Sparks of War Chapter 4
Clemente and the Aeth'er Wars...
By Limited Moon
The old man slwly drew his sword back from Stahn's neck, and began to laugh. He had a deep, yet familiar voice, "heh, so THIS is where you've been eh?" sneered the old man.
"Wh..who're you?!" Stahn said angrily, "you could've KILLED ME!"
"Get a grip Stahn, remember THIS line, 'It may be a sword, but it's really a dirty old man inside!'"
Stahn's eyes widened, could it be HIM? If Clemente is alive..then...
"The look in yer eyes says you don't, it's ME, Stahn, Clemente!"
"...but...you...died..." was all Stahn could say.
"Listen, boy, yes I AM dead. I came from the land of the dead to help you."
"Help me do..what?!"
"Listen, you are the only one who has the power to overcome this new threat and you know it."
"No I don't, I have nothing to do with this anymore, Clemente, my part is over, find some other swordsman to handle it."
"Damn it all!! You're just going to run away from you're obligations aren't you?"
"IT WAS NEVER MY OBLIGATION IN THE FIRST PLACE!"
Clemente stood silent, the former swordian just stepped back from Stahn and shook his head.
"Heh, just run away from your troubles, Stahn, aren't you even going to ask WHY I chose you for this?" Clemente said firmly.
"Fine, then, why?!"
"It wasn't only the fact that I know how strong you are, it's also you're performance on Lienea Hill, Stahn. Not to mention that..."
"Shut up, I want no part in this Clemente."
"I know you do, but, it's an extremely long story..."
"Well..."
"Don't you even want revenge for your grandfather's death?!"
".....! W...well...yes..," Stahn was surprised, maybe he could do this after all, for his grandpa...
"Then, follow me, boy, I know just the ally you need to win this war," Clemente said with a trace of a smile on his face.
Stahn followed him out of Bruiser's mansion, and eventually out of Nuedstadt. They traveled into a forest, strangely enough, no monsters would bother them. Eventually, Clemente took out his golden sword, oddly reminescent of his swordian form, and swung it high. The forest in front of Stahn opened up into a clearing, where a temple stood. It was an old temple, with odd designs and beautiful dark marble. Clemente simply walked up to it, and stopped in front of it.
"Stahn," Clemente began, "in the Aeth'er Wars, the last resort of the Aetherians was to make swordians of their own. Kronos took 4 of his best generals and turned them into swordians. They were aptly named the "Dark Swordians" for their immense strength in the four elements of darkness, dark wind, dark, dark holy, and doom. These swordians, however, were never used, and were thrown from the Aeropolises. They landed in many differen't places, and wizards built temples around them to guard them, and sealed them so they would never be used. However, we are not here to hlep you anymore Stahn, so the Dark Swordians must be freed to help stop this new threat. Do you follow Stahn?"
"Yes, but why were they sealed?"
"Stahn, they were Aetherian Swordians, the war just ended, noone wanted to even see Aetherians, thats why they were banished to Cavalese!"
"Oh, so I have to go and free these Swordians to help me?"
"Yes, however, each temple has had a special guardian created by the most talented wizards to guard the swordians, so be ready Stahn."
With that, Clemente disappeared. Stahn looked at the Giant Black Marble temple and began to think about what he was doing, "...these Swordians probably wont cooperate with me, but I must try, for my grandpa!" and with that, he ran into the temple.
Clemente reappeared when Stahn was well into the temple. He began to laugh, he held the golden sword up into the air, "WE WHO WERE CREATED TO SERVE OUR GREAT MASTER, MUST ARRIVE! CHANGE!" he yelled as the wind gathered around him into a vortex. His form began to change, the hands and feet morphed into sharp claws, the golden armor began to crack and iron-like black skin emerged, his legs grew larger and a helmet formed around his head.
"MASTER...HE IS HERE, I HAVE BEGUN THE CHAIN THAT WILL BRING HIM TO YOU, MASTER...HE IS SUCH A FOOL HOWEVER. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW HE IS THE HOST...BUT I'LL TRUST YOUR JUDGEMENT...SO IT BEGINS..." and with that, the creature that once looked like Clemente disappeared in a beam of light...
