The Chronicles of L.J. Stevans: Part 15. A Declaration of War / A Gift

The Chronicles of L.J. Stevans: Part 15. A Declaration of War / A Gift


L.J.,

So you think you are a Hero now do you son? After all your years of sneaking around and back fighting, now you want to be a man? I find it funny that the Historian's little pep talk fired you up so much. Once I get what I need from you I will take care of that old man as well. After thinking things out I have come to a few decisions. First, I don't need you in perfect health to drain you of you life force. In fact, the closer to death you are the easier it will be for me. Also I think you are right, it is time for you to meet your cousin, in fact he and Ellen are outside of your house right now with a few friends of theirs. They are just awaiting my signal to attack, once you're beaten within an inch from death they will bring your broken body to me. Because of your non stop actions, I just want this to be over, you have lived quite long enough my son. Enough of the games, play time is finished. I have dispatched my men to go make examples out of a couple of towns that may be of interest to you. So wave goodbye to Milton and Gastings, they will soon lay in ruins just to ensure no one will ever think to oppose me again. You wanted a war so I will bring you a war... I will see you very soon.

Logan Jeffery Stevans Sr.
---------------------6 MONTHS LATER-----------------

Hello friends,

I know it has been quite some time since you last heard from me. Now that it is safe to come back the the Chronicles, I have quite the tale to tell today. Much has happened in the past 6 months, most of it has been a blur. In this time I have lost some friends but also gained important allies. Gastings, the old fishing village I once helped save, indeed was burned to the ground. Fortunately I was able to send word ahead and get as many people out of there before hand as possible. Before I get to far ahead of myself I want to take you back 6 months, because that is when the face of this war as well as I changed forever once again.
I had just read my Fathers latest threat, when I heard noises coming from outside. Not wanting to be ambushed, I decided to make my stand in my study, where I already was. There was only one way in or out here. I knew if I could force them through this one doorway, I might stand a chance or at least take as many down with me as I could. I was expecting to be rushed by a flood of guardsmen. So you could imagine my surprise when it was a lone man I had never seen before that came at me.

He stood right in the doorway, a brash look of ease swept across his face. I stood waiting and ready for an attack, when he began to speak. “Hello Cousin” He calmly stated. “I would like to introduce myself, I am Mathew, I have looked to this day with anticipation for a very long time. Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, you have a choice Logan, either walk out of here with me and make it easy on everybody. Or I swear to you I will make you suffer to the bitter end.” He smirked as he continued on. “You see cousin, I saw what you wrote and your words intrigued me, not because I wish to help you...ha-ha-ha. Heavens no, but because I figured it out Logan, the secret. I know how to master this curse our Fathers have brought on themselves as well as us, and more importantly I know how to take it for myself.” He now had my full attention.

“It was so easy, it only takes one, Logan. More to the point, me. You see here is how it goes, I kill you and take your life force, then it's as simple as turning our Fathers against one another. Just like the Immortal brothers they stole this gift from.” He boasted as if it were all just a formality. He started to talk once again but was knocked down from a backhand that neither one of us saw coming. Mathew rubbed the side of his face as he looked up with surprise to see his Fathers standing over him. I took a step back as Thomas looked down at his son. “So, that is your plan is it?” He began “You think you can betray me and get away with it? You don't really think I would let you off your leash to plot against me do you boy? Now get up and do what you were ordered to do, I want him hurt not dead Mathew.” He managed to yell, but you could see he breathed heavy now, every move seemed to drain him. Time was certainly not his ally and at this point you could tell it was he who was in the aging cycle of the curse. His skin was wrinkled and loose on his bones, there was nothing but a few white hairs left on his head, his eyes looked sunken, completely tired and haggard as did his full expression. Still after that blow he just delivered to his son, I knew not to underestimate him.

My uncle never said a word to me, in fact all talking had ceased as Mathew pulled his saber and sword from his belt and started at me. I pulled my silver dagger to compliment my short sword. He went to work immediately bringing in his sword high to my left. I ducked under it and went into a roll, bringing both dagger and sword up and in close to his chest. He blocked both weapons out wide and countered with his saber just missing my arm. I came back at him with a kick followed by 2 successive high/low cuts one catching a small area on his leg. He disengaged at that and stepped back to check the wound, but after I drew first blood the last thing I was going to do was let his get his rhythm back. I ran at him, launching my dagger at him as I have so many times in battle, however this time I pulled up short. In fact it was an abrupt halt, my mind was baffled and I'm sure I wore a look of total disbelief at the moment. I was not sure what I would do next as he seemingly with little effort plucked my blade from mid air with his bare hands, it was at that moment when I realized that I was in a great deal of trouble.

He tossed my dagger aside and looked at it as if was a toy, he then turned his attention back to me and laughed to himself. I was now starting to panic. There was no question he was much a better fighter than I was, I could only hope that I was the more cunning. Either way I knew that now it was all or nothing. I could not afford to let him attack again, I needed to catch him off guard. So I did what any rational man would do in my place, I ripped my shirt off and ran at him screaming bloody murder. A look of utter amusement with a hint of confusion came over him. He brought is saber straight out at me, I knew this was my only chance. I would have to try something dangerous and stupid, it was my last hope and it turned out to be the beginning of a sequence of events that would change the entire course of my life.

