*BANG*
"Another one", the old man cried as he hurriedly went over his kill and put a necklace around it. The necklace looked quite old fashioned, the string made out of wood and a glowing gem hanging from it beautifully carved into a small piece of a diamond shaped jewel. But the bracelet was no ordinary one. The old man panted as he waited for the effects to take place. 1...2..3 and then the jewel shone with a radiance, red colored, light. 4..5 the jewel shook here and there. 5..6 the jewel finally calmed down and settled as the old man bent down and picked up the dead bird and the jewel.
"Here is another treat for me", he said as he walked downhill slowly. Usually he would go for five more, but today due to the lack of jewels, he couldn't. Needless to say, four was sufficient for him.
"The beautiful mountains, sky, forests, the world changed so much yet it still feels like I am still in my youth" he muttered to himself, as he looked across the villa where he lived at and the scenery around it.
This was life for him, where he would be at, and where he chose to be at. There was no connection with him or the outside world. This is where he grew up and will stay at his very last breath.
Despite of his, lack of concern for the outside world, he was always invested on how far humanity has gone, and it was unsettling for him. He can't help but take a deep sigh. The balance, the world once had it was losing it.
The Old man, took out a card, from his pocket. He looked at the card, the same old smile the fire resembled on the card. He flickered it midair, setting the card on fire, engulfing the old man, taking him into darkness.
The next second he was at the front porch of his villa. With one flick of his hand, the whole shifted and the entire interior moved from here and there.
By the next few minutes he was sitting inside a large hall. The ceiling had stars covering it. The grand majestic table, made up of wood, glass and marble. Another flick of the old man's hand and 15 grand chairs with red cushion drifted towards the table.
The Old man settle down on one of the chairs and patiently waited.
...
After minutes of waiting, 12 green images appeared filling in 12 seats.
"Where is ScourjeLove?" one of the members asked.
"He is still looking" another one replied.
The Old man looked at the last seat, hoping one The Absence might as well join them for once after what happened.
"So what do you call us for The One?" one of the female voices comes interrupts the Old Man's thoughts. He sighed and replied - "The Second Barrier has fallen apart".
Everyone abrupted in confusion.
"SECOND BARRIER??"
"HOW??"
"Calm down everyone, it's not that bad, I think ScourjeLove already knows about it, his abilities can restore the Second Barrier.. but I think the underworld is becoming way too smart and heaven won't budge at all".
Everyone fell silenced by The One's assurance... after all he was right, ScourjeLove wasn't a fighting type but his abilities to restore things will definitely help.
As for the underworld getting smarter that was the troubling part.
"What do you mean, The One?" a male voice resonated through out the entire hall.
The One narrowed his eyes down, as he rubbed his temples. "The Second Barrier spirit, as you all know, is not from heaven at all, in fact it was from hell, tortured by Demoness Akherma, the spirit escaped into our world and begged for mercy to The Church Of Elphemeda. The Church agreed and turned her into the Second Barrier spirit, her power, strength and mentality grew stronger over the years, but some of The Church's members were skeptic till this day, and some passed down this skepticism to their grandchildren. Akherma, managed to seduce one of them and then he tricked The Spirit into drinking The Grail Water. She nearly perished away. Whoever did it, his soul was later on taken by Akherma herself, which was nothing but a promised kiss, inside a dream. For as all I know, he somehow managed to break his connection, so his entire soul was never taken away, but he did fell into The Broken.. as for the Second Barrier, the spirits are being held off by some of the best warriors The Church has.."
The entire hall fell silent. Demoness Akherma, seducing, manipulative and a pain in the ass as for all they know. What does she want? She just wants to fight opponents like her and have fun deceiving them.
"That's all I wanted to everyone to know for today" The One, or the Old Man said..
....
Everyone fell silent again. The Gate between life and death become weaker day by day, and heaven won't budge at all.. so these protectors were all the world had, and the world never knew about these protectors, and what they do for them.
