The Heroes I-The Black Fire Lighthouse

Chapter V-The Broken Promise

“T-this is impossible, there has to be s-some kind of mistake, a n-nightmare, I need to wake up!” Garen was saying to himself, now letting the warm tears roll down his face. His eyes red and puffed, the burning, warm tears falling uncontrollably. He was trembling with anger at Nerag and Elyk, who were grinning in triumph at the death of his friend. He will kill them when he could.


“We can’t stay here any longer,” Kye said calmly, looking at the collapsing area, his eyes returning to their pure white state.


“Yes. You are right, master, let’s get out of here and light the Lighthouses, like destiny wants us to do,” Elyk said.


“Wait!” screamed Garen over the falling rocks, “what about our promise, you can’t break it!”


“Ah, our promise, I had almost forgotten, so silly of me,” Kye said, a twisted grin forming on his lips. “I think you’re wrong, though. I believe our promise is now at a bit of a void state. As you can see, circumstances have dramatically changed and it would be unwise for us to linger, we are in a way saving their lives. You are welcomed to stay if you please, but I do not advise it and I am sure I will be seeing that last Tablet soon. There is another good point, we do not have the final Tablet, so therefore, we have not broken our promise; you have.”


At those words, Kye vanished in a cloud of smoke with Shelby crying with him. Elyk and Nerag took Mr. Killimore and went through the door that had just appeared, to leave Garen there on his own with no way back to the entrance, now that the paths were collapsing. He did not know what to do, his best friend had just died and he was there on a rock standing miles in the air alone; he felt like a little kid lost in the Kio Woods. It wouldn't be long now before he fell to his death just as Kyle had. If only he had trained more, he may have been able to save Kyle from his fall and save Shelby and Mr. Killimore from the kidnap. If he had been stronger, he could've killed them and not be in the situation he was in now.


“I suppose it’s time for me to help you out of here,” said a voice behind Garen with a sigh.


“Wha?” Garen jumped around violently, not expecting anyone to be here, especially the creature that was floating behind him.


It was a dragon with every Fire of Color running through him, including colors Garen has never seen or heard of on a dragon before; blue, red, yellow, and white. The Rainbow Fire Dragon before him was magnificent, almost godly. The colors ran through him like he was made of liquid, but he was obviously a solid being and his teeth were pure white, again seeming to be liquid. Garen had always heard rumors and stories about the Rainbow Fire Dragon, or their Protector, but never believed them to be true, but here he was, living proof. It was said that the Protector was the last living Fire of Color dragon and has been guarding the Lighthouses for centuries. The Father of Fire was the one who he was partnered with, their god and someone who only lived in legends.


“Don’t gawk at me like I’m a display at a museum, please,” said the Dragon pleasantly. “I am, of course, the Protector of the Lighthouses, the partner Dragon of the Father. Those Lighthouses are now in danger of being lit and those men need to be stopped. I am also making sure this volcano doesn’t erupt with you in it, you see, you are now the only one to stop these Lighthouses from being lit."


“But I’m one of the people who grabbed the Tablets for them,” Garen said fearfully.


“Yes, to protect your friends, it didn’t really work, unfortunately. As I said before, you are the only one who can stop them at this point, and there is no use arguing with me, my decision is final. Now, I will teleport you to the outside of Mt. Killimore and you will tell the mayor what happened to his sister and the Great Healer everything, then you will leave to stop them.”


“Wait!” started Garen as smoke surrounded him and he felt everything below him disappear. He thought he could see flashes of other worlds, with strange plants and creatures passing his vision, but wasn't really sure. As he tried to focus away from the visions, he came jolting to a stop and the smoke came back into his view, and then blew away with the wind. He could hear the panicked voices of the people of Kio as the volcano started erupting behind him, and he could see the thick, black smoke pouring out of the top into the night sky, covering the sun from view which casted a dark shadow onto his peaceful village. A village that hasn't been able to stay extremely peaceful anymore.


“Garen!” yelled someone from the crowd gathering by the Healing Room. “Get over here, now!”


He looked over and saw that Neotasha was the one shouting at him, with the mayor standing next to him, telling him not to be rude. He walked over to the crowd, feeling his face burn with embarrassment as the town people peered down at him. He felt so little, young, like he couldn’t think for himself anymore.


“Garen!” shouted Neotasha impatiently.


“Please, Neotasha, calm yourself,” the mayor said, rubbing his ear with his forefinger. “There is no need for the yelling.”


“I apologize, Mayor; I’m just upset that Garen would do something so foolish as to sneak into Mt. Killimore, breaking our most highly protected law, and probably causing this eruption.”


“Now, now, Neotasha,” cut in Mayor before Garen had time to rebuttal, “you are jumping to hypothetical conclusions, without any evidence.”


“Well, I saw him go up there alone, too far from me to stop him. I don’t recall anyone else going up with him.”


