Arc 7. Death to what came before
Road to a Hero:
Three Chances in Another World
Chapter 10. Broken, but not useless
On Godrick Mountain, a little bit away from Greenvale, is a snow-covered cemetery. Gordon, Henry, Edward, Frederick, and Ryo stand together, entering the large rusted gates, and walking past the gravestones.
Gordon: Here lie the graves of over a thousand members of the Leviathan army. A bit further up are the graves of the fallen Helsings and Commanders of both the Leviathan and Walgonian army.”
Ryo watches the others almost entranced by the sight, bewildered by just how many graves there are. Lives lived and lost, people they’ve never met nor have they ever heard of, dying for a cause that will continue for as long as Walgonia stands.
Gordon: “The saddest part? These are just the ones we could count. During the wars before this era of peace, we were unable to keep track of everyone, so we had to wait. Now, we have a giant wall for everyone we had to wait on.”
Gordon leads them through the cemetery, passing the various statues of dead Helsings, including Kioshi and Musashi. They reach the end of the cemetery, giving them a sight of the large stone wall with hundreds of names carved into it.
Gordon: “Greenvale was meant to be something that existed in the middle of nowhere all over Walgonia. In the Leviathan army's heyday, we had small Greenvale all over the place. Now? We have five, 4 on this mountain range, and one tucked away in Ravoria. And another piece of knowledge? I’m the first man to ever be the leader that isn’t a Helsing, which continued onto Lincoln, but now I don’t know who’s next.”
Ryo steps up, placing his hand over the various names on the wall. As his long luxurious silver flows through the soon-to-be spring air, his fingers stretch down the carvings.
Ryo: “I think I could be the one to lead, and I know I’ve been putting it off. I’m no teacher, I’m no leader, but If I step up, I will. Ravoria was my place of birth, but they sent me off, around the world, taking my connection from anything. Gotsu and Musashi took me in, Walgonia gave me a place to stay, a purpose, something to protect. I’ve stayed silent on this mountain for twenty years, and I will do so no longer.”
Everyone turns to Ryo, hanging off of every word. Frederick steps up, speaking before anyone else, using his almost mighty tone to force Ryo even higher, creating a grandiose atmosphere.
Frederick: “You are looking for what to do. Gordon is a follower. Lincoln is a fighter. I am a teacher. You all have these roles you force yourself to fill like that’s all you can do, and if you’re not doing it, you’re demeaning yourself. Lincoln was the greatest commander Athens ever had. Gordon, you’re the greatest commander the Leviathan army has ever had. And Ryo? You’ve had a home the moment you were born, as the spirits blessed you with a connection so strong, some would say they love you so much that they wanted you to live with them. Anybody can grow, learn, and become something they thought they couldn’t be.”
Gordon: “What are you saying then?”
Frederick: “Now I do not know you all that well, but I do like to think I can understand people, because if I cannot, what kind of teacher would I be? I’ve heard you want to step down as king, that you feel unable to do it, but you’re held in better regard than any previous king, Walgonia, as well as every other country in Saga. They believe in you, so I believe stepping down as king isn’t the best idea. You can do it, and I want to stay here in Greenvale to not only teach the Leviathan army things only I can teach, and also help Ryo push forward as a leader. I believe that change can happen at any point in life, but that change can also be anything, so I wish to guide it.”
Edward loses his focus, staring at his prosthetic limbs. His inability to feel with his hand, to feel the snow beneath his leg. He changes his view to the statute of his father, looking at his stone eyes, as if they’re looking back at him. And as Fredrick's words finalize themselves within his psyche, this idea of change, and the change that he watches happen within Gray's mind. When Gray left, something that had been boiling between them had settled, the friendship that was slowly building, crumbling beneath him.
While Gray is out in the world, Edward’s stuck here, waiting for Peter to finish creating his things. Watching somebody you used to be stronger than, or even stronger, run ahead of you while you must rely on other people is a saddening feeling, a sinking feeling. But the idea of 'change’ doesn't resonate with Edward in the normal manner, it doesn't force him to change his opinion of his current self, but it reinforces the current goal Edward has set. The Helsing Armor, the cursed charm that can return Edward to his previous state, and surpass that strength, is the change he feels he needs. Even if it isn’t.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Henry: “To be here, among my fallen allies, ones I’ve never even heard of, it’s…awful to say the least. I know I’m not going to be a part of the Leviathan army, but I want to know the names of everyone who’s helped this great country reach the peak it’s at now. Gordon, you may portray Walgonia as this falling country, but I don’t see it that way. I see Walgonia as something more, I see it as the shield to the world, and I see all of Saga as the shield. This constant fighting is what’s truly holding us back, as we haven't begun to stretch onto the constantly warming seas. I know I won’t be great, that I won’t be remembered, but I want to be the man that began to build a bridge to change.”
Edward looks up at Gordon, which gets his attention. So Gordon walks over to him, placing his hand on Edward's shoulder.
