BXBX NOVEL Chapter 107 - Candles
"It was once a story that scares children. But it was more than that. It was more. Thousand years before, as far as I can remember. As you can see, I am just a young man at that time and the continent was not what it used to be now. The Human kingdom flourished. Everything was at peace. But it all began to crumble after the catastrophe of four-armed monsters roamed the villages. They were attacking villages and killed anyone whom they met. Leaving the wanderers to tremble with a whole village was slaughtered. Heads were hanged in the trees and all the villagers were headless," Isaias said.
Joan felt disturbed by what he heard. He didn\'t imagine that what he was told as tales were all real. It was a story that the past Joan has heard from his parents.. He knew that it has a meaning and it then became folklore.
"But it was then, a village that was making candles was attacked. Monsters entered their home and a boy who has a candlestick trusted it to the monster. To his surprise, the monster retreated and never came back. It was then, he talked to all of the citizens and it was spreading like a wildfire. It happened to the other villagers too and so they spread it. Even the King believed it and made a decree to mass-produce these candles. It was then, all the candle makers were hired by the King and made candles for him. But it was then, the King became greedy and told that they can only buy candles on him and will make profits out of it." Isaias said to Joan.
Joan who was listening was silent and crossed his hands. Warming himself to the cold breeze.
"It was then, the ordinary citizens have run out of candles and they all can\'t buy as it was overpriced. Making them make a protest. Still, the King hardened his heart and continued to purge them. Villages were attacked left and right and even the forces of the King were not enough to contain the enemies of the dark. After it all happened, a prophet came to the King and scolded him. He said that he prayed for the candles to repel the darkness and not to be hoarded by someone. The King was infuriated and he was jailed. The prophet then wept and then it all happened," Isaias stopped for a moment.
"Happened what?" Joan asked.
"The candlemakers disappeared and the prophet also vanished from his jail. It was then, the King was haunted in his dreams and he envisioned that Humanity will get slaughtered in the future. So he released all the candles on the citizens. Fighting the four-armed monsters with his remaining forces," Isaias said to Joan.
"Wow, so prophets sure have big roles huh?" Joan said to him.
"That\'s not the point," Isaias said to Joan.
"What I mean is that they still exist," Isaias added.
"You mean the four-armed monsters?" Joan asked.
"Yes, not long after that. They hunted the monsters with the candles they have and the enemies were taller than an average person. Still, they felt that enemies tend to get weak when exposed to the light. Making them retreat and hide in these very mountains themselves. Their hideout was unknown but I am sure, getting further from here is dangerous. We will pass through a valley that was famous for its ambush attacks. I knew they were multiplying themselves up until now. Ready to attack again in the future," Isaias said to him.
"Oh geez, are they powerful?" Joan asked.
"They don\'t have powers as we have. But their raw strength and numbers will pierce through solid gates. Break down walls of homes. Crumple full plated armours with their brute strength. I have witnessed it and the chill that I felt down to my spine etched on my very soul. They are the personification of horrors. Merciless and unforgiving, no one was able to have communicated with them and no one tried," Isaias said to him with eyes reflecting the fire in his front.
"I have seen horrors in my past life too. I guess we have a common thing too. What is your age when it all happened?" Joan asked.
"It was when I am just a budding teen. You see, I am the boy who discovered the power of those candle lights. All my siblings are killed and my parents are all slaughtered. Just a speck of whisper was heard by my ears and it told me about the candle. So I grabbed it and trusted it at them. They shrieked like a wailing swine after being bathed with its light. All were in the past, it is no use to bring that up again but humanity has learned its lesson. These lonely eyes are the result of it," Isaias said to him.
"Ah yes, those irreparable lonely eyes of yours. By the way, how many years has it been when the kingdom was fighting those monsters?" Joan asked wondering.
"It took years but we repelled it with the help of candles. They were driven to the edge of the kingdom but they hide in these mountains so the human armies can\'t exterminate them entirely. Plus these winds are enough to blow our candles out," Isaias said while pointing to the blowing air.
"By the way, Joan did you bring candles with you?" Isaias asked.
"Nope, why?" Joan asked curiously.
"They are here," Isaias said to him.
"What? How come they are here?" Joan asked in his surprise.
"Well, they can feel that we have no candles right?" Isaias said to him.
"Ah," Joan can only smack his forehead in the process. He shakes his head while thinking about what to do.
While they were talking, shadows were dashing left and right from where they were standing. Priscilla was alerted and she neighed on the process. Also, the chickens were panicking inside. Making Joan bit his lower lips. If the legends were true, he will be doomed. Still, he has faced countless enemies in the past. Making him test again how far his stats will grow if he used his [Stat cultivation]. While pushing himself to his limits, he knew that he will become stronger.
Joan prepared for the worst, also Isaias grabbed his staff and readied himself for an upcoming battle. Joan\'s sweat was starting to trickle his face even the climate was cold. He gulped his saliva on the process.