The journey of Legion and Selene continues, each steps made towards the mountain slowly making their way up, the climb was quite hard but with them both working together, slowly but steady they are heading towards the right path. Selene experiencing the coldness of the climate of the mountain while Legion not being able to feel it, but looking towards her he wondered what it felt to be cold. they would reach a cave where they would take a breather and rest for a moment.
"How was the experience of climbing the mountain so far?" Legion asked curiously at Selene.
Selene would reply towards Legion as she sat down in a rock in the cave. "It was cold, really cold, but i can manage it the flame amulet did kept me warm, good thing the weather isn't bad."
Legion was curios of what the cold feels like. "The cold, what does it feels like?"
“Ahh, yes, the feeling of cold…” she replied, her voice carrying a tinge of nostalgia as she closed her palms tightly together. “I can feel the chill creeping in, like it’s wrapping around me, just a whisper of cold that makes the air feel sharper, more defined.” She placed both of her hands together, rubbing them slowly in an attempt to generate some warmth.
“It’s almost like a ghost of the past brushing against my skin,” she continued, her eyes drifting off as if lost in a distant memory. “This cold—it’s not just a physical sensation. It’s a reminder, an echo of something more profound. It reminds me of my curse, the way it wraps around my heart and soul, embedding itself in my very being.”
Her fingers trembled slightly, not from the chill alone but from the emotional weight of her words. “Every time the cold bites at me like this, it’s as if it’s calling out the deep, unspoken truths of my existence. The same way the curse feels—a constant, unrelenting presence that I can never fully escape.” She glanced at the frost forming on her breath and then back at the companion beside her. “It’s a reminder of what I endure, a reflection of the shadows I carry with me.”
Her expression softened, a mixture of resignation and a strange sort of acceptance. “The cold isn’t just an adversary; it’s a part of my reality, an uninvited companion that never truly leaves me. It’s a cruel irony, really—how something so seemingly simple can hold so much weight.”
After hearing all of what she said, he began to understand, the feeling of cold, and the how the weight of her curse feels. "Your Curse and prophecy, what lead you to knowing all of it?" He asked Selene.
"It's all a haze now, lost somewhere in the shadows of time—was it two or three years ago? The cold night wraps around me like it did then. I was so different, so naive." Her gaze drifted outside the cave, where the night sky unfolded in an endless canvas of darkness. "I lay beneath an ancient oak, my heart whispering secrets to the stars. I remember closing my eyes, surrendering to the stillness. When I finally opened them, the world had shifted, and I found myself in a place I didn't recognize. I pinched my skin, desperate for the sting to pull me back to reality, but it was futile. Nothing changed."
"I gazed around at the crumbling remnants of what once was, an echo of a time long past, swallowed by an embrace of relentless greenery. The scars of age were etched into every surface, the air heavy with whispers of lost stories. Suddenly, a voice meandered through the silence in my mind, beckoning my attention. I glanced about, searching the shadows for its source, yet found only the desolation standing vigil over me." She confided in Legion, her voice tinged with wistfulness. "The voice—so clear yet haunting—called my name. It spoke of my future, a tapestry woven with the threads of a brief existence slipping through my fingers. It foretold a subtle waning of my life force, a fading that would go unnoticed by those around me. Yet amidst this melancholy, it promised I would encounter someone—a soul who would peel back the veil on my destiny, guiding me to comprehend the delicate dance of both life and death."
"My eyes would slowly close, and I would catch a glimpse of someone in armor, the clanking echoing softly as darkness enveloped me. When I woke up, I found myself back beneath the sprawling oak tree, its rough bark pressing against my back." She paused, a glimmer of sadness shimmering in her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek, only to be hastily brushed away. "I keep dreaming of places I’ve never set foot in—beautiful, haunting places. But that voice... it always returns, whispering my fate. 'You must face the truth of the Great War,' it says. 'It's your prophecy to uncover.' Each time, the visions grow clearer, more intense, until I feel as if I’m right there, watching everything unravel." She swallowed hard, her breath quivering. "What does it mean? Why me?"
Legion rose from his spot and walked over to Selene, his movements purposeful yet gentle. He knelt beside her, his presence a silent testament to his empathy and support. The cold of the cave seemed to recede slightly, softened by the warmth of their shared moment. He placed a hand on her shoulder, offering a comforting squeeze. “Selene,” he began, his voice steady and reassuring, “your prophecy… maybe it’s meant to guide you through this fog of uncertainty.” He hesitated, searching her eyes for understanding. “Just as I’m struggling to grasp the fragments of my own existence and the souls within me, you too are on a journey of discovery. We both seek answers—about the souls that reside in me, about the home I’m searching for.”
Selene looked up, her eyes reflecting the dim light of the cave, tears threatening to spill over. As if sensing her turmoil, the souls within Legion shimmered softly, a warm glow that spoke of connection and comfort. It wrapped around her like a whisper, easing the storm within. Legion continued, his voice a blend of hope and uncertainty. “I can’t pretend to know what I’m searching for or why I exist like this. Sometimes, the shadows ahead feel overwhelmingly thick. But I believe—” he paused, intensity rising in his gaze, “—that our journey together is unfolding for a reason. Perhaps we’ll discover the answers we seek. Together.”