“I think you better recall a little better, before I help you with your short term memory,” Garen growled through his teeth violently.


“No need for any violence, Garen, and you too, Neotasha,” Mayor said calmly. “Now let’s go into the Healing Room to hear Garen’s story. The families of Kyle and are allowed in also, and I suppose the closest colleges of Mr. Killimore. You too, if you think it necessary, Neotasha,” he added before Neotasha could open his mouth. "Mother, you may join as well, seeing that Shelby was there with them."


Kyle's, Garen's, and Shelby’s mothers all walked into the Healing Room after the mayor, Great Healer and Garen went in, followed by two of Mr. Killimore’s colleges and Neotasha. The Healing Room has always been spectacular to Garen, but not today, not after seeing the inside of Mt. Killimore, not after Kyle fell down the magnificent mountain. No that mountain was not magnificent; it was cursed, a murderer deserving every bit of punishment. Garen would never look at that mountain the same, not after it took his friend’s (not my friend's, my brother's) life.


“Garen,” said the mayor gently and smoothly, putting a hand on his shoulder, “would you be so kind as to tell us what happened to my sister and the others in that mountain. I did see all of you go into the mountain and I know it must be hard, but we have to know, we want to help you.”


“No one can help me; He said I’m the only one. I’m the only one who can stop the Lighthouses from being lit,” Garen said weakly, feeling the tears swelling in his eyes again.


“Who?” asked the mayor even more gently than before. “Who said this?”


“Him, the Protector, the Rainbow Fire Dragon. I have to do it for Kyle though; I can’t let his death be in vein.”


“The Protector?”


“Rainbow Fire Dragon?”


“Does he speak of Him, our Protector?”


“Kyle?”


“Dead?”


“My baby is dead!?” screamed Jennifer, dropping to her knees and collapsing into tears. “He can’t be dead, now I’ve lost everyone. Kalish, Kyle, they’re both dead! I don’t know if I can take any more of this!”


“It’s alright Jennifer, we can make it through this,” said Shelby’s mother.


“No! I have nothing to live for, my life is ruined!” Jennifer sat there screaming at the floor with tears flooding down her face and making a small puddle below her.


“You lie, Garen!” shouted Neotasha. Everyone turned to look at him, Jennifer with a murderous look on her face, daring him to press on the subject further.


“How could you say something like this, Neotasha?” asked the mayor, caught off guard by this sudden accusation. “How could you say this to Garen, who has been through a lot tonight, losing his best friend?”


“I’m not talking about the death of Kyle, that’s of no importance to me!” Neotasha continued to yell, everyone now looking at him with disgust. “You did not speak to Him; that is a lie that should have you punished!”


“You are the one who should be punished, Neotasha!” said a firm voice from behind everyone. “How dare you accuse Garen of something so harsh? How dare you disrespect the dead in front of his mother and best friend; no, Neotasha, you should be the one punished!”


It was the Protector who said this, looking at Neotasha with fury that could kill. The Protector wasn’t as majestic or beautiful as it was when Garen saw him, but instead frightening and furious.


“I ban you from Kio!” he continued in his growl. “And be lucky I don’t do more!”


Neotasha stood without question and walked out of the room in a hurry, not wanting to see what the Protector would do if he didn’t. After he left the room, the Protector recounted the story to the audience, instead of making Garen recount the whole thing.


“This is horrible, absolutely terrible,” said the mayor sitting down in one of the many stone chairs in the Healing Room. “How could something like this happen in Kio? And so soon after our last disaster.”


“Now it is time for you to decided, Garen,” said the Protector firmly, letting the mayor consult with himself. “Will you go on this journey? Will you protect the world from the lighting of these cursed Lighthouses, we must know now.”


“Yes, I will go on this journey,” said Garen without hesitation. “I must do it for Kio, for Kyle, and for the rest of the world.”


“Mayor,” said the Protector, lifting the mayor out of his pondering, “will you get the Gems for Garen? He will need them for this quest.”


The mayor got up without a word, walked over to the back of the Healing Room, grabbed a box that has always made people wonder, walked back over to Garen, and held the box out to him. Garen took it without question and opened it. Inside, were seven gems, each representing the seven colors and, automatically, Garen grabbed for the green one. Before he could grasp it though, it vanished into little green dust particles and some sort of liquid and went into Garen’s arm. The feeling was amazing, he could feel the warmth of the gem travel up his arm and throughout the rest of his body, and the warmth began to rest somewhere in his heart.


“That gem is now a part of you,” the Protector said. “It cannot be removed; it has become your blood, your soul, everything that identifies you. It will make you stronger and you can, at times summon it to unleash a power beyond measure.


“I must warn you, though, to be careful, Garen,” he continued. “Even as you step outside this village there will be creatures that could destroy a man with their look. The most vicious in these woods now are the Wind Soul Drainers.”


