext in his tracks for hunting down mage. It would make everyone normal everyone would be equal once more.” Then a sick smirk came across Dypes face. “Then the Asura would once again be the strongest in Skov and we could regain our former glory.”

A shocked Samth stood looked at Dypes “No… that’s not Espex!”

“Believe what you want with or without you I am doing what my brother wants I will erase magic from the world and make everyone normal. This is why I told you to listen to my story before picking a course of action, come with me and complete Espex wish or follow Fure to Gord and keep the world the way it is. The decision is up to you.”

Samth stood up and clenched her fists tight turning them red. Rage in her eyes and a passion in her face. “I will join you but know this, I will not allow you to pick a twisted future were the Asura are warlords once more. I will find a new future the one Espex wanted. Peace. Remember this I killed Espex and I loved him…. Make the wrong move Dypes and I will not hesitate to kill you!

Dypes grew a large grin and turned before walking away and as he spoke Samth could have sworn Espex said them.

“Good words Lass.”