《Bloodlines》


 Chapter 1 - The Prince Causes Trouble

    Thick red hair formed a natural crown upon Prince Valorous¡¯ head. Named so by his well-meaning but arrogant father, Valorous was the jewel of the Sunhold Kingdom. His lightly tanned skin was pleasantly interrupted by small patches of light reddish scales. The prince¡¯s open yet decisive demeanor and piercing golden eyes matched well with his sunny disposition.


    The Prince wore a stylish red vest and a pair of loose trousers belted on with a thick embossed leather band. A matching leather band kept his free-flowing hair from his face.


    Prince Valorous excelled in every subject taught to him: history, tactics, spellcasting, the arts of fighting, and statecraft. Even from the young age of nine his people adored him and they slept well, safe in the knowledge that their kingdom would be peaceful and prosperous through this generation and the next.


    However, he was also a rambunctious child, always experimenting with his magic, trying to create new spells, and constantly causing mischief despite his stern yet doting attendants.


    Prince Valorous was kneeling behind a potted plant, waiting for his prey to make their daily appearance. He checked his notes again, fingers crossed that he had finally figured out his new trap spell.


    By keying an enchantment of his own design to a specific person''s aura, the prince hoped that he had reinvented spells that the ancients used to protect the tombs his teacher had taught him about.


    Several well dressed ladies glided by regally, tittering and giggling to themselves on their way to the palatial gardens. ¡°Did you hear about Zhone Towah? He was just raised to a commander in the Scarlet Alliance! He¡¯s such a hunk!¡±


    ¡°I wish he had asked me out when he lived here.¡± another one said.


    A third chimed in. ¡°Remember when he dueled with Tiriel? I still don¡¯t see how Tiriel could have won, I mean, look at the muscles on Zhone! I bet he really knows how to use them.¡±


    A crack like thunder silenced the ladies and heralded the success of Valorous¡¯ spell. As they passed underneath an arch, a runed sigil started glowing, causing a torrent of water to cascade down towards them.


    Shrieking, the ladies of the court cowered at the unexpected deluge.


    However, before the rain could drench the dismayed women, an almost invisible shield of air appeared above them. The shield diverted the water away from the group and on to the floor. Then a blade of wind sliced through the shining runes that comprised the spell, breaking it in a shower of sparks.


    Valorous¡¯ preemptive fist of triumph turned into a glowering look of disgust. His shoulders raised and lowered dramatically as he sighed.


    ¡°Texnosha¡¯s benevolence, cradle me. Flowing stream!¡± The prince chanted a spell. The spell rippled through the air, folding around him in shimmering layers. The magic acted like a cloak, creating a slipstream that helped him to run away faster and blur his form against identification. He darted from behind the plant.


    Before he even got five paces away, a voice stopped him in his tracks. ¡°What have we here?¡±


    The voice belonged to Tiriel, the prince¡¯s favorite tutor. With a quiet whistle, the tutor broke Valorous¡¯ compound spell with a gale of wind. Then he lifted the troublemaker up by his fancy collar.


    The ladies interrupted, shrieking in anger. ¡°Prince Valorous, you scamp!¡±


    Another one added, ¡°Teach that brat a lesson, Tiriel!¡±


    The tutor had an eternally rumpled figure. Though physically fit, he had a scholarly air that led to most of the court dismissing him out of hand. Medium-length green hair adorned his head and was tied back into a ponytail. Round-rimmed glasses hid sharp yellow eyes that accented his hair. His lanky frame was covered with a long-sleeved embroidered shirt and trousers. His affinity for wind magic was currently visible as a light breeze that ruffled his hair and clothing, adding to his rumpled appearance.


    ¡°My Prince, there appears to have been some sort of trap spell laid for these beautiful ladies. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know how it got there, would you?¡± Tiriel lifted the prince up so that they were eye level, while the prince tried to curl up and be inconspicuous.


    ¡°No, sir. I can¡¯t think of how that ancient spell got there, here in our modern times. Must have been some kind of temporal anomaly.¡± The prince¡¯s excuses fooled no one present.


    ¡°So the Crown Prince is terrorizing people again?¡± A stern voice rang out from down the hall. It¡¯s owner was Councillor Enyu. He strode forward purposefully towards the group. The councillor was a short and skinny middle aged man. His manicured long mustache portrayed a disapproving scowl whenever he encountered the prince¡¯s antics. ¡°Prince Valorous, this is hardly behavior fit for royalty. You only anger your father and disappoint your subjects when you act this way. Tiriel, is this how you teach your young charge? By allowing him to attack people?¡±


    Setting the prince down on his feet, Tiriel continued holding the prince by his collar. He forced Prince Valorous to bow to the councillor and the still sitting, but at least not soaked, ladies. ¡°Of course not, Enyu; the prince and I have a long discussion ahead of us. Ladies.¡± Turning away, he pulled Valorous along behind him. ¡°Come along, my Prince. It seems some remedial lessons about our history are in order. Maybe it¡¯ll jog your memory as to how an ¡®ancient trap spell from some forgotten tomb¡¯ made its way onto an arch in our castle''s hallway¡±.


    Dejectedly, the Prince followed his tutor, while turning his nose up to the glaring councillor and the bedraggled ladies on the floor.


    The two retired to the palace¡¯s library. It was a massive room and its walls were completely covered in shelves. Those shelves were full of wellkept manuscripts, magical tools and various historical artifacts. Magical lights illuminated the room from ornamental sconces placed along the tapestried walls.


    Tiriel beckoned the prince to sit down at one of the various stylized heavy oak tables. On the tabletop sat a glowing prism. Sitting down across from the prince, Tiriel rested a hand on the magical device. The prism started to hum as a slight breeze ruffled the pages of a close by book. Prince Valorous had a grumpy look on his face while the device warmed up.


    A wave of light rippled from the top of the prism, widening until it was about three feet across and two feet tall, floating above the table. As Tiriel started to speak, a fuzzy picture appeared on the hovering screen and painted the tutor¡¯s words.


    ¡°This world, Young Prince, is a violent place. Earthquakes, tornadoes, massive ice storms and blistering heat waves, the very environment itself seems to have some grudge against the beings that have the misfortune of living on it.¡±


    The image cleared, showing a massive stretch of land. Trees and plants dotted the surface. Then, the land cracked and split. Violent winds tore across the fields, uprooting trees while lightning flashed and started raging infernos that burned across the expanse.


    Tiriel continued. ¡°While a few species evolved to combat the hostile environment, becoming monstrous themselves, Humanity was not one of them and suffered greatly from the world¡¯s ire.¡±


    The beasts of the field grew to monstrous sizes, while bone plates, spikes, and fearsome claws grew from their flesh. In front of them, kneeling and prone humans cowered defenselessly. Despite himself, the prince held onto the arms of his chair tightly, getting wrapped up in the history.


    ¡°These ancient humans, driven into a corner, begged the stars for help, and something answered.¡±


    An expanse of stars lit up and its constellations swarmed closer. They started to form into the shapes of various creatures.


    ¡°Great Spirits from beyond the plane answered the people¡¯s pleas and descended. A phoenix made of streaming sunbeams, dragons whose scales rippled with every color of the rainbow, a fox with nine undulating tails, a mysterious blue furred sphinx, an elk that carried a forest within his antlers, and many other fantastic beings appeared among the scattered tribes of man.¡±


    Descending to the earth in front of the desperate humans, the shapes condensed into the creatures that Tiriel mentioned. The young boy couldn¡¯t hold onto his annoyance any longer, and his eyes shone as the beautiful and fantastic spirits came into focus. His feet kicked back and forth excitedly.


    Unable to contain his excitement, Valorous named each of the spirits as they came into being.


    A group of stars brightened and became a gleaming red and gold phoenix that silently screeched. Its voice brighted the night sky, making it appear as though it were midday. ¡°Shalazar.¡±


    Some of the stars swirled and twisted around each other, becoming many colors of dragons that curled around each other during the descent.


    The first was a glorious golden scaled dragon with even larger wings, large enough to cover the sky. A golden luminescence covered his figure. ¡°Xertonos.¡±


    Then, the air noticeably froze as a white dragon spun down, snowflakes trailing in her wake. She was far bulkier than the others, obviously built for colder environments. ¡°Ixthalah.¡±


    Next, a long and sinuous teal-colored dragon swam through the air, and various currents of air became visible with her passing, twirling and rippling like the waves of the sea. ¡°Texnosha.¡±


    Another one dove into the earth and burst back out of it. He was colored in the mottled browns of the earth and his large mighty claws dug through the earth with ease. ¡°Enxorah.¡±


    The fifth dragon was thin and agile. His sinuous green body curled and wrapped around itself in strange patterns. ¡°Sednexul.¡±


    Finally, a powerfully built black dragon with many horns framing her face and large finned wings that trailed down her back. A black smoke roiled across her form, partially obscuring it. ¡°Korovix¡±


    After the dragons descended, a separate constellation bounded across the sky, turning into a majestic fox that daintily sat down. It had nine tails that whipped and pranced erratically behind it. ¡°Uretsu.¡±


    Gliding regally down, another grouping of stars became a blue furred sphinx with golden wings and the face of a beautiful maiden. its tufted tail flicked casually back and forth. ¡°Elenah.¡±


    An Elk galloped down next, its antlers made of a living forest. A mane of autumn leaves cascaded down its neck. ¡°Ishiine.¡±


    Many other shadowed forms came down as well.


    ¡°These Spirits, out of compassion, granted the pitiful beings some of their otherworldly powers to combat the brutal environment and became known as Patrons.¡±


    The Spirits held out their hands, claws, or hooves, and tentatively, the humans also reached out. Light grew from the point of contact and enveloped the mortals. The humans grew in size and stature as they stood up confidently.


    As they grew, wonderous changes took place across their forms. They gained physical characteristics of the Spirits they were blessed by. Some of them grew scales and wings, others grew horns, or fur, or tails as their benefactors possessed.


    ¡°The new bloodlines of man, emboldened by this gift, set about taming this wild and hungry planet. They settled in massive cities and raised those cities from the ground, draping them with all manner of defensive spellwork to keep the planet at bay.¡±


    The picture showed a group of little people raising their hands and a massive chunk of earth rose out of the dirt, creating a giant floating landmass, hovering high above the ground. On the island was a beautiful sprawling city headed by an orderly stone castle formed, complete with flying ramparts and gorgeous spires.


    ¡°The Sunhold Kingdom, Young Prince, is such a place. It, like most of the countries of Enoch, does not float in any sea, but soars through the sky, far above the earth.¡±


    A magical dome grew to surround the city, keeping it safe as three monstrous tornadoes formed and encircled the island. A vicious wind tore at the ground, uprooting trees. Dark clouds filled the sky and a torrential downpour threatened to flood the land below the island. The peoples on the island cheered silently, safe from the environmental disasters.


    ¡°Treaties formed between these kingdoms and allowed for a regrowth of humanities numbers. All was finally peaceful. Peaceful, my Prince, as your relationships should be, after you apologize to the Queen¡¯s ladies.¡±


    The picture slowly became fuzzy again, until it collapsed back into the prism. Tiriel took his hand off of the device and looked at Prince Valorous expectantly.


    Valorous crossed his arms, puffed out his cheeks, and complained, ¡°I know all that, Teacher. But they were talking bad about you again! They said you always look like a squall has just passed through. All I was doing was turning their gossip into the truth..¡±


    Valorous¡¯ magical talent, fortuitously, or not, came from the union of two powerful draconic bloodlines. His father, king Raitan¡¯s blood came from the golden dragons aligned with the sun. While his mother, Queen Liashel¡¯s, came from the royal line of seafaring teal dragons; whose kingdom, instead of flying among the clouds, lay under the churning waves of the Vandaylian Seas.


    Tiriel sighed and rubbed his temples, ¡°Young Prince, while I appreciate your intentions, and it is true that I do not spend much time on my appearance, but some of that comes from chasing you around all day and trying to keep you out of trouble¡­¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    King Raitan grunted at his son. ¡°Councillor Enyu tells me you¡¯ve been pranking people again, Valorous,¡±


    The king and his son were engaged in training sword forms in the palace salle. It was a place that defined functionality. Numerous pieces of equipment devoted to martial training were evenly spaced around the spacious room. Magical sconces common around the palace lit up the space efficiently. The walls were polished mirrors, perfect for the self correction of those who used this space.


    Prince Valorous¡¯ face contorted in disdain. He disliked Councillor Enyu. Though most people thought the middle-aged man was a compassionate, if cautious person, Valorous had found that Enyu had a cruel streak. When the councillor thought no one was looking, his face changed to one full of contempt and amusement towards those less fortunate than himself. He made Valorous¡¯ skin crawl. Not to mention the fact that he ran to King Raitan every time he heard about the prince¡¯s pranks. However, the prince turned to his father and bowed in apology.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    King Raitan¡¯s physical form was that of a seasoned warrior. Well-defined muscles rippled under his sun darkened skin. Golden scales threaded with crimson crossed his cheeks, his forearms and under his robes. His giant wings spread and closed with each movement, granting him a fluid balance that also lent each strike additional power. His curly black hair glistened with sweat from the focus and precision of his movements.


    While Prince Valorous used a well-made wooden practice sword, his father used the sword passed down their line across the generations, known as the Rising Sun. Its pommel was a stylized golden starburst. The leather bound handle was red, and three sun rays spread out from the crossguard. The blade itself was magically sharp and was perfect for conducting the powerful magic of the Golden Dragon bloodline.


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t as bright as you are, I¡¯d have to trounce you until your attitude improved.¡± The King sighed without breaking his form. ¡°Since you have excelled in every task I¡¯ve set before you, I¡¯ll continue to overlook your little¡­ indiscretions.¡±


    Chuckling a little, King Raitan continued, ¡°Your mother¡¯s ladies can get a little pompous, can¡¯t they. But don¡¯t let them distract you from your studies. Tiriel has trained you well. His fast and precise style is more suited to you than my overwhelming two handed techniques. You¡¯ll make a great warrior one day if you keep at it. ¡±


    Knowing that his father¡¯s lecture was over, Prince Valorous laughed back as he raised his head, ¡°I¡¯ve been improving the water control spells I disassembled from the faucets, father. So then I made a rain trap keyed to that horrible Jessika. She was making fun of Tiriel again. I would have drenched her if Tiriel hadn¡¯t caught me.¡±


    Ruffling his son¡¯s messy red hair fondly, the King of Sunhold laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll have to put those pranks behind you soon. That''s no way for the royal heir to act, especially once we invite your future bride to stay with us and learn our ways.¡±


    Turning his son so that their gazes met, the king finished, ¡°I expect you to be a perfect princely gentleman when she arrives.¡±


    Bowing demurely, the sparkling eyed prince replied, ¡°As you command, father.¡±


    Valorous stepped out of his father¡¯s reach before he added, ¡°As long as she can keep up!¡±


    Putting on a grumpy scowl King Raitan chased his giggling son around the salle, pretending to strike at him with his sword.


    Returning to their sword forms, the pair continued to practice for a while.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    While at dinner, Valorous retold his antics in detail to his laughing mother. Unlike the physically driven King, Queen Liashel was a well-recognised mage who couldn¡¯t be more proud at her son¡¯s love of the magical arts.


    The Queen lit up any room she entered. With flowing teal locks braided into complicated designs that complemented her smooth and attractively placed sea-colored scales, she was quite beautiful. Light makeup adorned her smooth face. Exquisitely crafted jewelry twinkled merrily in her ears and around her neck. She preferred to wear well-made but simple light robes that signified her talent in the magical arts.


    They were seated at the head of a long oaken table on a raised platform. Underneath them were several more stylishly decorated tables, filled with the well dressed nobles of the court. Conversation resonated across the hall happily.


    ¡°That''s quite advanced, Val. I¡¯m impressed that you were able to figure out a way to make a person¡¯s aura the trigger to a set sigil. We haven''t talked about how to do that yet.¡± Liashel complimented her beaming son.


    Prince Valorous responded proudly, ¡°I noticed that most people don¡¯t know how to hide their aura, mom, and it just flows out around them. So I made a hole shaped like Lady Alana¡¯s aura in the triggering sequence of the spell. It''s like our faucets, but they use anyone¡¯s aura to trigger hot or cold water to come out. By making the activation sequence only work when a specific key completed it, it wouldn¡¯t trigger if anyone else walked underneath it.¡±


    Listening intently, The Queen nodded her head sagely at Valorous¡¯ explanation. ¡°A tidy answer to the problem of accidentally soaking everyone who walked past. Well done.¡±


    King Raitan cut in, ¡°Lia, don¡¯t compliment the boy for causing mischief, even if it was done well. I¡¯m trying to get him to grow out of these constant pranks and start acting more seriously, as our royal heir should.¡±


    ¡°Oh my dear husband, by acknowledging his ingenuity, we help him to grow up mentally flexible and capable of answering any unknown crises that pop up in the future,¡± the queen replied. She placed a gentle hand on the king''s arm.


    King Raitan raised his hands in defeat, acquiescing to his beautiful wife¡¯s logic. He attempted to keep the scowl on his face, but a light peck on his cheek stole away his attempt at dignity. The king lovingly turned to his wife and kissed her back deeply.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    On another day, Tiriel and his charge were again sitting in the beautifully furnished library. The magical prism was an oft used tool in Tiriel¡¯s lessons to the young prince. The device hummed to life, its screen fuzzily growing.


    ¡°King Kavgrim¡¯s line was blessed by a dragon whose scales were darker than the void of space. During his rule, King Kavgrim decided that he alone should rule the bloodlines of the world. By the time the other nations had marshalled a defense, this war-thirsty ruler had conquered many bloodlines.¡±


    The figure of a powerful crowned man appeared on the magical screen. He had long midnight black hair, a well groomed beard, and pale skin. Whorls of obsidian scales acted as natural armor that enhanced the defensive gear he was wearing. His scaled chest was bare, while his arms were encased in tough leather. He had on long loose pants under a flowing half cape attached at his waist. The kingly man bore a long red blade that seemed to warp the air around it. The spines on his crown were twisted and left a spectral afterimage as he moved. King Kavgrim¡¯s face was locked in a permanent scowl.


    A bloodied and wicked looking army expanded out behind the king, beating their shields and howling. With Kavgrim in the lead, the army charged forwards, cutting across a map of the continent.


    ¡°A heroic golden king, your great grandfather Raishan, his blood also coursing with a dragon¡¯s power, marshalled the surviving nations to battle. Only by uniting against Kavgrim was this alliance able to drive him back to his own lands.¡±


    Across from the violent hordes, another figure rose from a spot on the map. He was encased in golden plates. His face was only visible from his open helm. Wisps of a golden mane could be seen around the edges and poking through the bottom of the helm. Even his wings were armored, with pointed blades following down along their outer edges. He held the familiar sight of the Rising Sun sword, holding it out in a defensive position.


    The golden king raised his sword and other powerful looking kings and queens manifested behind him. A blue furred queen charged out, wearing heavy purple robes and wielding a massive weighted scepter with a roughly cut jewel at its tip. The King of Frost was next, wearing heavy white armor similar to the golden king¡¯s and holding a spear made of ice. A whirling frosty fog swirled around him. More followed. Each was at the head of their own army.


    In the picture, the two armies clashed, silently losing their lives to the tutor¡¯s words.


    ¡°The survivors put the evil king to death and took vengeance on his clans, destroying them root and branch, so they would never again be able to wage war on the rest of the world.¡±


    Amidst a field of corpses, King Raishan stood before the kneeling Kavgrim, Rising Sun held above his head. A powerful swing separated the wicked king''s head from his neck, and his body slumped down onto the blood soaked ground.


    King Kavgrim¡¯s fleeing armies were mercilessly cut down as they ran. The scene changed to the back of Kavgrim¡¯s floating city, where the allied forces put it to the torch. The Island itself fell from the sky, and hitting the unforgiving ground, shattered into smouldering ruins.


    ¡°But, the dark dragon clan¡¯s blood held the powers of shadow, and a few managed to escape the purge, using illusions to hide throughout the vast corners of the earth.¡±


    A few people wearing ragged and bloody cloaks stole from the rubble, disappearing off into the distance.


    ¡°Though the war was won, the allied peoples stayed vigilant, always worried that the dark clan would rise again, to try and take control of all peoples.


    Several bloodied but victorious kings and queens raised their weapons together, showing their continued unity against the dark. The magical screen dimmed, and powered down as Tiriel finished. ¡°Stories of the Dark King and his armies of Shadow were passed down, causing fear and unrest among the various rulers throughout the years. It is still a terrible crime to be born of that lineage.¡±


    Tiriel shuddered. Composing himself he turned to his royal charge. ¡°Your Great Grandfather and the other Kings and Queens at the time created treaties to prevent another war, and one of those treaties commands for ties of blood between the different nations.


    ¡°Today, my Prince, we will be welcoming your future Queen, beautiful Princess Nahira, into our fair Kingdom, where she will learn our customs and prepare herself for the day that you both rule.¡±


    Tiriel solemnly placed a hand on the prince¡¯s squirming shoulder. ¡°Please remember to act politely and follow the proper court etiquette we¡¯ve been going over. She will have just arrived and may be scared, so don¡¯t start pestering her with your curiousity. ¡±


    The Prince agreed quickly, but he was overflowing with questions for the upcoming meeting, so he jumped out of his chair and raced towards the throne room ahead of his tutor.


    The throne room was enormous, with massive cloth banners dedicated to each of the noble houses adorning its high walls. Glowing sconces decorated the walls while massive chandeliers hung stately from the ceiling.


    Two magnificent thrones rested at the top of a series of steps. These steps were engraved with glorious scenes of the battle against the Shadow King, where golden armored warriors beat back the hordes of darkness. The thrones were built to look like a pair of golden wings that carefully held their royal inhabitants.


    King Raitan and Queen Liashel were both wearing their crowns, golden circlets with towering peaks and sparkling diamonds. The Rising Sun lay nestled in a groove designed into the king¡¯s throne at the base of the wing.


    Today, the full court was assembled. Gloriously dressed lords and ladies stood attentively, waiting patiently for the prince¡¯s arrival.


    Bursting into the throne room, Valorous intently peered around, looking for the princess who would be his bride. Most of the people present were known to Prince Valorous and his eyes slid right past them. Until, his gaze settled on a little girl who was holding onto a woman¡¯s skirt. Intelligent purple eyes gazed back at the prince and her head tilted inquisitively.


    Princess Nahira descended from Elenah, the Sphinx Patron. The girl had velvety sky-blue fur and graceful cream-colored wings. Her tail teased back and forth unconsciously as she stared back at Valorous with warm and attentive purple eyes. An adorable little button of a nose wiggled curiously at the prince. She wore a light purple dress with an open back for the freedom of her wings. Jewels sparkled at her ears.


    ¡°Ah, Valorous, as impatient as ever,¡± said his mother while smiling indulgently.


    An embarrassed Herald belatedly announced the prince while King Raitan glowered. Councillor Enyu turned disapprovingly to the person next to him and spoke something softly. Sparing no time for any of that, Valorous strode directly towards the Princess. He stopped less than a foot away and looked deeply into the Princess¡¯ eyes. The silence stretched as everyone waited for the prince¡¯s reaction. Just as Nahira opened her mouth to say something and break the quiet, Valorous abruptly knelt with a flourish.


    ¡°My Princess, I have the honor of being called Valorous, First Prince of Sunhold, your betrothed to be. The sun shines brightly upon our meeting. I bid you welcome to my kingdom, may you dance across the skies of Enoch, your blessings be multiplied, your rests consoling, your allies be fortuitous, while your enemies labor long and in vain. By the blood of Xertonos and Texnosha, let it be so. ¡±


    Nahira looked a little confused at the strange boy¡¯s odd formality, but automatically presented her hand as she was taught to do in these kinds of situations.


    Instead of kissinging it, the Prince¡¯s expression changed from serious to mischievous as he stood up, grasped the princess¡¯s hand and shook it excitedly. Then he started to drag her away, while talking several times faster than his previous speech.


    ¡°Father says I should act more dignified, and Tiriel is always lecturing me about following etiquette, but we are friends now so none of that matters. Let¡¯s leave the adults to be bored and find something more fun to do. More importantly, can you fly with those wings, do you lick yourself clean like a cat, can you do any magic, do you want to see this spell i invented the other day, how old are you¡­¡±


    Blinking once, Nahira grinned, showing sharp little teeth.


    ¡°You should, are we, okay, yes, not telling, yes, yes, eight, do you have any pets, can you fight, are your scales rough, do you have to shine them, who¡¯s Tiriel¡­.¡±


    Tiriel paled after seeing how quickly they became friends. He started considering the possible antics that two royal children would likely get up to. The Queen dimpled adoringly while the King sighed at the instantaneous camaraderie between the betrothed.


    Queen Liashel placed a loving hand on her husband''s arm and tried to console him. ¡°Now come dear, we were young once. Why, I remember when we first met, and how we would scamper along these very halls. And you have to admit, despite Valorous¡¯ pranks, he is quite the model prince.¡±


    King Raitan grimaced. ¡°The boy is too smart for his own good, wasting his time on tricks and artifice when he has our combined magical power to bring to battle. His lack of seriousness will bring trying times to this kingdom if he isn¡¯t taught to be properly serious and carry his kingly burdens. Tiriel, I expect his martial training to increase in intensity. Maybe it will wear out some of that excessive energy.¡±


    Tiriel bowed in acknowledgement, while doubting that the king¡¯s plan would have any chance of success. ¡°As you command, my King.¡±


    The teacher bowed again, and hurried after his young charges, hoping that they hadn¡¯t already found some shenanigans to get up to.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Princess Nahira quickly settled into her new life with the prince.


    ¡°Hurry up, ¡®Hira! They¡¯re almost here.¡± Prince Valorous ran as stealthily as a nine year old could, rounding corners with exuberant abandon.


    Nahira giggled with excitement as Valorous leapt over the invisible line of their trap.


    ¡°Get back here you scoundrel! Give me back my hat!¡± a breathy voice gasped from behind the prince. ¡°Grab him!¡±


    A pair of measured footsteps rhythmically pounded down the hallways, making an interesting counter-melody to the staggeringly uneven tread of the voice¡¯s owner. They turned the last corner, revealing themselves to be a palace guardsman and one of the royal pair¡¯s teachers.


    The teacher was a small wrinkly old man. He was quite embarrassed to be bald and normally covered himself up with a gaudy purple hat. His fancy clothes matched the hat in sheer gaudiness, but the man himself was a sour old stick in the mud. He was bent over as he tried to catch his breath.


    ¡°Ah ha! It¡¯s a dead end! You¡¯ve cornered yourselves! You don¡¯t have anywhere left to run!¡± heaved the panting bald man.


    Confronted with their pursuers, Valorous and Nahira tried to cower convincingly.


    As the guard passed their hidden trap, nothing seemed to happen. But when the unsuspecting teacher stepped over the line, a row of roots sprouted forth from the floor. The roots continued growing and ensnared the older men. As one of the roots tangled his foot, the teacher tripped forward and fell into the unsuspecting guard with a frightened squeal.


    Both of them fell to the floor and struggled as the roots birthed vines that continued to reach and curl around their horizontal forms. Their thrashings were in vain as the insidious vines tightened and trussed them into immobility.


    Nahira and Valorous couldn¡¯t hold in their mirth anymore, and fell to the ground themselves. Their laughter rang throughout the palace as pretty blue flowers sprouted from the vines. Their trapped pursuers looked quite fetching with their red faces paired with the colors of the flowers.


    The children rolled around snickering and snorting until tears fell from their eyes. After a few moments, they got control over themselves and stood up.


    Valorous picked the hat up from the ground and hung it from a vine. ¡°Sorry you got tangled up in this, Marko. Get it, tangled?¡± he said to the innocent guard while chuckling at his own joke. Turning his attention to his teacher, the prince poked him lightly in his forehead. ¡°Master Golbano, I thought you said that you¡¯d never fall for a trick made by a couple of kids. Disappointing.¡±


    The Prince and Princess high fived each other as they walked past the bound pair. ¡°I told you I could set the trap to trigger for the second person to walk by. And I got it to attach itself to the first person to pass it as well. So I get your dessert tonight, Val.¡± Nahira nudged the prince.


