New Era Part 3 – The Apocalypse

Golstar was now, the new Derdian king, the new tyrant.

His transfigured nature showed signs of a new spirit living in. The spell Mohzer and Troghlor cast on him, made him unable to feel any good tempered feeling; there was no more place in his heart for feelings as love, friendship, brotherhood, justice. Now and forever, only war power, conquering wills and warrior soul driven to destruction and submission propers of Throglor reign, were pulsating inside of him. Golstar was changed, and he was changed forever, but he couldn’t realize it.

Perhaps, at bottom, his soul was conscious of what has happened, but unfortunately he could do nothing against the spell which had been cast on him. He had escaped certain death but in return he had given his life to evil, he had agreed that his body would have continued what someone else had started, in the name of evil, following laws and rules that once he could never share, but now, they were and would have been forever his laws.

So it was that Derdian had to fall to Golstar’s reign. The army welcomed him and in the city there was a big festivity for the new leader had come to power. The people were proud of their new king, who was prepairing to conquer new lands and to enhance even more the power and the wealth of Derdian Kingdom. Not much time have passed since when a brave young warrior stood proud in every battle and every war. The young and valiant warrior was now their guide, their leader, their king.

The first decision taken by Golstar was the sudden attack to Astar, the only mayor city in the area that hadn’t been won yet, or that somehow was not suffering the effect and the power of Derdian.

In fact, some time before, Throglor decided to refer Astar’s matter to better times. And now those times did arrive, although Golstar and not Throglor was leading Derdian to Astar’s conquest. For a long time Astar has been considered one of the better organized walled cities in the area. The ability of his army and its strategic position made for Astar a safe place for those who lived there and a difficult target for those enemies who would have tried to conquer it. That’s why Golstar had to think about a possible strategy to success in his venture. Certainly he could not afford to make missteps, risking to decimate his army, right now that he became the new king.

Through a clever ruse, he succeeded to expose the army of Astar and pushed it into a trap

Through a clever ruse, he succeeded to expose the army of Astar and pushed it into a trap. The army found itself in an area enclosed by mountains, with no ways of escape, a sort of impasse.

It was there that Golstar’s army, lurking on the mountains overlooking the area, launched a sudden deadly attack; a rain of flaming arrows left no escape to Astar’s army, taken by surprise. The impact was devastating and the agony of Exenthar’s troops, which fell like autumn leaves under the arrow rain, did not last long.

Exenthar, thanks to his experience, still managed to escape with a small handful of soldiers, and, together, they fled.

The chase didn’t last long, and soon, Exenthar had been reached by Golstar’s soldier and by the same Golstar, while what remained of his army had miracolously managed to save themselves thanks to a perfect knowledge of the area around Derdian.

Exenthar was surrounded and, in the presence of Golstar, he tried to talk to him as a friend, with his heart in his hands, before being brutally murdered…

… His speech was not long, and Exenthar tried to break down the wall built by that spell on Golstar’s soul, he tried to evoke in him distant memories, of when together they nourished a common sense towards Throglor and his tiranny.

Not long ago, Golstar used to visit Astar, the town headed by Exenthar. But no one knew for sure what the ruler of Derdian was going to do in a certainly not friendly city. Voices began to run until it was discovered that the two were conspiring to topple Throglor and to make Derdian free forever from the absolute tiranny of an evil leader. Golstar, realizing that the power of Derdian ruler was truly undeniable, sought an ally outside the city limits and he had found in Exenthar the right person. Skillful warrior, great leader, superb strategist, and a person by good principles, he seemed the perfect ally.

The two then, although illegally, they spent a lot of time together and that, over the months, gave birth between them a great esteem and very soon also something more, something really close to a true friendship.

Golstar listened to him in silence, but, when one of his men reminded him that he was lingering too much, that it was dangerous to waste time and that the time had come to murder him, he had an hesitation moment so that he abruptly ordered him to run away and leave, that he would have spared him.

His men had a moment of extreme astonishment at seeing Golstar make such a gesture, but they could say nothing because he was the one that must take final and important decisions.

Just a second after Golstar was wondering why he had acted that way; it seemed to him to get in a kind of trance, that somebody else had act and thought instead of him. He repented that choice and he couldn’t understand such a behaviour; probably deep inside of him, an old feeling was surfacing, bringing back to light, for a single moment, the real sense of his soul.

