On a hill there sits an Old man and his dog. The Old man and the Dog would sit on this hill when the suns go up and also when it goes down. But even with the habit of sitting on the hill during those times drinking some sort of alcohol, no one seems to bother or disturb the duo. Mostly because the strange air that the old man emits, after all no one wants to mess with an old veteran on his break mostly because they rather not have an old man and on top of that a former war veteran to lecture them on how to behave when around people older than them. Not to mention that the old man is accompanied by a huge white dog that emits a mysterious charm and fear when you glance at it.
Moving along, the old man and the dog is what most people in the town classify as a mysterious duo. So with that status only a few of the townspeople have the courage to make a conversation towards them and actually gets along with the two. And right now in the hill, the duo was staring at the sunset like it was all that matters in the world.
''Hmmmmm, it seems like its another beautiful sight my friend'' the old man speaks with a calm tone as he look at the view in front of him. ''Hmph, it seems true that humans as they get older really gets more appreciative at things they usually just brush off when there young.'' as when a calm dignified voice replies back to the Old man. ''Hahahahahha, you could say that again my friend, it seems like growing senile has done things to me'' said as a calm cheerful laugh escapes the old man as he turns his eyes on his companion which is none other than Dog,
''Yes, it seems that time has really done you in my friend'' as Dog close his eyes and remembers ''Who would have know that it would have been decades since the day of our meeting.'' The meeting that Dog would never forget in his eternal life, the meeting that has grown into an extraordinary friendship between an eternal being and a old man. ''Hahahhah, yes the first time we met , was near the forest of an old battlefield, i still remember it clearly when i was exhausted and was out of breath that i encountered you in your human form, wearing the uniform of an enemy soldier. When i saw you, i was so alarmed that i rained bullets at you and plastered you in the chest. Then a few minutes later after i thought you were dead, you suddenly move and charged at me with such hateful expression.''
''Hmph, can you blame me?'' as Dog frowns at the statement. ''You suddenly appeared in front of me then shoot me directly in the chest with 14 rounds of led, what did you expect?'' then the Old man made a grin which only annoyed the Eternal Dog. ''Hey, like they said, its better be safe than sorry, you were wearing enemy uniforms that my first instinct was to defend myself you know? And honestly you were kinda emitting the aura of someone who wants to tear people apart so i have to do it.''
''Hmph, have to do it? Just admit that you just want to shoot an enemy after watching your whole squad gets taken out, but not only that you buried 14 rounds of led, after you got up you added more leds into my chest and decided it was enough that you just have to throw a grenade at me while i lay down on the ground.'' as Dog said with a slightly bitter expression. ''Come on now, after you stand up even with all the bullets i fired at you, i have to make sure you wouldn't get back up. I mean if shooting at you won't do, then making you blow up to pieces might work.''
'But then even with that you still regenerated your entire self and transformed into a dog and suddenly asked me to form a contract.'' said by the Old man with a nonchalant face. ''Hmph, as an eternal being, i might be immortal but even with my eternal life, being blown to pieces made it more difficult to regenerate myself and i have to spend a lot of my soul's energy to a different form since my human form was so damage, that i have to stay in this form till i regain all of my power.'' as Dog explained. ''And as a eternal being, we have always honored people who have manage to put us on a spot with respect, that however incapacitate us will be given a contract and the rights to see the Specter World.''
''The Specter world, huh'' as the old man muttered in a strange tone. ''The world of the Unseen, where specters and phantoms live. A world of unimaginable beauty that only a few can set their eyes on. The privilege that was given to you by successfully managing to subdue me. The methods, the key and how to enter was passed along to you in the hopes that you would reap your rewards for having the might to defeat an eternal being.'' said Dog in a humble tone.
The old man was quiet, he was inform by Dog that only few have seen the world of Specters. But yet somehow in a twist of fate, he have mange to gain the methods and key into the unseen world. The first time he entered the world of the unseen was something that would never part on his mind for eternity. Giant over grown trees, beautiful and clean rivers and land teeming with life. Races that no one would think of existing, and towns and villages that gives the atmosphere of comfort and peace. A world that was like a paradise to a man who was born on the age of wars.
Such paradise was something that the old man would not miss to explore. He traveled the roads of the Unseen world with the companion he have defeated and wander the land for years. There he live a life of an adventurer who slays monsters that disrupts peace and someone who have been trusted as a being worthy of respect. But even with such world, there also times of trouble, Phantoms, creatures that have the strength to surpass limits and imagination. When the old man was adventuring , he and his party fought and manage to defeat such creature after an intense battle that is one with sacrifices. The Old man's lover was slain on the battle, she was ripped apart in shreds when the Phantom grabbed hold of her. With such sight, the old man was burning with anger and charged with fury towards the creatures that he would deem as blight forever. He then live the rest of his life fighting phantoms and dedicated himself into exterminating them. Years pass and he have become the warden that exterminates phantoms who have roamed to the seen world. Such as why he have been sitting on the hill with a resolve as hard as steel.
