The legend of alexandros.., p.1
The Legend Of Alexandros: Titans Of Chaos, page 1
Copyright © 2012 A.C. Hernandez
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1470014998
ISBN 13: 9781470014995
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62110-557-2
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I: “THE AWAKENING, PART ONE”
CHAPTER II: “AS TIME GOES BY…”
CHAPTER III: “THE AWAKENING, PART TWO”
CHAPTER IV: “OLD FRIENDS”
CHAPTER V: “A STORY RARELY TOLD, PART 2”
CHAPTER VI: “LONG DAY’S JOURNEY”
CHAPTER VII: “HOPE FOREST”
CHAPTER VIII: “THE UNDERWORLD, PART ONE”
CHAPTER IX: “CHOICES”
CHAPTER X: “’TIL THE SUN RISES”
CHAPTER XI: “AND THEN THERE WAS GRACE…”
CHAPTER XII: “DISBELIEF”
CHAPTER XIII: “THE LAGOON”
CHAPTER XIV: “ABDUCTION”
CHAPTER XV: “BROKEN”
CHAPTER XVI: “CHARLOTTE”
CHAPTER XVII: “THE GUIDE”
CHAPTER XVIII: “MELANCHOLY HOLLOW”
CHAPTER XIX: “HOPE”
CHAPTER XX: “BRYNHILDE DURMARK”
CHAPTER XXI: “THE DARK HOUR”
CHAPTER XXII: “THE DELIVERER”
HOW HE GOT HIS NAME…
CHAPTER I
“THE AWAKENING, PART ONE”
On a dark, thundering night, three young brothers between the ages of nine an twelve gathered around their mother. She screamed out in agony as she lay on her back on an altar high on the mountaintop. Her cries caused the thunder to rip throughout the skies. Her eldest son, Malvado, held onto her hand tightly, trying hard to help his mother through the pain. As she clenched her fists tightly and let out a scream that exploded through the sky, she gave one last push and gave birth to her fourth child. The three brothers gathered in closer to their mother to set eyes on their newborn baby brother. Her second-born son, Archard, leaned in and brushed her reddish-brown hair away from her beautiful face. She closed her long, white, flowing robe and cradled her newborn son in her arms. Tears streamed from her golden eyes. She gently kissed the baby on his forehead, then looked up to her three sons.
“This was the night and the birth of your youngest brother. Watch over him…Keep him safe for all times to come, my sons…and be forever proud of what you are…Titans,” their mother said as she handed her newborn baby to her eldest son, Malvado.
She slowly began to lie back with a look of strong sorrow on her face. Tears fell from her eyes and her three sons looked to her.
How could our mother be so sad right now? Why is she not happy? They thought.
The mother Titan shut her eyes and passed away. Her sons mourned over her, refusing to leave their mother’s side. For several days they stood beside her until her body turned to stone, crumbling away into dust and blowing off into the mountain wind. The torrential rain crashed down onto the four brothers. They sat close together with their eyes shut tightly. For many days the brothers were abandoned on the mountains, not understanding the meaning of death.
Where is Mother? Her three sons thought everyday she was gone. Why is she not here with us? Why does she not love us like we love her?
Until one day when a group of farmers stumbled upon the brothers as they were exploring the area they wished to settle down in. Shocked and afraid, the farmers stood with their backs to the mountain’s edge. The four brothers sat shaking from the cold; their clothes were torn and ragged. One farmer shook his head in disgust and warned that the boys would be nothing but trouble if left to live. He stood before the traveling farmers and shouted loudly that they should end the lives of the four boys before any harm would befall the village they wished to build…But just then the young daughter of a weapons maker stepped forward with ease and approached the frightened brothers. She walked over to Archard as he curled into a ball-like position and gently took his hand. The young girl looked into his golden eyes, and although incredibly tiny compared to the Titan boy, she gave Archard an embrace that he had never experienced before. Her embrace was so very much full of love and care and through that embrace Archard felt for the first time in his life that…he was safe. The farmers saw no reason to kill the four Titan boys, all except the farmer who wished to kill them from the moment he saw them. Frustrated and angry he stomped down the mountain, heading back toward their village that was under massive construction. Archard lifted the young eight-year old girl as he stood up and did not let go of their embrace. The farmers with caution approached the brothers and after a moment of showing the young brothers they meant no harm, the farmers led the brothers down the mountain to safety, back to their village…
TWELVE WINTERS LATER…
“How on earth are we to clear this dam? Do you see the massive size of that boulder?” the Titan brother Viktor asked, staring off at a monstrous boulder that had blocked the flow of water to their village.
“How do you think? We are going to push the dumb thing out of the dam so our people can have water,” Archard said proudly. Archard walked the riverside, trying to figure out how indeed they were to remove the boulder from the water.
