Chapter 13

"You are all my guests. Please sit down. Forgive me for the bad furniture."

The Warriors of the Guardian were quite hesitant at Lord Falagor's kind request, but obeyed once Atrus and Anna sat casually on the nearby tree stump. The small hut supported only simple furniture, mostly made from timber from the nearby wood. Even though the furniture was simple, the room was cozy. The small hut only had two exits, one led to the bedroom and the other one out. There was a small fireplace on the corner of the room with some simple cooking apparatus made out of clay. A round table and a few stumps were the only 'valuables' in the room.

"Tea?" Falagor offered.

"You plant tea around here?" Lynn the Fairy asked curiously.

"Good question, young lady." Falagor smiled, then picked a clay teapot. "Remember the principle, if it's illogical, it's magic."

The old wizard waved his hand over the pot and tilted it toward an empty cup. A hot stream of fresh tea came out from the pot. The party simply gazed in disbelief until they smelled the sweet scent in the air.

"This is impossible!" Aurelia exclaimed. "I know the scent! This is tea from..."

" ... Land of Elom, southwestern region near the land of the Nomads." Falagor nodded. "You learnt your culture well, Miss Aurelia."

"Your fame is well deserved, Lord Falagar." Calem said.

Falagar gazed at the wizard. "You mean you can't do this trick?"

"I can manipulate things, but not create things."

"I do not create things. No one can create things except the Gods." Falagar explained. "I manipulate things, just like you. All elements in the realm can be manipulated. You are all the chosen people, destined to fight for the very survival of this realm. The whole realm will be on your side. Only by manipulating them you can use their power and gain victory."

"Gain victory?" Holgreb was deeply confused. "But the war hasn't started, yet."

"Then when does it start?" Falagor countered. "Tomorrow? The day after? Next week? Or perhaps yesterday or last week or last year? The real battle is not physical. The real battle was inside you."

The Dwarf, along with the rest of the party, was more confused than ever. "Don't understand." He grunted. "I'm not good at philosophy."

And Aurelia was getting freaked out. "You're not good at ... what?!"

"Sleep on it." Falagor said, grinning. "You will understand soon."

Atrus felt that his cue had come. "Master, we are confused at what we should do now. We know all the puzzle pieces yet we don't know where to go."

"You are restless, aren't you?" Falagor asked Atrus. "You want to finish the war as soon as possible."

"The longer we wait, more innocent lives may be lost." Atrus answered.

"Is that all?" Falagor asked again.

Atrus hesitated, then glanced at Anna, who in turn looked at him. "No ... that's not all."

Falagor smiled. "You are honest, Atrus ... forgive me if I called you by name. But there is more to be revealed before you are all set to go."

"More prophecy again?" Anna asked.

"You will see." Falagor said. "In fact, I've prepared a special audience for you all."

"An audience?" Atrus frowned. "With who?"

Falagor grinned. "I do hope you recognize your own father."

"My ... my father... ?" Atrus was shocked. "My father is here?"

And from the bedroom a tall figure appeared. The man was a bit taller than Atrus and almost as tall as the low ceiling in the hut. He posed a well-built body, showing the result of years and years of physical training. His face featured thick brown hair, brown eyes, and well-trimmed beard. Just like Atrus, the man also had think eyebrows and sharp gaze. He wore a set of leather armor of impressive design. Rows of silvery leather pad overlapped each other, topped with a single layer of chain mail. The armor and the armbands seemed seamless, offering maximum protection. A small slot on each shoulder provided a place to tuck the long golden cloak flowing on his back. On his chest was the picture of Aragon's royal crest, carefully painted on the leather surface. On his hip hung a sword, covered in leather sheath. He held a giant war-bow across his left shoulder and a pack full of arrows across the other.

The man just smiled as Atrus gasped. "F ... father... ?"

"It has been two years and you've forgotten your own father?"

The two men embraced each other with powerful grip. Atrus couldn't believe it. It had been too long. It had been two years, being on his own, living among his friends. But his father was here now. He was once again with the man he admired most in his life.

"I'm so proud of you, son," The man said. "Your deeds have not gone unheard among the Ranger clan. Your quest in gathering all races in an alliance has inspired all young Rangers to follow your footsteps."