Exenthar was now galloping out at full speed on his white horse. He was far away enough from Golstar’s maniple; he didn’t even had the time to think about a reason why he was still alive, but his only purpose was at the moment to run away as fast as possible without even turning back to see what was happening behind him…

In the meantime Golstar and his army were heading back to Derdian. Astar was not still conquered although most of his men were dead, so the main object now was to plan the future moves.

The survived men of Exenthar, believing their leader was dead, were trying to save themselves going back to Astar, with their hearts full of hope to plan in the close future a counter-attack. That was impossible due to the difference in number and power between them and Golstar’s army so they decided to stop by and hide for the moment.

In the meantime Exenthar, safe from the enemy’s attack, managed to take shelter in a small village in the land of Garrold, not far away from his men; he seeked refuge in an old inn that gave him hospitality. He started now to study a plan, a way to get in touch with Golstar again. He couldn’t stand not to recognize anymore the person with whom he used to spend so much time conspiring an eventual attack against Troghlor, but first of all, he couldn’t bear to lose, maybe forever, one of his best fellows, and that now his city was in such a bad danger.

He decided to go back to Astar to set up a plan to rescue his allied

That was how he started to think about what to do in order not to idle his time away. After that waters were calm again, he decided to go back to Astar to set up a plan to rescue his allied. He started wondering if there was a possible chance to involve Golstar’s feeling in a clever way; maybe the love for a woman was the right way to make him lower the guard.

So he started to look for a woman who could remind him of Loren, and, once he found her, he enrolled her between his men, making grow in her the desire of revenge towards Derdian and his army leader. When the time did come, he started his plan.

He endevoured to make Golstar meet in the woods this beautiful woman very badly wounded and in a very pitiful state, while he was out with his faithful men. At the first meeting, the woman should have done her best in order to get brought to Golstar’s palace to get healed. Once there, with the help of time, she should have gained Golstar’s trust. Then her task was going to be very hard, since she had to manage to get alone with Golstar trying to seduce him, and trying to take his memory back to his love for Loren, since, as Exenthar thought, this love was still burning in Golstar’s heart.

Everything was working in the right way until one day the suspicious Golstar put the woman on a try, and she fell in the trap. So unfortunately Golstar made his men kill this woman, and Exenthar who was observing everything without the chance to do nothing could just look his plan failing miserably. Golstar understood that this pantomime was organized by Exenthar, and now it was so clear that he was trying to make him fall in his trap to eliminate him; from that moment on, Golstar decided that, since his life was in danger, he should have been more and more careful because his enemy’s attacks were now arriving also in the most clever way as it was just happening with this weak undefended woman.

Exenthar’s plan was not to kill Golstar, but to take his past back to his memory that was now obscured by the spell of the evil gods, but Golstar could not even imagine it. His mind was wandering in the darkness and there was no place there for the good purposes of an old allied; so he doubled his guards to watch over his life, since when he wake up to when, although for a very short time, he could rest in the night.

In the meantime Exenthar, always keeping on trying to unleash Golstar’s mind from its spell, decided to use magic.

Not very far from there, in the forest on the border of Anubi’s land, existed a legendary man, Dorian was his name…

Not very far from there, in the forest on the border of Anubi’s land, existed a legendary man, Dorian was his name, but people used to call him Guardian of Souls. It seemed that he was able to get in touch with the spirits of the dead, but only with good purposes.

In fact Dorian was not a wicked man or a sorcerer, but just a kind of medium, able to awaken spirits from the overworld and to take them to the living world. His succeding in these evocations gave him his title of Guardian of Souls.

The new idea of Exenthar seemed to be a winning one: he was sure that in the bottom of his soul Golstar was not evil, but a person of good feelings able to feel the true love for his beloved Loren. Exenthar thought that the feelings of love could be much powerful than any spell. So he decided to try to make Golstar to get in touch with the spirit of Loren, hoping that her apparitions could in a way awaken in Golstar his nature and his good mind.

That’s how Exenthar entered in the forest looking for Dorian.

It wasn’t easy to find him but at the end in a very small house in the forest he could meet Dorian. He was an old man with long gray hair and beards. He welcomed Exenthar like he was used to do with all visitors who wanted to meet him; as said before he was not a bad man at all and he lived of the offers that all men who desidered to get in touch with the overworld were taking him; and it was a lot of people desiring this. Exenthar brought him gifts and food and Dorian was very grateful about it. He welcomed Exenthar, and very calmly he started telling Dorian what he needed. After some thinkings, Dorian explained to Exenthar that a white magic could have been made, so that the spirit of Loren could appear in the night to Golstar for a short period of time, and in this time he could still communicate with her as if she was still alive and at his side.