Gordon: “Is it time?”
Edward: “It’s time.”
Gordon: “Then before you leave, let me do one last thing to help you. As you know, I’m from Oni-mas, and I can use their magic. While it’s not perfect, as all ruin or sealing magic can quickly decay and corrupt, I’ve been able to somewhat master the craft. It’s not perfect, but it won’t corrupt, but it will fade.”
Edward shakes his head, turning it so Gordon can create the mystical ruin. Everyone watches in awe as Gordon drags his finger through the air, creating a white line made from spirit mana, and then another, and another. He creates a circular ruin separated into four sides, which he shrinks down, placing it over Edward bite wound. While Edward would need healing magic to stop the corruption sprung on by Prometheus’ bite, this ruin will recreate the healing magic, holding it back for the time being.
Gordon: “This should last a few months, but if you haven’t found the armor by then, and it’s about to fully fade, you need to return as soon as possible.”
Edward shakes his head once more, shakes Gordons' hand, and begins walking out of the cemetery. He stands alone in his dark and quiet home, holding his broken sword. Instead of getting Rich or Peter to make him a new one, he sharpened the sides of his one but didn’t give it a pointed edge. It’s broken, something most would call useless, something that should be thrown away, and that’s why Edward continues to use it. In his thoughts, “This sword is me, I am this sword. I am the sword for my friends, I am the sword for Walgonia, I am broken. I am sharpened, I am forced back together, I am trying.”
Peter unlocks his door, and with a dim look in his eye, he motions for Edward to follow him. Right before he leaves, he grabs the same cloak he had taken from Moro and puts it on. They walk down the street, into the backyard of Gray's old home, and Peter's workshop. They walk past the car covered in a tarp, and over to a small table. On such a table are new, lighter black armor, a scabbard, his skull-like helmet he had once discarded, and the weapon, the mana cannon. Peter assists Edward, helping him put all of his armor on. Peter takes off Edward's old prosthetic arm to put on this new one, but it’s no arm, it’s solely a weapon. A large square piece of dragon stone to help the mana circuit within flow. Two pieces being bolted together to connect to the end, a circular silver end. And for the silver lever on the side to be placed on it. Lastly, there was a sight that could be lifted up and down. A new invention that Peter strapped to him with the brown belt like straps around his arm, but the end of his arm fit inside of the tool.
Peter: “Alright, this is it. It’s pretty simple, just a powerful energy crystal and flame crystal. I used my mans circuit thing to flow everything correctly, with Gordons seals within to properly store and empower the energy without it goin’ all wild. You pull back the lever and the crystals touch, then for every second you hold it the charge increases. If you use more than five it’ll either run out or explode so don’t do that, oh and this is just the prototype so it might also explode at any second.”
Edward stares longingly, making Peter feel awkward.
Peter {He’s really leaving, and I can’t make him stay. Should I say something?}
He truly wanted to, but his heart sank. Looking back on his recent actions over the past few months left him in a place where he had nothing to say.
Peter {No…I’m in no place to talk.}
Edward: “Are you alright?”
Peter: “Yeah! Just uh, you sure you don’t want any Poppers or rifles? I could give you all you need!”
Edward: “No, this will do. Thank you.”
Edward, with all of his armor on, and the hefty prosthetic, begins to leave. He lets his helmet hang from his belt, putting a piece of string through the eye hold and tying it to the loop on his belt. But right as he begins to leave, Peter stops him, taking off the tarp as he does so.
Peter: “This is faster than any land animal, and it doesn't need food. I’ve put supplies in the back, food, water, all of it.”
Edward: “I still have to get the location. Rick has yet to tell me where it is, I was about to head over.”
He hears footsteps in the snow behind him, and quickly turns to see Rick standing in the doorway.
Rick: “You don’t get to. My brother, my idiot brother, Vargas, lives in that damn Ever-forest. He knows where it is, but you’ll have to find him.”
Edward: “So I’m going back there, back to Valatrocitus…okay then. I’ve told everyone else I’m leaving, so this is it, I’m off.”
Peter hugs Edward, holding him tightly. Without another word between the two, Edward gets into the bulky vehicle and pushes the energy crystal in where the keyhole would be, which turns on the car. Its engine, powered by flame and energy crystals, begins to roar and echo. Then, as he steps on the gas ever so slightly, he begins slowly moving out of Peter's workshop. While carefully driving out of the backyard, he looks at everything around him, driving toward and out of Greenvale, going on his journey. Now both Gray and Edward, The Phantom Knight, and The End Bringer have set out on their own, to get back what they’ve lost, all to fight against the Sect of Anarchy. He’s stepped onto the same blood-lusted road as Gray has, but with his wrathful nature when amidst the vigor of battle, means it could be much, much worse. This path will lead him to a cursed charm that feeds on such anger, existing for it, so putting it on would damn him to live within the feeling he delves into as much as he can, and hates it every time.
End of Chapter Ten