3. Sebastian Gandigan II: The Quest Begins

THE JOURNEY BEGINS SAGA

3. Sebastian Gandigan II: The Quest Begins

The words he had said, Princess Luciana? Alive? It was a shock to everyone in the room that the princess was alive.

Mumurs erupted from the elders, they must have thought that he was crazy to have made a statement such as that but... Prince Sebastian wasn't one to make such jokes, which meant that his words must have been true. But it wasn't possible, it had been seven years since her abduction.

If she was alive the first person to know would have been the king himself.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Boomed Dinos one of the elders. "You dare mock us boy?"

Sebastian ignored him, of all the elders Dunos was the one he despised the most, he always had a frown on his face and all the words he said we're usually always impolite.

King Reginald recalled how his daughter was taken by the Sorceress Lady Vera La'hun and how she sent her hand through him, he should have died then.

He had searched for his daughter since that day but neither the sorceress nor his daughter were ever seen again. He never gave up searching but he had nothing to follow, no clue! It was like they had vanished off the face of the earth.

"SON!" The king boomed. "EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"

Why would his son bring up the matter? It was only expected since Sebastian was the one most affected by the subject, he was the last to have been with her on that day and the only one to have fought the sorceress.

Sebastian into the eyes of every elder then at his father, they were all waiting for his reply.

"It was a year after I lost Luciana, I started having dreams about a strange place, a forest of night", he began, "I thought it wasn't anything concrete till it started recurring itself. I started to draw sketches of those places on paper and researching them, it did not take long till I found out that all those locations led to one place. The forbidden forest or as it's ancient name, The Hades Sanctuary."

His last words caused an uproar between the elders.

"Son? Are you sure?" The king's voice rose far above the mumurs of the elders and quieting them.

"Yes father!" Sebastian replied boldly. "For years I have continuously researched into this and find what time me to that place, after a while I started to feel Luciana in this place, at timesi could hear her low humming and without a doubt I knew she was there.

"It wasn't until this night that I had an even more explicit dream, in this dream I heard her clearly, she spoke to me. She said that she was waiting for me, she even asked me to tell you..."

"Enough!" The king cut him off.

Sebastian felt a thump in his chest, there was a loud crackle in the sky as a storm started to set in. The air between father and son felt heated.

"It seems you have not let go of the past," king Reginald began.

"But father, I..."

His father cut him off again, "I have not finished talking son! It seems that younot letting go of the past has caused you to become depressed to the extend that the dark magic attempts to take you."

"No! It is..."

"If you speak again son... It had been known that evil spirits wander around to feed on dispirited souls, seeking to find their doom. In your case it seeks to use your past loss to lead you to your demise."

Sebastian could hear his heart thumping within him, even his father did not believe him. He knew what he saw and heard, it could not have been an evil spirit. But what if it was?

"Father you're wrong!" He yelled at the top of his voice. "You're wrong", he repeated in a shaky voice.

His fists were clenched, his head was bowed down, the room was quiet except for the rumbling of thunder in the sky.

Sebastian started to walk to the the table in slow short steps. "I was there when she was taken, I failed to protect her. If only I was a little stronger I would have saved her, is what I used to say back then. But I was a child then, a child who wasn't fully prepared.

"I'm seventeen now and I'm far stronger than I ever was." He stopped just before the table and raised his head slowly, he stared his father dead in the eye and spoke. "I know my sister's voice, there's no way I'd run all the way here in my jammies if I wasn't sure and I know you know that. Luciana is trapped in there and she needs me, I'm the only one who can save her and no one else."

The king rise from his seat for a reason Sebastian didn't know, maybe to pass on a message or to warn him. "Because of your abilities?" He saw his son flinch, "You though I didn't know, I and the elders in this room knew your destiny since the day you were born. You have a destiny far above any of us, you have yet to scratch the the surface of your powers.

"And even with them you cannot suceed, the forbidden forest is an home to the most evil magics in the world. As you are now, success is impossible."