"I didn't do it alone," Atrus said, then looked at his friends around the room. "My friends did most of the job. I was just the message guy."

"Modest, as always," Holgreb grunted.

"That's good!" Lynn commented. "Compared to you!"

"The distinguished Captain White Lion." Aurelia smiled. "It's been too long."

"Old age hasn't affected your memory, Princess Aurelia." The captain smiled. "How old?"

"Sixty-one this year." Aurelia replied, ignoring the dumb look from some members of the party. "But in Human life-span, I'm just twenty."

"In Human life-span, you're just a toddler!" Captain White Lion chuckled. "But are you the mysterious pretty girl Atrus has been mentioning in his letters?"

Aurelia just giggled while Anna blushed in bright red. "I wish I was, Captain, but I'm not the lucky girl."

"Dad, didn't I mention anything about a girl with ribbon?" Atrus grunted.

Captain White Lion quickly noticed Anna in the corner of his eyes. "Ah, she's the one?" He frowned, eyeing her petite body. "This girl is small enough to be my granddaughter!"

Anna was dumbfounded as Aurelia struggled to keep Atrus from slamming his head against the wall. "Uh ... thanks ... I guess..."

"How old are you, young lady?"

"Twenty one, Sir."

"Twenty one? Your body tells me that you are only about fourteen."

"Uh... ?"

"Are you sure you're not lying about your age? You possess a body of a teenager, not a young woman." Captain White Lion stared intently at her breasts. "Your lower body is convincing enough, but your upper part ... I don't know..."

Anna had had enough. "Well, let me tell you something, mister! I have told you the truth and you didn't believe me! I know that my breasts are small, and I don't care! I know that I'm shorter than normal women, and I don't care! I don't even care the standard size of women you've been with all your petty life!"

The party just stared at the two of them, their jaws were dropped open. Atrus was ready to cry.

"What I do care is that I love Atrus with all my heart and I know he does as well! I don't care about your judgement of my body! I don't care about how young you think I am! In fact, I don't care about you at all!" Anna glared at him. "One more thing, you are the most despicable man I've ever met!!"

Captain White Lion was silent for a while and the two of them exchanged glares. Finally the big man exploded in laughter and slapped the priestess, nearly sending the lithe girl flying across the room.

"Atrus, my boy, you've selected wisely!! I like her!!"

Atrus blinked. "What?! You ... like ... her?!"

"Of course! See how she responded to my taunts! Just like your mother!"

"You mean grandpa did the same thing to mother?!"

"Of course!" The Captain smiled proudly. "It's a proud tradition to the White Lion family!"

"Uh..." Atrus was dumbfounded. "I'm not sure I'm ... that proud..."

Captain White Lion turned to Anna, who was even more confused. "Adriana Freesland, right? If you really love my son, you have my full support! You have what it takes to wear the name of White Lion!"

"Uh ... thanks..."

The captain nodded, then his face stiffened. He looked back at Lord Falagor expectantly.

"The truth must be revealed now, Lord Falagor," he said slowly.

"What truth?" Atrus asked.

"Atrus..." Captain White Lion paused for a while, "The time has come to reveal who you really are. You are ready to face the real truth."

"The real truth... ?"

"The truth only one can provide."

A thundering sound of a violent storm was heard in the house, although nothing was blowing in the room except utter fear from the party. The two windows in the room were slammed close immediately and the candles were extinguished, leaving the room in darkness. Then a bright light appeared on the center of the room, blinding everyone with its powerful glare.

Both Atrus and Anna recalled the same event going on just a few years ago in the forest of Whitewater, just after Atrus' reunion with the girls. "Lord Guardian?" Anna said while slowly falling on her knees, followed by Atrus, "I greet thee, Lord Guardian."

"And greetings to you, too, High Priestess Freesland, and to all of you."

"L ... lord Guardian... ?" Aurelia staggered backward. "T ... the leader of the Gods of the realm... ? R ... right before us... ?"

"Yes, he is indeed the one and only!" Lynn exclaimed, then fell on her knees, gracefully folding her wings, "I greet thee, Lord Guardian."

