2. Sebastian Gandigan I: The Prince Of Gandigos

THE JOURNEY BEGINS SAGA

2. Sebastian Gandigan I: The Prince Of Gandigos

Sebastian gasped out as he sat up on his bed. He was breathing heavily and sweating profusely, he could not believe it.

This was not the first time he was having that dream, it had been happening for the past months. He had told no one about it, well no one except Charles, his best friend.

He jumped off his bed and walked over to his table. He ran his hands through one of the books on the table. It had been five years since the disappearance of his sister Princess Luciana. Everyone believed her dead but he thought different.

He slammed his head on the table and let it lie there. "Any more of this and I'm going to think I'm crazy." He says to himself.

He hears a knock on the door.

"Not in." He yells back.

"Prince Charles of Ranin has come to see you, your highness." A male voice says back.

"Charles here?" Sebastian jumps to his feet and runs his hand through his head. "It's not even Friday yet." He yells back.

A manservant walks into the room dressed in his royal blue vest with a parchment scroll in hand.

"Your highness it most certainly is Friday." He says.

Prince Sebastian runs his hand through his hair and says. "But the sun had barely risen." He watches the brown haired manservant walk over to him and presents the parchment.

"Your highness", the manservant begins, "it is already afternoon. Young Lord Charles had been awaiting you for some time now, he sent this to you."

"Um thank you Cornelius." Prince Sebastian says as he takes the parchment and unravels it.

"Dear Friend ", Prince Sebastian reads out loud while Cornelius prepares his clothes. "Quit being such a sleeper and gent down here before I count to ten, else I'll come beat you up. Love Your Royal Wingman. Thunderbolt."

"Oh boy! He sounds angry", Prince Sebastian reaches for his clothes. "Cornelius how long has he been waiting?"

"An hour." Cornelius replies.

"An hour?" Sebastian yells out.

"Or two." Cornelius adds.

"One or two? Which is it?"

Cornelius clears his throat. "How would your highness prefer his bath water? Hot? Cold? Or normal temperature?"

"No time for that Cornelius, Charles will kill me." Sebastian says as he changes from his night dress and into brown trousers and a blue shirt. "See you later Cornelius!" He yells put as he runs past his manservant and down the hall.

Cornelius smiles and says. "As energetic as ever your highness."

Prince Sebastian slides down the staircase and exits the huge hall before running into a garden hidden behind the castle walls.

I have to get there before he counts to ten, he yells at himself.

He emerges at the other end of the wall in a large beautiful garden filled with colourful flowers and a huge tree. The first thing he meets is the sounds of his friend.

"One thousand and twenty seven, one thousand and twenty nine." Say a young man dressed in dark leather coat and matching trousers, he turns to Sebastian and says. "You over an hour late."

Sebastian grasps his knees as he gasps for air. "I didn't know dude."

Charles throws his hands in a fold and says. "Don't you dare dude me Sebastian, and you have better have a better explanation than last time."

"I do." Sebastian says as he falls to his knees. "I had the dream again." He gasps for air.

"I dreamt about the forbidden forest."

...

They were now seated under the tree opposite each other. Prince Sebastian of Gandigos and Prince Charles of Ranin had been friend for many years since before the disappearance of the princess.

Prince Charles would come visiting from his kingdom usually on Fridays, they had discovered a secret garden hidden behind the castle wall and used that as their fort where they played and trained together.

Along the years they had grown extremely close together and formed a seemingly unbreakable bond with one another. They held each other's secrets and gave the other support when he needed it.

Over the past five years of Princess Luciana's disappearance, Sebastian had been locked away from the world. Charles was the one who always spoke to him, made him laugh and lend him a hand when needed.

"Sebastian, for five years you been having fragmented dreams about that place." Prince Charles began. "So what makes this different?"

Sebastian replied. "This one was different. It's the first complete dream I've had for years. It was almost like the others, I was in this forest with dark twisted woods, all bearing ancient carvings. I saw myself going even deeper past the forest to a lake of black oil. I could hear the ominous chill in the wind, the smell of death filled the air.

