B006T5JMRC EBOK (21 page)

As Kale glanced down his eyes grew wide. The blade emitted a dim orange glow—he had failed to control his power.

“You could’ve easily caused me severe harm should that blade have touched my skin; not to mention, if your sword had grown any hotter, it could’ve snapped in two. This is a problem we cannot allow to happen again. For today, your trainin’ will be with Thomas. I suggest you go now and use your time wisely so you’re prepared to resume again tomorrow.”

Once back at the camp, Thomas knelt by the two swords. He shook his head while glancing upon the many small indentations in the hard steel blades.

“I see that using my magical abilities to repair your weaponry is going to be quite the tiresome task,” Thomas chuckled.

“I’m sorry, old man, but the kid has to learn how to properly fight with an actual weapon. Sparrin’ with only sticks will have him killed on the battlefield.”

Thomas nodded in agreement as he closed his eyes. “
Cronex vilavaria,
” He whispered while running his index finger along the blade. Blood began to trickle onto the ground as the steel sliced through the layers of his skin.

Kale routinely grabbed a canteen of water and poured it over both the blade and Thomas’ hand. His sword had been restored to its former glory with no imperfections along the razor sharp edge.

Thomas then moved to Illadar’s sword before casting a minor healing spell upon himself.

“Ah, the things I go through for the two of you.” He shook his head with a smile.

“I suppose this means I’ll have to bring back a juicy hog for dinner.” Kale grinned.

“I won’t argue with that!” Thomas quickly replied as the three engaged in laughter.

The night continued on with a delicious supper and intense training between Kale and Thomas. Kale knew his journey to becoming an exceptional swordsman and mastering control of his abilities was not nearly over. He needed to remain focused upon his ultimate goal of defeating General Jedah.

More weeks passed and Kale continued to train. It was intense enough to drive a normal man to the brink of exhaustion—or insanity. Yet, Kale pressed on, more determined than ever to succeed. As time passed, he improved in both sword fighting and learning to control his power while in battle. Eventually, he was able to fully master his ability and increase or suppress it at will, despite any ongoing distractions. In so doing, he found his emotions no longer controlled him.

Through his intense training to learn the art of sword play, he was nearly up to par with Illadar’s level of skill. The results made Illadar proud, and every so often, Kale caught glimpse of Illadar smiling happily. Kale’s achievements had taken Illadar many years of practice to master.

During their time together in the forest, Kale and Illadar’s bond of friendship increased and soon they developed a strong trust for one another. To Kale, it felt as though he had known Illadar for years.

On a rather dreary day, filled with fluffy grey clouds, Kale and Illadar were routinely sparring in their usual location. Illadar had grown confident enough to unleash his full array of techniques upon Kale who had become a very worthy opponent.

Illadar lunged his blade forward causing Kale to deflect the attack before thrusting his own sword swiftly toward Illadar’s face.

Kale mockingly spun the hilt within his palm as the blade tip twirled between Illadar’s eyes. “I win,” He smirked. Over the previous months, Kale had overcome many obstacles and felt confident with his exceptional skill.

Illadar felt Kale had earned the privilege and deserved to enjoy a night to himself. The remainder of the evening was spent at the camp partaking in a much needed rest around the fire. Even more surprising was that Illadar, for the first time in weeks, did the hunting and brought back a large, plump hog.

Kale licked his lips as his taste buds watered. This meal was going to taste even better knowing he didn’t have to lift a finger for once. He smiled at the thought.

After the food was prepared and the fire had settled, Kale began to indulge in the juicy meat. Suddenly, he felt a warm sensation pressing against his leg. He immediately leapt to his feet under the assumption he somehow managed to sit upon a hot ember knocked from the fire. As he patted frantically at his thigh, he realized the source came from within his pocket. He reached in and gripped the golden bracelet. It had been so long since an incident, he had nearly forgotten about it—and the letter which he received before leaving Braxle. Kale held it up to his face, inspecting the pointed jade tooth which glowed luminously green.

A swarm of memories flooded his mind as he thought of the mysterious woman, Zasha. His blue eyes widened—how could he have been so foolish as to forget something of such importance. The Forest of Forgotten Whispers was so close all this time—it was the place where his destiny awaited. He needed to hunt for the
tree which rains gold
. One year had finally passed.

Chapter 15: To Become A Warrior

“W
e must leave here tomorrow.” Kale dangled the bracelet for Thomas to see.

“Are you certain you’re prepared to trust the word of Zasha? The risk may be great.”

“What other choice do I have, Thomas? We’ve been hiding here for months with no plans for progression. I’m definitely going; I don’t want to always live in fear of what lies ahead.”

Thomas nodded. “All right, we will depart first thing in the morning.” He glanced toward Illadar, who stared at them with bewilderment. “Will you be joining us?”

“Of course, old man; there’s no way I’m gonna’ let you two venture into the Forest of Forgotten Whispers without me. You have no idea of the possible dangers. Besides, my options at the moment are fairly limited—stayin’ here alone isn’t very appealin’.” He shot a look toward Kale, “I do expect you to fill me in on what is goin’ on though.”

Kale told Illadar all about the dreams and the letter he had received. They continued to discuss the situation until their eyes grew weary. As Kale laid beneath his covering in an attempt to sleep, he couldn’t help but feel a mixture of anxiety and excitement for what was to come. Thoughts raced through his mind as he tossed and turned before fatigue finally overwhelmed his body. He tightly held onto the bracelet as he drifted to sleep.

