Achilleas Moustakas

 

Erskin’s Quest

 

A short story

 

As the sun was reaching its climax and the cool morning was giving way to noon, Erskin, the Wielder of Time, decided to face not only Darkness but also Nothingness.

“Is everything all right, my Lord?” Renia asked.

“I am no more a Lord of Time; merely a Wielder” he responded.

He gazed upon the servant and smiled kindly. He exited and headed for another ‘adventure’ with an adversary of not known yet competency.

“I wonder how much had he practiced” he murmured.

Renia was a servant to Erskin and his deceased father. She understood some aspects of his character and even took a glimpse of his emotions’ depths.

“I wonder… Is he healed? So much has happened. I would say yes, yet this smile… Those eyes…”

Hers were filled with dread as she was looking him leaving. Normally he wore dark colored clothes; however, today he chose to wear clothes of pure white and he seemed like reflecting and absorbing sunlight at the same time.

She sighed and continued to her daily chores and errands.

It was one of the few times that Erskin decided to walk instead of levitating and progressing. Summer was nearby and the Continent was radiating and welcoming again the Sun. The whole world was abolishing Darkness and Nothingness after the events which almost led to absolute ruin.

The Wielder’s house was very far and around him the Forest of Bruom surrounded him and…

“The smell is both invigorating and descending… It is as if…” he mumbled.

Suddenly, two leaves were thrown at him and grazed his hand. What could two simple leaves do to a human?

Erskin felt a quick pain which vanished as abruptly as it came. He checked his hand and many drops of blood were already on the ground. He was shocked for only a moment and ready to defend himself.

His bright mantle turned to pitch black and the Forest let a sigh of agony. Something fiercer than a hurricane was coming and would float until…

 

DO NOT PROCEED, WIELDER OF TIME. BEWARE AND DO NOT FOLLOW ON YOUR QUEST.

 

The voice made the trees tremble; the flowers bowed and the bushes bended to this screeching voice.

“I know who you are. You have no right to stop Time and lead again to ruin the Continent. Nature is wrong” Erskin shouted and a bubble of dark light was emitted with every word.

He had to make haste; walking was no longer an option and, once and for all, he had to deal with them.

 

**

 

In Mirk Manor, many leagues to the North, the Lords of Good were enjoying a day of leisure. Their hearts were filled with contentment and satisfaction for everything achieved. Tol Island, the center of the Ocean which surrounded the Continent, was balanced and the two Contrary Forces were away and at bay.

“Only his presence poses a threat” Emlia said to herself.

Her husband, Ubunque, disagreed and grasped her hand.

“No, my dear; he has been misunderstood and has lost twice his home. Expulsing him from the Manor was too much…”

“… And Dun’s indiscretion and Duty Relief were immensely false” her brother, Kaius, added.

Emlia was puzzled. She frowned upon both men and smiled his irony.

“He has acquired too much; he will come.”

Her brother and her husband paid no attention to her words. The thought of fighting him was eons away and almost an impossible task for him.

“He has no longer the strength” Ubunque thought.

“Erskin is not malevolent” Kaius replied to her.

And silence reigned.

 

Ersking decided to Invoke Darkness and Nothingness without counterbalancing. Exclaiming an invocation was literally cursing someone. Counterbalance was always like a rope against infinity and too many and dire repercussions of such Invocations.

However, Ersking aimed to levitate once and for all the two Contrary Forces which resided in his heart and tormented his spirit. He decided against Counterbalance and aspired to send towards Mirk Manor and Azure Kingdom all the pain, the foulness and the terror which he unjustly endured.

It was his opinion that such an Invocation would be better, yet harder, and more effective against the Light itself; with the assistance of Night, the ceremony would be easier.

And he started shouting towards the ever brilliant Sun.

“I, Erskin, the Wielder of Time, do solemnly call forth the dark void residing in me. Let Azure Kingdom and Mirk Manor suffer for all eons to come what I have sustained. This irresponsibility…”

He was interrupted by a tidal wave of leaves, thorns and flowers which intended not only to cease this madness.

“Erskin, I forbid you to move any further. You are an insult and a disgrace a to Nature’s Columns.”

Erskin started laughing. He raised his hands and hurled two Arrows of Time against the man.

“Ieon, a Herald of Nature… You have long hunted me. I seek Justice and may Fortuna and Kindness be my witnesses to my quest. I will fight you and I will even crack the Columns of Nature.”

“You have no right…”

“Cease to address me, you filth” he shouted and a dark sphere erupted between them.

Ieon was amazed; after all these disastrous events, after the Imbalance at the Continent’s foundations, he was still up and ready.

“How strong is he still?” the Herald asked himself.

“The forces you seek and request witness you right now. See and be dazzled by Nature’s force and potency.”

“And see for yourself Nature’s unnatural misdeeds and injustices. Gaze upon me, mighty Herald, and observe terror and awe as Time has the ability to crash everything.”

With a slight movement of his hand, the flowers were wilted, the thorns turned to dust and the leaves withered in mere moments. Ieon lost his composure and his countenance was altered.

Blue and black clouds were approaching and fury was bubbling inside him.

“How dare you? Mighty Justice will strike you” he exclaimed and shot a thunder.

The hit was successful and grazed Erskin’s arm and leg. He yelled at the adversary and a pyramid of gold the size of his palm was presented. Ieon’s fury shook and dread circled it.

“A portal of Pause… You cannot…”

“STAY OUT OF MY WAY, OR ELSE NATURE WILL NOT PREVAIL. TO NO AVAIL YOU ATTEMPT TO STOP ME.”

This was preposterous. Could it be that the Herald was totally making a mistake? It was impossible… No, it was almost improbable for Erskin to continue with such audacity and slight arrogance.

The golden pyramid disappeared. Fear dwindled in Ieon’s eyes and his adversary was speaking.

“You have no idea what I have endured all these years. If Justice and Nature are against me, so be it. I wholeheartedly accept any consequence; But, I will not live any more with so many wounds.”

Tears… Tears….

The Herald was most certain that this Invocation was at the very least provocative. He even has a weapon in his arsenal to incapacitate him.

“You are aiming for an Imbalanced Invocation… Too much are at stake…” he whispered.

Tears overflowed in Erskin’s soul and Ieon saw them. They were like rivers who hurt and pushed the soil so as to prevail.

“If Nature is against me, so be it. My quest is continuing.”

The Herald had no alternative but to step aside. He fathomed the extent of their fight and knew that Death was not afar.

A cloud appeared and covered the Sun. A magnificent, small and pearl-like rain was commencing. Erskin was diminishing and his quest was sinking into the abyss of failure.

He required absolute Light; absolute Midday Light.

And Nature gave its answer.

But Justice and Fortuna were very far away and would not reside in the Wielder’s heart.

And amidst the Gray, there was regal silence for the two powerful men.