“Wind Soul Drainers?” asked Garen. “What are you talking about? I have never missed a day of our creatures class, and the teacher never mentioned anything about them.”


“There are actually four types of Soul Drainers, it just so happens that we live in the area of the Wind,” said the Mayor. “Fire, Earth, and Water are the other three, but it is said that all Soul Drainers are extinct. These four kinds of Soul Drainers, if you have not guessed already, have the tendency of satisfying their hunger by eating a human's soul. Now, they all do it in a different way and the only one I know is the Wind Soul Drainer. What they do is simple really; they tear themselves into your body with the front head and go straight back out the other end. After it is through, the tail splits in two and they have a head on both tails, these heads are the ones that tear out your soul. After that, the three heads usually fight over the soul, tearing it apart. Maybe the Protector could tell us the others.”


“I could,” said the Protector slowly, “but Garen is not ready to hear what he will soon face. I’m sure you will find out soon enough.”


“Yes, sir,” Garen said. “When will I be leaving, Protector?”


“In about an hour,” the Protector said calmly, causing everyone to look up at him in shock. “I am sure you will be ready by then?”


“You can’t honestly let a boy of only seventeen go out into that wilderness alone, without any time to prepare, can you?” asked the mayor loudly.


“I can, but I’m not. I am giving him an hour to prepare. Now, Garen, get ready.”


“Alright, sir,” Garen said to everyone’s amazement. “I will be at the front entrance in one hour.”











“Hurry up, Marry,” said a little ten year old boy impatiently. “Garen’s departing ceremony is starting!”


“Hold on a bit, little brother,” said a beautiful seventeen year old girl with long, curly brown hair and deep brown eyes. “Ok, I’m ready, let’s go”


She grabbed something out of a trunk and ran after her little brother, her hair whipping behind her. The two of them headed down the stairs and toward the entrance to see Garen shaking hands and saying his final farewells.


“Have a safe trip, Garen,” said the swordsman of the village. “May your sword guide you far and slice your enemies down and don’t come back until those monsters are killed.”


“Of course, Etano,” Garen said kindly, taking the only elven sword left in Kio after the army’s raid.


“Garen!” shouted Marry, running toward him and his brown steed. “I’ve got something for you.”


“What is it?” asked Garen, taking her present when she reached him.


“It's half of the Father's Symbol. You have the red and yellow half while I'll keep the white and blue half. That way we will never forget each other.”


“It’s amazing,” Garen said, putting on the necklace and bending down to kiss Marry. “Thank you.”


“You’re welcome, Garen,” said Marry, after the kiss. “And be sure to take good care of Kalish, we don’t want this fine horse to die like the one it was named after.”


“No worries, Marry, he is in good hands.”


“I know, Garen. He has always been in good hands.”


“Garen Garson, here is a present to go with your new sword,” said the armor from behind them.


Garen looked down at the emerald shield that Monahan was holding out to him. That, too, was another elven item saved from the army. The shield was the exact match of the sword almost. They were a perfect, shining, emerald green color, the sword’s sheath matched its owner and there was an emerald on its hilt. The shield had an emerald in the middle, surrounded by an almost exact matching emerald color around the rest of the shield.


“Thank you, Monahan,” Garen said gratefully, “but do you really want to just give me these items that you tried so hard to keep from the army?"


“I am quite sure, and so is everyone else in this village. These items were made for you by the ancient elves, who must have foreseen this all coming. If you don’t believe these items were made for you, then take a look at the color, which is kinda hard to miss.”


“Well, thanks again, I suppose. It is an honor for the elves to have made these for me.”


“Everyone, gather around!” said the mayor, over everyone’s talking, with the Great Healer on his left, and Garen’s mother on his right. “It is time to let Garen take his leave and journey out into the unknown. Come on, Garen, you must leave now.”


Garen trotted his horse over to the three standing at the entrance. “I am ready now, Mayor, Great Healer, Mother.” He said this, nodding at each one in turn, while lacing is sword to his hip and his shield to his back.


“Be careful, Garen, and come back soon,” said his mother, making him lean down to hug her.


“May your travels be in success and may you be cautious of the roads in front of you,” the Great Healer said. “Don’t talk to anyone, avoid trouble, and for the sake of the Father, do not touch anything ominous.”


“Good advice, Healer,” said the mayor, then turning back to Garen said, “May the Father watch over you, Garen and don’t do anything rash.”


“Thank you Mayor, I hope I can come back soon,” then turning Kalish to face everyone, he added, “Goodbye everyone, I’ll be back to see you all before the next moon cycle.”


He then turned Kalish back around and had him trotting down the stone path, thinking of Kyle and the way his body fell to the depths of the planet. He went past the beautiful cherry blossom trees and headed out of town, tearing his mind from Kyle, and started thinking if Mr. Killimore and Shelby would be all right.


“Right,” he said to himself, “this is where life gets hard. Let’s just hope I can come out of this disaster alive.”