Strength and Power

Chapter 51 - Amori Tale

"Leave Tul'lavey?" Yeva asked with a surprised look on her face. "But- He's still young and he-"

"I believe your brother is actually older than this one here before us." Hallah said and tilted his head once more. "He is off on an journey despite being younger. Would you tell him to stay as well?"

"I- well yes I would but-" Yeva's face turned red as she looked at Hallah. "But he's my- and Avil is my- That's not a fair question to ask Hallah!"

The ancient man simply laughed in a dry voice that sounded more akin to a cough as he gripped his cane to look at Avil. "I know who you are just as I know the connection you have with Yeva and her brother." The elder nodded his head with a great sigh licking his lips and turning to Hectir. "Avil? Wasn't that the name of Avari's grandson?"

At that Avil was visibly taken aback, he'd never expected to hear the name of his grandfather here, but did that mean that Hallah knew his family as well? He looked over to Hectir the man with the strange tattoos along his body as he nodded his head. Hallah then turned around and he eyed Avil up for a moment longer his shimmering eyes barely visible past the curtain of white that were his eyebrows. He looked like he was seeing Avil for the first time, but what's more he looked like he was drawing on the memory of something else. 

"Ah yes I see it now." Hallah said before tapping his cane on the ground and to Avil's right an image of a young man with dark brown hair appeared. They looked eerily similar to himself but it wasn't until Avil looked down at their left hand and saw the Ring of Amor adorning his fingers did he truly know who this was. "Aye, you look very much like your grandfather did at your age. He kept in contact with me ever since his visit here, he sent a message telling me that he'd just been gifted a grandson and he'd been named Avil."

"Though you're a bit leaner than he'd been." Hectir chimmed in which made Hallah let out that coughing laugh once again. 

"That's true enough." Hallah said and with a second tap of his cane the image of Avil's grandfather vanished. But the moment it was gone Avil was treated to a sight he did not expect. Hallah was bowing to him as was Hectir, Yeva followed suit and bowed before the elder spoke again. "I felt the life and Aura vanish from Amor some time ago... I hadn't a clue what'd happened but I mourned the passing of a friend... and my Mortal Liege."

"Liege?" Avil repeated the word with eyes so wide they threatened to fall from his head. "You- you don't mean..."

"Oh yes, Tul'lavey has no ruler aside from our great Kings. But upon his visit here Avari, your grandfather earned the love of many here. Surely you've noticed that the swords our people used are made of Amori steel? Hectir?"

The grey skinned man reached to his hip and as his hand neared it a sword of a very familiar design appeared. Hectir drew the blade and Avil recognized the rippling pattern of damascus Amori steel instantly, each ripple made to represent the pool of life that rested in the heart of Amor. The ripple effect made to show that no matter how large the disturbance, the Amor kingdom shall forever persist and return to it's peace. But if- if they have that same pattern than...

"You follow Amor?" He asked, an audible tremble taking hold of his voice. Hallah and Hectir both nodded their heads while Yeva looked almost as surprised as Avil did. In all his time, Avil never knew of this, his grandfather used to tell him that the borders of Amor was set in stone but that they also traveled with the winds and clouds. He never imagined that he'd meant that to be literal! "But do you- No you said you didn't know..."

Taking a deep breath Avil explained to Hallah, to Yeva, and to Hectir what it was that'd happened to Amor. He told them of the spawn, those same creatures that'd just attacked Tul'lavey, washing over the green hills of Amor like a river over stone. He told them of the horrors his father's scouts found, carcasses of man, beast, and everything in between drained of everything that gave them life. How Sir Eriq was last seen fighting at the main gate before eventually being overwhelmed by the monsters. He told the how no one had seen what happened to his grandfather during the attack. How his father chose to die in order to give Avil a chance to escape. 

