Chapter Twenty Six

I was tired of dreaming at this point. It had started feeling like I was getting no sleep at all. I now even dreaded the thought of closing my eyes and going to sleep. As in seriously who plans on sleeping then starts talking to his ancestors in his sleep. Turns out this time, it was simply me travelling either to the past or just my mind roaming around Armensia. I was both sick and appreciative of it, sick of it because the thrill of sleeping had been completely taken from me, but appreciative because I learnt a lot when I was in that state. I could probably learn the answer to the way we can defeat Travas once and for all through this method, hopefully.

This time the scene that materialised in front of me wasn't one I really enjoyed watching. Jekyll lay on the floor somewhere in one the Artarak's many rooms. I wasn't in the mood to find out which one at the moment considering how big that castle was. He wasn't alone though. He had his head rested in the laps of a beautiful teenage girl who I could only recognise as Daphne, his girlfriend at the time was also the Homage.

He was having difficulty breathing and Daphne looked extremely worried for him. On further observation, Kevin saw that there was a black blade impaled in his stomach. It looked identical to the one that was used to kill the elder dragon Ellimir. It was a death blade and it was no doubt going to kill him. Black pulsing veins surrounded the stab wound as though it was pumping the curse straight into his system and seemed to cause the first Siege pain each time they pulsed. Jekyll groaned in pain and looked as if he was going to pass out.

"You're going to be fine Jekyll," Daphne said, her voice sounding like she was on the verge of tears. This was futile for we all knew the curse was absolute.

"No, I'm not, Daphne," he replied holding a spot below the stab wound in an attempt to soothe the pain, "you know how these blades work. There's nothing known to cure them," he said through gritted teeth. Daphne flicked her wrist and a vial containing some colourless fluid appeared. She opened it and poured its contents on Jekyll's stab wound. Then she went on to pull out the knife swiftly and tossed it away. Jekyll's face twisted revealing the pain the action had caused him before he stabilised again, taking in laboured breaths to try and keep himself conscious.

"You're not going to die," she said as she now went on to dab his stab wound with a wet cloth filled with the same elixir she was using. Jekyll's expression visibly relaxed for a moment before he screamed. The black veins intensified and spread even further. Daphne tore off his shirt to observe the progress of the curse. It had now reached his chest. Jekyll had stopped his laboured breathing and was beginning to lose consciousness. His head slowly lolled backwards and his eyes closed shut. "No no no. Jekyll, honey, stay with me," Daphne tried calling, but Jekyll only seemed to fall asleep faster. What happened next was beyond my wildest imagination.

Daphne slapped Jekyll hard across the cheek which jolted him awake. "Ouch," he retorted though with an amused expression, "What was that for?" he asked though his expression softened on looking at his partner. Tears had finally broken loose from her eyes.

"Don't scare me like that again," she whimpered before burying her face in the crook of his neck in a hug while sobbing. Jekyll looked even sadder because he knew he was going to die. He was worried about her more than himself. He brought his hand up to her cheek so she would look at him.

"Daphne."

"No," she stopped him, "I won't let you die. You can't die. I love you Jekyll," she said as she continued crying.

"I love you too, Daphne," Jekyll replied. This wasn't part of the stories I had heard of about Jekyll. Figures you would have heard of how Jekyll died in the stories about him, but no. All I knew about him was the way he was praised for being the most powerful Siege to ever walk the land of Armensia and for his generation being the one that got closest to defeating Travas and his dark mages. I noticed at this point that Jekyll's stab wound was glowing. I looked closer and saw that Daphne's tears were rolling down his chest into his stab wound. "Umm, Daphne," he called. She got up and looked at the wound. The light continued to increase in intensity until the whole room was filled with blinding light which started to dim.

"It healed," Daphne confirmed with a hint of surprise in her voice. Jekyll began to get up and she started opposing, "you need to rest, Je…." her voice was cut off by Jekyll who found that this was the right moment to kiss her. "I love you Daphne," Jekyll said and with that the memory before me froze.