Being the second-born Titan son, Archard had a proud soul. He loved to help anyone that needed to be helped. His love for humans and all life in general kept him in such a pleasant and tranquil mood. Archard and his three brothers stood incredibly tall, standing at fifteen feet, with the exception of their youngest brother who at the young age of twelve stood at eight feet tall. Archard’s hair was a dirty blonde and kept short. As for his eyes, they were a golden color and had an enchanting glow. Archard was extremely handsome with fair skin and like all of his brothers had a most desired body. Archard was extremely young looking for his age, even though he was at the age of twenty-one. The brothers all wore cloth shorts specially made for them by the villagers; Archard wore dark-colored shorts and had around his neck a silver chain with a silver pendant that for some unknown reason would not open until the sun had fully set.
“So tell me, brother, which one of us do you think should take the swim over there to move that boulder?” Viktor said with a smile and small laugh.
Viktor was the third-born Titan brother and was the practical joker out of the bunch. Viktor was amazingly handsome with short jet-black hair that was naturally spiked up. He had pale skin and captivating midnight blue eyes that at times would seem to almost look right through you. Viktor had his left ear full of piercings that he himself would construct, and even his brothers would wonder how he was able to make his piercings; but it was his secret, and Viktor never shared it with anyone.
“We should leave those humans to die of thirst…We are not slaves,” their older brother Malvado complained with annoyance. “Why is it our job to fix everything they seem to break, or in even better terms, destroy?”
Even though Malvado was the older brother, he was not a good leader. Malvado was much more of a loner. He would stay deep in the forests that surrounded the farming village for most days without coming out, unless one of his brothers was to go and find him. Malvado had the most penetrating crimson eyes with shoulder-length brown hair. Malvado was paler than his brothers and wore the shorts that the villagers had made for him. Malvado had a most dark presence and had a permanent scowl that never once left his face.
“No, we are not slaves, but if we are able to help, then I see no harm in helping anyone that asks,” Archard said with his back turned to his older brother. “And let me remind you these are the very villagers that have cared for us for the last twelve winters. Since we were children, they have taken the best care of us, so as a payment you should want to help them as much as you can.”
“Do not speak as if you owe them your entire life, Archard,” Malvado said in a harsh tone. “We are Titans, this is beneath us.”
“Oh, will you please shut up? You are far too moody all the time. If you wish not to help, then go back and sit in your lonely forest,” Viktor said with a laugh as he gave his older brother a small nudge.
“Why must everything be a joke to you, Viktor?” Malvado replied with his permanent scowl. “I am being most serious.”
“That is your problem, brother, you are far too serious,” Viktor said, nudging Malvado some more. “You must not look at things in such a negative way all the time. Besides, you drink from the same springs we and the humans do. If we leave this boulder blocking the water, how are we supposed to drink water, hmmm?”
“Stupid…foolish, human lovers…” Malvado said with some anger. He turned and stormed off back to his forest, leaving Archard and Viktor alone to move the boulder.
Archard rolled his eyes and shook his head. He stepped into the river. The boulder that blocked the water source to the farming village was deep in the hilltop a mile or two away from the village. The area was grassy with not too many trees. Wild horses filled the fields, running freely, grazing, and drinking from the blocked springs. As Archard stepped into the water, he turned to his brother Viktor, only to see that he was right behind him, making his way toward the boulder as well. The two approached the huge boulder and began lifting with all their might. They lifted the boulder out of the water, then carried it out of the water and dropped it a few feet away from the river. The water rushed down and began to flow naturally once more. Viktor stood beside Archard on dry land and patted him on the back, and nodded his head for a job well done. Together he and his brother Archard walked down the
Back in the village, the farmers were working hard on their crops, trying as hard as they could to utilize whatever water was left on their growing crops, when suddenly the river’s springs rushed down and flowed beautifully throughout the village. The people cheered and rejoiced as the water returned to their home once more. The village was filled with stone homes with thatch rooftops that protected from the rain or any other of the elements of the seasons. The homes also had small yards and large fields where the villagers harvested. A long, somewhat-wide, crystal-clear river flowed in the center of the village, separating the two sides; so in order to live peacefully, the Titans helped build a thick stone bridge to make it much easier to get from one side to the other. In the village lived many farmers, including a weapons maker, his wife the healer, and their close to twenty-year-old daughter.
“But, Father, why can I not have just one more horse?” the weapons maker’s daughter asked as she and her father stood in front of their stone home.
“Because, Veridity, you already have six. What would you need another one for?” her father responded with a smile.
Veridity was the only child of the village weapons maker and his wife. Veridity was taught from the young age of four to wield a sword and shield and was the only young lady in her village that knew how to fight in battle. Men in the village were afraid of Veridity; she was far from prissy like the other girls in her village. Veridity loved being outdoors, honing her battle skills. She was the most beautiful young lady in her village, with dazzling red hair and the most stunning blue eyes. On her perfect body, she wore a short black leather skirt and a black leather sleeveless top that revealed her cleavage. She also wore dark-brown knee-high boots. Unlike the other young ladies from her village, Veridity had a light tan from all her time outdoors.
Veridity’s father was a most well-respected weapons maker and sold out of almost every sword he would make. In his younger years, he was a most handsome young man, but as he aged he had placed on a few pounds, which of course never once stopped him from his warrior training or his love for making his daughter the most fine-looking sword any in the village had seen. He made her a sword with a fantastic silver blade, a handle as blue as her lovely eyes and a red gem in the center of the handle that was the color of her hair. Her father was tall with a round belly; he had blue eyes and a round face. His hair was light brown, but he always wore a helmet, so hardly any knew what color his hair was, and he always wore dark armor that he himself would make.