My left shoulder has been wounded many times in my life, I told you all before that I was shot in it in the aftermath of Vanessa's death. There were also many other times I have yet to disclose to you that the area had been wounded. It's as if my arm has a magnet in it or something. As much as it hurt the first few times it was injured, the pain was well worth it, because on this occasion it would serve me as an asset. I rushed him, screaming as loud as I could, he had his saber out in front of him and I simply ran my left shoulder into it. He was completely confused now, coming close to flat out asking me why I would do something so reckless no doubt. However I knew something he didn't quite yet understand, I brought my sword up and slashed at his left arm, forcing him to block out wide, he knocked the sword from my hand as he did. That is when I made my move. He couldn't bring his saber out to help because it was trapped in my shoulder, I twisted my body to my left giving him no choice but to lose control of the saber. He swept his sword at me from left to right clearly thinking this was the killing blow, I had other plans however. I stretched my shirt out as I turned and and wrapped up his sword within it. I disarmed him and grabbed the sword by the hilt while completing my turn, while doing so I thrust it out forward with all the strength I could muster. At that it was done, our eyes locked, I could clearly see the flabbergasted gaze my cousin now wore. He brought his stare down from my eyes to the sword that was now protruding from his chest.

Without a second thought, I turned again, this time pulling the saber out of my shoulder as I made a 180 turn to face my uncle. Who was now storming towards me with a look of pain and anger on his face that I recognized oh so well. Finishing my turn I threw the saber at him with everything I had left. It was a hit. However, with him being Immortal I knew this would only buy me a few moments, but moments I desperately needed to figure out my escape. I started to plan my getaway, but suddenly stopped as I watched him fall to the ground, to my amazement he did not and would never get up again. I waited a few long moments to see if he was truly dead. Then to my surprise a light glow started emanating from the wound, I had no idea what this meant. Lord knew I had no idea what I was to do next. It was then that I noticed I was not alone in the room any longer.

An elder white haired man now stared at me from across the room, how he got there was beyond me. I hardly cared anymore, I knew I could not win another battle right now, the last sequence of events left me completely drained. The man walked over to Thomas, placed his hand over the glowing spot from his wound and grabbed it. He then turned to me and held it out in front of him and said. “ Take this, Grandson” The words nearly knocked me over, but he continued. “This is a reward for stopping at least one of them before any more damage could be done.” I realized now that I was in the presence of The Historian, Peter MacStevans. “How did I kill him?” I asked. “Aside from the hands of another Immortal, there was only one other way to kill one of us. The blood of the brothers son, it was your blood that could kill Thomas. Just as it is only Mathew's that can kill your Father, Logan. But you already knew that, didn't you?” I humbly replied. “Not exactly knew, but I felt it was my only shot, my last shot actually.”

He now walked towards me and started to hand me the light as he spoke. “Take this gift Logan, you cannot defeat your Father in your present condition, and I fear that after tonight's events, he will be very difficult to locate. It may take years to find him again. Years that quite frankly you don't have.” “What do you mean? Are you granting me Immortality?” I carefully asked. He laughed at that and responded. “No Logan, Immortality can not be given from just one brother. It is a split curse, remember? As you can tell, Thomas was the one aging, so while you cannot gain Immortality from him you can have the part of the curse that was plaguing him. He has been aging for 30 years and it is those 30 years I can grant you from his energy. You need this time to complete the mission I have bestowed upon you, without this gift you will surely die long before you have a chance to finish what you began.”

My mind worked quickly to try and comprehend everything that just played out before me. Tonight was a close call, too close. My advancing age is starting to hinder my reflexes amongst other things, and I knew what my Grandfather was saying to be the truth. Without another thought I stepped in front of The Historian. He placed the light to my chest and held it there, I looked down at the light, then back to the old sages face and then there was nothing left for me.... but darkness.

I awoke in a vehicle, a large one, I believe it was once used for transporting large amounts of products. I started to sit up and wipe the grogginess from my eyes, when I noticed my hands. I now had hands removed of liver spots and age. As I sat up I did so with no pain from old tired bones. I was young, if The Historian was right then that means I am now once again 24. I was astounded to say the least. But before I got too far ahead of myself, I had to figure out just where I was. I looked up to the drivers seat and saw a woman there, I simply uttered the word stop. She quickly pulled the Van off to the side of the road, turned it off and spun around to me. “Who are you? And what have you done with L.J. Stevans?” She asked impatiently. “I am L.J. Stevans, and just whom might you be? I responded. “You?...You can't be L.J., he is over 50 years old.” she spat back at me.”Yes, I know it is difficult to understand but I am in fact L.J., I was just....well honestly I don't know how to explain it ye...” I was cut off mid sentence as she hurriedly interrupted me. “You figured it out, the curse I mean” She excitedly stated. “What, wait just who are you and how do you know so much?” I asked, now clearly frustrated. “Oh, sorry how rude of me, I'm a friend, I'm here to help. My name is Rebecca...Rebecca Hundley, I'm Jacks daughter.....
…...With that I must stop here friends I have many things that need attending to, but I will be back soon fore there is much more to tell.

L.J. Stevans