Chapter 20: No True Path

They say that one needs to be proactive to grasp the reins of fate. To gather what is within your control and change the destiny of the path that you've taken. Think of it as a game that you've already finished. Where you already know how it would end and how things would go. Imagine, thinking what you should have done at that moment in your playthrough?

What would you do to save a person that you wanted to live? How would you act differently if you could reload back time and do it all again? Would you save that person from certain death? Would you try and change the course knowing that no matter how you play it out it would end in either the world being saved or the evil reigning supreme over the world?

No matter how many choices you'd make there will be no true path. Like a stone splitting the river water it would branch out but in the end, it would flow back to the proper straight path. It will diverge but ultimately it will return to the proper path as it should be. There might be new changes into the flow of water but in the end, it would go to the same path.

So why change anything? Isn't it futile? Grasp the reins of fate? Why would you do that when such thing will happen anyway? So why bother at all? You can make a bit of difference but in the end, it wouldn't be up for you to decide. There are things that you control and these that you could not. Rather than setting a goal to change the world. Wouldn't it be better for you to prioritize in changing things that you could actually change? Indeed, if the world could be easily changed then it would have been an easy game.

What would you do in the name of love? What would you do after losing such love? What would you do if you return back to where things haven't happened yet and change that? To have the advantage of knowing the future benefits you. But yet that knowledge is limited to what you've known in the future. Nolan's knowledge about the future wasn't whole. There were little things that he wouldn't have known. And now that he proactively decided to change things to benefit his agendas. Nolan knew that there are things that would go out of control.

Nolan was not an incredible genius who would suddenly come up with elaborate schemes. He was not an athletic guy or has hidden talents or the power of will with him. He was just a random guy who awakened in a desert lost in a world that he needed to grit his teeth to survive. He didn't know the language of the land. He didn't know how to fight. He didn't know anything and only through taking a step bravely that a nameless file-and-rank soldier like him was able to survive through the end and fight for something he didn't know.

He wouldn't have become a Bleak Walker if he didn't lose Ciara. He wouldn't have turned into someone who would be part of the army that would save the world from the evil and guide the Heroes to their destiny of saving the world. Nolan knew that in the end, he was not a chosen person. He was not sent here to be its savior.

His life he was a cosmic accident that he didn't want. He lost his family and home. He fought for the person he loved the most in the world and failed her because he was powerless. He has already hardened his body and learned skills through walking the lands along with his fellow nameless brothers and sisters. They fought and wandered the earth with no hope in them. They expected the world to screw them and yet they trek the bleak path because they could and they have nothing to lose. Through being battered they learned how to be strong. Through fire and fury, they learned how to be robust. Through experience, they became tough to kill. Through hardship and suffering that Nolan became what he is now. He was no one special at all. Yet through learning and enduring that he became something after returning back to this time.

Maybe because of that he started to think that he must plod on the choices that he made. He knew what he was doing. He had to make proactive choices to benefit the future that he wanted. He was able to successfully open the ancient route that lessens the travel time. He was able to save Vie who should have died inside that well.

He acted on what he could control. He has realized that there are things that he could not control the appearance of the shadow trekkers and the Hero of Elemental Fire trying to catch him. In honesty, he didn't know what to say about the future that he has stirred for Oasis City. He wasn't that delusional to think that his actions here would cause something. He only wanted a bit of advantage and that Oasis City could survive the tide. He wasn't here in this city when the shadow trekkers arrived. He was sent to a place following an order only to see the smothering ruins of the City. At that time he lost the little things he built and he spent the following years as a rank-and-file soldier who served under Ciara who became the War Maiden assisting the Six Heroes of the Elementals.

He fought and fought. He fell in love and did his best to survive in the name of the person he loved. And even when the person he loved in the most died he continued living for he knew that he could not allow himself to go down gently. He screamed and fought side by side with people who lost everything. He thought that his journey was over when he saw that light return from the skies. Yet, he was back here in time to witness it again. He was able to change things through the knowledge he knew. He was quite proud of what he did. He was somewhat happy with the sight that was in front of his eyes.

At the start of Summer the Enemies arrived in front of the city, they faced the curtain walls of the city. The Army of Shadow Trekkers numbered thousands and their banners billowed along the shadowed desert. The Lord of the Army held the reins of his horse as he boldly proclaims for Oasis City to surrender and that they may be allowed to run like dogs.

