The Mercenary’s Shadow

Chapter 1: The mercenary’s beginning

I know you can hear me, my champion, so please, open your eyes. A distinctly feminine voice sounded in my head
“Huh? Where am I? Who’s there?” All around me all I could see was blackness. I am the one who freed you from death’s grasp. I felt my heart pounding and my breath quickening. I was dead? Then where am I now?

I decided to focus at the matters at hand, like me talking to an infinite void of darkness “Please, tell me who you are” I cannot but I can promise you this: I am not an enemy nor shall I ever choose to be. The voice replied somehow leaving me even more confused than I was.

Now then, you must see through my eyes and see, see why we need you, why we need a hero. Before I could ask how exactly was I supposed to do this, I felt the presence of something penetrate my mind and soon enough, I was seeing images of people in what seemed to be New York, then all of a sudden the sky turned blood red. Everyone stood silently to stare for a moment until a disturbance from somewhere farther down the street caused everyone to panic.

Everyone was running around screaming and trying to keep from being crushed under the stampede of bodies that was being herded by what could only be described as one thing: Demons. There was some with wings while other crawled the ground with their misshapen claws. No matter how much I tried I couldn’t look away or close my eyes as I watched my world crumble to insanity, death, pain and fire, as the world I lived on was destroyed.

As my world turned into Hell.

“Why? What have we done to deserve this?!” I cried as the images finally ceased. I am sorry, but the Demon King called Draconus, has destroyed the world you once knew, and now he is on his way to our world, Norith. I wanted no other person to fall to this fate that caused my own planet’s demise.
“Can you guys stop him?” No. Only one person can free Norith from it’s doom. I felt sick to my stomach as I connected the pieces together. “…Me?” Yes young one, you are the only one who would be able to bear all of the tasks and hardships that will befall you. Now I knew I was going to be sick.

“I-I’m sorry, but I think you might be wrong, I am not hero material, heck, I couldn’t even stand up to the school bully in school!” I felt more than saw the strange entity smile. No one said that a hero was needed. I wasn’t sure if this was an attempt at humor but I was in no mood for laughter. “I’m sorry but I-I can’t do it.” Do not worry my warrior, you will not bear these troubles alone. the voice soothed. “Who else is there?” I asked with a trace of hope. The voice seemed to contemplate this.

There will be many people that you will consider friends and some who will be enemies at first, but there will be only one who will be there to help you always strive forward toward your goal and to be your light, no matter how dark your path may seem. I frowned at the cryptic statement “I don’t understand.” You will soon, little one I still felt scared, but it comforted me to know I won’t be alone.

Now you must go my champion, your old life in that world has come to a halt now, but your new life has started in a world very different from your own, Nevertheless one that needs help, your help. “And… if I fail?” I asked hesitantly. The entity paused. Then it shall be the end of our world, but do not worry, I have full faith in you.

Now I must leave your dreams, but first I shall give you a gift, and a wish. “A wish?” Yes, choose carefully. I needed to really think on this, I’m going to another world, everything in my old world is gone now, so what is it I would need most that I wouldn’t be able to make it on my own without?
I stopped there for I had realized my answer. Have you made your decision? “Yes, I wish for you to travel with me to guide and support me through my journey!” The voice was silent for a while and when she spoke she sounded fairly happy. If that is your wish, then so be it. For now though, you must awaken to your new home and as you leave you shall recieve your gift. “Wait! If you will travel with me, I need to know your name.” Now it seemed the voice became flustered.

