A sudden sparkle caught Kale's eye, the sunlight caught the brilliant metal of the axe, its twisted handle carved from the oldest oak. The sun was at it's last moments before sunset the few moments when it flares out of life for the day, the fiery orange set the axe ablaze in light as it swung down the metal slicing through the air reverberated as it sung, a song so beautiful it belied the terrible act it was about to commit.
Kale followed the arc as far as he could with his eyes, and listened to to song as it grew louder until the moment it ended with a thud.
He didn't feel pain as it rendered his head from his shoulders the last sensation he felt before he vanished into the void was the single tear track down his cheek.
He didn't hear the crowds cheers as he died or his men's sorrowful cries as their leader fell, he had no need to hear or feel, he was dead. The woman he loved had seen him die, had seen his soul depart from the cold harsh world they had set out to change.
Mist enveloped Kale's body as he laid in a abyss of darkness, the pure white mist radiated a light that light up the darkness yet their was nothing but emptiness held in the darkness, making it seem just as dark.
Kale waited within the mists for death, or what he thought death should be. Wondering what would happen now Kale remained motionless as the mists wrapped its ethereal claws around him.
"so you are the one are you?" came a voice from the darkness, it came at Kale from every direction disorienting him.
"er, I guess" was all Kale could think to say, his body and mind felt light as if it wasn't truly real.
"Arise Kale, you held such promise, you went further than any before you and without your powers even surfacing." the voice spoke with pride and disappointment.
The mist swirled at the voices words and thickened around Kale, its tendril claws pulled and pushed at Kale's body until he stood floating within the darkness held in place by the mist.
"ah, yes let me look at you." the words came at Kale from right in front of him yet his dizzy eyes couldn't define anyone in the dark.
"ha, you are the one that went so far? Impossible. Who are you an imposter?" a man's face flared into life is pale features exuding a sickly light. The man stood in front of Kale dressed in black cloth, his hands and feet uncovered and giving off the same light as his face, as Kale looked at the man with shock he saw more details fade into life on the man.
"i am Kale Scott. Former leader of the free-companies and the Lord Kings Faithful commander. Upon the murder of the true Lord King I was banished from the kingdom and scarred by the Traitors personnel torturers, I bear the mark of a traitor, given to me by traitors." Kale spoke of his life as the Executioner had.
"I fled to the furthest corners of the land and then I went further, beyond the inhabitable lands of Jar'heel. I found soldiers who had been banished years before, sons of the banished and some who along with me had been thrust from the Kingdom for our loyalty." Kale spoke without knowing why he told the man so much.
"there I massed an army and marched across the Kingdom reeking revenge on traitors and rebelling against the Traitorous new Lord King. I fell in love with one of the banished, she helped me through every single ordeal I had to face, without her I would have died or given up before I got anywhere near my goals. My last memories of my life are of my men being slaughtered at our failed attempt of storming the Lord Kings palace. Before the axe severed my head I saw Illei, the woman I loved, her crying eyes stared at me with pride and love that I knew I could face whatever was to come after death, she saved me once more before I died." Kale finished.
"that, was a complete waste of my time." the man said.
"is that all you accomplished? Your powers didn't even come into its full growth I know but still there must be more." the man prodded Kale to continue.
" powers, what are you talking about?" Kale asked confused.
"Magic, you are a magic wielder Kale. Born to close the gates of Babylon, a magic being that is a breed of human and pure magic." the man stated bluntly as if it was common knowledge.
The mists dropped Kale on an invisible floor Kale staggered as he landed but kept his footing.
The man turned and began to walk away from him.
"come" the man said as darkness began to swallow him.
Kale raced after the man, each step he took close to the man the more the darkness fled from him.
"do you see how the darkness steers clear of you?" the man said as he walked, Kale slowed his pace as he came to walked just behind the man.
"huh"
"you give off a light Kale that drives darkness away. That is the power within you coupled with that power there is magic, only a few have such power. The man you wished to kill is the Harbinger of the Apocalypse. Born to bring the world to it's knees, to open the Gates of Babylon and flood the world with magic. Demons and spirits would wash over the world over running it and being completely loyal to their one true master." the man said.
"who are you" Kale asked, the words the man had said seemed unreal and yet he found no desire to believe other wise.
"my name is Hassildor, and I am an angel of death. Your personnel angel to be specific." Hassildor said without breaking his stride.
"my personnel angel of death? I feel so lucky" Kale said sarcasticly.
"You should, I am about to do you a great service." Hassildor said solemnly
"uhuh, what's that tall dark and ugly?" Kale laughed, feeling more and more like himself.
"i am about to give you life." he said turning to Kale.
A circle of light sprang into life around the two in the blackness, runes of light began to be sketched into life.
"your going to bring me back to life?" Kale said, the wind knocked out of him again.
"yes."
"but why? How? " kale stuttered.
"would you rather I didn't?" Hassildor said cocking an eyebrow at him.
"no no be my guest, I'm just surprised. Why would you do that." Kale asked, regretting his earlier comments.
"i am your angel. And you have a job to do, don't mess it up I can only do this once." Hassildor said, his face looking to the sky of darkness, his eyes seemed to see something Kale couldn't.
"Job what job?" Kale asked.
"you ask a lot of questions." Hassildor laughed.
"you don't give a lot of answers" kale said gritting his teeth, not wanting to anger the man about to give him his life back.
Hassildor laughed again. " maybe your right. You must stop the apocalypse, bring magic into your soul and into others, for you can only defeat magic with magic, you must find others who can use it and they will train you. Build your army once more and march as you did in your last life, but remember to kill the Harbinger. And keep the gates closed, even if it costs you this life." Hassildor said
"simple sounds easy enough. Where are the others like me? Any chance of a hint?" kale tried.
"where dragons fly and devils cry." Hassildor intoned.
"useful, any other nuggets of helpful information."
"nothing is what is seems."
"oh great another sentence that tells me fuck all" Kale laughed to himself.
"so, why can you only do this once? I mean I'd be great if I didn't have to worry about dying again you know" kale asked lightly.
"because to bring you back I must give my life up" Hassildor spoke softly as the light began to pulse.
"Huh"
Kale cried out as his body began to burn, dropping to his knee's Kale spewed blood into his hands, as his body convulsed with pain. Mist grew thick around Kale as he laid in the circle of light, his flesh searing as the dark world around him began to fade in and out.
