The Dark Side of War - Chapter 2

“So, talk. What did you mean?” asked Brian as he leaned back against a tree, crossing his arms across his chest. He looked at his friend, expecting an answer.

Caleb sighed. “Do I really have to?” there was a certain emotion that no one could place in his eyes.

“Yes. Said you would, so spill.” okay, so he was being a little harsh, but he wanted answers, and he wanted them now. He sighed, clearing his mind, his eyes softening. “Please, buddy. Tell me. I’m here for you, you know that.”

Caleb slowly nodded as he walked over to the edge of the cliff they were standing on, looking out over the land. Brian came up behind him, and he sighed. “Okay, well…” he trailed off, licking at his lips as he tried to think of exactly what to say. “How about I start from the beginning, huh?” he asked.

Brian nodded. “That’d be a good place to start.”

“Okay, well…when I was five…”

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“Daddy, come on! I want to play? Are you done yet?” a younger version of Caleb asked as his father wrote something down on a piece of paper.

His father looked up at him and smiled. “Yeah, come on then, squirt.” he got up, and headed towards the door.

“Yay!” yelled the younger Caleb. They were going to go outside and walk around a little, and play. Caleb had been waiting for this all day.

Once they got outside, though, everything changed. The sky darkened, and the streets were empty. Not a single soul was seen, and Caleb was surrounded by darkness. He called out for his father, but never got an answer.

“Daddy? Where are you? Come on, dad, this isn’t funny!” he shouted, his little voice small and frightened.

Still, there was no answer.

Caleb started to feel colder and colder, and got even more scared. Suddenly, he heard his father’s voice, and ran towards it, colliding with his father. His father wrapped his arms around him, whispering soothing words as the younger cried.

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“I was scared…” murmured Caleb, his eyes going distant as he remembered the past. “I was so scared. I didn’t know what was going on.”

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A nine year old Caleb sighed as he walked down the streets, remembering that awful time. Suddenly, the darkness returned, and he screamed. He hated the dark, ever since that day, and now he was surrounded by it.

“Hmm…” chuckled a dark and cold voice that sent a wave of shivers down Caleb’s spine. “Young one, remember this: Speak a word of this to anyone, and your family dies. I am the Dark Lord, and you will soon serve me. If you don’t, you shall fall, hard. If you don’t serve me, young one, then you shall die a slow and painful death as the darkness eats you from the inside out. Can you feel it?”

Yes, he could feel it, and he hated it. He was so cold, and it felt as if everything was hopeless. “Yes.” he murmured.

“Good.” and then the voice was gone, and darkness went away.

Caleb ran home, and cried, not knowing what else to do. What was he supposed to do.

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“And well…then I got word that there was a darkness at the war, and I felt…cold, numb. I knew that I was supposed to go there, and…well, you know. Obey him, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t, Brian. So, what else did I do? I stayed at home, till I couldn’t anymore.” there were tears visible in his eyes, and that scared Brian.

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A now ten year old Caleb listened through the door as his mother and father talked of the war. Once he heard that there was an odd darkness there, he froze, and ran up to his room, where he cried again. That stupid, haunting darkness. He was supposed to go to war, then. But, he couldn’t, and wouldn’t do it.

But, suddenly, men came marching up the road, darkness surrounding them as they waltzed into the house. He heard the shrill screams of pain coming from his mother as his father yelled out, “No!”

Caleb darted into his closet, and hid under a bunch of clothes, plugging his ears as his father screamed in pain, and all was silent. Then his door opened, and he knew he was done for.

“Caleb?” came his father’s weak and strained voice.

He scrambled out from under the clothes, and gazed helplessly at his father as his father collapsed to the ground, blood oozing from his chest. “Dad!” he screamed, rushing towards him.

“Caleb…get out of here. Run…far away, and… don’t look back.” his father gasped, his eyes beginning to go distant.

“No, Dad, don’t go!” he shouted.

His father looked at him and smiled. “I love you, son…”

“I love you too, dad…” murmured Caleb, tears racing down his cheeks.

His father smiled one last time as his eyes closed, and then all was silent. Caleb couldn’t take it anymore. “No!” he screamed. “Dad, don’t go!”

Then men in black uniforms came in, blood dripping from the swords in their hands. “Get that little brat, I want his head.”

Caleb scrambled away from his father, and rushed over to the window, trying to open it, but he couldn’t. It wouldn’t budge. He turned around, his back against the window and wall as the men came closer, smirking devilishly as they did so.

