Chapter 56: An Alliance 

"Listen up, fellow! We need to surge this training to max. We only have a few time left till that dragon bursts, ya' hear me?" The bearded chief, Berth Thragon, exclaimed firm and clear through his lined up soldiers.

The town was informed of this sudden charge to the feud. Indeed, they were terrified and shocked. The future was a feisty one, no one could ever decide what would possibly happen. But instead of dwelling on that, they encouraged their selves that this feud would end as they like.

The women were asked if they wish to stay on the land and if not then they are free to join in with the soldiers. These people were empowered to face the war without a matter of what gender they had. Bravery is not something only men can have.

So, here begins, the day that one would have never thought of.

"You all are fussing with your little mouths how unpredictable the future is, but you should twist that knot right here." The chief pointed at his head. "The future happens because of the present. We do the future because it reflects on our present, aight? And we charge for it, we are done being cowardice of this society. We no longer serve for ourselves but for our world." He shouted far and wide as the soldiers shouted in agreement.

Theon who was listening from afar turned back to his enthusiastic self and the warrior inside him grew stronger.

He thought. 'I have been running away from it for a while. Now I shall face it. Face what was given to me and fight. May thy necklace be in one good hand.'

"What are you smiling and standing there for? You have to fetch one of your mastery weapons, alright?" Mikka distracted his reverie and it rendered his ears.

He nodded and then run towards the stall of bows and baggage of sharp arrows. Arrows were made strong and can be used no matter how many times he wishes because of their stern wood.

"Hey, Theo!" Luca called him out. Which he found very odd because no one has ever called him 'Theo' before.

"Theo? Are you calling me or?" He confusingly turned his gaze towards the man who called him as it was holding on to the string of the bow with a cheerful expression on.

"Of course, I am calling you. Has no one ever called you Theo?" Luca asked and walk towards him.

"Well, no one has. Has anyone called you lacking one letter before, Luca?" He raised his brow.

"Why, of course, you have!"

Theon was now even more confused. This man is truly strange. Ever since he first met him, he find his behaviour quite strange now.

Luca laughed at him and even tapped his shoulder which was reasonably annoying because it hurts his muscles.

"You know, my name is actually Lucas. But they said, Luca sounded more charming and handsome like, so I forced them to change how they call me and in turn out this way now. So, Theo, you should just let me call you that." Luca explained to him.

He just shrugged his shoulders, removed Luca's hand from his broad shoulders, and picked up the bag of arrows he personally chose. "Whatever favours your head, Lucas." And left to the training area.

Luca reacted quite worrisome. "Does he hate me? Is it because I called him Theo? Or because I almost killed him that night? Or does he just loathe my existence? What is it?" He whispered to himself that Theon heard loud and clear.

"I don't hate you, now get yourself in here and let us begin this session."

Luca then sighed in relief.

Till then, all of the shoulders drilled themselves with their swordsmanship, the bowman, and even the craftsman was put to work. All of the people worked together for the plan that Berth created to succeed.

Craftsmen hammered and thumped materials.

Soldiers enhanced their skills and abilities.

From the silverswords...

The shields...

The sharp shoot hunters...

And the warriors overall.

"We aimed for victory!" Berth shouted as the shoulders lined up were filled with sweats and as the rain poured from above.

"We aimed for victory!" They shouted back.

Berth looked at them with seriousness in his complexion. The sobriety of his movements went along the silver lining of his armour as he rode the black horse.

Soldiers also have their own horses to ride as they gripped each of their weapons and the shields that were made for explicit explosions.

"We're ready, let's charge!"

—

(Meanwhile, the enemy's perspective at the same time.)

The volcano beside the evil chambers of the witch Ravyn erupted and it endeavour her to awaken all her plans up until now. Thunderstrike in front of the dark tower as she closes her book. She was blinded by the dark and her dead spirit rang the bell of the start.

She wickedly stood up and walked towards the door. Her dark cloak brushed through the dusty ground with its crumpled and doomed fabric. Her entire posture was rugged and with a loathsome disposition. She was furious upon opening the doors towards the outside.

Even the guards which she manipulated, shuddered, and gaze in her direction.

"Where is it that you wish to go, milady?" One asked with no expression on their face. It was lifeless just like their body.

He glared at them and created creases on her face, frowning like a mad old hag. "Get my horses and ready that ship, take me to that land." She responded exuberantly.

She took her wand inside the cloak while climbing down the rounded stairs of her grimy tower.

"Why, hello my old friend. It has been long since I put you to war, hasn't it? Well, now that we are here. You should show me how evil you are." She babbled towards her wand.

