0 comments/ 15347 views/ 0 favorites A Voice of Sorrow Ch. 00 By: Schaedelschaden Pronunciation Key A Voice of Sorrow Ch. 01 Chapter One: The Dark Priest It was a stormy night when that dark traveler came to the town of Jashubilehem. Many of the children in the shelter clustered together as he swept into the main room and sat by the fire, the rain dripping off of his cloak. Little Mabel ran to the custodian and hid her face from the traveler as she covered her ears. As the custodian coaxed the little girl into two other of the children’s care, he stepped towards the man in the cloak and knelt beside him. “Excuse me good sir, is there anything I can help you with?” asked the custodian as he knelt besides the shadow, placing one knee on the floor to balance himself. He was surprised slightly as the man turned to look at him with gently glowing eyes, the color of a clear blue sky. His skin was the deep red of the Kamali, a people that lived far from the forests of Jashubilehem. “Well,” said the keeper, realizing who was here with him, “You must be tired. Please follow me and I will show you to a room.” The man nodded and stood then followed the custodian down a hallway to some back rooms. As the custodian moved into a room he felt the shadows eyes on his back, studying his movements and strengths. “This will be your room for the extent of your stay,” said the custodian as he motioned around the room, “It’s not the largest, but it should suit your purposes quite well.” “Why is it that you help me sir?” asked the shadow in a quiet voice, “I am not one that is familiar to you, and you have no good reason to take me in.” “Well, before I answer that, you may take off that shawl of yours. Its disguise does nothing for you in my presence,” replied the keeper. The man started in surprise then raised his hands to take off his hood as he moved towards the window. After he had removed it and shook his light red hair loose, he turned back to the keeper and studied him once more. The custodian was a tall man with a look of wisdom far beyond his years, his green eyes showing a kindness deeper than anything ever seen. His hair was a light brown and his lips looked chiseled from stone as he stood near the cabinets. “So good sir, why is it that you help me?” asked the man once more as he watched the custodian, “You don’t seem to be one that has difficulties very often.” “My name is Shauol, and I am the keeper of this shelter. When I saw your red skin in the light it appeared to me that you had a very good reason to come here. And now that the air of this place is around you, I’ve seen many more things. Something is chasing you because you have a very important item to them. They injured you while trying to get this item from you. You’ve also been running for a very long time,” replied the keeper as he leaned against the wall. The Kamali laughed gently as he stood with his back to the window and looked at Shauol. “Well Master Shauol, you have guessed right on all three. I’ve been traveling for a week now, with some unholy presence always right behind me. But, how did you know these things?” “The scent of blood hangs heavy around you. You limp and hold your arm at an awkward angle. That is how I know you’re injured. You must have something of great importance on your person, because this is an incredible distance to travel in such a short time, and your sweat proves that you’ve been running from your hunters for quite a while. If it were not such an important item, they would have given up the chase already. The gifts of Observation do not come to one of little talent.” “Most impressive sir,” said the man, “And yes, I have an item of extreme importance to them, and I’m very far from my home in the temples of Anathoth. I am the High Priest of the Children of Eternia, Savas. To my knowledge it is the agents of the Dark Lord that now chase me, seeking the Sacred Artifact that I bear. I know not why they want this Artifact, but I cannot let them take it. I was injured in a sword fight and was shot with an arrow while attempting to flee, and now I fear that they are using my blood to hunt me.” “Well, this place is protected very well, by me, the children and a secret from long ago. The children and I are the main defenders when trouble arises, and as long as you stay here, you shall be safe. Hostility is not taken lightly here, and it will be removed quickly if necessary. You have the extension of my hospitality as long as your services are extended to me. The children cannot help me with everything,” said Shauol as he moved to some cupboards and opened one, removing a basin and filling it with water, “You can use this to wash your wounds, and these to bandage them,” he said as he moved to the other cupboard and removed some white cloths. As the custodian moved back to the door, he stopped as the High Priest spoke once more, “I thank you for your hospitality. I hope nothing dangerous comes to you during my stay.” Shauol smiled as he looked out the door, “Danger is already here…it only came because of you. If they wish to take you by force then they shall fail. If they know how to enter however, I can do nothing.” Savas began to speak again but stopped as Shauol looked over his shoulder at him, “You should cleanse and bandage your wounds. Already they begin to fester and will soon become infected if they are not tended.” The Kamali nodded and moved towards the basin as Shauol walked back out to the main room where the children sat clustered around Mabel. As he walked towards their group, Mabel jumped up and ran to him, waiting to be picked up. Shauol patted her on the head and said, “It’s all right Mabel. That man is a friend and will be staying with us for a little. I’d like you to help me take care of him please.” Mabel nodded and sniffed as the custodian turned to the two children that had been taking care of her, “Fione, Phillos, please come with me. I need your help with something.” The two children nodded as he stood then turned towards the main door, motioning them to follow. As he opened the door and moved outside, he saw a group of about fifty men standing outside in the rain, with one man sitting on a horse. As Shauol stepped under the awning of the door, he pushed the two children behind him and watched as the man on the horse dismounted and moved to stand a few feet from him. As Shauol sized up the man that stood in front of him he realized his stature. He was a full head taller than the custodian, and was encased in deep red armor, almost as if it had been dipped in blood. On his shoulders he wore heavy shoulder pads the color of the ocean, most likely to signify his rank. After he looked back up to his face he rasped in a low hiss, “We have seen what we seek enter this place. Give it to us.” “This is an Inn and is here for the protection of any who wish it. If you wish to peacefully take whatever it is that has come here, then you are more than welcome to enter. However, if it is hostile intentions that you bring, then you shall be resisted,” Shauol said as he smiled and held his arms behind his back, seeking some form of life behind the helm. The rider’s breath rasped as he hissed once more, “The thing that has entered here is prey given to us from a Master that cannot be defied. We have hunted it this long, and nothing will stand in our way. We will take what is ours.” The dark shadow took a threatening step towards Shauol but paused as the rain