"Look!" He took out his journal, "Did you bring it?"

Charles took out a large book from a sack next to him. "The legend of the forbidden forest, I had to take it from my dad's secret library but it's written in some ancient language."

"Thanks." Sebastian says as he takes the book and flips it open, he does the same for his journal and he compares the images on both. "The sketches I made in my journal also corresponds with this. Look the black oil lake is called the River Sticks."

Charles shows a shocked expression, "Wait! You can read that?"

"Also the river of death!" Sebastian continues.

Charles sighs.

"I will take that as a yes." He said with a smile.

Sebastian watches as the words swirl around on the pages of the book. What's going on? He asks himself. For some reason the words that seemed foreign to him started to become a language he could decipher.

This place, he tells himself. The temple of Aracas.

"Earth to Sebastian." Charles called out. "If you have something to say then please say it out because those words look like gibberish to me."

Sebastian gives his friend a nod.

"It's nothing like anything I've seen." He begins, "Most of these images are familiar even though I've never been there."

Charles sighed and spoke. "I don't follow bud."

Sebastian continued.

"It's like I've had a life here before, according to the words here it says that the Forbidden Forest is home to the many planes, realms and worlds all intertwined. It home to demons, monsters, spirits and many supernatural beings not seem anywhere in this world. This book is far more accurate than anything in our royal library, where'd you get it?"

"From some shelve in my family's secret library." Charles replies. "By the way when do you think you'll be done? I need to return that."

Sebastian ignores him and carries on. "I don't understand how I can read this book yet, the words keep changing." Suddenly the book's pages start to flip itself endlessly.

"Did you do something bud?" Charles asked.

Sebastian watches the book continue to flip on end. "Not really." All of a sudden the pages stop and his eyes immediately glue on to the contents of the page as the words start to swirl and become readable.

Charles hissed out. "If I have to tell you to translate again, I'ma gonna whack you so hard you'll never see again bud."

"This is interesting?" Sebastian says. "I can decipher most of it but it's telling about a prophecy of the, no of a group of people who will..." He stops his words all of a sudden and freezes.

Charles takes a look at his friend who looks scared, he turns to the book as Sebastian taps the image of a group of people in a dark forest. In front of the group are two figures, one is a man dressed in black from head to toe and the other dressed in white.

Sebastian's finger hovers above the one in white, as Charles peers his eyes closer it finally becomes clear. "It's you?" He could barely believe the words that were coming his own mouth.

Sebastian sighs and reads on. "This brave group will be the first ones to enter and leave the forbidden forest alive, a feat never before done. They will mark the beginning of a new era of heroes and bring a great change to the world. Their impossible feat will mark the beginning of the era of legends.

"These warriors will be the first Legends!"

Charles ran his head through his head. "Legends? What's that?"

"According to this it's strongest members are these two, the master of chaos and the master of order." Sebastian suddenly stops. "No!"

"What?"

Sebastian flips the pages agitatedly, "I can't read them any more. I can't hear the words."

Charles takes the book from him and calms him down. "Sebastian the fact that you could read ancient text is a good sign that you're getting stronger but according to what we read you're the master of chaos so you should learn to be more calm."

"Master of chaos?" Sebastian bolted. "Why would you think that I would be the master of chaos? I am more suited to be a master of order."

Charles pats his hand on Sebastian's shoulder. "Then act like it." He rises to his feet and says, "Sebastian we've been friend for years now and aside from me no one knows that you have been researching into the forbidden forest. I've help you for five years now and it's been fun, up until now I never doubted the fact that your sister was trapped in the forbidden forest but now we have concrete evidence that you will someday lead a group there.

"Still whether Luciana is there or not I know not but what we know is that you will go there someday, probably looking for answers and when that time comes you have to be strong enough to remain alive."

Sebastian rose to his feet and took a step back from his friend, he knew the time would come.

