Xael, the Restored (The Seven)

Xael, the Restored

I start to scream at the top of my lungs. “NOOOOOOOOOO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Why was this happening?! Where am I?! What's going to

Happen to me?! Where am I going!? What am I going to do?! My lungs

Feel exhausted from all the screaming as all the wind I've used has been lost

To the skies. My head hurts as I start to weep and lament. I'm still trying to catch

Up and understand all of what's occurred and why. It's all so overwhelming.

What did I do to deserve this?! I was a relatively good man who was kind to others;

I gave to the poor; I served the needy; I paid my taxes; I was a loyal countryman

Who did not doubt or rebel against those in power despite the way they

Treated the populace; I was respectful. I did all that was right, but how can

Bad things happen to good people!? Why would misfortune and tragedy

Befall a man of upright stature? What's my current situation, again? Oh, right.

I'm somewhere wandering in the middle of an expansive, desert-like lake of a

Void in an extremely deep pit. I've got a straw sack tied around my neck and the only holes

In the blasted thing are for my eyes. Why does evil triumph over good?! How come are

The wicked so much better off than the upright?! What have I done to receive scorn?

I'm beside myself as I ache all over. I have a pounding headache; I'm becoming dehydrated;

There are contusions and abrasions all over my forsaken flesh. I'm in dire straits.

What happened again?.... My memory is hazy from all the hallucinations, drug-induced

Stupor, pain, and mighty thirst. Ummm.... I was a leader in my village. I was the regional

Leader of our kin; a town of many hundred. We were loyal to the kingdom and paid

Tribute as such in taxes. I am not even twenty cycles old yet, but due to patience, ethics,

Diligence, and policy, I was able to earn my position as head – as leader. I had not a

Wife or kids, but I had my own establishment which I had bought with the wealth I had accrued

As I dabbled in mercantilism from the time of 13 cycles. I had a decent sized house on a

Hill overlooking all of my possessions: livestock, acreage, orchids, and the like. I also was

Seeing this girl from my village. As I lived in prosperity, I brought and taught other

To do likewise so that all is mutual. Over time, everything under my jurisdiction

Shone like a star with success. All whom I governed had plenty and no one lacked.

We, as a whole, became the most wealthy providence in the kingdom and the peoples

Of other providences sought to either emigrate to our land or petition their governors

To lead them to such wealth as well. However, instead of being seen as an example,

I was seen as a blight on the kingdom. The other governors of the kingdom, of whom

I am one, who serve the king saw this as a threat. They believed that power belonged

To the powerful and not in the wills of the collective, common man. They talked behind

My back amongst themselves and conspired of ways to destroy what my people built

And turn the king against me. So one day, they became bold enough and petitioned

The king that I am stepping out of line. They claimed that I was leading my countrymen

Closer towards throwing a rebellion or coup d'e etat because of their growing wealth

And freedoms. The king, since of course I was not there to defend myself and it was

Many words against one absent word, believed them and told them to deal with the

Matter themselves. They did just that and started planning a great invasion and

Slaughter of my region; it wasn't long before they began to amass their armies.

We had no clue they were coming. They besieged us and didn't fight back; I didn't

Believe in arming myself because I never anticipated something of this nature

Arising. A great mass of my populace died due to the vicious, brutal massacre of

The antagonists. My territories were occupied, my wealth and belonging were seized,

My family was executed and my love put in chains, my livestock were butchered

And my earth was scorched. I was taken to the capital of the kingdom. I was thrown into

A jail to fester and rot for some time. I was spat on, I was cursed, I was brutalized.

After some days, I was released from my prison cell and escorted to the grand court

Where the king presided and the other governors stood witness. I was screamed at

And interrogated as to what my intentions were. All I could do was tell the truth,

But despite my efforts to be completely open and greatly frank, my petitions fell

Flat. I was thoroughly accused of all I didn't do; I was branded a traitor and was to be

Treated as one. I was sentenced to wander until death as an exile somewhere in the

Forsaken deserts. The most prominent of the other governors was to be given

What was left of my now desolate territory and my wealth distributed to the other

Providences after some taxation by the king. So it was, that I was to be cast out.

