The General of Ezera

4- Blade of Truth

          "What do you mean?" I cross my arms. "I didn't come here to untie your riddles. Tell me what you promised."
          Kayron smiles. "A man of reason. I like you. I am about to show you visions of the past. They have already happened, but they hold truths that no one has ever told you."
          I watch as the world around me changes. I am no longer in Ezera's palace gardens. I am standing on a battlefield in Taranor.
          The fire leaps up around all the soldiers. There are only some who stand out: Ras, Kayron, an heir with red hair, and myself.
           I watch as the four of us meet in the center.
          "None of you stand a chance against me and my army! You will all die at the hands of the Archdemon! Your goddess has abandoned you!" Past Kayron starts yelling commands to his troops.
          Ras steps forward. "The Archdemon will be defeated. No matter what it costs." He unsheathes his sword, ready to fight Kayron.
          The heir who has crimson hair steps forward. He wears a gauntlet that radiates fire—the strak gauntlet.
          I recognize the red-headed heir now. "Kyle."
           The Kayron that stands beside me chuckles. "Indeed. Kyle was one of many of your friends who died that day. You see, Kyle told Ras that he would give up his life for all the world."
          I feel bitterness creep into my heart, making it black. I know the only pureness left in my heart is my love for Tauren and our unborn son.
          Kayron frowns. "Kyle was a fun heir to play with. It's a shame he fell that day. And other heirs fell with him such as Kise and Ruele. Even the entire clan of Nocturnes died— all except one. Many of those closest to you died."
          The scene around me shifts.
          I stand in Dun Blyreia. I am surrounded by a forest fire and falling trees.
          "Help! Someone help me!" a voice shouts out.
          I turn in the direction it came from. What I see is a horrible nightmare.
          Tauren is stuck under a tree. She tries to wriggle free. Tauren kicks as flames leap up around her.
          Iseria from the past runs up to her. "It's going to be alright. I'll get help." She turns towards the trees. "Vildred! Vildred!"
           Me from the past runs to Iseria. I see Tauren. I kneel down beside her. "I'm here to help you. There's no need to be scared." I push on the tree.
          Iseria carefully pulls Tauren out from under it.
          Beside me, Kayron laughs. "It was then that you started to resent the Heir of the Covenant. It's also where you first met your beloved." He keeps his eyes on me as I watch.
      I start to realize that it was Ras' fault. My heart grows heavy with bitterness and suffering.
      Ras' very existence— the goddess' existence— is the cause of the deaths of my friends. It's even the cause of Tauren's injuries from that day.
      "Is it true that for the goddess to exist the Archdemon must exist too?" I ask the question out of curiosity.
      Kayron smirks. "What a smart man you are. They are counterparts. As long as good lives there is evil. As Diche is the greatest good there is, the Archdemon will live also. After all, he is the greatest evil that exists." He changes the scenery around me.
       We are back in the palace gardens.
      I look through a window, seeing where Tauren is. I sigh with relief.
      She is with Charles and Aither. She smiles at them both.
      "What about the heirs? Is there a counterpart to them?" I think of Iseria, Kise, Kyle, and Ruele.
      They were all heirs. Of the four, only one remains.
      I look back to the acolyte before me
      Kayron smiles. "Yes. Their counterparts are a mix of acolytes and homunoculi. For example, I am Ras' opposite and Sigret is the opposite of Kise. Without one the other cannot exist. I believe that if the goddess was gone the world would be better."
      I am confused. I think he's going against both the goddess and the Archdemon. But I don't know for sure. I chance a look at Kayron.
      "Whose side are you on?"
      Kayron remains silent. He doesn't say anything. Kayron smiles before disappearing.
       I sigh and walk back inside. I think about the way things happened back then. I try to untie the truth. It's then that a realize one thing.
      Truth is like the blade of a sword. It hurts and wounds. It kills and saves. It can protect and destroy.
       I step up beside Tauren and wrap an arm around her waist. "Is everything good?"
       Tauren smiles. "Of course. Charles and I were just keeping our eyes on Prince Aither for Queen Diene." She leans against me and it feels so good. Tauren takes my hand in hers.
       Sir Charles looks to us. "You truly are blessed, Vildred. You're blessed with a wife and soon a child. May you continue to be blessed." He smiles and nods. Charles goes to join other members of the conclave.
       I stand, frozen in thought.
       What does the goddess really want? Diche must want to end all the goodness in this world. Why else would she send Ras, the Heir of the Covenant who failed to wake and fight during the Archdemon War, down to Orbis?
       I've also heard rumors of Lands of Death where fiends roam. I'm also sure that those places didn't exist before.
      Everything is a mess— a mess I can't make sense of.
      "Are you alright, my love?" Tauren kisses my cheek.
      I turn to look down upon my beloved. "I'm fine. There's no need to worry. Let's go enjoy the rest of the celebration." I link arms with Tauren and lead her through the crowds.
      Diene finds us. "Vildred, Tauren. Are you enjoying yourselves?"
      Tauren smiles. "We are, your majesty."
      Diene laughs. "There's no need to address me formally. Anyone in Vildred's family is a friend of mine."
       Tauren smiles and looks to me.
      "Thank you for inviting us, Diene. We are thankful," I say.
      Diene nods and goes off into the crowd, most likely searching for Aither.
      I spot Ras speaking to a crowd of kids. Rage burns in my chest.
      Because of him and his goddess, many of my friends were lost. Because of them, Tauren is forever scarred. Because of them, lies have become reality.
      Now that I have the blade of truth, I shall use it. I will cut down every lie the goddess and her covenant have created. I will destroy Ras.
      Kayron, my blade of truth is yours.