My Rants

BIG SCREWUP with the chapter naming...I accidently named the prologue Chapter One. THIS IS CHAPTER ONE.

That was quick wasn't it? After about two months I finally got around working on this fic. Now being the "low-self-esteem person" that I am, I don't think you'll like this series...i think.

Just FYI (and maybe because you forgot...) this is a prologue to Terranigma.

We left off when Fyda swore Elle's parents that she would take care of her. Ark went to sleep. Now...let's fast foward a couple of years shall we?

         The moon was absolutely captivating...beams from the sun reflected from it and illuminated the earth. It shone clear through the sky and seemed to dip into the stars.

         "AUUUGGHHH!! YOU STUPID MORON! THIS IS ONLY A TRAINING SESSION! WHY IN THE WORLD ARE YOU SO AGGRESIVE?!?"

         A chubby little man sat on his rear while grasping his knee. A hole was patched out through his pants and the skin underneath it started to tint blue.

         "Well if that's the case then who's the one that needs some training? I can't believe I was assigned to you as a sparring partner."

         A slender adolescent held his practice staff broadly across his chest. The staff itself was about a meter taller than himself.

         A more broader man came out from inside the training tent that was set up near the river close to the Lhasa city. "You should really be careful Ark...you might actually break something..."

         The chubby man let go from his knee. "Master Royd! I can take him! He's just a...BOY...after all!" He started to get up, but landed back on the floor.

         "You should take care of that," Royd said, "And Ark is stronger than you think. He has learned the staff and spear his whole life, under my teaching. You'll never know when he'll take that extra step and poke you between the ribs...killing you..."

         Ark just let out a slight laugh. "Oh Royd, you always make me sound like a vicious killer." He looked at the chubby fellow. "Don't worry...under Kumata's honor and code we are to protect the weak and ward off the enemy...sounds like so many of the laws from the stories Royd told me..."

         Royd eventually waved the man off back to Lhasa for treatment of his little bruise. Then both Ark and Royd sat down near their tent and looked up into the sky.

         "Those stories...I remember that one day where you told me to go to sleep earilier than usual..." Ark caught a disturbed glance from Royd. "...I couldn't sleep...and when I went to look for you, you were gone, and so was your armor...well...I was meaning to ask..."

         Royd stopped him. "Say no more...I don't want to think of that night..." Ark looked at him with a sidelong glance. "Oh alright...that was the night when Strokolm was overrun by the Crimega...my faction came a little too late. The entire town was burnt to the ground, and no one was found alive. There were rumors about a girl who was kidnapped though..."

         "A girl eh? Hmm..." Ark looked toward the water in the river.

         "Don't think anymore of it. All I want to do is to relax tonight." Royd layed down on his back. "Just...relax..."

         "MASTER!!! MASTER ROYD!!! WAKE UP!!"

         Ark turned around and found the chubby man running toward them. "Royd...he's back..." Strangely, the bruise on his knee seemed non-existant.

         Royd got back up. "What...I thought I told you to go back home! What are you doing back?"

         The chubby man stopped, catching his breath. "Master...you're needed right away in the war room. The Crimega are attacking Litz. Straggling merchants wandered in the Lhasa asking for help."

         Royd only gave Ark a slight glance before hurrying off toward Lhasa. "Hurry you two! Litz in about a kilometer away so the battle shouldn't have been going on too long for the merchants to arrive. If we go quick then we might be able to save some lives. MOVE IT!".

         All three ran off toward Lhasa to get their things. Royd handed Ark a wooden spear with a stone tip...but he looked at it worryingly...

         "We're aren't going to have to...kill these people are we?"

         The chubby man looked at him with a blank stare. "What's wrong with that? There's a battle going on!"

         Royd just picked up his sword and ran toward the path to the war room. "Ark...it's time that you actually go into battle. I have trained you this whole time to defend yourself. If you do not wish to kill...then find a way to disable your enemy rather than destroying."

         Ark nodded then follwed. The chubby man barely kept up.

         "Commander Royd! I'm guessing that you can take care of this problem with a dozen men at your side?"

         Kumari appeared on a throne in the war room. We wasn't in elaborate clothes however, just in a traditional monk robe.