    ¡°I would never go back on my word, ¡®Hira. You know that. And seeing the looks on their faces was totally worth losing out on my dessert tonight.¡± Valorous held his hand out to the princess.


    Nahira grabbed it, and holding hands they strolled out of the hallway together.


    Princess Nahira was full of the zest for life, and that quality defined her magic as well. Whether she was healing scrapes, tripping guards with roots, or drenching the heads of their unsuspecting teachers, Nahira thrived in her new environment. Her joy and laughter helped to warm the hearts of the castle''s inhabitants. and even those directly targeted by the duo¡¯s antics couldn¡¯t stay mad after seeing the two happily together.


    True to Tiriel¡¯s internal prediction, no matter how gruelling the martial training, how strenuous the mental task, neither of the children ever tired of their antics. This wasn¡¯t to say that either one of them shirked on their schooling. Both of them took their studies just as seriously as they planned out their endless lighthearted schemes.


    In the past, Valorous¡¯ curiosity had helped to keep his interest in the curriculum that Tiriel had laid out. But with the addition of Nahira, a competitive streak manifested in the young prince. The two strove in all subjects and pranks to find ways to outdo each other.


    Though harried by the inexhaustible energy of his students, Tiriel doted on them excessively and was proud of them both. Like Queen Liashel, he was confident in their ability to take command of the future and continue the prosperity of the Sunhold Kingdom.

 Chapter 2 - The Prince Awakens

    ¡°Now children, what you propose would be extraordinarily difficult. You¡¯ve shown improvement in your ability to strengthen someone¡¯s physical traits, if you work together. But it''s a whole different problem to increase the flow of magic in someone.¡± Queen Liashel spoke as she sat regally on an embroidered cushion, her legs tucked demurely to one side.


    Princess Nahira sat tidily on her knees and Prince Valorous lay with his back on another cushion, watching his mother upside down. Now at thirteen, the P\prince had grown taller and slightly more muscular. The patches of scales across his body had deepened in color to a burnt amber, their outer edges had tinged a dark blue. Nahira had grown too, and at twelve, was the absolute darling of the castle. Though she appeared more ethereal and refined, the princess hadn¡¯t lost any of her spunk or prankish nature.


    They were in the queen¡¯s solar. It was a bright and airy room. Stained glass windows and a clear glass ceiling let in the day''s warm light. A detailed carpet spanned the circular room, depicting an untamed wilderness. In the scenery, diminutive animals peacefully grazed. The scene was surrounded by an ancient flowery script. A small orderly bookshelf kept a few well read books on magical theory. There was a comfortable looking chair close to an empty fireplace. Near the far wall a desk sat, clean but worn with years of use. Finally, near the desk was a larger series of shelves holding glass vials and jars full of various magical herbs.


    ¡°But mom, you¡¯ve always said that our magic comes from our blood. Blood is material, so there must be some way to enhance it so that it better processes mana.¡± Valorous wondered while his feet fidgeted.


    Nahira acted as a moderating influence on Valorous, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think it''s that simple, but I do agree with Val. It¡¯s been proven that someone''s purity of blood has an affect on their affinity towards magic.¡±


    Queen Liashel pondered this for a moment with a graceful finger on her chin. ¡°It is true that often those with stronger physical manifestations of our Patron¡¯s lineage show a higher ability to manipulate mana. My friend, Shar, is the vice-principal of the White Winds school of wizardry. She told me once about different theories they were proposing about that correlation.¡±


    She raised her delicate finger with a solution. ¡°Let''s write her a letter and ask her about their theories. If nothing else you¡¯ll both learn something new.¡±


    Valorous sighed dramatically, ¡°But what will we do till then?¡±


    Nahira inched over towards the prince and cupped her hand to his ear, hiding her mouth from the curious Queen. ¡°Let''s continue working on that spell we were designing, It¡¯ll be even more of a surprise to your mom when we complete it ourselves.¡±


    Prince Valorous nodded emphatically. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Without knowing what Nahira told Valorous, Queen Liashel could only smile and try to ignore the feelings of amusement she felt whenever her son and one day daughter started scheming. She cleared her throat softly, ¡°Now back to today''s lesson. We were discussing the various methods of spellcasting and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Go over what we¡¯ve talked about.¡±


    Princess Nahira straightened. ¡°The number of methods that spellcasters utilize is nearly infinite. We have yet to find a unified theory of magic. Each bloodline interacts with mana in different ways. Even when casting a similar spell, mages from different clans use different rituals, chants, and signs to do it. Every bloodline has strengths in certain areas, and weaknesses in others.¡±


    Rolling onto his stomach, Valorous put his head in his hands. He continued, ¡°There is an apparent correlation between the manifestation of our Patron¡¯s traits and our ability to use their magical affinities. This is muddied however, when different bloodlines mix. When this happens, only one of the lines shows physically, but their magical talents may include any of the traits of either. Sometimes the magic mixes in unforeseen ways and creates new possibilities in spellcraft.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± the Queen replied. ¡°So when designing a spell, it may be useful to see how it has been done before, but it might not work if the caster¡¯s bloodlines are too different. For you, Val, since you are the union of two draconic bloodlines and the draconic magics are more similar than others, you are able to learn the spells of both of them. Now explain the differences between mages and wizards.¡±


    Princess Nahira mischievously mimed pushing imaginary glasses up the bridge of her nose. ¡°We are mages. Our Patrons gave us the ability to use our auras to directly interact with the mana of Enoch.¡±


    Sitting up so that he was shoulder to shoulder with Nahira, Prince Valorous waved his hand dismissively. Finishing Nahira¡¯s statement, he said, ¡°Before the Patrons came down and blessed humanity, we could only interact with magic indirectly. Tools, potions, or enchantments were the only way for us to use magic. Not all humans were blessed by the Patrons, or don¡¯t have a strong connection with their blood, and those people can still become wizards.¡±


    The Queen smiled proudly at her children. ¡°Indeed. Though wizardry is lacking in some aspects, there is some benefit to wizard¡¯s craft. For instance, those enchantments that you love utilizing in your pranks are closer to wizardry than magecraft. Also, since wizards are invoking powers outside of themselves, they don¡¯t tire like we do when we actively cast our spells. Don¡¯t look down on wizards or one day it¡¯ll cost you.¡± She pointed a finger at her son¡¯s nose. ¡°Especially those trained at the white winds school. Shar herself has taken down many overconfident mages in one on one duels.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Queen Mother,¡± Nahira replied seriously.


    Valorous responded nonchalantly at the same time, ¡°Sure thing, mom.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    After the day¡¯s lessons were over, Valorous and Nahira retired to one of the palatial gardens to continue crafting the new spell they had devised.


    These gardens in particular were a favorite of the young couple. Stone paths connected private nooks covered by trees. Sweeping swaths of flowers blanketed both sides of the pathways. The flowers were many shades of yellow, red, blue and purple and blended together to create a quiet and calming background for the pair¡¯s sorcerous endeavors.


    Prince Valorous was currently sitting cross legged on the grass, inside the framework for a ritual magic that Nahira and he had devised. They were hoping that by strengthening the prince¡¯s draconic blood, wings would sprout from his back, and the couple would be able to soar the skies together.


    Sinking deeply into the flow of his auric body, the prince attempted to grasp a new understanding of his blood and awaken it further. As his awareness drifted deeply inwards, he noticed a small hidden seam where a slow trickle of his magic was being drained.


    Feeling around the seam with his mind, the Prince tried to ascertain its function. It didn¡¯t appear to have any purpose in the workings of his physical or auric bodies. Reaching out a hand to the observing princess, Valorous asked her opinion.


    ¡°Come look at this, ¡®Hira. My magic looks like it''s leaking into this odd tear in my aura, except I can''t see where it¡¯s going. You have a better understanding of physical to aurical transitions, what do you make of this?¡±


    ¡°With Elenah¡¯s grace, Let me see the truth. Divining sight.¡± Taking the Valorous¡¯ hand, Nahira used the physical connection to slide her consciousness into the prince''s aetheric veins to look at what the prince was seeing.


    ¡°What an odd little construct,¡± she decided. ¡°It¡¯s pretty difficult to see, but it feels as if it is trying to stay hidden. It¡¯s definitely not natural. Could it be some kind of curse? But there is no way a curse would have gone unnoticed by your father''s physicians¡­¡±


    Nahira studied the leak for a moment. ¡°If you look closely it appears to be draining a hue from your magic instead of letting it mix normally. Why? And where is it going?¡±


    Thinking hard, Valorous asked her, ¡°have you ever seen that color of magic before? I haven¡¯t, what could it be?¡±


    The color of the magical power in question was a shifting shadowy cloud, dusty greys one moment, and stretching into deep purples, blues, and blacks the next. The feeling the pair got from it was akin to wanting to go unnoticed, a lonely acceptance of being forever in the background. Yet it had a firm strength, as if it would do whatever it had to in order to succeed. It was a calm and patient feeling, the build-up of potential energy right before the boulder falls.


    The royal couple''s curiosity was piqued by this new type of magic power, so they quickly decided to tear open the little seam and experiment with it.


    With surgical precision, Nahira started to feed her magical energy into the seam, attempting to disrupt it¡¯s flow and confuse it with the interference of her breezy aura, like a refreshing wind rustling through the leaves of a quiet forest.


    Valorous observed this operation quietly, trusting in Nahira¡¯s skills. He watched as the talented young girl slowly widened the seam with her magic, and gasped once at the odd feeling of her aura against the foreign structure inside of him.


    With the pair¡¯s disruption of the seal, it started to pulse in and out of visibility, as though it were attempting to disappear entirely, while continuing to maintain it¡¯s mysterious function.


    Refusing to allow that, Princess Nahira used the pulsing to firm up her grasp on the construct. Spreading her magical influence into the structure, like roots growing through stone, she looked at the Prince''s pale face.


    Valorous nodded as he said decisively, ¡°Let¡¯s go for it.¡±


    The blue-furred girl¡¯s forehead wrinkled in concentration, and a little growl escaped from her throat.


    Tiny thorns grew from the magical roots embedded in the seal and, with a sudden twist, tore the seam apart.


    To both of the observers, it appeared as though a layer of reality was suddenly taken away. Like living one¡¯s whole life looking through a glass, and between one blink and the next, the glass vanished. Everything inside the rambunctious prince appeared to be exactly the same, but somehow still felt off when it came to his aura¡¯s color and interaction.


    Blinking consecutively at each other, they wondered what had or hadn¡¯t happened during the anticlimactic experiment. Valorous opened his mouth to speak but instead of what he was about to say, all that came out was ¡°Oh.¡±


    The broken pieces of the diminutive seal grew in perspective until together they overlapped with Valorous¡¯ auric body. The shards continued shattering and growing in a kaleidoscopic frenzy and waves of heat blew outward from the prince. Nahira leapt back with a worried look of concentration on her normally easygoing face. The crumbling seal caught fire, a dark, spectral soot spreading outward as it manifested out from the prince''s pores and lapped hungrily across his physical body.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    In his head, the Prince saw a giant reptilian eye creak open and stare at him. . A deep, dark voice spoke inside his mind. ¡°One of my children yet lives? How¡­ Unexpected. Wait, I can sense more hidden behind you.¡±


    Overwhelmed by this vast presence, Valorous managed to gasp, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The voice chuckled, ¡°Why, I¡¯m your mother, of course. Korovix the Dark.¡±


    Valorous shuddered as a vast amount of information poured into his brain from the eye. It burned through his synapses as a shaky moan escaped his lips. Knowledge about crafting shadow magic flooded through his mind. Just as he thought his head would split open, the eye closed and the presence faded. ¡°I¡¯ll see you again one day, blood of my firstborn.¡±


    ¡°Val!¡± the princess exclaimed as she took a step forward, arms covering most of her face. Unleashing her own Aura to combat the blaze, she took another step, but even with her protections she couldn¡¯t get past the waves of heat and blackened fire emanating from the prince.


    Valorous¡¯ voice came out as a tortured howl. It looked like his body was fracturing like the seam in his aura had. His mouth was open in a grimace and Nahira could see several of his teeth lengthen and grow sharp. The scales around his forehead distended outwards until they cracked and bloody obsidian horns pushed their way out.


    Flames flickered out of his eyes, burning and darkening his iris from a burnished gold to a pitted and metallic grey. His sunny red scales caught fire then, cracking and fracturing, splitting his smoking flesh while new scales burst outwards. Even his hair darkened as though it had been burned.


    Gasping for breath with wild eyes, the prince fell to his knees, grasping and pulling at his robes. Finally tearing them, Valorous grabbed his shoulders, twisting to try and reach his back with his clawed fingers, ripping at the skin of his shoulder blades.


    The flesh of his back bubbled and blackened, then split as two flaming growths erupted from it, leaking blood, while the prince finally screamed. Flowing outward like the blaze, ebony wings slashed out and unfurled with a final snap.


    As quickly as the violent scene began, so too did it end. The prince panted against the ground of the gardens. The last few embers trailed towards ash. Princess Nahira rushed towards him, finally free from the overwhelming heat. She grabbed his shoulders and spread her magic senses back into him to scrutinize his condition.


    Coughing, the prince took her hands and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m gonna be fine.¡±


    Staring into Valorous¡¯ eyes, she studied them and the drastic changes they had been through. Tracing her fingers from his cheek to a patch of newly forged scales, up to his freshly sprouted horns and finally, getting up and moving to his backside, she touched his leathery fleshed wings.


    Instead of looking ominous, the princess decided that Valorous¡¯ new form made him look dashing and mysterious. Well, despite the shed scales, peeling skin, blood trails, and ash trailing through his hair.


    ¡°Well, it worked, I guess,¡± she said, giggling anxiously.


    Suddenly both of them laughed hysterically and fell into each other.


    ¡°Oh, I''m sore,¡± complained Valorous.


    Sitting half on top of him, Nahira again placed her hands on his shoulders, and closing her eyes, used a minor healing spell to address his aches. ¡°With Elenah¡¯s blessing, be healed. Curing Palm.¡±


    The prince closed his eyes as her soothing power caressed his strained flesh and bones. Relaxing into her magic, like a cool spring day seen through meandering trees with birds and insects happily chirping, the Prince sighed contentedly.


    ¡°No more pain?¡± she asked. At his slow nod, the princess fluffed out her own wings. ¡°Good, now let¡¯s see what those can do!¡±


    Giggling again, Nahira pushed herself off of the prince and leapt up into the air, her wings beating down powerfully.


    Groaning, more for effect than any continued ache, the prince stood up. He spread his own wings awkwardly. Valorous flapped them a few times to understand his new musculature. Then he jumped up, only to stumblingly land back on the ground.


    He snorted and rose again to the sounds of Princess Nahira¡¯s laughter. Valorous stomped his foot decisively and with a powerful downswing he rose into the air. Though it was shaky, weak, and only a few feet from the ground, the prince was flying!


    Still grinning, Nahira swooped down towards him. She grabbed his hand with her own and whooped joyously. Then she spun him around and hugged him, letting the two of them fall to the grass.


    Rolling around and wrestling, the gleeful Prince ended up on top of her and pinned her arms above her head.


    The gates into the garden burst open and several guardsmen rushed through, reacting to the explosive burst of magic from only a moment ago. Seeing an ebony-scaled, winged boy holding down their precious princess, the guards yelled and charged.


    ¡°He¡¯s got the princess!¡±


    ¡°Get him!¡±


    ¡°Intruder! Sound the alarm!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to the King!¡±


    A knight peeled off from the group and ran off to inform and protect the King. He was confident in his fellows abilities to subdue the intruder.


    The rest of them proceeded in a professional manner. While one of them rushed forwards to tackle the misidentified prince, the others began to encircle the pair.


    ¡°Wait, stop, it¡¯s me!¡± Valorous cried, while leaping off of Princess Nahira.


    Also getting up, Nahira called, ¡°I¡¯m fine, that¡¯s Prince Valorous!¡±


    Lunging at Valorous, the guard knocked him to the ground and forcefully wrestled an arm behind the prince¡¯s back. The princess¡¯s words finally reaching him, the guard stared at her, while not loosening his grip on the strange boy¡¯s limb.


    ¡°What¡­.?¡± The Captain of the Guard asked, unbelievingly. ¡°How could that urchin be our prince? Did that rapscallion do something to you, Princess?¡± Turning to one of his subordinates, the Captain ordered, ¡°Get a healer, the princess may need one.¡± To the rest of them, he called out: ¡°Tie up the intruder and be wary of his magic. It''s what brought us here, after all.¡±


    A young guardsman asked, ¡°Sir, what is he? He looks like he¡¯s from a dragon Clan, but what''s with those colors?¡±


    Kneeling down next to the young princess, the Captain put a gauntleted hand on her shoulder and asked, ¡°Are you alright, Princess Nahira? He didn¡¯t do anything to you? No spell craft?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Valorous, Captain Bernh. It really is! We found a seal inside him, and we broke it open, and now he looks like that!¡± Stomping her foot, Nahira commanded, ¡°Let him go!¡±


    ¡°No, little princess, that must be a Shadow Dragon assassin, sent to destabilise Sunhold. Don¡¯t worry, miss, a mind healer is on the way.¡±


    A knight cut in, ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve secured the prisoner.¡± They had bound the disheveled prince in chains, glowing with a searing luminosity.


    The guards sprung to attention as an echoing roar came from the palace¡¯s open doors into the gardens.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this then? An assassin in my kingdom! Bring him before me! I¡¯ll kill him myself! Bernh! Where is that scoundrel! You, bring me my sword!¡± A commanding presence dominated the gardens as King Raitan strode out from the castle. The king was followed by his queen and several of his councillors.


    Grabbing Valorous by his matted hair and slamming him back into the ground, Captain Bernh knelt before the king. ¡°My Liege, we caught this intruder on top of the princess. He appears to be shadow blooded. We stopped him before anything happened.¡±


    The councillors gasped, and Councillor Enyu fearfully shouted, ¡°The shadow¡¯s blood? Kill it now! How dare it come into our kingdom!¡±


    Underneath Bernh¡¯s fist, with his face smashed into the dirt, Valorous burst out ¡°Father, it¡¯s me, Val, I¡¯m not an intruder!¡±


    Hearing the prince¡¯s voice coming from this mussed up, winged, black scaled boy broke the King from his rage. The queen gasped. Stepping towards the facedown boy, King Raitan, bent over and grabbed the chains around the prisoner¡¯s wings with his large hands and effortlessly lifted the limp Prince up to his eyes.


    ¡°Valorous?¡± King Raitan asked softly. ¡°My son¡­¡±


    At Prince Valorous¡¯ weary nod, the light of reason completely left the king¡¯s eyes. He Threw his son to the ground. King Raitan roared thunderously as the magical pressure exuded by him increased drastically. The councillors and the guards all stepped back, cowed by the king''s wrathful aura.


    Councillor Enyu raised his voice again, ¡°My king, how can your son¡¯s blood be tainted with the Shadow?¡±


    King Raitan¡¯s expression became even more violently murderous, like a bloodthirsty monster had possessed him. Veins popped out along his forehead, his neck, and his arms. Lightning crackled in the air that surrounded the king. ¡°My son! Blood of shadow! Our hated enemies, here in my own house! Tainted! Blasphemy! My wife! Lia!¡± The raging king whipped towards his wife, spit and foam flying from his mouth. ¡°You! What is this?¡±


    He stalked toward her, while she cowered at the overwhelming aura pressing down on the gardens, her usually calm and kind demeanor replaced by confusion and fear towards this wrathful creature her husband had become.


    Queen Liashel opened and closed her mouth several times while no sounds came forth. As she shook, she was finally able to speak, trying to keep her eyes toward her normally loving husband. ¡°Rai, calm down. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either. That¡¯s our son. Let''s release him and figure this out. He¡¯s our blood. What are you doing?¡± While she spoke, she bravely took a step toward her husband and raised her hand to touch his face.


    From the side, the guard who left earlier rushed forward holding the king¡¯s sword and kneeling, ¡°My Lord, your sword.¡±


    ¡°Our blood! Lies! Treason! Shadow blood!¡± The wild-eyed king grasped the Rising Sun from the guard and ripped it from its sheath. ¡°No threat to our kingdom shall survive! Kill that traitorous corrupted creature!¡±


    As he commanded his knights, King Raitan took up Rising Sun and swung it at his wife. Queen Liashel screamed as the blade came towards her, begging her insane husband to stop. She tried to cast a warding spell, but the Sun Sword gave off a radiant glow that sliced straight through her forming shield and into her neck, cauterizing the wound and killing her instantly.


    Her headless body collapsed on the ground of the gardens. Everything stopped as everyone silently stared at the Queen¡¯s body. Even the King was silent as he tried to process what he had done. Valorous, in chains, looked blankly at his mother''s corpse, unable to comprehend what had happened.


    After a moment, Nahira found her voice and screamed in fright and panic. That deafening noise broke the assembly free from shock, and the king roared again, ¡°Kill the false prince!¡±


    Nahira¡¯s scream also woke Valorous from his fugue, and he desperately didn¡¯t want to die. Frantically fusing his golden flame magic with his new powerful auras, Valorous pressed down on his magical might and then let it explode out without forming any spell. A void-shattering howl exploded through the gardens which shocked everyone present into stillnes; it felt like light itself was being sucked into the horrible sound. As the keening noise continued, the onlooker¡¯s vision dimmed. The chains that bound the prince shattered, flinging shrapnel around.


    Valorous vaulted towards Nahira, his arm outstretched. ¡°Come on, ¡®Hira!¡±


    But before the prince made it to her, Captain Bernh stepped up to the princess and grabbed her arm. ¡°Get behind me, princess.¡± The pale-faced Captain pulled out his sword while he pushed Nahira back into the arms of the other knights. ¡°Face me, traitor!¡±


    The guards readied their weapons. The councillors chanted offensive spells. They all declared together, ¡°For king and country!¡±


    ¡°Let me go! Run, Val! Just go!¡± Nahira yelled as loudly as her hoarse voice allowed. With tears streaming down her face, she struggled, kicked, and bit at her holders.


    With an anguished sob, Prince Valorous hopped back, away from the captain¡¯s blade. ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you! I Promise ¡®Hira!¡± Valorous yelled at his princess.


    ¡°I know you will! Val, just run!¡± Nahria pleaded while still struggling against her captors.


    Valorous compressed his magic again, and ignited it underneath his crouched form. The Magic bereft of any guiding framework blasted outwards and upwards in an impressive Cacophony of light, sound and violent force. Hitting the crowded onlookers, it knocked them back. Even the maddened king was pushed backwards a step.


    While the assembled people recovered from the detonation, Prince Valorous was airborne. He haphazardly fed his magic into his wings as fast as he could, hoping to strengthen their fledgling muscles before the knights could marshall their wits and follow. ¡°Texnosha¡¯s benevolence, cradle me. Flowing stream!¡±


    ¡°After him! Don¡¯t let the black dragon escape!¡± The still enraged king shouted.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± saluted the recovering knights. Those with powers of flight lifted off the ground to pursue the fleeing prince.


    In a final act of desperate defiance, Nahira marshalled her powers and recited a spell. ¡°Elenah¡¯s false guidance, ensnare my foes. Labyrinth of Roots.¡± Roots exploded forcefully from the flowerbeds and entangled the rising guards. She looked up again at her bedraggled prince and wished him speed on his escape.


    Using every ounce of magical potential that he had, Valorous tore through the sky above the castle and out into the city surrounding it. He sped up and ignored the screams of his newly-formed muscles. The prince continued his mad dash out of the capital and towards the edge of the floating Island. Each wingbeat felt like torture. His tears fell onto the ignorant city below as he sobbed and gasped for breath from both the excursion and the terrible events that just occured.


    As he reached the edge of the island, Prince Valorous came to a dangerous but determined decision to conserve his last drops of magic. He stopped providing energy to his straining wings, and curled in on himself. Then he let gravity take him past the edge of the world. He fell.

 Chapter 3 - The Assassin Reminisces

    Hidden under a slumbering volcano, far away, an ancient being stirred at the re-ignition of the Shadow''s bloodline. Magma frothed and bubbled. Steaming cracks ran up the rocky sides of the mountain. Molten rock oozed from the growing fissures. A caustic smoke blew out of the volcanoes gaping maw as the hidden entity shifted its massive bulk.  The being let loose a grating sigh that echoed over the ambient noise and caused an avalanche.


    ¡°How¡­ Unexpected¡­¡±  A deep, timeless voice rumbled across the agitated lava. ¡°That bloodline... Quickens again¡­.¡±


    Disturbed and angry at the return of its greatest foe, the being thrashed around under the earth. The volcano erupted violently. Within the smoke, fiery discharges, and flying rock, dark twisted shapes flowed out with the magma and flew through the skies. They sped off to the far corners of the continent.


    ¡°Go forth¡­ My servants¡­ The timeline will change¡­ because of this¡­ Kill this creature¡­ Must think¡­ The other children are waking too...¡±


    This being¡¯s plans, patiently waiting out the centuries, were threatened at the return of the Shadow''s royal bloodline. Sending forth minions to hunt this child, and agents to sway the mind of lords and kings, the entities¡¯ great mind began to grind, searching out ways to speed up its malignant designs.


    ¡­¡­¡­...


    Spread across the world of Enoch, many others felt the awakening of the Shadow¡¯s bloodline.


    The fractured peoples of shadow, alone, or in small groups littered across the lands, stopped and were amazed as their own blood answered the quickening. They felt their magical abilities go through a qualitative change, deepening, darkening, flowing through their veins in amounts they had never utilized before.


    The largest group dwelt under a mountain, in a hidden series of caves, where they had built permanent structures; homes, forges, crafting rooms, training halls, and a library. They were the last remnants of the Shadow Clan. Passing down their knowledge since the fall of Kavgrim, they became assassins. Known throughout the land as the best, they took many contracts and always fulfilled them.


    Though it was widely believed among their clients that this assassin clan was descended from the Shadow, no one knew for certain. Even if anyone wanted to do anything about it, no one knew where the clan lived.


    From the outside, the nameless mountain was surrounded by a vast wood and appeared to be completely natural. No evidence of human interference broke the uncultivated landscape of the mountain range.


    Deep inside the mountain, their dwellings were utilitarian. There was almost no embellishment to be found among their architecture. It was clear that the clan favored function exclusively over form. Bare tunnels burrowed into a spacious cavern. Wooden beams and naturally formed stone supports held the high ceiling up. Individual dwellings were uniformly spartan. The people¡¯s clothing was equally functional. They walked with purpose, set on their individual tasks. Even their training was uniform, intent on teaching them the varied and intricate skills of assassination.


    Kavgrithe was the young but effective clan leader of these assassins. He showed an intelligence and maturity that kept the clan free from internal strife and external threat.


    His stern face held no humor and his thick eyebrows were pushed down by the weight of his duties. His hair was as black as Kavgrim¡¯s but he was too young for a matching beard to hide his chin. Kavgrithe¡¯s skin was pale and it along with the rest of him combined to grant him an easily forgettable appearance. His clothing was identical to the rest of the assassins, being completely practical in form and defensive qualities. Two short swords were strapped to either side of his waist and several braces of small, sharp knives were hidden under his clothing.


    Kavgrithe stood attentively to the side of a salle. Serious young trainees were being put through their paces by a stern-faced instructor. The students were fighting against golems. These golems were made of clay and had colored tattoos showing where vital spots would be on a living opponent. ¡°You need to be faster! You think a real opponent will just sit still while you stab them?¡± the instructor admonished them.


    ¡°Yes, Instructor Fathom!¡± the trainees replied. They redoubled their efforts at sneaking around the slow golems to strike at their unguarded weak spots.


    The instructor lectured his pupils while they exercised. ¡°The world hates and fears us. Even if we were not assassins, we would be living on a knife¡¯s edge. Until our task is done, none of our lives are our own. Be ready, for our day of judgement is coming. Remember the pledge of our clan. ¡®Through the shadows, we defend the light.¡¯ Ours is a difficult path, but we will walk it proudly.¡± He changed tacks instantly. ¡°You! That lunge wasn¡¯t deep enough. You couldn¡¯t pierce paper with that weak thrust. Try harder!¡±


    Seeing that the training was going well, Kavgrithe let his mind wander. He was proud of all he had accomplished for his clan, and that even at seventeen he was doing a fine job of leading them.