As soon as the Fairy validated the claim, everyone in the room fell on their knees, except Holgreb the Dwarf. "Oh man," the Dwarf grunted, "I'm so screwed..."

"It's never too late," Falagor smiled. "You possess an honest heart the Gods approve."

Holgreb slowly stared into the light and slowly fell on his knees. "I wish I could believe sooner..."

"Yet my greetings include you, too, Sir Holgreb," the voice said. "And I am pleased to announce that the blessing of the Gods is upon you all. Your loyalty and dedication to us have kept the great races of the land together. You are all the life and blood of the alliance."

"Only with your blessing, Lord Guardian," Atrus said politely.

"Sir White Lion, I am pleased with you. Back then, you were just a mercenary, looking for money, fame, and your own identity. Now you are indeed a great warrior with great strength and wisdom."

"My friends deserve more honor than me," Atrus replied.

"Modest, as always," Falagor smirked.

"Lord Guardian, I'm sorry for my directness," Atrus paused, "I'm the Champion of the Guardian, or that's what people tell me who I am. Then if I'm not from this realm, who am I? Where do I come from?"

"Ranger White Lion, perhaps you would like to explain."

All eyes turned to the war hero, now sitting on his chair, staring weakly to the ground. His mighty shoulders now slumped as the burden he'd been carrying all these years came back to him, and it was back with vengeance. His voice came out choked, filled with despair.

"Atrus ... I'm not your father..."

Everyone gasped in shock as the statement came out like a jet of acid on a block of butter.

"Father ... what do you mean?" Atrus asked in disbelief. "I'm with you since I was small!"

Anna added, "And you said I was worthy of the name of White Lion!"

"Captain, everyone in this realm knows that Atrus is your son!" Aurelia also added.

"Yes, but I lied!" Again the captain hung his head weakly. "For so many years I have been forced to keep this secret. For so many years I have lived in this world of lies. For so many years I have lived with fear that this day would come."

"B ... but how could it be?" Atrus asked.

"It was the day that soon would be your birthday, Atrus," the captain began. "I just finished leading the war against the raiders from Southern Aragon, which we won easily. I was walking down the river when I saw the sky exploding in bright red and orange flash. Most of my men were either sleeping or sealing themselves in the tents, but I witnessed it with my own eyes. I quickly found that the source was from the north, probably somewhere in the mysterious Northern Continent. That was when I saw the bright light soaring through the sky. It looked like an object, a fiery object, flying through the sky, making it look like a vast sea of red blood. The object flew over me and slammed on the ground around the forest.

"I raced through the forest and that was where I found you. You were just a baby, lying on a cradle engulfed in bright flame. I noticed that the grass and dry branches under the cradle weren't burnt by the flame, and the sound of your crying broke my heart. I picked you up and held you close, soothing you despite my anxiety and fear."

"I remember now," Old Calem said. "The day after that event, the kingdom of Aragon released a statement concerning the Night of the Shooting Star. They claimed that it was the sign from the Gods that the wizards had gone crazy and had to be punished. That event resulted the destruction of the Great Temple of the Magi and the massacre of hundreds of our followers." The wizard nodded at the captain. "I'm aware that you are not into it."

"That's right, that's why I condemned their decision, because I know what really happened that night," replied Captain White Lion. "Your mother, Atrus, was very delighted. She accepted you warmly and we finally decided to take you as our son, although she would not approve me telling you about your origin. I, on the other hand, believed otherwise. I knew you were special and blessed by the Gods. I felt responsible directly to the Gods in Paradise. That's why I was so hard on you when you were small. That's why I sent you to the Ranger camp, despite your mother's protest, to attend the standard Ranger training. I knew you have a great destiny before you, and when it's within your reach, I want you to be ready."

"All this time you've been keeping this from me," Atrus said. "Why? Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

"Because you are not ready for the truth, Atrus!" Captain White Lion said. "Imagine what would have happened if I had told you the truth! You would probably leave us and deny your destiny altogether. What would I tell to the Gods?"

"Imagine the pain your father has to endure for so many years, Atrus," Lord Falagor kindly offered. "He has to live day by day with fear that one day, you'd probably hate him because of this."

"But that would never happen!" Atrus insisted. "Father, you know I admire you the most!"