"As your best and only friend it's my duty to ensure that you're strong enough." Charles continued. "So till I can give you the greenlight to go, you are going to have to prove yourself by beating me bud."

Sebastian takes another step back and smiles. "I wouldn't expect less from my best bud."

They weren't just best friend who just helped each other up when they were down but also rivals who had never beat the other. They had been training each other in secret for the past two years, training to be better.

Sebastian on the other hand wanted to be strong enough to save his sister. He had kept his trainings secret from everyone except Charles who was one who was the only who actually believed him.

The had fought many times but Sebastian had been close to losing almost every time. They both had mystical weapons, same master, the one significance Sebastian had over Charles was his power yet Charles always managed to dominate him even if he used his powers.

Sebastian put his right hand before him and said. "Argen Wrath! I summon you." A sizzling sound follows followed by the appearance of a red blade appears in his hand.

Charles also put out his right hand and says. "Terror blade!" A dark blade appears in his hand.

The two friends charge at each other with their weapons drawn.

Sebastian immediately goes on the offensive and swings his sword at Charles who blocks it easily. He blocks Charles' sword as it comes for his head before planting his heel on Charles knees.

Charles jumps back and says. "Seems like you've gotten faster bud. But how can you do against this?"

Charles swings his sword sending a bolt of black lightning right at Sebastian. Sebastian barely blocks it in time before he is sent flying off in the air.

"Ow?" Sebastian exclaims as he falls on his butt. "What in Arkamada's name was that?"

Charles chuckles lightly.

"It can't be sword force, unless." He looks at the smile on his friends face. "You unlocked the sword?"

"Yup!" Charles says with a nod.

"How?" Sebastian said, rising to his feet.

"I don't know. It just happened a week ago." Charles said. "It quite hard to control but and it consumes a lot of sword force."

He walked up to Sebastian and continued. "Sebastian, if you can not master the abilities of this sword then there will be no chance for you to survive even with your powers."

"What are you trying to say then?" He asked.

Charles huffed out.

"I don't want my best friend dead." He said with an assertive tone before tapping Sebastian on his head. "Let's get back to training then."

Sebastian smiled as he rose to his feet. "Sure thing bud."

The continued to train. Hours passed, later days, then weeks, months. As the years went by they became stronger and better, honing their abilities to the max.

Sebastian now seventeen swung his blade at Carlos, Carol parried his blow with a yelp.

"You're getting better bud, too bad you can't exceed your limit." Carol bragged as he slashed at Sebastian.

"You're wrong." Sebastian mutters as he merely side steps out of the way. "I've grown stronger too." His eyes flash a blue glow as he throws a fist at Carlos at a speed too fast for him to see.

"Urgh!" Carlos grunts as he is send flying into the tree behind behind him. He lands on the ground with a thud, before he can recover he feels a leather boots on his chest pressing him down. "Whoa bud what was that?"

Sebastian whipped his hair back. "I finally mastered my power or at least the first form, I'm thinking of calling it blue amber."

Carlos grunts, "Okay fine you beat me. Now get your boot of me!"

"Oh! Sorry. Got carried away in the moment." He says as he raises his leg. "I can't believe it took me three years to beat you."

Carlos walks up to a bag set aside at a corner and returns with a jug of water. "Want some?" He takes a swig before giving it to Sebastian. "Remember the promise we made back then? If you win, I let you go to you know where for you know what but even with Argen Wrath and that power of yours you know you can't suceed. At least not alone."

Sebastian took his seat on the grass, Charles takes his seat by him.

"What did you do?" Charles asked with a yawn. "You have that look on your face when you are about to do something sneaky and potential dangerous."

Sebastian turned to look at the morning sky. The wind blows gently and the grasses play to it's tune. "I've been thinking about that for a while."

"And?"

"And I came up with a plan too, a dumb one." Sebastian replied.

"And when have you ever thought about a smart one before?" Charles joked.

Sebastian let's the light breeze wash over him, sending his hair up on waves. He had been planning it for months and now he was ready to tell his best friend. "I sent an enchanted letter to the top elites of this continent giving them an offer to save my sister from the forbidden forest, I also stated the reward would be the payment of three million perus."