         "Yes sir...I also wish to take Ark with me..."

         Kumari looked toward Ark and smiled. "Ah...I see this is your first trip into a real battle? Well...if Royd has mentored you then you have nothing to worry about...I'm guessing you can take care of yourself."

         Ark only nodded. A dozen soldiers assembled in a formation behind Royd and Ark. The chubby man was in the front row.

         "Alright men! Let's go kick some Crimega arse, shall we?" Royd bellowed. The men roared and all of them stormed toward Litz.

         Kumari looked bewildered. "Wow...look how fast they run..." He looked at Ark's distant figure. "I have a feeling toward that boy... what is it...?"

         There were two Crimegan soldiers posted at the entrance to Litz. They appeared to be tired...

         "Royd..." Ark whispered softly. "Have you wondered why they're here in the first place? I don't think that they'll just pop in and attack for no reason."

         Royd waved him silent. "No need the think about that right now. Find a way to get rid of those sentries."

         All of the men were hiding in the bordering foliage planning their next move.

         "I say we just storm in. There's no use hiding when there's an obvious battle that's about to start." Ark said.

         Royd nodded, and they picked up their weapons. They jumped out onto the road and ran toward the guards. For the guards...it was a little too late to do anything as they were beaten to the floor and knocked unconcious.

         Royd waved toward the center of the city, and they all split up and went in.

         Unfortunately, there was no one in sight anywhere. Ark was alone in his direction and there were no people to be seen. Then suddenly...

         "ARK...CAN IT BE...?"

         Ark spun toward the voice and found a little hut indistinctivly hidden. He walked toward it and went inside. When we got in...he looked away.

         There were bodies on the floor slashed and stabbed. They were impaled through their chest. Whoever visited had no sense of mercy with his victims.

         The bodies seemed to be circling around a central point in the ground. Light started to pulse from the ground.

         "ARK..."

         A thick staff like figure glowed from the ground. Ark bent down to the glow, and used his hands to dig through the ground, and soon his finger tips struck on something solid...

         "What...is this...?"

         He continued to dig until there was a small crevasse where he can lift the long pole like figure.

         "This...is beautiful..."

         It was ornate and had smooth markings on the shaft. It was a spear, and with aboslutely no scratches on it.

         "ARK! Get out here now!" Royd's voice had echoed through the air.

         Ark took the spear and strapped it on his back using his old staff string. Then he ran out, and met up with the dozen men.

         "There's nothing here to find except for dead bodies...where'd you get that?" Royd was pointing at the spear on Ark's back.

         "I found it among a bunch of dead men. This place is a strange and eerie graveyard..."

         They headed out the entrance point and walked back toward Lhasa. There was nothing to be found here.

         "I guess we were too late. I wish we would have made it here sooner...we could've saved some people..." Royd looked downcast.

         One of the men behind them piped up. "Don't worry! I'm glad we're alive! We should be-AUGH!!"

         Blood sprayed on Royd's back. They all turned turned around and found the man dead on the floor, with blood pooling around him.

         A shadow flashed by from one side of the shrubbery to the other, shredding through flesh as it moved up to each men, one by one. Royd looked at Ark and grabbed hime by the mouth to keep him from talking, and jumped into the surrounding shrubs. Then they both rolled and made a break for it. The trees covered their shadow.

         "ROYD! How can you leave them behind?!? Your men-"

         "Shut your mouth and keep running. You apparently weren't looking were you? Everyone was killed back there." Royd apparently was carrying Ark. "Just hope that whatever that was didn't see us move out."

         "What the hell do you think that thing was...?"

         Royd was looking foward intently. "It sliced cleanly through their bodies. If it wasn't an animal...it might be a Crimegan soldier... but it seemed like HE was posessed by demon..."

         They both dissapeared in a speck into the tree covered forest.

         "Damn...I missed a couple..."

         It seemed that there was a wavy length of blood, but it was actually long and smooth red hair blowing along with the wind. There WAS a face...and it was looking all around for the missing victims.

         SHE then just brushed her hair back and walked southward, opposite of the direction to Lhasa. She gave a small chuckle. "Hmm... Every killer is bound to miss a victim or two in a lifetime..."

         Blood dripped down from an ebony spear, and made a red path on the floor. She slowly walked away.