    He was forced to become the leader of his clan after his parents died during a mission. He had watched them die.


    Even at nine Kavgrithe was a grim individual. He followed stealthily behind his parents. ¡°Now young master, even though your training has progressed enough for you to come along, you must remember that you won¡¯t be participating in the actual action. Just watch how Master Leone and Mistress Leeta work,¡± his attendant Sopha reminded him. Sopha was the definition of a shadow. His pale skin was dusted with charcoal, helping him to both blend in to the night and to disguise his scent. He wore what all four of them were wearing, mottled black and grey tight-fitting clothing with a hood and mask to hide their features.


    Kavgrithe nodded silently. Sticking to the shadows, the small band snuck past several patrolling guards on their way through the city.


    They stopped next to a large manor house. Through the iron fence they carefully observed the elegant grounds and armed guards that purposefully strode across them. Waiting for a gap in the guards patrols, they slipped through the thin fence spokes and across the gardens.


    Sidling up to the sturdy wall of the house, they started climbing. Kavgrithe¡¯s mother went up first and using small tools, she unlocked a window and crept inside. She finished checking that the room was empty and stuck her head back out the window, motioning them inside.


    They found themselves in a spare bedroom. It was obvious that it was currently unused as everything was covered in thick sheets. Lifting up a sheet, Kavgrithe found that the room was beautifully furnished. Carved wooden bed posts matched two dressers and a large desk set.


    ¡°Kav,¡± his father said, his gravelly voice quiet. ¡°Do you remember the house¡¯s layout? Which way to our target?¡±


    ¡°We should be in the third bedroom on the second floor. Our target is the lord of this manor, and he should be drunk in his study by now. Third floor, fifth door on the right,¡± Kavgrithe responded confidently.


    ¡°Very good, Kav. Now listen closely. We know the schedules of the guards and we¡¯ve timed our entrance to correlate with their movements. There is a secret passage up to the third floor from this room. Sopha, help me move this dresser.¡± Leone beckoned.


    The two men silently drew the dresser away from the wall. Leeta pressed a hidden trigger in the revealed walls¡¯ moulding. A hidden door opened, revealing a thin set of steps leading up towards the third story.


    Ascending the staircase, they snuck their way through the third floor and past the door to the study. They expertly broke into the room next to it. Leeta used a tiny drill to make a hole that allowed them to see into the study.


    ¡°He¡¯s in there alone. His breathing is regular and he is snoring. Every indication shows that he is asleep. Let¡¯s go.¡± Leeta motioned for her husband to sneak in through the windows, while she snuck back into the hallway. They planned on a pincer attack in case of any unforeseen circumstances. Sopha held the young boy up to the eye hole.


    The pair of assassins were perfectly in sync, as the door and window glided open at the same time. They stole into the room and with lethal efficiency silenced their target. Their victim never even knew that they were there.


    After the deed was done, they turned towards the hall. Suddenly, Leeta stopped. Her eyes appeared to look past the walls, then they widened in shock. She signed a message to her son through the hole in the wall. ¡°We¡¯ve been found out. Run.¡±  With a last look at each other, the married couple simultaneously vanished.


    ¡°Mom says to run, Sopha. Something¡¯s coming,¡± Kavgrithe urgently whispered to his guardian. Then he shuddered as a vast and terrifying aura descended, choking the air from his lungs.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Quick, young lord. Back to the hidden staircase!¡± Sopha replied quickly. They bolted as one, silently racing through the house towards their escape route.


    Shouts echoed through the house, ¡°Let us past, Councillor Enyu said someone was coming to kill the magistrate. Go men, up to the third floor!¡± Pounding footsteps ran up the main stairs and past the room where Kavgrithe and Sopha were hiding. The footsteps rushed past without stopping. After they had gone, Sopha closed the hidden door and pushed the dresser back. Looking for an opening, they crept out of the window they used to enter, closing it behind themselves and snuck through the gardens.


    ¡°How could they have known we were coming?¡± Kavgrithe wondered.


    Clenching his fists, Sopha replied, ¡°Our client must have sold us out, no one could have known our plans.¡±


    A booming voice rang out in the night. ¡°Stop, shadow spawn! You won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± Fire exploded out at the words, exposing the forms of Kavgrithe¡¯s parents.


    Leone straightened from his hiding spot. ¡°King Raitan. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    ¡°If you know who I am, you know you don¡¯t stand a chance against me, monster. Don¡¯t resist.¡± The king¡¯s golden scales glimmered in the poor light. ¡°By Xertonos¡¯ will, I command light to reveal my surroundings. Radiant Sun!¡± A bright light burst into existence overhead. King Raitan pointed a glowing sword at the male assassin.


    Sopha pulled his squirming young charge behind a row of bushes far enough away that they went unnoticed. ¡°Be silent, there¡¯s nothing you can do right now. Your parents will definitely win this.¡±


    A voice called from the direction of the house, ¡°King Raitan, the magistrate, we were too late, he¡¯s been killed.¡±


    The king''s countenance darkened and contorted with rage. ¡°I condemn you to die, assassin. Being of the Shadow¡¯s blood alone is an offense punishable by death. To commit murder on top of that.¡± He lunged towards the apparently unarmed man, ¡°Accept your fate, scum.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, your highness, it¡¯s against our policy to lay down and die.¡± Leone disappeared from sight and the king¡¯s sword struck through empty air.


    A form rushed silently towards the king¡¯s back. Leeta viciously stabbed at Raitan, but he spun around and blocked the strike. The king slashed upwards, catching the woman and flinging her back. In the air, she threw a blade at the Raitan¡¯s face.


    As she was sent flying, Leone materialized to the king¡¯s unguarded side and struck with a wicked-looking serrated blade.


    Growling, the golden king unleashed a flaming aura. It threw off the dagger¡¯s accuracy and pushed Leone back violently.


    The black-clothed man leapt backwards to avoid the fire. ¡°Ouch, no need to be so serious, King.¡± He threw three black, bladed rings at the burning king. As the rings neared their target, they grew in size, encompassing and restraining King Raitan. ¡°Take a nap.¡±


    The king was knocked to his knees by the binding tools. But before he fell further, he shouted angrily and forcefully spread his wings. The rings shattered. ¡°Wicked beast! Your kind murdered my father while I watched, too young to do anything. I will not suffer you in my kingdom.¡±


    As the broken pieces tumbled down, Leone and Leeta simultaneously rushed at the recovering king. ¡°The poor child.¡± Leone grinned at his wife, ¡°Still, throwing a tantrum like this isn¡¯t becoming.¡±


    His wife smiled fetchingly at him as they closed in on Raitan. ¡°Yes, my love. Time for a spanking. Oh, hidden one, lend me your strength. Shadow movement.¡±


    The couple became blurred shades as their speed increased noticeably. King Raitan roared as he furiously dodged and blocked them. Bloody cuts appeared across his body as he became unable to keep up.


    ¡°I''ll kill you both!¡± Raitan shouted wrathfully. ¡°Xertonos, burn away my enemies. Sundering Burst!¡± An ethereal force radiated out from the king, smashing down into the ground and leaving a smouldering crater around him. His shoulders heaved with his heavy breathing.


    The assassin couple had successfully dodged out of the way. Leeta crouched in a nearby tree and Leone stood relaxed at the edge of the crater, picking his nails with a knife. ¡°What a rude kid. Leeta, my dear, let''s put him in timeout.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Leone. Our son is ever so much better behaved than this punk.¡± Leeta replied. ¡°I hear you have a young child, King. I pity him if this is how you act all the time.¡± She snickered dismissively.


    Raitan¡¯s face reddened at the continuous jabs against him. ¡°At least my son will grow up with his parents. You''re both going to die here.¡±


    ¡°My King!¡±


    Protect the King!¡±


    A troop of guards burst out from the manor and charged at the raging melee.


    Leeta turned to her husband, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got this royal brat. Honey, take them out.¡± She jumped from the branch and threw herself at the scornful king.


    ¡°Alright, love. Let¡¯s end this,¡± Leone replied while smirking. He disappeared, only to pop up in the middle of the guard¡¯s formation. His motions were beautiful to behold, but viciously deadly. Several guards screamed in pain as he tore through their ranks gleefully. He danced across the field, dodging and striking indiscriminately. Flipping over a rushing spearman, he laughed at their inability to fight back against his onslaught.


    The assassin and the king danced across the battlefield. It looked as though Leeta had the upper hand, until a snarling grin plastered itself across Raitan¡¯s face. He snapped his fingers and an outpouring of light blinded the woman.


    She hopped backwards while covering her eyes, but Raitan landed a savage kick on her stomach. Leeta was thrown back and crashed into the earth. Though she quickly recovered, it altered the flow of their fight, and King Raitan scored a long gash along her abdomen and arm.


    She screamed in pain and anger. The sound rushed forth in an ear-splitting wave of pressure. It swept the king back, throwing him several feet away.


    As he rose, the king raised his sword towards Leeta. She knelt on the ground, holding her bleeding arm as she attempted to rise and get back into the fight. The king rasped an incantation. ¡°Xertonos, send forth your purifying flames. Immolate.¡± A ray of blinding light shot from the tip of the sword.


    As the ray travelled through the air, Kavgrithe jumped out of his hiding spot, shrieking, ¡°No! Mom!¡± Sopha grabbed him and put a hand over his mouth, pulling the struggling boy back into hiding.


    Right before the attack landed, Leone burst forth in a discharge of shadows. He pushed his wife out the way and the magical bolt hit him in the back, piercing through his body and bursting forth in a spray of blood and gore.


    Leeta¡¯s face was one of shock as she landed, her husband¡¯s blood splattered across her. She was jarred into awareness at the muffled cries of her son. ¡°Sopha, take him and run. Now!¡± She lunged towards Raitan, looking like a murderous banshee. She shrieked as she flew through the air and a magical force burst forth, knocking Raitan off balance.


    Trying to regain his footing, the King was unable to completely dodge her rush, and a giant gash gushed blood across his face. But she seemed to have lost her reason, wildly slashing around. More cuts appeared across the king''s arms and torso. The king barely managed to center himself and with a brutal backhanded swing, he knocked the wild woman away.


    Sopha grabbed Kavgrithe and threw the sobbing boy over his shoulder. As the older assassin turned to run away, Kavgrith got one last view of his mother.  The remaining guards had surrounded Leeta, and then her blood splashed across the night as they stabbed her repeatedly with their spears.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    When Valorous broke the seal that locked away his shadowed birthright, Kavgrithe was filing paperwork while sitting in his office. A few of his men stood at attention near the door. The young clan head felt something inside of him suddenly give. His heart skipped a beat as he clutched at his desk. A spark flared in his chest and quickly became a flame, darkly burning through his auric veins.


    Kavgrithe¡¯s carefully honed magical talent burst forth. The startled young man watched as flickering shadows enveloped and fused into his powers. Full of wonder, Kavgrithe stood up and laughed joyously.


    His skin cracked and split, the pain it caused ignored because of his delight at this unexpected gift. As dark scales broke through his tearing flesh, he heard the sounds of his shocked, excited, or scared clans mates as they experienced a similar rebirth.


    He calmly touched his forehead as several little horns ripped through. Small streams of blood dripped down his face and the areas where his scales had grown in were ragged and bloody as well. But despite his training, even he bent over and grasped his desk desperately as wings grew and tore through the flesh of his back. Gasping for breath, Kavgrithe grasped at the edge of his frayed skin and ripped it off like a shedding reptile.


    Though very few members of the clan were going through changes as vast as Kavgrithe¡¯s, all of them experienced a qualitative change in the strength of their magic. The clan members fell to their knees as the agony tore through them in the middle of their daily tasks. Scales tore through their skin, leaving bloody patterns across their bodies. Their hands contorted as talons grew out of their fingers, restructuring the bones and muscles in their appendages. Little horns shredded their foreheads as they cried from the unexpected evolution. Shrieks echoed throughout the chambers as they questioned what was happening to them.


    As he stubbornly continued to stand, a vast chuckle echoed in Kavgrithe¡¯s mind. ¡°How wonderful that so many of my brood have survived these long years. Do you know your mother, little one?¡±


    A shock like lightning tore down his spine, but he answered dutifully, if shakily, ¡°Our Patron? Korovix?¡±


    The presence faded away as it relied. ¡°Good boy.¡±


    Lightning tore through his mind as information burned its way into his head. Knowledge of improved spells structured themselves across his brain. These spells were vastly superior to what they had access to before the seal broke.


    Still grasping his desk, he looked to the men at his door. They had fallen to their knees, and were scratching at the bloody scales that had ruptured through their flesh. Though none of them had grown wings, It was still a painful process. ¡°Men, are you alright?¡±


    One of them groaned softly and turned to his leader. ¡°Sir, I think we¡¯ll be fine in just a moment. What on Enoch happened? I hurt, but I also feel better than ever?¡±


    Composing himself, the young leader asked himself wonderingly, ¡°Could it be that someone from the main branch survived? How is this possible after all this time?¡± He clenched his fists while circulating his newly evolved aura. Kavgrithe turned to two of his men and commanded, ¡°We must find this heir of our blood, find them and teach them the truth. Marak and Jonaeh, clean yourselves up and go. Lona, check on our clan. I want a full report. Now. ¡±


    They stood and shakily and bowed from the doorway. Then, rushing away, they left to find this wayward heir.


    Sitting back down, Kavgrithe steepled his fingers. Ever the realist, he immediately started contemplating the effects this would have on his plans. ¡°Our enemies must have felt this too. They¡¯ll be making a move soon.¡± As he considered his new options, he twirled his fingers in spiralling patterns as he commanded the shadows to flicker and dance across the room.

 Chapter 4 - The Prince Starts a Journey

    Valorous knew that the guards must be somewhere behind him, so he fled into the Undercity. It was the only place his newly awakened wings could reach, a slum that existed under the floating kingdom. It was a place for vagrants and beggars, a place full of the garbage from the sky.


    He fell the last fifteen feet towards the ground of a damp and odiferous alley. He barely had the presence of mind to crawl under a nearby pile of refuse before collapsing as the darkness of sleep devoured him. Valorous was plagued by vicious nightmares where he watched Nahira and his mother get murdered over and over again.


    ¡°No!¡± The distraught prince jerked awake. He writhed on the ground while every exhausted and overworked muscle screamed at him. Eventually he made it to his feet. Looking down at himself, Valorous took stock of his clothing. He realised that his obviously high class attire wasn¡¯t going to help him blend in to the Undercity. Even if it was torn and dirty. Hidden in his empty alley, Valorous tore off the ruined royal garment. He covered himself instead with clothes hanging on an unattended clothesline spread between the alley walls. They were simple garments; a much mended pair of trousers, a homespun shirt that was too big for him, and a thick woolen cloak that was full of holes. He quietly apologized to the absent owner of the clothes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to need to borrow your clothes for awhile.¡±


    Before leaving the alley, the prince cast minor illusions on himself, too small to catch the magical notice of his father''s mages. They were enough to hide the scales and alter his eyes and facial features. The illusions were one of his childhood experiments, an attempt to hide the pulsing of magic within his own pulsing aura. His new magic felt powerful; cold, dark, and bottomless. It was like a pitch black room that you didn¡¯t know the size of or what was lurking inside. By mixing that power with the teal magic he inherited from his mother, he was able to create a semipermanent effect that encompassed both his physical form and his visual auric fields. He pulled his stolen cloak tighter against himself. Then, he walked purposefully across the street, hoping that he looked like he belonged there. He knew that he couldn¡¯t stay in the city for long. He didn¡¯t want to risk being found by his father''s men.


    Valorous had no destination as he shuffled through the streets. An idea began to form when he happened across a broken cart. ¡°Oh, come on! I don¡¯t have time for this now! I¡¯m already behind schedule.¡± The cart¡¯s owner was pulling at his beard and kicking his cart.


    ¡°Dear, calm down. It¡¯s just a broken wheel. We have a spare under the cabin. Just change it and we¡¯ll be on our way.¡± The man¡¯s partner told him. She was sitting in the driver''s chair, holding her chin with a hand. ¡°Maybe next time you¡¯ll listen to me when I say it¡¯s time to go.¡± Muttering to himself, the man went underneath the cart.


    Valorous unobtrusively bent over and glanced under the cart. There was a little cubby where the man was removing a wheel and jack. It looked like a perfect spot for a thirteen year old fugitive to hide. The prince decided to stow away under a caravan leaving the city.


    As he continued his passage through the city, Valorous stopped and hid behind a row of dilapidated carts. He had heard a conversation between a couple of the stall owners and wanted to hear the rest of it. One of them asked, ¡°Why are the palace knights out in such force today?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear, Douja? A Shadow Clan assassin snuck into the palace. Evidently he was after the young princess.¡± the second one replied in a whisper.


    Douja grabbed his friend by her shoulders, ¡°Oh no! Kanna, you don¡¯t mean that sweet girl, Princess Nahira? Is she okay?¡±


    Kanna pushed Douja¡¯s hands from her shoulders. ¡° Calm down. My friend owns a shop that the sky city buys from. He said that the princess is fine and that the king himself stepped in and drove the scoundrel off.¡± The woman pulled him in closer. ¡°But I heard that the Queen and her son were poisoned. And then the criminal escaped into the undercity. He could be any one of these people.¡± She finished by waving her arm out, its motion encompassing the passersby.


    Douja shrieked, ¡°What?¡±


    Kanna grabbed him by his ear and pulled him close. ¡°Shush, no one is supposed to know. But my friend told me that it''s not looking good. The king is desperate to find a cure. They¡¯re calling in every kind of healing specialist to cure them.¡± She pulled Douja even closer and whispered in his ear. ¡°I heard that they¡¯re also hiring every mercenary they can to track down the assassin.¡±


    Douja shuddered, ¡°I would not want to be that guy right now.¡±


    Valorous was full of conflicting feelings. Fear over his situation insidiously swam through his veins. He felt disgust over the rumors coming from the palace. His anger was barely contained over the lies about his mother. It was his own father that had struck her down, and this loss threatened to overwhelm him. Tears kept pushing themselves from his eyes, no matter how hard he tried to stop them.


    The distraught prince pulled his ragged hood further over his head and skulked through the city, nearing its eastern walls.


    When no one was looking, Valorous stealthily rolled under a merchant¡¯s cart near the eastern gate of the Undercity. He curled himself away from the spokes, settling into an empty spare wheel well. After a moment, the cart started moving.


    It didn¡¯t get far. As it approached the gate, a voice called out, ¡°Hold. We have to check your cart before you leave.¡± One of the guards at the gate stepped forward and held out a hand at the driver.


    Under the cart, Valorous quickly mouthed a spell, ¡°By Korovix¡¯ secrets, hide me from my pursuers. Illusion¡¯s Shadow.¡±


    The driver pulled up on his reins and stopped his cart. ¡°Woah, Berta.¡±The beast pulling the cart snorted in annoyance at the abrupt halt. ¡°Of course, Corporal Lute, nothing to hide here.¡± The driver shrugged. ¡°Just heading over to Gloria town to sell this cloth, and pick up some grain.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Maro, no offense. Mandatory checks on all people leaving the city. Some big criminal is in town and might be trying to flee. Gotta make sure you don¡¯t have any stowaways.¡±


    With professional efficiency, the guards circled the cart. One of them pulled himself inside its canopied interior. Opening the boxes and checking their contents, the guard spoke, ¡°All clear, Corporal.¡±


    The other guards checked the exterior of the cart. One got on his hands and looked under the flooring. Staring right at Valorous, all he saw was a spare wheel. ¡°All clear here too.¡±


    Grasping the merchant¡¯s hand, Corporal Lute said, ¡°Alright, Maro, you¡¯re good. Be safe out there.¡±


    ¡°Will do, Lute. Hope you catch your guy. Heeya.¡±  Lashing the reins, Maro and Berta continued on their way out of the city.


    Valorous sighed in relief as the cart rolled past the city''s gates.


    Once free of the Undercity, devising a plan for his future proved difficult. Valorous knew that at thirteen he could hardly storm the palace and rescue Nahira, especially by himself. So he hardened his heart and crystalized his vow to save his princess. He had to take her away from that terrible place, now stained by the echoing memories of his mother''s death and his father''s madness. His face contorted into a teary scowl. Then with a few stifled sobbing breaths, he forced his expression into one of determined neutrality. This demeanor would become a nearly permanent fixture on the prince¡¯s features.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...


    Weeks had passed, and Prince Valorous had weakened with hunger. Dark circles had become a peristing feature around his tired eyes. He had started his journey by trying to fly short distances under the light of the moon. But the amount of energy that took quickly became higher than he was able to forage on most days. So mostly he had to walk from town to town as he went further away from his former home. He followed the roads, but hid whenever another traveler got too close.


    The prince looked like a malnourished commoner child with wild and dirty red hair, dull, scared-looking green eyes, and a permanent slouch as though he was waiting for a blow to land.


    Though his cheeks were hollowed and his stomach was constantly rumbling, Valorous¡¯ mind continued to race through various plans and possibilities. His emotions were a mess, but he still desperately wanted to survive. He kept himself barely fed by stealing food from the different villages he wandered through. The former prince was constantly worried that he would be found out despite his disguise.


    The village Valorous was passing through looked identical to all of the others he had seen. One-story wooden buildings were built in rows around a central plaza. Though most of the structures were carefully made, it was clear that they had seen better days. Stalls lined the main street that carried different foods and other supplies. It must have been market day, as hordes of people milled about, laughing and shopping.


    After he took it all in, Valorous headed towards one of the food stalls with a plan. Whispering to himself, he cast several illusions of rag-wearing urchins that wandered the street. ¡°The Guile of Korovix, trick the world. Shadow¡¯s children.¡± Though he called upon Korovix¡¯ affinities, sparks of his other heritages wove through the casting, lending his creations a deeper sense of substance. Even so, the prince was still vague in his understanding of his shadowed blood. The mirages wouldn¡¯t have held up to any intense inspections.


    He threw discarded cloth over their semi-corporeal forms to prevent observers from looking too closely at them. They looked closer to ragdolls in torn cloaks than people, and their movements were barely humanlike. But they were real enough to fool the casual passerby. With the surplus of ragged vagabonds dividing the attention of the shopkeepers, the prince sidled up to a food cart. Grabbing several pieces of mushy fruit when their owner wasn¡¯t looking, Valorous turned quickly and started to skulk away.


    The prince-turned-criminal froze for a second when a timely guard noticed his attempted theft. ¡°Hey! Stop right there, boy!¡±


    Bolting, Valorous ran in the opposite direction. He attempted to confuse the guard by having the illusory children rush towards the man, but the guard was undeterred. He chased after the fleeing thief. As Valorous¡¯ attention shifted to escape, the fake punks slowly faded away. Their now empty rags fluttered slowly to the ground, much to the confusion of the nearby villagers.


    ¡°Stop thief! You won¡¯t get away!¡±


    Ducking into several connecting alleys, the pitiful boy turned a corner and hid behind a broken barrel. Quickly forming a new spell, Valorous made himself appear to be just another pile of refuse.


    Shaking with fright and embarrassment, Valorous watched as the guard ran past without giving the trash a second glance. Shaking, he stayed under his illusion for quite some time afterwards. Eventually though, the former prince¡¯s hunger got the best of him and he pulled the overripe fruits from his pockets and devoured them, seeds and all.


    Hiding until nightfall, the vagabond prince left the broken barrel behind. Skulking through the streets, he found a drunk passed out against the wall of an alley. Filled with self-disgust, Valorous rooted through his clothes. He collected a few coins and a battered knife. As the drunk snorted and rolled over in his sleep, the boy fled. He hated himself every step of the way.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...


    Outside the trade city of Lenore, the prince encountered a mercenary encampment. There was currently an open training session happening. The troop was testing a group of potential recruit¡¯s skills to earn spots in the wandering army for hire.


    Bleachers had been set up around three sides of an open field, where the younglings tried their hands at several tasks. Crowds of cheering Lenore citizens sat in the stands. The excitement was palpable as the city used this excuse to leave work early and treated the event like a festival. Vendors loudly hawked food to the fans.


    Archery targets had been placed against the fourth side of the lawn, where wayward arrows wouldn¡¯t hit the attending crowd. Several applicants stood in front of the targets at varied distances, trying their best to hit their objectives. The crowds roared whenever a bulls-eye was struck, shouting the names of their favorite participants.


    On one of the other sides of the makeshift arena, a few mages attacked straw dummies with offensive spells. Bolts of lightning, balls of fire, and spears of ice fired from their hands with different levels of success. One poor greenhorn¡¯s lightning bolt hit the ground in front of them, blasting the caster backwards from the misfire. They shakily stood up while smoke trailed off their scorched clothing. Dusting themselves off, they tried to ignore the crowds crowing laughter.


    Another group of mages attempted to shield themselves from the attacks of their instructors. They had looks of intense concentration on their faces as they tried to withstand the precise physical or magical blows. As Valorous watched, one of the shields broke, sending its creator to their knees in exhaustion. Pitying sounds came from the stands. ¡°Poor guy, that was his last shot at making it,¡± someone said.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Valorous was the most interested in the next grouping of applicants. He hid next to the bleachers and watched as several one-on-one martial duels took place. Four pairs of contestants fought one another inside large circles drawn in the packed dirt. Alert instructors scored the participants based on function, style, strength, and battlefield readiness.


    The first ring held two large, muscular boys wielding equally large swords. Though Valorous prefered a slimmer blade, he had been taught by instructors that made him fight with and against a variety of weapons. Broadswords were more common and definitely one of the weapons he had experience against. Watching the boys, he critiqued the powerful, but slow and telegraphed movements.


    Valorous held his grumbling stomach and rubbed his darkly circled eyes. ¡°If I weren¡¯t so hungry, I know I could take them.¡± In top form, he was confident he could take either one of the giants, but more than a month of malnourishment, sleeping outdoors, and constantly moving, he knew that he presented a sorry sight.


    Looking towards the next painted circle, Valorous saw a tall wiry boy, wielding a long spear, facing off against a springy looking girl who was brandishing two curved blades. Both of these fighters were talented. They dodged, feinted, and counterattacked each other fluidly. Valorous was impressed despite himself. Their irregular styles would serve them well against the classically trained opponents that Valorous had often fought in the noble dueling styles.


    Both of the combatants utilized the terrain in their fight. The spearman kicked a shower of dirt at his opponent in an attempt to blind her. But using the flats of both her blades, she defended her eyes against the sneaky attack.


    As the duel progressed, the dual wielder was slowly leading her foe towards a dip in the ground, trying to break his footing. He fell for it and tripped into the hole.


    He didn¡¯t go down easy though, and he lashed out with the pole of his spear as he went. The wood stabbed between her legs and swept her feet out from under her.


    Both of them grunted as they hit the ground.


    The girl recovered quicker and slid a knee under herself. She lunged forward and leveled her swords at the spear user¡¯s throat.


    Dropping his spear, the boy raised his hands in defeat. The crowds roared merrily at the finale of the duel.


    Valorous gave the other two fights a passing glance, but was uninterested in their outcomes. It was clear these last four trainee-hopefuls would need a lot of work to improve.


    While watching the fights, it dawned on the former prince that joining a mercenary group could be a good move. Walking tentatively up to an instructor that was leaning against a fence, Valorous asked her, ¡°I want to be a mercenary, how do I sign up?¡±


    The instructor looked the thin, ragged boy up and down, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Sorry kid, you gotta be at least sixteen, and frankly, you look too weak to fight your way out of a paper bag.¡±


    Softening at the determined look in the prince''s eyes, the instructor coughed into her hand. In apology, she tried to cheer him up. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not saying no. You¡¯ve got a couple years to go, so start training now, and you¡¯ll have a chance. My lieutenant is about your size, and he¡¯s a demon with a sword.¡±


    She blatantly sized him up again, ¡°Some advice, kid, this is a good town and there are a number of teachers here. With some luck, even someone in your position might find someone to take you in and teach you the basics.¡± Pausing, she thought for a moment. ¡° I¡¯ll tell you what, look for Master Koh and tell him Maddie sent you. He might be able to help you. He lives in a manor down by the river.¡± Maddie pointed back towards the town. ¡°If Koh sees potential in you, he¡¯ll take you in. He acts really tough and his methods are harsh. So, you better be ready to blister and bleed from his training. But on the inside he¡¯s a big softy and I''ve seen him take in a bunch of strays. Uhh, don¡¯t tell him I said that.¡± Patting him awkwardly on the shoulder, Maddie turned away from the boy and continued watching the bouts.