Exenthar was astonished and at the same time very glad of Dorian’s proposal, which seemed to be exactly what he needed in order to awaken Golstar from the evil spell. He thanked Dorian and left.

When he was back to Astar, Exenthar told his army about his meeting with the summoner and explained them his project to rescue Golstar with the help of the wise Dorian. He decided also that he must have increased his offensive power until he was able to get an army powerful enough to attack Derdian and Golstar in case that also Dorian’s plan was ineffective.

Dorian summoning started gradually to affect Golstar’s dreams…

Dorian summoning started gradually to affect Golstar’s dreams, who, at least in dreams, started again to feel human feelings, even if he didn’t recognize they were about Loren. In fact Dorian thought that in order for apparitions to be more effective, Golstar’s mind should have been first get used again to feel more common feelings. Golstar’s minds was in need of a sort of psycologic training, driven to the perception of human feelings.

Golstar’s nights started to be more and more restless. Dorian, aligning his magic mind to the king’s one, concentrated everyday his action on Golstar’s unconscious side; this way he started to remember the emblem of his ancient goodness: the alliance with the goddes Khali against the evil god Mohzer who had distinguished the ancient War of the Gods. [Divine Embrace]

Golstar was really confused and he could not understand what was happening to him. He couldn’t sleep at night and when he could his rest was tortured by ununderstandable dreams of a past he thought he has never lived. He was now really irritable. He was so angry and a huge sense of revenge against Exenthar grew inside of him so that he went to a fortune teller to know about Exenthar future. The prophecy this man gave about Exenthar was clear and disconcerting: Exenthar would have died in a short time, and Golstar would have been his murderer. This revelation made feel Golstar better, he trusted this fortune teller and he was happy to know that he would have been the one to put an end to the life of his main enemy; and he knew that Exenthar could do nothing about it.

Exenthar still hoped that Dorian’s spell was going to work but on the other side he was keeping increasing his army in case he needed to attack Derdian. This was not easy at all and the selection was merciless; only very powerful men, with big strategy and great value must have been enrolled in this army which had as only aim to get inside Derdian and to kill Golstar. The task was not easy at all, especially now that Golstar doubled his guards after the last try of conspiracy against him. But Exenthar believed in his plan, or better, he just hoped it would have worked, otherwise the evil would have win again. Also when the army would have been ready, then they would have need a strong strategy to get close to Golstar, and also this was going to be a very difficult mission to achieve. But the plan was keeping on…

Meanwhile apparently calm days were passing in the fortress of Derdian…

Meanwhile apparently calm days were passing in the fortress of Derdian. The reign was going on step by step but Golstar, remembering the prophecy of the fortune teller, started to plan a quick attack to Astar. The last big challenge that would have launched him in the Olympus of evilness. Both Astar and Derdian were strenghtening their own army looking forward the big and epic battle. An Astarian deserter went to Derdian telling Golstar that Exenthar was improving his military power in sight of an attack to sacred walls of Derdian. That was the starting sparkle. The strong leader moves his first step and soon he and his army were heading to Astar to attack first.

Golstar was very strong now thanks to the prophecy and really quickly he was in front of Astar where people were terrified and the whole city was in the most deep confusion. Exenthar, after he put in safe women and children, gathered the archers on the walls and the infantrymen on the drawbridge, ready to draw up in front of the enemies’ army.

The two powers were now ready to fight one in front of the other as in the most classical of the battles. Around them a huge, green and cold valley which very soon would have changed in a blood red valley.

The two leaders in central position of their own armies were standing in silence looking at each other deeply as long as the battle sign did play making the unavoidable battle begin.

The battle was very cruel, but the army of Exenthar managed to head Golstar’s one notwithstanding this last one was more strong in power and quantity of men. In the first moments of the battle a huge quantity of man did die on both armies so that the grass was not green anymore, and the ground was covered with blood and mutilated bodies. During the battle the strenght of Golstar and of his army came out and Exenthar was captured and brought in front of Golstar. While the king was standing on a hill looking at the ruins of Astar still burning with high flames, some soldiers brought him the proud Exenthar. Golstar took out his helmet and stabbed Exenthar in his heart.