"Correct," his father replied. "I would be the last person you would think of ever lying to you. You would have never forgiven me if I had told you sooner."

"But why? I mean, how could this be?"

The voice behind the light began again, "To answer your question, we must go back to the early days of this realm. Many centuries ago, we created this land. We, the Gods of Paradise, gathered together and with our power we began to fill the realm with wonderful creations. One God created plants, the other created animals, the other shaped hills and mountains, and so on. Every God strove to contribute something to the land, and the realm you are living in right now is the result.

"The creation process continued until one day there were only two Gods who hadn't used their power, myself and a God named Agamesh. Using my power, I created great races of intellectual beings capable of conquering the previous creations for their welfare, Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and many other. The God Agamesh, however, created evil beings, Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, and other foul folks.

"The two different factions, however, never got along together, causing uproar and bloodshed in our wonderful realm. For the first time we witnessed our creations turning into savage people. War rages across the land, sending civilization to ruins. The Gods went furious and demanded Agamesh to undo his creations. The agreement was finally set. When the war became inevitable, Agamesh would send the death angel, his own pet, the black dragon Kastor, to undo his creations."

"And Agamesh turned against the Gods," Aurelia guessed.

"Precisely," Lord Guardian said. "He used Kastor to instead raid my creations and helping his own creations to regain control over the land. If he had succeeded, he would have been the new leader of the Gods. However, we stopped him on time. With our power we created a pariah universe, the Underworld, and banished Agamesh and his creations there. His pet, Kastor, was imprisoned inside the bowel of the realm. Then we thought peace returned to the land, but again we were wrong. Agamesh kept on rupturing the barrier erected between the two realms and sending his armies to destroy the land. Every time we interfered, but the damage was done. My creations lived in fear and suffering."

"Then what happened?" Holgreb asked impatiently.

"Then the deal was made. Agamesh proposed a cease-fire. He proposed that we, the Gods, withdrew our affiliation with our creations, and in return he would leave the realm alone. However, the ownership of the realm was to be decided. Finally it was agreed that such decision would be made every a thousand years. At such time the seal of the Underworld would be opened. A selected warrior from the Underworld could pass through, destined to lead the army of demons to conquer the world. In response, the Gods would christened a warrior, born from and blessed by the Gods, to challenge the demonic warrior. That warrior is known as the Champion of the Guardian."

"So I am the one. Who am I supposed to fight? Where will this duel commence?" Atrus asked.

"The duel was fought in the Island of Paradise."

Atrus' eyes went wide. "You mean the duel has happened?" He swallowed hard. "Sir Falstoff ... he ... he was..."

Atrus could see the sudden pain in Lynn's eyes as the answer came, "Yes, Falstoff was the one. This time Agamesh has cheated the deal. Instead of sending a warrior through the portal, he captured the portal itself from the outside, defeating Goddess Gaea, the protector of the realm and the defender of Emerald Tower, and also your mother, who guarded the Emerald Tower where the portal was located. With the portal Agamesh sent hordes of the demonic army to this realm and began his conquest. He hoped to slay the Champion of the Guardian before the event of the duel. He failed, however, because Goddess Gaea had sent the baby, you, to the Human world, near the Ranger encampment, where Captain White Lion found you. In his rage, Agamesh allowed his general, Lord Daemon, to violate Gaea. Sir Falstoff was the result."

"Falstoff..." Atrus mouthed. "I ... I just killed my own brother..."

"It was the plan. Agamesh would do anything to hurt you, my son. The more he can hurt you, the easier it would be for his minions to slay you." Lord Guardian paused for a while. "If the Champion of the Guardian expires, the seal would be opened completely and Agamesh would came out to claim his rule in this realm."

"But why don't you stop him?" Anna asked. "Besides, you are a God!"

"We are the rightful Gods of the realm, and we will not betray the deal," Lord Guardian replied. "We, however, countered the action by calling forth five warriors of the land to become the Warrior of the Guardian, to protect the Champion before the event of the duel. The Champion will also have to undo the demonic treachery by securing the Emerald Tower and capturing the portal so a new seal can be placed. The Warriors will support him in his task."

"I must attack the Emerald Tower?" Atrus repeated.

