Legend of Altair

Element 5 - Asher

"Your sins have been forgiven son." Justin receives a blessing and absolution from one of the head Clerics after confessing his wrongdoings. It was not his intention to condemn the Divine as there are instances in the past where he experienced situations that are direr. "Imperfect human beings like us tend to curse our Maker if things do not go well according to our plans. The more we lose control and feel abandoned, the easier for us to curse heaven. That is why we pray each day and never lose our spiritual disciplines, for they strengthen us against fear, anxiety, and temptation. Just remember and hold fast to the faith taught to us by our ancestors who are now with the Divine." 

"I thank you, Father Alexander." The Paladin is grateful, letting a sigh of relief. "I seek repentance of this shame, for I am a Paladin, and yet, these basic tenets I forget and take for granted." 

Nodding his head, the head Cleric replies with assurance. "Go now and pray always, my son. Evil shall not overcome you."

Alexander continues gazing Justin, his gaze sharp as ever.

***

The Stoned Castle is visible on the right and the residential houses on the left at one of the verandas of the Basilica. Macky frequents this spot, the smoke from the cigarette he puffs get carried away by the wind towards the city. 

"Altair is an enormous planet. Where do you even plan to begin?" He asks, feeling the chills of the cool night wind touching his skin. The faint footsteps begin to louden as another person joins him watching the stars above.

"Perhaps it's best we start at the site Justin and Rykel went. I'm sure there are clues." Clyde answers. "We're dealing with people who can use Chthonian crafts - skilled, cunning, and powerful. To be honest, I'm scared and anxious, wondering if we can win when we face them."

"Why?" Macky scorns. "Maybe you're scared because you don't know what Chthonian crafts can do?"

Clyde nods slowly. "I think there's another reason for this fear. It's the Adversary being still alive. Were we lied to by our ancestors when they said that it is dead and not just sealed?" 

"It's good to question our faith sometimes, Captain." Another puff of smoke goes up into the air. "Questioning is verifying and the answers to those questions lead us to even more absolute truths. If our ancestors stopped questioning a long time ago, we wouldn't be having this kind of life right now." 

After gazing at the stars above, Clyde lowers his head and sees the brick tiles covering the entirety of the Veranda. "Macky, what if the Adversary attacks us one day. Will we be able to stand up against it?" 

"I suggest you don't dwell on that thought and just catch up to these Chthonian users." After puffing for the last time, Macky throws the now short cigarette at the bin nearby. "Use any means necessary though. We need to be fast enough."

***

Eulla smiles sadistically from the distance, watching the Nightcrawlers battling the Undead forces with pure agility, speed, reflexes, and power. "I haven't been entertained this long. I wonder how they will stand up against my Golem. For them to be lasting this long, they sure are very skilled. How fun!" 

"Nightcrawler Craft: Samaya!!" Khalil exclaims, his feet and hands move like lightning, extremely swift from one enemy to another, striking and slashing each and everything he sees multiple times, all in just a second. But he pants heavily, sweat pouring down from his face as he sees several hordes coming in by waves, easily replacing those that he had slain. 

He looks to his right and sees Asher, fighting the Undead less swiftly than him but effortlessly evades the punches and attacks. Bambi jumps down from his left shoulder as Asher backs away and suddenly stops moving. 

With palms from both hands placed together facing the night sky, Asher exclaims, "Traditional Nightcrawler Craft: Abhimanyu!!"

Behind Asher emerge several perfect replicas of himself, each of them holding Yerah. The duplicates charge forward towards the Undead, slashing and evading, having the same fighting prowess and capability that of Asher's himself.

"Seriously, that thing is really creepy and scary. If we don't take it down, it's probably gonna destroy this whole place up." The real Asher who's still standing at the same place eyes the roaring Golem whose steps destroyed the roads and houses it comes into contact with. "Bambs, let's do the usual! Can you transform?"  

"I've been waiting for you all day to say that! Well, it's the only craft I know though." Bambi jumps midway into the air. "Beast Craft: Transformation!!" In an instant, Bambi changes her form into a ball so light that when Asher catches her midway, she gets thrown by him at breakneck speed towards the Golem.

In the blink of an eye, the speeding ball nearing the Golem switches position with Asher from afar. The short Nightcrawler is but suddenly, a few meters away from the Golem itself. "Traditional Nightcrawler Craft: Lakshmana!!" All the created Asher replicas from earlier disappear into thin air and reappear near the real figure as they altogether pierce the Golem in all directions with the Yerah twin daggers all of them are holding.

"Good work you guys!" Asher tells his illusions before they completely disappear. Bambi transforms back again into her original orange Norweigian cat persona, contented with what his partner had done.

Both Khalil and Eulla are amazed at such skill and fighting technique. "A-amazing!" Khalil praises Asher but the female cult leader scorns in disgust. She fixes her eyes towards the short young man, carefully and slowly examining him. "So his name is Asher, huh? I have never seen someone like him throughout my life. Looks like my interest is beginning to shift again."

She stands up and opens a portal, "I shall meet you again. It will be fun experimenting you." 

***

"You." Khalil coldly eyes Asher pointing his dagger to Asher's throat. "Explain yourself. Only Nightcrawlers worship the Night but your crafts are not something that we do. If you do not cooperate with me, I have no choice but to take you to Surallah for further questioning."

Asher and Bambi look at each other. Speaking arrogantly, the talking cat breaks the silence. "Look here fanatic boy, we are under no obligation to tell you --". 

"Hebron." Asher says cutting off the talking cat. "That's where we came from."

Shock and confusion envelopes Khalil's facial expression and thoughts.

"Is this a joke? I know of Hebron, and that sultanate was destroyed 500 years ago!" Khalil gulps and nervously continues, "It was one of the many places eradicated and destroyed by the Dajjal. They were great men who fought bravely until the very end but alas, no one survived, including the royal Sultan and his entire clan.

We tell our children and people of Hebron and its legendary Nightcrawler Eastern Academy, Surallah's counterpart. But, if you sojourn the location, you find nothing there but ruins and misery that once was a great Sultanate.

Are you saying that some people DID survive and continued the traditions all this time?" 

Asher approaches Khalil placing his hand on Khalil's shoulder tears dripping down from his eyes. "If what you say is true, it pains me so much to know that only we survived." 

Bambi jumps to Asher's left shoulder and sits down, rubbing her head against his ear. She then looks at Khalil. "We call your Dajjal as Armilus in our Eastern language. It appeared suddenly, tearing the very Night sky apart with great flames and fire. Its sudden intrusion came at a time when we honored the coming of age of the Sultan's son.

Amidst the chaos and battle against the Dajjal and its Undead forces, our elders prayed to the Night for guidance. The Navi who communed with the Night opened a portal believed to be where the Armilus originated but the portal could not accommodate many warriors, but only one person to which the Sultan suggested the heir be sent so that the lineage will continue no matter what." 

"Then that means," Khalil gasps. 

"Yes. This man in front of you, Asher, is the son of the great Sultan Dawid."