//Chernobyl virus? Your computer has a nuclear reactor? Razz Anyway, that sucks. Your HDD is completely gone, or were you able to salvage anything at all?\
The impending confrontation drew ever closer. Confronted by the Kandarinian Sovereignty on one side, and the Shroud on the other, Alex felt like he had it all to lose…
Sitting on one of the benches under a gaslight, Alex pondered his next move. While he wanted to remain here until morning, he felt Carmine and whatever force he had at his disposal would reach him long before. Now that Alex had a new Twili weapon to use, hopefully he could fight both Carmine and the Shroud with it…
It was a moonless night, allowing the stars to prevail, but even the thousands upon thousands of stars in the sky could not drape the land in the ghostly blue aura a full moon could. All the better for the Shroud. Morning was still countless hours away, and waiting for it seemed like an eternity and a half.
Alex could admit to himself, but no one else, that he was scared out of his skull. He tried to allay his fears by saying he had fought hundreds of Kandies before, but never something like the Shroud. But then again, he had only heard what everyone had told him to avoid…by suppressing the Shroud, it would become far more zealous to gain control. If Alex could bait the Shroud little by little, maybe he could beat it, and ultimately, master it. It didn’t come without risk though. Give too much and the Shroud could take it all from him.
You are troubled…you fear my mastery of your body? Perhaps your fears are mistaken…you would not have accepted me unless you wanted something to gain, correct? Perhaps you have more to gain than you believe… The last Bearer was of a dark faith…he was not pure…he was an easy vessel to corrupt…he was selfish. My observations tell me you are his polar opposite…perhaps some good can come of this. If you can prove yourself a capable host, I will be at your mercy without objection. Fail however, and pay the price. This is your test. Are you afraid of the dark?
Alex couldn’t help but consider what it was saying, despite his feelings of it telling him what he wanted to hear. Would it lie to protect itself?
Do you not trust me? You forge alliances on trust, and enemies on paranoia. Fear me, and I will betray you. Accept me, and I shall be your greatest ally. Everyone must overcome their fears sooner or later…your time is now.
Why did it sound so sincere coming from such a sinister entity?
Fear leads to corruption. Corruption leads to defeat. Defeat leads to suffering. Do you want to suffer? No one wants to suffer. Then why do you resist this gift? This power can be either a curse or a blessing, it is what you want it to be. The last Bearer wanted it to be a curse, and so it became. You are a clean slate, however. If you wish for it to be a gift, so shall it be. For it to be a gift, you cannot suppress it. Suppressing leads to cursing, and cursing leads to fear. Fear leads to corruption, corruption to defeat, and defeat to suffering. It is what you want it to be. What do you want it to be?
He could only whisper, “a gift…”
You are of pure faith and heart. You are the true Bearer of the Shroud. I am at your control, your mercy. I am your sword to wield. Overcoming a fear is the greatest trial of man, and the sole reason to live. You have overcome your fear. You have passed my test.
Just like that, a demonic tentacle, willed by Alex, impaled the gaslight above, draping him in darkness. The Shroud emerged, snapped at the air, hungry for vengeance fueled by Alex’s burning passion. He was in control. He had succeeded where the last Bearer had failed. He had turned the Shroud from a curse into a weapon. As soon as it had emerged, Alex thrust it back, the Shroud willingly obeying his commands. As the it slunk back, he smirked. Carmine was in for it now.
“Alex?” Midna asked him, who had just return from elsewhere, “Are you okay now? Why are you smiling?”
“I did it,” Alex replied, his voice quavering. “It submitted to me. It wants me to control it.”
“I can’t believe it,” Midna said, shocked. “No one’s succeeded in that venture before. Now that it’s yours to command, there’s no telling what could be done with it. You know, Alex, maybe you gave it its own test, too. It wanted you to overcome your fear of it, but you forced it to overcome its fear of your control over it first. Since the overcoming was mutual, peace has been reached. It’s at your command now. Use it as a weapon.”
“I intend to,” Alex replied. “But what about the Aura of the Juggernaut?”
“It was only intended as a last resort,” Midna replied. “The Shroud feeds on the darkness, and won’t be able to help you in bright light. Incidentally, Twili magic is partially fueled by light, partially by darkness. It could save your life.”
“You might wanna relay this to the elders,” Alex replied, “and tell them they were right to have never given up on me. I owe them a thanks.”
“Will do,” Midna replied, readying another portal. “Will you stay here?”
“I’ve gotta be ready for whatever tricks Carmine has,” Alex said. “I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“I do, anyway,” Midna replied, disappearing through the portal.
Once again alone, Alex opened his mind to what the Shroud had to say.
Only a matter of time before those who have wronged you are shown justice…you are the judge, Alex, and it is time to hear the appeals.
Carmine sniffed the air. It was growing more humid. Asgarnia couldn’t be too far now. As he walked, Adam Estacado walked by his side.
Vanguards were a soldier to admire, at least in Carmine’s eyes. It took a special kind of strength to be as effective as they were expected to be. The equipment, designed specifically for Vanguard use, was incomprehensively heavy. He figured the mortar and armor combined weighed over a hundred kilos. Even though Vanguards had no speargun or wrist blades as backup weapons, brute force was often a Vanguard’s greatest weapon. Otherwise rendered useless to a speargunner, a Vanguard could use the mortar cannon as a bone-shattering bludgeon once drained of power. They were not to be taken lightly. Most Vanguards however, lacked tactical intelligence that other, specially trained soldiers had. Estacado was a different case however, he was as bright as an Asgarnian gaslight, often targeting key parts of a large target to destroy first, so as to make the fight easier for his allies. Carmine liked him, and believed him to be a valuable asset.
Finally, Asgarnia could be seen as dim splotches of light on the horizon, far down the forested path. The spire however, made an excellent landmark. They couldn’t have been further than ten miles from the city now. Finally, Carmine would have the chance to give Alex what he deserved.
But Alex knew what Carmine deserved.