    ¡°Oh, well, thanks for the help. Maybe I¡¯ll do that.¡± The prince replied dispiritedly.


    In his dirty rags and inexperience, Valorous was quite disheartened. He felt uncertain of his magical and martial worth in combat, even with all the praise he had received from his tutors. Nonetheless, he decided that a mercenary contract might be the best route to his princess, once he had furthered his own training and came of age.


    As he walked away, Valorous considered his options seriously. He reasoned that there were three goals that he had to accomplish. He had to keep his pursuers off of his trail, Become stronger, and survive until his sixteenth birthday. Thinking about it, Valorous realised that he couldn¡¯t stay in a normal city without constantly living in fear of discovery. So the only option left to him was to flee into a place no one from the sky kingdoms would enter: the Forest of Giants.


    Valorous remembered a tale he had heard about the forest from before Nahira came to stay at the palace.


    He had been skulking around the castle, looking for something fun to do. The prince snuck up behind a pair of guards, intent on glueing their feet to the floor. Their backs were to him and they stood on either side of a large doorway, perfect targets. He sidled up to the doorway, sliding between the wall and a span of conveniently placed vases. His concentration was broken when he took notice of their conversation. Intrigued Valorous sat down with his back to the wall and listened,


    ¡°Hey, Tonny, you heard of the Forest of Giants?¡± the first guard had asked her partner.


    ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t that just a fairy tale?¡± the second guard replied dismissively.


    ¡°What! You idiot, It''s only a couple months travel west of here. Don¡¯t you know our surrounding geography?¡± She smacked his arm, staggering him.


    ¡°Ouch, Marlene! You know I¡¯m bad with maps! Don¡¯t hit me.¡± Tonny grabbed his arm and rubbed it while glaring at Marlene.


    ¡°You should still know it¡¯s a real place. Idiot. Anyways, I heard something weird happened near there recently.¡± Marlene grabbed her partner¡¯s breastplate from across the doorway and pulled him in close. Keeping her voice low and deep, she recounted the tale.


    ¡°About a year ago, in a town close to the border of the forest, at night, people started to hear voices. ¡®Save me.¡¯ ¡®Help me.¡¯ these strange voices wailed. At first the townsfolk thought it was just a prank, so they ignored it.


    ¡°But the voices continued night after night. ¡®Please, Help.¡¯ ¡®It hurts so much.¡¯ Finally, they couldn¡¯t take it anymore. They gathered the strongest members of their town and started patrolling at night, intent on catching these malicious pranksters. But they couldn¡¯t find the perpetrators.


    ¡°Even worse, the brave villagers started feeling like they were being watched as they made their rounds. The sobbing voices started getting louder. Several of the villagers felt an icy grip on their shoulders, like something was pulling them.


    ¡°The next night, the voices got worse. ¡®Why won¡¯t you help us?¡¯ ¡®Please, I¡¯m so cold.¡¯ A trace of anger slithered through the voices, like they were mad that the villagers weren¡¯t helping them.


    ¡°Finally one of the villagers snapped. He shouted into the night. ¡°Screw you! When I find you, I''m going to beat you within an inch of your life!¡±


    ¡°A chill wind whipped up, tearing up the sentries¡¯ spines. Icy claws raked their arms and legs, leaving bloody gashes behind. Even the hardiest of the townsfolk were overcome with terror. They huddled together in a quivering clump until morning.


    ¡°The town woke to devastation. Their meat had spoiled overnight, their crops were withered, and their toughest protectors were shaken and scared. Even worse, several people had gone missing. Something came and stole them away in the darkness.


    ¡°At the end of his rope, the town¡¯s mayor called in a crack mercenary team. The town spent every cent it had to hire the best. When they got there, the mercenaries found a trail. Drag marks led away from the town¡¯s wall and towards the cursed Forest of Giants.


    ¡°The mercenaries decided to follow the strange ruts into the woods and find the missing villagers. The rest of the townsfolk huddled together at the edge of their town and watched the brave mercenaries head into the den of evil.


    ¡°Time passed slowly. One of the villagers gasped and pointed at the forest. Furious activity burst forth. Mercenaries came screaming out of the darkness, weaponless and bleeding. Their armor was in tatters and their minds broken by the horrors they had seen.


    ¡°Under half of the mercenaries made it out that day. Most of those were driven insane by the experience. One of the lucid ones recounted what they had encountered in those shadowed woods. He talked about crazy bloodthirsty tribesmen who had surrounded and tormented them. The gangs of wild savages summoned evil spirits to afflict the intruders with curses and madness. A few of the brutes even gnawed the hapless mercenaries. We can only assume that the barbarians ate the men who didn¡¯t escape the forest¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°The surviving mercenaries and villagers fled from the horrors hidden in the woods. But no matter where they went, or how far they ran, the savages from the forest found them. None of the mercenaries or villagers survived. Evil lurks in the Forest of Giants, so wicked, so profound, that even the bravest of the Sky Kingdoms dare not enter.¡±


    Finishing her tale, Marlene let go of her companion and shuddered.


    ¡°Dang it, Marlene!¡± Tonny whined, ¡°You know I have trouble sleeping. Now I won¡¯t catch a wink for at least a week!¡±


    Behind the flower pots, Valorous¡¯ eyes were wide with fright. Quickly, but quietly standing, he snuck far enough away that the guards wouldn¡¯t hear him. Out of earshot, the prince dashed away, scared that he would be next in the forest¡¯s conquests of terror. ¡°Tiriel! Tiriel!¡± The boy shouted worriedly. He raced through the halls, searching for his courageous instructor. Reaching the man¡¯s rooms, Valorous practically broke down the door.


    ¡°Hey now, where¡¯s the fire?¡± Tiriel was standing near the door. He had heard the prince¡¯s cries from down the hall and was already on his way to see what had the boy so riled up.


    Unlike the eternally rumpled mage, his quarters were tidy. Everything had a place. The one bookshelf was orderly and the desk next to it had a pile of neatly stacked papers next to an inkwell. Tiriel¡¯s bed was neatly made up. By the lamp next to a comfortable chair sat an open book, so it was clear that Tiriel was reading before he had been interrupted.


    Leaping into Tiriel¡¯s arms, Prince Valorous was heaving for breath. The young prince had grabbed onto Tiriel¡¯s lapels and shook the tutor with each word he spoke. ¡°I overheard Marlene and Tonny! I was going to glue their feet to the floor while they weren¡¯t looking. But they were talking about the Forest of Giants and how evil it was. I stopped to listen and they said that a whole town got eaten! Even the strongest mercenary company couldn¡¯t stand up to it! Now that I know about it, the terrible tribes of the forest are bound to come and hunt me down! They¡¯ll have to silence me so I can¡¯t tell anyone else their secrets! You have to help me!¡±


    Prince Valorous stared silently in shock as Tiriel reacted completely differently than he expected. Tiriel had burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that he had to set the prince down for fear of dropping him. Tears pooled in his eyes from the hilarity of Valorous being so serious.


    The prince took his tutor¡¯s laughter the wrong way. He turned to run, ¡°Help, help! The forest got to him! Something¡¯s wrong with Tiriel! Someone!¡±


    Before Valorous could make it out the door, Tiriel stopped him. ¡°Wait, my Prince. It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m sorry, It''s just so rare that someone gets the best of you. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Marlene is a wonderful storyteller. She must have heard you coming and decided to scare you off.¡± The tutor was still chuckling and wiping the tears from his eyes.


    ¡°Wait, but the forest, that''s a real place, right? So it could still be coming after me! All those evil tribes, I¡¯ve heard about them before, Tiriel!¡± Prince Valorous wouldn¡¯t be distracted so easily from his fears.


    Tiriel chuckled.¡°So, your imagination finally burned you for once.¡± But then the tutor affected a deep and spooky voice. ¡°Still. I¡¯ve also heard the rumors about the Forest of Giants. The forest is full of vicious criminals and savage cannibals. Evil Spirits stalk through the trees, hypnotising their prey and leading them to their doom. Ravenous beasts crash through it all, devouring everything in their path. Even the plants rise from the dirt to strangle hapless victims.¡±


    The wind mage placed a consoling hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But, as you know, my prince, before your father asked me to come stay at the castle and teach his son, I was an adventurer. I wandered all over the world, seeking new and strange horizons. I have been to the Forest of Giants.  It was a beautiful place, wild and full of life. Sunlight refracted along the layers of leaves creating rainbows that lit up the whole forest. There was so much ambient magic in the air that it was like breathing pure vitality. There was so much that I had trouble sensing auras. It¡¯s a whole other set of skills to hunt in that place. Skills that its people have developed over the years. I learned a little bit of their ways and I have made many friends among them.¡±


    Tirirel picked the prince up by his armpits and set him down in a nearby chair. ¡°The rumors about the Forest of Giants are false. Well, not completely false. There certainly are giant beasts, and the tribe''s culture is different than ours and sometimes strange. Some of the falsehoods were even planted by the tribes themselves.¡±


    The tutor stared off into the distance. ¡°They are a kind people. Honorable and strong. They value those traits above all others. They live simply and free. Did you know, Prince Valorous, that many of the famous mercenary companies have members that hail from the tribes? Their might is legendary among the troops.¡±


    Valorous cut in, ¡°If they are so honorable and strong, why would they circulate such horrible lies about themselves?¡±


    ¡°They are a private people, Prince Val, and they don¡¯t want unknown elements wandering loose in their dens. The rumors keep the curious away. Finally, the forest is a dangerous place and it wouldn¡¯t be good if a bunch of fools got themselves eaten by giant beasts.¡±


    The prince started to calm down, ¡°How do you know so much about them, anyways?¡±


    ¡°Though I¡¯ve never seen their home, I traversed the forest with a group of tribesmen. My companions were surprisingly open about talking with me about their lives. As a people, they are afflicted with wanderlust. Leaving the forest and joining mercenary bands helped to alleviate that itch. They¡¯re quite competitive too. During their travels they pick up every skill or technique they can find, so that when they go home they can fight each other with new styles. The best styles get taught to the rest of their people. That¡¯s what makes them the best of the best. Constant improvement and the flexibility to learn new things.¡± Tiriel turned to his side table and poured the prince a cup of tea.


    The young prince grabbed his hair with both hands. ¡°How is that supposed to make me feel better, Tiriel? You basically just said that they could be anywhere and that they¡¯re super strong.¡±


    Tiriel chuckled again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, my prince, they believe that children are holy gifts from the Great Spirits. Every child is safe when someone from the tribes is around. Members of the tribes who travel outside of their forest often adopt orphans or abused children and take them home to grow up somewhere they will be loved. None of the people of the forest would ever even consider harming you, Valorous.¡±


    ¡°Really, Tiriel?¡± Valorous looked hopefully up at his mentor. ¡°Thanks, I feel a lot better.¡±


    Tiriel put his hand on his charge''s shoulder. ¡°Of course, my prince. Remember, you don¡¯t have to do everything alone. It¡¯s okay to ask for help, especially if you¡¯re scared.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Remembering his teacher¡¯s words, Valorous sighed. But a little smile drifted across his face. ¡°Alright, Tiriel. I know when I¡¯ve reached the end of my rope. I never did pay attention to your lessons on roughing it. Never thought I¡¯d need it. Guess I never took it into consideration that I¡¯d secretly have Shadow Dragon blood running through my veins and that I¡¯d be on the run from my father¡¯s army.¡± His smile was stolen by a choked sob. ¡°I miss you, Tiriel. What would you do, if you were here?¡±


    Before the boy could drown in his own misery, he cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders.  ¡°I have to head into the forest to keep my father''s hounds off my back. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d enter such a rumoredly abyssal place, even if they did know that I was going there. I hope they¡¯re as kind as Tiriel said they were. Either way, I won¡¯t be able to survive long enough in the forest to find them by myself. Since I can¡¯t do it alone, I guess I¡¯ll go and meet this Master Koh who helps strays.¡±

 Chapter 5 - The Prince Learns a Lesson

    The residence of Master Koh was a towering old manor house. Two stories of well-kept hardwood covered the surface of the structure. It was splendidly painted in bright and cheery colors. An exquisitely manicured garden swept along the front of the building and on past both sides. The front door was carefully engraved with a sweeping, curling pattern that accented the flowing garden.


    An elderly gardener was on his knees just inside the brilliantly painted gate. Thick green hair was tied into a loose braid down his back.  He spoke lovingly to the plants as he dug little holes in the ground. The man carefully placed the young saplings into the moist soil. Out of the corner of his eye, the gardener spotted Valorous walking up. Friendly yellow eyes looked up at the visitor. ¡°Well met, young one. I¡¯m Nola. How can I help you?¡±


    The disguised prince bowed his head abashedly. ¡°I was told to come talk to Master Koh. I¡¯m, uh...¡± He stopped and blushed when he realized he couldn¡¯t give out his real name. For some reason his teacher¡¯s face popped into his head. On the fly, he finished with, ¡°Tamiel. I¡¯m Tamiel.¡±


    The kind-looking man smiled at him. ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is. Hello, Tamiel, and a good afternoon. Well, you¡¯re in luck. Koh is currently in. Go on up. Don¡¯t bother knocking, he never comes to the door anyways. Don¡¯t tell him I said this, but I think his hearing is going.¡± The elderly man sniffed. ¡°Stubborn old fool refuses to realise that he¡¯s getting on in years. Sometimes I wonder why I married him. Oh, you don¡¯t want to listen to me complain. Let yourself right in and give a shout.¡±


    Despite the kind man¡¯s permission, Valorous awkwardly stepped up to the ornate door and knocked anyway. He felt it was weird to just walk into someone else¡¯s home. But after a while without anyone answering, Valorous tried the handle and found that it was unlocked. Opening it, he cautiously took a step in. ¡°Hello? Master Koh? Nola told me that I could come in. And Maddie told me to find you¡­¡± Looking around, the prince saw a pristinely clean training facility.


    Hardwood floors gleamed in the late afternoon light. Racks of various weapons, both wooden practice pieces and real versions that definitely looked sharp and ready for real combat. Expensive mirrors adorned two of the walls, so a practicing student could watch themselves perform and fix the flaws in their own forms.


    A feeling of homesickness overtook Valorous as he surveyed the training room that was so like his own. Lost in thought, the prince dodged instinctively when he felt a deadly intent rush at his neck. He flipped backwards and landed in a defensive crouch. The stolen knife proved its usefulness when it blocked the next attack. As suddenly as the attacks started, the aura of violence disappeared just as quickly.


    ¡°Hardly fair.¡± A bent old man stood by the weapons racks leaning on a cane. He was quite short and his bent spine only added to his diminutive stature. A wispy beard matched his thinning white hair. The ringed tail of a red panda curled solemnly around his waist. He wore a loose red shirt and pants that allowed for easy movements.


    The elder¡¯s hand brushed along the various weapons neatly lined up in one of them. ¡°Using a rusty knife.¡± Selecting a thin blade, the old man picked it up and tried its edge. Seemingly pleased by its sharpness, he swung it around a few times, testing its weight and balance. ¡°You might accidentally kill someone!¡± The man nonchalantly turned to Valorous, threw the blade¡¯s hilt at him and said, ¡°Defend yourself, boy.¡±


    Catching the sword, the prince noticed that it was perfectly suited to his fighting style. He didn¡¯t get much time to get to know the blade though, as the old man launched into a lightning-speed series of attacks with his cane. Each strike was delivered with deadly force. Valorous barely managed to keep blocking and struggled to keep up with the old man¡¯s speed. A furious series of exchanges ensued with Valorous laboring mightily just to withstand the old man''s relentless barrage.


    The old man was composed through all this. He looked like he was on a leisurely stroll instead of locked in combat with a sweating and gasping vagabond. ¡°You¡¯ve been classically trained, young man. Yet, you look as though you belong to some forgotten slum. I sense a strange magic on you as well, but somehow you are preventing me from seeing it clearly. Quite an intriguing set of qualities for someone barely out of diapers.¡±


    The old man¡¯s assault continued to speed up and the number of bruises multiplied on Valorous¡¯ flesh. At odds with the acceleration of his precise strikes, Master Koh nonchalantly asked, ¡°Where did you come from?¡±


    Valorous replied in between heavy breaths. ¡°Nowhere, grandfather. I¡¯m just an orphan looking to become a mercenary.¡±


    ¡°Everyone comes from somewhere, boy. But not everyone knows how to fight like this.¡± the man retorted, ¡°Your fighting style reminds me of someone¡­¡±


    ¡°Texnosha¡¯s benevolence, cradle me. Flowing stream!¡± Valorous muttered underneath his breath.The spell cloaked the boy in shimmering currents of air. With the wind guiding his movements, the rag wearing prince was able weave in a few counterstrikes. Though the slashes were easily blocked, still hope and determination started to flicker in his eyes.


    ¡°Good. This was starting to get boring. Show me what you¡¯ve got, boy!¡± Master Koh taunted his opponent. He charged forward, focusing his attacks on the boy¡¯s feet and legs.


    Valorous kicked towards the man¡¯s chin, and as Koh jumped back, he took the opportunity to open distance between them. ¡°The Guile of Korovix, trick the world. Shadow¡¯s children.¡± Chanting under his breath, he summoned three identical copies of himself. The four of them expertly wove and flipped around each other as they ran forward, endeavoring to deceive the older man¡¯s vision. ¡°Try this!¡±


    Even the experienced fighter was surprised when he felt the weight of the blow across his cane. ¡°They have mass? What is this?¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Hmph, not bad, kid. However, there are some pretty big differences between these golems and yourself.¡± Master Koh faced off against one of the identical Valorous¡¯. He lashed out behind himself, his cane ruptured the magical structure behind him. ¡°They have no autonomous will; instead they rely on the puppet strings of your awareness. If you don¡¯t recognise an attack, your creations won¡¯t respond to it either.¡± The hit clone dispersed into black smoke.


    Valorous attacked simultaneously with his two remaining dopplegangers. Koh was hard pressed to block all of their strikes, but he wove and danced between them by a hair¡¯s edge.


    ¡°Second, though visually identical, their sounds are different.¡± He spun and struck at the real Valorous, bruising the boy¡¯s blocking forearm. ¡°Their footsteps are softer, they lack the whisper of breath, and they possess no heartbeat.¡±


    Valorous grimaced at the pain, but the two fakes struck the old man with glancing blows. ¡°Next,¡± he continued as though he hadn¡¯t been cut by the golems. ¡°They lack proper facial expressions. You snarled in pain when I hit you. And, though faint, there was fear in your eyes when I turned to you. They showed no such fear.¡± A magical force descended across the battleground. It seemed that gravity itself bowed to the might of this master. The boy¡¯s determination was unwavering. He strained emphatically to stay on his feet. The clones stopped moving as their master¡¯s attention was focused on staying upright.


    Master Koh stood up straight and cracked his back. ¡°Finally, their existence is dependent on your attention. Distract you, and they¡¯ll disappear.¡± Suddenly he rushed past the prince¡¯s strained guard and kicked the boy harshly in his chest. Valorous was knocked backwards onto his rear end. The false princes simultaneously vanished into a dark mist.


    ¡°You¡¯re obviously talented. But your inexperience in actual combat is palpable as well, boy. Given enough time, I could polish you into being the premier fighter of your generation.¡± Master Koh stroked his beard as he spoke.


    Nola¡¯s voice interrupted from the front door. ¡°Oh, are you done torturing the boy already?¡±


    Master Koh scoffed. ¡°Nothing that he couldn¡¯t handle. Don¡¯t get your bleeding heart all over the house, Nola.¡± He picked the sword¡¯s sheath from the rack and threw it at the prone boy. ¡°Keep the sword, kid. It¡¯s a lot better than that rusted pot metal.¡±


    Nola glared at his husband. Walking towards the still sitting ex-prince, he grabbed Valorous¡¯ shoulder and helped him to his feet. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me that you let him ruin your shirt. Look at those slices. You must be getting sloppy in your old age, Koh.¡±


    Ignoring the jibe, Koh turned his gaze to the bruised young man. ¡°So, what are you doing here, boy?¡±


    The ragged prince bowed. ¡°As I said, Master, I am an orphan. I would like to join a mercenary company, but I am both too young and too inexperienced. I came here for advice.¡±


    Both of the older men contemplated for a moment. Their eyes met and a silent communication passed between them. Koh looked away first. He spoke gruffly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boy. There are strange forces looking for you. We cannot help you and you cannot stay here.¡±


    The confused young man asked, ¡°Strange forces? Why would anything¡­..¡±


    Before he could finish, Valorous was interrupted by the scowling Master Koh. ¡°Idiot boy. You think that you are the only awakened child of Korovix? Your magical signature gives you away. Your illusions might fool most people, but they won¡¯t work on me.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Valorous remained calm. ¡°Then it is even more important that I get to the Forest of Giants. No one will be able to detect me there.¡±


    The men¡¯s expressions mirrored each other exactly in their disbelief. It was Nola who spoke up this time. ¡°Tamiel, what do you know of the forest? It¡¯s a dangerous place, why would you want to go there?¡±


    Valorous, or Tamiel as he would call himself from now on, rubbed his neck. ¡°I had a teacher once. He used to be an adventurer, and he actually went into the forest. He talked of the courage and compassion of the people who lived there and said that the rumors plaguing the forest were lies to keep away fools. I was hoping that they would accept me into their numbers.¡±


    Nola looked relieved. ¡°You must have had a good man as your teacher. The tribes don¡¯t tell their secrets to many. But even so, the Forest of Giants is a dangerous place. Are you perhaps skilled in woodcraft?¡± He looked at Tamiel with serious doubt in his eyes.


    Blushing, the boy shook his head. ¡°I fear that I would be completely out of my element. After my mother¡¯s passing, it¡¯s been hard enough to survive in towns.¡± A look of determination came over his face. ¡°But I have to go, as you said, it¡¯s dangerous for me to stay in normal places.¡±


    Master Koh had watched the exchange hopelessly. ¡°One week.¡± The other two looked at him with different expressions. Tamiel was confused, while Nola was relieved. ¡°You have one week, Nola, to cram as much knowledge you can into this fool¡¯s head. Though I doubt it will do any good. He¡¯s as good as dead. But who am I to stand in the way of someone¡¯s decision for their final resting place?¡±


    Koh¡¯s husband wrapped him in his arms tightly and kissed him lovingly. ¡°You big softie.¡±


    Koh scowled and waved his hand dismissively while using his other to push away Nola. ¡°Bah. His pursuers are far away yet. One week here, two weeks to the forest, he¡¯ll make it there before anyone catches up to him. Then the forest¡¯s magic will hide him. Or eat him.¡± He shrugged before walking out of the room. ¡°Speaking of, I guess I¡¯m making dinner tonight.¡±


    Before Tamiel could respond, Nola clapped his hands with resolve. ¡°Well, Tamiel, let''s get to work.¡± He guided the boy by his elbow through the tidy home and into a beautiful backyard. It matched what Tamiel had seen from the front of the house, being carefully placed and vibrantly cheerful. Rows of large trees shaded the yard from the bright sun. The smell of herbs filled the air and luscious looking berries grew from vines in neat rows.  ¡°Now, I may not look it, young man, but once I was considered the top ranger in the Scarlet Alliance. In case you didn¡¯t know, the SA is one of best mercenary companies in all of Enoch. In fact, that was their training grounds you stumbled across Maddie in. Anyways, using two week old hoofprints, I can track an elk through a blizzard. Ask Koh, it¡¯s actually how we met.¡± He smiled at the memory. ¡°But we only have a week, so I¡¯m going to move fast. Let''s hope your memory is as good as your sword skills.¡±


    The newly-christened Tamiel was determined to learn and remember everything they were willing to teach him. He tried not to show his emotions, but he was overwhelmed by their offer to help him. Bowing to his new instructor to hide his tears, he spoke earnestly. ¡°Thank you for everything, sir.¡±


    Patting him on the shoulder, Nola decreed, ¡°Enough of that. Listen well, Tamiel. To make it in the forest, you¡¯ll need to know four groups of things: what you can eat, where you can sleep, how to run away, and which way you¡¯re going. Actually, if you know those four things, you¡¯re pretty set anywhere you are.¡± He chuckled at his own joke. ¡°Let''s get started, then. First up, let''s talk about plants. There are hundreds of edible plants throughout the Forest of Giants. However, Tamiel, there are also thousands of plants that can kill you. Most of them horribly.¡±


    Nola started to walk slowly down a row of plants. ¡°I¡¯ve been collecting different seeds since I started as a mercenary, and now I have quite the collection. Quite a few of them came from that forest. Here. This is the foxfire bush, called so because of its jagged red lineation like a flame. Its roots are full of vital nutrients. But this plant is a trickster. Plants are not simple beings. They have many types of defense mechanisms. Poison, armor, spikes, mimicry; each plant is unique. Notice the width of the red outline.¡±


    Tamiel got in close to the red tinged leaves. The red edges flickered and flared as though they were made of actual fire. Nola pointed towards one of the leaves. ¡°There are actually many bushes that look similar to this one. Foxfire is prideful though. It pretends to be like the other poisonous look-alikes. However, calm your breathing and continue to watch.¡±


    The boy took in a deep breath and relaxed, letting himself fall into a trancelike state. As his eyes unfocused, he realized that there were hidden flecks of gold within the pulsing red. ¡°There¡¯s bits of gold shimmering within its edges,¡± he replied after a moment.


    ¡°Exactly. That''s how you know it''s really foxfire. It¡¯s egotistical preening. Be polite when harvesting its roots and there is no need to uproot the whole plant. Watch.¡± The retired ranger knelt before the bush and pulled out a trowel. Starting about a foot and a half away he started to dig a partial circle a few inches deep. Once he encountered a root, he carefully unearthed it, getting closer to the bush¡¯s main body. Once he had revealed about eight inches of its root system, he stopped. ¡°Magnanimous foxfire, please grant me this gift.¡± Using the sharp edge of his trowel, he struck down and severed the root in one strike. ¡°Thank you for your bounty.¡± Nola carefully removed the section of root. ¡°It tastes terrible if you don¡¯t ask first. And always remember to return the dirt to the hole you¡¯ve made.¡±


    Nola tossed the root to Tamiel. ¡°Boil it for at least twenty minutes and it¡¯ll get mushy. You can survive on this alone for several months. However, where''s the fun in that? Let¡¯s go over several other common edible plants.¡±


    They spent the next couple hours going over various types of plants, most of which had been cultivated in the beautifully arranged backyard. The former prince didn¡¯t only learn about plants that were safe to eat. He also gained knowledge on plants that he could use against foes. Some of them gave off horrible smells to distract any attacking beasts;another possessed piercing thorns filled with paralytic liquids that you could coat arrows with. There was even a carnivorous flytrap with sharp teeth and a hypnotic aroma. Evidently, its sap had minor healing properties, but it was so dangerous that no one really took advantage of them.


    Koh¡¯s voice echoed from the back door. ¡°Hey, Nola, Kid. Dinner¡¯s ready. Quit playing with plants, and eat some instead.¡± He turned around and went back into the house.


    Nola got up off of his knees. ¡°Well, Tamiel, I think that that¡¯s enough for today. Your knowledge of plants should get you through the forest for a while. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go out into the woods and see if you can hunt. Meat goes a long way towards breaking up the monotony of eating roots. But for now, let¡¯s go eat while it''s hot. He might not look it, but Koh is a wonderful chef.¡±


    Tamiel stood up and bowed again. ¡°Thank you again for your hospitality, sir.¡± He was embarrassed that he kept thanking them, but he didn¡¯t know what else to say. Over the course of the day, he had spoken very little to his temporary teacher, other than questions about what he was teaching him. Tamiel realized that the days of easy conversations with Nahira, Tiriel, his mother, and the rest were gone along with his position as a prince. So now he struggled with speaking even the bare minimum. He was relieved that neither one of them asked him anything personal.


