The Legend of Black Eyes 267 The Aeon's Call

Heda and Friede joined us shortly afterwards. They looked at the bloodied monster then at me. I was covered in blood and sinew. From their winces and how fast they reached for their noses, I could tell I smelled really bad.

"You could use a swim by the river," Friede said in an adenoidal voice.

After I freshened up, I found the other three sitting on the other side of the hill, near the stream. I noticed them whispering, so I extended my senses toward them whilst staying out of their sight.

"Are you sure he's the one?" I heard Sylens ask.

"You of all people shouldn't say that. You've witnessed his power firsthand," Friede said.

"He's got seven cores. I saw them as he plunged at the Katoblepas. Yet he has no Fragment. Heda said he was going to be a champion, not some freak," Sylens retorted in a taut voice.

"His threads of fate are... what's the best word to describe them? They're complete chaos," Heda said. She smacked her lips then went on. "He's strong, stronger than all of us. It must be in his blood. His grandfather would crush us, even if we teamed up against him."

"So he's the one you told us about back in Tinria," Friede said.

"That's the one. His fate is closely linked to ours, but I just can't see its impact," Heda said in a low tone.

"I don't like this Heda. I don't want to visit that mad scientist again," Sylens said.

I knew they were hiding something from me. Ever since Heda's face turned sullen at the mention of Rimbaldi, I knew they had met him before. Omega warned me about him too. Rimbaldi wasn't the cooperating type, but I was confident I could convince him to hand over the cauldron and Omega's treasure.

"We still need to wait for his grandfather's champions. They won't be here for another three weeks," Heda said.

My hair stood on end. Heda had some terrifying powers. If it weren't for my stupid mistakes and the creation of the Paradox, Heda would be able to read through me like an open book. No wonder the other three followed her religiously.

"So you're saying we need to follow him through those creepy woods," Sylens said. I could sense fear in his voice.

I decided to make my presence known at that moment. "What creepy woods?" I asked loud enough they jumped in fright.

Heda inhaled sharply, shot me a dark look then her lips parted into a cheesy smile. "We didn't smell you coming. That must be a good sign!"

I returned her smile with a wry one. "I'll make sure to announce my presence next time. I wouldn't want to frighten Lady Le Baptiste."

Heda's smile widened. "A less frightening face would be a good start. How about I add some nice laces around that eye patch? It would certainly make for a nicer sight."

I chuckled. "Whatever makes your journey more comfortable. What creepy woods were you talking about?"

Sylens shot a nervous glance at Heda. She kept smiling, eyeing me from head to toe. "We've encountered some strange monsters in the woods. We've tried to reach the scientist's lab before, but we were met with heavy resistance."

Liar! You didn't try to reach, you've actually been there. "What kind of monsters are we talking about?"

This time, it was Friede who answered. "They had legs made out of scraps of metal. They looked like giant insects. Some of them could fly. Others spewed venom at us. They'll chase you until you leave the woods or die."

"They call them Rims. The people of the village say they are Rimbaldi's creations," Sylens added.

"You're all champions, chosen by the Primordials. Surely, a few beasts don't scare you," I said in a haughty tone.

"If you manage to kill them and get deeper into the woods, bigger and faster monsters appear. Some of them were practically invincible, even with all our powers combined," Heda said, frustrated. "I couldn't predict their movement, which made our job a lot harder."

In a nutshell, Heda was the leader of the group. She provided them with intelligence regarding each foe they faced and advised on the best approach. Friede was the healer. Her role speaks for itself. Sylens was the heavy hitter. From what I gathered, they were a lousy team despite their incredible powers.

"You have one extra fighter now. I don't see why we can't reach the scientist this time. Don't forget, he's got the cauldron, something we need if we were to succeed in the Holi Wars," I said.

"We?" Sylens hissed. Heda kicked him in the shin and I pretended I didn't hear anything.

"What's the cauldron for?" Friede asked.

I raised an eyebrow at the group. "Don't you know what happens after the Holi Wars start? How we're supposed to beat the newborn Goddess?"

"We know we have to face a newborn deity, but we don't know how to defeat it yet," Heda admitted.

I shook my head and chuckled. For once, I was the one doing the lecturing. "Despite our combined powers, we still wouldn't be able to kill a god. We need a weapon that can shatter an immortal soul. That's what the cauldron's for."

"And the cauldron will give us the weapon?" Sylens asked.

I nodded. "The cauldron is part of the solution. We need to collect ingredients from each Primordial's Aeon. I believe you all have dreams of strange creatures calling out to you."

They all nodded.

"It's all part of one song, really. They call it the Aeon's Call. I'm sure you've heard it when the Primordial's Aeons descended to Hera, our planet." I smiled at Lady La Baptiste. "Do you remember it?"

She nodded. She looked at the darkening sky above us. "We'll spend the night here in the open. Going through the woods would prove difficult at night."

We got busy collecting wood for a fire, after which we sat around a bonfire and stared at the stars in silence. Beasts roared far away from us. I heard heavy stomps and furious growls as the giant beasts were fighting, probably for territory.

Heda broke the silence by humming a sad melody. Her honeyed voice caused goosebumps on the back of my neck. The Blond Moon shone above our heads by then, draping the green fields in golden lights. Heda began singing then, a sad melody that made my heart wrench.

The Phoenix withers and dies,

The Roosa'al invade your lives.

Beware the vicious Wild Hunt,

Their weapons, sharp and blunt.

Kill ten and them you shall join,

The Holi Wars is where you're going.

If the Ori Sisters you dare challenge,

The threads of fate you must scavenge.

Lure them with the golden flute,

Sneak past them and steal their fruit.

But if light shines bright in your eyes,

Seek the three legged bird in the skies,

Don't you let him hear your cries.

Osmen awaits in Mount Condurr,

Don't cower, step back or surrender.

The pure Unicorn will give its blood,

Willingly, lest you drown in mud.

And Abrath, the Venomous King,

Will give its plume,

If you forsake everything.

The phoenix rises from ash,

Finds the chosen one,

Thus the champions clash,

And the summoning is done.

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Chapter end

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