Sebastian angrily banged his hand on the table. "Seven years I have prepared for this and now she's calling me. My father would not want me to go play hero when my doom is certain but, I can see that pained look in your eyes. You're lying about something, aren't you?"

The king huffed out and looked at every single one of the elders before turning back to face his son.

"The reason I don't want you going is because you were right", the king began.

Right? About what? Sebastian asked himself.

"Your sister is alive and she is held hostage in the forbidden forest." King Reginald said.

Sebastian almost bit his lip just then. "You knew?" He saw the looks on the elders faces, they were unfazed. "You all knew?" He turned back to face his father. "Does mother know?" A billion thoughts were bouncing up and down his head.

"It was a year after Vera attacked." The king began.

Vera? Sebastian thought.

The king continued. "She sent a letter telling that she had my daughter hostage and if I didn't give her what she wanted she would kill her."

"What she wanted? What did she want?" Sebastian asked.

Now he was wondering what he actually knew about the past seven years.

"An artifact that poses a worldwide threat." The king said. "I could not hand it over to her, I also knew that no one who entered that cursed land could ever come out alive. I had no choice but to wait and accept that my daughter was gone, if what you say is true then she way still be alive. But it could also be an evil spirit seeking your demise."

Sebastian could feel his legs shaking beneath him. "Why did you not tell me all these?"

King Reginald tapped his finger on the table, "You were child and you are irresponsible at times."

"That's true", Sebastian says, "I will give that one." Wait! There was still one question that bothered him, "Who is this Lady Vera anyway? There is no record of such a sorceress in any of the books I've looked in."

King Reginald spoke. "That's because she is not a sorceress, not a real one anyway. Vera was my friend in my earlier days as a prince, we were close friends till her demise, we used to share a lot together, stories and opinions."

"I'm pretty sure it was more than that", Sebastian muttered.

The king frowned at him and continued. "At one time she gave me something to keep safe, we never knew what it was only that it was dangerous. Seven years ago she came back for it with abilities she never had before, whatever that brought, what she has become, it isn't human. Letting that power fall in her hand would be a global catastrophe, when I refused is fatally injured me and massacred the kingdom.

"In rage she took your sister but you fought to protect your sister and failed. Even your power could not match hers, I doubt if your story is tru. Even if it is, you have no chance against her."

"ENOUGH!" Sebastian boomed.

At the same time a huge thunderbolt tears open the sky and rain starts pouring down heavily.

The young prince starts to breath heavily and loudly. He bows his head and clenches his fist, "Don't!" His voice echoed down the huge hall, "Don't speak for yourself!"

The king and elders kept mute and watched the young prince of Gandigos where he stood in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the heavy downpour of rain and the rumbling of thunder.

"You think just because your girlfriend came back much stronger that I can't handle her? You think that just because I failed to protect her, I'll fail again?" Sebastian said calmly. "Right now, we don't know what she can do. She also doesn't know what I can do. I made a promise to Luciana to protect her no matter what, even if it killed me. I've grown stronger over the past years so as she.

"Every day I think, is she sleeping under candle light or in a dark coffin? Is she waking up laughing or crying? Does she miss her big brother, her kingdom, her parents or does she despise them? Who cares if I'm strong enough or not. Do you know what keeps me living through these years,what keeps me going even under my intense trainings, it's Luciana's smile and anyone that takes her smile away must suffer!"

He could feel the heat rising off him, his veins were throbbing within him. He felt a strange energy swirling within him. He brought his hands closer to his eyes as a blue flame ignited on it.

"You want to see power?" He raises his hand and brings it down on the roundtable, a big explosion follows and throws everyone off their seats. Even the king is sent flying. "This is my power!"

Sebastian yelled out all his words, "Everytime I think hear the name Lady Vera I think, why is she even alive? It was then I realized, it's because she hasn't fought me. Not at my fullest. The reason why no one has beaten her is because I am the one who's going to kick her butt!"

Sebastian calmed himself. He had showed them just a sliver of his power, that was enough.

