The Ancient Prophecy Ch. 11a

"Prince Roberto, I hope our counter-gift will benefit the alliance better..."

"Uh... counter-gift?" Roberto blinked. "What count... Oh! That! Of course! That... uh..."

"The bows..." Hawk quickly whispered.

"Right! The bows!" Roberto exclaimed. "Really fantastic bows they are!"

"I'm glad." The queen smiled. "Those longbows are our finest invention. You should see those longbows in our demonstration this afternoon."

Suddenly Roberto's eyes brightened. "You know what, Queen Falencia? How do you say if we test the longbows using live target...?"

Atrus instantly woke up as Anna's body jerked beside him. He found her sitting on the bed, quivering. Her forehead was drenched with sweat, and tears wetted her cheeks. He put his arm around her tenderly and pulled her close to him. She didn't resist and fell to his embrace.

"It's the dream again." Atrus said.

Anna nodded. "I don't know what's wrong... D...do you think... I'm going insane...?"

"No, you're not insane, Anna dear." Atrus stroked her hair. "People have nightmares sometimes. You want to share it with me?"

They were sitting in the bedroom in the town inn. Despite Ursula's persistent offer, they'd decided not to spend the night in the shrine due to the huge number of refugees asking for shelter. Kastor had burned down two more villages east from Tymm. Many had died, and most of those who survived suffered from trauma of their lost homes and families. The party had decided that those people required more attention than the shrine's guests of honor.

"No..." She hesitated. "It's just the same old story... I don't want to make you worry..."

"That's not it, dear." He soothed her. "I'm your soul-mate right now, so I want to share your fear with you..."

"That's sweet, honey." Anna kissed him. "But I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He asked again. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

She beamed at him naughtily. "Now that you mention it, help me forget my dream."

Atrus frowned at her. "I do hope this is not some kind of a plot."

"Why, honey, do you think I'm that low?"

Atrus chuckled lightly. "No, but you sure are sneaky."

Before Anna could respond, Atrus silenced her with a kiss. She moaned slightly as his tongue sneaked into her mouth and met hers. His hand found her pert breasts and began to play with them. As usual, be began by tracing his index finger around her mounds, purposely avoiding her nipples. Anna moaned in frustration as her body was teased but denied from reaching ultimate pleasure. She'd lived with him for six months, so she'd known how he liked to play his game. She knew how he loved to tease her, but it still frustrated her.

"Atrus, please don't tease me..." She begged once they broke the kiss.

Atrus gave her an evil grin, then sneaked his tongue around her breast, still avoiding her nipples. She moaned in distress. Her hands reached for her tits to find relieve, but he slapped them away.

"Naughty, naughty, Anna dear." He sneered. "No touchy now."

She pouted, but he ignored her. Instead, he continued his cruel treatment on her breasts. Her nipples were on fire, and her body was burning with desire. Her hand found his member beneath his long pants and began stroking it into hardness. In return he kissed the nape of her neck and she squealed in delight. He peeked at her nether region and was pleased to find it soaked with her juice. Deciding that she was quite ready, he clamped his mouth over her right nipple and sucked lightly.

This quickly brought her to the edge. She gasped as the waves of sexual pleasure bombarded her brain. Atrus kept doing his sucking while stroking her pussy, pleased to find it contracted and spasm on his finger. Once the sensation subsided, she collapsed on the bed, exhausted and spent.

"Any comments, Anna dear?" Atrus asked.

Anna beamed at him. "Six months, Atrus... I've been with you for six months, and you still know how to please me."

"You're too easy to please, dear."

Anna frowned. "Wait... Did Maya tell you that?"

Atrus just chuckled. "Sweet dream, dearest."

Anna snuggled in his arms, enjoying the warmth. She purred happily as Atrus stroke her long hair, sending her to sleep. She was happy. At least she knew he would be there for him when she woke up.

Falstoff sat in silence on the porch. The night was quiet. The sky was covered with clouds. The stars hid from sight. It wasn't a very desirable night to enjoy, but he still loved it. Something drew him to it, and he couldn't resist.

His ears twitched as his hearing penetrated the stillness. "You don't have to hide."

The Fairy popped out from behind the door and walked nervously toward him. "I'm sorry."

"Will you stop spying on me? I thought you want to be my friend!"

"I want to be your friend!" Lynn countered. "That's why I don't want to disturb you. You look so thoughtful I don't want to interrupt."