I-I cannot, I have forgotten most of my past when scouts from Draconus’s army destroyed…something. I cannot remember. I felt my sympathy go to the disembodied voice and in that moment, I made a split second decision “You know what? Fuck it! I won’t need them anyway and it will probably make things easier, shall we forget ourselves together and find not who we are, but who we can be?” I swear I could almost feel the voice blush and the happiness in her answer. Thank god for poetry class and plain old skill. Yes, that would be nice… “Now send me to the new world so we can start our journey.” I shall see you when you wake. goodbye…and sorry.
before I could ask what she meant, I found myself in agonizing pain, my head felt like it was being pierced by a thousand hot spikes, cracked open and hot lava was poured inside. I tried screaming till my lungs burst, but I found I was frozen again. Unable to move and whining pitifully, the pain became too much and I gratefully blacked out.

~~~~~~~~~

“Mister? Are you alright? Hello? Are you dead?” a childish voice woke me out of my painful slumber. I groaned and opened my eyes, only to find bright blue eyes staring right at me. “GAH!” I screamed and jumped to my feet, then groaned and wished I hadn’t as a major headache hit me with the force of a truck.
I heard somebody rush over to me and hand me a cup of something. “Drink this, it’ll make most of the pain go away” It smelled like grass and fresh dirt, probably was too but I would have done anything to get rid of this raging migraine. I drained the cup in one gulp, but surprisingly, it tasted more like green tea than anything. I laid my arm over my eyes and felt the searing pain in my skull fade slightly.

“Thank you.” I said, my voice cracking from lack of use. “No problem mister quain.” the cheerful voice answered “Quain? Who is that?” a small bubbly laugh rang out. As I frowned it ceased. “Wait you’re not joking are you?” “No i’m not, nor do I like people laughing at me.” I answered keeping my frown on my face. “Sorry, but for someone to not know what a quain is, well , to put it simply even young spawn know what a quain is, so someone as old as you wouldn’t even think about it.” My frowned deepened “Humor me then.” I asked dryly. There was a paused and then the girl spoke.”A quain is one with no home, food or decent wear.” “So basically it’s a hobo?” “What is a hobo?” “Nevermind.” I said with a sigh. After a few more minutes, I figured it was time to get up.

I braced myself for the pain as I moved my arm out of the way and opened my eyes. The pain was minimal but still there. I looked around my surroundings. It seemed I was what looked like a mix between a greenhouse and a barn with a strange greenish-blue light coming from it. I was laying down on a flat table but it was comfortable and moved to accommodate my body.

Sitting in front of me was something that looked like it belonged in a video game. It looked more elfish than humanoid with a small childish yet feminine frame. Her eyes were bright blue and her pointed ears with golden earring hanging of them. Her hair was a dark black and her skin was a nice tan color. “Who are you, again?” I asked. The elfin girl snapped her fingers. “Oh! Forgive me for being so rude, my name is Lyra, Lyra Regia and you are?” I thought about giving her my old name, but something told me to hold back on that information.

The elf was still waiting for a name so I figured since it’s a new planet, I’m gonna be a new person. “Uh, sorry but I don’t remember anything, I kinda lost my memory” I lied. Lyra covered her mouth with her hands as her eyes widened in shock “That’s terrible! Can you try to remember anything?” I pretended to strain my mind and come up with nothing. “Only thing I can remember is….” Suddenly I did remember the strange voice, her promise, her gift and The demon king.
I started looking around for anyone else around me “Uh, what is it you are searching for?” Lyra asked, her head tilted slightly in confusion. “Um, well…” I may be on a different world but i’m pretty sure they would call me crazy if I told them I was speaking to voices in my head prophesying about a demon king coming to destroy their way of life.

“Did you see anything with me when you saw me first?” “Actually, yes. I found you in a crater on my way back from the city, when I started to get closer there was what looked like a small circular object on your arm, but it seemed to disappear into your hand where there is a crescent shaped mark on the inside.” I stopped looking around the room and checked my hand. I’d never seen a mark like that before anywhere on my body but sure enough it was there. It looked like a birthmark, but seemed to shine faintly like silver. As I studied it I asked lyra, “Are you sure it disappeared into my hand?” “Yes,” lyra answered almost immediately. “I am sure of it.” I continued to stare at my hand, until almost on instinct I reached it out, my palm outstretched as I whispered a word i’ve never heard before.

“Asthrack.”

My hand glowed brightly with silver light as a portal or something seemed to open out of my hand. Both me and Lyra sat stunned as we watched as it shot something out then the portal disappeared, like it was never there in the first place, though we still stared at the space where it was.

