Cries of Gold, The Despairs of Shadow

Chapter 4

 "Really? You're finally gonna teach me a few things about being a Rogue?" Ghale would ask, excitedly while looking up at Dreg. "Yes but don't get too excited." Dreg told Ghale. "It's not gonna be easy. This won't be some average hunting training. I'm gonna have to teach you like you're a twenty year old man getting ready to fight in an army." Dreg would explain to Ghale. "I'm sure I can take it." Ghale said, confidently. "Well if you think so, good. It's good to have confidence like that. Now, let's get back to Joule Town. As both Ghale and Dreg would start to walk back to the direction they came from, Ghale would suddenly stiffen, his eye's sparking. "Ghale, what's wrong?" Dreg would ask, immediately turning back, facing Ghale. Ghale would not speak as he was like a paralyzed animal from fear. Ghale looked back and forth in fear as his vision began to blur. Dreg would yell a few words to Ghale but all he could hear was mumbles. Ghale would lay in a dark void, dizzy. He would then jolt upright, looking left and right. He would then rub his eyes. "W-Where am I...?" Ghale would ask himself, getting up from the ground. As Ghale walked, the floor would make a slight ripple like a puddle being hit from a drop of rain. Ghale's eyesight would become clearer now. What was around him was just not void, but seemed like a decaying world. There would be multiple what seemed like remains of houses and plantation. The houses and plants both were outlined white but were pitch black just like the floor of this place. Ghale would walk around the mysterious, eerie place to soon find an odd tree. It looked like no other. Its wood would be pure black, but would emit an odd light. Its leaves would be a very grayish color, emitting light like its branch. "What is this place.." Ghale would ask himself again. "Why... You're in my world, young one.." A strange, loud voice would come from the tree. As the voice arose, the leaves would brighten up, then, going back to its original light level. Ghale would stare at the tree, appalled. "A talking tree?" Ghale would ask. "Why, I am not just a tree.. I am what humans call... Roytus." The tree would tell Ghale. "Roy...tus?" Ghale would echo the name. "Yes, young one, Roytus." The tree would repeat and then continue. "I am... A drowned god. The drowned god of Insanity and Despair." The tree would explain to Ghale. "I have brung you into my home to warn you. "About... What?" Ghale would ask, scared. "About the place you are to go.. The shadow's domain. Bad. Terrible. You will be SENT. I WISH for none to HAPPEN. Your FUTURE is too VILE for us Drowned. YOU will DESTROY the very layer of I if you WERE to be sent HERE.." The tree would say all this to Ghale who couldn't make sense out of any of it.. "I-I'm confused.." Ghale stammered. "I would say.. But I am told to not. I sense it.. Young one, GHALE... You simply... Hold... HIS gift.. Does... The word... Gilded Radiance Ring any... BELLS?!" The tree would ask Ghale. "No.." Ghale would say, confused and mind racing. "Well, young one.. Since I am running out of... TIME... I shall curse you... A cracked piece of my soul.." The tree would tell Ghale. The tree would then rumble, sparking and groaning. It would crack and make a violent "CREEAK" noise. Then, as surprisingly gentle, one of the mysterious leafs would fall from one of its hundreds of branches. The leaf would land on one of Ghale's hands. "Now... I bestow upon you.. The very resonance of... FULL COUNTER AND... SHADOW LEAK..... Crush.. THE LEAF... and.. CONsuME... IT..." The tree would order Ghale. Ghale would look at the leaf, hesitant. He would then look back at the tree. "What if I didn't?" The tree would stay silent, as if it were thinking. "SIMPLE. I send you back.. TARNISHED.. Unable to FEEL again.. WHICH sounds better to you now?" Ghale would then look at the horrifying leaf, sighing. He would crush it as told and then proceed to put it in his mouth and swallow quickly. Ghale would immediately fall to the ground, screaming in agony. His vision would turn blurry and red. Ghale would proceed to bleed vigorously out from the eyes. "Gahhh! My eyes! What's happening!?" Ghale would scream in pain, shaking around and scratching his eyes. "Do not fear the... PAIN.. Young one.." The tree would tell Ghale. "It is.. OVER." Ghale would then notice, upon hearing Roytus's voice, that the pain had stopped. His eyes were somehow unscathed and were in perfect condition. "What...?" Ghale would question. Ghale would open his mouth to speak to Roytus, but when he did, he blacked out immediately. Ghale would soon wake in bed with a massive headache. He would groan, looking around where he was. Instead of being in a void, he would be back in reality. He would see someone to the right of him, cooking something from a pot. Ghale would then look straight ahead from his bed, seeing Dreg sleeping on a wooden chair with his sword unholstered leaning on the chair he was sleeping on. Ghale would then look back to the other person. "Excuse me, miss.. Where am I?" The woman cooking would then turn to Ghale. "Ah! Seems you are awake. How did you manage to get into a three day coma like that, little boy?" Ghale's eyes would soon widen. " Three days!? It felt as if it was mere minutes!" The woman would laugh slightly. "That's what happens when you fall into a short coma. Your mentor here paid extra for me to watch you each night. He's very caring for you. He must think you have much potential, as Rogues don't really take in apprentices." Ghale would be amused as this woman knew more about Rogues than he did. Ghale would then sit up, immediately feeling dizzy. The woman would rush to Ghale, putting him back to a lying position. "Be careful, you haven't eaten in days. You must be very exhausted as of now." Ghale would then notice his stomach was rumbling as he hadn't eaten for more than three days, as both Ghale and Dreg ran out of food during the trip to the Sorcerous. The woman would then rush back to the pot, grab a wooden spoon from a wooden countertop next to the pot and then would pour soup into a bowl right next to the pot. She would then grab a smaller spoon and put it in the bowl, walking towards Ghale and placing it on a table next to him. "Once it cools, you can sit up and eat. After you eat, please try to wake your mentor, he's been sitting on that chair ever since he took you into here." Ghale would then look at Dreg once more, realizing how tired he looked from here. After a few minutes, Ghale would slowly get up and eat his soup as fast as he could. The soup would taste bitter but good at the same time, having an almost lime and beef taste weirdly enough. Ghale would drink the rest of it, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He would stretch his arms and get up. "Thank you very much for the food and care, miss," Ghale would say to the woman, giving her the bowl back. "You are welcome!" She would say, going back to what she was doing. Ghale would walk to Dreg, shaking him. "Wake up, Dreg!" Ghale would yell in his ear. Dreg would jolt up, looking around until he saw Ghale right next to him.