Chosen Ones: Forge’s Awakening

Chapter 1

Now, I know what you're thinking. The Awakening? Doesn’t that sound super creepy? Yes, it does, but you can’t argue with prophecy. Now, I am Varzoth Soulrender. As I’m sure you're already aware of if you’ve heard my other stories. Years ago I stole an ancient artifact, called the Heart’s Forge, from a group of people called the important’s. They planned on wiping out half of the world because they thought they weren’t needed in the world. I still don’t know why this is true, but I continue on. The artifact, as I recently have learned, had multiple parts. These were divided by the Important’s, and now I have assembled two parts of the forge. I believe there is only one more before we plan our attack on the important’s. As some of you may know I have acquired many companions on my journeys. Four young, but strong demons. Malakath Blackfang, an expert swordsman and fighter. Zaroth Voidbringer, a powerful bard and user of magic. Selene Dreadmist, an extremely powerful pyromancer. Baal Ashblood, a fallen important. Like myself, who is a talented archer and fighter. Then Lilith, she was the one who found me and drove me in the right direction. She was my moral compass when I first found my power, and now we all are the guardians of the forge. There are a few other characters in our stories, Azazel, a former keeper of the forge. My mother, who is now safe thanks to my friends. Then there are those who try to kill us, and trust me there’s a bunch, but the most powerful I will tell you now. Karnyx, an important warlord, who I’m pretty sure is dead set on killing me. Xaloth, a former and unjust forgekeeper. Who used to be my mentor until I ran away from the important’s. And The Emperor, who most of all I despise. He tricked thousands of people into hating and killing each other while he watched, and he watched everything. He made his empire strong and he never stopped torturing. Until me. I am Varzoth Soulrender. Keeper of the forge. Wielder of the Sword of Flame, and future Emperor of Romania. I just have to live long enough to see that day.

“Wake up.” A voice said, while Varzoth tried to fall back asleep. “Varzoth!” She said again, she kicked his knee and made Varzoth stand upright in bed. Holding his now aching knee.

“Ow.” He moaned, but he could never argue against Lilith. You could probably guess why.

“Well, how else was I supposed to get you up?” She asked.

“Maybe by just shaking me a bit, I would have just gotten up if you waited.” He said.

“Well, too late.”

“So what’s up since you have to wake me up in the middle of the night?” Varzoth got up, and walked around his room trying to find things he might need thinking this was another night mission he'd had forgotten about.

“It’s about defences, some kind of large bang was heard from the wall.” Lilith said, “They didn’t see anything, but, you know just in case. It’s also always nice to hang out with you.” Varzoth caught a slight blush from Lilith as she exited his room, “Be ready!”

Once Varzoth had gotten everything, his knife, pyromite armor, and the Sword of Flame. He caught up with Lilith.

“So what? It’s just a noise?” Varzoth asked.

Lilith shook her head, “It’s coming from underground, and if we get attacked now we might lose time for the awakening.”

“So should we gather the guardians?” Varzoth asked.

“Nope! We don’t need to, this is one of the old Varith missions.” she said, smiling. They’d used to do a lot of missions together, and they kinda stopped since they had gotten new people to help them out. It was nice to know Lilith remembered they’re old traditions.

“Varlith it is!” Said Varzoth. Lilith smiled, and ran. Varzoth ran as well, he knew she was faster but liked it when they just had fun together.

Once they reached the wall, it turned out there was a problem. A monster problem. Before I break your brain again, I have to tell you that some of the monsters from all those stories you hear. It doesn’t matter which ones, greek, roman, egyptian, even american. Yes, current mythologies too, all come from somewhere. Most monsters here like the common hopper for instance. In your little realm they were known as a Haakapainiži, known as some kind of folklore spirit in your world. They’re basically giant grasshoppers, and one time one of them probably leaked into your world and scared a person half to death and they described them as weird spirits. I think you’ll recognize this one. A giant Manticore jumped out of the sand, and tried to stab me with its barbed tail. I transformed into my crazy powerful form and deflected the attack, it really didn’t like that. It tried to tackle me, but like before I was too powerful for it. I slapped it down with ease and picked it up, and threw it over the wall. Hopefully out of danger.

Lilith was shaking her head, “What?” I asked in my emperor form’s deep voice.

“You're such a show off.” She smiled, “But you're good at not showing it.”

Varzoth laughed, “Well it’s hard not to kill a giant scorpion lion that’s flying at my best friend.”

Lilith smiled, “Thanks for not letting a giant scorpion lion fly at me.” She quickly looked away when I went back to normal form.

Varzoth shrugged, “You’d do the same thing for me.”

Lilith laughed, “Just not as easily.” She admitted.

“Na, they’d fear Lilith the Destroyer!” Varzoth said, Lilith laughed. They at least had this part of their lives that were still normal, being friends. Being kids, but that never lasted. Varzoth looked at the dead Manticor to see the Emperor’s sigil. He picked up a rag that was slung over its back. Lilith stopped laughing.

“Do you think they know?” She asked.

Varzoth inspected the rag to see it also bore the mark of a scout, he looked up to see a man running into the mountains. “Not if we stop that scout.” Varzoth went full emperor, and ran out. He saw Lilith swinging her custom daggers on their strings, she smiled and threw them. Varzoth and Lilith had been practicing fighting together, and they’d made multiple fighting maneuvers. This one was cool. Varzoth ran and grabbed the dagger, Lilith stopped. Varzoth stopped and used the momentum he’d gained to swing the dagger's string to hurl Lilith into the air, and right at the scout.

Varzoth heard a roar of agony from the position of the scout. “Got it!” Lilith yelled from the spot where she’d landed on the scout, he shifted back to normal form. It was a small scout, but fully in the emperor’s scout armor.

Varzoth looked into the eyes of the scout, “You're loyal to the emperor?”

They nodded, “With sword, and stab.” That was a common important’s phrase, meaning they’d fight with their sword. And stab or be stabbed for the emperor.

Varzoth nodded, “I remember that saying, it was sad, and useless.” He looked to Lilith, “Let’s bring him back to the village, this is the first time in the past year since the action to protect the awakening a scout has attacked. This is not a mere coincidence.” Lilith nodded, and dragged the scout to his feet and took out a bronze blade and his important’s papers.

“It looks like he was an ordinary important’s scout, but he’s really bad at the scout part of it.” Lilith said smirking, I laughed. No giggled, ya.

“I’m no bad scout!” The scout complained.

“Then why’d the scout get scouted?” Varzoth asked. The scout stopped talking, they brought him into the now city I guess you could say. All of their houses had grown, and the population doubled. Varzoth couldn’t believe all this came from one true act, stealing the heart forge. They got the scout into a secret underground bunker, and he seemed pleased. Lilith didn’t like that. She went in there and took almost every possession he held, all he got was the clothes he wore. He still seemed fine with it though, Lilith got angry with the guy and started talking about the Master Knight aiding the Important’s. The Master Knight was something else entirely, but Varzoth trusted him. The man had saved the children of the village from the coming danger, and taught all of them magic for them to utilize in any way they pleased.

After a while the scout just sighed, “Finally.”