Brandished a blasphemer of what they deemed “good” and a traitor, as a final hurrah,

I was to be paraded in the capital as a trophy of triumph for the kingdom. The

People of the capital were of mixed emotion: many knew what I had really done and

Knew that I was certainly not worthy of what I was receiving all the while many

Others believed the word of the rulers. They thought I was something of evil

Incarnate. After all of the processions concluded, I was escorted outside of the city,

Stripped of dignity, and was bound on my hands. That sack was then put on my head

And tied around my throat. Since then, I've been wandering around for a few days;

I'm devoid of rest and unable to sleep. I begin to weep as I begin to realize that all

Is lost and I will surely die and justice is truly perverted. I close my eyes. When I next

Open them, I find myself not in the real world, but possibly on the inside of my soul.

It is a raging maelstrom; a never ending cyclone; a mighty tornado – unquenchable.

I look down at what's supposed to be me, but all I see is this mass of living Darkness.

I wonder “IS THIS REALLY ME?!” Grief overcomes me again upon recognizing that

My intentions may not have ever been what I'd thought they'd been. In the middle

Of my tempest, I felt something coming. Great fear overtook me. But I felt something

On the inside tell me that I must not fret, worry, panic, or despair. I look up and witness

This figure of living Light standing many feet over me. He picks me up off my

Feet and absorbs me into Himself. He calls Himself the Spirit and He's come to

Truly make a “good” man good because no man is truly good, but in the Spirit,

Goodness is innate. As I feel these words, the Spirit in the maelstrom steal my

Darkness, leaving only Light. He takes the Light upon Himself and ministers to

Me that I must not be dark no longer. He told me not to fear to fall because the

Spirit will cover my inconsistencies. I open my eyes back in the real world and I

notice that my old garb is gone and the sack no longer masks me and my hands

Are no longer bound. Instead, I'm wearing a deep green headband and something

That seems to be lightweight garments akin to those of stealth warrior-assassins.

On the center of my chest is a gray cross and on my shoulder is a symbol..... that

I don't recognize, but feel as if I know.
I can feel a symbol on my back; it resembles the shape of a cyclone.
On the ground are two short, thin blades in wooden sheathes.
I thought about picking them up, but they flew right into my hands

From right off the ground. I tied them to my back for easy access and reach for my

Hands. I began to move and run as fast as I could looking for a way out. I noticed

That I begun moving faster than normal man; it was as if I and the wind itself

Were one being. I began running evermore in the opposite direction and retracing my

Steps. Eventually, I came across the steep cliff face. With one great leap, I

Cleared the top of the cliff and landed on solid ground. It was here that the Spirit

Began to pour into me once more saying “you wrestle not with men or ideals, but with

Tainted hearts and dying spirits who've been afflicted. Now that I reside in you,

They will notice me in their hearts and their corruption will manifest itself. I give

You the Power through Me to us the tools of which I had given you to destroy the

Darkness that lies in the hearts of men. Upon being near fatally wounded with your

Weapons, they will have an encounter with Me as you had, but you must fight

To get them to that point.” I ask Him, “Spirit, what of those in power who brought me

Down into the pit? Will I not seek revenge with these?” He replies, “no. I will

Vindicate you for vengeance is mine. You shall be restored; not just to the prominence

Of what you once had, but seven times more! The kingdom has elevated itself and

Not recognized me; it is the enemy and it shall be defeated as such.” I fell down

And began worshiping the Spirit. After this was done, He gave me one other word,

Saying unto me that there will be others me on the journey that I will take. He said that

I will first notice them being discerning the Spirit in them and also by the garb they

Adorn. As I set out for the capital, the Spirit did as He said He would: he restored my

Territory, my possessions, set my love free from bondage and returned her to live

On my land and wait for my return. It is now a separate entity from the kingdom.

I wonder who these people are; those who I'm destined to meet........................

Musical Inspiration: Disciple – Beautiful Scars