suddenly stopped and the skin across the keepers face rippled. A low growl escaped from Shauol’s throat as he warned once more, “Turn aside. Hostility is not welcome and any who wish to take this place by force shall be repelled by a power that none can shatter.” The man’s breath hissed once more as he raised his right hand to his helm and removed the faceplate, and as a puff of air escaped, his face shown, revealing a dark and sunken face. Shauol saw that he stood in the presence of an Unholy Spectre, a minion of the Dark Lord. The skin across his face rippled once more as he growled deep in his throat, crouching slightly. The Spectre responded by crouching as well, the muscles of his body evident even through his armor. The rain had stopped again as the two large figures crouched there. Suddenly, the Spectre lunged towards Shauol with an evil hiss, while his men began to run towards the shelter. Shauol grappled with the Spectre as he yelled, “Fione! Phillos! Now!” The two children who had been quietly hiding stepped from behind Shauol and laced their hands together, water beginning to swirl around them. Every last drop of water in the area was absorbed into a massive shield that they created around themselves, until both children were hidden by a massive ball of water. Shauol growled once more as half of his body morphed into something half-man, half-wolf. The Spectre roared in surprise and hatred as the figure in front of it rose to its height and mass, then turned its head to bellow for assistance. Instead, what it saw was a wall of water come smashing down upon its men, then it changed into a figure of water, armed with a hammer, and a pack of wolves that continued to batter its troops. It hissed in surprise as Shauol charged it, pushing his shoulder deep into its stomach. As he stepped aside, it fell to the ground and heaved up a dark liquid that ate away at the ground. As Shauol morphed back to his normal form he knelt beside the Spectre and placed a strong hand on its back. Looking down on the being in front of him, his muscles tensed, he pulled the Spectre to his knees and asked, “Now my friend, perhaps you’d like to tell me your name. I just might let you go.” The Spectre hissed once more and coughed up more of the dark liquid before finally speaking in a low rasp, “I am Hephasto the Scourge. I seek the High Priest of Darkness, Savas. I was ordered by the Dark Lord to hunt him and kill him if necessary. You’d have to kill me a thousand times before I tell you any more.” Shauol sighed as he stood, and then hauled Hephasto to his feet and pushed him away from the shelter, “Well, I hope you’ve learned that none of your kind can ever enter this place. No matter the size of your army, the strength of your technologies and skill, you will always be repelled. And even after my life runs out, there will always be a Defender in this place.” Hephasto gave an unholy scream as he moved backwards, then disappeared in a burst of flame that burned the ground. As Shauol sighed and shook his head, he turned around and looked at Fione and Phillos. They stood facing each other near the door of the shelter, the hands still linked together. He smiled as he moved towards them and gently placed his hands on their shoulders, slightly startling them. The two children looked up at him then released their left hands, standing together with their right hand still linked. “Fione would like to know if she did well,” said Phillos in his soft voice. Shauol smiled as he knelt and ruffled the two children’s hair, “Yes, you did very well Fione. Phillos, you also did very well. Your skills are increasing. I’m very impressed.” Shauol smiled and lifted Fione onto his shoulder and took Phillos by the hand as he began walking back into the shelter and said, “Well, poor little Mabel must be very frightened. We should go see how she’s doing.” As they entered the shelter, Shauol put Fione down and knelt as Mabel came running to him, leaping into his arms and hugging him around his neck. He smiled and stood with her still in his arms as Savas walked towards him. Savas was now clad in a light brown, sleeveless tunic and light brown pants. His left arm was bandaged just above the elbow, and he limped slightly from the wound on his right leg. As he reached Shauol he smiled and said, “You and your children are amazing Master Shauol! Thank you for protecting me and allowing me to stay! I owe you much!” “You are very welcome Savas. And please, call me Shauol. I only ask that you help me with some of my tasks, and perhaps some of the training of these children,” said the caretaker as he held Mabel, “These children are very friendly and helpful, but cannot help me with all of my tasks. I call them the Little Ones for now, and we take care of each other.” The priest smiled as he eased himself to the floor with a wince of pain in his eyes then said, “Well Shauol, as long as I am welcome here, may I ask the honor of getting to know some of your children? This little one with you amazes me especially.” Shauol laughed as he sat about five feet away from the priest, holding Mabel in his lap. “It’s entirely up to the children. Mabel? Would you like to get to know Savas a little better?” Mabel looked up to Shauol and nodded, then covered her ears as she looked back towards the High Priest of Eternia, scooting back into Shauol’s arms as the priest’s eyes began to glow slightly brighter. Smiling, Shauol looked towards Savas and said, “Mabel is the only one of her kind here. She’s very special to all of us, and we all look after her. I’d like to help her develop her powers, but unfortunately cannot because of her unique ability. If Mabel agrees, I’d like to ask you to help me train her.” Savas’ eyes glowed brighter as he smiled and asked, “You’re the Child of Aztur aren’t you? I’ve never seen anyone that responded so well to me.” Mabel looked back towards Savas and spoke in a small voice, “You know Mister Aztur?” “Yes, I know him very well. M’lady serves him quite often. In fact I hold one of his Sacred Artifacts with me,” replied Savas, “Mabel? Would you mind taking your hands off your ears so I can try something please?” Mabel nodded and slowly took her hands off her ears, gently folding them in her lap as Savas rubbed his chin and closed his eyes, softly humming to himself. After a few moments Mabel began to lean back towards Shauol and hum along, then began to laugh. She then laid her head against Shauol’s chest and closed her eyes, still humming along with Savas. Savas reopened his glowing eyes and smiled at Mabel as he asked, “How do you feel now Mabel? Did that song feel familiar to you?” Mabel smiled as she got up from Shauol’s lap and walked over to Savas, sitting back down and taking his large hand in both of hers. She began to gently draw symbols on his palm as she spoke softly, “Every night I hear that song and see these symbols. I can’t read them yet, but they always seem really pretty.” The priest’s eyes glowed even more as he recognized the symbols on his hand. “Mabel, these are the writings of Aztur…they read ‘The Child of Aztur, Second born of the mediator of Light and Dark’. This means you’re very special. Not only to those around you, but to everyone in both of the Parallel Worlds.” The child in front of him smiled once more and stood back up then hugged the surprised priest. “That must mean you’re my uncle then,” she said as she moved back to Shauol and kissed him on