         "What happened?"

         Kumari had a very concerned look on his face. The sight of Royd and Ark out of breath by themselves without their 12 guard escort was a very suspicious sight indeed.

         "My lord...I'm not quite sure of it myself. It seemed that a shadow had ripped through our men. We barely got away." Royd bowed his head again.

         "A SHADOW? That's impossible!"

         Ark raised his head. "Not litterally a shadow my lord...it was probably someone...or SOMETHING...that moved extremely fast." He had bowed again, and his backside was showing.

         Something caught Kumari's eye. He stood up and walked toward Ark, and examined his back. "Ark...get up, and turn around."

         Ark was slightly confused but obeyed.

         "...This spear...where did you get it?"

         Ark almost forgot about it. "Oh, I found it in a hut located in the south side of Litz. It seemed to be pretty well hid, until it started glowing. That was pretty strange...it almost seemed like it was talking to me, calling my name. Oh man...I'm rambling on...now that I think about it...it sounds rediculous..."

         Kumari only looked at him for a slight moment, and diverted his attention back to the spear. Even Royd seemed to display a slight interest. "Royd...it seems we have found it..."

         Ark looked confused. Then Royd put on a sudden face of astonishment. "So that's why they attacked Litz...but if they couldn't find it, how did Ark get his hand on it?"

         Kumari grabbed hold of the spear and unlatched the backstrap. "Because it talked to Ark..."

         Royd looked at Ark with bewildered eyes. "So that means...Ark is the guardian of THE Hero Spear?"

         Ark gave them funny looks. "Will someone tell me what's going on here? What the heck is the Hero Spear?"

         Kumari opened his mouth for a long lecture. "The Hero Spear is an extremely strong weapon forged during the times of Creation. I trust you know that story?"

         Royd gave Ark a wink.

         "Well anyway, although it had its purposes as a weapon, it was actually no more than a relic that carried with it a very large burden of prophecy. According to prophecies, a seemingly ordinary man with hidden talents in battle will be able to wield this spear to carry on the divine Creator's smite on the very people who wish to taint and disrupt the world. But there was a dark side to this story..."

         Ark was now in his full listening potential. So was Royd.

         "...It is said that this spear will carry with it the blood of all living creatures on Earth, whether it be from direct contact or during The Time of Renewal..."

         "The Time of Renewal? What's that...?" Ark questioned.

         "It is exactly what the name implies. A time where everything will start over on a fresh and new world. That means it'll lead to the death of every living creation...including the hero...which is you Ark...the guardian of the Hero Spear."

         Ark stepped back. "That...can't be...I'm no hero...I'm just a boy training with Royd...ROYD! Give that thing to Royd! He's much more qualified!"

         Royd yelled at him. "Shut up Ark! That spear has chosen you, so take the responsibility!"

         Ark stepped up. "No! I don't want to be a murderer!" A tear came out of his eye, and he ran out the room.

         Royd started after him, but Kumari held him back. "Let him be. He has been entrusted with a great responsibility...so give him time."

         Royd shook his head. "So...he'll be responsible for the death of millions...? When will this happen...?"

         Kumari looked up. "It's not a matter of when. It is said that 'When the teeth of Asmodeus bear its mark on the relic of the Hero, all will be decided.'"

         Royd gave out a small chuckle. "What's the matter?" Kumari asked.

         "It's quite funny actually. Whether Ark goes through with this or not, we'll all die. Hmmm...it seems like life is meaningless...we either die from this endless war or we die because of disturbing prophecy."

         Kumari looked him blankly. "Maybe you should see to Ark now..."

         Royd nodded and left the room.

         "I knew I had a feeling about that boy. And it seems that Royd is right..."

         "You okay Ark?"

         Ark was crouched near the tent by the river. He had buried his face in his knees. "How can I possibly be okay? I find out that I'm a WOULD-BE killer because I picked up some stupid spear? I wish I had never gone to Litz..."

         Royd crouched near Ark. "You have a pure heart Ark. And you're not like a killer or a murderer. You always told me when you were young that I shouldn't have joined the military...you were afraid that I was going to be found dead one day."

         Ark faced toward him.