    Dinner consisted of a light salad made from lettuce that grew in the forest with a berry vinaigrette, mashed foxfire roots, and croctopus flank steaks with wild onions. After his months of foraging and near starvation, Tamiel was moved almost to tears by the rich and delectable flavors. He slowly savored every bite. He was aware that if he scarfed it all down, it wouldn¡¯t stay in his stomach.  He decided that it would be the gravest of sins to waste any of this glorious meal.


    Though the scowl never left Koh¡¯s face, he approved of the boy¡¯s careful attitude. He pretended that it was a coincidence that the night¡¯s meal consisted entirely of food that could be acquired from the Forest of Giants. But his husband¡¯s amused glance showed that he had noticed.


    After dinner, Tamiel offered to help with the dishes. Nola accepted his help, and the two of them cleaned up while Koh sat and enjoyed a cup of freshly brewed tea. Nola¡¯s eyes were colored with amusement at the boy¡¯s clumsy attempts to help. It was completely obvious that he had never cleaned up after himself before. Yet his table manners had been impeccable. Nola¡¯s eyes darkened as his thoughts wandered.


    But when Tamiel turned to him to ask if there was anything else he could help with, Nola¡¯s eyes had returned to their brightened merriment. ¡°No, Tamiel, that will be quite enough for tonight. Let me show you to our guest bedroom. There is a pitcher to wash up in and nightclothes for after that. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s been some time since you¡¯ve slept in a bed, and after this week, who knows how much longer it¡¯ll be until you will again. I¡¯m glad that you found your way to us, Tamiel. I only wish there was more we could do for you.¡±


    After so long on his own, Tamiel had all but forgotten what kindness was. He finally broke from holding in all of the pain and suffering he had experienced. The loss of his mother by his father''s hand, his best friend trapped in that horrible city, having to flee the only place he had ever known, the loneliness of the last months, his hunger, his exhaustion, and his burning rage. Collapsing to his knees, Tamiel clutched at Nola¡¯s shirt and burst into broken sobs.


    Nola looked compassionately at his temporary pupil and knelt in front of him. Encircling the young boy in his arms, he held Tamiel close and whispered calming and consoling words. ¡°Shush, child, it¡¯ll be okay. Everything will be fine. Just you wait.¡± After a long time, Tamiel actually nodded off while kneeling on the floor in the hall. Nola sighed and picked up the exhausted child and walked to the guest room. Laying Tamiel down, Nola took the kid¡¯s boots off and covered him. He took one last look at Tamiel¡¯s tear stained face before he blew out the candle and closed the door behind him as he left.


    Koh was in the hall, leaning against one of its bare walls. He sighed as Nola¡¯s saddened eyes met his own. The former ranger sighed back. ¡°I hope Tiriel was right about this. This poor boy is trying so hard to be strong.¡±


    Koh shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a gamble. There is no doubt that he is extraordinary and quite talented. But I can sense a darkness growing in that boy. Watching his mother get murdered. Seeing his father go mad with rage and fear. Learning of the xenophobia towards his heritage firsthand. The scar runs deep and I fear that it may be too deep to ever fully heal. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ready to know. As he is now, he might grow into a monster worse than what we are currently facing.¡±


    Nola contradicted his husband. ¡°But I see much light in him as well. He isn¡¯t spurred forward by revenge, but in order to protect one he loves. The boy even chose a name similar to Tiriel¡¯s. I¡¯ll put my faith in their bond.¡±


    Hearing this, Koh lowered his head. ¡°I hope that you¡¯re right. Either way, we¡¯ve come this far.  I¡¯ll have to adapt our strategy. I¡¯ll contact Hayner tomorrow and tell him that we¡¯ve found the boy. What happened in that kingdom went way beyond my calculations.¡±


    The pair of old men closed the distance between themselves and rested their foreheads together. Closing their eyes, they sighed in unison. They remained that way for several minutes, giving comfort to each other. ¡°I guess we should head off to rest ourselves, love. It''s going to be a long few days ahead of us.¡± Nola took his husband¡¯s arm and they headed to bed.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The next morning, Tamiel had regained control over his emotions and was even more determined to learn everything he could. He clutched his chest as he thought of Nahira and what she must be going through. ¡°Hold on ¡®Hira,¡± he whispered. ¡°It¡¯s going to take awhile, but I swear, I¡¯m coming for you. Please wait for me.¡±


    Fresh clothes were laid out for him, and a note telling him to come down when he was ready. He washed his face with water from a bowl on a dresser and got dressed. He finished by strapping the sword Koh had gifted him yesterday to his belt. Tamiel descended the staircase and saw Master Koh practicing his sword forms through the open doorway. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, I see. Took you long enough. Nola is in the backyard setting some things up for your lessons. Come in here and spar with me before breakfast. You¡¯ll need to get a lot better if you plan to keep on living.¡±


    The determination never left Tamiel¡¯s eyes, ¡°Yes, Master.¡± He walked purposefully and stopped in front of Koh. Tiriel dropped into his stance and drew his sword. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Master Koh immediately rushed forward, full of an overwhelming killing intent. Tamiel was put on his back foot from the get-go. He struggled against the more experienced man¡¯s battle aura. ¡°You¡¯ve been trained well in the physical side of combat. But your battle intent is practically non-existent. Even if you¡¯re faster or have more power, you¡¯ll always be at a disadvantage. Intent is the warrior¡¯s first line of defense. Without it, you will die.¡±


    In Tamiel¡¯s mind, Master Koh suddenly grew in size. His features became more beastlike and a pressure tore against the boy¡¯s stance, ripping him down onto his hands and knees. He struggled to even breathe against the pressure, his lungs and other organs were being squeezed tightly. Violent but silent coughs racked his body as it struggled against the onslaught. His vision started to go dark. Tamiel realised that he was about to die from the weight of the master¡¯s will.


    As his thoughts started to dim, a vision flashed across his mind. Nahira, his love and best friend was screaming, tears streaming down her face. It was a memory from when his mother was killed. It sped forward to their last parting.


    ¡°Run, Val! Just go!¡± Her hoarse voice yelled as loudly as it could. She struggled, kicked and bit at her captors.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you! I promise ¡®Hira!¡± His younger self replied in anguish.


    As the darkness almost swallowed him completely, he heard his princess¡¯ voice one last time. ¡°I know you will, Val!¡±


    His heart finally forced a beat despite Koh¡¯s dominating will. Blood pushed its way forcefully through his body, igniting his brain. Tamiel had been trying to conceal his emotions, to bury them deep down. He realized now that he was wrong to do so. The determination he was so proud of was a weak thing without his passion driving it. He broke the chains he had forged around his heart over these long months of lonely wandering.


    A memory of Nahira¡¯s laugh as she grinned at him filled his broken heart.  He strained against the pressure to whisper to his princess, even though she was so far away. ¡°I will... keep my promise.¡±A weak trace of reddish light flickered in his chest. He growled as he fed it his every emotion, memory, and desire. His father¡¯s betrayal, his mother¡¯s needless death, his love for Nahira, his desire to learn, and his wish for the power to protect those he cared about. The dimly shining light burned brighter as he fed it. The pressure that pushed down on the prince was reduced, as his own will fought against it. As it grew, its color deepened and split. Strands of gold, blue, purple, grey, and black wove their way through the crimson aura.


    Tamiel forced his hand against the ground and strugglingly pushed himself up. He grabbed his sword as he stood, fighting back against Koh¡¯s will with everything he had. His snarling face was full of his new-found determination.


    Suddenly, the deadly intent disappeared as though it never existed. Tamiel was left panting and shaking by its dissipation. Koh spoke as the boy tried to catch his breath. ¡°Well done, child. It was reckless of me to initiate you into the arts of intent in that manner, but you don¡¯t have the time to take the slower path. If you were unwilling to break free from the chains you bound around your heart, unable to find your will to survive, then I would have let you die.¡±


    The prince shakily put his hands together and bowed to the elderly man. ¡°I understand. Thank you, Master Koh.¡±


    Nola popped his head through the doorway and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Breakfast is ready. Get washed up, Tamiel. We have a lot of work to do today.¡±


    Breakfast was simple, but still much better than Tamiel had gotten used to during his flight. Hard boiled eggs, warm toast, cut fruit, and thick slices of ham in excess. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, you¡¯ll need your strength to keep up with me today. Eat up. Then you and I will be heading out into the woods outside the city. You¡¯ll be catching our dinner tonight.¡±


    They left immediately after Tamiel finished eating. The town had quieted down somewhat now that the exciting tournament had finished. Citizens carried out their business peacefully. Stall owners loudly hawked their wares to the passersby. Here and there, couples held hands and laughed as they walked. Parents followed behind their rushing children. Nola waved an arm. ¡°This city is protected by my old guild, the Scarlet Alliance. It¡¯s a good arrangement for both sides. Its people are safe and happy. Their trade is protected and many of them work in supporting roles to keep the Alliance equipped.¡±


    Tamiel looked thoughtful. ¡°Many of the towns I passed through were falling apart slowly. Their people always looked worried. Is all this contentment really because of a mercenary group?¡±


    Nola shrugged. ¡°They know that they have help if they need it. Having a future that is certain does a lot to alleviate people¡¯s fears.¡±


    Soon enough, the pair had reached the city¡¯s gates. Another thirty minutes passed as they followed a dirt path towards a medium-sized forest. Birds flew through the branches, warning one another of the two intruders. Other small animals chittered and grumbled at Nola and Tamiel as they strode through the shaded woods.


    ¡°Alright, Tamiel. These trees are nothing in size to the ones in the Forest of Giants. But they are large enough to teach you the skills you¡¯ll need once you¡¯re there. Learning to climb trees quickly is the best way to evade many of the forest¡¯s predators. Your training in the martial arts will allow you to master these techniques quickly.¡± Nola leapt onto the nearest tree. Then, using all four of his limbs, he climbed quickly up its trunk like some graceful mix between a squirrel and a spider. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re much more spry than me.¡±


    Tamiel made a face, but then he got to work. He leapt onto the tree decisively. Hitting it, the boy slid down its trunk, scraping his forehead on the way down. He landed on his rear, and grabbed his head. Glaring at the tree, he kicked it. Nola couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the comical sight. ¡°You¡¯ll only hurt yourself if you hit it like that.¡± He leapt off of his tree. ¡°Open your sight and watch closely.¡±


    Tamiel ran his mana through his eyes. He saw his teacher¡¯s hands and feet glow slightly as little barbs of mana extended from his palms and the bottoms of his feet. Nola leapt towards the tree again. His mana threads bound him to the tree¡¯s bark. Then, he retracted the magical hairs in his hand, stretched his arm out and grasped the tree again. In this manner, the retired ranger quickly ran up the trunk and into the tree¡¯s branches.


    Standing up, Tamiel tried spreading his mana across his hands and feet. The resulting structure was rough. Pursing his lips, he altered its construction. His eyebrows dipped in concentration at the unfamiliar use of his aura. A few minutes passed in this manner.


    ¡°Hey, Tamiel. Don¡¯t stand there all day. You¡¯ll get it much faster through actually practicing the technique.¡± Nola ribbed him a little. ¡°You can¡¯t be scared of a couple scrapes.¡±


    Tamiel blushed through his scowl and approached the tree again. This time he successfully grasped the trunk, but when he tried to move, the mana dispersed and he started to fall. However, he kicked off the tree and after a backflip he landed on his feet.


    ¡°Better. Try again.¡± Nola said from his comfortable perch in the branches.


    After a half hour of practice, Tamiel was successful. Though he was nowhere near Nola¡¯s fluid grace, he could scurry up fairly quickly. He could even leap from one tree to another. He stood on a thick branch and bowed to his instructor. ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡±


    Nola grinned at the boy. He threw a package at Tamiel. ¡°After lunch, you¡¯ll be in charge of catching dinner.¡± Inside the package was a couple delicious sandwiches, a piece of hard cheese and an apple. The still-growing boy devoured it all, replenishing the stores of magic he had spent in learning to climb trees.


    With lunch out of the way, they descended back to the ground. Nola beckoned to the boy. ¡°Traps are a hunter¡¯s best friend. They allow you to be in multiple places at once and increase the likelihood that you¡¯ll eat each day. I¡¯m going to show you a few easy to replicate traps. Sit here and watch.¡± Nola opened his pack and took out a few common materials. He grabbed some fallen branches as well. Using practiced and efficient movements, Nola quickly assembled several different types of traps. For each trap, he spoke about which animals they would catch, where to place them for better effect, the times that their targets were likely to encounter them, and other miscellaneous information about their use.


    Tamiel followed along and quickly reproduced Nola¡¯s work. His past as a trickster helped immensely in understanding how the traps were built and functioned. Looking up, he noticed Nola¡¯s look of disbelief. He grinned despite himself. ¡°I¡¯ve got some experience with traps, though I never ate any of my previous targets.¡±


    The ranger barked a laugh. ¡°I see. Well, let''s get these set up. Then we¡¯ll go on the hunt and actively search for our supper.¡±


    Over the next few hours, Nola taught Tamiel how to find tracks and notice other signs of an animal¡¯s passing. ¡°Tamiel, these woods are mostly safe. The Alliance keeps larger beasts out of the area. I won¡¯t be taking you anywhere where you can see for yourself the markings of real predators. Keep your eyes open and your wits about you. Tonight I¡¯ll do my best to describe some of the monsters you¡¯ll meet in the Forest of Giants.¡±


    After showing Tamiel how to follow the signs, Nola stepped back and let the boy lead them through the woods in search of prey. Tamiel motioned to the ranger. He whispered into his ear. ¡°There¡¯s a deer, grazing beyond these bushes. What now?¡± The deer was about five feet tall at the shoulder. It was covered in a mossy green pelt. Little white star-shaped fur dotted its back and sides.


    Nola silently strung his bow. He whispered back, ¡°Can you shoot? Or should I take this one?¡±


    Tamiel nodded at the elderly ranger. ¡°I¡¯ve used a bow before, from here I think I can hit it.¡±


    Nola smiled proudly and held his bow out to the young man. He pointed towards the deer¡¯s torso. ¡°See that big star on its side? Aim for the upper right point. That¡¯s where it¡¯s heart is. Show me your skills, Tamiel.¡±


    Testing the bow, Tamiel nodded at his teacher. Nocking an arrow, he took aim at the oblivious creature. He took a deep breath, and loosed it and the arrow at the same time. The arrow flew through the air and pierced its target precisely at the specified location. The deer bleated in panic and pain. It started to bolt, but after a few steps, it collapsed.


    Nola patted his pupil on the shoulder. ¡°Well done. Your accuracy is quite impressive. However, I wonder how well you would deal with a moving target, or if you had to quickly fire at multiple targets charging at you. How confident are you?¡±


    The former prince rubbed his neck. ¡°Not as confident. My accuracy goes way down if my target is moving too fast and because it takes me time to aim, I can¡¯t rapid fire. If that deer had noticed me and ran, I probably couldn¡¯t have hit it.¡±


    Nola placed a hand on Tamiel¡¯s shoulder and spoke seriously. ¡°Honesty is a rare trait, young man. Being honest with oneself is even rarer. Don¡¯t ever lose the ability to look inside yourself unflinchingly.¡± He pulled a knife from its sheath on his arm. ¡°Here, now we¡¯ll field dress our dinner and check the traps we¡¯ve placed around the woods.¡±


    In addition to the deer that Tamiel killed, they had caught a brace of small birds and a mammalian looking creature called a gorger. The gorger had a long sinuous body and twelve stubby legs. Its claws had a paralytic venom that was useful for coating weapons with. Nola revealed that the two-foot long beast was kin with a much larger version found in the Forest of Giants.


    On the walk back towards Lenore, Nola told his temporary student about the beasts that inhabited the Forest of Giants. Including the twenty-foot long cousin to their twelve-footed dinner, each was scarier and more abominable than the last. But the ranger¡¯s lecture also included ways to deal with each of them. Which ones could be fought, and which ones he should absolutely run from.


    Once back in the city, they stopped at a few stalls so that Nola could buy some vegetables to round out their catches. The kind man had to force payment on each of the vendors. ¡°No, no, I could never accept payment from the Golden Arrow. Please accept this as a gift.¡± Each one tried to give their wares away to him, and it was clear that he was an idol in the city.


    As they headed towards home, Tamiel asked about the citizen¡¯s worship. ¡°So, they called you the Golden Arrow?¡±


    The older man straightened to his full height. ¡°I was a mercenary for many years. I even rose to the number two spot in the Scarlet Alliance due to my many successful expeditions. I¡¯ve protected this city over and over again.¡± He shrugged, ¡°They¡¯re just showing their gratitude. I refuse to take advantage of that, though. Remember that it¡¯s always important to treat everyone fairly, Tamiel.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to have such an eager student.¡± Koh was going through basic sword forms in the salle. Tamiel had come down the stairs and stood in the doorway, patiently waiting for a break in the swordmaster¡¯s training. ¡°Never forget to practice every day. You have enough faults to keep even the most studious person busy for years.¡± He motioned the boy to join him. ¡°You¡¯re much too stiff, kid. These stretches will help with your flexibility. At least, the flexibility of your body. But your real problem is the inflexibility of your head. You¡¯re tentative and fall back on defending too much. Then your moves become perfect representations out of a textbook. Easy to read, easy to predict.¡±


    Tamiel narrowed his eyes as he absorbed every scrap of information Koh was willing to give him. The stretches were surprisingly difficult, he could feel his muscles pulling against the foreign moves.


    ¡°Your use of magic is inspired, and you come up with new iterations on the fly. You should think about how you do that and apply it to your swordsmanship.¡± Using his hands, Master Koh guided Tamiel in the correct postures to maximize each stretch. ¡°I can also tell that you are unused to the emotions of combat. Normally, I have to tell my students to let go of their egos. You, on the other hand...¡±


    Koh pulled the former prince upright and glared deeply into the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let yourself be angry. Allow yourself to be desperate. Use that desperation to come up with new solutions. Be the chaos that is found beyond structure and form. Alter your patterns constantly so that your foes cannot predict your movements.¡± He pushed the boy lightly away. ¡°But most importantly, to grow you must be decisive. You¡¯ll never be able to succeed by only defending. Attack, boy, if you ever plan on winning.¡±


    Nola walked in on his husband''s heartfelt speech. ¡°I¡¯d listen to him, if I were you, Tamiel. That advice is how he landed me, after all.¡± Nola winked at them both. ¡°I think you should give him a day without beating him senseless. It¡¯ll let him actually think about what you¡¯ve taught him. And, anyways, I¡¯ve been breaking my back to make that archery course in the backyard. It would be a shame if you killed him and all of my hard work went to nothing.¡±


    Koh retorted gruffly, ¡°Do what you want. But make sure he¡¯s prepared for what¡¯s to come. He¡¯ll look back on this time and remember it as a vacation from the hardships of life.¡±


    Tamiel silently agreed with the blunt swordsman. This week was heaven compared to the last few months. He could hardly imagine what roughing it in the Forest of Giants would be like. He choked out his thoughts, ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to show my gratitude for everything you¡¯ve both done for me. Thank you.¡±


    Koh turned and walked away without saying anything. But Nola made up for his husband¡¯s brusque manner by smiling affectionately. ¡°Tamiel, it has been a pleasure to teach someone as studious as you. Koh and I have both devoted our lives to helping the next generation. And I have a feeling that you¡¯re going to go off and do great things. But, let''s see how you do on my obstacle course before you go gallivanting off to save the world.¡±


    For the rest of the afternoon, Tamiel ran through the training ground that Nola had built. By the end of it, he realised that Nola was just as cruel as his husband. The archery course was pure hell.


    The first obstacle was the simplest. Tamiel stood at the starting line and fired at three targets. The first was seven yards away, the next at fifteen, and the third was fifty yards. As soon as he loosed the third arrow, he took off running towards the next hurdle, one hundred yards away.


    Once there, he leapt onto an unstable platform and shot at a target half hidden in a tall tree. The arrow hit the side of the target and triggered a rock trap. Stones were hurled at him from the surrounding bushes as he dodged and rolled towards his next challenge.


    That challenge was to keep running another seventy yards while simultaneously shooting at four different marks.


    Next, Tamiel had to stop forty-five yards away to shoot at three erratically moving discs.


    Following that, he again had to dodge thrown rocks, this time while firing on another three targets.


    Then moving on to the next obstruction, he had to climb up the side of a tree using the aura trick that Nola had taught him yesterday so that he could reach a higher branch and shoot at a group of four fake foes.


    The last obstacle of the course was a series of hurdles that Tamiel had to leap over while taking aim at three distant objectives.


    Needless to say, his first run did not go well. Nola whistled facetiously at the panting boy. ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong yesterday when you told me you were only good at stationary targets. If only life were a game where your enemies and your dinner stood around obliviously! Too bad. Go again. This time, pace yourself and pay attention to your breathing. That¡¯s the key to hitting your mark. Yes, speed is important, but not as important as precision.¡±


    Tamiel glared at the track and vowed that before he left in three days, he would beat this hardship.


    As the sun set, Nola called a stop to the training. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today, Tamiel. Let''s get you washed up before dinner.¡± He took the very smelly boy over to a bathing shed attached to the back of the house. ¡°I trust you know how the enchantments work?¡±


    Tamiel was in a near-fugue state after his singular focus on the track. As he nodded dumbly, he started to realize how much he hurt. His hands had basically turned into claws at the unfamiliar uses. The boy hissed as pain made its way into his dulled brain.


    ¡°Here, let me help you with that.¡± Nola took the boy¡¯s hands in his own and cast a light curative spell. ¡°Sednexul¡¯s favor, blow a healing breeze. Curing Gust.¡± The blisters that had started to form receded back into Tamiel¡¯s hands, becoming the beginnings of a callous instead of disappearing completely.


    The breeze swirled playfully around them and Tamiel was suddenly taken with how similar Nola looked to his princely tutor. A twinge of homesickness pulled him down. Before Tamiel could find the words to ask, Nola interrupted the boy¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Off with you, now. I¡¯m sure Koh will have finished cooking by the time you¡¯re done.¡±


    Tamiel gratefully followed the ranger¡¯s advice. He was too tired to want to pursue the painful thoughts twisting around his mind in a cruel mockery of the body-healing gust


    Dinner that night might have been the tastiest thing Tamiel had ever eaten. That, or he was so hungry after the day¡¯s training that he devoured everything the retired couple put in front of him. He was barely able to follow the table manners that had been ingrained into him from birth. After he was finally full, they sent him off to bed.


    The next few days went by in a blur. Since he had never had to cook before, Tamiel asked to help prepare the meals. Especially after the last few days of eating real meals, he didn¡¯t want to go back to uncooked plain roots, fruits, and vegetables.


    In the mornings, before breakfast, Tamiel sparred against Koh. After lunch he ran the archery course over and over until dinner. Then he would collapse exhausted into his borrowed bed, to do it all over again. Both of the retired teachers tried to cram all of the knowledge they possibly could into the boy¡¯s head.


    During their sparring sessions, Koh focused on teaching Tamiel about the tides of battle. ¡°Being able to read your opponent is to be able to beat your opponent. Pay attention to their movements, their aura, their faces.¡± As always, Koh¡¯s voice was measured and calm, while his cane was mercilessly knocking Tamiel around.  ¡°Seeing these things allows you to predict your foes. Even on a wider scale, you can notice how an army is going to move by watching their individual warriors. Are they grouping up in preparation of forcing a wedge? Are they spreading out to trick their foes into a pincer movement?¡±


    As their spars progressed, Koh¡¯s movements started to exceed what Tamiel was capable of following. There appeared to be a masked anger woven through the older man¡¯s strikes. ¡°You have the intelligence to notice these things if you try, and that¡¯s how you¡¯ll get promoted in the mercenary world. Boy, if you fail to move up the ranks after all we¡¯ve done for you, I¡¯ll personally find you and kill you for being useless.¡± He ended his threat by knocking Tamiel to the ground once again.


    ¡°Yes, Master Koh.¡± Tamiel bowed while on his knees. He realized that Koh was, in his own way, worrying about him. ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡±


    Nola¡¯s instruction off of his obstacle course included more advice on how to survive in the wilds. Most of it was about how to work around the beasts that roamed the forest. Was that hollow currently inhabited? Is it safe to start a fire here? And other things of that nature. His tone became serious once he started talking about the tribes. ¡°It¡¯s important that you treat everything respectfully during your travels through the Forest of Giants, Tamiel. I can guarantee that the tribes will find you long before you reach their hidden cities. They revere all of nature, all of life, as divine. Be thankful to your prey for filling your belly. Be grateful to your fallen foe for teaching you. If they think you are acting dishonorably, they absolutely will kill you.¡±


    After dinner on the last night he would be staying, Tamiel was brought to the salle. Arrayed across a table were the tools of a ranger. A sturdy bow and leather quiver full of arrows. A magical compass. A set of throwing knives and another set of game knives. A small pot and a couple basic utensils. An enchanted rope that would unknot itself after a trigger word was spoken. Copies of some of Nola¡¯s maps. Rations. A full suit of leather armor, perfect for blending into the woods. And finally, the sword that Koh had gifted him when he first arrived.


    Nola spoke first. ¡°We¡¯ve gathered a few things for your journey, Tamiel. I know your life may have seemed like a nightmare, but I¡¯m proud of you. You didn¡¯t fall into depravity and darkness, when so many would have. You¡¯ve given everything you could to learn from us, and you want to give back to the world. Please take these with you as you start this next step in your adventure, as you learn about who you are, and who you want to be. Not everyone is against you, child. You might be alone physically, but how many are with you in spirit? How many more, before you¡¯re done?¡±


    Unable to hold in his emotions, Tears dripped down Tamiel¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you both. You¡¯ve shown me such kindness. I fear that I¡¯m not worthy of such benevolence.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, boy. All that junk was just lying around, now that we¡¯ve retired. It¡¯ll be good to get some clutter out of the house. You¡¯ll probably end up dying anyway. A kid going into the Forest of Giants on his own. Of all the hairbrained schemes I¡¯ve seen in my long life, this is the gravy on top of the rabbit. No, don¡¯t thank me. Just prove me wrong.¡±


    Tamiel bowed as deep as he could. ¡°Yes, Master Koh, Nola.¡±


    All too quickly, the sun broke through on the morning Tamiel had to leave. Their last breakfast would have been quiet, if not for Nola¡¯s recounts of the various adventures he and Koh were a part of when they were young. Tamiel couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the way the ranger described his husband¡¯s antics. Koh acted as though he was unbothered by Nola¡¯s crazy stories. But there was a twinkle in his eye.


    Tamiel¡¯s mood remained high as he got dressed in his new armor and prepared to go. He would miss Nola and Koh dearly. But he had gained confidence in his abilities over the course of the week and was hopeful that one day he would be reunited with Nahira. He had promised her, after all.


    He walked down the stairs for the last time and found Nola and Koh standing shoulder to shoulder in the salle. Dropping any sense of decorum, Nola stepped forward and pulled Tamiel in for a long hug. Tamiel hugged him back just as fiercely, surprised that his eyes remained dry. ¡°Thank you, Nola. I¡¯ll make you proud, and one day I¡¯ll be able to tell you stories of my achievements.¡±


    Nola sniffed through his pleased smile. He held Tamiel¡¯s shoulders at arm''s length. ¡°See that you do, Tamiel.¡±


    The boy was shocked that when Nola released him, Koh drew him in for a hug as well. ¡°Remember that you can never hide from your destiny, kid. All you can do is prepare for it.¡± Koh messed up Tamiel¡¯s hair. ¡°And, if I find out that you¡¯ve died, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± He pushed Tamiel away. ¡°Now get out of here, boy. Daylight¡¯s wasting.¡±


    Tamiel bowed to the pair one last time. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be seeing you, and that¡¯s a promise.¡±


    Supplied, equipped, in much better shape than he was when he arrived, and filled with determination, the former prince turned west and headed for the forest.

