Introduction
Welcome back to Maledicturs Terra. This is a Chain Story between myself and @lex-zaiya, meaning that we each write the parts alternatively.
If you have not read Maledictus Terra Book 1: Mortis Custos yet, it starts HERE at Part 1 and ends at Part 101 HERE. At the end of the Part 101 post you will find links to all 101 Parts!
Maledictus Terra Book 2: Sanguifex started HERE with Part 1 and ends at Part 111 HERE
The previous part by @lex-zaiya can be found here!
Time to start muddling with the actual main storyline again and not just stick to the villain arcs. Though I am probably not completely done with them!
Part 62
Adrian approached the old man.
He was sitting at a bench looking over the armoured crenulation at the edge of one of the castle's towers. The armouring of the buttresses and walkways at the top of the castle and the city walls was a new addition.
One never knew when you would need to deal with mage fire. Adrian wondered what his father would have thought of all this. Back in his day, which seemed like a long-forgotten era, war was waged by man against man.
Sword and shield. Horses and bows. Castles and catapults.
Now it seemed strange not to be able to consider a large military threat without also expecting magical bolts, undead hordes immune to damage that would kill ordinary humans or creatures that could run up vertical walls.
He sat next to the old man, who was staring out east across the great ocean. Adrian's travels had taken him across land to the west and the north. The sea was a new frontier and he he was sorry that he was not going with Noxus and the others.
At least going southward was a new direction he had not yet taken. He looked to the old man. He knew that the man might look aged, but the long beard was an affectation. He was not frail. He was one of the most powerful beings in this castle, Gods notwithstanding.
"Have you ever been to the Hidden Isle?" Adrian asked.
Adiran turned his head and regarded Adrian with a deep, penetrating stare. "Once. Not the last attempt, but the time before then. It caused me to give up on that timeline."
Adrian stared at his older self, his Uncle who turned out to be more than a name-sake. A traveler through time that was fighting cosmic horrors.
"What happened?" Adrian asked.
"They are powerful... you can only go to the Isles if you have permission and blessing to do so. The Temples are secretive and the Faces are... unforgiving. I attempted to force my way there after being denied. I believe that Kai is a sort of God and much like the invaders, he, she... it can see across the timelines that I have touched."
His uncle had a faraway look once again, staring out over the sea. "I am guessing that the reason you were denied entry to the Isle was not even because of that particular attempt."
Adiran raised an eyebrow. "Astute. You are not incorrect but I wonder what caused you to come to that conclusion."
Adrian shrugged. "It was a hunch."
"Hmmm... you know... you are not like me."
"Isn't that a good thing? No offence."
Adiran barked a laugh. "I suppose that it is! I believe that you need to be just enough like me to learn the magic, but yes... you need to be different... or else you would just repeat my mistakes..." Adiran paused.
"What is it?"
"There is an assumption at play here."
"And what is that?" Adrian asked.
"That all iterations of us that are younger had the potential to be better." Adiran stroked his beard. "It is always the hope that I would guide my younger self to the path of victory. But there are those iterations of myself that were frankly worse than me. Some of them did not even resist the pull of the Dark One and threw themselves at the chance to serve him."
"Like the King Adrian that you had to fight?"
Adiran nodded. "That one became infatuated with power. And yet there were others that were less talented that the rest. Some who were too weak willed and did not amount to much. Those versions were even overlooked by the Dark One and another vessel was chosen."
"Interesting."
Adiran grunted. "I suppose. So was there a reason you came to see me."
"I don't know if your timelines are always this busy, but you have given me very little training. I don't want to learn the... risky stuff. But the pure arcane arts that are a bit more neutral. We have a few days."
"I am busy."
"You always are. But isnt the point of coming to this time to try prevent your future from happening?"
"It already has been prevented. You are on a completely different trajectory."
"I don't think its enough to only set that change into motion. You also should give more effort in maintaining what potentials need to be improved."
Again, Adiran barked a short laugh. "Listen to me lecturing me. Fine... come to me this evening and we shall begin.
Over to you Lex!
Thank you for reading!
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Vetitum Nemus
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