It was just an ordinary summer evening, I was sitting down in the forest headquarters, when I sensed irregularity in the energy flow in close proximity to me. I guess you could say that my skills of manipulating light and flow are not as useless as people tend to think when it comes to sensing danger, and irregularities of the energy flow. I thought it was just some ordinary blockage, as it usually tends to be, but I was so wrong. 190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CJY8IPn8t
I got ready, took a backpack with potions and herbs, just in case, and contacted the Academy. They sent a few students my way, to help them study the energy flow, and clearing of the blockages, they said. Now that I think of it, I could have prevented the events that occurred later – if only I would have scouted the area myself first. Being so used to my job of monitoring being always boring and uneventful, I did not think twice about the students coming, after all, it helps them to learn, and the Academy always sent students my way, why would I oppose it now? As soon as I was done taking my gear I went outside to wait for the students. Sun was shining and I could use the moment just to bask in its glory, and gather some strength.
As the students came, I told them the regular rules of the expedition to the blockage and the safety measures, and we went on forward to the corrupted energy flow I felt. As soon as we were a few metres away, I knew that something was wrong. However, I could not feel what exactly. When you feel disruptions of energy your whole life you grow quite accustomed to the feeling that each of the flow blockages has. When it’s a simple blockage of a flow it feels as if something held my throat and obstructed my air flow. This, however, felt more intense – it wasn’t just holding my throat, I would say that it was grabbing me whole, making me unsure of my steps, paralysing me even. One of the healers from the student party noticed and asked if there’s something wrong – to keep them calm, I said that it’s nothing and requested just a simple healing spell from the girl. She took up her wand and swirled it pointing at me, leaves manifesting around me and soothing the pain from the corrupted energy flow. She knew that something was wrong as well, that’s the reason I asked her for the spell – the healers can feel what they are healing, just so she could prepare herself. As soon as she felt it, she enchanted her wand with magical power of the surrounding forest and we went on, towards the blockage.
We came dozens of metres close to the anomaly and my legs started to lose control, to ensure the safety of myself and the students included, I have cast a light barrier around us, even though the light did not really come through these trees, I could grab onto some traces of its energy and weave some basic spells. Some of the students were frightened but I assured them that I will keep them safe, and told the healers to get into formation. The girl and the boy stood right next to me, while I led the expedition. People with casting abilities were behind us to stay protected and those who could weave shadows tried to stay hidden in them, however they noted that the shadows felt “wrong“ somehow.
As soon as we stepped into the core of the anomaly, I immediately knew what was going on. They were feeding on the energy of the forest. As they once corrupted the Sacred Forest hundreds of years ago, they were now trying to do it to this one too. I immediately contacted the Academy to send in the Ancient Druids, and jumped in front of the students, weaving a spear and a shield from the traces of the light. As soon as I did that however, the students who weaved shadows to stay hidden were grabbed by shadow tentacles, squeezing them, and cutting into their flesh. The healers tried to save them, but it was no good – they were only wasting their energies. I jumped into the fray, impaled a few of the demon-looking humanoid figures, but they soon swarmed me, and even with the students’ help we could not fight them off. As my weapons of light shattered, and blinded them, it bought me some time to jump to the casters and healers and teleport them away. I stayed behind to stall these fiends until the druids came.
…
“Where am I?” I asked, completely confused, and hurting.
“The druids brought you in after they came to the scene, hero.” Smiled a young druid as he tried to soothe my pain while I was standing up from the bed. “Now don’t get me wrong, we Druids are glad for what you did, we can’t allow another forest to be corrupted. However, you should not put yourself in such dangerous situations just because you can. Next time you might not live through it.”
“Screw me dying, the shadow weavers died because of me!” I said, covering my eyes trying to block out the image of them being squeezed to death by tentacles - Their faces. Looking at me, begging for help. Me, being helpless, useless, unable to move, unable to help, screaming. I snap out of it. “I remember using teleportation magic on some of the students, did it work? Are they safe?”