 Chapter 6 - The Princess Loses a Friend

    In a final act of desperate defiance, Nahira marshalled her powers and recited a spell. ¡°Elenah¡¯s false guidance, ensnare my foes. Labyrinth of Roots.¡± Roots exploded forcefully from the flowerbeds and entangled the rising guards.


    As she took one last look at her fleeing prince, Princess Nahira heard a livid shout behind her. ¡°How dare you! Guards, stop this treason at once!¡± Councillor Enyu shrieked.


    The knights¡¯ grips tightened on her arms and she was pushed to her knees. As soon as Valorous was out of sight, Nahira stopped struggling.


    ¡°Bind her wings at once!¡± Enyu commanded. ¡°This brat cannot be allowed to escape.¡±


    ¡°What on Enoch is happening here! Cease at once.¡± Tiriel came bursting out of the palace, torrential winds whipping around him. ¡°Enyu, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± The former adventurer landed next to the princess. His gaze was full of wrath over Nahira¡¯s treatment, but that anger was replaced with shock and confusion as he surveyed the gardens.


    There were guards ensnared in enchanted roots. All of the guards had their weapons drawn and fearful looks on their faces. As Tiriel turned, he took in the councillors'' stances and their half-cast spells. Then his eyes landed on his king.


    King Raitan stood in a state of horrified disbelief. The Rising Sun was held loosely in his hand, forgotten. He was staring blankly at something on the ground. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Tiriel was drawn almost against his will to take a step forward and look at what held the king¡¯s empty gaze. His next words died in his throat. Laying on the scorched earth was the body of the queen.


    Tiriel took another step forward, and then another. He fell to his knees before her. As he knelt in dismay, he refused to accept the reality before him. Queen Liashel¡¯s head had been separated from her body. The wound across her neck was blackened and cauterized. He recognized the burn pattern of the Rising Sun. Blown out of his uncomprehending stupor by that irrefutable fact, Tiriel leapt up. The wind surrounding him was whipped into an even greater fervor.


    ¡°Enyu, I demand an explanation. Now.¡± The winds howled and clutched at the onlookers. Tiriel¡¯s aura became like a hurricane while a clawing gust grabbed the fearful councilor and pulled him towards the enraged tutor.


    ¡°Unhand me immediately!¡± The councillor refused to be cowed by the violence held in Tiriel¡¯s gaze. As the winds quieted, he straightened his robes. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, tutor. The queen and her son are traitors¡­¡±


    At the mention of Valorous, Tiriel¡¯s gaze sharpened again. He grabbed Enyu¡¯s robes and lifted the sadistic councillor off of his feet.  ¡°What have you done with the prince?¡±


    Councillor Enyu sniffed derisively.  ¡°They secretly held the blood of shadow hidden inside them. Obviously, they must have been scheming to take over our glorious kingdom of Sunhold. Why, the so-called prince was found attacking the Princess Nahira. Then when we tried to apprehend him, he even tried to kidnap her. If it weren¡¯t for Captain Bernh, I fear that she would have been lost to us. Well, that criminal and his harlot of a mother might even have assassinated our king!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Nahira¡¯s frantic voice rang out behind them. ¡°That¡¯s not what happened!¡±


    Tiriel whirled at the sound of her pleading. She was still being held by the guards, and they had even bound her wings to her back, as they had been told by the councillor. ¡°Please, Val would never hurt me! We had no idea he had shadow blood, I swear.¡± Tears had been streaming down her face nonstop. ¡°Please, believe me. We didn¡¯t know.¡± She lowered her head and tried to stop crying.


    Still held aloft, Councillor Enyu scoffed. ¡°Poor girl. That evil creature must have done something to her mind. Who knows how long he has been tearing away at her. Men, don¡¯t let go of her. Secretary Tiriel, are you ever going to let me down? Your indecorum can only be excused for so long.¡±


    Tiriel growled at the self-assured nobleman but he dropped him anyway. Enyu landed roughly and stumbled before catching himself. He straightened his robes again as though nothing had happened before addressing the motionless King Raitan. ¡°Your Majesty, I understand how you must be feeling. It has been a huge shock to us all. Please allow me to assist you on the tedious daily matters until you have had the time to process this tragedy.¡±


    The councillor¡¯s words sent a shiver down Tiriel¡¯s spine. His apprehension only grew when the king responded.


    A timid, broken voice whispered from King Raitan¡¯s lips, ¡°Do what you want. Everyone, Enyu is in charge.¡± It seemed that each word aged him, his spine bent and his face fell. The Rising Sun fell out of his hand and clattered against the stone path.


    As the wind died down in the garden, It seemed to rip and tear through Tamiel¡¯s mind. His thoughts raced around erratically as he tried to comprehend what all of this meant. Enyu in charge? The prince fled? Liashel was dead. What should he do? His thoughts came to a stop when he heard another strangled sob from Nahira. Then they all finally started flowing in the same direction. He came to a decision. He would have to stay for Nahira¡¯s sake.


    Councillor Enyu heard the whimper as well. He waved at the guards restraining her. ¡°Princess Nahira will have to be kept under constant surveillance. Guards, she will be restricted to her quarters for now. Take her to them.¡± He stroked his chin in thought. ¡°We have no understanding of what that false prince might have done to her.¡± He then turned to one of his fellow councillors. ¡°Councillor Rictor, I believe we are in need of your brother¡¯s talents. He is the world¡¯s premier mind healer, after all. Summon him immediately.¡±


    As he finished speaking, Enyu¡¯s eyes glanced toward Tiriel¡¯s. In their depths, Tiriel saw a sick joy that chilled him to the bone. The secretary let the emotions drain out of his face and posture. ¡°Of course, Councillor Enyu. You are correct. I apologise for my behavior. I was unaware of the situation and jumped to conclusions.¡± He bowed towards the interim ruler of Sunhold.


    Enyu laughed behind his hand and replied. ¡°Of course, Secretary Tiriel. It is only to be expected when one¡¯s students appear to be in trouble.¡± A finger traced Enyu¡¯s lips. ¡°Though I seem to remember your close relationship with the traitorous queen. We will be keeping a close eye on you, so make sure to show us that your loyalties lie with King Raitan and Sunhold.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    A huge canopied bed occupied the center of her large bedroom. A bookcase held rows of alphabetically sorted books. A tidy desk bore neatly stacked papers filled with pretty and precise script. Four stone faced guards stood in the corners of the room. Princess Nahira sat at the dest with her hands grasped tightly in her lap. She had not bothered to wipe off her tear-stained face. Praying with all her might, she whispered, ¡°I know you will, Val.¡±


    She picked up a feathered quill and a half-empty notebook. In the secret language that the royal pair had devised together, Nahira began to write. Her shoulders were straight and her mouth had compressed into a firm line. ¡°And I¡¯ll be ready.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    King Raitan was collapsed on his throne, still unable to process the events of the day. He thought, perhaps, that he should still be angry, or feel betrayed at the taint in his wife¡¯s blood. But all he felt was the gaping hole where his family used to be.


    Councillor Enyu had commanded everyone else to leave the throne room. He stood patiently at the foot of the dias, wondering how he would use this unexpected event in his favor. After allowing his king over an hour to wallow in his misery, Enyu spoke in a conciliatory tone. ¡°Your Highness, we must discuss what to do about this terrible endeavor. I think it would be best if we do not reveal the events of the last few hours. It could develop into an international incident. Instead, we should tell the world that the Queen and her son died of an illness.¡±


    He paused for a moment to give the King a chance to respond. When King Raitan remained silent, Enyu continued. ¡°Further, I believe that Princess Nahira has been compromised. Who knows what vile operations were performed on her by those monsters. I suggest that, for the good of the kingdom, it''s best that we get rid of her as well.¡±


    When Enyu mentioned Nahira, the king jerked his head up. A look of agonized guilt tore across his royal countenance. ¡°No. Do not harm her. She¡¯s the only family I have left. She will remain here.¡±


    Though his face remained neutral, Councillor Enyu¡¯s heart grinned maliciously. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. I assumed that would be your answer and I have already called on Ganter. He is Councillor Rictor¡¯s brother and a premier mind healer. Without a doubt, he will be able to ferret out any damage that the shadow¡¯s touch may have left in her.¡± He walked up the dias and put a hand on the king''s shoulder. ¡°I will personally oversee the procedure to make sure that she is unharmed.¡±


    The king nodded lifelessly. ¡°Good. You¡¯re right, nothing of this can get out. No one can know. Silence the guards, too.¡± It seemed that those words took everything he had, and the king leaned back into his throne and rested his head on its high back.


    ¡°Of course, your Majesty.¡± Enyu replied. He leaned in and spoke softly into the king¡¯s ear, a false compassion laced through it. ¡°But my king. What about her wishes? What if she believes that Valorous is innocent? She is young and naive, after all. According to the treaties, she is now your heir, so her kingdom can¡¯t take her away. But if she wants to leave? I know Ganther personally, my King. What if we could alter her memories to fit the story we shall tell the rest of the world? Then she would be willing to stay here with you.¡±


    The broken king¡¯s eyes were fearful at the prospect of losing the only person that he still considered his family. But as he listened to the councillor¡¯s proposition, a twisted hope grew in them. ¡°Make it so, Councillor.¡±


    Enyu stepped away and bowed. ¡°As you wish, your highness.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Tiriel hurried towards his quarters. Once inside, he paced relentlessly in a repetitive line, his hands behind his back. An invisible gust blew across his ear, causing him to stop. It relayed the conversation that the king and Enyu had. Tiriel had to struggle with everything he had in order to hide the rising fury in his chest.


    Quickly, he locked the door and cast a series of magical barriers against intrusion and surveyance. Then, he knocked the contents of his desk onto the floor and drew an exceedingly complex series of symbols. Cutting the tip of his thumb, he drew the last few with his own blood. ¡°Sednexul, ruler of the winds, lord of every gust and gale, through which each breath flows. Guide my voice, may it cross the continents and back, and bring back better tidings. Streams of Resonance.¡±


    The magic circle pulsed and fizzled. Tiriel forced his will upon the ritual until its oscillations fell into sync with the barriers he had placed around his rooms. Tendrils of mana grew out from the circle and reached invisibly through the castle until they got caught in the winds blowing outside. A soft humming came from the table and resonated with Tiriel¡¯s bones. He felt a physical snap as the ritual successfully connected with his target.


    ¡°Tiriel? What?¡± a voice vibrated uncomfortably in his mind.


    ¡°Hayner, I have ill tidings, I''m afraid,¡± Tiriel responded. ¡°A lot has happened that you need to make everyone aware of. I¡¯ll have to talk fast, I¡¯m not sure this communication will go unnoticed. So you¡¯ll have to relocate as soon as we¡¯re done.¡±


    Alarm imbued Hayner¡¯s response. ¡°No way, isn¡¯t your mission supposed to be fairly sheltered? At least for a few more years, right? No, nevermind, lay it on me, man.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way to cushion this, Hayner.¡± Tiriel gripped his arms so tightly that his fingers turned white. ¡°Liashel is dead.¡±


    ¡°WHAT! You must be joking, Tiriel. How is that even possible?! No, sorry. Keep going.¡± Hayner shouted through the magical link. He silenced himself after the initial outburst.


    Tiriel winced at the overwhelming shout directly into his brain. ¡°It gets much worse, Hay. I haven¡¯t figured out everything that happened, but this is too important to wait on. The seal on Korovix¡¯ bloodline has been broken. That alone will cause hysteria as people who thought that the entire clan was exterminated ages ago. Expect to be hearing a lot of reports about that. The blood manifested powerfully in Valorous. Which is ultimately what we wanted. But when King Raitan found out, he flew into a blind rage and killed Liashel. He was frothing at the mouth and screaming that her blood was tainted. I believe that he was being controlled somehow. Valorous barely managed to escape the palace and I¡¯m no longer sure where he is. All I know is he headed west. Contact Nola and Koh immediately, they¡¯re our best shot at finding him.¡±


    ¡°This is terrible, Tiriel. Poor Liashel. How could this happen? This is so messed up, man. A golden dragon getting controlled? What on earth are our enemies capable of?¡± On the other end of the magical communication, Hayner was frantic. Due to their long friendship, Tiriel could picture it clearly. Hayner was extremely tall and delicately thin. Shimmering golden hair flowed down past his knees. He was probably running around in circles with his long arms flung out to their fullest extent. He couldn¡¯t hide his emotions well, so panic and dismay were definitely on full display across his normally appealing features. Despite his touchy sensibilities, Tiriel knew that Hay was calm under fire.


    ¡°Restrain yourself, Hay. I can¡¯t leave this channel open for long. There¡¯s more. Princess Nahira tried to help Valorous escape, but got captured. I have to stay here to make sure she stays safe.¡± Tiriel folded his arms and glared into space. ¡°There¡¯s this councillor named Enyu. I think it was his influence that turned Raitan against his wife, somehow. He gets even more suspect, though. The king has completely fallen apart, and Enyu¡¯s already got hooks into him. I overheard Enyu as he manipulated Raitan, right before I contacted you. He wants to alter Nahira¡¯s memories, and I assume control her like a puppet now that the prince is gone. According to the treaties, she is now the Crown Princess of Sunhold. With all of this going on, I have to conclude that Enyu is a Demonic agent. Worse, he is already leary of me. That¡¯s why this communication is so risky. After this I¡¯ll have to go dark until I can be sure it¡¯s safe.¡± He carelessly threw himself into a chair as he continued to scowl.


    Hayner growled in thought. ¡°Man, this is too much. If there is any chance this Enyu is actually an agent, I¡¯ll have to move out too. This is harsh, I was just getting used to my life here. And there¡¯s totally this girl I¡¯m into. Lame. Tiriel, you always bring me the worst news.¡±


    Despite the situation, Tiriel laughed a little. ¡°Sorry, Hay. I¡¯ve always told you that I have the worst luck. Did you even manage to talk to this one?¡±


    Choking in rage, Hayner yelled back, ¡°No, but that doesn¡¯t matter! She was different from the others!  I swear, I was gonna to talk to her! But you! You ruined everything, you toad!¡±


    ¡°Well, your bad luck is about to come to an end.¡± A dark voice tore through the sealed room.


    Tiriel bounded from his seat and lowered himself into a defensive stance. ¡°Hayner, I¡¯ve been found out. I¡¯m severing the connection from my end.¡± With the weight of his will, he shattered the magical link while simultaneously raking the ritual¡¯s physical corpus with claw-like fingers. He scanned the room for the voice¡¯s owner.


    From the door to his room, a black aura ripped a hole in Tiriel¡¯s magical protections as though they were paper. The door opened with an agonizing slowness and revealed Councillor Enyu. His face was contorted in a manic grin. ¡°Hello, dear Tiriel. It seems that someone¡¯s being naughty. But, this barrier is impressive work.¡± His grin widened, revealing sharpened teeth. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take it. We wouldn¡¯t want anyone listening in, now would we?¡±


    A dark, bubbling aura seemed to ooze from the councillor and dripping tentacles of it caressed the walls. The barrier was stained black from the foul touches. Before Tiriel could dismantle it, he felt control over the protective magic ripped away from him by the maniacally grinning Enyu.


    ¡°So my presumptions were correct, Enyu. You¡¯ve aligned yourself with demons.¡± Tiriel spread his arms wide and called forth his aura. A pale green light flickered around him as a light breeze picked up. It had a refreshing purity about it, like a cool spring day. A gentle fragrance wafted through the rooms, almost like the ghosts of flowers. Though Tiriel¡¯s intent seemed quite modest, whenever it touched Enyu¡¯s own acrid aura, it was the councillor¡¯s that faltered.


    Enyu¡¯s grin widened even further, to the point that it looked like it would consume the rest of his face. ¡°What¡¯s that? Did you say demons? Wherever could you have heard something like that? Why, I¡¯m just a councillor of Sunhold and I have only its best interests at heart.¡± He thrust his hands towards the billowing tutor and his caustic tentacles of mana followed suit. ¡°You however, stand accused of consorting with cowards, traitors, and the Shadow Clan.¡±


    Unlike a moment ago, this time, the sickening tentacles ripped through the fragrant green light. Tiriel hissed and jumped away from the grasping tentacles as his aura burned from the contact. ¡°The only traitor here is you, Enyu.¡± He slashed an arm down and cast a spell. ¡°Sednexul, I call upon the fury of your winds. Purify all that stands before me. Scythe''s Final Passing.¡± Seven curved blades of wind howled through the room, reducing the fine wooden furniture to splinters. They tore through the malicious tentacles and continued into the councillor¡¯s figure. Blood ruptured from Enyu¡¯s body as he was cast like a ragdoll into the still-bubbling barrier.


    While Enyu fell, Tiriel whipped his sword from its sheath at his side and lunged across the expansive room. But before he could plunge it into the councillors head, the splattered blood pooled together and formed cruelly-barbed spears that pushed him away.


    Enyu¡¯s form slowly congealed back into a more humanoid shape, while his blood spears continued aggressively thrusting at Tiriel. He laughed, ¡°How long do you think you can keep this up, wind mage? I could continue this all day!¡±


    Tiriel was as light as a flower petal. He seemed to float across the room. Valorous¡¯ tutor proved that he was worthy of the position as he seamlessly blocked or dodged each strike with fluid grace. Working his way around the room, Tiriel led the spears until he could take advantage of an opening in the councillor¡¯s guard. ¡°Texnosha¡¯s benevolence, cradle me. Flowing stream!¡± He chanted one of Valorous¡¯ favorite spells. In Tiriel¡¯s hands, it was more than just a compound movement enhancer and obscuring spell. The very moisture in the air whirled around him and deflected several strikes from the serrated spears of blood. As his movements sped up, he surged past the barrier of blood and slashed into Enyu¡¯s face.


    The councillor was shocked and failed to put up a defense in time. More of his blood spattered against the wall. Screaming his resentment, he doubled over and thrust a rage-fueled fist into the floor. The stones shattered underneath the two men and they fell into the room below. It was an ornate but currently empty ballroom with floor to ceiling stained glass windows That let in prisms of rainbow sunlight. Dust ballooned through the air as broken stones rained down and crashed into the elegantly tiled flooring. Tiriel¡¯s spell protected him during the descent, defecting rubble and slowing his fall. The demonic councillor wasn¡¯t as lucky, he landed poorly and several of his bones were crushed by the heavy debris.


    None of that seemed to matter to Enyu, as he snapped the broken bones back into place with sickening cracks. His humor was restored as he complimented Tiriel. ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Tutor. You really are a genius to have mastered the magic of other bloodlines. That won¡¯t be enough to save you though.¡±


    Tiriel smirked. ¡°That was nothing. Try this.¡± He pressed all his aura into a cylindrical shape and pointed both of his hands at the bloodied monstrocity. Wind whipped through the destroyed room in frenzied gusts. ¡°By the blood of Sednexul that resides within me. Xertonos, the gold, lord of absolution and wrath. Lend me your fire, that I may annihilate this demonic entity. Combination magic. Breath of Annihilation.¡± The air around his fingers vibrated until they produced a high pitch hum. That air ignited and the flames hungrily devoured all of the oxygen in the room, pulling everything in towards its gaping maw.


    Enyu was truly panicked as he was dragged towards the ravenous inferno. Smaller stones and dust were drawn into the jaws of flame. He tried with all his might to hold onto a larger stone, but his blood-slicked hands slipped. The fires pulled him in and he screeched and flailed as the flames ate through his cursed blood, his flesh, and even his bones.


    When the villainous councillor was reduced to ashes, Tiriel lowered his hands. He slumped to a knee, exhausted. ¡°Combination magic really takes it out of you.¡± The mage sighed to himself. Then in an uncharacteristic manner, he swore. ¡°Now what? Will the demons make another move?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t worry about that if I were you.¡± A foul shadow curdled out from the cracked floor a few feet from the unsteady man. It bore Enyu¡¯s condescending tone. ¡°Good try though. That transcendent magic would have worked on almost any of us. Sadly, I¡¯m the exception.¡± His characteristic smile formed from the shadow¡¯s head, a glaringly white monstrosity in the middle of a pitch black void.


    From his kneeling position, Tiriel instantly started verbalizing another spell. A cord of shadow smashed across his torso threw him back against a wall. With the wind knocked out of him, he couldn¡¯t finish his chant.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather heartbreaking, you know? You¡¯ve got so much natural talent, Tiriel. Yet, you still have to grovel and beg to those abominable so-called great spirits for each and every scrap of power. Now, my power is my own. If I want more, I take it. I¡¯ll never again feel weak in comparison to the Spirit¡¯s chosen children. Your kind could never win against us, especially while cowering behind the feet of your pitiful phantasms. Any one of my new brethren could destroy you. Soon, my masters will raze this vile world and rule its ashes.¡±


    Stumbling back to his feet, Tiriel goaded the shade. ¡°That hardly seems fair, Enyu. I thought you were the exception, but now any of you could beat me?¡± He laughed. ¡°And what¡¯s all this talk of masters, when you said that your power is your own, huh? So, not only are you not special, but you¡¯re supremely gullible.¡±


    The ivory teeth gnashed against each other. ¡°How dare you. Of course I¡¯m better than the others.¡± He spread his arms wide in self-adoration. ¡°See, None of them could have recovered from that cursed purification spell. Even the lowest of us are effectively immortal unless you break our core, pitiful child. But I¡¯ve managed to evolve even further. I learned how to remove the core of my essence from my body and hide it. I am truly eternal. You will never be able to beat me.¡±


    Tiriel continued with his false bravado. ¡°Our definitions of immortal must differ, Enyu. If all I have to do is destroy a demon¡¯s core to kill it, seems pretty mortal to me. And, you¡¯re just a coward, hiding somewhere out of danger.¡± He matched the shade¡¯s grin. ¡°I bet your real self is shaking right now.¡±


    During their conversation, Enyu¡¯s shadow form had slowly integrated itself into the ruins, spreading across the entire expanse. Unknown to Tiriel, he had been surrounded. ¡°Don¡¯t be too proud of yourself. You won¡¯t be able to pass on that information, worm. You¡¯ll be dead!¡± Spines of darkness pierced through the rubble from every direction and swelled immediately honed in on the wind mage. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Tiriel was too tired to block all of them, and several long gashes wept blood across his body. ¡°It¡¯s too late, you horror story reject. I¡¯ve been recording our fight in the wind. My messengers are already spread across the continent, revealing your weaknesses. Now run and hide in your eternal terror, coward.¡± He coughed violently. In the last assault, one of the spears had pierced his lung.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can trick me with your bluster, hot air mage. There¡¯s no way any wind-borne message could have made it out of the city, nevermind the continent. And if I kill you now, your magic dies too.¡± The shadow jerked forward and pierced Tiriel¡¯s shoulders with serrated talons. Tiriel gasped painfully as he was lifted into the air.


    Trying to ignore his punctured lung, Tiriel choked out another spell. ¡°Sednexul, Patron of Entropy and Freedom. Use all of the blood you have granted me, and disperse. Atmospheric Sundering.¡±


    The shade of Enyu was stunned for a second at the audacity of the wounded man. Then his face twisted in maddened umbrage. He tore one of his taloned hands from Tiriel¡¯s shoulder, and jammed it into Tiriel¡¯s throat.


    Enyu¡¯s frantic attack was too late as Tiriel¡¯s blood began to froth and boil out of every wound. His determined eyes held Enyu¡¯s own ghastly orbs in a horrified disbelief. They seemed to say, ¡°Come back from this. I dare you.¡± With his final taunt received, Tiriel closed his eyes and loosed the magic he had been holding back.


    Enyu, in his murderous outrage, tossed Tiriel violently to the ground. ¡°This still won¡¯t be enough to kill me. I¡¯ll be back. You¡¯ve lost. This kingdom is now mine.¡±


    While laying on the fractured tiles and with a torn windpipe, Tiriel still tried to express his mockery. He grinned in an open contempt of the shade¡¯s tantrum.


    A massive ball of gravity formed with the shadowy councillor as its twisting center. More of the ceiling fell down. The walls cracked but held. The gorgeous stained glass windows shattered and the shrapnel was pulled into the pulsing crimson mass. Storm-force winds whipped and buffeted the already damaged foundations.


    The spinning core reached a critical mass and exploded outwards with the force of a tornado. Its advent decimated the ballroom, causing substantial structural damage as it blasted out of the exterior wall. The umbral viscera that comprised its core were dispersed across the vast expanse of the sky.


    Tiriel lay victorious, but broken, on top of a pile of rubble. With a pierced lung, torn throat, and all of the blood he had already lost, he knew that this was his final moment. He thought of his friends. They had been working for years to prevent this very event from happening. He thought of Captain Bernh and had to place his trust in the man. His last thoughts were of his young charges. He prayed that the Great Spirits would watch over them. Throughout it all, the mocking grin never left his lips.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Captain Bernh was alone in his quarters. He was sitting, slumped over with his elbows resting on his knees on the edge of his bed, with his head lowered into his hands. The captain was trying to process what had happened. He couldn¡¯t believe that Prince Valorous, who Bernh had known the boy¡¯s entire life, could be wicked, even if he bore shadowed blood. He was also devastated at the death of his Queen. His belief in her was shaken by the supposed taint in her blood, but that didn¡¯t change the years and years of service she had performed for the good of the country. None of it made sense to him. Even if they were both agents of darkness, why now? He couldn¡¯t find a single reason they would have revealed themselves at this time.


    He was haunted by the princess¡¯ heartfelt attempts at begging the guards to stop. Bernh couldn¡¯t hide behind the lie that he was only following orders. He knew it was his lord''s command that Bernh make his own judgements, but in his shock, he had blindly done what he was told by Enyu. His lip started to bleed from where he had been biting it as he remembered the looks on both of the children¡¯s faces. The horror in Liashel¡¯s eyes as her husband turned on her in a rage. The barely disguised glee in Enyu¡¯s face. Bernh realized that he had made a huge mistake.


    As he stewed in his self-recriminations, a slight breeze caressed his shoulder, startling him. ¡°I need you to listen, Bernh. I don¡¯t have much time. I¡¯m currently fighting Enyu. He¡¯s transformed into some kind of shadow creature.¡± Tiriel¡¯s voice echoed softly in his ear. ¡°We¡¯ve fallen for a horrible trap. I¡¯m breaking an oath to contact you, but this situation is dire, and I have information that definitely cannot die with me. Please, you have to trust me. Allow this breeze into your mind. You have to carry on my mission. You are the only one I can trust with this now. Do your duty. Protect Sunhold.¡± As the message faded out, Captain Bernh felt a wisp of psychic information that had tied itself to his aura. He only had to debate it for a moment. He allowed the wisp access to his senses.


    The knight¡¯s dismay almost staggered him, as the fight between Councillor Enyu and Tiriel unfolded before him. The vision ended as a spear of darkness tore through Tiriel¡¯s chest. Bernh¡¯s throat was so dry after it ended that when he tried to swallow, he choked instead. He heard Tiriel¡¯s voice for one last time, as though it were coming from a vast distance away. ¡°I have a hidden journal that will explain everything I knew. It contains a method to contact my compatriots. Please, you have to give them this information. I¡¯m going to cast a spell that should, temporarily at least, remove Enyu from the castle. Hurry.¡± The knowledge of where the journal was hidden passed through his mind, and Tiriel¡¯s presence faded away.


    An ear-splitting rumble tore through the palace, almost knocking Bernh from his feet. The violent shakes carried on for only a single moment, but the damage to the castle was catastrophic. Ignoring all of that, as soon as the foundations ceased to tremble, Bernh raced towards the hidden journals.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Nahira was writing in her characteristically flawless script when she felt Tiriel¡¯s presence. She gasped hopefully and spun around in her chair. But the only sight to greet her was that of the two guards stationed behind her.


    ¡°Is everything alright, princess?¡± one of them asked at her sudden movement. All four of them had their hands on their weapons, and were looking around warily. They were all used to her pranks and were taking their orders to keep an eye on her very seriously.


    She glared at the guards. She had known all four of them for years, but now she refused to speak to any of them because of their actions today. She was distracted from her ire as Tiriel¡¯s disembodied voice whispered softly, so that only she could hear it.