         "Remember this Ark...you'll never be considered or marked as a murderer for killing something and showing huge regret, at least in your case. You can't help it if people die at your hands, because you will never be tainted by blood from another person. I on the other hand..."

         Ark turned to look straight ahead.

         "I would have to admit that I was obligated to kill. During this meaningless war in my young service years I had to bury my sword into flesh. At first, I was scared and worried about these bodies that are laid dead. But as the years went by...I...got used to it..."

         Ark frowned at him. "I don't want to get used to it!"

         Royd only frowned at the floor. "You won't. You have a clear state of mind. While it still needs to be developed, you have a clean spirit. It will never be tainted by murder."

         Ark layed down and looked toward the sky. "Royd...did you... ENJOY killing?"

         "I have killed a lot of people in a lot of battles...but there has not been one situation yet where I do not put some sort of tribute for honoring the fallen...friend or foe...that have fought alongside or against me."

         Ark seemed relieved.

         A faint rattle of a deep bell sound sounded in the air.

         Royd had stood up. "Was that you Ark?"

         "Hmmm?" Ark got up too. "You mean that bell sound? No, it wasn't me. It was probably from Lhasa. They always ring that bell."

         Royd started toward the city, first at a walk, then at a running pace. "I know...but they only sound the bell at the break of dawn. It's at least 4 hours from dawn right now, and the last I knew, they ring the bell only for the dawn alarm...or..."

         Ark was startled, and made a run toward Lhasa. "During an attack!"

         Royd kept his pace. "They know we have the spear. C'mon Ark! Hurry it up!"

         "MASTER ROYD! HELP US!"

         The entire city was in mass alarm. Children and women had locked themsleves in their houses. The remaining men were selected to battle.

         "All able men must come with me. Get to the War Room, quickly!"

         Ark had followed Royd into the room, but only after taking a peek outside the barricaded gates. The sight was astonishing. About a thousand Crimegan soldiers had been assembled for this particular location...and that meant smart strategy. Lhasa was the capital for all of the overworld, and it was also the most heavily armed.

         "ARK! HURRY UP!"

         Ark went into the war room, and saw something flutter his way. He caught it, and when he opened his eyes back up, he found that Kumari had thrown it to him...or at him. The Hero Spear.

         Kumari walked up while the men were being assembled in the room. He sat at his throne. "Listen up everyone! There has been a promotion. Ark is now the second in command next to Royd. You must protect them at all costs. Also remember that this is the most important city in the overworld. If this place is overrun, then the long war is over."

         One of the men piped up. "We'll give our lives if necessary. We'd rather die than to be slaves to those Crimegan bastards!"

         All the men assembled into a formation. Ark looked a little uneasy. "A promotion...? I can't even control my emotions!"

         Royd gave out a laugh. "Ark...NO ONE can fully control their emotions you moron. Be honored that you got a promotion from a fighting citizen to a 2nd Commander. IN ONE DAY. It took me years for that!"

         Although the enviroment and location was in favor toward the overworld Kumata troops, mostly because Lhasa was highly fortified, the men were still outnumbered 4 to 1.

         "You think we can pull this off Royd?" Ark shivered.

         "...Of course."

         In a matter of minutes all the men stormed out of the war room and got to their positions next to arrow slits. Ark had commanded a bunch of men to guard the front gate in case of it being overrun. The gates also had stone arrowslits next to them. Amazingly, the commands from Ark were carried out without arguement.

         Arrows flew from inside out, finding its mark on troops behind the gate. But they were not completely vulnerable, as they armed their catapults and fired burning chunks of rock into the fort. It crashed into the walls, and flaming chunks of tar blew into the arrow slits, burrowing its way into Kumata troops.

         Crimegan men climbed up the fort walls. A futile attempt, as hot oil was dumped on the side of the fort. Flames were made and that burned its way on ropes. The flame mixed with downfalling oil made it seem like a curtain of fire was being dropped onto the floor. Ladders also charred.

         Seeing it as a useless attempt to get inside, they had used a battering ram on the front gate. Although the front gate was a good 12 feet thick, it was breakable.

         "All men at the front gate! Be ready to assault all intruding troops!" Ark grabbed his smooth gold spear...but he flipped it around, the point being backwards. It added a little difficulty to weilding the spear, as the added weight of the point is on the end of the spear.

