Judgement

Chapter 1: Argos

20 years ago - 

The Walker stood in the murky woods, wildlife disappearing. The hooded figure stood over 3 bodies, one of a heavily armoured knight his armour dented, beaten and torn open where blood spilled from his open chest. The others one wore black leather armour, the other, white. The man in the black had his head imploded, pieces of his scattered brain and skull about, blood drowning the grass. The woman in the white had a gaping hole in her chest, around arm size, The Walker stood over them all, holding a black cube encrusted with black onyx's. He tilted the small cube slowly, it twisted he eventually formed it into a triangle, with a small black crystal dropping out, his black ashen hands taking it. He laughed his voice deep, but twisted with many other voices, the people he'd slaughtered, combined into one. He took another item, a ring and placed it in, the small crystal fit perfectly with it's diamond shape. He slipped it onto his long, clawed finger, feeling the darkness swell inside of him. It overwhelming him, he shifted his back arching over his legs growing taller. He laughed once again, this time it was different, it was demonic, the kalibus crystal taking over, feeding him power. He disappeared into shreds of darkness, appearing at the large city of Asmodan, Erejae the city that ran with gold. 

The walker took the cool night air in, laughing, hearing the guards coming to find him, they were alerted now, soon he'd be overwhelmed by guards. He raised his hand a black orb generating, spinning, it whispered words of souls inside of it, it hit a building, enveloping it in darkness eating the contents, absorbing them and coming back to him, the crystal absorbed it, growing in power. He saw the guards, sprinting through the dry dirt, circling him. They began to walk in, trapping The Walker, yet The Walker wasn't going to go that easily, with one fluid motion the ground erupted, black tendrils arose, stabbing the guards through the chests, their armour easily pierced the tendrils disappearing the guards skin rotted away quickly. The ring absorbed more and more as The Walker brung more havoc, killing the civilians, but finally he got to the kingdom, what he had come for. He lifted his arms up, raising black figures that radiated with the aura of the black ring. They ran towards the wall, disintegrating it with touch, they disappeared swell guards lined up around 200 in total of the courtyard. "So many souls to devour!" The Walker called to them, his eyes flashing the ground underneath them exploding with the black energy, eating them as if they were in the middle of a storm of glass shards. It disappeared shortly after, all the guards on the floor, deep gashes in them, a few them still conscious, yet the ring absorbed more. As The Walker passed by the guards, the black tendrils came from his back, stabbing the remaining reviver, piercing their lungs, tossing them aside, sinking back into him.

The Walker entered the kingdom, walking into the throne room, the insides decorated with gold, torches burned brightly where king Leonias stood raising his golden claymore. The Walker laughed sending the tendrils forward, they went to pierce the king ending him, but a golden shield emitted from him, the tendrils stabbing through it, The Walker laughing. "Give up, your soul is mine..." The king grinned at that which caught The Walker off guard with a flash of light from his golden claymore The Walker stumbling, blinded, he felt something sink through his stomach, then twist. The Ring fell from his finger, as he dropped, the claymore black with his essence. He screeched outwards, it deafening being heard from miles away from the surrounding cities, then it cut off. The Walker combusted into nothing, the king picking up the ring, he knew he could not destroy it, he would have to hide it, where no one would find it. 

Present day -

Argos stood in-between two of his friends Horace and Ember they were at knight training, performing duels. The Knight master Sir Will shouted at them, "YOU MUST BE STRONG IF YOU ARE TO BE A KNIGHT, YOU MUST HAVE HONOR, YOU MUST HAVE COURAGE, YOU MUST HAVE HEART!"

"You reckon he has any of that? Argos whispered to Ember, she smiled at him, holding her laughter, she had always liked Argos, not in a sexual way, just as friends, but Horace liked her, yet she didn't feel the same way, so her relationship was hard with them and often when she talked with Argos, Horace was jealous. Sir Will caught Argos signalling for him to come forth, when he did, he hit him in the leg with the wooden sword, it didn't cut, but it hurt, Argos grunting, glaring at the Knight commander before he was shoved back to the line and Sir Will went on.