But even so, despite the hard as steel resolve , Years of being a warden has mellowed out the old man, the thoughts of vengeance slowly fades away as time heals his hateful heart. Now in the present he have become a being that is cheerful but still retains the aura of mystery. Because of that sadly people tend to avoid him which kinda saddens the old man a bit.
But even so, there are still a few people that have the curiosity to speak to him. One day he was sitting in his usual spot when a young boy approached him and asked why he is sitting on the hill on the same spot everyday. The old man answered the boy with a lie. Because why would he ever said that he was sitting here in order to exterminate phantoms? So the old man lied and created his own sob story. He told the young boy how this hill was an important place for him, for this very spot is the spot that when his family would go in a picnic and enjoy themselves. Hearing the sob story, the young boy was startled. In his face shows a trace of guilt for asking such horrible past. The old man sigh in his mind. He need to lie because he need the boy to not be here on this very hill. But even so with that sob story, the boy keep going back on the hill.
The old man was wary. But with the amount of time , he started enjoying the boy's company. He have become cheerful and would tell stories of his adventurer life in an edited version of course. Dog was silent the whole time, he would get annoyed when the young boy started playing with him. But Dog got accustomed to it sooner than expected. The old man thought that such company was not bad at all. But......
It was the day of the hidden sun, a phenomenon where the sun is kept hidden by the moon. It is day where phantoms would appear and slip to the seen world and spread chaos. The Warden. The old man was very wary of this day. He even ask the young boy to not come for the day or he will scold him. The young boy was very startled by the unusual attitude of the old man.
The day was grim, the old man had steeled himself for the upcoming storm. Dog have agreed to help the old man in exchange, he would devour all the internal energy the phantoms have and use it to regain his lost energy. They were ready for this event.
When the first phantom appeared, Dog moved like lightning and immediately bite, then devoured the energy core of the Phantom. Ripping away its ethereal skin and fur was something Dog can do easily. ''Hahahahah way to go old pal!'' as the Old Man grin at Dog's action. ''Hmph!. more are incoming, prepare yourself old fool!'' Dog said with a serious tone as a reply to the Old man's useless remark.
The second phantom appeared. It was a necromancer type phantom, a phantom capable of magic attacks. The moment the phantom appeared, the old man brandished his invisible sword and took an imposing stance. He gripped his invisible sword tightly and circulated the energy within his soul and gathered cosmic energy to his invisible sword and forming a vortex that shines with dark red light. Then he pulled his hand back then suddenly thrust his invisible sword into the necromancer's head! Then a flash quickly ripped and devoured the energy core within the Necromancer body!.
Then another gate appeared, this time there were two ghoul's in the shape of a werewolf appeared! It move with speed and headed towards the old man's back! But such method of attack was something that the old man easily perceived with his mind's eye! He twist his aged body then channeled more energy to his invisible sword and extended it up to 6ft! Then with a wide slash he beheaded the ghoul's head and retracted back his invisible sword back to its normal size as Dog quickly ripped apart their energy cores with his jaws!
With more gates appearing, the two become more frenzied and wary. They were fighting legions of phantoms as the gates keep appearing within a second's time. The Monsters were also keep getting stronger with each gate appearing. But with the Old Man's status a warden and Dog's bloodline of being Eternal, they were quickly slaughtered by the two's overwhelming power!
Five minutes and the event will end. The duo was standing firm without the sign of exhaustion. With their might thirty minutes of combat is nothing! Then with every event there would be a last phantom that they would need to go all out. Every legion , there would always be a leader that would lead the intrusion, after all phantoms are creatures that is akin to a tribe. The Phantom would follow a strong being , so they can safe guard their lives. Within the gate, a figure slowly appeared, it was covered in deep black clothing, with a face that possesses eyes as empty as the void. This creature is known as a type of reaper that spreads plague and disease, the phantom named Rutto, a phantom that belongs to the family of Famine.
Seeing such phantom appear, the Old man sweated in nervousness. In all phantoms the ones that belongs to the lineage of the four horseman of apocalypse are the most troublesome of the bunch. War, Famine, Pestilence and the strongest of them all, Death. The appearance of the four horseman kings would definitely cause an apocalypse when the day of judgements occurs.
