The Legend of Azhakkstadd

CHAPTER LXXIII : THE LEGEND OF THE FIFTH STATUE

-Kurezma-

            Suddenly we heard a loud noise coming from the area where we came from. It’s the entrance of this secret grotto. The loud noise didn’t sound so good. It’s as if something bad is coming. As soon as the sound got louder and louder implying that danger is coming, we saw markhors still under the influence of the evil.

            Those are the markhors that we didn’t get to save since we started following the healed ones up to this shrine. They came running towards here attacking all the markhors and destroying everything they passed through. Leif slowly stood up and stepped forward.

            His eyes glowed brightly the same light that glowed earlier when he came down. He raised his head and stomped his front legs strongly on the ground causing it to vibrate until it got to the markhors still under the evil’s influence. All those markhors dropped on the ground.

            And as they stood up, their eyes were normal, and the behave properly. They bowed down before Leif and laid themselves on the ground. Leif went back to his seat and rested himself. He just sat there for a while staring at all the markhors resting on the ground.

            All of them looked so exhausted with what had happened. We also rested ourselves since we got worn out looking for this statue and saving some markhors. I even felt my hands feeling numb since I held the pod for a couple of hours straight.

            Even Zexal who kept on aiming at each markhors he sees, and there were so many markhors… also Harald and Eeya who didn’t let any area not scanned just to find this statue. I bet Hazol, Vedasto, and Zati also feels so tired with what they just did.

            Especially Zati who got drained since she forced herself to transform into a dragon to make our task faster. Eeya helped her get dressed as she transformed back to human again. I can see how tired she is as she sat down on the floor and rested there.

            Everyone felt so tired, yet it’s so fulfilling knowing how we saved these innocent markhors from evil doers.

            “Thank you for helping out these markhors…” we heard Leif once again speaking in our minds

            “You’re welcome… it’s a pleasure to help” Harald said as he looked at Leif and smiled as if hat we did was an easy task “I’m Harald… from the State of the---“

            “I know…” Leif cut him off before he could ever finish “And you really did a great job, the Teras would be so proud of you…” Leif added as he faced Harald nodding at him

            “Thank you so much…” Harald said as he smiled genuinely

            “Accept this…” Leif said as he bowed down letting Harald hold at both his horn. As soon as Harald held his horn, they both glowed brightly for a few seconds and subsided right after

            “Again… thank you” Harald repeated himself thanking Leif “I think I am feeling stronger now…” he added looking at his hands happily. We all smiled at him feeling so proud

            “All of you come here” Leif spoke once more calling all of us doing the same thing he did with Harald, we call came to him and held his horn. I felt warm in my hands as if we’re receiving such strength and intelligence that Leif is giving us. We all let go and went back to our position after that…

            “Thank you so much for trying your best and saving the whole Vikhar Island… I am so very happy and proud you” Leif spoke thanking us again “I never expected that you will come rescuing my island. I was so worried that they would all die, but then you came”

            “I was about to come for them, yet what amazed me is that you came earlier than me. And I really appreciate that. As a guardian, I can only grant you such strength and intelligence, but I cannot grant you power, safety, and success. These things are still up to you and the Gods…” he continued speaking

            “And I know these Gods are very proud of you right now as you just saved these poor and helpless creatures. I bless you with such strength and intelligence, as well as the other group in order for you to grow as the heroes of Azhakkstadd, and will bring peace and orderliness once more” he said while nodding at us

            “Then finally defeating the forces of evil for once and for all… I hope you succeed with your missions here” he said and stood up as if he’s ready to leave. He took some leaves from the vine that grew on the statue. It looked so beautiful as it shone brightly and colorfully.

            “Take these leaves to the quest master to show him that you got here…” he said giving us some leaves “Also, Harald, take this…” he said offering Harald one of the markhors…woah he’s giving him a markhor!

            “Why?” Harald asked as he had a hard time to process what’s happening

            “You deserve him… his name is Turid, he’s one of the best. He’s loyal, obedient, loving, and strong. He will help you with everything as you become the Earth Metal hero. Train him along with you. You both grow together. Take care of him and he’ll take care of you” he said introducing the markhor to his new owner. Aww, this is so amazing!