“I will take care of it, just as I care for my others. Please, Father,” Veridity asked with a precious smile she always gave to her father to get her way.
“Do not fall for that smile, you ol’ softy,” her mother said with a lovely smile as she stepped out of their home. Her mother stood beside her husband and looked to her daughter.
“We are most certain you can care for the horse, but you have six too many already, Veridity,” her mother said. “You do not need another.”
Veridity’s mother was a most kindred spirit. She loved to help others with her natural medicines and herbal remedies. She had shoulder-length red hair and brown eyes. She was pale and always wore her rosy brown dress. From when she was a child herself, her mother had taught her the ways of healing and forever taught her healing was a gift and was one that should be shared.
“Oh, Mother…” Veridity said sadly. “I wish…” But before Veridity could finish her sentence, Archard and his brother Viktor returned from the hilltops. Veridity’s eyes gazed off to Archard. Her parents turned to see why their daughter was so hypnotized, and once they saw Archard, they turned to each other and smiled. Archard and Viktor slowly made their way toward Veridity and her parents. Veridity stepped away from her mother and father to approach Archard.
“We are so grateful you and your brothers have moved the boulder, Archard,” Veridity said while looking up into Archard’s golden eyes.
“It was no trouble at all; we will forever be in your debt, and your family’s debt,” Archard replied respectfully. “If I may ask, is our brother Evan feeling any better? He was terribly ill before we left to move the boulder,” Archard said, looking to Veridity’s mother, the healer.
“Your brother is more than well, he waited until you and your brothers left to suddenly feel better,” her mother said with a warm smile. “I think he is off playing in the fields as we speak.”
“Thank you for caring for him, even though he lied about being sick,” Archard said. He then turned to Viktor and began to walk off, but before they left, Archard turned to Veridity. “Will I see you later tonight, Veridity?” he asked with a slight blush.
“Of course…Archard,” Veridity said kindly and watched as Archard and Viktor walked off toward the fields across the stone bridge.
“Where do you think Malvado stormed off to?” Archard said while looking around the village.
“Where else would he be? He is most likely cuddling with some owl or deer in his lonely forest. You know he always prefers being alone,” Viktor said sarcastically.
“I know…and that is what troubles me about him,” Archard said to himself in a whisper.
The forest was shaded by tall trees that covered the forest grounds. Thick berry-filled bushes grew wild near the small pond that was full of lily pads. Malvado thought of this as his sanctuary; the isolation kept him at peace. He was tired of humans and thought little of them. Humans robbed him and his brothers of their rightful destiny. The voice he spoke to in his forest told him this every day. The voice would come to him and whisper things in his ear, things that at first Malvado found disturbing, but in time he found them to be the very feelings he had. At first he never wanted to allow his mind to be cluttered with such thoughts, and as the years went on, he found being alone with the voice was the only time he felt peace. The voice in his head was dark and deep, and while Malvado sat alone in his forest, the voice continued to whisper to him…
“They are all against you,” the voice whispered deeply. “We have discussed this many times before, Malvado…You know what you must do to truly be free of the constant battle you have.”
“This would be a most difficult task…I hate them all, all the humans are beneath you and me…but I owe them my life as well,” Malvado said with conflicting thoughts racing through his mind.
“Your brother will never respect you as he does the humans. I know you want his love and admiration, but until you rid him of what clouds him, it is something you will not have,” the voice said.
Malvado stood up and paced around the pond, holding his head as if it were in excruciating pain, his crimson eyes shut tightly. He could not figure out what he should do. He was lost in his angered emotions for humans and wanted Archard to look up to him so badly. Malvado slowly looked up to the sky to see the evening sun.
“This will be the last sunset those humans shall ever see…” he said with a terrifying focused look on his face.
The farmers worked hard on the fields at this time. They roamed the fields collecting the berries and bright oranges that grew there. The wide acre of land seemed to stretch for miles and miles without end. The fourth Titan brother and the youngest, Evan, ran playing with the other village children. Evan was a playful happy young boy, and was close to his brothers Archard and Viktor. He had curly, untamable, reddish-brown hair that grew into a small Afro; his round eyes were a magical indigo color. Being that he was eight feet tall, Evan was still able to fit into some of the clothes that had been given to him by Veridity’s mother. He wore a light grey shirt with faded black tights and brown sandals.
“Are you feeling any better, little brother?” Archard asked as he snuck up behind Evan. Evan spun around; startled his brothers were back so soon.
“Yes…I am feeling much better…The healer’s remedies truly work wonders,” Evan replied nervously while scratching his head. Archard glared at him with one eyebrow raised.
“OK, OK,” Evan confessed. “Just stop looking at me like that. I just did not want to go all the way up there to move that big rock,” Evan said while he kept his head down.
“Why not just say so then? Why lie, Evan? Especially to me,” Archard asked, tilting his head.