“Well it’s about time you figured out how to summon me.” said a familiar voice. I looked around, thinking to find a female standing around, but found nothing. “Down here warrior.” said the voice I looked and for the second time that day I found I was stunned into speechlessness, for down on the ground was a small wolf with silver fur staring at me with intelligent black eyes. “You are surprised with form?” the wolf asked in a questioning tone. While I may have thrown away my past life, I do still remember all of the things it taught me, like knowing how to sense a word trap and what to say to a female when she tries to lock you in one.

“Uh, no I was just admiring your fur coat, it’s simply stunning” I’m not sure if wolves can blush, but this one did. “Why thank you,” she gushed “I also admire your new look as well.” Wait what? “What new look? Don’t I look the same?” The small wolf frowned at my change of attitude, probably sensing my feeling of dread. “It would attract too much attention, for you would have been very different than the normal being here.” Now I frowned “Then what do I look like?” “It would be best for you to find that out for yourself. You! The one my warrior calls Lyra, do you have a place where he can view himself?”

Lyra didn’t say anything she just stood there and stared at us, probably in shock. “I-i-i-it talked.” She stammered staring at the she-wolf who bristled visibly “Yes it talks, it can also bite rude creatures that show no respect!” The enraged wolf threatened. That snapped her out of her trance as she stumbled over an apology”I-i am so sorry i-i-i don’t where my manners went for a moment Ms…..?” Suddenly, it seemed that the wolf became the flustered one. “Oh, well, um, I-I do not have a name.” She gulped and blushed fircely which could be seen quite visably under her silver fur.

While I sat there (probably with a very stupid look on my face) as lyra looked confused for a while, but then she got these really huge eyes and started staring at me. I looked back at her with a questioning look, and she replied by looking back and forth between the she-wolf and myself. she continued looking between us until the truth hit me in the face and shocked me to my core like a bucket of ice water. “U-um, by any chance, would you like me to name you?” I asked hoping the answer was not what I thought it was.

“Y-yes, you are the only one that can.” I frowned slightly. “Wait really? How does that work?” The smaller wolf seemed to stare harder at the floor as if it were possible. “Y-your wish for me to be your p-partner inadvertently b-binded your soul to mine.” She explained. “When this happens, the one who wished becomes…connected in all ways possible….and to me…..that would mean turning you into m-m-my m-m-m-master…..” Everything was silent for a while and then I broke the silence by clapping my hands together and rubbing them.”Well then if that’s how it works, then that’s that.” I said smiling at the wolf. “I only have one issue though.” Both girls perked their ears “What the hell am I going to call you?” Both girls sat in a stunned silence until Lyra spoke up.

“Um, how about Silver? For the color of her fur is all silvery?” lyra piped up “Or what about Celia? It has been associated with those bonded through fate.” I thought about it for a moment and finally snapped my fingers “I’ve got it! If you combine silver and celia together to get, Silva!” the small she-wolf looked pleased at the name. “Silva…then it’s decided,” she jumped onto the bed “From now on, I shall be called Silva the Silver wolf! Servant and partner to….” At this she faltered and turned back to me “Uh have you given yourself a name yet?” I realized I needed a name for myself as well.

“Well since I can’t remember my old name it’s no use to me now, so how about you two? Got any suggestions?” Both the girls thought for a while until Lyra came up with the name Thorn and Silva said Farin. they looked at each other before grinning and shouting together “Combine Thorn with Farin, you get Thorin!” and collapsed in a fit of giggling. I couldn’t help but smile at the scene. “Thorin huh? well I guess that’s that! I shall be known as Thorin the Great Warrior!” I struck a what I thought was a heroic pose, but only succeeded in causing the girls to laugh even harder and me to laugh as well. After we all calmed down,we discussed our first move. “Well,” Lyra said thinking hard “If you really are going to be a warrior, you should go to the city and be Awakened.” “Awakened?” I asked “Yeah, it’s where you go to Awaken your powers, find out what type of Element you have, and how high your power is.” Lyra explained “Wow, we should head there. First things first though, I really need to freshen up, cause quite frankly, I stink.” I said pulling on my collar.
We all had a good laugh about that until lyra showed me the way to the bathroom. I closed the door behind me and started taking of the clothing I was wearing. (which was like a hospital gown but more complicated.) As I undressed, I happend to look in to what seemed like a mirror and what looked back at me caused my whole body to go numb and cold, I shook slightly and felt the feeling of sickness as I opened my mouth to do what anyone would have done in my situation: I screamed.

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