the cheek, “Everyone here is my family and I love them very much. But it’s my bed time now, and Shauol might get angry at me if I stay up any longer.” Shauol smiled and kissed Mabel’s cheek, then stood and carried her to his room, where he tucked her under a large blanket and kissed her forehead. As he returned to the main room, the rest of the children moved past him to their respective rooms and shut the doors, leaving the main room devoid save Savas. “You do know what this means don’t you Shauol? The fact that Mabel is the Child of Aztur can’t be ignored. While she’s quite safe here, you know she’ll grow up and want to wander the worlds, especially with the knowledge that I give her,” said Savas as Shauol sat in a chair next to fire. “Yes, I know quite well what it means,” sighed Shauol as he poked at the fire, “Mabel has always been a very intelligent little girl, and I know she will grow up to be a fine young woman some day. I wish she would always stay here with me, but like so many others, she will leave me some day. Hopefully Fione and Phillos will accept Guardianship of her…if they do, I can rest easy knowing they protect her. If you haven’t guessed already, they are the two Children of the Copper Clan. And they are quite talented at that. While very few of their kind remain, I hope they will be able to bring their race back into its glory. If not, then they shall Guard Mabel with the bonds of family.” Savas smiled and moved to sit in the chair next to the caretaker, “I shall teach her everything she needs to know. Hopefully she will never have to use some of the things I will teach her, but she will know them if she ever needs to. With your permission I will even teach her the history and Arts of Aztur, with the intention of using them only if necessary.” “Please, teach her whatever you feel necessary. While you train her in the ways of Aztur, I can concentrate more on training Fione and Phillos for their Guardianship. I believe that they may need to strengthen their abilities even more, because something is happening that I cannot describe. I’m not old yet, and I can still feel the earth speaking to me of things that come, and things that shall be.” “I shall do my best to train her properly Shauol. You have my promise in that. I’ve seen many Acolytes misuse the power of Aztur and become consumed by it, and I wish nothing of the sort to come upon Mabel. She’s too sweet a child and far too innocent to have something of that magnitude happen. I’ve felt her inherent ability already and am eager to train her, but I will be cautious so that you may rest easy,” said Savas as he stood and stretched, “Well, it is indeed getting late and we all must rest. I will begin training Mabel tomorrow if she wishes.” “Sleep well Savas, High Priest of Eternia. I shall begin training Phillos and Fione more rigorously tomorrow as well, and in time, they will be ready to accept their first Guardianship. Please train Mabel well and with care, because now you are part of her family as well.” A Voice of Sorrow Ch. 02 12 Years Later Chapter 2 - A Birthday Mabel turned over and groaned as she woke and sat up, rubbing her temples with her right hand. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and looked around her room with a smile, remembering every morning that had been like this the past twelve years. Today was special however. Mabel stood and took off her nightgown and put on a light purple shirt with a dark purple skirt. She then sat at her mirror and brushed out her hair, which had finally grown to the bottom of her back last month. After braiding her long hair, she let the braid rest on her back as she stood once more, looked in the mirror, and smiled at herself as she opened her door. Savas looked down the hallway from the kitchen and smiled as he saw his "niece" and apprentice coming towards him. With a glint of mischief in his lightly glowing eyes, he turned back to making breakfast for the children that lived in the shelter. "You're not hiding your powers anymore Uncle Savas," said Mabel as she sat down at the table and watched the tall mans back, "I can tell because I've got that headache that I always got when you lessened your control over your powers. However, this is the strongest I've ever felt it, and because of this, I'm sure something even more important than my birthday is going to happen today." Savas laughed lightly and smiled as he turned around and presented the young woman in front of him with an enormous breakfast plate, filled with all sorts of amazing foods. "Shauol wanted to sleep in a little today, even though I think he just wanted to lay in bed. I volunteered to make my favorite pupil a birthday breakfast to congratulate her on coming of age," said the old priest as he winked at Mabel then sat across from her and helped himself to a piece of bacon. Mabel smiled and began munching on a piece of toast as she carefully watched her "uncle", wondering why he would fully release his powers now, especially on her birthday. "My dear Mabel, I can see in your eyes that you'd like to know what my powers are doing unchecked," smiled Savas as he drank some milk and then took a bite out of a piece of toast, "You see my dear, I've taught you everything I can now, the only thing left is for you to block my abilities completely. Once you do that, and show me that you've been working on your abilities, you will no longer be my student. Whatever you choose to do from this point on is entirely up to you, and I'm positive you will do it amazingly well." "Uncle Savas!" exclaimed the young woman as she dropped her piece of toast, "You can't be serious! There's so much that I feel I can learn...why aren't you able to teach me anymore?" "Well Mabel, I have a feeling that the questions you have can only be answered by experience. The training I've given you so far is much more advanced than any that I've given before. Pupils are usually sent out on their own to learn and sharpen their skills on their own after four years of training. You've been given triple that, and you have triple the power...I'm quite confident that you'll find the answers to the questions that you have when you take your journey." "Journey? What journey?" Mabel asked, giving her most innocent look. "Oops...shouldn't have said that..." was the reply. Shauol laughed as he came into the kitchen and stretched then placed a kiss on both of Mabel's cheeks as she giggled. "Happy Birthday Little One," said Shauol as he ruffled her hair and grabbed an apple from the center of the table, "I see Savas has already gotten you into a good mood for me, and I think he's probably blown the cover off of my secret." Savas smiled and laughed as Mabel looked at her two caretakers in confusion. "Sorry to do this to you hun, but you'll have to wait until this afternoon when everyone is awake and waiting to eat that wonderful birthday meal that we'll have prepared. I'm pretty sure you'll love what it will be," said Shauol as he took the seeds out of the apple core and put them in a bag, and then rolled up his sleeves and took the empty plate from in front of Mabel. "Now little missy, you just stay right there and we'll whip something up for ya...actually it'd probably be a better idea to go wake up all the others so we don't make a breakfast that sits there and gets cold," said Savas as he began moving about the kitchen, rustling through bags of grain and clanging about in cupboards full of