So with this opponent, The old man must fight with all his might. He also needed Dog to cast a barrier that would minimize the damage the upcoming battle would cause. As the warden of the north, he must defeat or make his enemy retreat within the remaining time.
The old man, unleashes his soul energy and thick veil of red lights covered the old man as it wrapped around him till it completely covered every part of his body. This technique was given to the wardens of the North ,South,West and East. This power was given by the head warden in order to bring balance to the two worlds.
As the Warden of the North, the Old man possesses the power of the northern lights, a red veil that surrounds the old man. The old Warden at this moment was recounting his days when he gain this power out of hate for the phantoms. The Burning Red light that engulfs Phantoms and denies them as illusion.
With the surge of power being fiercer within seconds, the Phantom named Rutto conjured up his staff and directly launch surges of viscous energy towards the old man! The ground shattered as it travels unto the old man with deadly speed! But the old man was calm and his mind was still as water, he calmly put power into his feet and jump high in the air! Then with a surge of energy on his feet he headed towards the phantom named Rutto while collecting the cosmic energy into his invisible sword which has started shaping into a deadly red sword as it materializes and constructs into existence! Then the Warden of the North raises his hands and swung down with incredible might! The Surging energy continuously descended straight to the reaper! Rutto took action and raise his shadowy arms and struck with his staff!
A loud boom resounded in the top of the hill, two figures collided like a ball and then was pushed back at the moment of impact! The Old man of the north was then flung back into the ground while the reaper Rutto flung into the sky with great impact!
''Tsk, as expected of a reaper, not only that he was only blown away a little he haven't even been scratched with even one single attack!'' The old man grimaced, the situation was more dire than he imagine, with this kind of opponent he already filled his entire body with surging power yet that exchange never harmed the enemy a bit!
The old man at this moment slowly stand up and with a dissatisfied face, then he clench his sword tightly and stabbed it at the ground and kneeled down in front of it and started muttering!
''Oh Northern light that symbolizes wrath, hear my call! May the burning red light ignite my soul on fire and grant me the power to protect the glory of the north!'' ''May my body and soul be use as a bonfire to ignite the power that sleeps within in order to chased away the intruder that invades the north!'' then a circle full of symbols appeared and burn the red sword as if its being forge under the burning red light! ''Oh Northern lights! As the holder of the glorious title of the Warden of the North! I shall fight till the end even if my souls crumbles into asunder!'' The Old man yelled with his might as if pleading to an unseen figure in the sky as he pulled the red light sword from the bonfire that forges it! Then red flames of light burns crazily into the old mans body and surges inside into his soul and ignites it with burning fury!
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The reaper Rutto was unfazed by the events that has transpired. He look at the old man as the figure charges into him like a crazed devil! Rutto knows that the most dangerous thing a human can conjure up is their flaming soul! So Rutto didn't dare to take the incoming attack head on and move instantly to dodge it! He was unscratched by the collision that happen, but he didn't dare to take on the burning power that explodes in front of him this time! He dodged and quickly bring his staff on front and conjured 4 layers of resistance into his shadowy body, then he quickly use his left shadowy hand to emit a energy and throws it straight into the crazed human!
The air vibrated and the land shattered by the deadly amount of force that was release by the two beings! The collision this time was not the same as the first collision! Both the old man and Rutto stood still and deflected the attacks they thrown at each other! At this moment, the two was partly equal! They were staying still on the middle of the air gauging distances and planning strategies to defeat the enemy!
The Eternal, named Dog watched the scene unfold and blankly stared as he maximizes the input of energy into the barrier to resist the crazy surges that the two figures emitted. If he falter even for a bit then the entire hill, no the enter town would be obliterated with the amount of force that these two figures emit are considered to be catastrophic!
The Old Man of the North has continued his exchange of blows towards Rutto, every strike would vibrate the air and shatter the land! But Rutto still stands and keeps returning back the attacks the Old Man make.
''(Tch, i can't break into his defense!)'' said the Old man in his thought. His condition right now has surpass limitation's and the amount of energy he has is surging violently inside his body ,that one loss of concentration would turn his mind blank and go on berserk!.
Meanwhile at the air, there stands Rutto. Like a king he looks down on the old warden that faces him. He admits that the old man can fight evenly to him right now. But........................its not enough. Then the Reaper hold his staff up high and muttered a chant.{Nimissä Rutto kutsun sinulle kynnet sairauden , muodostavat valtaviin ketjuja ja sitovat vihollisen ja hitaasti kaada myrkkyjä, jotka on vereni !} as Rutto muttered the last words of his chant, giant chains quickly rushed into the Old man and rooted him into the ground! The old man was rooted in the ground when hands sprouted from the chains and poured liquid directly into his mouth!