Carlos chuckled. "Three million perus? What authenticity did you give the letter to make it believable?"

Sebastian sighed, "I might have borrowed my father's royal seal and sent the letter in his name."

"You what?" Carlos lashed out.

A king's royal seal was a stamp that could only be issued by the king hence it carried the king's will.

"It's not like I had much of a choice." Sebastian defended. "How else would you expect the elite fighters to believe it?"

"Does your father know about it?"

Sebastian ran his hand down his hair. "If he did I would be dead. Anyway I had it sent to a number of elite fighters but none of them replied."

"Why would they? It's the forbidden forest were talking about, no one is dumb enough to go there." Carlos said.

"Except one." Sebastian added.

"Huh?" Carlos remarked.

Sebastian turned to face him and waving a finger in the air, "One team accepted the quest."

Carlos found it hard to believe. "And which group of idiots would that be?"

"The blade rage." Sebastian said with a huff. "They're new, they've been around for about two years now."

"And they've got the guts to take up your death quest?" Carlos was a bit shocked.

"Took me by surprise too", Sebastian said. "Aside from the reward money I also stated that there would be additional rewards afterwards."

Carlos pressed his lips together and thought for a while before saying, "One question. How and when are you going to meet up with them if you sent the letter as your father and showing up as prince Sebastian?"

Sebastian smiled and replied. "On the letter I indicated a checkpoint where an official would brief them. By that time I will meet up with them and show them a copy of the letter I sent to them with theirs and everything should work out on its own."

Carlos stared at his friend with an odd look on his face. "What if they then reject your offer?"

Sebastian had considered that too. "Then I'll make them another. I won't give up that easily anyway, since they were the only ones to take up my offer then there must be a reason."

"And where is this supposed checkpoint?"

"The hills of Gartune just outside of the scorching skull", Sebastian said. "The meeting time is just from now."

Charles exclaimed.

"Wow so soon!" Charles bowed his head. "At least you're strong enough to protect yourself now. I'll be here till next week anyway so if you're ready to leave just don't forget to say bye." He rose to his feet and turned away from Sebastian.

Sebastian felt startled by his friends reaction, he had never seen Charles like that before. "What's wrong Charles?" He asked as he rose to his feet.

Charles keep mute for a moment making Sebastian feel even more tense, then all of a sudden Charles shocks him by bursting out into a loud laugh. Charles laughed even more, louder and louder for a long while before turning to Sebastian.

"You've grown a lot bud!" He slaps Sebastian in the back of his head causing him to stagger forward. "Here!"

He hits Sebastian in the bowel and gives him a huge book before walking away and out of the secret garden.

Sebastian looks down at the book. 'The Legend Of The Forbidden Forest'. He let a smile fly on his face, he had a good friend and a strange one at that.

Now he had to get back to his quarters and prepare for the future.

...

It was dark, too dark. Why couldn't he see anything?

It was quiet, to quiet. Why couldn't he hear anything?

But he would feel something on his face grazing him, it was soft and tender. He could tell, it was his sister's hair. He could also smell the scent of her hair.

He forced his eyes open and found himself standing before the a huge dark gate. He could not see her but he could sense her somehow, she was at the other end of the gate.

He walked through the gate and past the veil of darkness, the air was thick and heavy, filled with an ominous chill he did not quite like. He was now in a forest of blackness. The threes were all crooked and looking dried out, the barks black and looking burned, they bore no leaves but there were ash coloured fruits hanging on them.

Sebastian he an eerie feeling that he was being watched by something. He looked down the path and followed it, the path had an odd pattern like a that of a snake.

The deeper he went the heavier the air became.

Wait! Was that humming?

It was faint but he would never mistake it for another. It was his sister's!

He raced down the path faster than his legs could carry him, he father he went the louder the humming was.

"Brother!!!"

A loud scream echoed throughout the forest and hit him, stoping him in his tracks. For some reason he wasn't out of breath, but wait!