The elders all stare at him in bewilderment. His father the king rose to his voice and spoke, "Son! I am as angry as you but you must understand that there is no way around this. Your duty is to Gandigos, your place is here. Gandigos needs it's prince!"

Sebastian only smiled and said, "Gandigos needs it's prince and Luciana needs her brother."

His father's gaze narrowed in on his as his son's carried a certain lucidity he had never before seen in him.

"Hence the question what will you chose Sebastian?" Sebastian said aloud.

Gandigos has had it's prince for the past seven years,herold himself. My sister needs me now!

Sebastian stomped his foot on the ground, "Then I Prince Sebastian of Gandigos renounce the title of Prince of Gandigos till I can get my sister Luciana back." He could see the confusion in their faces, "If I had a crown I would have flung it down for dramatic effect, too bad. Sorry father, but you can't change my mind. Elders I apologize for the intrusion." Sebastian bows his head and starts to walk away. "And sorry about the table, was just going with the flow of things."

King Reginald stomped his foot on the ground and boomed. "You will not leave this castle son, I order it!"

Sebastian scoffed as he craned his head back, "Stop me if you can, old man." He said with a smile before walking away. "And sorry for everything!" He yelled back while waving his hand.

Another thunderbolt tore the sky with a loud boom. Sebastian turned to face his father one last time.

In his father's eyes he found something he had never seen in them, fear! Why would he be afraid of his own son?

They had never seen this side of him before but it had always been there. They say everyone is born with a path in life and realizing that path early will help pave your destiny better.

And he could hear his destiny calling him.

A call he was going to follow.

...

After Sebastian got to his room he could not sleep even if he tried, he could still remember their faces. They were afraid, not of what he was but if what he could become.

What could he become?

He never knew what his powers were or where they came from only that they made him feel invincible. Hopefully strong enough to carry out his quest, he had his bath and a change of clothes. He wanted to talk to his friend Carlos but it was barely dawn, he could also hear the voices of knights by his door. His father must have sent them to keep him grounded.

He threw himself back on his bed, what would he do now?

"Please Patricia", Carlos muttered in his sleep as he turned again. "Don't leave me."

A hand clamped over his mouth causing him to wake up. "It's me."

"Oh hey bud." Charles said in a muffled tone. "Take your hand off my mouth, please."

Sebastian takes off his hand and says. "You know Patricia is two years older than you right?"

Charles gives him a puzzled look before smiling. "To love age is just a...how did you get in my room?"

"Through the window."

Charles exhales lightly.

"Now that's sick", he says.

"I had no choice, I messed up." Sebastian says.

Sebastian narrates his experience with his father and the elders, and his dream. Charles pays full attention to everything he says.

"So what do I do?" Sebastian asked finally.

"Damn." Charles says.

Sebastian waits for a reply.

"Damn." Charles says again.

"Damn." He says a third time.

"Can you stop saying that?" Sebastian barks out. "I feel like if I stay here any longer I'll never be able to leave again."

"Then don't." Charles says as he croses his legs on his bed. "Man! I really wish I was there to see it."

Sebastian takes a seat by him.

"Why is it that you never say no when I give a dumb idea?" Sebastian asked. "This is clearly..."

"Crazy?" Charles cut him off. "Life is crazy bud, it makes no sense. Who knows if what you're doing is right, who cares? I know don't. But if it's right to you and there's even a tiny chance that you can do it, do it. You've always been one to follow your heart Sebastian, it's one of the reasons why I like you bud."

"Where are you going with this Charles?" Sebastian cut in.

"What do you want to do?" Charles said plainly.

Sebastian replied with a second's delay. "I want to save Luciana, and i want to do it now."

Charles pat his friend on the back. "Great! So you're gonna run away from Gandigos? Cool!"

"I don't have much time", Sebastian said as he rose to his feet. "I have to get back to my room and get my things, if I'm going to leave anytime it's now. I need you to creat a distraction."

"What size?"

"A big one!" Sebastian replied.

"Okay! Cool!" Charles said with a wide smile up on his face.

