THREE times I fought for the light.
THREE times I triumphed over restless spirits and cast them into the Abyss of Oblivion.
THREE were the moons that watched over my restless sleep every night. THREE were the Stones of Destiny that I returned to the Dragon Kingdom, but, alas, three were the well-wishes of the Great Magicians, which, to my misfortune, became my curses.
Much time has passed since I embarked on this epic quest, and throughout the arduous journey, I saw neither an innocent’s smile nor a spark of hope and a trace of the former glory of this land.
Much time has passed since I embarked on this epic quest, and throughout the arduous journey, I saw neither an innocent’s smile nor a spark of hope and a trace of the former glory of this land. Fearlessly and without reproach, I passed through the Thirteen Spheres of the Underworld, where dark creatures wove their webs of malice. Guided by the power of the Talisman, I desperately battled the fiends of fear and horror to send them back to the crypts of the Underground City.
Years came and went, leaving their gruesome marks on me, but despite the disappointments, the tears, and the anger, I persevered. I was filled with the faith of my people, long enslaved by a dark force awakened from its ancient slumber. Thousands of obstacles would not have stopped me because I carried the spark of my people, the strength of their hearts.
The fire of vengeance raged with unimaginable power in my chest, thirsting for the blood of my enemies. In three battles, fate chose me as the victor, and I struck down the enemy like a hurricane… but, in the decisive duel, she abandoned me. The demonic leader, Otrusk, lay defeated at my feet, and before he breathed his last breath, I heard him summoning a dark vision with his foul gurgling. In the darkness appeared the image of a silhouette snatching away my beloved. I slashed through the nightmarish apparition with my sword and collapsed in the dust next to Otrusk’s rotting corpse. I buried my face in my bloodied hands and rose to scream in anguish.
I fell heavily upon this desolate land and only ominous winds whispered their funereal songs in the ensuing silence.
Alas, at that very moment, an arrow whistled from somewhere and pierced my chest. No blood gushed from the gaping wound for the darkness driven within it denied it release. From another direction a second arrow hissed, splitting the first to embed itself deeper into my flesh. Finally, a third arrow reached my heart and silenced it forever.
I fell heavily upon this desolate land and only ominous winds whispered their funereal songs in the ensuing silence. Darkness enveloped my exhausted body in its icy embrace, and faded shadows took on new forms in the Land of Unfinished Words. My body slowly grew cold, and the darkness increasingly claimed my tormented soul.
Suddenly, a ray of light appeared in the sky, bathing my broken body in its unearthly beauty. Along that beam of energy came a creature, and the closer it got, the clearer its beauty and magnificence became. The evil presence withdrew with an inhuman roar, making way for the divine messenger who touched upon my chest.
It was a dove! Its feathers so white, reminiscent of the beautiful slopes of the Northern Mountains. As it landed on me, a tenderness I had never felt before awoke distant memories of my beloved’s caress. A wave of sorrow surged within me… I wanted to shout, but I had no voice.
Then the bird spread its graceful wings, and I became one with it.
Then the bird spread its graceful wings, and I became one with it.
The dove raised the ground and allowed me to gaze upon my lifeless body. Beside it, my sword and shield shone in the fading light, reminding of the former glory of the mighty warrior. But what did it matter to me? I had lost everything, or perhaps everything had lost me…
I was now carried through time and space back to the eternal Algalord, where Taros, my faithful friend, awaited me to traverse the starry expanses once again in the Land of Dreams. But there was no turning back… or maybe…
This short story by Kaloian Tsanev, serendipitously found on the interwebs, caught our attention. It is lovely and evocative, a story of a game and a story for a game.