"You're just like everybody else." He looked away. "You're here to spy on me."

"No!" Lynn ran to face him. "I didn't mean to offend you! Please, you've got to believe me!"

Falstoff studied her for a while. For a while, Lynn felt something itchy in her head as she became more nervous, but she sighed in relief when his gaze softened.

"You're right..." He looked away. "I'm just being silly. I mean with all these people spying on me from the beginning."

"No, actually you should get to know them!" Lynn sat happily beside him. "Atrus and the rest are good fellows!"

"I know why they're spying on me." He grunted. "They can't fool me."

"Give them a chance!" The Fairy smiled. "You won't regret it!"

He sighed, then looked at the dark sky. "Why are you up so late? You enjoy nighttime, too?"

"Actually, night is still a weird thing. In Heaven, we Fairies have no night. The light from the Inner Sanctum shines all day long."

"That must be really annoying." He chuckled. "I mean, you can't sleep and stuff..."

"Falstoff..." She blushed. "C...can I... uh... s...sing you a song...?"

He blinked. "Huh?!"

"Never mind!" She quickly looked away. "It's late, and I just asked a silly question..."

"No!" He held her hand. "Please continue..."

She blushed even further. "Okay... this is the song of friendship. We Fairies sing the song to ask for a blessing of a long lasting friendship, throughout and beyond this life."

"I should feel honored, then." He smiled.

She smiled, then began to sing. The language was unknown to him, but the melody was beautiful. Her voice was soft and pleasant, and her skill was excellent. He let the song enter his darkened soul and his fond of her rising. For the first time in his life, he felt something called passion.

Then it came. He didn't know what it was; it just came. He felt a sudden cramp on his stomach. He couldn't explain it. Then the pain in his belly made him wince. Lynn noticed it and quickly stopped singing.

"Are you all right?" She asked.

"No, please continue!" He urged. "I'm fine."

She resumed singing while keeping her eyes on him. He tried to keep his composure despite the pain in his stomach. Her voice was beautiful, too beautiful, that he would endure the pain just to hear it. He could feel his burning passion for her. He wanted her. He wanted her badly. Without warning he grabbed her and planted a deep kiss on her lips. The Fairy squealed in surprise, struggled a little, but relaxed when the kiss hit her. Driven by passion, she accepted the kiss and allowed him to explore her. They broke the kiss due to the general necessity to breathe.

"I... uh... don't know what to say..." Lynn said.

"Then don't." He lifted her chin. "I'll do the work."

He kissed her again, probing her mouth. His hand pulled the back of her dress, letting her wings unfold gracefully from their confinement. His other hand sneaked inside her dress and found her pert breasts. Her wings twitched as he touched and toyed with her nipples, making it rock hard. Her mouth was too occupied to moan. He broke the kiss and shifted attention fully on her breasts. She moaned lightly, welcoming the pleasure unknown to her. He sucked her nipple and tugged it with his tongue, making her jerk in pleasure. His hand reached for her nether region and touched her delicate pussy lips.

But then she grasped his hand. "Falstoff... wait... This... this isn't right..."

"What? Why?"

She tossed his hand away and moved back. "No... I... I don't know... I... I just feel uncomfortable... I mean, we just met..."

"It's just a game, isn't it?" He frowned. "You're not attracted to me."

"Please, don't get me wrong!" She pleaded. "You're attractive, but there's a right time for everything! I... I don't think now is the right time for it."

"You're just trying to be nice to me, right?" He accused.

"No! I think you're really nice, but until now I just want us to be friends, that's all!"

Again, Falstoff stared at her for a minute before nodding. "Friend it is, then."

"You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Are you still willing to be my friend?" He asked.

"Oh, yes!" Lynn replied happily. "Friendship is forever!"

He smiled warmly. "Thanks, Lynn... Thanks..."

"Two battalions of my handpicked Goblin warriors I've personally trained for six months, and you've just wasted them all in fifteen minutes!!" The Dark Lord howled. "What a feat!!"

"Forgive me, my Master, but my plot is working!" The woman claimed.

"Your failed plot is working! I should think twice before trusting you to plan the next move!"

The sound of the howling woman from below was heard. The Goblins were certainly toying with the latest prisoner, torturing and raping her. The scream reminded her of her own safety if she failed again. This time she had gone too far.

"No, Master, please give me one more chance! I promise you won't be disappointed!"