* * * * * * * * * *
Stahn entered the temple, which seemed to be only composed of a large room. There was no Swordian, much less anything else interesting. However, as he walked deeper into it, the room began to light up. A beam of light shot into the room and a igure formed within it, when the light disappeared, a Minotaur stood in it's place, "YOU, YOU WHO WANT TO TAKE THE DARK SWORDIAN, I MUST KILL YOU!"
This must be the guardian, doesen't look THAT tough, thought Stahn as he unsheathed his long sword.
The Minotaur narrowed his eyes, then bent over as he pawed the ground with his hooves, then he made a charge at Stahn. Stahn jumped out of way and stabbed him as he ran by. The Minotaur stopped and turned around. He began to shoot painful rays of light at Stahn. Stahn tried desperately to dodge the rays but one of them hit him hard, he was knocked against the wall by the force of the ray. The Minotaur grunted, and began to ready another charge. Stahn got back up slowly, and saw the oncoming charge. he was cornered. He thought desperately of what he should do, but his mind kept turning up blanks. Then, in desperation, he charged back at the Minotaur. "SHO! BAKRIARCHI!" he screamed as he bashed the minotaur with his charge, a beam in the form of a dragon's head emerged from his sword upon impact and the Minotaur was knocked backwards by the force. Just then, he noticed a sword stuck in the ground to the right of where the Minotaur was dazed. He made a run for the sword and grasped it, it wouldn't budge.
"URGH!" Stahn grunted as he pulled, then he noticed the Minotaur was back up and readying yet another charge.
"Don't you ever DIE?!" he said to himself as he prepared another Force. The Minotaur charged at Stahn again, he charged back, but neither realized that they had both rammed into the sword, and knocked it across the room, out of the ground. Stahn made a run from the sword as the Minotaur began shooting more rays. He picked it up, the blade wasn't even scratched, surprisingly. It felt light as a feather, and gave Stahn some more hope for the outcome of this fight. Noticing a ray coming right at him, all he could do was hold the sword in front of him and close his eyes. However, it reflected the ray right back at the Minotaur, surprising it. It could do nothing as the ray struck it directly, blowing it to pieces.
Stahn opened his eyes, and looked around. The Minotaur was gone. He breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at his new sword. It had a dark blade, and it's hilt was of antique, but what really caught his eye, was the jewel welded into the center, a SWORDIAN CRYSTAL CORE!
"So, YOU must be the first of the Dark Swordians," he said to it, but it wouldn't reply.
"Why wont you talk to me?" he told it, "I just freed you and you wont even TALK to me?!"
"Oh, shut up you idiot!" the sword seemed to scream back, it was a female voice, and it sounded angry.
"Heh, so you're female eh?" Stahn replied.
"How did you beat the Minotaur?! I can't believe this!" the swordian yelled. Stahn was wondering why she was so angry at him.
"Um..."
"Psh, I can't believe this, I thought I could stay asleep in peace forever, and now look at what you do! I sealed myself in here for a REASON, idiot, and you released me, so now YOU have to reseal me," the swordian snapped.
"REseal you?! Sealed YOURSELF?! What on?!" Stahn was only getting part of what she was telling him, he was confused.
"Damn it all, just don't even speak to me, ok?!" yelled the swordian.
"Wait, at least tell me your name!"
The was silence, he knew when he was beat. He should be feeling happy that he can have the strength to avenge his grandfather's death, but somehow, he felt like he did something wrong. Disappointed, he headed back to Nuedstadt.
The creature that posed as Clemente appeared again, in a beam of light. It had watched the entire battle take place, and it knew what to do, "AH, SO HE IS THE ONE," he said to himself, "ONLY HE HAS THE POWER TO DEFEAT THE GUARDIANS..," saying that, it walked to the back wall of the temple, and cast an incantation, a hatch opened with a shining crystal in it. It pointed it's finger at the crystal and it shattered, "THE SWORDIAN CANNOT BE RESEALED NOW, THE CHAIN HAS BEGUN!" it said, and in a ray of light, it disappeared.
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