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Selene met Legion's gaze, a flicker of something fragile lighting in her eyes. “Thank you, Legion. Your words… they mean more than you can imagine. Some days, it feels like I’m lost at sea, and the prophecy just adds to the chaos.” She drew in a shaky breath, her voice barely above a whisper. “But your presence, and the warmth from the souls within you, gives me something to hold onto. Maybe, just maybe, this journey is leading us to the truth we need.”
With her fingers still trembling, she steadied herself, the cold creeping in around her thoughts. “I’ve felt like Atlas with the world on my shoulders, and every breath of cold air is a reminder of that burden. But knowing you’re here, that you understand this weight…” She paused, a hint of gratitude lighting her features. “That brings me peace.”
Legion nodded, his expression solemn yet softened by understanding. “We each have our own paths, and our burdens differ, yet this journey we share… it binds us. Let’s move forward, facing whatever challenges arise. Together, we just might uncover the clarity we both need.”
Selene offered a small, grateful smile, the warmth from Legion and the souls igniting a flicker of hope deep within. As they prepared to resume their climb, the cave echoed with a quiet promise of companionship and discovery, resonating against the vast cold that lay ahead, weaving their fates tighter in the darkness.
Resuming their climb up to the mountain, as they continued to followed a path leading them to see the walled city over the horizon. As they continued to walk there would be an ambush right as they saw the walled city, rain of arrows would fly Infront of them, groups of soldiers, with a familiar sinister emblem—a shade of violet split by a black and white arc, would start to appear come out of hiding under the snow.
Selene felt the rush of air as an arrow whizzed past her, narrowly missing her arm. Adrenaline surged within her as she dodged just in time, heart pounding. Legion watched helplessly, shackled by the confines of his own body, unable to intervene as Selene fought to fend off the encroaching soldiers. They closed in, relentless in their assault, but Selene met each strike with agility and precision, her gear clashing against their weapons.
Panic swelled in Legion’s chest as he witnessed her struggle, desperate thoughts racing through his mind. Just when it seemed all hope might fade, Selene summoned the ancient power of her flame amulet, a last desperate gambit. Fire roared to life as she unleashed her magic, illuminating the grim battlefield. The soldiers recoiled in shock, their eyes wide with fear; it had been ages since they’d encountered such raw power.
But their surprise quickly twisted into resolve. Instead of killing her, they adapted their approach, shifting from lethal strikes to a frantic effort to subdue her. The numbers bore down on Selene like a tidal wave, overwhelming her fierce spirit. Despite her best efforts, they seized her, and darkness enveloped her as they struck her down.
Legion dropped to his knees, despair clawing at his throat as he watched the soldiers drag Selene away, her defiance extinguished. They moved in the opposite direction of the Walled City, and with each step, Legion felt the weight of his powerlessness crush him.
Legion there realize, unable to touch anything physical, hinders him from protecting his companion Selene. He was merely a specter in a old dark weathered armor, unseen and untouched by what is around him. He feels heavy, as he was not able to think clear, when the souls within him, the soldier, the merchant, and the priestess would reassure him, giving Legion warmth as they pointed towards the walled city. He would look further there as there would be an unknown figure waving at him, as it entered the gates of the walled city, disappearing as it entered the place.
He stood up from his feet as he begins to walk, his despair disappearing as he was newly determine with hope. He doesn't want to feel the isolation he felt before he met Selene, He thought the figure he saw was Sir Alaric, guiding him towards the walled city, and the sword.
He looked above as he passed the gates, looking at it's immense size, as he briefly gazed at the ruins of the walled city, once a bustling bastion was now abandoned left to be ravage by the passage of time. He then remembered his purpose as he run across the lonesome streets, passing my the city square, as he reached the far end of the street, where a cemetery stood, there he saw in the middle was the familiar, monument of swords planted into the ground, as in memorialize the legacy Sir Alaric left behind into this world.
He continued on towards the memorial that stand near the end, as he entered he saw a stone coffin, he touched it as he felt the weight of it all the legacy Sir Alaric left behind. He then opened the coffin, he saw there were no body or a trace of someone has been rested here, only the sword. He reached his hands towards the sword, grabbing it's grip as he felt warmth within him. He then gazed at the entrance as a bright figure, as it revealed to be Sir Alaric.
Sir Alaric would present an imposing yet refined figure, a man who carries the weight of his knightly past even in simple attire. He has a tall, muscular build, his posture straight and commanding, betraying years of discipline and battle experience. His face, marked by a strong jawline and faint scars, speaks of his warrior heritage, yet his eyes reflect wisdom and a quiet intensity.
Alaric’s hands, though rough and calloused, are wrapped in simple leather gloves, the kind used by travelers and soldiers alike, but with the hint of careful craftsmanship. Around his neck, he wears a thin chain, a subtle reminder of his knighthood—a small, intricate medallion hidden beneath his shirt, a personal heirloom symbolizing his connection to the past.
Even in this casual garb, Sir Alaric’s presence commands respect, his stoic demeanor and dignified bearing showing that he is never fully free from the burdens of his past.
"Young Legion," Sir Alaric exclaimed, his voice rich with fervor, "at last, our paths have converged after my long wait. There is so much I yearn to share with you—the shadows of my past that have weighed heavily on my heart, the destiny entwined with that sword you carry, and the stark truths of the great war we face.
He stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with a fervent light. "My journey, my trials—they are not mere tales of age, but lessons carved from the essence of Hope and Despair. Together, we will unveil the layers of history, and I promise, you will learn and grow from each story I impart. Will you walk with me, young one?"