"I'd better not." He answered coldly. "Your petty life depends on it."

"All right, people, this is what we're going to do!" Atrus barked. "Aurelia and Holgreb, you're going to patrol around the area with Agar! Report any sightings you can find, but don't fight Kastor! Retreat if you encounter it. Got that?!"

"No problem!" The Dwarf and Elf chorused.

"Lynn and Calem, get the rest of the villagers and move them to the shrine!" He said. "And Lynn, go on and set your wings free!"

"Yes, O Prophet of the Guardian!" She winked.

"And the last thing..." He turned to the crowds behind him. "I want you all to build emergency fortification around this shrine! Cut trees and make walls! I want this shrine fortified by noon!" Then he turned to the new guy. "Sir Falstoff, could you supervise this?"

He blinked. "You want me to supervise?"

"Can you do it?!" Atrus said impatiently.

He hesitated, then smiled. "Sure."

"Good! We're counting on you. Let's go people! Let's move!"

The crowds dispersed immediately. The Elf summoned Agar, the great gold dragon, and another lesser dragon for Holgreb. They climbed their mounts and lifted off. Calem and Lynn were gone already, using dimension portal to travel to the city. Falstoff began to round the men and led them to the nearby forest. Everything went well... for now.

"What should I do, Master?" Maya asked.

"Make lunch." He answered. "Tons of them. These people will be starving after the work. Ask the priestesses in the shrine to help you as well." The girl bowed, then left.

"Come, Anna." Atrus said to his companion. "We'll have a serious talk with your mother."

The priestess nodded and followed him inside the shrine and along the winding hallways to the high priestess' room. Priestesses and civilians ran wildly along the hallways, either looking for refuge or helping with the operation outside. Atrus quickly found the auditorium and proceeded to the door. The door, however, opened slowly before he could knock. The high priestess was there, smiling at him.

"Atrus, Adriana, please come in." She said softly.

The two entered the bedroom, with Anna closing the door. Atrus stood nervously in the room. He knew, from her eyes, that the high priestess knew what he was trying to say.

"I suppose you know what I want to ask." He said gravely.

"Atrus!" Anna warned, but the high priestess ignored her.

She smiled. "Which one, Atrus?"

"The island." He replied. "The dragon mentioned about the island. Do you know anything about this?"

"And what makes you think I know the answer?"

He thought for a while before answering. "They don't make you the high priestess for nothing."

She nodded. "I suppose the time has come, indeed. The time is near."

"What do you mean?"

"The Champion of the Guardian is near." She said seriously. "Northeast of this continent, near the land of the Mages, there was a lone island in the middle of the sea, the Paradise Island, the island of the Gods."

"The island of the Gods?" Anna frowned.

"The legend claims that the island was once the link to the Paradise. The island, however, was unreachable from the land, since it was surrounded by constant storm of the Northern Sea. A lone wizard was also rumored to be guarding the island for centuries, keeping an impenetrable force field over the island."

He frowned. "Then what's so special about the rumor?"

"The island is the final resting place for the Sword of Faith, the weapon of the Gods. Those weapons will aid the future Champion of the Guardian in defeating evil. Even you don't know who the particular person might be, the Island of Paradise is his final destination."

"That's why Kastor the dragon is guarding it." Anna muttered. "If he can't penetrate the force field, he will prevent the Champion to do the same."

"And if the Champion fails to fulfill his destiny, all will be lost." Atrus added. "Is there any chance for commoners to enter the island?"

"The wizard of the island is a servant of the Gods. He will admit only those affiliated to the Champion. The only way to get there is by magic. If, however, a wrong person enters the island, the force field will devour him to dust."

"Quite a risk." Atrus claimed. "We have several Warriors of the Guardian. They might be able to get inside."

"I must warn you, Atrus, although the wizard would probably do the same. Do not touch ANYTHING!" The high priestess said. "The Sword of Faith is the weapon of the Gods. The legend says that only a person with divine heritage could touch it. If mortals, even the Warriors of the Guardian, touch it, the person will be burnt to dust. The sword itself was jammed to stone acting as a seal of destiny. Only the Champion can pull it out, and he can do that only if all of the Warriors of the Guardian are present."

Atrus looked at Anna nervously. "We're short of one person..."

"But we can't waste anymore time!" Anna insisted. "If we don't act now..."

She paused when she saw the wince in her mother's face. "Mother, what's wrong?"