Caleb screamed, and closed his eyes. Suddenly, the atmosphere got excessively hot, and he opened his eyes. Incandescent flames surround him, but yet they didn’t burn. They didn’t hurt at all. No, it was the opposite; they felt welcoming, and comfortable. He felt at peace. The men screamed in pain as the flames burn relentlessly at their skin, and they burned to death before the flames went away. Caleb screamed again, and ran out of the house. What had he just done? He’d killed people! Sure, they deserved it, but he’d killed them. And for that, he could never forgive himself.

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“I ran for it. I didn’t say a word. I didn’t sleep. I just ran for it. I didn’t stop, either, until my feet would no longer carry me until they got a rest.” murmured Caleb. “Some people found me, but I didn’t care. They helped me, and for that I’m grateful, but I didn’t say anything. I was too ashamed of what I’d done. I mean, how could I possibly create fire? Until I figured out why and everything and could control it, I didn’t want to be near anyone, afraid I’d hurt them.” he sighed, taking a deep breath as he continued. “Now I wish I would have thanked them…

“For years I was surrounded by deception and betrayal. What had happened to the world? The world I grew up in was gone, that was for sure. I soon learned that I couldn’t trust anyone, and…as you say, I have barriers. Well, now you know how they were formed. I showed no emotion, and didn’t speak. People were afraid of me because of that, and stayed away, which was just fine with me. I didn’t care anymore.

“When I turned thirteen, I…well, I was on my own. I was fighting for my life all the time, so there was no time celebrate. I didn’t really care if it was my birthday or not. Still don’t, actually.

“These three men came, and…tried to make me open up, but I wouldn’t. Good thing too, because they tried to stab a sword through my back when I wouldn’t do what they wanted. I couldn’t trust anyone. I was on my own, and I was okay with it. I was used to it.

“But, things got harder still, as the fights became more ruthless. I was getting hit every time I turned around. Hit with swords, stones, fists, you name it, and I was probably hit with it.

“I found these people, a woman and two small children, huddled in a corned by a gang of men. They had ropes, swords…everything, and they were going to use it on them. I stepped in, and won the battle, though not unscathed. I’d gotten sliced pretty good in my stomach, and on my shoulder. Hence, I said I was used to it.

“The woman kept thanking me, and I kept nodding, but didn’t say anything. She must have realized that I wasn’t going to talk, and sighed, and walked away, but not before saying thanks again.

“After that…I fought, and fought, and just for a little change of pace, I fought some more. Oh, the joy.” he said sarcastically. Brian was surprised. He’d never heard Caleb use sarcasm before… “Times changed, I changed, and everything around me changed.

“I fought pretty well, and was one of the best. Men were too afraid to fight me, because they knew they’d lose. Cowardly men, afraid of a fourteen year old boy.” he allowed a small smirk to come to his face. “But…

“But, then…I left the area, and moved on again. I still fought, but not as much. Now, I had a keen sense of when someone was coming, and my reflexes were sharp. Then… the fights came less often, but I was still ready.

“You found me when I was fifteen. Wow, we’ve only known each other for two years…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “Anyway, who cares. As I was saying, I didn’t trust you. I’m sorry, but I didn’t. you remember how I was.”

Brian nodded. Oh, boy, did he remember. Caleb didn’t talk at all, nor did his blank expression ever change. He only grunted or made a motion with his head in response to whatever Brian said. Soon, though, he’d talked, finally.

“When I finally opened up to you, I was sixteen years old. I had a feeling I could trust you, and I can. Good thing I listened to my instinct. And well, you know the rest, you were there.” he ended, the tears lingering in his eyes.

Brian was speechless. He knew that his friend had had a harsh childhood, but he never knew how harsh. “I’m…sorry.”

“I don’t want your pity, Brian. It’s in the past. That’s why I have to come to this war. I have to defeat that evil darkness for forcing me into this horrid life.” he stopped, and looked at Brian. “Of course, if it hadn’t happened, we would have never met.”

“Yeah…” murmured Brian.

Suddenly, Harry, Crystal, Alex, and Rachael came over to them. Caleb put his barriers back up.

“Come on.” said Harry, leading the way.

Alex sighed. “He said he wanted to show us something, so…” he trailed off, following Harry.

Brian and Caleb looked at each other, before nodding as one, following the others.

They came to a small clearing in the middle of the large forest.

“Um…what’s going on?” asked Alex.

“You’ve all heard of the legend, correct?”

They nodded as one, and Harry smiled.

“Good, good. I believe you five are the Chosen. Caleb…”

Caleb looked at Harry, and sighed.

“You’re fire, I believe.” said Harry.

Caleb sighed again, and looked away. Fire reminded him of his terrible childhood.

“Rachael…I believe you’re Water. Alex, you’re Ice. Crystal, you’re Air. And Brian…you’re Light.” explained Harry.

Everyone was shocked to say the least. How could they be the Chosen of the Legend? It was just so unlikely.