BOOK 1 - CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 18

Johnny woke up early the next day, another nightmare of past failures haunting and pursuing him from slumber even after accepting that what happened with Talvish and even in the Convar invasion of earth wasn’t his fault. He put those dire thoughts aside before they could ruin his morning mood and got to getting ready, Julia and the other Warden would be spending the day with him and with all that was at stake…he couldn’t afford another nightmare.

He was pleasantly surprised to find the Alliance had modern plumbing, heating even and all that he’d need to take care of his business as he would back on Earth. It was a soft consolation for all he’d been through, all he’d suffered on this planet they called Nsukka, but he thoroughly enjoyed it all the same.

After having a hot scrub Johnny got into the clothes they’d laid out in his room the day before. After he’d returned from talking to Talvish, the wardrobe in his room was stuffed with clothes accurately measured to his size and even a variety of footwear. He slipped on the dark leather slippers and threw on the colorful shirt and trousers and had a look at himself in the small mirror mounted on the wall.

At least I fit in with the locals now. He thought, ignoring the fact that he was the only human he’d laid eyes on in the settlement, the rest all Demi humans and Beastkin of some version or the other.

A rapt knock came at the door— another thing that had magically changed about his room; gone were the cell bars and in with a fine wooden door, lock and key placed in his hands. Whoever was knocking didn’t wait a second before allowing themselves in and Johnny couldn’t help but flush at the thought— What if I was still dressing up?

A meek-looking bunny Demihuman allowed himself in with a trolley of sweet-smelling breakfast, except it may as well been lunch as the savory scents of meats, fish and other protein wafted in his nostrils. A soup of sorts, paired alongside some grains that looked like rice but were far too yellow to be it, but Johnny didn’t mind.

The Bunny rotated the trolley and parked it beside the short living room table. He turned to Johnny and bowed, deeply. “Good morning Radiant Champion Johnny, breakfast is served to your liking, wildebeest beef stew and harince, complemented with a kettle serving of barley juice.”

Barley juice? Isn’t that alcohol? Do they think I’m an alcoholic? Johnny kept from laughing and instead said to the still deeply bowed servant, “Please…uhm, stand? You don’t need to bow to me, I’m just a normal dude, cool?”

The server looked confused but didn’t say anything towards that correction, instead his eyes glanced at the door where the Warden, Julia stood like a statue, her face still somber but sprinkled with lighter hints of emotion— her lips twitched up at Johnny’s surprised look.

Julia waved the servant away and he hastily took the escape, leaving the two alone in the room, albeit with the door still open. “Good morning, Johnny, hope you had a good night's rest.”

“Ha…yes, I did, thank you.” Johnny said, tossing the nightmares he’d experienced under the rug as she walked in. “We could’ve started this yesterday, there was plenty of time.”

Julia shook her head and gestured for him to sit with her at the short table, she wasted no time unpacking the food on the trolley, there were several plates brought in and it was clear Johnny wasn’t having breakfast alone today.

“No, you needed rest. Two days unconscious, a slit throat, facing off against cultists alone…although with the help of your...Voyager was it?”

“Yes, and Albert.” She raised a brow at that but didn’t comment.

“Yes, that would be much for anyone, even myself. As badly as Nsukka needs its Champion, the Alliance would rather have you in your best shape before throwing you against the enemy, though you seem to have no trouble finding them, or letting them find you.”

Johnny’s cheeks coloured a shade of pink, he knew what she was subtly referring to. Talvish had manipulated several guards and even his now late son into getting him alone but there wasn’t a moment Johnny himself was manipulated. He should have obeyed Orion’s instructions and waited for Julia and the other Wardens before ever setting foot outside the settlement. If he had perhaps Zegarto would still be alive now.

“Are we waiting for someone else?” Johnny asked, counting the set of dishes left on the trolley, there was still one unpacked.

“Magaret.” Julia answered, “She will join us soon and will be your battle and magic instructor, remember?”

Johnny nodded, he did. The Demon winged Warden, she was a frightening sight and had the personality to match. A part of him wasn’t looking forward to ‘learning’ from her but there wasn’t much choice left now.

“Eat, enjoy, I will brief you on your responsibilities as the Radiant Champion as we wait for Margaret.” Julia said, already lifting a mix of stew and grain to her lips. She bit, chewed and swallowed with a light going up in her eyes— it was delicious.

Johnny joined her and found out the tastes for himself and was glad he did. Best breakfast ever.

Julia smiled at him and began talking between infrequent but sizeable bites, “First off, you’ll be taking over some of Orion’s duties, or rather, he’ll be handing them over to you, the Champion. Locating and destroying void portals is your main priority as the Champion and the start of our goal as the Alliance.”

“In the absence of a Champion, Orion has been handling smaller, localized reports of void portals all around Nsukka but the true concern is the Devouring Darkness’s main void portal, the source of all others and the vein of corruption.”

Johnny could imagine what said corruption looked like. He’d already seen the wall of purple, life twisting gas that carved the landscape a couple days ago— it was the reason he had to drive through that canyon.