Luciana?

"Brother!!!" The voice came again. This time even louder.

Luciana!

Wait why wasn't his voice working? He was yelling things but the sound wasn't coming out. Where was his body anyway? His body felt light somehow, not physical.

"Brother! Listen to me!" A soothing female voice said in the wind, it sounded afraid. "This is a message from me to your astral self. You have to hurry, she is almost ready. If she finishes then she will be too powerful to stop.

"Brother! In three months time she will be unstoppable."

What? Luciana!

"Brother! I am afraid for you, you must not come alone. Find the legends and come save me."

He could feel the connection start to break. A second later he sees the image of a huge dark castle and a light shining from the top room of one of the towers, he could sense her presence there.

He tried to run to the castle bur was pushed back by a strong dark force from within warding him off.

"I'm waiting for you brother! Tell mother and father I love them!"

No! Luciana wait! Is it really you?

"Remember the promise you made me all those years back? You said you'll always be there for me. She's coming! I have to go!"

Luciana wait!

"Take the dark path and find the nightshade tree, see you soon brother!"

Sebastian feels a strong force pull him away and in an instant hit world turns black. He forces his eyes open to find the ceiling of his room above him.

"Luciana!" He yelled out. He was sweating profusely and breathing heavily. What had he just witnessed?

He dug under his bed and brought out the book, those images were from the forbidden forest. Was it a dream or just reality, or maybe his imagination?

Huh?

He looked down at his hands to find them glowing a gold light. His powers were acting up, no way was it a dream.

He had to tell his father! In an hurry he ran out his room in his night outfit and ran down the palace halls. It was still late in the night and if he recalled correctly his father was having a meeting with the Great Elders.

He reached the Council Hall and pushed open it's doors to reveal a huge room rising 30-feet high, in the middle a huge roundtable covered in gold carvings and around it ten seats where the nine great elders and the king sat.

All eyes turn to him perfect unison and seeming to put a stop to his heart with their pristine looks.

He feels displaced in that instant, head been so overjoyed by his dream that he even interrupted a sacred meeting, he had even forgot that he was in his night outfit.

Really didn't think this through! He yelled at himself in his head. It's already too late to turn back now anyway, might as well talk.

He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to talk, when...

Before he could speak, his father's voice spoke. "Son? What course do you have to interrupt this gathering?" His voice was calm yet it carried a certain weight across the room.

King Reginald gave his son a stern look. Now he was in trouble and he knew it.

"Oh!" Sebastian began. "I happened to have a matter of high importance to discuss with you father." He said in a formal tone.

"More important than my meeting with the nine great elders of Gandigos?" The calmer the king's voice became, the more Sebastian became wary.

"No but of equal importance." He replied.

Why did I say that? Dad looks pissed, I doubt he'll let me live this one down.

Sebastian waited for his father's reply but he never got it, for a reason the hall became even more quiet than it was. Sebastian cleared his throat and spoke, "I apologize for my intrusion elders, I have shamed you all with my unacceptable behavior and for that I apologize." He bowed his head in respect.

King Reginald let out a heavy sigh, his son knew not to disturb him for any matter so what could be so important that he would have come there at that time.

"I apologize on my son's behalf also." He said to the elders before turning back to his son, "Might I ask what happened to the guards that stood guard by the door, son?"

Oh that? Should I tell him I beat them up?

Sebastian raised his head and replied. "They slipped."

They slipped? He yelled at himself. Sebastian I am so disappointed in me right now.

"They slipped?" The king asked.

Sebastian only stood there frozen, he uttered no word neither did he give any remark. The waited for a while but he did nothing.

The king knew he had more important matters to attend to. "If that is all you may leave son."

The king and elders turn back to face each other.

"But!" Sebastian called out their attention. "What I want to say is more important father." He said formally.

Before anyone could say a thing he spoke up. "It's about Luciana!" As he said this their eyes all pop in shock, he thought they must have been wondering what he was saying. "She's alive!"