Prologue: I Summon Victory

The boy stood alone amongst the charred rubble of his village. His eyes were reddened as his hands clutched the soft earth underneath him. The knights stood around him surrounding him on all sides. A couple of them chuckled as they looked down at him.

“Are you sure you don’t know where they are, boy?” one of them asked. “There could be a house we missed.” The others erupted in laughter as the boy shivered in fear. He could hear the sounds of footsteps behind him, followed by light clanking of armor. All the knights grew silent as they knelt down.

“Your highness,” they spoke in unison. The boy stood still as he heard the man behind him breathe.

“Is he all that’s left?” he asked in a sharp tone.

“Yes, your highness,” they answered. One gave a bow before he arose. “We made sure that none fled.”

“Hmm,” he sighed. The boy suddenly felt a cold hard hand grab his shoulder and dig its fingers down to the boy. He tried not to wince but he let out a whimper as the prince’s grip tightened.

The prince looked at his men and glared at them. “And why, pray tell, is this boy still breathing?”

“Well. . .” said one, before the prince ordered him to be silent.

“We don’t have time for frivolity,” he moaned. “This war will never be over if we keep fussing about.”

“We’re sorry your majesty,” said the man closest to them. “We can finish him off now.”

“No,” said the prince flatly. He looked around the charred houses of the once quiet hamlet and sighed. “All you had to do was finish them off before the night fell, and look . . .” he pointed up to the sky which now twinkled with the soft white stars the boy knew all too well. “Dusk has long since passed and now the Vespers will be out before we’re able to make it back with the main regiment.”

The knights stood silent as the prince sighed. The boy tried to shake himself free but was quickly knocked down as the prince slapped him with his gauntlet. “Stupid urchin!” he roared. “Did you think that I would let you get away and live?!” He grabbed the boy by the throat and began to choke him with his face revealing his glee.

The boy’s eyes raced everywhere for anything to help. Someone, something, anyone, anything. He felt his body growing limp as the prince jostled him back and forth to speed up the process. The boy’s eyes started to close when a small howl erupted throughout the hamlet. The prince dropped the boy to the ground and quickly drew out his broadsword.

“You see?!” hissed at his men. “What did I tell you? The Vespers are upon us.” He stormed over to his men and pushed them into formation.

“Wait my lord,” whispered one of his men. “What about the boy?”

The prince sneered at the boy squirming on the ground as he grasped for breath. “Who cares for that whelp?” He spat upon the boy and laughed. “He wouldn’t be an issue if you all had performed your duty.” The howl sounded again and the prince searched for its owner. After seconds had passed he seemed agitated at the sight of the ruined village. “You’d think that they’d have better defenses to safeguard their families,” he chuckled. “And yet they wonder why they are the peasants?”

One of his men nudged his arm and the prince sighed. “I guess if we have to do something with him just throw him into one of those burning houses. If any of them still stand. We don’t have time to see him off properly. Else we won’t make it back before we’re outnumbered.”

The boy lay flat against the ground as his body heaved air in and out. The prince grabbed him by the neck and frowned as the boy cried out. “It did not save your family and it will not save you now.” He jostled the boy as he made his way to a half-standing wide house that still resembled the inferno that started the blaze. “This must’ve been the chief’s house, hmm?” he asked the boy as he kept a firm grip on his throat.

The boy saw the house and mumbled as his words struggled to escape his lips. The prince bent down to his hear and chuckled. “Let me guess what you’re trying to say,” he said. “Oh please don’t do it. I didn’t do anything. Why are you doing this?” He laughed again as he shook his head at the boy. “I’ll tell you why, boy,” he said. He walked closer to the house and felt the flames as they raced out, almost inviting the boy to join them. The prince bent down to the boy’s ear again and whispered, “Because you lived.” Without another word he hurled the boy into the flames.

