Bash Chelik

Back in days when Adriatic sea was a green land inhabited by legends and myths, in time before the first gods when all the power resided in mortal hands, does the story of the Steelslayer begins. The Adrians had no gods to worship, not because lack of imagination, but because lack of need for them. Although they were mortals they were also so much more. They believed in power of the soul, and that emotions can be used as a weapon.

Great poets, warriors, wizards walked with their heads up among legends of the Balkan.

In many ways, they were legends themselves, and, like all legends, the eternity of their long existence was at the end, it didn’t come slowly but almost instantly, like the last verse of a poem. However, they were not perfect, far from it. They had their wars, with no true foe in outer world Adrians turn to each other. What begun like a spark soon changed into inferno, fueled by unsurpassed hate and desire to dominate over most powerful kind world ever saw. Last war ended like those before it, in a truce. Royal families would rule the land through Seer Council, until some ambitious person emerges and try to conquer land again. Adrians despised schemes, plots, and lies. If you cant protect your life, then you don’t deserve it- famous saying of Adriatic culture. Although they had no gods they venerated and believed in souls of their ancestors. Pillars of the ancestors is in the core of Adria. Its said that souls of all Adrians go into pillars to watch over their descendants. An Adrians could go as far as they wanted and as long as they can see pillars in the distance no harm would befall them. However, last war was different. The land couldn’t absorb so much unleashed power and large portion of it traveled into deep, dark space. What it awakened there was soon to be known as the last verse of a poem of Adria. Land next to Adria, Balkan soon fell to the new deity that transformed its peaceful people into savage killers. Awakened by powers of Adrians, ominous force tried to sneak into their hearts, but since Adrians had no wishes, needs, or even thoughts about gods, the force flooded Balkan people with promises of power, wealth, and conquest. There was no altars for Balkan new god. His altars and praygrounds are forever forged into the heat of battle and only there could Balkan people seek for something from their new god they called He who is Steel. With the prayers on their swords and fate in their steel, guided by whispers of their deity, people of Balkan invaded Adria. The same land they once respected and feared. Although Adrians were caught by surprise they fought with might human mind cant comprehend. However, exhausted from the war and still little in numbers they couldn’t stop the horde from the north. He who is Steel give Balkanians power needed to break the protection of their pillars and make them immune to fear, for the sight of angered Adrians is not made for human eyes. They refused to give up and made their last stand under pillars of their ancestors. It was a battle where Adrians finally took place among stories, among legends, among stars…

It was end for them, but for Balkanians and their god, a beginning of terrible slaughter. The sight of dead Adrians fill their ancestors with hate, anger and sorrow. The Pillars shattered as those emotions reached its peak and from the ruins emerged something even Balkan god couldn’t put to words. It resembled tall Adrian and all similarities with Adrians there ended. Huge wings made of fire that burns with undying passion and hate in white inferno of ancestral memories. Armor made of wrath, hole in chest where heart should be, and face, mask of fear made flesh. Blood drips from the wound in the chest and on the sword, making strange steely sound. Being rushed forward, with every death as a cut on the Steel god, turning their place of victory into their tomb. Balkanians flee in terror as being mercilessly butchered them and all their fate in the Steel god vanished, never to return…

Time turn the past into legend and where once was proud land of Adria is now sea, some says that it hides more than just a few secrets…

Although a god cant be killed, it can be forgotten, as Steel god was, by the hand of Adrians revenge. However, even now, Balkan people crave for battle, for blood, for war. They don’t know why, perhaps it’s a legacy from past days, echo of a voice lost in the void of oblivion.

And winged avenger? Being of incarnated pain of Adrians ancestors, after that battle he disappeared. Balkan people give him name Bash Chelik which means hard steel. As a symbol of his victory over Steel god. They say his hate is vanished with Steel god and that he is looking for a way to heal his wound. Did he succeed?

No one knows, but they say that if you listen carefully in the moonless night

one can hear strange sound. It reminds of liquid dripping of, and strange steely sound about it.

