Previous in ORIGINS OF THE PALADIN…
Connor Sharpe is THE PALADIN, last of the Earthborn Angels, and he now faces an unforseen situation. The crystal temple, destroyed by the demon Eblis. His mentor Gabriel and the temple’s keeper Malachi dead at the demon’s hand. And now, Connor has awoken unmasked in the temple of the street magician Stefan Wonder, who makes a startling claim…that he too is an Earthborn Angel!
I
In a desert far away, the last shimmer of the shards of the legendary crystal temple can be seen. As the familiar glitter fades away, a piece of Heaven sent to Earth is leaving. It was inside this crystal temple that Paladins, Earthborn Angels sent to protect the world, would walk its long hallway and learn of the legends of Paladins who came before them.
But it was Connor Sharpe, the newest of the Earthborn Angels, the man who was told he was the last of his race, who would walk this temple its final time. For the fierce demon, Eblis, entered this temple and has wholly desecrated it. Its walls broken, its keeper destroyed, its records no longer held.
Deep beneath the sands, next to the balled up body of Malachi, keeper of the crystal temple, a lithe man with flowing, blonde hair lays a wrecked ball of flesh and bone, his eyes blank and expressionless, his face twisted in a death snarl. This is Gabriel, the angel sent to Earth to train the upcoming Paladins. It was he who brought Connor Sharpe to this temple. Now, his soul is no longer walking the Earth, his body a twisted, mangled clump besides the temple keeper, buried among the ruins of the now legendary temple.
The demon, Eblis, is nowhere to be found. The Paladin fought valiantly, giving his all to defeat this monstrosity, but he could not muster the strength to do so. The temple fell down around him, rendering the mighty Paladin unconscious as the demon disappeared beneath the rubble.
Now, in a large, open room far away from the old temple ruins, surrounded by artifacts of a long dead race and stretched out on a hard, granite slab, Connor has awoken to find himself in the abode of Stefan Wonder, a street magician whom he would just as soon kill as speak with.
At least, that’s what he thought, until the man began wildly gesturing and rambling on about who he really was. The man now tells him that Stefan Wonder is merely a guise…he is really Stefan Radu, and he is of Romanian heritage.
He is also claiming to be an Earthborn Angel.
As the man walked about waving his arms and rambling on, Connor finally pulled himself together. “Wait….you’re what?” he asked nervously.
“I’m like you, my friend!” Stefan shouted in his thick, bizarre accent. “I am an Earthborn Angel!”
Connor pulled himself off the granite slab he laid upon and steadily balanced himself. The room had not yet ceased to spin and he seemed to have lost quite a bit of energy in the battle. As he balanced upon the edge of the slab, he glared up at Stefan, his eyes burning.
“That’s…impossible.” He muttered, his voice a hoarse, low whisper.
“Save your strength, my friend!” Stefan yelled, leaping across the floor to lift Connor up before he fell to his knees. “You will need it, if you are to save the world from the demon!”
“Demon?” Connor wheezed, his breathing labored, every muscle in his body throbbing and aching madly.
“Yes, the demon. I could only stall him…you must save your strength if you have any hope of defeating Eblis!”
Connor wanted to hit this man with all his might, but it was all he could do to avoid the granite slab he leaned against as he fell once more into blackness.
II
The winds swirled about the tattered black cloak which barely enveloped his arms, his hair falling gently. As the wisps of cloud parted, a bright golden pathway was revealed. He opened his eyes to this world, enveloping all of it, breathing in the life this world offered him once more.
Heaven…
He walks along the path and among his brethren, his cloak giving way to a robe of the purest, brightest white; reminiscent of the ivory of an elephant’s tusk. His sword is gone, his destructive abilities have vanished, his concern for the Earthborn Paladin is now a minimum, for once again Gabriel walks among Angels. His memories are now his again.
His brethren greet him, barely able to recognize him. His appearance in this place has changed due to his time on the Earth, his growing and changing soul forever reflecting his appearances among the mortals.
“You are a rare breed indeed, Gabriel.”
He turned to see the Angel Peter strolling along the golden pathway. Gabriel smiled and clapped his hand on Peter’s shoulder, chuckling softly to himself.