As soon as the boy’s body entered the house the flames engulfed him and exploded out of the house. The prince backed away as the boy’s body vanished into ashes. He snickered at what he imagined where the boy’s last thoughts as his men came rushing over to him.

“Your highness, you’re right,” said one of his men. “The Vespers are out in full force tonight.”

“Who cares?” he moaned. He swung his sword around and smiled. “I’m feeling a bit battle-starved anyway. How about you?” His men roared in cheers as more howls sounded in the night. “We’ll make it out of here alive men,” he said. “This war will be over before sunrise.”

Before long the grand house crumbled and the inferno erupted into a column of fire. Within moments the column dispersed into steam as large shadows scavenged through the charred rubble. Long, thin, darkened fingers stretched out into the halls and stopped upon a small injured body. Hands formed around the body and quickly smacked the debris away. The body lay flat and still upon the ground as a hand reached out and tapped the boy’s head.

The boy awoke choking and coughing as his lungs filled with the poisonous ashes. Arms formed from the shadows and rushed the boy out of the house and into a small clearing outside of the house. They gently placed him on the ground as the boy coughed into the grass around him. As he looked around his vision become less and less blurry until he spied his family’s house burned to the ground. Once more he tried to speak but nothing came out but cries.

The shadows swirled around until they formed a large man concealed in dark and white armor. The boy backed away at the sight of him but the man kneeled down with his hand outstretched. A thin line appeared on the man’s face and it spoke. “Do not fear me,” it bellowed. “I wish to help you.”

The boy shook his head as he tried to stand but buckled under his own weight. The man caught him and the boy’s eyes widened as two dark circles appeared on its once featureless face. “Do not fear me,” it repeated, “For I am your power.”

“I don’t want power,” the boy cried. “I want my home.”

The man glanced back at what once was and the boy wondered if he was going to throw him back in the house. “I am sorry,” he said. “But that is gone now. Only you and I remain.”

The boy said nothing as tears fell from his eyes down to his cheeks. He rubbed his still sore throat and felt the indents made by the prince’s grasp. A great fury started to burn within him as he looked at his house.

The man saw the boy shiver and stood up. “I am what you require,” he stated. “The power to avenge is what I offer and victory is yours through me alone.”

Again the boy tried to stand and as his knees wobbled he slowly stood up. He walked to his home and clenched his fists till his palms bleed. The man followed him closely and felt the rage turn into a boil inside the boy.

“If you wish vengeance,” he said, “If you want victory, then you must summon me.”

The boy turned to the man his eyes still stained red and nodded. The man reached out his hand and before the boy could grasp it a bright blue sword burst into the man’s hand. The boy’s eyes widened as crimson red flames swirled around the blue blade’s black hilt. The boy slowly reached out his hand to take it but stopped when the man cleared his throat.

“Understand what I offer,” he said. “Should you use this power and lose, your life is forever forfeit. I offer only the tool to secure what you desire.”

The boy nodded again.

“Very well,” said the man. He stretched out his hand to the boy who slowly grabbed the blade’s hilt and winced as the flames wrapped around his hand. The man vanished as soon as the boy grasped the sword. Alone the boy marveled at the large sword that he held with ease.

Suddenly he heard sounds of clanking armor behind him and whirled around to see knights heading towards him. His grip tightened on the blade as they charged at him. He could hear a deep voice speak inside him. “Summon me,” it whispered.

The boy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He waited until the men got closer and shot open his eyes. They stood with their swords drawn and high over their heads as they stood a few feet from him. He took one last look at his home as they raced towards him. “Goodbye,” he whispered.

He glared at the men as they hurled curses at him. He took a stance with his blade and shouted, “I SUMMON VICTORY!” The shadows encircled him within seconds instantly repelling the knights’ blades as they fell back onto the ground. The boy now stood above them in a strange colored armor wearing a helmet of unknown sigils. All they could see were two blazing blue flames in the visor. The next thing they saw was the sword swinging down at them.