Nolan folded his arms. He gazed at the Warden of The Barren Land named Awl with frosty eyes. He was among the Bleak Walkers who have positioned themselves in the walls along with the Talon Knights who readied their crossbows. He was fully armed and the others were in full gear as well. The Bleak Walkers that was with him wore the same frosty expression.

"They are many," said Vie.

Nolan nodded, "Yes, but we will if things go right."

"No optimism?" said a man. "But I guess I can tell that you guys are ready to kill like us." He palmed his plate armor. "It is an honor fighting with the Bleak Walkers. I guess when things are bad we really unite against the common enemy."

The soldier returned to his position. He focused his eyes on the curtain walls that was filled with wizards readying spells. Nolan could hear the voices of the wizards and from where he was standing, he could see Todd gathering the Light of the Sun around his armor. Beside Todd was Martina, she was chanting along with the wizards who simultaneously summoned thousands of wizards from the inner lands in one fell swoop. The curtain walls that was rather empty were filled with dots of light coming from the staffs of the wizards that appeared.

The Crusaders of Salt Passing took a position in front of the curtain walls. The guardsmen of Throes have joined them along with Sword Maidens who were armed to the death, following Celesta against the Shadow Trekkers led by Lord Awl of the Barren Lands. Nolan could see through the scope of his the confident expression of the Warlord.

Among the Guardsmen of Throes was the Hero Ryle who was ready to fight. Although, he was rather curious about the 'ghost' that was able to take him down. He couldn't allow himself to sit this fight out. He was acknowledged by the King and was given the right to fight with Imperial Royal Guards and the Crusaders of the Salt Passing.

Along with them was the hired adventurers and mercenaries that were brought by Diego. Diego has already evacuated the city along with the people who were afraid to die. The other people stayed inside the City bearing their tools as weapons. They could not be convinced to get out of the City. They stayed knowing that they will die if the wall falls.

Lord Gideon was at the front of the battle. He eyed the Warlord and gestured the Wizards who ready to send in the command. He spoke, "We shall fight!" and he brought his hand down like a hammer of justice!

"ATTACK" shouted someone. The wizards of that stayed in the walls conjured magic missiles and before long the whole front was covered in a rain of magic missiles that blanketed the army of Shadow Trekkers. The Shadow Trekkers roared as they sensed the spell coming from the rest. Hannah had made use of herself as a proxy and brought down an area of effect spell that neutralized the magical defenses of the shadow trekkers.

The Crusaders of the Salt Passing formed a Shield Wall. They held their ground as the Shadow Trekkers started to charge at them. The Talon Knights readied their repeater crossbows and rained down bolts towards them. Each and every single of their bolts were coated with the poison that came from Vie's hair. The Crusaders held the line as the Shadow Trekkers fight. The wizards of the Crusaders gave them magic armor and was able to hold the line.

The Guardsmen of Throes and the Sword Maidens charged as well. Their swords were coated with Phantasmal Blade Oils and they fought tooth to tooth with the enemy. Hero Ryle also engaged the enemy and like his title he was able to gain control of the battlefield. He plowed through enemy lines with his immolated form and fought the beasts that he spotted down the temple.

Nolan, who was watching saw the beast and felt that there was something wrong. He looked at the place where the Lord Awl was commanding and he was able to spot him doing the ritual along with Devilish Tania who fired her swords at those who tried charging at them. The forces facing the army was enough to put the battlefield into a stalemate. The rest of the defenders grow easy while some cheered at the people defending the front.

Nolan had already moved out of the line and observed the ritual. Hero Ryle was able to spot the ritual as well but he was blocked by the Devilish Tania. The Warlord Warden named Awl brought his hands down. The whole city shook and before everyone knew it the dim-sun was blocked by something huge and enormous. Nolan looked up and felt his jaw shudder at the unfathomable being that appeared above the city.

It was a floating orb of flesh with a giant mouth, a single central eye and many eyestalks that were churning with a dense magical energy that rippled the space. The battlefield quieted down as the creature floats above the sky. Nolan could only stare at the creature with his soul trembling in fear. He knew what the creature was and even though he has already known how to defeat it with what he learned. He could still not believe his eyes.

"An Orb Of Chaos! An Ancient one too!" shouted Nolan as he started his feet and sprinted across the walls. He was heading to the ballista that was brought by the Talon Knights. He wanted to stop the creature before it could cast a spell. But it was too late already.

The Orb of Chaos ascended up the sky. It created a tremor and before long there was a whirlwind of malevolent energy that turned the whole city into a smothering ruin in a blink of an eye!