Sometimes these people would feel pointless about making the whole sacrifice.. but they know, that there are people in this world, and breaking their sense of self, they realize that these people are equal to their loved ones.
....
"Meeting ends here" The One finally said, and the scene vanished in front of him. The next second he was back in his old chair looking at the empty walls and ceilings of his dead wife's room.
"I get your sadness darling" a familiar voice of a female, ringing inside his ear, from the mirror beside him.
"Linda" he replied
"Igor my love" the voice again replied, as the fog from the mirror disappeared. There revealed a white woman in her late 40's. Her skin was smooth like snow. Her eyes like sapphire. Her hair brown, stretching all the way to her lower back, hitting her night gown.
"You don't have to be sad" she said looking at her old lover.
The Old man would look at his dead wife's soul trapped inside a mirror, and would frown. After all this type of magic was no ordinary magic and it comes with a cost, one must feel whatever the soul feels, and at this moment he could feel his dead lover to hold him once again.
"I know.. I can't hold you anymore"
"But that doesn't mean I blame you.. and you should not too, it was never your fault.. and you did what you had to do, even after that, you were still able to preserve me and that makes me happy.."
Her hand touching the mirror.. whispering the words - "I love you and you don't have to say it back". The Old Man gray hair covered his emerald eyes as he gave a little smile, still looking down, covering his forehead with his hands.
......
Kingdom of Ivory
City of Gold
"Wherever one may go,
Whatever one may like
Nowhere is like Gold
The Night Hours spreads delight
The first coin in your hand
Might become thrice
The Three coins in your hand
Might become a reason to fight
Or give it to a lady
And she is your night
Nowhere like the Pleasure of this city
The City of Gold, The City of Rich
A City of Sight"
The Young man shouted on the side of streets, hoping someone might give him attention. But these people have no point in indulging with this peasant. They would pass him, ignore him or at extreme curse him for his terrible poetry skills.
As the night calmed down, he sighed and looked down. Making a living here was not as easy as he thought. The City of Gold after all was not a place for the poor.
He was packing up for the night, when a man in a brown coat approached him. "Excuse me kid, do you know where I can find this place?". The Young youth looked at the man, his appearance was unlike the people from around here. He wore a brown coat over a blue shirt and some black pants. He also carried a bag. He looked like he was twenty eight or twenty nine, with hazel eyes, black hair and very little facial hair. But the eyes of this boy fell upon something else, something shiny, in his pocket. The boy smirked.
"Oh yes, I do know this place" the boy replied
"Oh thank God, I've been looking for this mansion, can you tell me in which direction is it?" the man said
"Yes sir, why not? But alas I cannot.." the boy replied
"Why not?" the man said
"Well you see, everything in this world comes with a price, and nothing in this world is free especially not in the City of Gold" the boy replied.
"Alright, I get it.. listen I am here for business, whatever I get I give you twenty per cent of it?" the man offered a deal.
It looked like a pretty sweet deal, but two outcast in the City of Gold, obviously this was a scam.
"Sorry sir, no payment, no way" the boy replied
"I have no money" the man said
"No Money? Huh, lying through your teeth" the boy replied
"Fine.. how much?" the man asked
"Hm.. now we are talking, hm.. let's see twenty gold coins?" the boy said
"WHAT!! I only have ten" the man replied
"Fine ten then" the boy said
The man sighed as he finally gave up, and gave the boy ten Gold Coins.
"Now will you take me?" the man said in a tired voice
"Yeah.. but how do you plead sir? Where are your manners?" the boy replied
"Please..." the man said, now annoyed by his attitude
The boy merrily put the coin inside his pockets. Wasn't much, but at least it was something now. He could no longer walk empty pocket.
"Great then, I am Victor Floyd sir" the boy said as he reached his hands for a handshake
"Ivor Havens" the man replied, accepting his handshake.