         The front gate eventually broke down, and men poured into the the opening. Ark had got the spear and knocked it straight into the forehead of an ignorant soldier. He was knocked out cold.

         The men were fighting viciously. For almost a moment, they seemed like vicious animals, fighting to survive. Ark was a little disgusted at this as he was letting his enemies live. He swung his blunt point and cracked it into the neck of another Crimegan troop.

         "I hate this place..." Ark continued to swing the blunt point.

         Then, a Crimegan troop forced his way toward Ark with amazing speed. Ark jabbed his spear toward his stomach in enough time, but his speed wasn't stopped. The spear forced backward with the added force of the troop. Then, Ark heard a crunch...

         "What...?" Ark turned around and found his spear point buried into...a Kumata soldier. It stabbed into his chest.

         "C...Co..man...der..." He fell over onto Ark.

         "What have I done...no..." Ark let go of his body. "NOOOOOOO!!" Ark flipped his spear around. "IT'S YOUR FAULT!!" Ark grabbed the spear and jabbed it straight down into the fallen Crimegan's throat. "It's because of you Crimegan bastards!!"

         Ark ran and tore through the Crimegan soldiers like a death bringing shadow. He took his spear and butted it on a Crimegan chin, and drove his spear straight through his stomach. The troop coughed up blood and slumped over. The spear was pushed in so hard that the point drove itself into and excrutiating point...into an eye-socket.

         It seemed that way. Ark actually seemed like he was enjoying slaughtering his enemies. No Kumatan soldier dared go near him. Crimegan troops tried to stay away, but they were caught in his shadow. Ark sliced a neck using the spear point.

         Soon after, because since now the odds were stacked heavily against Crimegan troops, they ordered a retreat.

         Ark stood in the front of the Lhasan gate. Kumata troops were assembled in a group a couple FEET away from Ark.

         There were some Kumatan men that were dead on the floor, but there were huge stacks of Crimegan bodies. Some of them were killed so gruesomely that it was hard to look at.

         "It's...their...fault..." Blood covered Ark's clothes and his face. Blood. It was everywhere on him. It dripped down his spear, and there was blood pooled on his spear point.

         For the first time, Ark looked around. "Did...I do this...?"

         "YES YOU DID YOU MURDERER!" A random troop shouted. Royd made his way to that person and slapped him. He walked toward Ark.

         "Ark-"

         "No...it's no use talking to me Royd...a murderer...a cold blooded killer...you were wrong Royd...I never had a "clean" spirit... It has a murderous taint on it even as we speak..."

         Ark started to walk off toward the distance. Royd ran after him. "ARK! Where are you going?"

         Ark only had to lift a hand to stop him. "To make things right." And he walked away.

         Murmurs arose from the troops. "That was amazing! I never knew any person can move that fast! He was a shadow mixed with a blur!"

         Royd stopped in his tracks. "I never knew anyone can do that either. I haven't taught Ark anything like that...in fact, the only other instance I've seen that was at Litz. Whatever you have planned Ark...be careful."

         Kumari was concentraing on Ark's decreasing shadow. "You can't escape your fate Ark. Remember that."

         "Lord Kumari! The Elder of Crysta wishes to have a negotiation council with you!"

         The men in the council room looked at each other, and they looked astounded. "A council? Why now?"

         Kumari only nodded. "I'd be glad to...by the way Royd...has Ark come back yet?"

         Royd shook his head worryingly. Kumari now looked concerned. "It's been three days now..." Royd had the same look. "Well, is the Elder coming here?"

         Royd nodded. "Yes...he seems that anyone in the underworld will try to slit your throat if they had the chance."

         Kumari nodded. "Okay...then we should get prepared. This might end this meaningless war..."

         Where was this place? It had trees and growing shrubs...but it was amazing that such things can grow in such a cold enviroment.

         A spearpoint had been raised, and then stabbed in the floor. It had been forced with so much strength that it had gone in 3 feet into the dirt floor. The floor then started to pulse light in different colors.

         "Never again."

         "Kneel in front of your future king!"