…Unsung battles are always the greatest

Silent scream in immortal soul

Longing for a hug

But embracing war…

He wandered…Far from ruins of battle, from bodies, and silence… With screams of dying in his ears, and memories from thousands of people in his soul. Every memory belonged to different person, and every person wanted to go somewhere else. It feels like, in any moment, piece of himself will tear itself apart from the rest of his being, to go where it desires. Eternal battle seem it would never stop, and even in death Adrians would fight between themselves, in death especially…

He could not hear his own thoughts, so he went forward, ever forward, losing himself in long strides where there no voices to tell him to go left or right, or to follow fleeing Balkanians. There was, but in some other part of his mind where clash of Steel still breathe, like thunderous echo of the Storm. There were voices, and there were none… Soon landscape begin to change, more and more things to appear without any apparent reason. Upside down pyramid, gigantic tree, statue of some little girl, and cemetery, all those scattered over landscape. As he moved forward so other things begin to appear, but this were more special, more “alive”… And then, he saw it… Surrounded by an aura of strange, otherworldly power, being without face, and with wings, was examining an awkward, iron forged map, under some trees. “Soon, brother”… It spoke, then pointed to something ahead. Bash Chelik followed the direction and saw a strange cube shaped glow. By now, things from world he knew were almost completely changed by the One from the other side of the cube. Those were memories from people who come here before him. Unhappy childhoods, one sided love, beatings, screams, secrets, tears, and sadness… thousands sorrows… wishes to be something else, something more, somewhere else… This world offered all this, he felt, he “just” needs to step through the sheen and his burden will stay here, he will be free…free. But can he? Leave this godslaying power behind him, might world never saw, strength of hundreds men? Just for opportunity to be free, to be something more, to be human? Oh, he can… And he will…

Moment of hesitation, and step into light, into eternity…  

Winged creature carved something in its map, and flew away with it. It went close to that statue of a little girl whispering something to it between blows of its powerful wings… Wind took its words, and carried them along the past, trees and memories..

“And now, he is yours…” a faint smile crossed the stony face, or was it a dream?

            A smell of paper was first thing he noticed, and warm rays of Sun on his face. The small cabin, a cradle of so many souls here, this place is almost sacred. He changed. No trace of his armor, wings, sword.. His power diminished greatly and hole in his chest were no more. Now he looked differently, he was different, he was “he” not many others, and he felt strange feeling about that, is this what mortals call happiness? He went outside. If this world would have a name, it would be called “secret”, he feels it. He met none on his way when he encountered shadows. But these were different, touchable shadows whos whispers he heard.. “jo..join..join us”..

It is at that time when he felt fear, and he loved every second of it. Yet another voices that tells him what to do, anger flooded him, he charged. Crushing the silky darkness, giving in to his wrath, silencing their voices. He bled, they hurt him, he barely stood on his feet, grasping numerous wounds. And yet, he was more alive now while almost dying than he ever was as most powerful being. Something is coming, something is close, he felt… More of them.. they charged him like a Storm, eating him from inside. And then, a being came, among the chaos, offering a cube that resembled entrance to this world. He took it.. or did he run?

He flew across the stars with little girl who resembled one from statue, she said her name is Marind. He saw world, souls, secrets, and most of all he saw himself. “Cube is connection with something you don’t have, Bash”. He felt a strange, striking sorrow because of that, what he lacks? “You are wraithborn, you have no childhood, only chaos”

Something obscured his vision, and drown sky in blurry pain, in tears.. and feeling this happened earlier. She smiled. “Ah, you remember, part of you never left the place now called angien shrine, in attempt to wait for me” he felt its true what she said, but he couldnt know

“Well, how could you, you were only boy back then a blind one, just like everyone else were, small and vulnerable and blind”

“But its not childhood, Bash, its long forgotten past, and you need future”.

They fly away, landing on that isle with little boy in there. Boy was unaware of them. He was crying. “You waited for so long and now your waiting is at end, at point where long lost part of your soul created something more, you saw him, did you not?”

He remembered angel-like creature. “Yes, but, what happens now”?

“Now touch your bond with me, become whole, and earn your right to wait for me again, here at this place, where stars are just synonym for hope, and your soul is at peace with your past”

He placed his hand on the shoulder of little boy, and world exploded. Darkness cleared, vision returned, and gigantic behemoth made his way through the smoke of the past. He wields two mauls now, and armor of more earthly steel, with same conviction he wielded absolute might. His face remains the same though, place where shadows dance, and fear calls it home. He is Bash Chelik, but this time, he is also much more…

And as thunderous echo follows his battles a simple truth comes to life:

“Be Steel… Or get carved in It”

Or was it just a dream?