They arrived outside and she was welcomed by the obnoxious breeze brought by this nauseate place. The lava was rushing through the ground but the witch was left unbothered. She breathed the air as if it was fresh and she finds it pleasant. For a witch to be acting this way, she knows it was reasonable.

"Hah!" She scoffed. "What a place to be in! Once I used you, Novak, I, will be the one to be respected and the one to lead all of the lands you once conquer. In this world, there is no better place but victory. Now, where is my horse!" She screamed out her rusty throat as she waits in angry anticipation.

The horse was brought to her standing which was also cursed and manipulated. Its body was sluggish and with no spirit. After all, it was long gone and dead but was forcibly brought back to life because of Ravyn's horrible curse of immortality.

When they were thrown back to this far land and was locked her for years, all she did was curse Novak's men so they could live for as long as she is alive. It was, of course, Novak's ordeal. She was under the man's position. She hated him and only kept him alive to use him. Well, she has no better job than this after all.

"No man should be left in this place. We shall leave it for good as we embark on new land." She demanded from her followers. The men heard her ad listened to her words. And so, they all left that land as it slowly crumbled down and destroyed itself.

"If I had that broom, I would never suffer like this!" She complained when she reached their ship. "You men are too weak and can not even quicken your motions. Slow folks! What do you take my curse for? You are all alive because of me! Although your bodies are dead." She then exclaimed and harshly sat beside the man who was manoeuvring the ship.

"Can't this go any faster?" She asked the man manoeuvring.

"It's moving by air, milady." Answered back.

She was left with no choice but to just use one of her spells to cast one to the ship and for it to float in the air. She bad-mouthed herself for thinking this late in time. Standing up and waving her hand that was gripping the wand, she muttered witch phrases that were gibberish and it made the ship instantly fly in midair.

The men clasped barriers, barrels, the wall, and even kept their balance. The ship was ridiculously sailing at such speed. She did this without even caring as some men started falling off the ship. However, with her wand, she can pick them up one by one and brought them back to the ship without any worries.

"You weaklings! You are not even deserving of my strength. Should I have left you to just die?" She was frustrated.

Even when arriving at the land of Aranyani, Novak saw her and she was welcomed with his frown.

"What took you so long to arrive here? Do you think we have that much time?" Novak throws at her and complained about her behaviour. "It took long enough to be trapped in that land with you because of that lack of power of yours. Now you arrived here late? What mockery upon my kind!"

"Oh, my love, I only ever created this for you." She exclaimed and raised a stone. But it was not just any stone.

"You!" Novak's eyes widened in shock as he saw that stone. "Are you certain that this works?" He asked to reassure.

"Of course, my love, you should trust my powers more because then it will truly work as you wished it to. Don't you want that dragon to be under your influence? Once it swallows that stone, it will recognize you as its master." She uttered and smirked in an evil way.

"Good, that is what I revived you for. Now that you have done this, I suppose you deserve praise." Novak hid the stone inside his coat.

Devreon entered the scene and disturbed them. This is what made Ravyn furious.

"May I interrupt? I see that you have arrived, milady." Said by Devreon himself.

"What is it? Speak up." Ravyn glared at him.

"Well, you see, we have waited for such a long time. And it was not that long when felt a breeze coming from the deep forest and faint roars. But, not a single attack was seen made by this dragon. Is there something wrong and why is your curse not working still?" Devreon tried to keep his tone down and asked with respect.

But still, pestered Ravyn. "He was persistent and I could not control that curse as someone blocked it. But, there is nothing to fear as I have removed that someone from him. We shall see his attack when you ready these men of yours." Ravyn demanded and faced the men.

"Understood." Devreon lowered his head to bow.

Devreon turned his back to the witch while bath mouthing her inside. He was too done with this witch. But even so, to refrains himself from dying. He followed and gathered his men.

"We have received orders, ready the explosions and cover those weapons with you a blood bath of bullets. We have been under her control but after this, let us see who is ordering who." He told his men this and they all scattered to ready their things ad the weapons as said.

While Novak's people moved like the dead. All of them lined up as Ravyn manipulated their head and Devreon's people felt disgusted inside their stomachs when they smelled their beings. They questioned themself why such existences stood alongside with them.

"Buzz my bunkers, this living are such horrid class. Where did you even pick these people up?" One whispered beside Devreon as he covered his nose.

"Keep your silence, Nagvin. I know well what I am doing. We are here to use them but it would not take long until they suffer as we take control of this land ourselves. Bear with them for a while." He whispered back.

Nagvin silenced and looked at the other who was also making a ridiculous face while smelling them.