pots. Mabel smiled and walked into the main room then turned left and moved down a hallway towards Savas' room. She knocked on every door that was shut, hoping to wake everyone up without entering his or her personal space. When she came to the last door on the hallway she smiled and slowly opened the door, praising Shauol and Savas for keeping every door well oiled so it wouldn't creak. "Phillos," she whispered as she crept to the bedside, and then quickly pulled back the covers. Instead of finding the darkly tinged skin of her friend, she found four pillows, carefully arranged to simulate the young mans body under the covers. Mabel looked around the dim room wildly then squeaked in surprise as a hand covered her mouth, and its companion began to tickle her side. She struggled in his grasp, laughing loudly as he continued to tickle her, slowly lowering her to the floor where he commenced his torture with both hands. "Stop! Stop! I'm sorry I was going to wake you that way!" cried Mabel as she laughed so hard that tears began to flow from her eyes, "I'm sorry Phillos!" "Aw, C'mon Mabel, you're no fun," said Phillos as his hands were taken off her sides. He laughed softly as he looked down at the young woman laying in a disheveled heap on the floor, then scooped her up and carried her out of his room, depositing her in a chair in the main room. "I'll go wake the younger ones," Phillos said as he turned down the hallway on the right of the main hall, opening each door and softly calling every child's name. "I'll let you wake Shema, Mabel. She really doesn't like the sound of my voice, poor child." Mabel hauled herself up from the chair she had been placed in and moved past Phillos to the end of the hallway that he was standing in. Gently tapping on the door she opened it and closed it softly behind her. "Mabel?" asked a soft voice from the corner of the room. The young woman squinted into the darkness and made out the small form of the youngest child in the shelter. Shema sat in her bed with her left ear turned towards the doorway. "Yes Shema, It's me," was Mabel's reply as she moved towards Shema's bed, "How are your eyes feeling today?" "They're much better than yesterday, thank you," said the little girl as she hugged Mabel, "Do you think they'll get better soon?" "I certainly hope so...it's not fair that this happened to you." "It's ok," said Shema as she kissed Mabel's cheek and hopped off her bed, feeling for her dresser so she could get dressed, "Even though I can't see for now, I know that my eyes will get better soon." Mabel rubbed her eyes and covered her mouth as she watched this little child of only six years feel for the hard wood of her dresser. She stood and walked over to where Shema was slowly moving about and took her hand, gently leading her to her dresser. Shema smiled and squeezed Mabel's hand then opened the third drawer of the dresser, chose a light red dress, then slowly walked back over to her bed. "It's Mabel's birthday today, so I want to look pretty," said the child as she took off the shirt that she had gotten from Shauol to act as a nightgown, "Will you do my hair for me please Mabel? Yours is so pretty now, I want mine to look just like yours." The young woman nodded and moved back to Shema's side to help her button up the back of her dress, then gently pulled her hair from the inside of it and took a brush off the bedside stand. Sitting Shema on her lap, Mabel began to brush the child's hair out, slightly pulling at a knot here and there, expecting the young girl to burst into tears at any moment from pain. Shema sat patiently enduring the small tugs however, and began to play with a few strands of her neck-length hair. After Mabel had brushed out Shema's hair, she began to braid the hair along the sides of Shema's head, twining beads and ribbons into the soft, blonde hair. When Mabel was done, Shema had two braids along the sides of her head that moved to the back of her head, then joined into one braid that continued to the middle of the girls neck. "Ok Shema, I'm done," said Mabel as she placed the girl on her feet and stood once more, "What do you think of it?" Shema ran her hands over her hair then smiled up at Mabel as she said, "It's beautiful. Thank you so much Mabel!" Mabel smiled as the little girl hugged her tightly then picked her up and opened the door into the hallway. Moving into it and shutting the door behind her, she slowly moved to the main area where many of the other children had already begun to gather for the morning breakfast. "Good morning Mabel!" was the enthusiastic chorus that bombarded Mabel as she entered the main room and set Shema down next to Misho, who promptly took her hand and sat next to her. "Now Misho, remember to take good care of her today," said Mabel as she ruffled the little boys hair, "Especially be sure to take care of her hair." Misho smiled up at her and nodded, then turned back to Shema and patted her hand reassuringly. Shema smiled at the little boy then turned her head around the room, listening to all the other children talking with a faint smile on her face. Mabel slid past the other children to the kitchen, saying good morning here and there as she moved along. Finally reaching the kitchen she saw that Shauol and Savas were still hard at work over the stove, but that many platters had been prepared and put on the table. Mabel assumed that they were all for the children's breakfast and hefted one, but stopped as Shauol looked over his shoulder and smiled. "That one's for later little miss. Go ahead and take the others out to the hungry bunch however. I bet they're starving after a good nights sleep." Mabel laughed and nodded then took another platter and moved out the door. As she walked towards the center of the main room, silence seemed to reign as she moved to the table. Everyone closed their eyes and sniffed the air as the delectable scents from the platter wafted through the air. Mabel smiled and placed the platter on the table then backed away cautiously before saying one word. "Itadakimasu." Everyone smiled and repeated the same word, then rushed the table, hoping to get the first and best pieces of the breakfast. Mabel rushed back to the kitchen and continued to take platters out, finally sitting down to rest and watch the hungry group of children clamor over each other to get their breakfast. It was an organized chaos that seemed to revolve around her as she sat in a chair and held children on her lap. She laughed at one child's soft little comment about his "brother's" then looked around the room, seeing many smiling faces. Shema's face was the youngest in the bunch, but it seemed to shine the brightest. Phillos had managed to get a large piece of bread and a decent sized piece of bacon and had climbed up to his favorite post in an alcove. From there he gloated over his victory and waved merrily at Mabel before he was pulled down by a group of youngsters and mobbed by them. Mabel laughed and bounced a young girl named Aliah on her knee, then lay her head back against the headrest of the chair. Closing her eyes she sighed softly and concentrated on the dull feeling she felt in her head. Slowly it began to die down until it was completely gone. Opening her eyes again she was slightly startled by the quiet and the little child that slept in her lap. Looking around she heard a sound outside, and picking up the child that rest in her lap, she moved to