The Hunter's Apprentice (3 page)

However, despite his strength, Aerys could see that Drake was quickly being surrounded by the imps who were still coming out of the cave in numbers. His hair was burning and he had already taken some fireballs despite avoiding the majority due to his amazing agility and speed.

Aerys knew that he could not stand there and watch. His brains worked quickly and his eyes fell on the barrel that lay on the ground not far away. He acted on instinct and ran towards it. He picked it up and looked up directly over the cave entrance. He saw that there was an excavation big enough to put the barrel. This was his chance. He hurried towards the hillside and looked up. The cliff was steep but he noticed several places where he could hold. He started to climb. He moved quickly and soon found himself at a reasonable height. He began to move sideways towards the entrance. This proved to be more difficult for he could not find holds to move on safely. IT was then that he made a false move and nearly fell. He managed to keep his balance and stay tightly on the cliff.

He breathed heavily as he hung on tightly trying not to fall. A sudden burn on his back made him cry loudly in pain. He looked down quickly and realized that if he had managed not to fall down, he had drawn the attention of the imps.

He did not waste time and started to move again. Another fireball caught him and he then thought of the barrel. It was lucky that he had put it in front of him. If it caught fire, he was as good as dead. As he moved, he could not help but fear that it would explode. His heart beat so quickly that he thought it might come out of his chest. The fire blasts were intensifying down there and his forces began abandoning him. His body pained him terribly as the fireballs caught his hands and legs too. But he held on though and finally arrived above the cave. He quickly put the barrel inside the cavity and looked down one last time. It was a critical moment and he waited for the imps to fire at him. As the fireballs moved toward shim, he jumped to the side and fell down.

He heard a deafening blast as he fell onto the pile of dead imps he had aimed for when he jumped. They soften his landing and he came out unhurt. He turned and looked at the cave entrance. Had he succeeded? If he failed, they would be in a tight spot. He watched as Drake cut down the imps around him. As the smoke lessened, he saw that no new imps were coming out. He had succeeded.

They continued their journey the next day after a night where they tended to their injuries. Drake insisted on taking the night guard again despite Aerys protestations. He had not slept at all since they left the village and Aerys felt guilty about that. However he was so tired that as soon as he rested down, he fell asleep. He woke up next morning and saw that there were dead bodies around their camp.

-A goblin party, explained Drake in a casual tone when he asked him about it.

He did not know what frightened him more; the creatures or Drake’s tone. There were monsters everywhere and if they were not on their guard they could lose their lives anytime. They walked back towards the road and continued east. The days went on monotonously without any major incidents. Twice they met goblins again but they fled before Drake as soon as he took out his sword. It shone brightly in the sun. Aerys looked at it with awe and some jealousy. He wanted to own his own soon. Master Elric had said that he would have to prove his worth to acquire one. What did that mean? The old man was always cryptic. He decided to ask Drake one night as they sat before a warm and welcoming fire. As usual the hunter had already begun drinking.

-I was wondering whether you could tell me more about the artifacts, he said tentatively.

Drake did not reply immediately and drank noisily.

-What do you want to know? He demanded finally.

Aerys eyes shone brightly.

-What are artifacts?

Drake put his bottle down and thought for a few seconds.

-Well do you know how we acquire an artifact?

Aerys shook his head.

-There are very few who have the power to use an artifact and when we found them we bring them to the guild. There they are allocated a master whose job is mainly to train them for the task that awaits them.

-Which is?, Interjected Aerys curiously.

-The theft of an artifact.

-Stealing an artifact?, Repeated Aerys.

-What you must understand is that artifacts are the weapons of dark creatures known as Zorgs, said Drake slowly. Few people actually know about them. They are really powerful creatures that live in secluded places on the known world. They are the servants of ancient demons that once ruled over the world. Those demons were the ones who created and used those artifacts before being banished far away.

-So I must defeat one of them to acquire an artifact?, Asked Aerys panicking.

Drake shook his head.

-No, it would be impossible for you. This is why every apprentice goes there with his master. While the latter contain the Zorg, the apprentice must find the artifact and steal it.

-It can’t be as easy as it sounds, noted Aerys incredulously.

-You are right, said Drake. Zorgs are different from each other and even if they are all strong, there are some which are stronger than others. This is why, out of those who try, very few actually succeed.

Aerys swallowed. This was going to be much much more difficult than he had hoped it would be.

-And how do those Zorgs look like?

-Well they differ from each other but generally their main form is that of demons. Have you ever seen a demon? He asked Aerys darkly.

Aerys shook his head.

-Pray God that you never see one, said Drake. For we would be in deep trouble if demons appeared again.

-Have you seen one?, asked Aerys.

-No one has ever seen one lad, replied the latter irritably. Aerys told me that you loved reading but I highly doubt that now. Did you not read the books he had?

-He would not let me, replied Aerys.

-That old fool. Always too careful but what good did that do. He let it escape.

Aerys reddened at these words but luckily Drake did not notice anything.

-Well, he continued. I guess I should tell you more about them as you will face one of their servants. So open your ears.