"Give this to my mother", he handed Charles a parchment. "I'm counting on you buddy."

Sebastian walked over to the window and climbed up on it.

"Hey! Sebastian!" Charles called out. "Remember that my sister's birthday is three months away?"

The sounds of the rain grew heavy and a cold wind blew in filling the room with a moist air. The two friends stood there for a moment without uttering a word, only taking in the moment.

"Yes." Sebastian said calmly.

"Good!" Charles said with a smile. "Don't miss it!"

He waved at his friend.

Sebastian nodded back at his friybefore climbing out the window.

Sebastian took everything he would need and put them in his bag, food, supplies, his journal and the book. He had one more look at his room, the room he had grown up in.

He sat on the bed and listened to the sounds of the harsh winds blowing outside, the rumbling of thunder. It was almost like when his sister was taken away, there was also an heavy rain. The only difference was that then there was fire, a rain of fire.

Now that he thought of it, there was more than the sorceress to deal with, more than the forbidden forest, there was a dragon.

And if his memory recalled correctly, no han had ever killed a dragon. But he didn't care about that.

A noise at the front of his door brought back his attention.

There was a loud commotion outside forcing all the guards to leave the door. "Charles." He muttered.

Sebastian jumped up and after one final glance at his room, out the door he went. He took the halls he knew to be empty, if he encountered a guard he would knock them out easily. His plan was to get to the stables where his horse would be, after that he would have to escape the huge palace wall and then the outer lands.

He had managed to evade every guard and getting closer to the palace exit. Everything was working well, till an unforseen problem appeared.

In the middle of the hall stood the one man he was not expecting to see, his father. The king!

Sebastian came to a stop!

"Father." He called out. "I have to do this."

King Reginald unsheathes his sword.

"So do I", he says.

To think he would have to fight his father, Sebastian summoned his sword in his hand and prepared to fight.

He felt he should have warned his father or at least said something, but he didn't. It was like his body knew that it was the only way.

In a battle of kings the wisest may be great but strongest always wins, that was something his father told him at one time.

King Reginald was shocked as he saw his son sprint for him with his sword drawn. To think his own son would dare challenge him, it was something he could not fathom.

King Reginald raises his sword up high, feeling it throbbing in his hands. He took a step forward and swung his sword in a fast motion.

Sebastian watched in shock as blades for wind came at him at a remarkably fast speed. "Sword force?" He muttered to himself as he swung his sword at the blades of air, cutting them up.

Sword force was a technique only master swordsmen could use. It was an energy created by imbuing a certain amount of will into ones swordsmanship. People who could use sword force could heighten their speed and strength, their swords itself could even cut through metal and even bend the air.

Sebastian had once heard a rumor of how his father defeated hundreds with this power. Now he only hoped thatthise rumors were force else he would have to put a lot more effort into the fight.

He sprinted for his father and swung his sword at him, King Reginald only blocks his attack sharply.

Sebastian throws another, then another. To his surprise his father blocked every one of his attacks perfectly. His father's eyes were calm and unfazed.

"Are you even trying?" His father muttered as he pulled back his sword and said. "Sword force. One hundred blades of doom."

What in Arkamada's name?! Sebastian yelled at himself.

He saw his father's sword cut through the air so fast that he started to see mirages. Next thing he saw was a hundred blades cutting through the air and heading right for him.

Sebastian took a step back and gripped Argen Wrath tighter. "Mystical Blade! First Form!" Sebastian yelled out, the sword glowed red and resonated with him. "Two by two!"

His speed and strength double significantly as he swings and blocks the hundred blades of doom.

He exhales heavily and sighs.

Hmm. King Reginald thought, you can block that? It's seems I have underestimated you son. Non the less.

"Sword force!" The king said calmly.

Huh? Sebastian noticed the shift in the air, whatever his father was doing. It did not feel right with him.

"One thousand blades of doom!" His father's speed rises drastically as he cuts through the air quickly. Thousands of blades shoot right at Sebastian with a whizzing sound.