the door and opened it. What she saw when she opened the door made her eyes open in surprise. A large banner hung across the space between two trees and various tables were set up in the small clearing outside the door. Shauol walked up to her and hugged her tightly as he said, "Enjoy your little nap little one? You fell asleep again after serving everyone breakfast. I'm not sure how you did it...you'll have to teach me sometime." Mabel laughed as she hugged Shauol back and asked, "What's all this for?" "Why, you forgot? Maybe that nap left you a little foggy," Shauol kissed her cheeks and then said, "All right everyone! Let's remind her!" A group of people came out from the house carrying a massive cake that had the words "Congratulations Mabel" iced onto it, as the children hurried out from the woods. After the cake had been placed on the center table, everyone gathered into a large group and shouted, "Happy Birthday Mabel! Congratulations on your Training!" Mabel covered her mouth in surprise as tears began to well in her eyes, then squeaked in surprise as she was lifted onto the shoulders of her lifelong friends, Phillos and Fione, the two oldest in the group that lived at the shelter. Together, they paraded Mabel around the clearing until she was back where they had begun, where she received a bouquet of flowers and a kiss on the cheek from Shema. "Thank you all," she said as she stood and took Shema by the hand, "Thank you all for being with me this long, and thank you all for being such good friends, so good that I consider you all my family." Everyone cheered then gave Mabel an individual hug before stepping away and standing in a circle around the main table. After she had received her hugs from everyone, she took a knife and cut the first piece from the cake and placed it on a plate, then offered it to Savas. "Thank you for the time you spent training me Uncle Savas. There's nothing that I value more than your concern." Savas blushed softly and took the piece then hugged his "niece" once more, placing a kiss on her forehead and whispering words of congratulations. Mabel took another piece of the cake and offered it to Shauol, who took it with a mock salute and a solemn look on his face. When Mabel laughed at his strange face, he too laughed and swept her up in a massive hug then placed her down once again and kissed her right cheek. Smiling, she took another piece from the cake and offered it to Phillos who took it with a wide grin. After he had taken it and set it down on the table next to him, he whirled Mabel around then kissed her left cheek after hugging her tightly. Mabel laughed and feigned dizziness from the whirling of Phillos then took another piece and offered it to Fione, who took it from her with a gentle smile, and kissed both her cheeks and forehead, ending with a long hug. After giving pieces to these four, she began to cut pieces from the cake and distributed them among the group of people there. She received more hugs and kisses from all and finally had no more cake to give. After the cake had been eaten and the punch drank, platters of food were brought out and passed around the tables. Everyone chose their favorite pieces and sat down laughing and talking with each other, enjoying the soft sunlight and the gentle breeze blowing through the clearing. Mabel sat with Shema on her lap and had Phillos and Fione on her sides. Across from her sat Shauol and Savas, who sat reminiscing of the past twelve years of the three's training. After a short while they nodded and stood, moving over to the three, with Savas standing between Mabel and Phillos, and Shauol standing between Mabel and Fione. Together, Mabel's two mentors and her two friends bowed to her and drew their own unique symbols in the air with their hands. When they had finished, Mabel set Shema on the ground next to her and stood, forming her own series of symbols in the air. "I thank you all for devoting so much of your time to me. You're all very good friends, so much so that I consider you all to be part of my family," said Mabel as she looked to each of her companion's faces. They all smiled before Savas and Shauol stepped forward. "We'll have the ceremony tonight after all the other children have gone to sleep. Only Shema will be allowed to attend, but because of her special abilities. Fione and Phillos will be recognized as your Guardians tonight along with your recognition. Since the three of you were all raised and taught the same way, I'm sure none of you will have difficulties with the tests," said Savas as he patted Mabel on her shoulders, "We will all pray for your best efforts." "Savas and I will both preside over the ceremony to make sure that everything goes well," said Shauol as he stepped forward and softly placed his hand on Mabel's head, "We both want to make sure nothing happens to any of you, but we both know that we can't protect you forever." Mabel smiled and looked up to Shauol's green eyes as he patted her head softly. "Thank you Uncle Shauol. I'll do my best for you tonight, I promise. I hope that I can pass the tests...I'm so nervous." "Don't worry my dear. You'll do perfectly fine. Now, since all these children have had this much sugar, they need a little exercising to help them run off all the energy that they got from it," said Shauol as he laughed softly. "Yes, I agree, they won't want to go to sleep unless they wear themselves out first," said Savas as he picked Shema up and gently swung her around in a circle as she giggled. Mabel smiled again and began to carry plates inside. Fione glanced at Phillos then began to gather plates as well and carry them inside to help inside. Phillos shrugged, sighed and muttered something under his breath as he began to pick up plates again. When he walked inside the shelter, he surprised Mabel and Fione with the amounts of plates hovering about him. "I forgot you could do that," exclaimed Mabel as she started taking plates out of the air, "That must have been terribly heavy." Phillos laughed and shrugged as he spoke softly, "Not really...my abilities make things lighter so that levitating objects isn't too much work. Only when it's really heavy, like a boulder or something like it." Mabel smiled as Fione poked Phillos' side and then started to work on the pile of dishes in front of her, eagerly waiting for the evening to come. A Voice of Sorrow Ch. 03 Chapter 3 – The Return On the darkened plains of Kimeth'kra, a group of Shadows moved across the ground like ink, taking their time to approach the massive fortress that stood before them. As they drew near to the edge of the fortress, they paused and one particular Shadow moved forward slightly, then continued to move forward steadily. The others followed the first, being extremely careful to follow the exact path that the first had taken. They slowly melted into the wall and passed through it into a massive courtyard that was empty save for a few sculptures of incredible talent. The group gathered there for a few moments before continuing up the stone steps and into the gigantic Hall of Met'kur'sa. As they began to move down the Hall, a group of servants looked up and moved farther into the darkness, hoping to avoid the Shadows. As they reached the halfway point of the massive Hall, a regiment of guards moved along the sides in two lines, stopped, and stood at attention. "We're in trouble massster," hissed one of the Shadows as it looked