"Love that memory," I jumped back after being startled by a voice right beside me. It was Jekyll though he looked much older. He was looking at the frozen couple with a smile on his face. The memory dissolved and their surrounding changed into the beautiful expanse of green plains that he had met Jekyll the first time. "You look lost, young Siege," I was now getting used to being called Siege rather than Kevin. I guess everyone just found the title more appropriate, "It's okay. You can trust me."

I obviously knew that I could trust Jekyll. I narrated to him the whole story about me and Ciara until the point of me passing out. Jekyll took a moment to think before he replied.

"When Zaraias saw what my love with Daphne was like, he made it a point to pair at least two of the artras who were most perfect for other and it is a part of their strength. If Ciara acted the way she did, then it was for an entirely different reason. You should ask her. She may not know it, but she also cannot be at her best without you. She also cannot love someone else except for you. The sickness was just an effect of a rejection. The drowsiness was because of how she left things hanging that morning. Understand her and let her understand you and the two of you will be unstoppable. That's why I showed you this memory. Love is the only force strong enough to cure the effects of a death blade," Jekyll explained. Surprisingly I felt a lot better. He smiled, "That's better. Now tell me about this girl, Ciara. She sounds like a catch," he said suddenly sounding like a teenager who wanted gossip.

"Not today great great great grandpa or uncle or whatever," I said backing away from him. A little more of this gossip and I'll be watching romance movies in the near future and the thought of it was unacceptable.

"Alright alright," he said raising his hands to signify surrender, "but only because you need to rest. But you will be telling me about her soon."

"I don't need to tell you about her. You saw her yesterday. Besides, what do you mean soon? Are you telling me we will be talking often?" I asked.

"Hold on. That was her. Wow, you….."

"Jekyll," I shouted at so that he would drop it.

"Okay okay. Yes, we will be meeting soon. All sieges get a mentor from the previous Sieges so they can better understand their power. Normally it's the former Siege that trains them and acts as their mentor, but since you were not told about magic since you were a kid, you get to pick a mentor from the past and also for some other unmentioned reasons that you will come to learn of when the time is right. You ended up picking me without even knowing it. So to answer your question, yes, we will be seeing each other more often," he explained, "but for now Kevin, you need to rest." and with that darkness descended upon my mind and I fell into a much needed comfortable sleep.

…....….

Travas sat in his throne recounting the times he had faced the artras. Each generation had amused him because of the creative ways they used their magic and he always enjoyed the challenge of fighting them, though none of them ever came close to the first generation which was good for him. Unfortunately that didn't mean they were terrible at defending themselves. He had failed to get rid of them once and for all. Each time he came up with a carefully calculated plan, the artras always found a way to evade it.

One time he even decided to fake his death right before them. They had all bought it. And he was going to attack them when their guard was down, but the Homage in that generation had sensed his plan and strengthened their defences even more than they had been before. He believed this time he had come with his most efficient plan yet. The artras were the only beings standing in his way from taking over Armensia. If he got rid of them, then the whole of Armensia would be defenceless against him and his mages.

The huge doors that were the entrance to his throne room swung open to reveal an elf dressed in armour of the Elven Guard that was only meant to be worn by the highest commanding officer, General Caspro Burnes. Similar as it might have been, they had added an emblem to signify that they serving Travas now. The elf walked in briskly, his helmet tucked nicely under his arm, till he was before him. He knelt and greeted him with a courteous bow, "My lord."

"Is it done?" Travas asked.

"Yes, my Lord," he said.

"Then give me feedback after every two days. I need to know everything I can about them," Travas said. The elf remained down on his knees as though he had another matter to address.

"But sir, couldn't we have..." he began.

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT DOUBTING MY PLANS," Travas yelled at him.

"Forgive me, my Lord," and with that he left the throne room the way he came, leaving Travas to his thoughts. Travas smiled as the information Caspro's mission being a success.

"Let the battle begin."