"You will not be alone, my son. The blessings of the Gods are upon you. The sword that you are carrying holds the combined power of the Gods. And after the fight we stand ready to do our part in punishing Agamesh. You, my son, will lead the way."

"And you are not alone, Lord Atrus," the wizard Calem said to Atrus. "My destiny is to protect you, and protect you I will, even until the end."

"And I will be there, too," Aurelia said, smiling. "We've gone this far, so we're not going to stop here."

"Yeah, me too," Holgreb cheered. "I got tired bashing worthless Underworld critters that I need true challenge. Battling an evil God should be ... interesting..."

"And I will go, too." Lynn paused for a while, fighting over the sadness in her heart. "And I mean it when I say that ... I hold nothing against you for Falstoff's death ... I ... I know it must have been hard for you ... I ... I'm sorry..."

"There is nothing to be regretted," Anna said softly while circling her hand over the Fairy, soothing her. "We have come this far. We have shared joy and pain together. The time has come for us to witness the true destiny of this realm, and we are all going to make it happen." Anna looked at Atrus lovingly. "We are all with you, Lord Atrus."

Atrus couldn't hide his awe as all his friends pledged their loyalty and support for his cause. The fear vanished immediately. They all would succeed. "Thank you, all of you." Then he turned back toward the light. "Lord Guardian ... I accept my destiny."

"And accept it you will, Atrus," said Lord Guardian. "You will leave tomorrow morning. Falagor will send you to the Northern Continent for the final engagement."

"But how about the realm?" Atrus asked. "Who will protect the realm?"

"The Alliance you have forged will suffice to withstand the demonic assault."

"The demonic assault?" Anna frowned. "You mean the demons will launch another assault?"

There was a slight wait before Lord Guardian answered the question. "Yes, they will."

"Where?" Anna demanded.

Again, a slight pause. "If I tell you, I will betray the deal."

"Lord Guardian, the demons have repeatedly betrayed the deal!" Anna countered. "Many lives can be saved if we can anticipate the assault."

Finally, Lord Guardian yielded. "The final battle will commence ... in the land of Elom ... in three days..."

Aurelia gasped in terror. "They're going to attack my homeland? We've got to warn them!"

"No need. I will return to Stromgard immediately with the news." Captain White Lion said. "Don't worry, Princess. We will defend your homeland from those demons. I swear with my life."

"In you I have no doubt," Aurelia nodded. "Thank you."

"Warriors, I must wish you good luck in your journey," Lord Guardian said. "Remember, we, the Gods of the realm, stand on your side."

With that the bright light faded, and the room became quiet once more. No one spoke for a while. All were deep in thought. They were facing a great battle, a battle that would decide the fate of their beloved realm. Indeed, the fate of the Land of Lore was at stake.

Captain White Lion decided to break the silence, "I must waste no more time. Send me back to Stromgard. I must warn the royal court about the attack."

"Tell that to Prince Roberto," Aurelia. "He's preparing the alliance army for the war."

"Good luck, Father..." Atrus said.

The captain hesitated as he looked at the young man he had used to call son. "Lord Atrus, I've told you before, I'm not your father!"

"Yes, you are. You have raised me since I was small. You have taught me everything I need to know to survive. Forever you will remain as my father. I will wear your name with pride."

And the father and son, once again reunited, embraced each other. Both were lost in their emotional moment. Both were lost in the wave of admiration for one another.

"Blood doesn't define a family, Father. Relationship does."

"I'm proud of you, my son..." Captain White Lion said. "My prayer will remain with you."

Anna chanted the spell, and a dimension door was opened at one corner of the room. Captain White Lion took a moment to glance at the party, wishing them good luck for the impending battle. After some exchange of words, he was gone, swallowed by the swirling hole.

"So, Lord Falagor," Atrus turned to the wizard, "What's the plan?"

"Rest now." The wizard smiled. "You need your strength for tomorrow."

Roberto was furious, as always when things went insane.