around. The Shadow at the head of the group merely looked back before it began to move forward and materialize its shape as if drawing substance from nothing. It paused for a moment as it saw two glowing orbs coming through the darkness towards it, and then continued to move forward to meet the orbs in the middle of the guards. The other Shadows followed almost hesitantly as their master moved to meet the strange orbs. As the Shadow and the orbs drew closer to each other the definite shapes of their figures came into contrast, until finally everything solidified when they stood but a few hand-spans apart. Before the Shadow stood a man of high stature, who could easily look into the dark depths of the shadow's eyes with his own red and glowing eyes. The man carried himself well despite the weight of the heavy armor from his neck to his greaves, while a long, flowing cape of black, tinted with a hint of silver, seemed to snake its way down his back. A strong nose and a mouth that bore a grim line were below the man's eyes. His chin was just as strong as his nose, and his forehead was without wrinkles as it disappeared into a mass of thick, deep purple hair that could have been mistaken for black in the dimness. As the Shadow looked over the man's black armor that bulged from the sheer strength of his muscles, it could feel the man's eyes looking it over as well. Its dark eyes looked directly into the red eyes of the man as he looked for any hints of identity within the shallow depths of its face. "The Dark Lord requests your presence in his chambers Unknown One. Be glad that he felt you from far away and ordered that you not be harmed, only taken to him," said the man as he turned and began walking down the Hall towards where he came from, "My name is Khalum and I am the Dark Lord's second in command. I answer to no-one but him." The Shadow gave a faint smile before it motioned for the other Shadows to follow it. As they moved down the Great Hall an incredible door that was inlaid with onyx and obsidian was pulled open by two well-muscled men as a bell rang somewhere within the fortress. The group of Shadows paused to admire the door while their leader continued to move forward with Khalum. As the Shadows moved forward to go with their master, two massive guards placed their pikes across the entrance to prevent access. "Let them be," said Khalum as he continued walking into the chamber. The guards cast a sidelong glance at the Shadows before lifting their pikes and returning to their posts by the sides of the door. The head Shadow and Khalum moved past a large circle surrounding a smaller circle and then stood in the middle of a third circle, while the lesser Shadows waited at the edge of the first circle, not daring to even try crossing it. They shivered at the sight of a large figure at the end of the chamber with his back facing them, seemingly staring into the wall before him. "Where have you been Hephasto?" asked the Dark Lord as he turned to look at the Shadow that stood in the center of the circle with Khalum. "My Lord," said Hephasto as he bowed to one knee, "I have been training in the Plains of Abbadon. I wandered the burning wastelands until I grew strong enough to challenge the Great Salt Wyrm. I then began looking for him, and soon encountered him in the Long Ocean, where he was sojourning and replenishing his energy from the power of the Flames. He did not approve of my interruption of his recharge, and attacked me. Although I knew I was at a disadvantage, I destroyed him easily, and took his soul to the center of the Plains, where I buried it with the other Lost Souls of Power. His body, I pushed into the Eternal Flames that he longed for so much. I then began to make my way into the Extreme North, removing souls from many prisons, and began to train them in the ways that you taught me when I was like them. As they trained, so did I, and while continuing to wander in the difficulties of the Plains, continued to grow stronger and stronger until I finally found the dreaded Wyrm of Trang'Oul...The Great Fire Dragon of the North." Hephasto paused for a moment to catch his breath before continuing. "She lay on a pile of bones of the previous combatants that she had slain. I knew that she had also taken the souls and knowledge from them as she slowly ate away at their flesh. She mocked me, remembering the last attempt to damage her from the last person that tried to fight her. Her mocking, with no regard for the feelings of the previous combatants, drove me mad and I attacked her, to her surprise. She managed to block my attack in time, and hoped to take advantage of an opening with her superior advantage. However, my blade, Il'krutha, sunk deep inside her breast and pierced her heart. The only thing she could do was gurgle before she fell over dead from the dark poison contained within the blade. As I stood over her carcass, I almost took pity on her for believing that she was omnipotent. I then took her hindquarters and made my pants and greaves from the dragonscale. Of her claws, I made my gloves. Of her breast, I made my body armor. Of her head, I took my helm. Of her mind, I took the knowledge from her that she had stolen from so many others. And of her soul, I took it to the center of the Plains and laid it with the soul of her brother. I took care to contain a small portion of it within this crystal that I now bring back to you with her tail as gifts. Anyone who now goes to the center of the Plains of Abbadon may summon the Wyrm's soul by using the crystal." "Well done Hephasto," said the Dark Lord, "Although I had no doubts about your skill and worth before, I now acknowledge your skill openly and give you the rank of Hellmaster. You've proven your skill many times now, and are worthy of the title." Hephasto bowed his head deeply before raising it again with a confused look on his face. "But, my Lord...if you knew how useful I was to you, why did you not stop me when I left those twelve years ago? You only agreed and let me leave without giving any information to the other lieutenants." "I knew that you were eternally bound to me, and that even given your soul back, you would never leave my service. You're far too loyal for that, Hephasto. I also knew that you were hurt and ashamed more than could be repaired by words. Now you've come back to me as a Hellmaster, bearing the most difficult of gifts. Oneself can only do the healing of one's pride. Nothing I could have said or done would have made you stay." Hephasto bowed once again before he stood and allowed his blue and ragged shoulderpads to be taken off him as his Wyrm Armor gleamed gently in the dim light of the candles that lit the entire chamber. The Dark Lord issued a few words, and the wyrm's tail lifted into the air and was changed to a cloak of the same quality as the armor that Hephasto wore. Two of Hephasto's disciples took the cloak and placed it on his shoulders, respectfully bowing away from the Dark Lord and their new Hellmaster. "Thank you for this great honor, my Lord. I do not feel worthy to take this upon myself, but I trust your judgment. I offer my full services to you once more, and pray you accept my apologies," said Hephasto as he looked straight toward the Dark Lord. "I will not take your apologies, Hephasto. You never did any wrong to my empire or me. Your failure twelve years ago was because The Beast failed to predict that High Priest Savas