The Ancient Prophecy Ch. 06

"Who want to see my master?"

They were surprised by the sound from the forest. Anna wasn't sure if that was Atrus'. The voice was rather vague, but audible. Gordon quickly answered it.

"We have visitors from out of the village. They claimed themselves to be your friends."

The forest was once again quiet. There was no answer. This time Anna couldn't hold it.

"Atrus...!" she cried. "I know you're listening to this... Please just hear what I really want to say..."

She paused for a while before continuing. "I know you're still mad at me for what I've done in Gideon. I know you hate me so much... I don't mind. You have rights to hate me... But Maya is gravely wounded here... I beg you... please help her..."

She couldn't stop the tears in her eyes. She could even hear Maya sobbing softly.

"If you don't want to see me... I will go back to the village now... I will leave the village tomorrow morning... and you will never see me again..."

When she turned around, she saw a figure standing in front of the mist. It was Atrus... He was looking into her eyes. His hair was a little bit longer than before. He still wore his usual leather suit, and a sword was strapped on his back. He was looking at her... and he was smiling...

"Anna... it's really you..."

Anna was stunned. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say. She was speechless. But Atrus slowly approached her and put his arms around her body and embraced her lovingly.

"I miss you so much... Look at how much you've grown..."

"Atrus... I... I'm... just... so sorry..."

"It's not your fault." He quoted Jenna's words. "You were tricked. I understand your feeling. And no, I don't hate you. I miss you so much."

At last she cried so hard in his arms. All the tension that had been torturing her mind was released. He didn't hate her; that was all she needed to hear. She felt a great relief deep inside her mind. Atrus tried his best to comfort and support her.

After a while he turned to see Maya, still strapped on the chair. "You said Maya is wounded. What happened?"

"The demons attacked them, Bakara." Gordon explained. "We found them near the village. It seems that this girl was poisoned by one of the demons. We can't cure her, so we think that the hermit might be able to help.

Atrus approached and examined her. Maya gave him a weak smile and a faint whimper to tell him how happy she was to see him again. Atrus took her wrist and checked her pulse, only to be shocked by his analysis.

"She got venom all over her veins!" He turned at Anna. "What had happened to her?"

"I'm sorry... She protected my back in a battle with a bunch of orcs... The orcs hit her with a poisonous axe. I couldn't cure her on time... I'm just so sorry..."

Maya whimpered again, and Atrus represented her this time. "It's not your fault. There's nothing you could have done. I haven't seen venom so powerful like this before myself."

Atrus turned at Gordon. "I want to thank you for saving my friends and bringing them here."

"No need, Bakara." He answered. "You've always been our friend. Please come by our village sometime. We will make a feast for you and your friends." Then he bowed and left.

"Anna, help me with her! We must bring her to my master!"

After a short walk, they arrived at a small cottage on the other side of the forest. It was located on a ledge leading to a valley down the hill. From there they could see the thick forest covering the valley. The Elven border was only a few hours from here. On the southern land was a huge black mountain, towering the land.

Aragon people called it Mystic Mountain. When early travelers passed this to chart the land, this mountain suddenly rose from the ground with thundering roar and unleashed a violent earthquake that reached the capitals of both humans and Elven kingdoms. The travelers retold the mountain as "raised by a mystic power from the underworld". Nowadays people knew that it was a normal natural phenomenon, but the name was retained. Rumors said the mountain had some nasty critters inside.

The cottage, despite its size, was warm and comfy. There's a fireplace nearby. The furniture was simple, mainly made of logs. There were two doors leading to other rooms. Candles illuminated the rather-dark room. In the center sat a hooded figure. He was meditating on the floor.

"Master, I've returned. And I bring two friends here. This is..."

"Adriana Freesland... I've been expecting you..."

Anna was stunned. "How do you know...?"

The figure opened his hood and stared at her. He was an old man. His thin hair had turned white. A long white beard was dangling on his chin. But his face was familiar.

Anna quickly fell on her knees and bowed. "Lord Falagor...! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you... Anna Freesland, at your service..."

"Don't worry... Even my apprentice here didn't recognize me." He smiled.

Atrus was also stunned. His master was actually Lord Falagor, the royal advisor and the supreme wizard of the realm! He put Maya on the nearest chair and knelt down. "I'm sorry, master."