The old man was helpless! He was in a tight spot! The moment the liquid touch his tongue, the old man knew that this liquid is a condensation of disease and poison! The old man quickly surge the burning red light in him and burn off the liquid to resist the vile liquid that is being forced upon him!
In the distance, Dog watched as his companion lay helplessly against the enemy! He have known that a warden of the north cannot simply contend with such powerful phantom from the lineage of famine! But even if he does help, the town would be obliterated into pieces! Dog was in a state of chaos! He needs to think quick or the old companion of his would meet death in a few minutes!
Dog was contemplating on his actions, but above in the sky Rutto floats magnificently and stands like a mighty overlord! With such simple chant he manage to root the enemy into a state of helplessness! Rutto watches and sneers at this enemy! He held a very tiny respect towards the enemy that continuously resist the vile liquid that enters his body, Human;s are truly interesting, thought Rutto. The soul in front of him continuously burns in resistance towards his power and never screamed or despair.
The Old man continued to burn chaotically, not once he falter or not once he thought of despair! The burning flame inside him burn brighter than the burning liquid around him! Surrender? Hah! such thought will never cross the old man's mind until he draws his last breath! He the old man, burn more and more till he became like a flame! He then passed through the chains and with a flaming ethereal body . he charged again upon the enemy while brandishing his Red light sword!
Rutto was delighted! Such magnificent flames made him satisfied! The way the man burns and becoming into flame as he charge was a beauty he can admire! So in order to give back such sight, he swing his staff and construct it into a sword that is surrounded by vile dark smoke and clashed it against the red light sword!
Sounds of collisions and shock waves fills the hill, the amount of force was unimaginable! But at the steep of the hill lies a small figure! This was a young boy who ignored the warning given by an Old man! He wanted to make fun of the old man and tease him but when he look at the scene in front of him, he was stunned and baffled! A scene he thought that would happen only on television was happening right in front of him!
He stood there, as he watched the epic battle that unfolds! He stared and look at amazement at the Old man who was like a superhero And the monster that keeps hitting the old man like a villain! The young boy cheered and cheered for the old man! He withstood all the blast and all the scary power that destroys everything by sheer willpower! He look and look as if his eyes were bulging out!
At this moment two tattered figures were floating still on the sky! The Flaming figure was burning and flickering as if the flame would go out in the second! While the shadowy figure has his robes tattered and burn!
The battle was ending, any mistake would mean death! The two stared at each other.......they silently hold their weapons and readies. Surges of power emits inside them and prepares as if it would their last strike! Sounds of air vibrating resounds! lands started to tremble in the force that are being poured! As they raise their weapons....a sound of footsteps was heard, a small figure walks with a pale face! The three figures turned into the figure........Beads of sweat and sound of crying resounds towards the ears of the figures...The Young boy, unable to withstand the pressure have finally unable to resist and have been hit!
The old man looked at the figure and turned sour, the figure belongs to none other than the cheerful young boy he enjoys company with. The old man watched as the young boy kneels and slowly, slowly falls into the ground.....The old man's heart shook, his mind went blank........a burning flame of unimaginable quantity surges out towards the enemy!
Rutto was shocked! Such immense power coming at him with terrifying force made him raise his sword and use the vile power in front of him and disperse thee energy in him!
Boom! THe sound of collision rumbles the surrounding! The old man of the north has lost his focus and have gone berserk! He rushes and hacks at the enemies full of scorn that all the enemy can do was defend himself!
In the area, Dog was aggravated...such accident occurred with his negligence! A young boy manage to slipped upon his watch and was incapacitated! His pride as a Eternal was damage! such mistake was unforgivable! And because of a mistake his companion have gone berserk! If this continues the old fool would burn out and the young boy would perish! Left with no choice, Dog surged his energy and controlled the cores he devoured from the enemies and conjured a shadow of himself! This shadow was in a form that resembles his human self! He needs to carry away the young boy out of this hell!
With a command the shadow rushed at the young boy and picked him up! He the dragged the boy away out of the battlefield and taken him into a safe location, he then channeled an ounce of his energy into the boy's brittle body so he might escape death! The only thing that Dog can do is pray that the luck and willpower of the young boy would fight the disease that was inflicted upon him because of such accident!
Back in the hill, there were clashes and destruction, fire is a useful tool, it can cook for you, it can light up the darkness and it can be use to burn your enemies, but making it lost control is akin to a disaster! Rutto was standing completely injured as he continuously slash about against the ethereal fire that burns in front of him, , magic and likes completely passes through the eternal flames and as the passing of the hidden drains his strength, Rutto cannot conjure more of his energy. So he decided to amassed all the energy and finish the burning warden into one shot! As he started chanting....slowly, a sudden tyrannical voice vibrates the air!