But right in that moment that wound in some way hurted also Golstar. Exenthar body fell on the ground but the same Golstar found hard not to fall from his war-horse; he felt a pang in in his heart and his body started to tremble. He started to cry while looking at his dead enemy, he wasn’t almost remembering anything, he didn’t know who he was and what he was doing, and first of all why he killed that man. That war seemed now to him a nightmare, he couldn’t understand if he was dreaming or if he was awake but just awaken from a dream.

“My love, did you forget me? How could you do that? … ”

Suddenly as in a very far place from there, Dorian finished to cast his spell, Loren appeared in front of Golstar and she started to talk to him: “My love, did you forget me? How could you do that? Don’t you remember our life together and the wicked injustice committed by the evil Troghlor who separated our happy hearts and our harmonious existence? I won’t close the door, my love. Every night I’ll wait for the time to come. And now I fall, in the silence of my life, looking for your eyes, till the end of time, forevermore…” and suddenly she disappeared.

Golstar, shocked, fell from his warhorse and cuddled crying the dead body of his old allied. The spell was over. Golstar’s body was now free and he could remember everything. But all what happened could not be canceled.

Step by step he started remembering everything about his last months and the evil things he has done while his heart was under that evil influence. Meanwhile the battle was continuing and his army had almost completely triumphed, when with a peremptory order, he stopped it and decide to save the last surviving soldiers of Exenthar. He galopped back to Derdian followed by his army.

During the journey he had a completely clear portrait of all what happened and he cried, he wished he wasn’t him, but now he remembered, the defeat, the spell, Troghlor, Loren’s death… all was so clear now. He wished he can escape far away from what seemed to be a real nightmare, in another world, in another place, but he just could not. Now he had another moral mission: people of Derdian must have changed their course. While his horse was running he closed his eyes and tried to get estranged from all what was happening around him; his mind was now in another place and was thinking about the apparition of his beloved Loren.

Once Golstar reached the fortress he convened a popular meeting in which he announced that he had something to tell to all his reign and to all the citizens who were ready to listen to him.

No more fights, no more violence, no more tortures.

A huge crowd gathered, the troops drew up waiting and from the balcony of the palace Golstar appeared and started to speak. His speach was really touching: he talked to the people about all happenings of the last era, since before his coming, until when he wanted to make Derdian and its reign free from Troghlor tiranny, the alliance with his late friend Exenthar, his defeating in the war of the gods and at the end the spell. Now he was another man. He wanted to make clear that from that moment on, the dictatorship was over. Derdian’s reign since that moment and forever would have been democratic: stop with wars, conquers and blood. Only democracy, finally people would have been free, and finally peace, serenity and joint relationship with close reigns. No more fights, no more violence, no more tortures.

An incredible ovation lasted for several tenths of minutes, people exulted for their new freedom, that was the starting sparkle for a new feeling of peace and joy which gave life to a huge party in the whole city.

Suddenly the city has been awakened from this evil torpor where it was laying on for years and soon positive feelings of moral and spiritual revenge started to spread all around. All evil gods were banished and although they couldn’t fight them phisycally, people started to fight them spiritually. There was a new life coming for the reign of Derdian.

Epilogue

The gods were completely vexed. They managed during all these years to make Derdian an evil outpost, but now all these stupid feelings of democracy, loyalty and peace inborn in the spirit of people transformed Derdian in a weak city unable to go on with the evil path that the Gods planned for it.

This rebellion to evil could not just exist, this defeat for the gods could not just happen, or if it necessarily had to happen, the gods decided that they will not lose alone. They must make something and, if Derdian didn’t want to follow them anymore, then Derdian didn’t deserve to exist anymore and also Golstar which managed to defeat their evil spell.

The evil gods decided that Derdian and all the lands around must disappear from the face of the planet… They caused a real apocalypse on the fortress of Derdian and on the surrounding valley: the ground started to tremble and crushed letting out rivers of magma, blood rain started overflowing the reign, lightnings and fire columns from the sky.

All this was so powerful and quick that Derdian sank in the abyss of the ocean beneath and stopped to exist forever. Together with it all its inhabitants disappeared and Golstar was one of the first dying. In his last moments his heart was pure and free from evil. His spirit could finally meet again his beloved Lady Loren and together they joined the infinity.

That was how all that remains of Derdian’s reign was now free. The wicked gods, really annoyed for the extreme but necessary solution they had to made, were keeping observing a world which was taking back its own freedom and peace. But the gods did also know that one day they would have been ready for a new journey in the evil that one day they started on Derdian and one day they will start somewhere else. Their power was now over.

The reign of the evil seemed to be defeated, for now…