Ravyn silently sneered. 'Who do you think will control who, huh? At the end of the day, you would also be under me. Whispering while thinking I can not hear it? You are fools to think about it in that way.' she thought inside her subconscious.

As the rain poured down above their heads, Ravyn was readying them all for the attack.

—

That same day, Ambroz was still in the middle of the deep forest and he refused to get back inside his cave still. He stayed on top of tree branches to another one and just followed the river's streams back and forth.

Contemplating what he said when he parted ways with Theon. He promises to himself that would not dwell on uncertainty after the act, but he can not fill in the void he lost when he let out such harsh words to Theon.

"His face. His eyes. As if he was struck with thunder. Was I too violent with my sentence? But it happened already, who am I to bring the past back? I have done it myself it's for the better." He was walking beside the river streams, staring at the water, and looking at his reflection.

He grunted and squatted as he placed his hands behind his head. "Arg! What am I regretting it for? It's for his safety! It's what I should have done!" He shouted to himself. He was mad and frustrated. "Whenever I remember his face, it's that sorrowful and painful one. Why did he have such expressions? Why did he love me so? I am nothing but a loathsome being. Why did he ever accept such a man?"

He made it sound that it was all Theon's fault for loving him and for initiating to lend a help in calming his heat. But as the day goes by, maybe he just wanted to stay with Theon. In his remaining days, he wanted to see only Theon and nothing else would matter. Even in these thoughts, he wanted to be selfish once again.

He grabbed something from his coat and held it with one hand.

"I don't know why I took it but I have a feeling that this would ease my body. Having control over this insanity must be this necklace work. I am not certain as a rock but it would not hurt to see it working." It was the ornament that he took from Theon's neck the day when they walked towards the near borderline. "Although, partly was because it remind me of him." He muttered.

After taking the time to stare at it that long, he decided to insert it into his neck and use it. He looked up at the sky and stared at the vast sky, with the hues and the few colours.

"If you can only hear me, mother. Please, tell me I am doing the right thing. I have loved someone and the feelings inside me, I can not even explain it. But he is a man who is far from a man as I am. If you let me, I want to share with you about him." He smiled bitterly. "Such a kind-hearted man that the world does not even deserve. I probably fell for that. Even after all I did to his family, he accepted it and insisted that it was not my fault. He was kind of like that. Above that, he was beautiful. It's embarrassing to say, but I never regret feeling so much affection for him. Maybe that is why I never thought of loving someone in the past because fate has reserved me for someone like him. Father, if you're listening..." He could not finish his sentence when he felt his chest tighten.

More than saying it was sudden, it was more intentional. He brought it upon himself. Thinking and was bombarded with these thoughts. He always felt devastated and wanted to die, fall into the chambers of death. He wanted everything to end. But, somehow he is now doubting his decisions.

He rested his head on top of his arm that was rested on his knee. He was sitting below the tree. "I want to live..." He whispered and his face pressed with pain.

"For Theon..."

-

Theon gazed at his back where the direction towards the land was at. He suddenly felt a sting inside his chest as if something had happened. He even painted and was chasing for air, with eyes filled with confusion.

They were currently on the move as each soldier were bidding their farewell to their family members. Each and everyone was hopeful but the fact that one may die in the battle is not to be put astray.

"Brother Theon, are you alright? You look exhausted and out of breath. Have you ever eaten yet?" Mikka asked him.

"No, it's uh... I'm fine. There was just a sudden thump in my heart for reasons I don't know. This does not usually happen to me." He gazed at Mikka.

"Hmm, probably the connection you have with Ambroz." Mikka just straight up concluded.

"Connection? I mean, what connection do we have?"

"Well, there is this saying that if you loved someone too dear, you might have the feeling that ones felt."

"Never heard of it." Theon shrugged.

Mikka laughed and hit his back slightly. "Of course, I just made that up."

Theon then ended up shaking his head off. "I don't know where you get this enthusiasm from. Are you not afraid of what may happen to us?"

Mikka sighed. "I know you will win this, Theon. Kindness wins no matter what. And come on, don't you trust yourself? You should trust yourself better now or no one would." She advised and pointed at his chest.

"Alright," Theon nodded.

"But, still, be wise and wary. You are not alone. You have them now, and we are here supporting your backs with our prayers." Mikka supplied.

Theon smiled as he silently thanked the Gods that he was blessed with such a family-like Mikka. She was the only one left of their relative. Her optimism is outstanding and he can never surpass it. Above that is a wise mind.

"We're ready, Theo," Luca exclaimed.

Theon turned his head and met Luca's eyes. "Then, let's charge, Lucas."

———————

ABYSSCESS