“What makes you say that?” Gabriel asked as the two walked along the pathway.
“Well…” Peter spoke cautiously, “It is not often that an Angel gets to experience the touch of mortals. We did not expect you to be allowed back like this, to be honest.”
“Neither did I. How is the Paladin?”
“Do not worry. He’s not your concern anymore…you have served your time among the Mortals, Gabriel. Come, let us celebrate your return to us.”
Gabriel smiled to himself as he walked side by side with his old friend down that long, golden road. At long last, the Angel Gabriel is home again
III
Connor awoke feeling much stronger some hours later. Stefan was slumped down in an elegant high back chair, watching the flickering flames of several candles around the exterior of the room. Connor rose up and walked over to the chair where Stefan sat, and stood face to face with the man who had saved him.
“How is it possible?” Connor finally asked in a deep, gruff voice.
“I just wasn’t strong enough to stop Eblis. He’s a powerful monster, and…”
“No, not that. How is it possible that you’re an Angel? I was told I was the last one, you claim to contradict that story. And considering it came from an honest-to-God, real deal, born in Heaven Angel, I think you’re story is a little less plausible.”
“I know you don’t believe me, sir.” Stefan pleaded, clapping his hands together as if he were begging, “But it really is imperative. With every second lost, Eblis is getting his strength back. You’re the only one strong enough to stop him, after all.”
“Drop the sir crap. Where is he?”
“I…I don’t know.” Stefan stammered, slumping back down in his chair and nervously brushing his matted black hair back with his hands. “He could be anywhere by now. If it were a few hours ago, I would have wagered he was gathering his strength up, but by now…”
“A few hours?!” Connor erupted, rushing across the room towards Stefan, “How long was I out for!!”
“Only two days…you really needed the rest after that fight, I fear.”
“TWO DAYS?!” Connor charged across the room and grabbed his mask from the floor and rushed for the door. Two whole days?! It wasn’t bad enough that the school would notice his absence, but he hadn’t seen Lea since they’d gone to his parents grave…meaning she would probably be worried sick about him! Frantically, Connor tore across the room and out the door, pulling his mask down tightly and taking off to the air, flying as fast as he could towards the city.
IV
Connor powered down and allowed his costume to dissipate, dropping to the ground just outside the school. He was running into the commons when Lea grabbed his shoulder.
“Connor! Where the hell have you been?!” she cried out.
“Lea, I’ve been busy.” He stammered “Just thinking, looking into my father’s…Lea, its taken care of now.”
“What do you mean?”
“Lea…my father…you have to know, my father didn’t…”
Before he could finish, the walls around them shattered and erupted in molten rock, flecks flying towards the two. Connor was able to manipulate the air enough to direct the bits of flaming debris away from the people, but barely. He reached out in his mind, calling to Gabriel, despereatly seeking his mentor’s aid…
Nothing.
Nothing?!
Connor grit his teeth and focused hard, only to be swatted aside by Eblis, who had entered through the hole in the wall. Connor rose to find the monster leaning over Lea, its eyes wide, motioning its arm as if it was trying to show her something.
“LEA! Lea, run!” Connor screamed and charged forward, grabbing a chair and lunging at Eblis with all the power he could muster. Lea went to run, but Eblis panicked and reared back. A chair flew in the air and struck Lea at the base of the skull, knocking her unconscious and to the ground.
Connor, finally deciding enough was enough, balled up his fists and powered up, forming his costume, the cape flowing violently as his power rose and surged.
Eblis stood tall over Connor and began growling again…the same thing he had before. As Connor looked up into the demon’s eyes, he realized at long last what it all meant. The demon’s reluctance, its sudden sadness, its constant agitation, and why it was bargaining with Lea. At long last, with one long look into those dark, lonely eyes, Connor realized the demon possessed soul before him was not as dark as he believed to be. And yet, even as he realized what it was before him, even as he spoke it, he could not believe the sad truth. Connor cleared his through and looked up to the demon.
“….Father?” he finally spoke.
The demon Eblis, with a single tear of blood dripping down his face, simply nodded…
TO BE CONTINUED…
COMING SOON
PALADIN ORIGINS
ACT VI: HERITAGE
