The Legend of Samuel Mason Pt. II - The Hunt

The Legend of Samuel Mason Pt. II follows where Pt. I left off. Darkstar operative and Paladin Reincarnate Samuel "The Blackflame" Mason continues his quest to find and unite the Subjects of Quinta. After obtaining intel that to find the Subjects, he must enter their respective realms, Sam realizes that he must hunt down and consume the Aspects who stole Queen Quinta's power.

Sam teams up with Junon's squad to locate the Aspects, as he comes closer to fulfilling the prophecy that dictates his fate in the final battle.

Chapter 1

"You can stay here for the time being. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, is in the mess hall." I showed Amber her room that Calliope and Kyrael arranged for her. Amber was still silent, her face blank.

She entered the room and sat on the bed.

I sat next to her. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Yes, but I know you won't be able to fulfill it."
"Amber, a prophecy is meant to happen."

Amber clenched her fists, wrinkling her jeans. "Sam, you never made things easy. Even now."

I didn't know what to say. Everything fell apart for her so fast, so sudden. She lost her family, friends, the people at the refuge. Her boyfriend. Now me, who was all she basically had, was destined to die. Life sucked.

"I'm sorry."

Amber wiped her eyes. "I know you are." She sighed. "I shouldn't be putting this on you, I'm just... I'm exhausted Sam. I just want all this to end. Maybe it's easier to just end it myself."
"Hey, don't think like that."
"I have no one left."
"No one should take their own life, no matter how bad it gets. Amana cares about you, and if you give the people here a chance, so will they. Your life is too precious to be given up on."
"I want to be alone... I'm, I just need some space. Sorry."

I left Amber alone. Walking back to the main hall then to the Darkstar hideout. Wheeler was at the main computer. It was funny seeing a computer in Corinth; it was so out of place.

"Ayy, little man. How you doing?"
"What's up, Wheeler. How's training?"
"I'm perfecting my stone golems. Lady Calliope and I are comin' up with a real kicker combo right now. Involves making my golems crazy strong and durable."

I glanced at the computer screen, the golems that Wheeler had summoned were wielding golden armour.

"Damn, that's cool" I muttered.
"Right?"

I walked along the courtyard. Ferris filled me in on the details of everybody so far. Jason was still training in the Underworld, and Amana had joined him. Calliope and Ferris were working on a cool combo attack. Lazarus and Trill were working with Paladin Hark to create the Warpgate. Tob, Reya, and Dennis were training together. Junon and her squad were off, having completed their quest for Lazarus. They were chartering the furthest places of Corinth to fight and train. I guess that was where I was heading.

"Sam." A familiar voice appeared. I turned around, greeted by a woman with long flowing green hair. Merrow Rivenlight, my Guardian.

"Hey, Merrow! How was training?"
"Good. I see you achieved another soul-link."

Celestia zipped around Merrow. "Guuurlll! You're still looking pretty after all these years?"
Merrow laughed. "You're not looking too bad yourself, Celeste!"

My eyebrow twitched. Merrow and Celestia went way back. The two girl guardians who had to look after their Paladins. Most Paladins were assigned a Guardian to fill in their weaknesses. The best Guardians, well to us back then anyway, were the beasts. The powerful familiars that made us look badass and cool. When Icarus was assigned Polyth, the Serpent, Jonna and I were so excited to receive ours.

The look on my face when I was assigned Merrow the Mermaid was still memorable even now. She was so annoying. Like the high school popular girl type. Always texting on her phone, paying me no attention. We were an iconic duo. A popular girl forced to work with a nerdy edgelord. Every mission and contract I was assigned was never completed without the two of us getting in some sort of argument.

Merrow changed over the years, maturing and growing into Decen's caretaker. After all those years in the Formation, she didn't really age much, but it was still pretty apparent compared to Merrow in her twenties. Come to think about it, Merrow would technically be in her late forties. Thinking about Merrow that way felt weird.

Merrow caught me smirking. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, just thinking about the past."

I updated Merrow on my quest with Amana. How I soul-linked with Celestia, intel on the Achilles Conduits, and how we could have Junon use her powers to locate the Aspects who stole Quinta's power somehow. The objective was to absorb these Aspects, so I could become a conduit to the other three realms. I would then transport myself into each realm and hopefully find the Subjects, convincing them to join our cause.

Merrow smoothed her frizzy green hair. "Seems like a good idea. But how sure are you that you can convince the Subjects?"

I looked down. "I... I don't know. I didn't think that far ahead."

Celestia giggled. "Aww, well let's just take it one step at a time. Where's this Junon chick anyway?"

I activated Hunter's Eye. "She's in the Marshes. Along with her squad. I guess that's where we're headed."

Merrow shouldered her backpack. "The Marshes huh. The swamp water there isn't my cup of tea, but wherever is water, I'm at my home turf."

I wasn't too thrilled to see a thirty something year old mermaid swimming in the swamps. The thought of it made me almost gag.

"You were thinking about me at my age swimming in my mermaid form were you." Merrow shot me a dangerous glare.
"No." I said a little too quickly.

Bridget giggled in my mind. This was going to be one hell of a journey.