His worrisome thoughts of the upcoming events triggered Kale to wake as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon. His dark lashes parted and Kale could see the beautiful pink glow of the clear sky. He stood, rubbing a firm hand against his slightly sore neck as he inhaled the crisp morning air. Kale decided to take the time to enjoy himself before waking Illadar or Thomas, who were still sleeping soundly. He knelt by the fire pit, poking around at the underlying hot coals with a stick. The cheerful sound of birds chirping caught his attention and he turned to search the trees for their movement. He had grown quite fond of spotting the different breeds of birds as a pastime.

Kale gasped stumbling backward in surprise. A cloaked figure stood many feet in front of him, silently staring in his direction.

“It’s you again,” Kale whispered quietly, to not wake the others. “What do you want from me?” He was now certain this was whom he had seen before in the forest and atop the Braxle wall. The stranger was definitely following him.

The short figure did not respond verbally, but instead lifted an arm. The cloth from the beige cloak draped over its skin, concealing the person’s entire appearance. To Kale it seemed as though the mysterious stalker wanted him to look behind where he stood.

Kale gulped as he wondered if he was about to face another attack. He gripped the insignificant fire poker and turned to face whatever awaited behind him. He took caution to listen closely in case the mysterious stalker was attempting to fool him for its own opportunity to attack. Kale creased his forehead in confusion—there was nothing to be seen out of the ordinary. Kale grew frustrated and spun around to confront the stalker. He glanced frantically around, panning the entire area—the mysterious cloaked person was gone. Kale couldn’t believe he had been so easily fooled. As he turned to ensure his friends were still safe, Illadar slowly sat up.

“Mornin’ kid, you’re up early.” He licked his thick, dry lips.

Illadar’s unintentional loud volume caused Thomas to groan as he too situated into a seated position.

“What does an old man have to do to get some rest around here?” Thomas asked, half jokingly.

“I think we’re being followed.” Kale bluntly stated.

Illadar immediately stood, scanning the area. “What makes you think this?”

“I saw someone this morning. They were standing just outside our camp—right over here.” Kale pointed, “I saw them—or at least, I think I did—the day we came across the red beasts, and also back in Braxle,” he confessed.

Thomas stroked his beard. “I must say, I’m quite disappointed in you for not telling us this when you first sighted the person. We don’t know if they are friend or foe—it could have been very dangerous had they followed us with the intention to kill. It would be wise for us to move as soon as possible.”

They gathered their belongings and smothered the last remains of the hot coals before saying farewell to the camp. Kale secured his sword and nodded to his friends; it was time to move forward.

The three began to make their way through the lush greenery toward the Forest of Forgotten Whispers.

“Can you tell me more about the forest?” Kale broke the silence. Illadar seemed to possess a great deal of information and Kale wanted to know what they would soon be up against.

“Honestly, I have never dared to step a foot in there. But I’ve heard many stories, and even met someone who has walked upon its soil. People say that the land itself is enchanted. Everything—even the trees are not always as they might seem. We won’t know what is dangerous, so it’s vital to proceed with caution.” He looked forward, swallowing hard. “It’s very important that you both remember not to eat or drink anything you should see. One bite of the wrong food and you can kiss yourself goodbye.”

“That’s all the information you have on where we are about to go?” Kale asked with disappointment.

“Be thankful you even know that much, kid. It’s not like I’ve ever had the desire to visit the place.” Illadar paused in thought. “There was a man, though—I met him long ago while still in Mirion. Many called him insane, sayin’ that after he returned from the forest his mind went crazy. It was at the kingdom tavern where he spat nonsense about a massive green-skinned creature with long, horn-like teeth and walked upon two legs, as a human does. The man said he quickly fled to warn everyone back home. Everything after that was mumbled gibberish which couldn’t be interpreted.”

“Interesting, a creature with deep green skin and horns you say?” Thomas stroked his creased cheek with an index finger. “This
creature
could be many things—however, if it is what I am assuming, we must take heed to avoid crossing paths with such a monster.”

“What do you think it is?” Kale curiously questioned.

“An orc—a very brutal and savage humanoid. They are hell-bent on destruction and bloodshed.”

The three walked on in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Tension had overcome them at the thought of having a confrontation with an orc. After a long and enduring trek, the sound of flowing water could be heard. They weaved through a thicket of bushes as the narrow stream came into view.

The sparkling water glided over sand and stones which created a peaceful trickle. This was hardly the atmosphere anyone could have expected to be the entryway into a treacherous forest. They each took a brief moment to refill the canteens while paying careful attention to their surroundings.

“I hope we can find this tree you need and get outta’ here before nightfall.” Illadar’s eyes revealed great apprehension. “Well—you ready, kid?”

Kale gulped. “Yeah, let’s get moving.” He knew this was
his
quest and therefore felt it would be appropriate for him to take the first step over the stream.

Kale effortlessly crossed the enchanted border as he entered the confined land. The air felt instantly colder, which he thought to be incredibly bizarre. The eerie feeling sent shivers down his spine. He could see that both Thomas and Illadar also experienced the sudden shift in temperature.

“Fascinating,” Thomas whispered as he rubbed his hand against his forearm.

The atmosphere of the Forest of Forgotten Whispers was astounding. Tall and slender trees loomed, their lush leaves overhead in a perfectly intertwining canopy, blocking out the sun’s rays. It was dark and unwelcoming, as though the forest had been trapped within a permanent nightfall. With every soft breeze, Kale swore he could hear the forest whispering.

It’s only the leaves stirring,
he forced himself to believe.

They pressed on through the odd vegetation that grew in a rainbow of colors. Kale constantly had the sensation of being watched, as though the forest itself knew they were there. The three covered ground quickly and Kale remained hopeful they would soon reach his destination.

“What in Pan’s name is this place?” Kale whispered. He stopped dead in his tracks, eyeing the circular area before them.