would encounter Shauol and his children. At the time, you stood no chance of defeating them. I never have believed you to have left my service, but now I accept your full service under me." Hephasto bowed once more as he said, "Thank you, my Lord. If you don't mind, I would like to see what has changed in the past twelve years." "Of course, Hephasto. I would like you to see what we have changed, and I'd also like to hear if you have any suggestions in our training after you spent so much time in Abbadon." Hephasto smiled then backed away to the edge of the circle and turned to move out the door. Khalum bowed deeply as he followed Hephasto and stepped outside before the two men shut the door again. "It's been a while Hephasto," said Khalum as he placed his hands on Hephasto's arms, "I was afraid that my friend had been killed in such a simple battle. I was angered to think that you had died such an unworthy and lowly death. I'm glad that you didn't die and have finally returned, and I'm even more impressed that you've been able to escalate your strength far higher than that of Hellmaster." Hephasto laughed as he took Khalum's right hand and shook it firmly. "I was so ashamed at being defeated by children that I quietly went to the Dark Lord and requested that I be allowed to leave his service until I could become stronger. Now that I am stronger, here I stand once more, something that I never dreamed I would become." "Yes, I remember you speaking of how much you wished to be a Hellmaster...I'm amazed at how quickly you became one as well. Your father was the fastest known, becoming one in twenty-three hundred years. But you...you've become one in a little over fifteen hundred. I'm very impressed and pleased Hephasto." "Well, I had an extraordinary teacher to learn from," said Hephasto as he released Khalum's hand and bowed, "You were my driving force in the beginning, and I continued fighting in Abbadon, no matter how injured I was, just to make sure that your name would not be dishonored." Khalum's expression changed to that of slight surprise when he heard this, but quickly regained his composure as he smiled and said, "Well, I'm just glad that you didn't get killed out there." Hephasto laughed and turned to the right, walking down a side passage that was hidden in the darkness. Khalum followed behind his past student, studying the man's back as his mind reeled around the return of his pupil. He was still surprised that he had grown past the power of a Hellmaster in such a short time, and was rejoicing in the fact that he would now have someone worth sparring. "Any new students to take note of Khalum?" asked Hephasto as he turned into a secluded door that somehow opened onto an immense catwalk with a training yard below, "I've often wondered what kind of student rose to take my place once I had left." Khalum smiled and moved along the catwalk ahead of Hephasto, turning to stand on the middle as it was held over the center of the yard. "Students!" shouted Khalum as he looked down on the groups of pupils spread across the yard, "I'd like you to meet one of my previous students, Hephasto. He was just promoted to the rank of Hellmaster after spending twelve long years away from us!" A group was beginning to form in the yard in front of where Khalum stood on the catwalk as he continued speaking. "As you all know, Hellmaster is the highest rank attainable by a servant of the Dark Lord. Hephasto has trained in the Plains of Abbadon, where he gained great strength, enabling him to bring us objects of great power. If you all wish to spar with him, please seek him out and request a training session with him! I will spar with him myself, and I encourage you to do so as well, so that you can learn of your weaknesses and eliminate them." Khalum then stepped back and allowed Hephasto to take his spot as he whispered, "I'm sure you'll have plenty of challenges. Take care of my students as I have taken care of you, and I'm sure that your strength will grow even more." Hephasto moved forward and in a great voice said, "My name is Hephasto. The great and powerful Dark Lord has recently promoted me to a Hellmaster. I was once under the instruction of this great man next to me. Everything he taught me, I shall now teach to you alongside of him. I will gladly accept any requests to spar with me, and I encourage others to watch the spars as well, so that they can analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their allies, and learn how to incorporate them into their own strategies. I also encourage you to watch when Khalum and I spar, because I guarantee it will be worth your time. Although we may look to be of the same strength, our strategies are different and mature, allowing us to have different spars each and every time. You can learn an extreme amount of information about your teachers and opponents just by sparring with them, and I encourage you to spar with every one of your fellow students and other warriors, despite their skill levels." As Hephasto stepped back the students gave a great cheer and went back to their training, leaving only two young warriors standing below the two older men. "Lord Hephasto, I request a spar with you the next time you are available. My name is K'lith'mus and I am the second strongest trainee in this group of students." "I will accept your request, K'lith'mus, and I am available as soon as I reach that floor," said Hephasto as looked at the young man. K'lith'mus's shoulders were broad, leading down to muscular arms and a toned chest. His legs were of a size where they would be perfect for running and kicking. His face looked chiseled of stone, his red eyes glinting in the flickering light of the torches spread around the yard. His mouth was set in a grim line with the edges turning up only slightly, while his nose was sharp and strong. Hephasto turned to Khalum with a questioning look on his face. "Is the boy standing next to K'lith'mus his man-at-arms? He looks rather scrawny to be in a training yard of this caliber." Khalum laughed and spoke softly, "That's the strongest warrior in my group. He may not look it, but he's easily as strong as you were when you were the top of my class...he may be even stronger. He doesn't speak often, but his mind is very sharp." "Hmm...really..." said Hephasto as he stroked his chin and observed the lanky lad, "Who does he usually spar with?" "Myself and usually only one or two of the strongest in the class. He keeps to himself most often and widens his range of weapons," replied Khalum as he stepped forward and leaned on the side of the catwalk. The boy stepped forward and bowed slightly to both Khalum and Hephasto before stepping back again and looking up towards Hephasto. "I've noticed that his left eye seems to have been injured...what happened to him?" asked Hephasto as he looked down to the lad. "He lost it in one of our awareness exercises. We were using the hidden section of the fortress to practice and he walked in while the course was in session. He managed to dodge almost all of the projectiles, but he couldn't dodge the one that came at him from behind. As he turned around it stabbed him in his left eye, and he hasn't been able to use it since." "Hmm...unfortunate," said Hephasto as he observed the boys scrawny but toned form. His right eye gleamed brightly up at Hephasto as the fire glinted off the bright blue that surrounded his retina. He was a tall boy, with