Falagor chuckled again. "Stand up. I'm no longer a royal advisor. I'm just a hermit living in a secluded cottage now... And I see that your little friend Maya Murdock was in need..."

Both Falagor and Atrus approached her body. Her stare was weak. Falagor took her hand and examined her. Atrus slowly stroke her long hair and looked into her eyes with great concern.

"Master, could you heal her?"

"I can't tell. I haven't seen the poison before. I'll bring her to my room for further examination." He looked into Maya's eyes. "I need to identify the poison. The process will hurt; you won't be able to endure it. Therefor I will shut down all your nerve system, except your sight. You can see, but you won't feel or hear anything. If you comply, close your eyes."

Maya helplessly looked at Atrus. "Don't worry, you can trust him. He will cure you, Maya... I'm sure you will be just fine..." Then he tenderly kissed her lips. Maya's heart was flushed with joy. Her master was here, and he was not going to let her go. Her fear vanished instantly. She turned back to Falagor and closed her eyes...

Anna stood in front of Atrus, her mace ready in her hand. She carefully watched him as he walked slowly, circling her position. She's not going to lose, she thought... not when he couldn't hurt her.

Atrus slowly circled her, trying to find a chance to strike. His bare feet produced almost no sound as they stepped on the rough ground. In his grip was a long rattan stick.

For her, the odd was clear. He couldn't kill her with his stick, but she could. Her mace was enough to crush his skull. His flexible stick might create welts and bruises, but those were easy to be healed. But Atrus still insisted that she should use her mace in this match.

"Don't hold back." He said.

Anna dashed toward Atrus and swung the mace, but Atrus was faster... way faster. He slid to her side evading her blow, then quickly tackled her vulnerable boot. When she regained her balance, the rattan stick was only an inch from her neck.

"If I've been a demon, you would have died by now. You must fight faster than that!"

Anna swung the mace again, but Atrus dodged it easily. Atrus dashed from one spot to another, and no matter how fast she tried, she couldn't match his speed. In one occasion, she got exhausted and rested for a while, only to find him dashing at her. She tried to cover herself, but the rattan stick was unstoppable. A long welt was formed on her left hip. It was nothing she couldn't heal, but it was annoying.

"I can't match your speed! You're simply too fast for me..." She said while panting.

"Nonsense! I presume until now Maya has been holding herself back against you..."

Anna couldn't accept the taunt and charged at him. This time she was faster. She began to study Atrus' movement as well. Slowly she built her pace to match his, but again he was faster. Her power didn't last forever, and when fatigue claimed her, Atrus created another welt on the other hip. It hurt a lot.

"You're still a sitting duck! You won't survive a battle with such ridiculous speed..."

This time Anna was pissed off. She followed Atrus' movement again for a while. When she paused, Atrus dashed toward her for another shot, just as she had planned. She let herself fall to the ground and used magic to soften the fall. When Atrus was about to step over her, she raised her legs and kicked his belly, sending him propelling in the air and smashing on the ground. Before he could recover, Anna pinned his body down and put her mace just an inch from his neck.

"If I've been a demon, you would have lost your head by now..."

Atrus smiled. "Smart trick. You've been improving better than I thought. I'm impressed."

"And now your life is in my grasp, right...?"

Anna held his chin and kissed him passionately. He was surprised at the intrusion, but accepted the kiss. His hands slowly moved behind her body and embraced her lovingly. She missed that embrace so much. She held his body close, hoping that he would never let her go.

Suddenly Atrus rolled his body and pinned her body down. "Wrong... your life is in my grasp... But this time, I'll show you what to do to a female prisoner..."

Atrus kissed her again before moving to her neck. His hand slowly massaged her hair. "I don't know you've become a pervert..."

"It's your own fault..." Then he turned his attention to her pert breasts. He softly massaged her breasts under the thin fabric, teasing her.

"So tell me... what has Lord Falagor taught you...?"

"Many things..." Atrus answered without switching his attention. "When he met me, I was quite a wimp... I guess it took longer for me to recover from what I've done in Gideon... Then he put me back to my old self, I guess..."

"What did... he say..."