Nothing seemed to work right. The preparation for the Alliance army had gone poorly as the trainers at Stromgard were taken by surprise. Although elite armies came from many places to Stromgard, special training was still needed to consolidate them as one army, consisting of five races working together. There were, however, problems. Some of the Elves still felt uncomfortable being in the same detachment with their old nemesis, the Humans. Some of the Humans didn't like having the Mages in their army, which they affectionately nicknamed 'nerds with pointy hats'. Finally, the Dwarves complained that the Castle Stromgarde didn't have toilets short enough to accommodate their ... natural needs.

And bad news came from all over the region. There was a locust outbreak at the western land of Aragon, threatening to destroy farms along the southern border. A flash flood near the Dwarven border slightly delayed the arms shipment from Seraphim. To top that out, various small raids done by the demons still raged across the land. The raids, even small, meant something. The demons were planning something big.

And he had known, right after Captain White Lion's return to Stromgard with the news. He felt good at knowing where he could anticipate his enemies. On the other hand, the news could act as another bad news. The demons were planning a final assault, and the conquest would start from Elom.

Roberto had been drilling the army tirelessly, or at least in the inside. Physically, the effort had taken toll from his health. Captain Hawk was the only guy that stood between Roberto and total exhaustion. The young captain had used his personal friendship with the prince to 'order' him to take a rest. Roberto had grumbled all the way down the hall, although he didn't dare to resist his friend.

But when he entered his bedroom, all grumbling stopped, replaced by grateful feeling.

At one corner of the massive bedroom, a young girl, Maya Murdock, knelt before his cabinet, cleaning the top with a small rug. Roberto couldn't help but chuckle. Maya Murdock, the lady after his own heart, and now the future queen of Aragon, was on her knees, doing housework. She claimed she couldn't resist the urge. She was indeed born to serve, and he admired that, just like Atrus admired her a lot.

Quickly Maya spotted him near the door and her face blossomed with joy. It didn't last, however, as plain annoyance and anger built up on her face. She looks cute when she's angry...

"You have outdone yourself again, Roberto!" she cried. "Two days and two nights without rest? Do you really want to die that much? With your current feat, it wouldn't be long until you collapse during the drill from exhaustion. How do you like that?"

With old Roberto, he would have ordered his guards to have her flogged for insulting him. But after so many adventures he had shared with his friends, he knew that she just cared for his health. And he was thankful for it. "Hmm, I never knew you care."

"Of course I care! You've been drilling the army without rest since we returned here. Even Hawk had time to write a few letters home! I know you are dedicated to your job as the leader of the Alliance, but you just can't go on like this! The battle might be lost before it even starts!"

Roberto laughed lightly, "Come on, spare me the preaching. Hawk has done most of the job."

"Of course! I made him do it!"

Roberto came toward her and gave her a quick peck on her cheek. "I know, honey, I'm sorry I made you feel worried. Thank you for worrying."

Maya's pouting face brightened immediately after hearing the response. She lay her head on his chest armor and circled her slender arms around his neck. "In that case, welcome home, my prince."

Roberto trailed the curves of her face, wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead and admiring the depth of her dark eyes, as if swallowing him whole. Softly he put his lips on hers and planted a deep kiss while pulling her waist closer to him. For a moment he was paralyzed by her charm.

At least until he felt Maya curiously poking her thumbs over the back of his neck. "Uh, Maya... ? What are you doing?"

"My, my ... Your muscles are all rock hard ... Sit down. You need to relax."

Maya helped him take off the plate armor. It was a tedious work, as the armor pieces usually took a least five minutes to be put on, yet remained comfortable to wear once it was on. Then she led him toward the bed and ordered him to sit on it. She then cleaned her hand with a wet washcloth and climbed the bed behind him and began her magic. Roberto hummed in pleasure as Maya's hands found his tense muscles and slowly worked them into relaxation. She was indeed a master in the craft. It was clear on how she could turn a terribly wounded Atrus White Lion into a battle-ready Atrus White Lion with just the touch of her hands.

"You have to teach me this sometimes," Roberto said. "I'd like to return the favor."

"It's a tricky skill to master. A simple mistake can result a painful knot on your muscles that can last for a week."

"That bad, huh?"

"Just one of a few skills that I actually mastered from my days of slavery. You see, Mistress Anna insisted that I taught her this. Since then she had been using Atrus' back as ... target practice. You witness how ... shaky their relation is right now."