“The corruption is already at eighty percent by our records and if it ever hits a hundred…then this world too will be lost.” Julia continued, her eyes growing distant as she stared at her meal. She snapped back to herself not long afterwards though, even picking up a mug and the kettle to pour for herself and Johnny some ‘barley juice’.

“Finding the main portal is our…your top priority to saving this world. When we do find it, only you have the power to weaken it, to destroy it. We will support you as you do.” she said, taking a sip and offering Johnny to do the same.

He did and found that barley juice was not at all alcohol but some kind of sweet tea with a bitter taste. He took a spoonful of his breakfast and sat back, “And how exactly am I supposed to do that when I don’t even know how?”

When he was left alone yesterday, he tried to conjure the power of the Radiant One, the burning, purifying energy of the Goddess that flowed through him when he saved Talvish. It was more difficult than he expected, he felt normal again, like what happened three days ago was nothing but a dream and yet, stirring his barley juice he knew beyond a doubt that it wasn’t.

“Give yourself a little grace, Champion, just as you have me.” Julia said, her smile was as warm as the barley settling in his stomach, she glanced back at the open door and said, “That’s something Margaret will be teaching you. Honing your Radiant power. Don’t worry, you’re clearly a natural if you managed to purify a Bipedal Rift Eater on your first try, you’ll have more to practice with at local corruption sites. Soon.”

He’d heard that word mentioned in reference to Talvish yesterday and now again. He remembered Jana mentioned it as well, and from her tone of voice when speaking about it, it wasn’t anything good.

“What are Rift Eaters anyway? Jana gave me the basics but…”

Julia’s smile fell a bit, and she raised her cup to hide it, “They come in many forms, dark, eldritch beings that consume reality. The most common are wolf-like, similar even to a Convar, but the more complex their form, the more intelligent and dangerous they are.”

“Like Talvish?”

She nodded, “Exactly, that crystal transformed him into a Bipedal Rift Eater, they aren’t the worst versions, but they are considered a major threat. The Alliance is grateful you purified him, otherwise. The damage he could have wrought so close to the settlement…his son would’ve been minimal casualty.”

Johnny gulped. His memory of purifying Talvish was quite spotty, the power and voice of the Radiant One guiding him was greater than anything else in that moment, her word and mission to dissolve the evil that absorbed Talvish was…

“Why do they exist? Why is this really happening, any of it?” Johnny asked, his belly full but his understanding of what was truly going on in the universe and his place in it, still lacking.

Julia sat back, she sighed, shaking her head as she set her cup down and ran a hand through her hair, “It’s…it all started with the Radiant One, she ruled the Cosmos in peace and tranquility and…in an effort to maintain that peace…” She let out another deep breath and Johnny was on the edge of his seat, leaning on her every word. This would be important. “The Radiant One created the Loathing One to manage the Halls of Judgment.”

Johnny blinked, his mouth hung ajar in full disbelief as he stuttered, “Wait…what! She created him? The evil god? Why?”

Julia frowned, “I just told you, to manage the Halls of Judgement and he wasn’t always evil…but he turned on her. Led a coup, a war that weakened both and, in his weakness, he fled to the mortal realm. No one knows how he escaped, perhaps the Radiant One does but since he did, he’s only grown stronger by consuming worlds and corrupting souls.”

At this point Johnny felt he was missing a good chunk of the story; how could something created by that glorious power that flowed through him turn evil? Turn against its creator? He shook his head, knowing Julia knew little more than she was telling him now.

“At first, the Radiant One and her Nephilim fought against his corruption, but they too fell victim to his rot. And with the Goddess’ energies dwindling, with the loss of worlds…she rallied other gods and goddesses from ruined worlds and formed the Radiant Alliance under her will. Together, they created a sanctuary, a pocket dimension for Alliance members to travel between worlds in search of refuge. Back then, better than now, the Radiant’s power allowed for gifts like immortality, resurrection and more to occur among her followers and blessed one, but these days that is rarer.”

Johnny recalled Margaret or some other Warden, perhaps Lisa? One of them mentioned being able to raise him if he’d died three days ago. That’s reassuring.

“That’s…wow. I guess we have our work cut out for us huh?” Johnny said, truly at a loss for words.

“No, you do!” A boisterous voice declared. Johnny and Julia looked up and found standing at the doorway none other than Margaret. She wasn’t wearing armor today but looked like she could survive well enough without it, her wings made it tough walking through the door even folded up. She had to lean down and in to make it through, all the while holding Johnny’s gaze with a vicious smile.

“About time you got here.” Julia said, standing to embrace her fellow Warden. “We ate without you.”

“Hahah, hope my food isn’t cold but even if it is, I’ll warm it right up with the boiling sweat of the Champion, isn’t that right, Johnny?” Margaret grinned widely.

Not for the first time Johnny gulped at the large, imposing Demonic woman, “Uh…maybe?”

Julia laughed heartily, “We’ll take it slow today, right Margaret? No need to put the Champion in another coma.”

Margaret seemed to have other plans by the devilish glint in her eyes, plans Johnny would rather do without.