Fall of a Hero: Hearts Without Foundation (a Fantasy Adventure)

Dream Logic

The world around me. Blurry forest. My mind tended little attention to it. Rather, I focused on him. My true brother, Maledicta, standing right in front of me.

I could not see his face. I only saw the back of him. He did not turn upon hearing me behind him.

"Vulgaris," he sighed still not facing me, "It's been awhile."

"Brother, why don't you turn around? I miss your face," I said

"Because I am watching something ahead of me as I speak. I have been watching you and everything that's been happening."

"Maledicta, what is happening? What do you see?"

"I see the battle outside. That is all."

"Oh." I did not question him. For some reason, I did not find it strange for my long dead brother who was speaking while looking into nothingness and seeing the battle I just escaped. Dream logic.

"You maybe wondering why I am here. Why you are here..."

I said I was.

"As I explained, I see all that is happening outside, so I have answers (to a certain point). I can support you as a brother, though I have died."

"How?"

He carelessly waved his hand in dismissal. "Some forces are greater than others that allow me to speak. However, I am here to discuss you. How have you been absorbing what has been happening?"

I hesitated, realizing that the recent events hardly affected me. "Well, it surprises me, but then it doesn't. I suppose I feel sort of numb, accepting everything the way it is presented. Perhaps I should be more distraught..."

"You shouldn't just accept everything the way it's presented," he chuckled, "Nor jump to hasty conclusions like what I have seen you been doing. Still same ole Vulgaris, or rather Fetoven should I say.

"No, brother," he continued, "not everything presented before you is reliable."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "What are you talking about, 'not everything is reliable'?"

"One of your friends or acquaintances (I'm not sure what to call them; you aren't exactly the most social butterfly) has proven unreliable."

"Who?"

He shook his head. "Isn't it obvious?"

I paused in thought for a moment. Yes, it was obvious.

"You mean...Serpo?"

"Is he the one who follows you? That imposter that sneaks around...he is a dark thing. I would avoid him."

"I try but he always finds me!"

"I see. Well, he is untrustworthy to say the least. He has his secrets. That is all."

"You can't tell me more about him?"

"All I can do is shed some light. It would hurt your future more than anything to know who and what Serpo actually is."

"...so you are a Guardian of my fate as well?"

He laughed. "Quite contrary! I want to help you stop your fate, through the future."

"That's confusing."

Maledicta shrugged. "I agree. Yet, they're different," he clapped, though I could not see his hands, "I just remembered. I have a message for you. From Uban."

"You are a Guardian, then," I retorted.

"Ah, you are thinking about the monster Mushu. He is merely eccentric in his duties. As a Guardian of Fate, he sees every order he receives from Uban as a device fulfilling fate. He is very narrow-minded, you see."

"Are you positive? He seems pretty convinced."

"If it was your only function in life, you would be like that too. Anyways, the main point is that you need to meet Uban, whether Mushu sees it fate-fulfilling or not. See, Uban has seen your life and had pity on you. Mushu had initially been sent to help you have an easier journey, but I can see that he is dying. The game is changed. Uban now says that if you really want with all your heart to change your fate you would make the trip to his residence under the sea. That is why he marked you.

"If you complete such a treacherous journey, Uban will rewrite your destiny with the Divine Pen, and rumors of you becoming a savage conqueror will melt away."

A chance! That is why Uban wanted me. But then that reveals another question. After all these years, what had the god seen in me that he saw in no one else. Why did this god care about me?

I wanted to believe that something in my character was different than the average serf. And yet...

So, I ignored my doubts. "Maledicta, how do I get here? How do I know where it is?"

"It seems our 'friend' Serpo has already stolen the Etchings from that young Nuntius. There is a map on the back. Follow the map, don't trust Serpo, and make it to Uban. I'll be checking in on you soon, Vulgaris."

I clenched my fists in renewed strength. In willpower. "The name's Fetoven, for now I know that I am truly 'fate's favorite.'"