ANGEL OF JUSTICE (2014 revised)

Chapter Seven - Lessons

Darric cursed.

After battling the most savage array of demons he could possibly imagine for what seemed like weeks now, he still was no closer to finding the Void or a way home. How many creatures he had killed since he had first walked off towards the jagged black mountains on the strange world with red trees, he could not remember for they were an endless quarry. More than a dozen times he had been taken from the dusty road to face another threat, often on what could only be described as other worlds. But each time, once the opponents were defeated, he had been transported back to the dusty road and the world of red trees to start all over.

"I've had enough, Death Goddess. If you have a plan for me, I'd like to hear of it."

"You had only to ask, Prince of Time."

The dusty road blurred and Darric stood before a gaping chasm, spanned by a swinging bridge of timber slats. A mental summoning caught Darric's attention.

"To pass beyond the bridge you must first surrender your soul to me."

Looking across the bridge, Darric could see nothing. He shouted out across the wide expanse to whatever challenged him.

"I don't care who or what you are, but the only surrender I offer is your swift death if you seek to threaten me."

At the end of the bridge on the other side of the chasm, a massive bear suddenly stood before a yawning cave. The bear's arms were folded across a broad expanse of chest with long sweeping blades held in its huge furry hands. The glinting blades caught Darric's attention, more so because, somehow, in his mind, he saw his own bloodied reflection in them. He did not know what was beyond the bridge and the bear, yet Darric knew if he were to continue with his soul quest he had to enter that cave. Although he would have to kill the creature to get past, Darric saw it as the only option to discover what the next task in returning to the goddess's hall would be. His priority of returning to Cardinia was all he yearned for, heart and soul and his thoughts were consumed by what was happening in his kingdom while he was gone. The strange quests she had sent him on did little to convince Darric he was on the path of the so-called judgement he had been summoned for. If nothing else, Darric realized the Death goddess was toying with him at his expense, or at the very least delaying his return to his kingdom but why?

Unleashing his sword, Darric stepped upon the bridge. The attack with the rock creatures hours earlier had fatigued his muscles more than he realized and now he felt a heavy stiffness in his shoulders. After walking for what seemed like hours, Darric suddenly stopped. He began chuckling and shook his head in disbelief. Again he had forgotten that in this world of nothingness, he was able to command certain things to his own advantage.

"I wish to be delivered to the cave now."

The bridge began to blur and the scene changed. Almost immediately Darric was transported directly before the creature as he requested. The shaggy bear towered over him, the murderous long blades now sparkled with a reflection of a star-studded night sky. As Darric glanced over his shoulder at the bridge, he saw it was gone, replaced by a towering wall prevented any thoughts on escape. The creature opened its mouth and roared. The sound shook the very walls confining him. Although the bear made no move to attack, Darric swung his blade before the creature's face.

"This can go the easy way or the hard. Step aside and I'll think of keeping your head intact."

The bear ignored the human threat and roared again, defiantly guarding the cave entrance.

"If this is how it's to be," Darric stated with a sudden lunge. "There is only one outcome."

The bear lowered its arm. The six-foot curved blade sliced through the air, blocking Darric's attack with a force causing his body to shudder. Darric stepped back realizing this was not going to be as easy as he thought. He spun and lashed out giving the stroke all the strength he had. The bear again brushed Darric's blade away like a stick. Darric picked up his sword and struck again. He lunged, spun, riposted and slashed, but the bear defended with lightning speed each time without exerting its great body. Soon Darric was sweating from exertion, until finally he lowered his blade and wiped his brow.

I will not concede defeat!

The bear folded its arms again, watching Darric with what could almost pass for amusement shining in his eyes. Instinct spurred Darric to attack again. But even with all the power and speed he possessed on his world, he could not breach the bear's uncanny defences. It was as if everything he knew, so did the bear. Darric took a step back and spun on his heel, the sword finally slicing through the bear's thick fur hide. The bear lowered its arms with swords extended and thrust forward. Darric took a step back but it was too late, for both swords had pierced the First Guard armour like butter, tearing through his ribs. Raising the swords, the bear dragged Darric off the ground. Blood flowed from the prince's body as muscles and bones snapped under the weight. Darric closed his eyes for a moment, strangely there was no pain and he wondered if he was dying, again. Meeting eye contact with the bear, Darric was disturbed by the depths of intelligence he saw there.

"You are a fool human. All you had to do was ask and I would have let you pass. But you think with a mighty blade you can take what you want by force. You know nothing and now you have fated yourself to eternal death. So much for your sense of truth and justice as the next Keeper."

With a mighty toss, the bear threw Darric into the blackness of the cave mouth.

"I'm sorry." Darric whispered.

"It is too late for that human." the bear replied, then disappeared.

Darric lay on the cold stone floor racked by throes of an all-consuming pain. The intensity of it, made the painful death he remembered so clearly on the clifftop now seem trivial.

"You were warned pride would be your undoing, and yet, you fail to submit. Why do you not learn Prince of Time?"

"What do you want of me, goddess? All you do is play games," Darric coughed, tasting the blood of his shredded lungs. He opened his eyes but there was nothing but total blackness.

"Ask and you shall seek what it is, you want."

"My lungs are pierced and death will soon follow."

The Death goddess laughed. Her feminine voice echoed off the walls of the cave.

"Have you not learnt anything yet? You command your fate, even here, Prince Darric. Surely Cardinia is worth fighting for? I know revenge is what you breathe for, so why not prove it and fight not what you see as enemies, but what is the enemy within you; your inner fears. It is the sole reason you are here. You must face them or you will not return home."

Darric tried to breathe and heard the blood gurgling in his lungs as spasms of pain filled his body. Anger filled his heart and for a moment he was lost in thoughts of revenge. He so desperately wanted to find who was responsible for his death and that of his parents and pay upon them in kind for their deeds.

"I can feel the hatred pumping through your veins, willing you to live. If you give up now, how will you avenge the Destroyer's minions that are ripping your kingdom apart as we speak?"

"The Destroyer will pay a thousand deaths for what he has done to my family! Yet you said my bloody desires would be my end goddess."

"So I did. But for now, without that desire for revenge you will simply give up, you need something to fight for. That is, if you intend to fight?"

"Yes."

"Then you must choose quickly before I change my mind."

"Then I choose... life."

At once the pain subsided and air returned to healthy lungs, no longer torn. The wounds from the bear's two swords healed and vanished. The goddess's presence also was gone as Darric climbed to his feet. He requested light and a small ball hovered above his head highlighting the extent of the cavern. He looked down to see his armour whole again, his sword cleaned and once more at his side. He grasped the dragon head hilt and felt instantly at ease. From outside the cave, shone a beckoning light. Darric pursued it for he had not seen true sunlight since his arrival in this strange world and he truly desired its warmth for no reason he could explain. As he stepped out of the wide cave mouth, true sunlight enveloped his body embracing him in its luscious warmth. Then without warning the momentary bliss was ripped away as the darkness of the goddess's powers claimed control of his body again. Darric's last conscious thoughts were of his kingdom, the fate of his warriors and his best friend Josh. Little did he want to contemplate whether he was being punishment for his failure to appease the manipulative Death Goddess.