thank you both
here's a new chapter hot off the press...the end is close my friends
Chapter: 31
“Ales I need to see you right now” Tolecnal yelled across the corridors, he didn’t get a response though. It was early in the morning and the morning light blinded him at times. He rubbed his eyes and scratched his beard a bit as he stumbled upon a lower grade knight.
“Hey do you know where Ales is?” he asked the young knight who turned around and looked out of a window.
“Yeah as I thought, commander Ales is on that hill over there” he finally responded and then left for his quarters. Tolecnal hurried over to Ales and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around; Ales seemed to be very tired as if he hadn’t slept all night.
“Ales I came to tell you: later this evening a few more knights will join us, they were out on field missions but are ready to take part in the war” he said. Ales sighed a bit and got back up on his legs.
“Good we need all help we can get, I have also figured out how we shall win this war” He seemed a bit more happy than usual, yet only a little. Tolecnal raised an eyebrow and listened carefully.
“It’s easy, all we have to do is to destroy Hesernagoth and to do that you must be all powerful and defeat Link first, doesn’t it sound easy?” Ales was very cheerful now but it was clear that he was being sarcastic. Tolecnal sighed and Ales left him alone on the hill without saying a word. He felt abandoned and on his own. No longer were the goddesses on his side and no longer could he relate to anyone. He was losing himself to the extent of just running away from it all, but he had never run before and neither would he now. Zelda seemed to stalk him probably to attempt talking some sanity into him. Did they think he was crazy? He knew he wasn’t but they thought so.
“They must be crazy” he mumbled to himself, “they’re all insane”. He sat down trying to catch up with himself as he spotted Zelda walking towards him. He knew that she only meant well…or was she? She obviously cared for Link maybe he convinced her to act as a spy? Maybe Link knows what they’re planning? He must get rid of her…but no people would notice and they’d call him insane. Ales ran before Zelda caught up with him, he hid himself among a couple of hills. He was breathing heavily and felt tired…very tired. Before he knew it he was asleep.
“The people need you Ales, what are you doing?” A voice was heard throughout a dark forest. Ales was scared and tried to find where the voice was coming from but it seemed to come from nowhere.
“Your mind is lost and to prevail you must find your way out of this forest” the voice continued. Ales did recognize this voice but couldn’t place it. It was a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time.
“Find me or forever shall you be lost” the voice yelled. Ales started running through the forest but everything looked the same with no apparent exit.
“The answer lies within you” the voice was heard again. Ales tried to understand what it meant and sat down meditating. The forest seemed to clear a bit, as he regained his calm the darkness started to fade. In front of him a figure appeared, it was a tall man who looked very similar to Ales but older and with two eyes, there were some differences such as some chin bones and the nose. Somehow Ales knew the identity of this man by instinct.
“Father?” he let out but one could barely hear him. The man in front of him smiled at him but remained in his natural position with his arms crossed.
“You have done well, I expected no less from my…son” there were tears in his eyes but he appeared to be holding it back. Ales approached him slowly not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
“The people need you to be strong my son, lend them your strength and fight for the freedom of our land just as I did once” his father said. Ales nodded but still felt discouraged. His father appeared to sense this.
“Do not worry about the divines for you are not Sela anymore, you are Ales.” He said.
“Your true foe Is clouded in the darkness but has been in front of you the whole time, accept the truth and hide he shall no more. You know the answer already, you know that Hesernagoth is dead…accept the truth.” His voice faded and everything around him too.
The moon, always as pale and cold…always there staring at him. He felt dizzy and had a hard time getting up. The sky was clear and the stars shone brightly. There was a gathering below him.
“Ales finally there you are, where have you been? Here are the knights I told you about” Tolecnal said sounding relieved to see Ales. The knights were about 20 with different ages. Everyone looked self secure…except one. A young boy with black hair who was staring down the ground with a pale face. Ales approached him and stood before him.
“You, state your name” he said with a demanding tone. The boy was startled as if he had been daydreaming of sorts.
“Aaron sir” he responded. Ales examined him closely.
“Age?” he asked.
“17 sir” Aaron responded. Ales just knew that this wasn’t a coincidence; the goddesses were giving him a choice. Ales stood still for several minutes staring at Aaron who started to sweat.
“You are hereby relieved from combat duty, get away from here…go far and don’t return until everything is over” Ales said with a gentle grin. Aaron seemed to be a bit insulted by this:
“Sir I’m perfectly capable of fighting, I’ve had my training and there always has to be a first time to fight in a war” he said. Ales chuckled and nodded, the boy even had the same cocky mouth as he did.
“Aaron if things go wrong we need the bloodline to live on, that is your mission. I have been in your place wishing that my commander would say the same thing but he didn’t” Ales said. Aaron stepped forward and yelled:
“Sir” but Ales cut him off.
“You are relieved from combat duty am I making myself clear?” he yelled back at Aaron. He nodded and left the area. Ales then mounted Layne who was nearby.
“Greater numbers does not always mean victory, this night history shall be written in blood…”