"He told me that I've been controlled by my own emotions... At that time I was so shocked that I couldn't think well... I felt I've been defeated by my own grief... I've killed an entire army and I almost... killed you... I couldn't understand what he was talking about..."

Anna looked at him lovingly. She could see the fear in his eyes. She kissed him again. She was willing to be there for him. She was willing to share his fear.

"Then he gave me an advice that I still remember until now... He said that emotions are our slaves... Fear, grief, happiness, sorrow, all of them... We only have to remember who the master is..."

He set her suit aside to reveal her cute breasts and began playing with them, making her moan and squirm. "Then I realized that I had been controlled by my own grief... I realized that I was supposed to be the master, not the slave... Then he helped me to master my fear..."

Now she was getting aroused. Atrus cleverly played with her breasts and evaded her nipples, making her frenzy. She looked at him with her pleading eyes, but he knew what she was thinking.

"So... you're... a brand new man...?" Her breathing became shorter and heavier.

"No..." he chuckled. "I'm just the same Atrus you've known... I'm just a better man..."

He was a better man now! She was getting crazy, but he still teased her so cleverly.

"Atrus... please take me..."

"No... you're not ready..."

"What do you mean, I'm not ready?! I'm so... so..." She couldn't say it. It's too embarrassing. But he looked at her lovingly.

"You look so cute when you're pissed off..."

Anna blushed. She rarely took compliments seriously, especially those about her appearance.

Suddenly Atrus disappeared from her sight. Then she felt him opening her legs, revealing her moist part. She was so embarrassed. Atrus, however, was happy with her response. He set her panties aside and licked her pussy lips. This time she couldn't hold it much longer and exploded. When she recovered, she giggled to see Atrus' face being covered by her cum. She happily licked him off.

"I suppose I'll make you pay for this..."

He laid her down again, moved in front of her opened crotch, and prepared his member. He looked at her, searching for a sign of objection, but found none. Anna was just waiting for him patiently. He slowly thrust his member inside. Her wet vagina made it easy for his member to slide in. When he put his full length in, she arched her back as pain and pleasure hit her.

"I'm sorry, Anna... Are you okay...?"

She smiled at him. "I'm alright... You can move now..."

Atrus slowly moved in and out of her in a slow rhythm to help her get used to having him inside of her. She responded with soft moans in every thrust. Her stare was locked on Atrus' eyes. Those charming blue eyes... They were the same ones that belonged to Atrus White Lion whom she had known... She knew that she had once again found him...

He slowly increased the pace as the feeling inside her was building up. Her vagina was now flooding with her cum. Atrus played with her nipples that aroused her even more. Shortly after, she reached the peak.

"Atrus... I... can't..."

She arched her back and cried as the ecstasy hit her nerve. Atrus held her body close as she came for the second time. It didn't take too long for him to join her. He pulled out of her, spurted his seeds on her belly and collapsed beside her. She rolled his body over and kissed him passionately.

"Atrus... that was wonderful... thank you..."

He smiled. "I'm most honored..."

This was the moment... She had to say it... She looked at him in the eyes.

"Atrus... I have favor to ask..."

He looked away. She could notice the change in his expression. "You want me back, right?"

Anna nodded. "Please join us again... Our journey is not finished yet..."

Atrus stood up and put his pants on, then looked at the vast landscape before him. "I'm willing to, Anna... But there's one thing that still bothers me..."

Anna turned away. "You still haven't forgiven me...?"

"No! That's not it!" He quickly answered. "I... I'm not ready for this journey..."

Anna watched him as he stared at the horizon. The sun was setting, adding wonderful touch to the evening sky. Silence crept upon them. Deep inside she could feel his emotion... his confusion...

"When I follow you, I have nothing to fight for but fame. I wanted to be a true Ranger. I wanted to be a strong man. I wanted to be famous." He turned at her. "I want to make my father proud."

He sighed before facing the horizon again. "Somehow in our journey, that desire has shifted. Suddenly I feel that I don't really care with my fame. I don't really care whether I can make a name for myself or not. When I realized that, I also found that I don't care about anything... I... I don't know what I'm fighting for... I have lost my desire... all of them..."

She listened to him silently. She wished she could help him, but she didn't know what to do. She could only listen as he continued...