jet-black hair surrounding a clean complexion. His skin was a fair white, unusual for a being born in the Dark World. He held himself upright with a confidence that was carefully hidden otherwise. "I see you've noticed his skin. It sticks out quite a bit, but I know you've never been one to question one's origins. However, I'm going to tell you this about him. He was born here in the Dark World, but he is not bound to the Dark Lord like you and I are. He stays of his own free will. Also, he knows more than you might think. He's caught me on some very vague and surprising points, and I'm glad he did, because they were extremely threatening. His mind works in such a way that he's always coming up with new and more efficient ways to kill, hurt or even torture a person. It's no surprise he's the best in my class." "Really...old man, you might have an extremely promising student right here. I'm going to look forward to sparring him and seeing what he can do for me," said Hephasto as he took off his cloak, shoulderpads and tunic and gave them to Khalum, "This is going to be a good fight." Khalum laughed and walked to the other end of the catwalk where he began descending the stairs, while Hephasto simply leapt from the balcony and landed perfectly at the feet of the two young men. Neither of them flinched or stepped back as the new Hellmaster stood and bent down to look into the eyes of K'lith'mus. "I hope you're ready my lad. Khalum is a tough trainer, but I can guarantee you that my spars will be even better than his strongest training exercise. Ask any of my pupils that now stand in the Great Hall, and they will attest." "I do not doubt your skill great Sir, but don't underestimate me either. I may not be able to take on the Sand Wyrms yet, but I defeated a Hell Hound when I was of only thirteen dark moons," replied K'lith'mus as he met the Hellmaster's steady gaze. "And how many dark moons are you now lad?" asked Khalum. "The next Kurmethsakra will be my eighteenth." "Ah...eighteen...a fine, ripe age, when the mind is open and willing to learn. Brimming with the passion of the fight was I when I was that age. However, that age is long past. My moons now number two thousand, one hundred, and eighty-seven," said Khalum as he straightened up and laughed at the surprised look on K'lith'mus' face, "Yes, lad. I'm that old. But you're thinking it's impossible for me to be that old, because Khalum is barely pushing one thousand, five hundred, right? Wrong...He always takes one digit off of his age, just to try and be closer to his students." "But, Hellmaster, you could have gained this rank long ago...why didn't you pursue it?" "At that point in time I didn't believe I needed the power so badly...however, after a certain battle, I realized how weak I truly was. That was twelve years ago this day, and now I've returned, and will spar you, to increase your strength, so that you shall never have an embarrassment such as mine," said Hephasto as he slid backwards and took up his most familiar stance. K'lith'mus looked the odd stance over, observing the weak points of Hephasto's protruding left leg and arm. As he smiled to himself and moved to his own position, he placed his right hand on his left shoulder and slid his left arm behind his back while balancing his entire weight on his left leg. It was Hephasto's turn to smile as he looked K'lith'mus over and pushed his entire weight onto his left leg. "Ready lad?" asked Hephasto. "Whenever you are, old man," replied K'lith'mus as he leaned back slightly. Khalum laughed loudly as K'lith'mus dashed forward towards the open defenses of the Hellmaster. Before either Hephasto or K'lith'mus could utter a sound, K'lith'mus was hanging from the Hellmaster's right arm, wildly flailing his arms about, trying to hit the massive chest that showed no signs of strain by lifting the young man's frame. A Voice of Sorrow Ch. 03 "You're a little overzealous my young friend, but I admire your courage and willingness to go against things far stronger than you. However, I have to warn you about that trait, because it's almost gotten me killed a few times before," said Hephasto as he put the boy down, "I hope you saw what I did, because I wouldn't want to do that to you again just to show what you did wrong." "Yes...I know what I did wrong," said K'lith'mus as he rubbed his stomach and winced slightly, "I immediately assumed that your extended leg and arm would be easy targets, and you quickly took advantage of my hastiness. You tapped me twice in the stomach, once on each thigh, and then grabbed my left ankle with your right hand. Basically, you shut down my ability to run, then picked me up to make sure I couldn't get away." "Smart lad," said Hephasto as he turned to Khalum with a smile, "I got you a couple of times when I was under your tutelage. I couldn't pick you up at the time, or hit nearly as hard, but I managed to trick you with variations every once in a while and leave you with some nice bruises." Khalum laughed and slapped Hephasto on the shoulder as he said, "Yes, yes, I remember those days. My old bones were about to fall apart whenever you pulled those tricks on me." Hephasto grinned and ruffled K'lith'mus' hair as he spoke, "Just be glad I'm not as harsh as Khalum is, lad. If you were sparring him, he would have left you with bruises, maybe even a broken bone or two to teach you. Your wounds would knit quickly, but you'd still have the stinging reminder that you made a mistake." "Now...shall we spar my young friend?" asked Hephasto as he turned to the white skinned boy standing next to K'lith'mus, "I'll give you a name fit for your skills unless you already have a name to tell me." The only reply that Hephasto received was a few random clicks before the young man moved his left leg forward a slight amount and arranged his hands in an intricate pattern. "Ah, a stance of stability, I like it. I'll start this time," said Hephasto as he simply stood still. The young man smiled slightly as he waved his hands towards Hephasto, who simply grinned and disappeared. The young man didn't even bother to look around before he reached behind him and took hold of something, throwing it over his head. Hephasto reappeared; the same wide grin still on his face as he lifted the young man into the air with him, then threw him back to the ground with amazing force. Even Khalum cringed as he heard the boy hit the ground and watched Hephasto land safely next to the wide hole that had been created when the young man hit. K'lith'mus ran up to the hole and looked inside, waving dust out of his face as he looked in panic for the figure of the best in Khalum's class. "Don't worry lad...he's fine. Look at the exact center of the hole," said Hephasto as he began to slide down. K'lith'mus looked into the hole as the dust began to clear, and soon could make out the white figure of his better, with not even a speck of dust scarring the white skin. He grinned and began sliding down into the hole with Hephasto, amazed that the boy wasn't hurt after such a violent toss. "I'm impressed lad, I left that arm open, but no one that was standing still should have been able to see it while I was going at that speed. Obviously, your only eye is a unique case, and that alone deserves a mighty name. From this day, you are known as Harpiinokran, the Hidden Eye," said Hephasto as he lifted the young man onto his shoulder and carried him outside the crater.