The training ended, Horace leaving Ember and Argos to themselves, this confused them but they let Horace be, if he was in an unhappy mood, he wasn't going to change, not for a while anyways. They sat down under one of the near trees surrounded by the grass, Ember smiled to Argos bringing up a bag, she had gotten food for them, 3 bags that contained a ham, cheese and lettuce sandwich, a small waterski each and an assortment of fruits. "Thanks, Ember that is really nice of you." Argos commented smiling, realising she took a shirt bag out, frowning momentarily, putting it to the side. She shifted closer to him until they were about an inch apart, "Thanks." She smiled, her dirty blonde hair catching the wind and putting it in her face, her ruby like eyes were pretty swell, Ember was a good looking girl to Argos, but she knew she didn't like him that way. Argos wasn't a bad looking kid though, his black hair thick yet short, his emerald eyes were his best feature. He wasn't as tall as Horace and Ember, he had narrow a more narrow face too, yet he was quicker than both of them. They we're 15, all of them, trying to make it to the knights, it'd been a goal of theirs to all make it, but they weren't sure, at least Argos wasn't sure he'd make it. But he didn't want to tell them as Ember wouldn't let him quit, not after he'd come this far with them, so he left it alone and they just ate together.

The same routined continued each day, yet the next day Horace joined them, his normal light blonde, blue eyed self. He was one of the best looking boys in the regiment, yet the one girl he liked, didn't feel the same and Argos knew that troubled him. The days continued on their friendship staying the same, the same routine being done every day, they continued this for 2 years until they we're 17 and the cut was about to be made, who made it, and who didn't. Argos felt nervous about it, Ember and Horace told him not to worry as they believed he did really well, but these comments didn't nurture his insecurities, not enough anyways. They came to the hall in their training gear, all of it polished, Sir Will and the king sat at the front, the recruits taking their seats at the long tables that lined up the stone hall. The glass windows shining light rays in all directions, it was a nice day today, but some of the recruits days were about to be ruined. Sir Will stood, saying a few words like "I'm proud you have come this far," but it didn't matter to Argos he just waited to hear his name. "Ember Oakgate." Ember stood, beaming winking at them going and collecting her sword and pin. More boys and girls were read out until Argos heard, "Horace Snow." Horace stood, smiling, patting Argos on the back whispering "Good luck," In his ear before going and collecting his sword and pin. Argos heard more people being read out, but none were his name then Sir will closed the parchment, smiling, "Well done to those who made it, those who didn't will have to try, again." Ember stared at Argos, he had known this was coming, so it didn't hit as hard as it would have, but it still cut deep. He rose, leaving quickly, disappearing Ember calling to him, but he didn't need her sympathy, not now. 

He walked down a corridor where a person stepped out in a cloak, a ranger, one of the elites who could be hidden in plain sight and you wouldn't notice. The female scared him, Argos jumped back, realising it was the commander, Jade Lannis. Argos had only seen her around a few times, being around the king as rangers were stationed at each kingdoms once they had completed their training. She looked at him for a moment, "You make the knights?" She asked in that deep tone of hers, Jade was apparently very pretty, but her hood was up always, so no one fully saw her face, just her curly matte black hair that came down to her waist. "No.." Argos replied simply, looking away, embarrassed. "Good." She replied, he turned to her narrowing his eyes, "What do you me- his speech cut off by her grabbing him roughly, pulling him along, walking out of the gates and to her cabin in the woods. She sat him down here, "Okay, now listen to me and listen to me carefully." He nodded, rangers were scary, not to be messed with, "I want you to be my apprentice, I see potential in you, it was obvious to me you were never gonna make knights, your not a knights build, your a rangers build, so, do you accept my offer?" Argos just sat there for a moment, his eyes widening, "Me? An elite ranger?" She growled, "Okay! I accept!" She nodded, "Good, go have a shower and your bed is on the right, this will be your home for now." He nodded, leaving her hurrying through the cabin to the shower.