64 Celestial Steel (1/2)
Will stepped towards the Ragnos. His black trench coat flapped in the breeze, showing tiny rips and tears that had appeared after the recent struggle with Aremesis. ”I hope you don't want me to grovel at your feet like a dog.” He said sarcastically. ”You already seem to have a pet.”
Ragnos smirked. ”Cainus acts that way due to my disapproval of him where as you,” he gestured with his hand. ”Are quite the opposite.”
”What has all of this been about? Why have you not been here?” Will couldn't contain himself any longer. He wanted to know why so many challenges had been placed upon him. Why his life had gone from ordinary to something else.
”I have been here, William.” Ragnos said as he looked at the castle. ”I have been within the bloodline of my descendants for a thousand years, waiting for you.”
What exactly makes me so special? Will thought as he tried to make sense of the God's words.
”You are the anomaly, my boy.” Ragnos said with a smile. ”You were the only one who could bring me out of my blood sleep and return. You were born here, but raised somewhere different, somewhere the politics could not follow. Up until this point, you have acted soely on instinct.” Looking at the castle once more, he continued. ”My line was never meant to rule a kingdom, William. You are from a line of nomad kings, those who rule everything and nothing. The land is our home and its people are our subjects. All kings and queens bow to our word.”
Will thought of the many places he had gone within Ebonhart. He had never thought of it as his duty to take on the challenges he faced, instead he felt it was right.
”So in other words, I am to roam the planet and set right the wrongs other kingdoms have committed.” He thought back to some of his favorite books. To the adventures of the seeker. The main character faced many challenges he himself had faced. Going to different lands and freeing slaves, lowering taxes, keeping evil at bay.
”I suppose that's one way to look at it, yes.” Ragnos said, stroking his chin in thought.
”That would make Maya my Kahlan.” He muttered to himself.
”What was that?” Ragnos raised an eyebrow.
”Nevermind.” Will waved off the question.
”What the hell,” Ragnos said with a smirk. ”I said don't worry about formalities, but there are limits even for me.”
”Sorry,” Will said sheepishly. ”I just see a lot of similarities to a novel series I enjoy. A hero who knows nothing of magic or responsibility besides being a woodsguide is thrusted into a position he never asked for. Kings and queens had to bow to his wisdom even though he did everything on instinct.”
”That is quite the similarity.” Ragnos gave a nod. ”I should check out that series sometime.” He muttered to himself.
”Anyway,” Will sighed. ”How did the Ragnos line get wrapped up in politics? Why are we a royal line within Ebonhart?”
As Will asked, he noticed Ragnos's mood darken. ”The rest of my line doesn't matter, William. I've been waiting for you, but enough talk,” he removed a pendant from around his neck. ”Do you know what this is?” Bringing it close to him, Will noticed a plain cross within the God's palm.
”That's a lineage weapon, right?” Will brought his own out from inside his jacket and brought it close to the one Ragnos held.
”If that's what you wish to call it, yes.” Ragnos said as he closed his palm and held it in front of himself. ”And what exactly can it do?”
Will brought his own to his chest. Without looking away from Ragnos, he released a burst of crimson and gold flame, which stretched in a straight line in front of him. When the flame died, his ruby pommeled sword replaced it. The black and opal gems glinted in the light of the dying fire.
”I've noticed a few uses for my weapon so far.” Will looked at his blade. With a controlled breath, he allowed a slight breeze to appear within the field. Slowly, the soft breeze picked up until a tornado formed around him, obscuring Ragnos's vision. In moments, he cut through the gale, showing a gold embroidered scythe with three gems within the pole. ”With each element I unlock, I also unlock a weapon which emulates the aura.”
”Interesting theory, but.” Ragnos raised his own pendant to the sky. An inferno of raw energy, a color Will couldn't comprehend, surrounded the god. It looked almost as if every color in a bolt of lightning surrounded Ragnos giving it a pure white appearance, yet with the lining of purple, blue, red and other colors swirling in one massive aura. ”If that were true,” Ragnos's voice boomed from the inferno. ”What exactly do you make of this?” His form reappeared in a pure black suit of armor.
The breastplate was adorned in a light, barely noticeable gilding of gold which followed paths leading to the gauntlets, leggings and boots of the armor. Will's eyes went wide when he noticed the belt of the suit. It held two knives on one side, on the other, a long sword and short sword. On his back was a greatsword and battleaxe crossing each other. In his hand was an obsidian black staff which rested in the dirt.
”You've got to be kidding me.” Will could only stare at Ragnos. Compared to the God's arsenal, he felt as if he were holding a stick to a nuclear warhead.
”It's celestial steel, William.” Ragnos said as he took out his greatsword. ”To the others, it can form only one weapon but to us, just one piece of the steel is enough to summon whatever we need for battle.”
Will listened intently to the god as he went in depth into the power only he could explain. ”With your current ability, you should be able to summon at least four items from that cross.”
”That would have been useful against the god of death.” Will said partly to himself. ”Why have I only been able to summon my sword in the past?” He looked at his scythe and imagined the planets worth of distance in power between him and the god.
”You have mastered three of the seven elements so far.” Ragnos said as he looked at the scythe's gems. ”But what about your combat proficiency? Have you been taught combat beyond single weapon training?”
Will scratched his head, thinking about the past. ”Jonathan did a lot of polearm training with me while I was growing up,” he said as he thought of the many trips around the country. The isolated locations that his dad used to throw a pole at him, telling him to 'defend yourself.' ”When I got to Crystallia, Michael focused on sword training for a few months with me.” Will shrugged his shoulders. ”I suppose I just got comfortable enough with just a sword.”
Nodding his head, Ragnos drew the long and short sword from his belt. ”Would your sword or polearm training gone over incapacitating an enemy who wields two blades?” He readied himself in a half crouch. Raising the short sword over his head in stabbing position, he brought the longer blade out diagonally in front of his body defensively. Taking half a step forward, he readied himself to lunge at Will in any moment.
Taking a defensive stance, Will brought his scythe in front of him in preparation of the gods first strike. ”I guess I'll find out soon.” He gave a half smile.
”I like you, William!” Ragnos roared as he closed the distance between them. ”You take on any challenge, regardless of the effort!” His long sword met the staff.
The blow was almost enough to knock Will off his feet. Ragnos took advantage of the moment and crouched under the guard, bringing the short sword under and upward to Will's neck.
Will noticed in time and twisted the blade of the scythe to block the short swords path. Staggering slightly, he pushed his full force into the scythe and threw Ragnos back a few feet.