         Boos had erupted from the citizens of Lhasa as the Elder of Crysta moved in toward the council room. He had been giving out a short laugh. "Haha...the next time you open your mouth to such comments is the time I will rip your tongue out of your mouth. Is that understood?"

         The Crimegan troop bowed in front of him to apologize. "I'm sorry my lord!"

         The Crimegan troops had eventually made their way toward the Lhasan council room, escorting the Elder with them. They all got assemble and immediately started discussions.

         Kumari started first. "Let us make something of this rare occasion shall we? The obvious topic is a negotiation toward peace."

         One of Kumari's council members spoke. "Yes...let us not continue this killing shall we? I would recommend a truce with no demands or requests."

         The Elder chuckled. "You think I'm that much of a moron? For peace I only demand one thing...the same item that we were searching for...the Spear."

         Kumari looked up. "Do you possibly know what you can do with that legendary relic? It's a dangerous object to uphold!"

         The Elder yawned. "Then wouldn't you rather have it in our hands? If you cooperate with us, then we will grant you one request, no matter how severe."

         Kumari smiled. "You must really want the spear then. You did know that it can be weilded by the chosen Hero right?"

         The Elder waved that aside. "Taken care of."

         Kumari was confused. (Taken care of...? What does that mean?) "Well, even if we wanted to we can't do that. The rightful owner to the spear has been gone seven days now and we can't find him."

         "I'm right here."

         Ark was standing in the doorway of the council room. He was holding a steel reinforced wooden staff.

         Royd picked up a conversation with him. "Where in the world-"

         "It's not important. You guys are discussing about the spear, am I right?"

         Ark looked at the Elder. "The past seven days was my trip to Genesis Mountain, from here to there and back. It took three harsh days to climb that mountain, and four even more dangerous days coming back down. I have left the spear up there."

         Kumari looked shocked that Ark would tell him that. Ark continued. "Although anyone can use the spear, unless it is utilized by the true guardian, that's all it'll be, a fairly heavy gold spear. Last time I checked I was the guardian. So I propose this."

         Everyone listened. "The spear will stay up there...permenantly. No one will have it. As for this war, I recommend it should end. I will guard the spear. And because I'm a Kumatan troop, I will establish my neutrality among the Overworld and Underworld. No one will have to die."

         The council members were confused at the last statement. But Kumari and the Elder understood.

         Kumari looked very disturbed. (You ignorant fool...you cannot run away from your fate. But if this is your method of continuing your life...so be it.) "Very well proposed. I accept...but I request that we will have a close trade contract."

         The Elder only blinked. "I accept also. I will also consider the trade contract...maybe it can be our key to a close economic relationship between us."

         And then, the meeting was over. The Crimegan troops had escorted the Elder out of the city. Kumari only looked at Ark, and walked to his room. Ark headed out of the city, but was momentarily stopped by Royd.

         "So this is it, isn't it Ark? Won't you finish your training first?"

         Ark shook his head. "I will no longer learn any more skills to kill people. I will only work on what I have." Ark looked at Royd. "Thank you Royd, for your mentorship."

         Royd looked at him blankly. "Will Lhasa ever see you again?" (Will I ever see you again?)

         Ark started to walk toward the sun bleeding horizon. "I will try to stay away from civilization. All of this will only remind me of the people I've killed...so probably not. Goodbye Royd. Give my regards to everyone I'm leaving behind."

         Royd nodded and headed his way back into Lhasa.

         "So this 'peace' is settled then?"

         The Elder was talking with these two chief commanders of his army.

         "Maybe. It's been a couple days since the talks Fyda." Fyda had adjusted her cloth cap around her red hair.

         "I have just one more thing to assign you." He was talking to Fyda's pupil and student, with her long red hair. Her ebony spear grated on the stone floor.

         "Get the spear from Genesis Mountain. Don't do this now, or even in the near future. When you feel the people both from the Underworld and Overworld are comfortable when sitting next to each other, go and get the spear. No one will suspect a thing. Do you understand...Elle?"

         Elle nodded and followed Fyda out the door. This was interesting after all.

Although my beta-readers thought it was, this is not the end of the series, but rather the very beginning. Although this chapter might have sounded lame, I think you should look foward to the next chaper.

Brought to you by SQRFRK © 2000.