    ¡°Hey little troublemaker. This has got to be a lot for you to handle. I¡¯m sorry. I should have prepared better than this. The wind in my veins never wanted to deal with the future. And now I¡¯m going to push all the responsibility onto you.¡± Nahira could almost feel his comforting hand on her shoulder. Then the ghostly hand tightened. ¡°You have to escape. Go to this location and tell them this message.¡± With the instructions came an understanding of where he wanted her to go. ¡°They¡¯ll try to find Valorous, too. Sunhold is no longer safe. Please, no matter what you have to do, get out. Don¡¯t let Enyu find you. Val was right about him all along. I¡¯m sorry, this is all I can do. Tell that other troublemaker that I¡¯m pissed. Seriously, he has no sense. Breaking a hidden seal without knowing what it does. What an idiot. Take care, Nahira.¡±


    As the message ended, the presence that was Tiriel ruptured into four hammer-strikes of force. They struck the guards in unison and smashed them into the walls.


    The finality in his message struck Princess Nahira¡¯s already wounded heart. She started to weep again, but immediately stood anyways. The girl glanced at the prostrate guardsmen and found that they were all unconscious. Following her tutor¡¯s last instructions, Nahira grabbed her notebook and bolted for the door.


    Before opening it, the princess whispered a divination spell that would allow her to detect any presences in the vicinity. Detecting nothing that was noteworthy, she opened it.


    When the blue-furred girl stepped into the hall, an earthquake shook the palace. She stumbled, but caught herself on the door frame. when the shaking settled down, she started to run. While she moved, she tore off the bindings on her wings. Once they were gone, she dropped down to all fours. Using her wings to improve her balance and launch her forward, she was able to pass through the castle swiftly.


    Due to the royal pair¡¯s many pranks, Nahira had long since memorized the guard¡¯s routes and shifts. She didn¡¯t know who she could trust anymore, so she decided to stay hidden from them all and took a circuitous route to her destination.


    The princess promptly found her way in front of the library¡¯s gilded doors. Inside the library, there was a door to a small enclosed garden. One of the librarians liked to graft different collections of plants, and this open air nursery was perfect for their work. From there, Nahira could hide until the setting sun fully dropped off the horizon. In the time before the moon rose she would make her escape into the night.


    With everything that had happened that day, no one was in the library. In fact, she hadn¡¯t seen anyone but the guards along her route. She paused as she considered the possible reasons for the absence. Ultimately, she decided that it didn¡¯t matter, as her mission was to escape.


    Breaking the lock on the nursery¡¯s door, Princess Nahira spirited herself inside. A drained and riven voice called out softly from deeper inside the greenhouse. ¡°I thought you¡¯d come here, Nahira.¡± She whirled as her fur stood on end. Her claws were out as her instincts thrust her towards the unexpected tenant.


    The king caught her arms as she lunged. Two of her claws managed to scratch his hand, but he didn¡¯t appear to notice. Thanks to her catlike eyes, Nahira got a good look at him as he held her at arms-length. His eyes were hollow, red and pitiful, almost as though he were a lost child. Guilt ravaged his features. His normally well groomed hair was erratically matted, like he had ripped some of it out. He hadn¡¯t bothered to change his bloodied clothes and they had become rumpled and loose. The heroic form from her memory was gone. In its place was hunched a diminished and broken figure.


    ¡°No!¡± She cried, ¡°Let me go!¡± Nahira thrashed in his grip and tried to bite him. She was astonished when he pulled her closer and hugged her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave too. ¡®Hira, you¡¯re the only family I have now.¡± His mangled whisper appalled the still struggling girl.


    ¡°I hate you! Monster! You killed Lia. You tried to kill Val.¡± She managed to get a hold of his bicep in her teeth and bit off a ragged chunk of flesh.


    King Raitan looked down at her with confusion all over his face. ¡°Killed Lia? No, why would I¡­¡± He trailed off and the burden of guilt dragged him to his knees. ¡°Why? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    A fire blossomed deep in his eyes. Nahira stopped struggling physically as she tried to understand the crazy sounding king. A look of extreme concentration crossed his fluidly-changing expression and he ground his teeth in a single-minded intensity. ¡°Not me. I wasn¡¯t in control.¡± He let go of the princess and grabbed his own head. He growled in an awakening anger as he wrestled for control over his head. Raitan heaved out a command, ¡°Run, Nahira. I can¡¯t hold it.¡±


    ¡°I think not.¡± Councillor Enyu¡¯s voice came from Raitan¡¯s mouth. The king and princess stared at each other, aghast. Black sludge dripped out of the king¡¯s eyes. He coughed and more of the sludge leaked out of his mouth.


    In the confusion, Nahira vaulted for the wall, intent on her escape. Using her agile muscles, she made a second jump that let her grasp the top of the tall wall. But, as she gathered herself for the last leap a thick fiber of sludge wrapped itself around her leg.


    ¡°I said no.¡± Raitan¡¯s lips spoke with Enyu¡¯s sneering voice. The sludge pulled Nahira from the wall and slammed her against one of the tables laden with plants. Her head hit one of the pots, which shattered. Several of the clay pieces cut into her. The princess groaned as she tried to clear her addled thoughts. ¡°Wait there a moment.¡± Enyu¡¯s distracted voice continued. The sludge around her ankle wormed its way around her and turned into a glue, binding her to the table. A bit of it covered her mouth as well, preventing her from screaming.


    ¡°This is an extremely delicate procedure, princess. After all, I¡¯m not done with King Raitan yet, and it would be a bother if I accidently killed the fool.¡± A sickening yellow glow pulsated from the king¡¯s twitching chest as the sludge continued to pour out of him. It oozed from his nose and ears now, as though it were impatient to escape.


    King Raitan¡¯s body seemed to deflate as more of the sludge left him. His finely honed muscles wasted away and his skin started to sag. The gleaming black hair on his head faded to grey. Once enough of the sludge had departed the weakly struggling man, it started to congeal into a vaguely humanoid shape. Features slowly formed across its figure and the fact that it was Enyu became apparent. Some of the sludge formed a stylish black robe that he covered himself with. His skin lightened to its normal tone as he stretched and cracked his back. ¡°Still not used to that.¡± He spoke to himself. Glancing at his new body, he admired himself. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Enyu turned to Raitan, as the wasted man whimpered and slumped over, unconscious. Enyu kicked him. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a baby, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°As for you, my dear, I can¡¯t have you leaving just yet either. I¡¯ve got plans for you as well, after all.¡± He sighed contentedly and sat down on a table opposite the bound princess. Her glare was enough to shatter rock, but he ignored it completely. ¡°This was such a wonderful opportunity. I had no idea that cursed bloodline still existed, let alone right under my nose. You, princess, must be my lucky charm. Everything has been falling into my lap ever since you arrived. Raitan, under my complete control. Liashel, dead. Tiriel, the wretch, also dead. Sadly, Valorous escaped, but I¡¯m sure with his blood as a beacon, every single being on this disgusting planet will be after his head. So, no big loss there. I think, princess, that this is the start of a grand new relationship between us. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    He waved a hand lazily and the sludge around Nahira¡¯s mouth expanded to cover her nose. She fought with everything that she had, but all too quickly her mind faded out. Her head hit the table again as Enyu laughed deeply.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Staring into the fractured abyss that was the human psyche for too long would lead anyone into despair. Or at least that¡¯s what Ganther believed. He was hailed as a genius mage that specialized in healing injured minds. At one time he believed that his gifts were a sign that it was his duty to help those in need. As time passed, however, his faith crumbled. The nature of his work meant that he was only exposed to deep pain and suffering and it was a heavy weight for him to bear.


    Physically, Ganther was completely unassuming. He was a short, soft, and chubby man with thinning pink hair. His most notable feature was his eyes. They were heavily lidded and looked as though gravity had a personal grudge against them. A deep sorrow slept deeply within them.


    Ganther had been called to the palace by his elder brother, Rictor. Ganther idolized his brother. Rictor was everything that Ganther wished he was. Despite being older, his hair was just as thick as it was in his youth. His few wrinkles only showcased his experience, wisdom, and bold confidence. There wasn¡¯t anything that Ganther wouldn¡¯t do if his brother asked.


    Ganther was told that his help was needed immediately and this patient was of the utmost importance. His appearance revealed the haste with which he had traveled to the palace. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, brother.¡± Councillor Rictor greeted his brother at the gates. ¡°Please, follow me, every moment matters.¡± He nodded to the guards, and led his brother by the arm.


    Shortly, they arrived at the quarters of Princess Nahira. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t given you many details, Gather.¡± The elder brother squeezed the mind mage¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But I wanted you to hear the whole story from First Councillor Enyu.¡± After speaking, he rapped on the door and let himself in.


    Inside the room, Princess Nahira lay comatose on her bed. King Raitan sat slumped in a chair next to it, looking extremely worried.  Guards stood at attention around the room. Lastly, Councillor Enyu stood with his hands gracefully behind his back. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve arrived. Thank you for coming, Master Ganther.¡± he declared.


    ¡°Uh, yes. Thank you. Rictor said it was important. So, uhm. What can I do?¡± Gather asked. He was a little embarrassed to be in front of so many important people.


    ¡°Indeed. Now that you are here, Master Ganther, everything will turn out wonderfully. Here, sit while I explain the situation.¡± The suave councillor led Ganther to a table. ¡°Tea?¡± he asked. At Ganther¡¯s nod, Enyu poured the cup himself and handed it to the mind healer. Enyu sat down across from him. ¡°No time like the present, right?¡± The councillor affected a sorrowful demeanor.


    Steepling his fingers, Councillor Enyu began his tale. ¡°My dear friend, we have been attacked by a seditious sympathizer to the shadow clan.¡± Ganther gasped, appalled. Enyu nodded, and continued. ¡°This assassin infiltrated the palace as a royal tutor. This man, Tiriel, corrupted our Crown Prince Valorous¡¯ mind for years, pretending to be his friend and confidant. He drove the prince to madness and attempted the same with Princess Nahira. Her understanding of the truth is extremely distorted because of this. This Tiriel was a master of illusions, and with this cowardly magic, he made it look as though our brave King Raitan killed his own wife, and even attempted to kill his poor, mad son.¡± Enyu leaned forward dramatically, and looked deeply into Ganther¡¯s eyes. The mind mage was completely enthralled.


    ¡°When, in fact, Tiriel tricked Prince Valorous into murdering our beloved Queen! When he realized what he had done, the demented prince ran from the castle. Even now we are holding out hope that we can find him and cure him of this mental curse. I, myself, fought the traitorous Tiriel in one on one combat, and barely emerged victorious after he blew up a large chunk of the castle. The queen is dead. The prince has gone mad and fled. Then, we had to sedate the poor princess, out of our fear that she would hurt herself in her confusion.  Now, Ganther, I¡¯m only telling you this because I trust you completely. It would be catastrophic if our ardently loving people found this out. They would be devastated.¡±


    Enyu appeared tired, like a great weight had settled onto him. ¡°We¡¯ve decided to alter what we will tell the public as well, for their own good, of course. Instead of letting them descend into fear and paranoia by revealing that the blood of the shadow still exists, we¡¯ll let them think that a sudden illness took the lives of Tiriel and his victims.¡±


    Councillor Enyu bowed to the genius mage. ¡°Please, Master Ganther, I implore you to help us. For the sake of our kingdom, we cannot afford to lose our crown princess too. You are the only one with the talent to succeed at this formidable task. Please, you must alter her memories of these terrible events, or I fear her mind will break under the strain. Will you intercede and save our kingdom?¡±


    Councillor Rictor placed an entreating hand on his brother¡¯s shoulder from behind. ¡°Please, brother, we need you. The entire country could fall apart if you don¡¯t help us.¡±


    Having fallen for Enyu¡¯s story, and never good under pressure,  Ganther immediately folded. ¡°Of course. If you need me, Councillor Enyu, brother, I¡¯ll do it.¡± The faces of both councillors lit up joyously.


    ¡°From the entire kingdom, We thank you, Master Ganther.¡±


    ¡°I knew we could count on you, brother.¡±


    Ganther blushed under the gratitude and praise that was heaped upon him by two of the most powerful men in the kingdom. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± He even ended up bowing to them, which made him even more embarrassed. ¡°I, um, this isn¡¯t how I normally do things. I guess since it¡¯s for the greater good, but. Okay, I¡¯m going to seal away the memories of the event, so, if you want her to think she was sick, maybe I should alter some of her memories of the last few weeks. That¡¯s the first step.¡± He let out a huge bumbling sigh as he considered. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard, because I have to use her aura to do it. And I¡¯ll have to force it. Uh, usually I get consent from the patient, so they give me access to their mana. But, it¡¯s for Sunhold? Right.¡±


    Ganther struggled for a long time to convince himself that this was the right thing to do. He glanced up at his elder brother and bit his lip. ¡°Ganther, please. You need to do this for her own good. Please, only you can save her.¡±


    Though he still had misgivings, he looked up to his brother too much to disappoint him. So he ignored the unease in his heart and continued. ¡°The, uh, next step, then. Someone she trusts, like King Raitan, has to help. He has to talk to her, convince her, that she¡¯s been sick. If she believes them, her mind will help to fill in the blanks. That¡¯s it, I guess. After the memories have settled, before we wake her up, we can ask her what she remembers. That way, you¡¯ll know exactly what she believes.¡± He wrung his clammy hands together. ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    Both councillors smiled at him, and looked impressed. Enyu congratulated him. ¡°Very good, Master Ganther. You have it exactly. I knew that you were the man to turn to!¡±


    Councillor Enyu stroked his mustache. ¡°I do have a bit more that I would like done. For the good of Sunhold of course. I¡¯ve heard from many reputable people that you are also an authority on geasa, Master Ganther. The princess has, let¡¯s say, some personality quirks that are problematic for the kingdom.¡± He held his hand out, entreatingly. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, overall, she is a wonderful child. However, she is headstrong, and often refuses to listen to advice from her¡­ advisors. For the sake of the future of Sunhold, I think it best to help her to see reason. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Ganther¡¯s eyes widened and he started sweating anxiously. He looked to his brother for help. ¡°I, uh, well, I¡¯ve only done that to bad people. Convicted criminals, or those accused of terrible things. Never on an innocent child. No, I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    Rictor knelt before his younger brother. ¡°Dear brother, I know this is difficult. But it¡¯s for the best. Sunhold needs her, and needs her to be better. The future¡¯s of everyone that calls this kingdom home are at stake. They need you, Ganther.¡±


    The mind mage shrunk down in his chair, his eyes glistening. He looked back and forth between the two but couldn¡¯t meet their earnest gazes. Enyu spoke sorrowfully, ¡°Sometimes, Master Ganther, we are forced to make difficult decisions. But this is for the good of the people. I can only hope that you see that, and are strong enough to make the right choice.¡±


    His eyes darted around the room looking for a way out. He glanced up at his brother and pleaded silently for help. Rictor nodded at him seriously. ¡°I¡­ Okay. what do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Enyu clapped his hands and was all smiles again. ¡°We knew you would understand. It¡¯s a small thing, really. We just want her to believe that she really was sick. So we are going to infect her with something, nothing dangerous, of course. Just enough that she gets a small fever, minor aches, little things like that. All we want you to do is to make her believe that her wings were damaged by this, so that she can¡¯t fly away. She¡¯s going to be devastated over the loss of the prince and his mother, who knows how a dramatic young girl will respond to that? We have to keep her safe, even from herself. Then plant a geas so that she is amiable to the will of the king, and does what he asks of her. Merely make it so that she prioritizes what¡¯s best for the kingdom.¡± The first councillor looked to Rictor for his opinion.


    Rictor chimed in and tried to console his brother. ¡°See? Nothing big. You¡¯re really just helping to reinforce her loyalty for king and country. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±


    Though he still felt uneasy about the whole situation, Ganther convinced himself it was just his anxiety acting up. Obviously, the councillor¡¯s knew what was best for the kingdom.  ¡°Nothing wrong. Yeah, okay.¡±


    After deciding to do as he was asked, Ganther was able to distance himself from his feelings and turn a clinical eye to the procedure. Taking out the materials for the coming ritual, he let his heart rate slow down and his breathing return to normal. The mind mage pulled out several types of incense and lit them, placing them around the room at precise intervals. He spoke a long series of magical commands as he did so, to clear the area of any negative influences.


    Ganther took out a faintly glowing brush and a pot of some strange black ink. Then, taking a deep breath, he concentrated on writing perfect magical symbols on her prone form. He wrote on her arms to signify a joining of intent,  then on her forehead to grant him access to her mind, and finally, her stomach so that he could guide her mana into creating the necessary seals. Expertly, he drew corresponding symbols on his own forehead and arms.


    Sitting in lotus position at the end of the large bed, Ganther closed his eyes and continued his chant. It took him much longer than it normally would to connect with her subconscious. Not only was he performing a vastly different procedure than he normally did, but tendrils of worry kept snagging in his thoughts. But the fear of disappointing his brother and Enya kept him going.


    As he finally connected, the princess¡¯ memories flooded into his mind.  He didn¡¯t really understand what the children were doing as Nahira¡¯s mental vision showed him the breaking of the seal, but the later scenes of King Raitan¡¯s rage and slaughter of his wife overshadowed his confusion. The memories seemed so real, that if he didn¡¯t know that they were made from the evil tutor¡¯s powerful illusions, he would have thought that they were what actually happened.


    Mentally reaching into her stomach, which was the seat of magical influence, he commanded her mana to gather the designated memories together and seal them behind a wall constructed from her own aura.


    Ganther was already exhausted, but didn¡¯t stop. Such a delicate procedure needed to be completed in one go, or the chances of failure or, even worse, irreparable damage increased immeasurably. While still in his trance state, he instructed the king to start explaining to the princess what they wanted her to believe.


    The king was a willing participant in this duplicitous scheme, as long as the last member of his family stayed by him, he would do anything. He spoke convincingly to the comatose princess, half believing himself that what he said was the truth. ¡°Please ¡®Hira. You''ve been very sick, we all have. There was a terrible fever, and awful muscle aches. You were trying your hardest to stay strong. But you lost hope when you found out that the illness had claimed Lia. Then when Valorous died, you fainted. Please, you have to get better. You¡¯re all I have left now.¡± He spoke at great length about the physical aches, the emotional pain, the terrible losses. Nahira unconsciously started to react, tears ran down her cheeks, and she curled up in a ball as she visualized the deaths of her loved ones.


    From inside Nahira¡¯s subconscious, Ganther watched as her brain sought to normalize itself and build visual and auditory memories out of the king¡¯s words. He felt a great sorrow at the content of these memories, but convinced himself that they were better than the truth.


    He felt angry at the people like Tiriel, who could manipulate people and cause such evil acts. But he was glad that there were people like Councillor Enyu and his brother, who actually cared about others. Thinking about the brave actions of his idols, Ganther steeled himself for the next part. His chant became harsher as he imposed his will over the princess¡¯.


    Magical energy crackled as it gathered above the sleeping girl. Coinciding with his shout, a bolt of lighting struck her forehead, burning an arcane symbol into her aura. She screamed in agony as the electricity coursed through her mind.


    The flashes of light illuminated a deranged grin that Enyu made no attempt to hide.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Princess Nahira was in a coma for several days after Enyu had infected her with a devastating poison. The wasting sickness had certainly done its work on her. Her fur had lost its shine and her skin underneath was mottled and pockmarked.  The muscles on all of her limbs had shrunk until the shapes of her bones were clearly visible. On her back, the once glossy and lustrous feathers of her wings were dull and falling out.


    Nahira woke to King Raitan¡¯s wheezing snores. She was confused as she turned her head and saw him, asleep in a chair next to her. He looked absolutely terrible. His once muscular frame had wasted away, and the dark circles under his eyes devoured half of his face. Severe-looking bruises covered his arms and neck.


    Seeing how awful he looked, her memories crashed into her like a physical blow. She couldn¡¯t breathe or move as she recalled the debilitating pain of the last few weeks. But a horrendous, keening wail tore itself out of her and shattered the silence as she remembered that Valorous was dead. She was beyond thoughts then, as she curled into a ball and shook, mewling like a terrified, abandoned kitten.


    The King was wrenched awake and fell gracelessly out of his chair by the soul-rending shriek. He scrambled onto his feet and grabbed the inconsolable girl. He sat down on the edge of bed and held her, tears streaming down his fractured features, rocking back and forth and sharing in her misery. He spoke to her in a gravelly voice, ¡°It¡¯s gonna be alright. I¡¯m here. It¡¯ll be okay, ¡®Hira.¡± His voice had long since given out, but he kept speaking in the barest of whispers for hours, until Nahira had calmed down enough that she understood his words. Eventually, she fell back asleep, cradled in his arms. To her magic-addled brain, the king was the last person in her life that she could trust and that could make her feel safe.

 Chapter 7 - The Prince Enters the Woods

    After the months of hiding, disguising himself, and the constant fear of being found out and killed, the dangers of the forest almost felt like a vacation. Over the last week, Tamiel had adapted quite contentedly to the freedom and solitude of the forest.


    But even alone, the burning desire to become stronger guided him. ¡°I know you will!¡± Nahira¡¯s voice echoed around him constantly, keeping him focused on the future. Only his confidence that she would be treated like the princess that she was prevented him from running back to the city in a doomed attempt to rescue her. The potential political ramifications if any word of mistreatment got out were overwhelming. Even King Raitan, in his rage, would surely understand that.


    Tamiel¡¯s logic also told him that the rumors he had heard during his escape from the undercity were probably being suppressed and that the official version of events was probably very different from what had actually happened. He was convinced that, officially,  Prince Valorous was dead, the victim of some evil plot or tragic accident.


    Though it frustrated him, Tamiel followed Nola¡¯s guidance. ¡°The clans will certainly notice you long before they make any sort of contact. You must act as though you are being judged from the very moment that you enter their domain. Your best bet? Show off. Go wild, but not too wild, Tamiel. Don¡¯t cause any unnecessary destruction.¡±


    Master Koh replied scathingly, ¡°Stop babying him, Nola, you¡¯ve already done the best you could have. If he¡¯s enough of an idiot to get himself killed at this point, let him die.¡±


    His life in the forest was surprisingly rewarding. He diligently trained the skills taught to him by the retired ranger. ¡°It¡¯s all about efficiency,¡± Nola had told him. ¡°If you can train more than one skill at the same time, you¡¯ll find that your muscle memory remembers each of them faster. Rely on your subconscious to do the heavy lifting so that you can observe and make minor changes in your overall form. This will also help if you ever find yourself commanding an army one day.¡± With that method, he was currently suppressing his aura to hide his presence, keeping his sword skills well oiled, and catching his dinner, all at the same time.


    Tamiel smiled at the memory. Taking a deep but silent breath, the former prince returned his attention to the task at hand. He was sneaking up on a pack of small boar like animals.  They stood around two feet at the shoulder, and their long, matted fur trailed along the forest floor as they sniffed at the ground.  Called swoons, their primary defense mechanism was to release a foul-smelling odor and collapse, as though dead. With a diet primarily of roots, tubers, and mushrooms, their meat had a pleasantly earthy flavor. Nola cautioned him that it was of the utmost importance to remain undetected while hunting them, or else their own rank gas would spoil the flavor.


    Tamiel crept slowly along behind the grazing herd, concentrating with everything he had to suppress his presence. One of the swoons snorted and looked up. The boy froze and tried to keep his mind as empty as possible. Grumbling to itself, the delicious creature bowed its head and continued its meal. The would-be hunter remained motionless for a long moment before gradually sidling up to a swoon that had wandered slightly away from the rest. Tamiel aimed his knife at a precise location along the base of its neck and struck.


    The peacefully snacking creature never even noticed as it died. It kept chewing calmly. Tamiel left his knife lodged in its neck and slowly made his way back out of the clearing. Despite following Nola¡¯s instructions to the letter, he was still completely taken aback when it continued to chew. Tamiel made it all the way back to the treeline before it slowly dropped to its knees and fell over sideways.


    A few of the other swoons twitched and snorted at the odd behavior, but ultimately they just continued their own suppers. Shaking his head in disbelief, Tamiel spoke softly to himself. ¡°They really are just apathetic gluttonous pigs. I just saw it, and I still don¡¯t want to believe it.¡±


    He knew that the smartest thing to do was wait for however long it took for the herd to move on. But after three hours, it didn¡¯t look like they had any intention of leaving. An ever widening circle of bare earth was left in their wake as they fanned out, attempting to eat every last plant in the spacious clearing. Tamiel had been meditating serenely for at least two of those hours, but his thirteen year old patience was at an end. He continued to wait for a bit longer, but couldn¡¯t help drumming his fingers against the branch while kicking his legs in agitation.


    Finally, when he was at his wits end, an absurd idea occurred to him. He grinned and giggled to himself as he stood up on the branch. Climbing higher, he leapt from tree to tree until he was almost right above the herd of swoons. Crossing his legs again, he closed his eyes and focused himself. This had to be absolutely perfect, or else all the time he¡¯d spent waiting on the swoons would be completely wasted. An image slowly took shape in his head. It was a creature that he had only ever seen pictures of, a jaegee. Fundamentally, jaegee were what hamsters would look like if their mouths extended across most of their bodies, were filled with razor sharp teeth, and they were the size of a four-seater carriage.


    Tamiel needed something so overwhelmingly fearsome that the swoons would run screaming instead of releasing their gas and passing out. Regaining his patience now that he had a solid goal, the boy fabricated an illusory jaegee in the air before him. Once he was finally pleased with its form, he methodically added a steaming breath and dripping fluids along its massive teeth. Its bloodshot eyes darted wildly back and forth. He nodded, believing that if he didn¡¯t know that it was fake, he would be absolutely terrified.


    He beamed with the confidence of an experienced con artist as he silently crafted the most wickedly horrible shriek he could imagine. The illusion in front of him stretched and shook its rear in a reflection of Tamiel¡¯s own enthusiastic anticipation. Completely ready, the beast let loose an ear-splitting roar so loud that it shook the surrounding trees. Simultaneously it dropped from the air in front of its creator and down towards the ignorant victims below. Tamiel unleashed every bit of his aura, bleeding the intent to destroy and devour. This will was the result of Master Koh¡¯s harsh lessons, and Tamiel¡¯s own drive.


    Their spines weren¡¯t built to look directly above themselves, and Tamiel laughed at the ridiculous sight of them twisting their necks sideways in order to see overhead. Things progressed exactly as the boy had hoped. When the swoons caught sight of the pouncing and slavering jaegee, they let out raucous squeals of their own and bolted. The frantic creatures ran into each other, falling over and scrambling back up in their haste to vacate the clearing.


    For several long minutes, Tamiel desperately held onto his branch, afraid that if he let go, his roars of mirth would carry him over the edge. When he finally gained control of himself, he had to lay there and gasp until his vision cleared and his sides stopped hurting. He glanced down at the emptied clearing and smirked victoriously as the dust settled and revealed the spiritless body of his unspoiled prey.


    Jumping down from his branch, he got right to work on field dressing his catch. The amatuer ranger still felt a little queasy cutting into the corpse and removing its entrails, but hunger was a great motivator. Tamiel sighed as he thought about his dinner. Despite his best efforts at cooking and seasoning, the results were just edible. He could still recall the wonderfully prepared meals of Nola and Koh, and even further back, the palatial meals that he had been used to for almost all of his life. His own cooking was a poor substitute. But, he supposed, at least he had upgraded from the rotten and raw diet of his lousy stint as a thief.


    He threw the dressed carcass over his shoulder and left the viscera for whatever animals discovered them. ¡°Thanks for the bounty,¡± he said, expressing his gratitude to the forest. ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡± It was going to be dark soon, so he hurried back to his temporary abode. On his way, he checked the various alarms and traps that he had placed around it. None of them had been triggered, so he believed that he was safe. He climbed up his tree and started preparing his kill.


    His home was an unused hollow about halfway up one of the monstrous trees that composed the Forest of Giants. Poorly constructed blankets of fur lay crumpled under the finely crafted blanket that Nola gave him. Pieces of meat and a few fish were strung from a corner of his ceiling, curing. A pile of various roots and other edible plants were hanging next to them. With his magical flames he didn¡¯t have to worry about burning down his current dwelling, so he could do his cooking safely inside and out of the weather.