The three Lavians listened to Avil's words with focused intent, and when it came time for him to finish his tale Hallah's head dropped. Yeva seemed too dazed to believe it, she knew some of what'd happened to Avil but he'd never told him the details. Hectir on the other hand looked upset and the tattoos all along his skin were beginning to give off a harsh light and a massive amount of heat was radiating from him until Hallah raised a hand up in a calming motion. Like a lantern being covered the light from Hectir died down and Avil was left with three people whom he had no idea what they were going to say next. 

"I- I'm deeply sorry to hear that Avil." Hallah said his voice sounding much softer and more strained than it had before. "We- We should have been there to help but our great land, and our duty to the Three... I'm sorry we weren't able to help dear boy."

"But Hallah we have no more duty to uphold." Said Hectir with a visible amount of stress being placed on his jaw. 

"You're right." Hallah said before he looked up to Avil. "My lord- the power of Tul'lavey is yours to do with as you will. In 8 months' time, Tul'lavey will return to Amor once again... and we will help you take back that land. Of this I promise you."

Avil could only look to Hallah and Hectir with a burning feeling in his eyes, it wasn't until he felt a cooling trail move down the curve of his cheek did he realize that he'd had tears in his eyes. Here, standing before him was the possible answer to his answers. The power of the Lavians, that would be a great power indeed but- He shook his head to them which earned a disbelieving look from Hectir.

"I cannot ask you to risk your lives for this." Hectir argued that Tul'lavey was as much a part of Amor as the Valentine castle was but Avil again shook his head. "That is precisely why I don't want you to do this. If I'm to be the new king, than I cannot and will not rely on the power of others to help me win my battles. The spawn of Amor... that is a fight for me, I don't want this place to be subjected to the same fate and I want to ask that you like. If Amor truly falls with me than I want there to be-"

"No." Yeva said with her furrowed brow, glaring over to Avil. "I won't let you fight them alone... And neither will Troy. It's not my answer to give, but should Troy desire it, he has my blessing to leave with you."

Just then all three of them felt a tremendous presence fill the room, no- it was filling the very air itself! When Avil turned to the window he saw a massive pillar of red light erupt into the sky where it parted the shimmering sky of Tul'lavey. Closing his eyes Avil cast his sight out of his body headed towards the light. Through wood and stone his sight traveled until he came to a small clearing in the woods where he saw Isa standing across from- His sight flew back to him the instant he opened his eyes and he raced to the window. What was he thinking?

~*~*~*~Morgan~*~*~*~

Nim pranced through the brambles directly to her and Ruin, both of whom were watching the two boys through the trees. Nim let out a cheerful squeak and nuzzled against Morgan's leg who knelt down to pick the little one up into her arms. She'd make sure to chastise Isa later for leaving Nim alone to look for safety, but for now she wanted to see just how his plan would turn out. Troy was incredibly powerful that much was undeniable, after he'd managed to dispatch that "Unborn" on his own when even she had trouble with it had peaked her interest. 

"What do you think?" Ruin asked her plainly. "Do you think Isa's plane to reach him through a fight will work?"

Morgan clicked her tongue and sighed while shaking her head. "I wish I could say." She answered in a steady voice. "He's been able to reach two others in much the same way. But both of those times he'd been committed to defeating them, here, here he just seems like he wants to enjoy the fight."

Ruin's rose colored eyes moved to Morgan for a moment before returning to Isa and Troy. "Yeah, I can see why that might scare you."

"Scare me?" She asked with a laugh still shaking her head at the sight before her. "It terrifies me."

A/N: Only about half as long as normal, but hopefully it's still good. Hope you enjoyed it, did you expect Avil's family to have such high connections (pun intended). Or how do you feel about them planning to take back Amor in 8 months? Think it'll work? How about Avil seemingly wanting to take on the world's problems? Is he brave or is he stupid for thinking he alone can do it?

Next Chapter will have Isa vs Troy (red). How do you think that'll turn out and do you think Morgan is right to be afraid of Isa simply wanting to enjoy the fight or is she just being paranoid?