“Yes, they are completely safe, they suffered some mental scars, as you do, when you deal with the Obscura, but other than that they are back to their normal lives at the Academy. Don’t push yourself so hard, it’s important that you live – those students’ sacrifices were not in vain.” I’d like to believe that, but I could never swallow the bitter pill of somebody dying because of me. That is why I never applied to be a healer for the Academy, I hate that kind of responsibility. Anyway, I should get going and try to not tear any stitches that I have. “Oh! Also, Mr. Baron, you should speak with Ashera. She oversaw your resuscitation and recovery and would like to ask you a few questions – just some ordinary procedures, no worries!” The young druid said to me, while showing me the way to her office, and smiling, as if trying to comfort me.
“Hello, Lady Ashera, I heard you’d like to talk to me as soon as I recover?“
“Yes, do sit down, Hikaru. Let me get started right away, you were on a mission, prior to your injuries – what was the mission about?”
“Well, what I thought it was about was some energy abnormality or blockage that I should have resolved, however as we approached the abnormality with the students, we learned of some bigger ploy being played.” I said as my mind filled with pictures of the events happening at the forest. Darkness, cold bodies falling to the ground, not being able to protect the students, failing in the completion of my duty. SNAP. OUT. OF. IT. I shake my head, coming back to my senses.
“And then you contacted the Academy to send in druids, because of the forest corruption.” Ashera said, as she looked me deeply in my eyes, she was probably searching for some hidden truth, with the folks from the Academy you never know. “Just so you know, Hikaru, if you hide something from me, I can fish it out of you, so do not even try. “As she tried to scare me, her eyes turned pitch black and I could see myself in them as if I was looking in a mirror.
“Noted, Lady Ashera, however I do not see a reason to hide anything from the Academy, nor from you. The Academy is, after all, my home and my job, and you are my colleague, albeit from a different branch, but still a colleague.”
“That’s what I like to hear. Now to move on with the evaluation of your state I need to ask you a few basic questions about your life to ensure that you were not corrupted by the Obscura and the dark energy.” I nodded as she took out a notebook and a pen. “So, Hikaru, what is this Academy that you’re talking about?”
“The Academy, or as common-folk also call it – a school for peculiar children is an institution where individuals with special abilities train to control them, and become better, while protecting this world, becoming something we call the Protectors.”
“There is one more institution we share ground with, which is it?”
“It’s the Utopea Coalition led by Raksha Devan.”
“What was the name of the first corrupted forest in Meliora?”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwGKixvZbt
“The Forest of Thaumaturgy corrupted by Miranda Hariot, who is the herald of Obscura, according to the Utopea Coalition.”
“And finally, what is your full name and your state of affairs in the Academy?”
“Hikaru Baron, I am an expert on energy manipulation, and have a full overseeing seat at the Department of Energy Currents. It is my job to prevent any complications that could occur when dealing with the energy of this world.”
“Amazing Hikaru, I would hate to report your loss to the Obscura, you may return to your post.” I nodded and stood up from the chair, making an ugly face as I stood up, since everything hurts after the fight.
As I was returning to my post from the Academy, I felt something wrong with the energy flow. Since there was plenty of light energy that I could grab on, I concealed myself in it and went forward to the disturbance. As I went on, I noticed tracks of two people in the mud, I started to be cautious and as I was as close to the anomaly as I could, I noticed two women. They both wore Utopea Coalition uniforms, and I did not want to interfere, since Utopea and the Academy were in very spiky relationships because of their differences. One of the women was tall, slim, brown skinned, with black hair, and the other one was muscular, shorter than the other one, but still pretty tall, with red hair and very pale skin. The black-haired woman had made a few hand motions and the energy flow calmed down in an instant, while the other woman was looking around, as if somebody or something was about to jump out on them. When the dark-haired lady was done cleansing the anomaly, she turned around and looked directly at me, I immediately froze in place.
“Show yourself!” She yelled as she was preparing to unleash hell on anyone who would try to hurt them, I could feel the energy flow swarming around her. The second woman seemed clueless to what’s happening, but I decided to leave the concealment of the light.