            “Thank you so much, I received so much from you” Harald said as he went to Turid and held him. Turid was so sweet as he went closer to Harald and hugged him

            “I’m giving him some special powers and strength for him to be as useful as he is to you. But not that easy, you both have to know each other well and train for him to learn it” Leif added “I’m giving him the intelligence to understand you and learn with you, it’s up to the both of you how you handle each other”

            “Come, I’ll lead you towards there, and you all take care as you go” he said then the whole surrounding glowed so bright once again, and as it subsided, we found ourselves in the forest near the shore where the man who gave us the quest stood with our vehicle. Without Leif anymore, he must have ascended already

            “We’re back…” Hazol said as we walked towards the man resting himself on the vehicle

            “That was quick… I expect you to be back at noon. Yet why does it seem like you came back just after a few hours?” he said smiling at us “So what statue did you find?”

            “Leif gave this to us to show you what statue we found…” Harald gave the man those leaves that Leif gave us as his eyes grew big

            “L-leif!? He gave that to you!?” he asked in shock as he can’t believe who gave it to us “Tell me, what statue exactly did you find?” he asked once more that made all of us smile

            “I don’t know…” Hazol answered as he took the leaves from Harald and handed it to the man

            “These leaves… it’s the rarest, these can only found in…” he said staring at the leaves with his eyes big and his mouth dropped open. The leaves until now glow brightly giving emphasis to every color it has

            “Yep… he gave that to us” Eeya said agreeing with Hazol and Harald

            “Look, this is Turid, my new companion… Leif also gave him to me” Harald proudly said showing the man his new animal companion “He said Turid’s one of the best and that I deserve him. I’ll show him how truly I deserve such a blessing as Turid…” he added looking at his new markhor.

            Turid looked strong and tough. He stood tall compared to the other markhors, he almost stood the same height of Harald, his pure white guard hair looked so clean and smooth. His long twisted horn looks so strong and durable. All in all Turid is the ideal markhor that you would want to own.  

            “Does that mean you just found the largest statue and the most hidden out of five statues built in there?” he asked clarifying it to us

             “Uhmm… I don’t know, what do you mean?” Hazol answered him as his eyebrows wiggled as if he really doesn’t know

            “Legends say that there were five statues built in this island. All of those statues were of Leif the Legendary Earth Metal Guardian. The other four were placed in each corner of the island where it is easy to find. The fifth one is placed where no one knows where it is.” He started telling us the legend

            “No one has ever reported to locate it, other than you. I should start making a report that tells about this significant event. It is said that it is located very very deep in the island, and no one ever went there, except you heroes. So you must be so lucky to find it and even meet Leif” he added as he smiled at us waving those leaves to us

            “These leaves?” he asked showing it to us “These are nowhere to be found in this island except in the fifth statue itself. It only grows there, so once you find the statue, you also find these leaves… cool huh?” he said informing us about the leaves “Congratulations for being the first people to find the fifth statue”

            “Thank you then, I didn’t know it was this significant” Hazol said smiling excitedly

            “How did it look like?” asked the man as if he really wanted to know

            “It was so big… bigger than Leif himself, it glows so bright with the sunlight… and it feels so comfortable being in there” I answered him telling him how I felt as I got there

            “What’s his position in the statue?” the man asked once more

            “He’s standing in his hind legs, and head faced upwards pointing his twisted horn side wards…” Eeya explained recalling what we saw there “Vines were all around, but this leaves were all over his feet, his head, and his horns. It was so majestic, so magnificent… I’m so lucky to see it” she added

            “I envy you people ahahaha” said the man listening to us “By the way… back to business” he said as he opened his hand and gave us the diamond shard as a sign that our challenge here is complete “Here are your leaves, keep it as a souvenir of a great adventure” he said handing it to us

            “There are nine of these leaves, one for each of us… and here” Harald said distributing each leaves “Keep the other one for yourself, and the other one for your report…” he added

            “Oh really? Thank you so much, you’re so kind… I’m going to preserve this precious leaves… thank you” the man said with a tearful eye

            “Ok… we got to go, good bye” Hazol said as we rode our vehicle and off to the next challenge. Harald tied Turid to our vehicle so that he would help us. I still used the hippogriffs with him to make our ride smoother and easier.