The HaRT Knight Decaverse

Heir of Magic

Chapter 03

The Beginning

Three days later, as the golden light of the rising sun crept over the horizon and into his room, Alexander gave up on trying to sleep. A carrier hawk from the Moondrakes had arrived the previous night to inform them they would arrive the next morning, and ever since, Alexander had been so excited to start his magic training he had barely slept. As Bibi still snored, he made his way into the monastery courtyard only to find he was not the first person to rise. All the monks were already up and busy. The light of the rising sun transformed their white robes golden as they all moved in tandem to perform the series of rehearsed battle movements from what they called the twelve dances. Alexander watched them for a while, mesmerized by way in which they all moved in perfect sync.
“Would you like to try?” a calm voice said behind Alexander.
“What? Oh, no, thank you. I wouldn’t know how to keep up with everyone,” Alexander said. “You’re Kata, right?”
“Yes, you remember. I feel honored and grateful,” Kata said with a warm smile. He gestured to his fellow monks. “If you wish, I can teach you. Not all our ways are secret. To try and fail will not offend us. In fact, it will gladden our hearts to share what is precious to us with you.”
“So you have secrets you don’t teach outsiders,” Alexander diverted the conversation.
“Oh, yes. This was not always so. But we learned the hard way that not all can be trusted with certain things. Though, I suspect, if you ask, these things will be taught to you. The monks of Amobiel are indebted to your family,” Kata said.
Alexander gave the monk a curious look. “My family. What are you talking about?”
“It is all right. You need not fear that we will reveal who you are. The wizard tried to hide it, but to those who choose to see, the truth is always visible. Come, I will show you what I mean.”
Alexander hesitated for a moment, but eventually concluded that there was no harm in following Kata. The monk led the way through the halls until they came across a series of frescoes painted onto stucco reliefs, and Alexander understood why the monk wanted to show them to him. On three of the panels was the image of an angelian whose wings the artist had recreated with hundreds of diamonds.
“This was your forefather, I believe. Angelus Primus. He was friends with the father of this monastery and my ancestor, Amobiel,” Kata showed him the image of an old man who stood at the top of what looked like the monastery. “This wall, it tells the story of why we are indebted to you and also, why there are things we do not share with just anyone. It tells the story of Vorlian.”
Vorlian and Angelus, Alexander realized. The fallen monk who had achieved a power akin to godhood and had been one of his ancestor’s greatest foes. The tale had always been one of his favorite bedtime stories.
“So this is the actual monastery where Vorlian came from,” Alexander said in amazement.
“Yes,” Kata showed him the panel that showed the monks finding a baby on the steps in front of the monastery. The frescos then followed the baby through his life where he was raised by the monks. There came a point where he obtained the mysterious power he would eventually use to dominate much of the world. It showed him meditating, floating a few feet off the ground with an aura around him and a third eye on his forehead. In the next relief—that was a scene of bloodshed and horror—Vorlian’s appearance was drastically different, though Alexander suspected the artist had taken artistic license. He was too big, too muscular. If someone like him were to exist, their one arm alone would have been as big as Kata was. The three-eyed monk stood on a mound of corpses with the old monk Amobiel clutched in his right hand.
The panels went on to represent atrocity after atrocity until Angelus appeared. Angelus and Vorlian clashed above mountains, reducing them to dust, the very spot where Angelus would erect his city that would stand until Cain destroyed it. In the last relief, the fallen monk was on his knees before the Angelian who had restrained him with chains represented by more diamonds.
“You think you owe me because Angelus stopped the man who killed your grandfather?” Alexander said.
“No. All the Amobiel Monks owe you, because your ancestor stopped a monster we created and could not stop.” Kata’s eyes flitted to the side, and he said, “Though, it would seem I’ll have to wait to repay the debt.”
Alexander turned and followed the monk’s gaze through a door that looked out onto the beach where Dante stood, waving up at a ship that flew through the sky towards the island. The ship descended to just above the ocean but its hull never touched the surface of the water.
“I wish you good luck, Alexander Angelus. A hard path lies before you, but the world is counting on you,” Kata said.
Hunting owls make more noise, Alexander thought when he turned back to the monk only to find he was already gone.
With no possessions to speak of anymore, he ran out onto the beach and came to stand next to Dante as the flying ship slowed and touched down on the water as it came to a halt next to the beach. Two figures shot over the side of the ship and glided down onto the sandy beach.
Alexander couldn’t find his voice when the two figures landed next to him. They had the bodies of men, muscled and strong, but feathers covered their shoulders, legs, and their faces which, while still begin bird-like, were still human. The one resembled a crow, while the other looked like a kite. They wore brass helmets shined to perfection and were shaped to change their wearer’s appearance to more closely resemble birds, beaks and all. Instead of hands, they each had what resembled the feet of birds. Each of them held a rope in one of their hands and a bronze spear in the other. They pulled at the ropes, bringing a gangplank flying down from the deck of the ship. Both the bird-men bowed their heads to Alexander and Dante, their wings folding around their bodies like cloaks as they did so.
“I am Faulkner of Moondrake, F-one recruit of the Armada,” the Moondrake that looked like a kite said.
“I am Ai-Ai of Moondrake, F-four Private of the Armada,” the one who resembled a crow said.
Dante bowed in the same way as they had and Alexander followed suit. As he did, the wizard spoke, “I am Dante Vizor, septim and Mage Supreme of the order of Zacchaeus. And I am accompanying the Prince of Angelia, Alexander Angelus.”
“But these days, he is better known as Alex Twin Blade from The Golden Spear.” Said a voice with heavy and rhythmic accent. “You may stand up straight, young Prince. There is no need for formalities with me. I am Claus, your future instructor in aeroturgy.”
The Moondrake that spoke was huge. He stood head and shoulders taller than Alexander, something that hadn’t happened for years now. He resembled an eagle, proud and impressive.
“Thank you, Grand Admiral Claus, for escorting us to your city,” Dante said as he straightened his back. “I did not expect you to come in person.”
Claus nodded. “It is my privilege to escort you. It’s not every day I get to meet a new student of mine born without wings. Now, come aboard and join us, my new friends. We can’t stay too long.”
With this, he turned and walked back up the gangplank. Faulkner and Ai-Ai remained on the beach below, staring at their surroundings curiously.
As Dante and Alexander made their way onto the ship, the old wizard said, “This is it, the first step on the road to Cain’s downfall.”
And to avenging my mother, Alexander added in his head. “And so it begins.”