Another bolt of lightning lights the hall, the battle between father and son already heated. They knew what was at stake.

A father wanting to protect and save his son form his doom.

A son wanting to save his sister's life.

A king aiming to preserve the future of the kingdom.

A prince following his destiny.

A clash of blood and ideals.

Sebastian watched the thousan blades of doom tears through the air right at him and thought, Seriously? I am your son! And you go all out? Guess I have no choice.

Sebastian tightens his grip on his sword as the blades are only seconds away. He knew he only had one chance to block all the attacks, what he needed was speed not strength.

"Mystical Blade." He began calmly as he puts his sword before him. "Third Form! Flame body!"

A red flame ignited on his sword and envelopes his body. His entire body is covered in flames.

He swings his sword at thousand blades of doom blocking every single one, or so he thought. A second he was blocking every blade with his sword, the next he feels a blade dig into his shoulder, then another. Multiple blades start to hit him on his body and sending him flying back in the air.

King Reginald watched his son get thrown back by the thousand blades of doom, leaving behind a mist of smoke.

"Forgive me son", he muttered to himself. "You forced my hand."

Another boom of thunder filled the air, the wind howled against the castle walls. The king stood there, his hand on his sword.

"Are you getting sappy on me father?" Sebastian said as he walked out of the cloud of smoke.

"How?" King Reginald was shocked. His son had blocked that? "There's no way you could have countered that, at least not at your level."

Sebastian chuckled.

"It the power of my mystical blade, Argen Wrath!" He yelled back. "It utilizes a special flame attribute I can use in many forms. The third form I dubbed, flame body. In this form I can integrate it's flame attribute into my physical form enhanced my physical strength, downside of this attack is that it reduces my physical speed but it grants me a strong exoskeleton that acts as an armour against your attack.

"Like I said before father, you don't know how strong I've become."

"Impressive", King Reginald muttered. "It seemed I have looked down on you son but you still have a lot to learn."

Sebastian smiled and said. "Sorry father but it'sy turn now." He charged at his father with his sword by his side, "Mystical Blade, fourth form! Flaming dragon!"

He brings down his sword shooting out a huge ball of flame in the form of a dragons head. The power from the attack destroys the the entire hall and send his father flying down the hall.

King Reginald feels himself flying down the hall and down the palace stairs, he grunts as the rolls down the palace stairs and makes impact with the ground.

He coughed out, he could hear his body aching within him. Hears his son's approaching him and looks up to see him before him.

"I'm sorry but if I let you attack one last time then... I would have lost." Sebastian was unfazed in his demeanor. He crouched down before his father and said, "I will bring Luciana back, I promise you that." He turned his back and walked away from his father.

"To think you became this strong." King Reginald said. "Sebastian don't go! You are the prince of Gandigos."

Sebastian still had his back to his father. "You forget one thing father, I denounced that title. I am Sebastian Gandigan now." He walked over to the exit and grabbed the handle.

"Farewell Sebastian Gandigan!" A voice said from behind him.

He craned his head back to see Charles standing at the top of the stairs with a smile on his face. "Bring back that cheeky grill will ya?" He added.

Sebastian smiled back and raised his thumb above his head before walking out the door.

King Reginald watched his son leave, a part of him wanted to stop him but another path didn't. He wondered if it was part of the prophecy.

One thing was certain! Nothing could stop the young boy determined to save his sister.

Sebastian made his way to the royal stable and boarded his horse. He set out for the walls of the palace.

As the horse picked up enough speed a pair of wings sprout out by its side and it took off, and flew away from the castle and it's horse.

Sebastian turned to look at his kingdom Gandigos one last time then at his destination ahead.

Five days! He had to meet the elites who would be going on this quest. The blade rage!

As he flew farther from his beloved kingdom one though rang in his head. His sister said that he only had three months before the sorceress would become too strong.

He didn't know what to expect on his quest only that he had to be stronger than he currently was if he was going to live through it all.

He raised his head and let the rain wash over him. With a look of serenity he looked forward and said.

"Luciana! I'm coming!"