AWAKENING

I know the truth now. I know how I came in possession of the weapons I wield. I know that there was once a time when I would have had killed a man with second thought.

I wonder if I could do that again. Become the man I was. I wonder if I want to become the man I was. Maybe I should start from the beginning.

It was a normal day. I was a normal man in the village. With six others I had been tasked to collect the water, something I did often with this group. Though I had only knew them for a few months, I felt I could trust them. I had no other choice. I had Wuyi and Tal. Kelly, Rhiannon and the sole other man in our small group, Rupert.

The six of us were returning, and the women stopped for a rest, Rupert for a smoke of his herbs. I myself sat down and watched the people of the village from afar. Even then my vision was good, I was testing myself, seeing who I could make out from this distance, and wondering idly where my bird Pepper had got to. I stood up impatient, moved over to Rupert and offered him my lighter - an attempt to reach out, maybe. The smoke from the herbs filled my eyes and I could not see, but through the smoke Rupert called out.

There was a fire in the distance. Smoke. That was nothing compared to what the girls had spotted. A body laying in the forest below. Faceless, Wuyi said, and insisted we investigate. After a quick conference I lead the way, undaunted.

Down in the woods, we saw the body was someone from the village, and that there were tracks deeper into the forest. Despite what we had been told of monsters, I took the initiative without prompting and followed the tracks, followed until we came to a bloody clearing. We barely had time to explore before we were surrounded by shadowy beasts who told us of a treaty, and nothing much more.

Intrigued, we decided to find out what we could. We had heard of no such treaty, but the village Elder, Joshua may have done, we figured. Returning to the village, we soon heard of attacks on a nearby village, one we - nor anyone else - had ever heard of. With little prompting, Joshua took us to his cabin, and showed us books and maps of the area, telling of the dangers in the forests, and an ancient evil locked away long ago by the gods. He told us also of the power in the forest, hidden in a tomb, the power to save the village.

Once again, the descision was made quickly, we headed deep into the woods, past the clearing again and found a tomb guarded by a man of stone, inside the door, who let us through after answering a riddle, and showering us in dust.

Entering the tomb, it was dark and the light of the torch merely awaken fungi spores, sending some of the party to sleep. We woke them again, and headed deeper inside the tomb. I was now leading the way again, using the scope of my rifle for illumination. I came across a room with a waterfall, and it was decided we cross through, blocking an archway. This time I offered to take the rear, and stay in the darkness, in case anything had followed.

Crossing the barrier, the water had a reaction with the dust on our clothing, causing it to explode. I shook off the pain and looked around the room. It was the burial chamber, a woman was floating beneath a pool of water, out of reach to me. All around the room were holes glowing with colour. One each of Red, Blue, Yellow, Purple, Green and Orange. It was obvious what we had to do, so we placed our hands inside, taking hold of the crystal handle within.

A flash of lightning, of ice, of fire, flowing up my arms, into my very self it was ecstasy. Still standing, I blacked out.

The rifle felt cool against my hands, even in this desert sun. I looked down the scope there was a man, maybe of Arabic descent. I didn't recognise him. I shot him and his head exploded. Around me, the desert swam as a one eyed man approached me, seemingly out of nowhere, screams and cries for mercy filled the air.

"Well done, my son" He smiled, giving me a slight tip of the head, dropping a sword to my feet. I was blinded with a headache, and I knew. I knew this was my real father.

I awoke, feeling the weight of my weapons upon me. To my right, I felt Rhiannons heart speed up, heard her tumble backwards herself. Before she could touch the floor, I was there supporting her.

"Thank you" she whispered before pushing me away. The cave was shaking, the entombed woman freed. Some of the others could see in the dark and helped each other up and out. I stumbled ahead alone, not thinking after what had just hit me. The power, and the pain.

I stepped out into the main hallway, breathing in, remembering the fungus too late. The last thing I heard before blacking out again was my own gun tumbling to the floor as I sword to myself.

The flash of flesh, scream. Were they of agony or of pain?

I was not to find out. I woke up, in the daylight, the girl Wuyi carrying me. The wounds i'd recieved earlier miraculously healed. The others were speaking to the woman we had freed. I was looking back to the village, and to the past.