''ENOUGH! YOU TWO HAVE DONE ENOUGH! IF YOU DON'T STOP THEN I XOLOTL WILL PERSONALLY TAKE CARE OF BOTH OF YOU!'' with such mighty voice, Dog has revealed his true name! He has been whispered that the balance has been fiddled! And as a eternal being, it is his noblesse oblige to protect the lowly ones!
The two stop at the binding voice! With a being revealing his true name and status will make anyone stop and prostrate! Dog, or Xolotl was angered by his incompetence! He would never ever go all out on lowly beings! Even the fight with the Old man was something of a miracle! If he would like. he would have obliterated the old man back days before he even gets the chance to rain bullets at him! But he let him because of the interest he got from the old man. So he decide to intervene, and will make the two figure ceased!
Rutto stared, as a reaper he would be the top of the food chain! But upon this mighty figure, he can't even dare to life a finger! Thinking was the shamed reaper Rutto can only do right now! Facing such figure is equal to wishing for death! So...........he decided to retreat. He slowly unbound his weapons and turn his back into the gate. The mighty figure stared at him, but at the moment a burning sensation passes through his arm! The Burning Warden was still going on a berserk state! The moment he turn back the warden took the chance the impale him with a burning thrust! Rutto was about to counterattack when suddenly a flash of light appeared between him and the burning warden and flicked his wrist and struck the old warden into being unconscious! With such precise attack he was able to bypass the old mans defense and incapacitate him in a second!
''Leave now Reaper......i shall hold this fool and you retreat back.........or else.'' as Xolotl glared at the shamed reaper.
Rutto understood that glare and begun his retreat, he was so close yet in such twist of fate an eternal just have to intervene and ruin everything! Rutto swear on his heart that he will back and reach the seen world next time!
****************
In the bench, a young boy slowly opens his eyes and shivers weakly... It seems that he has fallen asleep in the bench or it seems so. He tried to remember what happen before but yet his mind is in chaos and muddled. The aching pain on his head was harsh and his being is on pain. Deciding, the young boy name Jef got up and started walking weakly back into his home.
In the shadows, a shadowed form born of an imitation watches the young boy leave. Then with a swishing sound the shadowy figure disappeared into the air like nothing. This shadow was born by creating new life from the devour energy cores and accumulating and combining them into one existence. Soon after, it return back to its own owner and look up at the human form of Xolotl, the one named Dog, turn into a majestic figure bearing a mighty appearance.
The Eternal,named Xolotl look at the The Warden of the North as his fire quickly extinguished, the appearance of the old man has been turn back into its normal aged form. The use of such power and its effects was clearly present on the Warden's body. A weak soul that may extinguished by a simple blow of air. The Old man has burned up his soul in order to fight back the enemy of such status. But in the end, he went all berserk and have to be stopped.
''Such a troublesome old food...'' Xolotl said on a irritated tone .. he have to use his a bit of his energy to supplement the burned out soul in front of him. Using his index and middle finger, he channeled an energy into his fingers and tap the old man's soul and poured enough for him to wake up.
The Old Man slowly opens his eyes.....then he look quietly at the being in front of him, knowing that it was Dog, he took a sitting position and slowly open his mouth and said
''Its looks like i have gone berserk huh...'' said the old man in a apologetic tone.
''Hmph, it's good that you have guessed your actions! Old friend, you have gone berserk and burned out your soul! With my energy , i have spread my energy strings into your body to give life to you! Your state now is akin to a puppet with a string! Without me controlling the string you will turn lifeless and never to wake up again! said Xolotl in a angered tone.
''I know my friend, i can feel that my body has left its light, my heart has stopped and my soul has been burned out, at this rate i would only last for 3 years and 2 weeks and i will perished.....''
"'Now that this has happen, what will you do now?''' said Xolotl
''I will now go on a sleep walking state for 3 years, then when the time comes i shall choose two person that have strong denial and disbelief on magic,energy , supernatural and the sorts.. with their words of truth and beliefs, they would be given a key to explore the unseen world and either become a warden like me or stay there and live the life of bless and happiness..''
The old man's face has formed a grin, he knew well that his life will be gone soon and that he have to make young men take the offer ad see the unseen world. He then rose up to his feet and told Xolotl that they need to go home now. Such future is something that the Old man and Xolotl will handle soon.
The figure then started walking and vanished out of thin air and the Silence crept on the hill and with a flash of light the devastated hill return back to its original state and the light of the sun quickly fades away from it....