-A very long time ago demons roamed freely on this world as the other creatures. They were in constant battle with the men that lived at this time for if there is one thing that they shared it was power. They wanted to rule over the world and it thus resulted in an open war. There were countless of casualities in both sides but the demons were stronger. However amongst the men that lived at this time, there were men of great honor and courage. When the demons crafted the artifacts, they set out on a quest to rally all the creatures to their side. While the demons slaughtered most of the human race, they travelled across all the known world to find allies.

Drake paused and took a swig out of his bottle of wine. Aerys waited impatiently. He loved listening to stories and this one was just perfect.

-Finally they came back and it was then nearly too late. The desolation that the demons had caused was beyond repair. The death covered the surface of the earth. The final battle for humanity survival took place at what is now known as the fields of blood. The remaining men arrived with their allies which included all the creatures which had embraced their cause and hence the battle started.

-The battle was a fierce one. The tide shifted many times but the demons power was overwhelming. The land became red with the blood of those who fell and it’s still red up to this date.

-That’s why it’s called the Fields of Blood then, interrupted Aerys.

-Yes…yes. Will you let me tell the story or should I stop?, replied the hunter irritably.

Aerys recoiled and the hunter continued.

-Well, where was I?...oh yes. The battle…Despite their combined forces, the alliance could not take out the demons. They were on the brink of defeat when they resorted to the last solution they had. The fairies knew about a spell that could bind the demons but it had a terrible cost for there is a price for everything.

-And what was the price they paid?

-Death, said the hunter slowly. One of each creature had to sacrifice himself willingly. And so the fairies managed to perform the spell and the demons were banned from the known world.

He stopped and drank nosily from the bottle.

-There was no celebration that day for the world wept the deaths of those heroes who had given up their lives for the world. 

He indicated to Aerys that the night’s conversation was over and Aerys went to sleep dreaming about fairies and dragons. He would have loved to stand side by side with them.

CHAPTER 3

-Welcome to your new home lad.

Aerys walked towards him half bent and looked past him as he took a step to his side. There was little house in a clearing that nested at the foot of a dome like hill. It was surrounded by huge wooden barriers and an impressive gate stood before us. They had arrived after several more days of tiring walk across the lands and just as Aerys was thinking that he would not be able to take another step forward, the hunter had said the blessed words. As they approached the house he heard the barks of dogs inside and sure enough three enormous dogs appeared from behind the house and ran towards us. Aerys had seen dogs before but he had never seen ones like them. They were more wolf-like. They were really big and furry. There were two black and one white one and they barked furiously as the hunter took a key out of his pocket and began to unlock the gate. He pushed it inside and walked in. Aerys stood at the door intimidated. The dogs were quite a frightening sight and they did not seem to like intruders.

-Get in quick, said the hunter with a harsh look. The sun will fall any time now. So get your ass inside.

He obeyed reluctantly and entered. The dogs growled angrily but they kept their distance. Aerys stayed close to the hunter while he locked the gate from the inside. He then knelt down near the dogs and began to caress them each at a time. When he finished, he pointed to Aerys and said:

-He is my new apprentice. So you are not to hurt him. Understood?

The dogs barked and their expressions towards him changed instantly. Aerys wondered how he had done it. The dogs had understood him at once. They walked towards him and began to bark joyfully. He was soon put to ground and licked all over his face. They were really playful and as he loved dogs, he spent a long time with them outside. The hunter did not wait for him for he went inside the house immediately and the lights inside lit immediately. Soon there was frail smoke coming out of the chimney. This surprised Aerys a bit for the hunter had not given me the impression that he was a cook nor a man who seemed to like doing house chores. He walked towards the little house too followed by the dogs who had adopted him completely now. He stopped on the porch and examined the house. It was a solid one built with strong wood. However it was very plain looking for it was built as simple as possible. He opened the door and walked in. The place was small and he found himself in the kitchen. The fire was burning in the chimney and something really good was already being cooked on the fire. His eyes wandered around and he jumped in surprise as they fell upon a tiny man who was busy waving his hands in front of knives which moved on their own in front of him and cutting vegetables.

He saw Aerys but did not say anything. Who was this tiny man? A dwarf? Aerys had heard of them but they lived far to the west. How come this one was here? Had the hunter brought him? His head was filled with questions and he watched him unashamedly until the dwarf could no longer bear it. He turned and said angrily.

-Stop that lad; he said in a tiny and high pitched voice that was so funny that Aerys laughed loudly before he could stop.

The dwarf cursed and before Aerys knew it several things were flying his way. He managed to dodge them and hurried inside the other room. He found himself in what appeared to be the study room. The walls were covered with dusty books which lay on equally dusty shelves. The hunter was there sitting on the only chair around an oddly round table which was covered with what appeared to be a map. He was reading a parchment and he looked up at him.

-You met Erasmus I presume, he said turning his attention back to the parchment.

-Is he a dwarf?, asked Aerys as he wandered round the place looking at the books. There were so many and he wanted to do just one thing; read them all.

-Erasmus is a gnome, rectified the hunter. A domestic one.

Aerys looked up in surprised. He had heard of gnomes but never knew that they could be domesticated.

-How did you do that?

Drake smiled.

-I managed to find his name. Just simple as that and now he has to do whatever I ask of him. He’s very handy and such an excellent housekeeper. I don’t know how I would manage without him.