"That's why I decided to leave you and Maya for a while. That's my main reason. And until I can find my real intention in this journey, I won't join you. I... I don't want to be a burden..."

There was a moment of silent for a while. She tried to find a way to answer his question, but none came out. She had to admit that their quest was vaguely described. Until now the so-called Champion of the Guardian was still an enigma.

"Why do you look for him...?"

His question startled her. "I... I don't know... To save the land, I guess..."

Atrus turned away again, but he didn't seem to be satisfied with the answer. But she couldn't say it... She couldn't say it until the time had come...

"I'm sorry... I... I can't help you... I..." She said slowly.

Atrus looked at her and smiled. "What for? You're willing to hear me. That means everything to me. I haven't talked to anybody about this. Not even to master Falagor."

"But I'm not very helpful... I can't do anything..."

"You don't have to." He offered his hand. "Come. We must return before dark. My master must have done his examination by now."

They sat inside the cottage in silence. The fire had been lit. The dinner had been served. But nobody wanted to eat. Nobody had the desire to eat. Grief and despair had engulfed them all.

"So, master... you can't save her..." Atrus said slowly.

Falagor sighed for the fifth time that evening. "I'm sorry, my apprentice, the poison came from a rare root that grows only in the underworld realm. Until now nobody in our realm can make the antidote. Magic could cure her, but the poison has spread even to her cells. It's already too late."

"It's all my fault... I should have cured her with my magic sooner..." Anna sobbed.

Atrus put his hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. There's nothing you could have done. There's got to be another way to help her..."

"But even Lord Falagor couldn't help her! Maya... she wouldn't make it, would she...?"

"Actually there's still hope." Falagor quickly said.

"What is it, master? I'm willing to do anything to save her!"

He paused, then stared at Atrus. "There's a herb in this realm called Black Orchid. It is a flower that grows in the volcanic region. When mixed with several local herbs, it could create a poison so strong that it will slay anybody who drinks it instantly. However, it is known to have a powerful effect. It can be used to deter even the strongest poison in this realm, so it's a sort of poison against poison effect. That's why the elves called it the Almighty Potion."

He drew a deep breath before continuing. "We might be able to use Black Orchid to save Maya's life. But there's a problem. Its poison was so strong that the effect will solely depend on the patient's body. The venom is very violent. The patient may die a terrible death if he couldn't hold it."

"Master, are you saying that this poison can actually cure her?"

"Yes, but only if she could endure the torture." Falagor answered. "You and Miss Freesland are her friends. You will decide her fate. Her life is in your hand."

Anna looked helplessly at Atrus, who was just as confused as anybody else in the room. Letting her die in pain would be foolish, but using a stronger poison would make her suffer even more. Either way, she could die. They could only choose how.

"Atrus... I don't know... I don't want her die... but I hate to see her suffer..."

"No!" Atrus snapped at her. "I'm not going to let her go!"

Anna was stunned. There was a scent of anger in his voice. He was angry, all right, and she could understand him. His friend was dying. She could remember his angered expression after the battle at Labrador. She could remember how hard he had blamed himself for not helping her.

"Don't let your anger hinder your judgement, my apprentice." Falagor reminded him.

"No, master, I'm still awake." Atrus answered. "I can't represent her, but I know her well. I know she will not die without a fight. She needs the chance, and I will give it to her."

The room was silent for a while. Atrus was serious about his thought, and Anna knew better than trying to change his mind. She loved Maya, and she definitely wouldn't let her die easily. She owed Maya her life... she owed her too much...

"I will go tomorrow to find the flower..."

"WE will go tomorrow." Anna quickly added. "She's my friend, and I won't let her die."

Atrus looked at her for a while, then smiled. "Thank you, Anna..."

"I will put Maya in trance status. This might slow the venom's work, but not for long. You will have at least two or three days to find it and bring it back to me." Falagor said.

"Where can we find this Black Orchid?" Anna asked.

"It's very rare, but you're pretty lucky." Falagor answered. "There are some of them nearby... at the lava pool inside the mountain... the Mystic Mountain..."

They had a quick breakfast that morning. They had been eating pancakes for 2 days now, and since there was no honey in the forest, they had to eat them plain. Nobody complained, though, for they don't want to make Anna volunteer to cook.