11-26-2023, 12:56 AM
Jaxen’s head was reeling from the hallucination in the garden while he made his way back to the chamber. It wasn’t easy. The same twisting, turning halls that looped back upon each other became his own personal labyrinth.
Jaxen eventually reached his limit. Halting abruptly, he threw his hands in exasperation.
“Alright! I’m ready! Come on let’s get this over with,” he declared. Time seemed to stretch on as he stood there, but nothing happened. After what felt like an eternity, a subtle change in the atmosphere signaled that he was no longer alone. A creeping sensation of being watched crawled up his spine. Hesitantly, he turned, only to recoil in shock.
There, mere inches from his face, loomed a pair of immense, obsidian-black eyes, their depth and size startlingly inhuman. Jaxen's heart leaped into his throat, a surge of adrenaline jolting him as he barely stifled a startled cry.
A long string of curses tumbled out while his heart resumed its normal beating.
He submitted to being escorted, and upon entering the chamber once more, the alien royals observed him with their inscrutable gazes as returned to the center.
"I'll agree to your terms," Jaxen announced, his voice carrying a firmness that belied his discomfort here. He couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease, and it pissed him off that he was so dependent on their whims.
The treaty was presented to him again, the strange, unreadable script shimmering on the surface that was neither tablet, paper nor parchment. Jaxen took the offered stylus, an instrument as strange as the document itself, and signed. The moment he did, he felt a subtle shift in the air, as if reality itself acknowledged the pact.
"Now, my wishes," Jaxen said, his mind clear on what he needed.
"First, I wish to return to my world, to my home, as soon as possible."
The rulers nodded, a faint glow emanating from their hands, signifying the preparation of his wish.
"Second, I want to know how the sword of Light of Nuada works, so I can use it effectively."
Again, the rulers nodded and visions began to flood Jaxen's mind.
First, he saw a mighty king with long, bright red hair, garbed in battle regalia scuffed by the marks of countless battles. The king stood tall and proud, masterfully wielding the shining sword.
The visions shifted, flowing through time like a river. He watched as the sword passed from one warrior to another, each descendant bearing it with honor and valor. The sword's light never dimmed, its power on display with each owner.
Then the perspective soared across an ocean, following the sword's journey to a new land. Here, it found its way into the hands of another king, a ruler of different lands and people, yet bound by the same legacy. This king bestowed it upon a young, blonde prince. The prince was the epitome of heroism, his features noble and fair, and his heart as brave as the warriors who came before him.
In a turn of fate, the prince, driven by love and the pursuit of a beautiful bride, entrusted the sword to his loyal servant.
The visions took a darker turn as the sword then came into the possession of a dark-haired witch. Her presence in Jaxen's visions was a stark contrast to those before her. She wielded the sword not with the nobility of the warriors and kings but with a covetous and dangerous grace. There was something about her that struck a chord of recognition in Jaxen. He didn't know her name, but her image evoked a sense of familiarity laced with an undercurrent of danger.
The visions faded with a flash of green light, and Jaxen blinked as the surroundings came back into view. He’d seen the sword used by previous owners, and while none of the faces were known to him, he wondered if anyone was Nuada himself.
"Third," Jaxen continued once his voice was steady. The immediate bestowing of the wish still bounced in his head, and he was eager to get home to the sword and try it out. "I want the Atharim to stop chasing me and leave me alone.”
At this, the rulers exchanged sly glances. Then, with a gesture that seemed to weave the wish into reality, they sealed his final request, but nothing happened as far as Jaxen could tell.
"As you have wished, so it shall be," the rulers intoned together. "The treaty is bound, and so is our agreement."
"This portal will take you back to your world," the fox-like ruler explained as a curtain of light shimmered into existence like a doorway.
Jaxen stepped towards the portal, pausing for a moment to look back at the rulers, wondering what the hell this was all about, but at least he was going to wind up in his own condo. First thing he intended to do was take a hot shower. He shuddered and stepped through.
Jaxen eventually reached his limit. Halting abruptly, he threw his hands in exasperation.
“Alright! I’m ready! Come on let’s get this over with,” he declared. Time seemed to stretch on as he stood there, but nothing happened. After what felt like an eternity, a subtle change in the atmosphere signaled that he was no longer alone. A creeping sensation of being watched crawled up his spine. Hesitantly, he turned, only to recoil in shock.
There, mere inches from his face, loomed a pair of immense, obsidian-black eyes, their depth and size startlingly inhuman. Jaxen's heart leaped into his throat, a surge of adrenaline jolting him as he barely stifled a startled cry.
A long string of curses tumbled out while his heart resumed its normal beating.
He submitted to being escorted, and upon entering the chamber once more, the alien royals observed him with their inscrutable gazes as returned to the center.
"I'll agree to your terms," Jaxen announced, his voice carrying a firmness that belied his discomfort here. He couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease, and it pissed him off that he was so dependent on their whims.
The treaty was presented to him again, the strange, unreadable script shimmering on the surface that was neither tablet, paper nor parchment. Jaxen took the offered stylus, an instrument as strange as the document itself, and signed. The moment he did, he felt a subtle shift in the air, as if reality itself acknowledged the pact.
"Now, my wishes," Jaxen said, his mind clear on what he needed.
"First, I wish to return to my world, to my home, as soon as possible."
The rulers nodded, a faint glow emanating from their hands, signifying the preparation of his wish.
"Second, I want to know how the sword of Light of Nuada works, so I can use it effectively."
Again, the rulers nodded and visions began to flood Jaxen's mind.
First, he saw a mighty king with long, bright red hair, garbed in battle regalia scuffed by the marks of countless battles. The king stood tall and proud, masterfully wielding the shining sword.
The visions shifted, flowing through time like a river. He watched as the sword passed from one warrior to another, each descendant bearing it with honor and valor. The sword's light never dimmed, its power on display with each owner.
Then the perspective soared across an ocean, following the sword's journey to a new land. Here, it found its way into the hands of another king, a ruler of different lands and people, yet bound by the same legacy. This king bestowed it upon a young, blonde prince. The prince was the epitome of heroism, his features noble and fair, and his heart as brave as the warriors who came before him.
In a turn of fate, the prince, driven by love and the pursuit of a beautiful bride, entrusted the sword to his loyal servant.
The visions took a darker turn as the sword then came into the possession of a dark-haired witch. Her presence in Jaxen's visions was a stark contrast to those before her. She wielded the sword not with the nobility of the warriors and kings but with a covetous and dangerous grace. There was something about her that struck a chord of recognition in Jaxen. He didn't know her name, but her image evoked a sense of familiarity laced with an undercurrent of danger.
The visions faded with a flash of green light, and Jaxen blinked as the surroundings came back into view. He’d seen the sword used by previous owners, and while none of the faces were known to him, he wondered if anyone was Nuada himself.
"Third," Jaxen continued once his voice was steady. The immediate bestowing of the wish still bounced in his head, and he was eager to get home to the sword and try it out. "I want the Atharim to stop chasing me and leave me alone.”
At this, the rulers exchanged sly glances. Then, with a gesture that seemed to weave the wish into reality, they sealed his final request, but nothing happened as far as Jaxen could tell.
"As you have wished, so it shall be," the rulers intoned together. "The treaty is bound, and so is our agreement."
"This portal will take you back to your world," the fox-like ruler explained as a curtain of light shimmered into existence like a doorway.
Jaxen stepped towards the portal, pausing for a moment to look back at the rulers, wondering what the hell this was all about, but at least he was going to wind up in his own condo. First thing he intended to do was take a hot shower. He shuddered and stepped through.