"A powerful force of evil..." She said silently. "It's here and near, in this shrine."

Atrus frowned. "Could it be it's the one that collapsed the magic barrier yesterday?" He turned to Anna. "You can clear your name!"

"Mother, please let me look for it!" Anna pleaded.

"Then go! Take Atrus with you." The high priestess nodded.

The two quickly headed toward the door.

"And Anna?"

Anna stopped just before the door and looked back at her mother.

"Please be careful." The high priestess said.

Anna was quite startled by the kind words and nodded. "I will, mother."

And they left the room.

"Be very careful..."

Maya sighed again; her hand tirelessly mixed the soup in the cauldron. The strong scent of the soup invited murmurs from the crowds around her. She shook her head. All the questions in her head were clear now.

Fifteen minutes ago she had come to the kitchen, asking for help to make lunch for the volunteers working outside. Fifteen minutes later, she was holding a lecture for the priestesses of Lycra in how to make simple cream vegetable soup. She couldn't believe it. That really made her mistress' image better in her mind. At least Mistress Anna can cut potatoes without trembling...

"So let me get this straight..." One priestess asked for the sixth time. "You put the spices in after you cut the... uh... leaf-thing?"

"No, you put the cut spices in after you put the rest of the vegetables in." Maya growled. "And it's celery, not leaf-thing."

"And it's two cups of salt and three spoonful of milk, right?"

"No, it's two cups of milk and three spoonful of salt. And you remember to use full cream milk, don't you?"

"Oh, of course I remember!"

I doubt it...

Suddenly all her senses snapped into attention. What was that?! She thought she heard a scream from somewhere outside the kitchen.

"Did you hear that scream?" She asked.

"I don't think so..." The priestess said. "If it is, Sister Ursula is gathering the people in the sanctuary. Some of them are probably crying from grief."

Another scream was heard. It was very faint, but her involvement in Atrus' cause had granted her part of his talent. The same talent also told her that the scream was in distress.

"I don't care, but I'm going to check." Maya walked to the counter and picked her combat belt. "Anybody wants to join me?"

"But the soup...! Who's taking care of the soup?!"

"Keep on mixing!" Maya growled. "You can't screw up. Not at this point."

"B...but... how if it explodes?!"

"Oh, that's a good tip." Maya said when she reached the door. "Stay away from the oil."

"Ah!" The priestess nodded as Maya disappeared. "Wait a minute... which oil?!"

Falstoff drew his sword. The dark metal emitted strong magical energy. Even years after mastering the blade, he still couldn't understand the magic beneath the surface of the sword. Then again, he didn't care as long as it did its purpose. He eyed the tree before him carefully. He didn't really need to do that, but dozens of eyes were staring at him right now. The tree trunk was small, but firm enough, perfect for making barrier walls. He raised his sword and made a quick, diagonal cut across the trunk, cutting it in half and leaving a sharp tip on the upper part. The tree fell down and crashed on the ground.

He turned back and faced the crowds behind him. "That's how you do it! Any questions?!"

The crowds murmured to each other, but no one said no. Most of them were swinging their swords experimentally. He sighed. He couldn't believe these people didn't know how to use a sword, except for the ones used to cut the fish. Then again, they're fishermen, not soldiers.

"So we'll pick the logs and place them around the shrine, with the sharp tip facing outside. That should provide enough protection until help arrives." He continued.

The crowd's eyes lighted up at the mention of the coming help. They were refugees, weary and worn out by the war. They could use some encouragement that they would survive the war after all.

"Well, get started, people! We haven't got all day!" He barked. "And be careful with them!"

The crowds began to pick their trees and started cutting. It didn't work quite well, but they were learning. Falstoff could only saw three actual saws among the tools. Again he sighed. The town of Tymm was a coastal town, but they didn't make their own boats. The shipyards were located in other cities to the east, now probably lying in ruins. Using swords, especially curved swords to cut trees was a stupid idea, but it had to be done. I can't betray the trust my friends have put in me...

He couldn't remember the last time he felt like this. He'd never felt secure among his friends before. He'd always been a loner, capable of dealing with anything himself. He'd had no friends, no families, no one to rely on. Now he knew how good it felt to know someone was relying on him. He grinned at the thought of her. Lynn had showed it all to him. She had pulled him out of his world of isolation. He owed her too much. He had been foolish last night. After the war he would approach her again, and when the time came, she would be his.