“No need for hostilities, I come in peace” I said revealing myself and rising my hands above my head in a half-joking manner.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoj7uqgy0p
“Tell me why shouldn’t I tear you to shreds with my own hands, you eavesdropper!” Said the shorter woman aggressively, cracking her knuckles.
“Melody, that is enough. If this young gentleman were to hurt us, he would not just show himself like this. I am Raksha Devan, the head of the Utopea Coalition. Do state your business, young man.” She smiled and tilted her head, her pleasant energy bursting out of her.
“Lady Raksha, pardon my intrusion upon your business. My name is Hikaru Baron, I am with the Academy, I lead the Department of Energy Currents. I just felt the disturbance, so I wanted to check things out, when I ran into you, seems like you handled it well.”
“Oh my, are we in the Academy territory? I hope we did not cause trouble by this little excursion.” Raksha said, looking worried for a very good reason. The Academy tends to be a little bit zealous when it comes to their territory, even if the Utopea means well.
“No, my lady, the Academy did not know about this anomaly, there is nothing to be worried about.” I smiled at Raksha, assuring her that she’s safe.
“Oh,” she sighed, “that’s very lucky of us. Now young man, we have to go and attend to other matters at hand, but please, keep this run-in of ours between you and me, the Academy would not take well us stepping in on some matters. Have a pleasant day!” As she finished the sentence, she bowed, touched Melody’s shoulder, and disappeared into the thin air. So, this is Raksha Devan? I imagined her more… fearsome? I guess that the Academy has to make some stuff up to keep people from joining the Utopea, but she really seems like a warm person.
I continued down the road to my post as I intended from the beginning, thinking about Raksha and Melody, pondering why they would step in, while it was such a small anomaly in energy current – or maybe they lessened it? Too many hypotheses filled my head up, that I could barely fall asleep.
…
“Open your eyes, child.” I heard an unknown, distorted voice.
“W-where am I? Who are you?” I said as I opened my eyes, seeing a blinding light in front of me.
“You’re sleeping, no worries.” Said the unknown entity, showing me a silhouette of its humanoid body, pointing at me, lying in bed. “You were chosen my child, to weave the power of light since your birth. Pray tell me, have you been using your powers to do good?”
“Well, I have joined the Academy, and I am helping people as much as I can – I guess you could say so.”
The light entity chuckled “I see that the human race still lacks the knowledge of what is good or bad, you are too dependent on putting yourself into a certain box, and fail to see the things on a bigger scale.”
I tilted my head and could not understand what this entity meant and wanted from me. “Pardon me, unknown-light-looking-thing? As I ponder, I simply cannot find out what you mean by this display.”
“You will find out in time, but where are my manners – I am Amardeep, the Imperator of Light. You see, I gave you your powers a while ago, when you were a little baby.” As he finished the sentence, his blinding silhouette started clearing up, showing a tall, pale male in white robe, with long golden hair. “I saw a certain potential in you, you see, I rarely give my gift to somebody, but I somehow felt that it’s only right that you get it. Intuition, you humans call it.”
“Intuition, huh? But why have you shown yourself to me now? I have never heard of Imperators just appearing to people.”
“You see, our lord Harbinger mostly does this, we Imperators rarely ever choose somebody to get our powers. The Harbinger chooses for us. However, when we do, it is mostly of grave importance, that our blessed do our bidding. You have to understand that this burden is mostly given only in grave need of saviours.” After saying this, he made a few elegant hand motions, the light crystals flowing around him flickered, and started circling in a mirror-like construct, showing a relatively young man, maybe in his twenties. “This is another one of the heroes chosen by the Imperators. You must reconnect. It is of great importance that you join your strengths and conquer what is to come.”
“Hold on! I have so many questions now!” I stopped him as I saw he was leaving my dream vision. “What is his name? And what about his powers? Where should I look for him?”
“His name is Delnoris Felwitch, when it comes to his powers, it’s for him to reveal to you, and finally, you shall look for him in Riekyira. You shall look unto the water and find the answers that you seek. Farewell.” As he finished, I felt myself going back into my sleeping body. I immediately woke up, going straight to the Academy’s Grand Library. I need to seek answers.
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