Chapter 31 – The Legend Remains

Silk pushed through a thicket to reveal the campsite and two idiots lying there sleeping. An evil grin came upon Silk, it might be too much but then the look on the victims is priceless. Lifting his leg Silk kicked the two lazy idiots awake.

There was some grumbling as they got up.

"Explain yourself Silk," Crusher said flexing his muscles. "It had better be good."

"What are you and your muscles going to do? Hit me."

"You are going to pay dearly," Crusher shouted.

Flames were sprouting from behind Crusher. It was originating from Phoenix who was obviously furious from this rude awakening.

"While you two idiots were asleep, I have made great strides in the mirror kinds rout strategy." Silk held up the chopping board.

"You have a plaque of wood, well done." Crusher remarked sarcastically.

"It's more than that, it's their greatest weakness." Silk countered.

"How?" Phoenix chimed in. "It's just a bunch of symbols, a picture at most."

"See, I'm not quite sure how it will help us now but I'm sure it will somehow."

"So your plan has nothing real behind it." Crusher remarked.

"It seems that way but I need your help. Oak is still in the city and we need to help him and the people he wants to protect." Silk went on.

"No plan and no backup against an army, sounds great." Crusher retorted.

"Are you planning to kill us," Phoenix retorted. "I don't want to die."

"Have you never gone against an army before?" Silk said in a condescending way.

"Yes, but not the demonic army. That's suicide." Crusher countered.

"Only if you face them head on," Silk countered back.

"That requires planning, you don't have one. You just stated that," Crusher interjected.

"I do have a plan, the chopping board." Silk said back while presenting it.

"The so-called chopping board that you have no idea what it says," Crusher laughed tauntingly.

"If the mirror kind are what I'm thinking of they re tragic beings and I'm sure that the demonic army have tied them down somehow. These enchantments are unnatural and bare the hallmarks of demonic magic, this will help us," Silk explained.

"How would you know that? You haven't been the most reliable magician or even fighter. You have been quite frankly pathetic." Crusher remarked savagely.

Silk's expression darkened. "I'm one of the best at enchanting. My magical ability is near nothing and yet I can survive against a demon because of my knowledge in magic and my achievements in enchanting. Don't look down at me, I'm Silk the Spider and I fought in the demonic war, I'm the tailor of the workshop. What have you done?"

"Harsh," Phoenix said warningly. "I sacrificed myself to stop the demons from destroying my world, I should be dead."

"I fought a demonic horde and only died when they somehow created a black hole to kill me. We've all done some amazing things." Crusher answered defensively. "At least we are reliable, you have not been."

Silk sighed, "You're right. I'm sorry, it's just that I want you to trust me for once. I want to show you something wonderful."

"Fine," Crusher grunted. "I'm in."

"I suppose I am as well," Phoenix moodily said.

"Well, let's go off to see the wizard. The wonderful wizard called Oak." Silk said moving back to the city.

As they were walking Phoenix asked a question taking Silk by surprise. "You said you had an idea of what the mirror kind are so what are they?"

"Unlike you to ask questions," Silk commented. "I would make a guess that they are spirits of the deceased. Well, not quite. The mirror kind are the reflections of powerful people, when the real version dyes, they have no one to reflect. The magic of the powerful people leaves an imprint on the reflection giving them life. I am pretty sure I've met one before but I never knew they had so much skill in space and illusion magic."

"Are you sure?" Phoenix asked with a sad look on her face.

"Pretty sure. Something seems off, are you okay?" he asked concerned.

"Yes," she paused. "No, I'm not. These mirror kind, I had one, right?"

Silk looked her up and down sensing her magical power, "you should almost definitely have a living reflection. Why?"

"I come from the phoenix lineage. Does my reflection know what I know?"

"Yes it should. They are probably the reason that the demons know so much."

"This is bad. Have you heard about death, by death sleep?" Phoenix asked.

"Only the first two lines. Death, by death sleep. Where worlds shall meet." Silk answered honestly.

"I too have heard those words from my dead master," Crusher interjected.

"There are apparently many prophecies which follow this vein with those two lines starting the prophecies. The prophecy that follows the line of the phoenix goes as so. Death, by death sleep. Where worlds shall meet. The flame shall split. Leaving only a flame which will spit. The flame of the corrupt and light. Will have to join and unite. The one who achieves this. Will never achieve bliss." Phoenix recited. "I think the prophecy has started, I think my reflection has taught a corrupt flame to the demons."

"How would you know this?" Silk asked curiously.

"I saw a demon use flame magic similar to mine in God's arena."

"Your prophecy, what is it?" Silk asked turning to Crusher.

"My master took this to his death bed so keep these words secret. Death, by death sleep. Where worlds shall meet. The masters of space and time. Only those by them shall be fine. Embrace the light. To fight the night. Become the first guardian. So you are not beaten." Crusher recited these words confidently. "I think we all know who the master of space is, now I need to find the master of time."

"Oak is not the master of space magic." Silk shot. "The masters of space and time have not been decided yet, we still have a ways to go." Silk's eyes were bloodshot as he said this looking straight ahead. They had made it to the city quickly.

Phoenix and Crusher looked at where Silk was looking. They saw the body of Oak on the ground. Next to the body was what looked like the old man Silk had seen in the reflections trap.

"Why Silk, good to see you," he called.

"How do you know who I am?" he shouted back.

"You are an accomplished enchanter who survived the demonic war, the demons keep tabs on anyone vaguely threatening. Of course I know." The old man shrugged and looked at the other group condescendingly.

"Th master of time, old man Strocker. Your reputation precedes you. You are eccentric and made some questionable choices in the demonic war but this take the cake. What would possess you to take the life of your counterpart, the master of space? Why do you side with the demons?" Silk sharply jabbed.

"The truth, someone like you could never understand." The old man tauntingly said.

"You would be surprised what people like us could understand." Silk countered keeping an edge in his voice. Silk showed him the chopping board.

The old man's condescending smile suddenly disappeared. "I never understood why someone like Oak would mix with someone like you." Strocker showed Silk Oak's key in his hand. "Meet me in the throne room of the castle s you want this back." He disappeared suddenly leaving no trace.

"What did he just do, spatial magic?" Crusher asked.

"No, time magic. He stopped time and moved. If he wanted, he could have slit our throats. That old man is dangerous." Silk grimaced at the thought of fighting him.

Silk approached Oak's body closing his open and surprised eyes. "Rest in peace my friend," Silk mourned. "I will find someone worthy to take your place in the workshop." He turned around, the battlefield isn't the time for mourning after all. "Phoenix, please burn him."

"If that's what you want." Phoenix said without a hint of attitude in her voice.

"Get ready," Silk said. "This is going to be a battlefield. That old man will summon more demons to kill us, three vs an army. I like those odds. First things first, our clothes need an upgrade." Silk had spied a tailor's shop on one of his earlier expeditions to this city. "After that I'll deal with the mirror kind but you will have to cover for me."

"A clothes upgrade, our clothes are fine." Crusher and Silk both said surprised.

"They barely pass as they only cover your bodies, I can make you true weapons free of charge. The tailor of the workshop is not just a title." Silk started running to the tailor's shop. He had to hope the summoning ceremony would take a bit of time. That old man would never make a move if the odds were not extremely in his favour, that's why Silk showed him the chopping board to buy time.