    After his filling, if unsatisfactory, dinner, Tamiel got to work on cleaning and repairing his gear. Blades needed to be cleaned and sharpened, rips and tears needed to be mended, plants needed to be hung out to dry. He whittled a couple extra arrow shafts for when he inevitably broke one. There were even some feathers from when he had caught some bird-like creature the other day, so that he could refletch them as needed.


    Finally, he worked on tanning a few of the hides that he had acquired. This was his least favorite thing to do, but with the weather starting to drop, he needed something to bundle up in. He stripped down to his underwear, so he didn¡¯t stain any of his clothes with the rank tanning processes. He stepped out onto a branch a bit away from his hollow. Using a skinning knife, he scraped the leftover meat from the hide. Then, he placed it in a bucket of water that he had hung from a branch, hoping to keep scavengers from it while it soaked.


    The lonely nomad had an orderly operation set up. Because the entire project took several days for each hide, he now had several in each stage of curing. Finished with his newest acquisition, he moved on to his previous batch, which was ready for scraping. He did the best that he could, but was eminently aware that his work was not particularly comely. Next came the grossest part. Tamiel had to make a solution out of the brains of his prey and soak the leather in it. He was pretty sure that his disgusted face could frighten off small children.


    Though he was already tired from the day¡¯s activity, he stretched and pulled another piece of leather until he couldn¡¯t anymore. He rested for a while and chewed on some swoon jerky. ¡°I¡¯m so tired,¡± he complained, ¡°But there¡¯s only one more job, before I can go to sleep.¡± He smacked his cheeks lightly and stood up.


    A few trees away from his den there was another hollow. This one was used for smoking the leather and meat that he hunted. Hanging the newest piece of finished leather and some meat, he magically started a controlled but smokey fire. Then he meditated outside of the cavity until the leather was done. ¡°Finally,¡± he groused, as he grabbed the leather. Making sure that his enchanted flame was contained and unable to start a forest fire, he left it to continue smoking overnight. Then, Tamiel drifted back towards his shelter and his bed.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    After a huge storm that lasted for three days, a playful group of squirrels ran around the trunk of a tree while Tamiel watched in amusement. He was eating a meal of mashed roots and dried swoon meat. ¡°I¡¯ve finally got it!¡± he was congratulating himself while he devoured his simple fare. Little did the group of lively rodents know, but two among their number were fakes. The young mage had been practicing his illusory magic and the results spoke for themselves. Ever since he had fashioned the jaegee, he felt that he had a deeper understanding of his conjured phantasms.


    Sound, smell, sight, even touch to some extent, his illusions were now capable of fooling the average onlooker completely. The delighted expression fell off of his face as the chittering of the happy squirrels reminded him of Nahira¡¯s laughter. He wondered how she would react to the massive improvement of his images.


    As his attention wandered, the counterfeit rodents froze and then popped like bubbles. Their authentic brethren stared in shock and dismay at the sudden disappearance. Tamiel tried to choke off his laughter at their horrified expressions, but he ended up choking on his food instead. The little creatures glared at him and then raced away to continue foraging.


    Tamiel left the clearing himself and decided to go deeper into the woods. An enticing smell teased his nostrils, and despite his misgivings, he decided to follow it. He didn¡¯t realize that the scent that was drawing him closer was clouding his judgement as well.


    He followed the path of the aroma in a distracted daze. The boy wobbled to a stop about twenty feet from the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her sun-dappled skin seemed to shimmer and shine with an internal radiance. Large and enticing eyes were pulling him in, filled with seductive suggestions. A breezy gown revealed an overwhelmingly luscious figure. Her face was framed by lustrous hair the color of liquid gold. She bit her lip enticingly and beckoned him closer with her perfectly formed hands. Tamiel¡¯s heart raced and his blood boiled as he was overcome with desire for this gorgeous being.


    As he took an eager step forward, Nahira¡¯s glowering face appeared in the back of his mind and he blushed with embarrassment. The embarrassment led quickly to annoyance at the honeytrap he had almost fallen into. Focusing mana into his eyes, Tamiel broke through the hallucination and beheld the abhorrent reality of the creature before him.


    Scraggly, twiglike hair jutted out in a crooked crown around a horrifying semblance of a human''s facial features. The dryad¡¯s skin was pitted and lined like bark. The previously graceful arms had distended and twisted into long clawed branches that scratched at the air in an attempt to grab onto the disturbed vagabond. The once enticing scent had transformed into a vile and rotten miasma that burned his throat and choked him. Its gnarled torso was fused into a diseased looking trunk. A twisted and toothy maw opened up under its ghastly visage. Even its grey and ashen leaves looked sickly.  Bones littered the ground in front of it, some of them woven through its grasping roots.


    Even as his eyes watered from the stench, he glowered menacingly at the disgusting thing. ¡°How dare you!¡± Tamiel¡¯s hand curled into a shaking fist. ¡°As if I could ever fall for a foul trick like that. No matter how beautiful you pretend to be, my heart belongs to another. Before her, you would never stand a chance. Trying to get between our love is the last mistake you¡¯ll ever make, you hideous crone!¡±


    He was overcome with revulsion, and shamed by how easily he had been seduced. Enraged, Tamiel evoked every last splinter of his power and unleashed it on the object of his wrath. Forming into one of his father¡¯s paramour spells, he called,  ¡°Xertonos, burn away my enemies. Sundering Burst!¡±


    A billowing force condensed in the exiled prince¡¯s outstretched hand, igniting the very air around him. He sent it rushing towards the immobile monster as it shrieked fearfully. The golden ball of flaming energy melted into the abomination¡¯s stomach, above the massive gibbering mouth. A hissing smoke billowed out of the hole and the dryad tried to rip and tear into its own flesh to remove the burning object. Flames licked out of the wound before bursting forth like some sort of infernal tongue. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The creature looked up pleadingly at Tamiel, silently begging him for mercy. Its eyes grew wide when smoke started pouring out of both its mouths. A thunderous crack rang out across the woods as the entire tree-beast exploded, raining smoldering splinters.


    Lowering his hand, Tamiel snuffed out the flames. After all, he wouldn¡¯t make a very good impression on the clans if he burned down their homes. He kicked a large piece of the trunk that had ended up near him because of the explosion. Then he stalked away, stomping back towards his temporary abode. He muttered pleadingly to himself the entire way, ¡°I¡¯m not a cheater, I promise, ¡®Hira. Don¡¯t get mad. It¡¯s not my fault, I swear.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Several weeks in, Tamiel was now completely adapted to his solitary lifestyle. ¡°I could stay like this forever,¡± he mused as he stretched pleasurably. ¡°No princely responsibilities, no annoying lessons in statecraft, no bothersome elders who complain about every little prank. My only boss here is my stomach.¡± The constant ache in his heart reminded him otherwise. Sighing, he spoke again, ¡°Maybe, after our reunion, we could both live here.¡±


    With her aptitude in plant magic, her supreme reflexes, and her attention to detail, Nahira would probably have an even easier time roughing it in the woods. Her phantoms were a near constant presence in his solitude, spurring him on, and keeping him focused. They flitted around the edges of his vision, giggling when ever he made a mistake. Sometimes they lectured him whenever he took a foolish risk or missed an easy target.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been on my own too long,¡± he complained to one of them. ¡°How is it that you''re a product of my imagination, and you''re still funnier than I am?¡± She just laughed and skipped away. Tamiel rubbed his forehead, ¡°I guess this is what going crazy feels like.¡± He called out after her, ¡°At least you¡¯re cute.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The exiled prince was hidden under a row of thick bushes. He skillfully circulated his aura to disperse his presence. Nearby, a giant boar, easily ten feet tall at the shoulder, snorted with its nose to the earth. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m hiding from the elder brother of a kid I picked on too much,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that swoons are tasty. And easy prey. And good training¡­¡± Tamiel¡¯s tone sounded like he was trying to convince himself that this wasn¡¯t some sort of karmic retribution.


    He had been picking berries when his instincts warned him that something was coming. Ignoring the thorns, Tamiel dropped and rolled deep into the berry bushes. Not a moment too soon, as the aggressively large beast ambled up to the berry patch and started munching. ¡°I¡¯m so screwed. If he catches me, it¡¯s all over. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m making it to that tree over there.¡± He swore with all the freedom of a thirteen year old that knew he wouldn¡¯t get caught. Or rather, he thought, a fourteen year old, as his birthday had come and gone during his solitary existence in the Forest of Giants.


    The boar slowly turned away from Tamiel¡¯s hiding place. The boy slowly started relaxing his muscles, not entirely convinced that the boar was going to leave. Just as he was about to move, his instincts screamed at him to freeze. With that as the only warning, the ground underneath the boar exploded outwards. A massive purple wurm erupted from the hole and immediately latched its maw onto the side of the startled boar.


    Squealing and bucking, the boar trampled around the clearing, trying desperately to shake the wurm off.


    Still hidden, Tamiel remembered his teacher¡¯s caution. ¡°Carnage wurms always hunt in packs.¡± Feeling a minor vibration under his stomach, he immediately leapt out of the bushes. He dodged the second, smaller wurm¡¯s eruption by a hair''s breadth. Cursing violently, Tamiel beheld several more of the smaller wurms drill their way out of the earth. The boy ran with all the speed he could muster, towards the tree he had taken note of earlier.


    The smaller wurms looked back and forth from Valorous to the still thrashing boar. Three of them leapt for him, while the other two latched themselves onto the boar. They had truly earned the carnage in their name, as they violently tore into the boar. Blood fountained out of the boar¡¯s flesh as the poor beast tried to fight back.


    Making it safely, Tamiel skittered up the tree and stopped above where he thought the carnage wurms could reach. ¡°By Texnosha¡¯s regard, fleeting clouds rain down. Water Blade!¡± Droplets from the air condensed into three shimmering crescents. They launched through the air towards the pursuing wurms.


    The curved blades tore through their targets and knocked the three wurms to the ground. A high pitched keening breached the air as the wurms writhed in agony.


    Tamiel couldn¡¯t rest, because when the largest wurm heard the agonized cries of its brethren, it let loose a monstrous wail of its own and bodily threw the boar at him. A sickening crack came from the boar as its body bounced off of the tree.


    Tamiel, once again, barely managed to jump out of the way. He landed on the forest floor and rolled, immediately racing across the ground, away from the remaining carnage wurms. His warrior¡¯s instincts saved him again. He had barely skidded to a stop when six more of the smaller creatures burst out of the ground in front of him.


    ¡°Xertonos, coat my blade in the righteous fire of your wrath. Searing Blaze!¡± Launching himself forward, Tamiel whipped his sword from its sheath and covered it with a scorching golden flame. With a short series of slashes, he cut all six of the newly arrived wurms into smoking ribbons. He spun around and unleashed the fiery aura from his blade, hurtling it at the two smaller wurms that were slithering towards him.


    The rending volley hit one of the wurms directly and tore part way through the other. The powerful hit left smouldering wounds that incapacitated its victims and left them thrashing around and keening loudly.


    The largest wurm almost couldn¡¯t believe its senses. How could its mighty children be destroyed by such a tiny mouthful? Enraged, the last and biggest carnage wurm shrieked so loudly that Tamiel was forced to grab his ears in pain. The massive beast flung itself across the clearing, traveling almost faster than the boy¡¯s eyes could keep up with. Its dripping and horrible maw was stretched open as wide as it could go, wanting to swallow this new enemy whole.


    Tamiel tried to swallow, but ended up choking on his spit. His eyes were enlarged with fear at the imminent advent of the wurm. He tried to turn and run, but couldn¡¯t focus while also attempting to catch his breath. He tripped and whirled so that he could see the charging wurm. Frantically, he spat out a patchwork spell. ¡°With the awakened blood of Korovix, patron of corrosion and genesis, seize the flames of Xertonos from my veins, wreath my foe in devouring fury. Combination magic, Scouring Flames of Gehenna!


    The wurm¡¯s journey appeared to be in slow motion to Tamiel as he focused everything he had on this attack. The auric flames in his chest, which used to be a cheery and golden hue, darkened into a frenetic conglomeration of flickering shadows and swirling embers. They burst from him like a cannon blast before becoming an enormous torrent of phantasmagorical fire.


    The fires rammed into the stampeding wurm and bit into its roughly armored flesh. The carnage wurm¡¯s skin bubbled and smoked wherever the flames so much as grazed it. The causitic flames roiled past the wurm and started to melt through the surrounding trees and undergrowth.


    The wurm was so massive that the force of the blast barely slowed its forward momentum. Even though its head was a smouldering ruin, the body continued to sail towards the half-prone young mage. Tiriel got one last shriek in as the wurm¡¯s boiling corpse smashed into him.


    The boy struggled weakly for a moment, trying to get out from underneath its grotesque bulk. His vision started to go dark from the pressure. His final thoughts were of Nahira. She seemed to sadly turn away from him. As the weight continued to press down on him, Tamiel uttered softly, ¡°Sorry, ¡®Hira. looks like I¡¯m not gonna make it after all.¡± Then he passed out.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡°So dramatic.¡±  An entertained and husky voice declared as a lithe form gracefully dropped out from high up in a tree. It had been previously hidden behind a few of the tree¡¯s massive branches.  ¡°But, impressive, nonetheless.¡±


    The girl grinned as she landed on the last surviving wurm and skewered it on the end of her unornamented spear. She shook her dreadlocked hair and nimbly padded towards the trapped and unconscious boy. Her dreads were dyed the mottled shades of the forest, browns, greens, greys and reds. Little rounded furred ears poked out from her hair.  Her face and exposed skin were covered in green paints, drawn in ornate patterns. Piercings adorned her ears and nose.


    Her light brown eyes were colored with honeyed amusement, but they also held a serious attentiveness that came with traveling through wild lands alone. She appeared to be around sixteen and wore tight leather armour along her torso and shorts that covered her upper legs. A bow and quiver of arrows were slung assuredly across her back. Though she was barefoot, her feet were calloused and she walked confidently and surefooted.


    Trailing her fingers along a part of the wurm that hadn¡¯t burned, the girl whistled a command.


    A six-legged beast loped out from beyond the clearing. He was larger than a horse, and looked closely related to a squirrel. He had a feathered mane that trailed partially down his back and a long thin tail that whipped around erratically. His species were called gorgels, distant cousins to the gorgers that Tamiel had hunted with Nola. An oddly shaped leather saddle was tied across his back.


    Before the beast made it to her, he got distracted by the dead boar, with its limbs splayed out in a slightly comical fashion. He padded up to the partially dissolved corpse and sniffed at it. Shaking his nose while backing away, the squirrel-like animal turned and looked at the girl curiously.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s gross, buddy. Can¡¯t eat anything killed by carnage wurms.¡± She patted the creature''s head comfortingly, then replied, ¡°Come along, Sasha. Let''s get this idiot out from under momma carnage wurm. Help me push her.¡±


    Even with both of them giving their all, it still took time to push the bulk of the carnage wurm off the unconscious boy. Sasha dug into the corpse with his foremost shoulder and strained mightily. The girl was crouched, with her back against the wurm, in an attempt to lift it even a little. Luckily, Tamiel¡¯s hand was visible from under the side of the wurm. With hard work, comes a reward though, as eventually the pair had shifted it enough to drag the kid out.


    As soon as he was out, the girl gracelessly sat down on the dirt and sprawled against the still warm corpse while panting. The mammalian creature spun around a couple times and then curled up at her feet.  ¡°Wooh, that was heavy.¡± She glanced over at the kid. ¡°Well, at least he¡¯s still breathing. Hey, Kid.¡± When he didn¡¯t stir at the sound of her voice, she scowled at him. Picking up a nearby stick, she poked him a couple times in his side. When he still didn¡¯t move, she threw her hands up in exasperation, letting the stick fly out of her hand and hit the dead wurm behind her.


    After she had cooled down, the girl pulled herself up and dusted off her legs. ¡°These were my favorite pants, kid. You¡¯ll owe me for this, for like forever.¡± Some of the still-bubbling goo from the carnage wurm had oozed onto her while she worked to free Tamiel. The girl expertly checked over the boy¡¯s bruised form for any broken bones or tell tale signs of internal damage. Pleased by what she found, she stopped to admire his face for a moment. ¡°I bet you get all the ladies, pretty boy.¡± She stood up and toed him gently, but he just continued to lay there. The girl shook her fist menacingly before grabbing him by the arm and wrestling him upright. ¡°C¡¯mere, Sasha.¡±


    The gorgel bolted straight into the air from his resting position and wagged his tail as he sauntered over. He sniffed at the unconscious boy before wrinkling his nose in distaste. The girl laughed, ¡°I know he smells bad. We do too after all that rubbing up on momma wurm. I wasn¡¯t asking you to eat him.¡±


    Sasha looked at her, his expression asking, ¡°Then what good is he?¡±


    The girl nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯d normally agree, my fair gorgel, however. This young man is going to treat us to dinner tonight. Now come here, let me get him into your saddle.¡±


    The beast shied away, glaring at his friend.


    ¡°Oh come on, you big priss. Don¡¯t worry, Sasha. I¡¯ll make him clean your saddle after he wakes up. It''s really the least he could do, after you saved his life, and everything.¡± The girl tried to cajole her mount.


    Sasha considered this for a moment. Chirping his acquiescence, he took a couple steps forward and knelt down. With his permission, the girl picked Tamiel up and dumped him unceremoniously in the saddle.


    ¡°Good boy. I¡¯m sure he has lots of tasty meaty treats for you in his hollow. If he¡¯s not awake, he can¡¯t tell us not to eat them all.¡± She expertly tied the slumbering boy into the saddle and jumped up behind him. Sasha wheezed as she landed, so she smacked his rump. ¡°You had better not be calling me fat, rodent. Or else I¡¯ll eat everything in this boy¡¯s camp and not leave you anything.¡±


    Sasha yipped fearfully and jolted forward, racing up the nearest tree. Travel by the giant squirrel monster was surprisingly smooth, even as he slithered laterally up the trees. His movements were more like a coiling snake, than a horse¡¯s jarring back and forth gait. He was also wickedly fast as he rushed from one branch to the next. Even his jumps were smooth, since he had six legs to distribute the impacts.


    Circling the trunk of their destination, Sasha darted into the opening of Tamiel¡¯s hollow.


    Once inside, the girl dismounted and snapped her fingers. A luminous green orb rose from her extended hand and drifted lazily around the ceiling. Then she untied the battered boy from Sasha¡¯s saddle and laid him down gently.


    With an unexpected efficiency, she stripped him. Shock wrote itself across the open book of her face when she uncovered his wings. Trancelike, she traced the jagged curves and red scales as she wondered why he kept them hidden. Returning to the task at hand, she rinsed him with water from a vessel that he had stored in a corner and checked his bruises again for anything serious. After she was happy with his cleanliness and the state of his injuries, the girl picked Tamiel up and laid him gently in the poorly made leathers that he used as a bed.


    She turned to her mount and unstrapped his saddle, placing it in an unused corner of the hollow. Then the girl stepped back out onto the branch with her mount and brushed him down with a comb from one of the saddlebags. ¡°Tomorrow, it¡¯s definitely time for a bath, guy. Your smell is definitely not friendly.¡±


    Sasha¡¯s response was to snort in annoyance. He ruined the act when he rolled onto his back and shimmied across the branch, trying to scratch an itch.


    ¡°Hey pal, I¡¯m not saying that I smell great. But I also don¡¯t have fur that¡¯s matted with carnage wurm gore.¡± She jokingly kicked him away. He wagged his tail furiously and begged her with large hopeful eyes.  ¡°Fine, you''re good enough. You can go raid his pantry now. Leave something for me though.¡±


    The gorgel rolled back to his feet and rushed into the hole and climbed up to the ceiling so that he could reach the hanging meat. Happy noises filled the space as he munched greedily.


    While Sasha was stuffing his face, the girl stripped down and cleaned herself off with more of Tamiel¡¯s water stores. She brushed off her clothes and left them out to dry. In the meantime, she grabbed one of Tamiel¡¯s better looking leather blankets and wrapped it around herself.


    The girl walked back inside and found Sasha rolling around with a piece of meat in each of his six paws, trying to stuff all of them in his mouth at the same time. A vein popped out of her neck, and she swore at him. ¡°There better be some left for me, rodent!¡±


    Sasha jumped in surprise and at least had the decency to look embarrassed at his own behavior. He looked at the six pieces of meat and tentatively offered her the piece with the least amount of his slobber on it.


    ¡°Ew, gross. Fine, you overgrown rat, I¡¯ll just have to catch my own.¡± She leapt at Sasha menacingly. While she was in the air, he squealed with fright, absolutely convinced that she was going to eat him. He bolted for the opposite side of the space.


    She had anticipated his escape already, and kicked off of a magical platform. The girl back flipped and landed right on top of her mount. They wrestled loudly around the room. Somehow, Tamiel remained unconscious through all of it.


    Now even hungrier, the pair gorged themselves on the boy''s supplies. Sasha sprawled out and patted his swollen stomach. With her eyes half-lidded, the girl sat down cross legged in front of the former prince and chewed her stolen jerky slowly. ¡°You better not end up making me regret saving you, kid.¡±


    Her contemplation was interrupted when, even hidden up in the tree hollow, a cold wind swirled through the canopy and down her spine. Shivering slightly, she gracefully stood up and whistled at her friend, ¡°Come on, you snuggly furball. Let''s get some sleep.¡±


    Without a single care for her virtue, she pushed the wounded boy over on the furs and lay down next to him. Sasha oozed towards them, and after circling a few times, surrounded the pair with his warm fur. She comfortably curled into Tamiel and Sasha.  She was asleep in seconds.

 Chapter 8 - The Forest Girl Finds a New Pet

    An errant sunbeam stabbed past Tamiel¡¯s eyelids and he groaned at the unexpected pain. When he shifted, it woke up his bruises, so he groaned again as he tried to gather his thoughts. He felt the soft furs of his bed beneath him, and then realised that someone was pressed up against him. Despite the pain, he rolled out from under the blankets and stared at the strange girl while he continued to scoot backwards.


    One of the fur pelts sniffed at him and growled in annoyance. The former prince realised that it was no blanket surrounding him, but some sort of mammalian creature.


    At Sasha¡¯s growl, the girl finally woke, and blinked owlishly for a moment. Then the girl stretched languidly while neglecting to hold onto the sheets. She exposed a predator-like grin and licked her lips. She peered at the gawking boy from half-lidded eyes. ¡°So, how was your night?¡± were the first words out of her mouth.


    ¡°What?¡± Panicked, the boy squeaked. His princely dignity reasserted itself and he continued, ¡°What happened?¡± Tamiel¡¯s eyes narrowed as he tried to fill in the blanks of his memories.


    Tackling him onto his back, the girl sat on his stomach and jabbed a finger at him. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the questions here. I mean, you wake up next to a beautiful girl, yet you haven¡¯t even asked her name? Just like a guy. My name is Maiyael Vierral, by the way. But call me Maiya.¡± ¡±


    Tamiel¡¯s confusion deepened. ¡°Beautiful girl?¡± He replied.


    Maiya¡¯s seductive smirk turned into a scowl. With a practiced motion, she flipped him over and pinned his arm behind his back. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m beautiful? I guess wurms are more your type, then,¡± she hissed into his ear.


    The boy frantically tried to backpedal. ¡°You¡¯re very pretty! Ah, what are you doing? Ouch, you¡¯re pretty.¡±


    The girl snorted and pulled him up. She wrapped her arm around his neck menacingly. When Tamiel tried to wrest her arm away, she formed a fist out of her free hand and rubbed it harshly across the top of his head. ¡°Calm down, kid. I was just teasing you.¡± Laughing, she pushed him away.


    During this exchange, Sasha had woken up. He was sitting on his hind legs with his head cocked to the side. Maiya introduced him, ¡°That¡¯s Sasha.¡± At the sound of his voice, he jerked forward and started licking Tamiel¡¯s face. ¡°Shoo, down boy. Go eat something.¡± With Maiya¡¯s permission, Sasha flowed snakelike out of the hollow and down the side of the tree to hunt something for his breakfast.


    While Sasha was leaving, Maiya stood up and wandered towards Tamiel¡¯s stock of fruits. Rooting through them, she grasped a couple juicy looking specimens and rubbed them on her makeshift dress. Biting into one, she asked, ¡°Why are you in my forest?¡±


    Valorous got up slowly while wiping the slobber off of his face with a blanket. ¡°Your forest? Some strange girl owns the whole forest?¡±


    Faster than he could react, Maiya had launched herself across the hollow and kicked him square in the chest. As he fell, she planted her foot on him. ¡°Of course I do. Wasn¡¯t that already clear? Well, you¡¯re obviously addled, so I¡¯ll be taking charge of your life now.¡± She continued chewing while she thought. ¡°You know, this would go a lot easier for you if you decide to stop being such an ass.¡± Maiya poked him with her foot a couple times while stating, ¡°I¡¯m used to getting what I want. Don¡¯t make me get rough.¡±


    The beaten prince¡¯s eyes snarled at her, but not liking his odds, he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m an orphan. My name is¡­¡± the prince stopped, he had almost said that his name was Valorous. ¡°Tamiel. I had to flee after my mother died. Now, I want to be a mercenary. But I¡¯m too young. I¡¯ve heard that the tribes in this forest take in children and teach them to become the best mercenaries out there.¡±


    Maiya tossed him the other piece of fruit and let him get up. The fruit was slightly squashed from her rough handling. ¡°Was that so hard?¡±


    Valorous sniffed at the bruised fruit, but his hunger got the best of him and he bit deeply into it. He stopped midbite when he heard Maiya say, ¡°But, I don¡¯t think I believe you.¡± The girl tapped her nose a few times. ¡°At least that''s not the whole story. I can smell drama from a mile away. And boy, you are full of it.¡± She ran a long finger across Tamiel¡¯s chin and licked the juice from it. ¡°I can be patient. You¡¯ll tell me eventually, ....Tamiel.¡±


    Her laughter was interrupted by the return of Sasha. He looked pleased as he preened himself. She tossed the remains of her fruit to the giant squirrel, which he happily snapped out of the air. She picked up her spear and stepped towards the exit. ¡°Come on, Tammy, you can keep telling me lies while we hunt for something fresher.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± He gestured at her condescendingly. ¡°You plan on wearing that sheet all day? Might get a little drafty.¡± Sarcasm dripped from the boy¡¯s voice. Maiya looked down at herself, seemingly just remembering that she was wearing nothing but a loosely knotted leather sheet. Tamiel had to spin around and cover his eyes when she just shrugged blankly and started unknotting blanket.


    Her boisterous laugh echoed through the hollow. ¡°Aww, you¡¯re so cute when you blush.¡± She turned to Sasha as she got dressed. ¡°City boys are so much fun to mess with.¡± Moving on, she expertly cinched up Sasha¡¯s saddle and packed away the few things that had been taken out previously. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Tammy, before you pass out from blood loss.¡± Smacking Sasha¡¯s rump, Maiya grabbed her weapons and swung out onto the branch. Sasha slithered fluidly after her.


    Checking that his own meager gear was accounted for and making sure his sword was loose in its sheath, Tamiel followed. Fumbling on his way down, Tamiel ignored the girl''s chuckles as he lamely caught up to her on the ground.


    ¡°So. An orphan, huh? What were you before that? And, no innocent little orphan I¡¯ve ever met has been that handy with a sword, or had that kind of control over their magic.¡± Maiya verbally poked at the boy as they ambled.


    Slowly, the former prince replied, ¡°I lived up in one of the sky cities, and learned how to fight while there.¡±


    Raising an eyebrow, Maiya lightly pushed the ragged boy. ¡°Your whole sarcastic and taciturn vibe is probably attractive to some girls, but unless you tell me something juicy, I¡¯ll probably lose interest in helping you and leave.¡±


    Coughing awkwardly into his hand, Tamiel retorted, ¡°I haven''t asked for your help you know. I¡¯ve been doing fine on my own, other than almost getting crushed by that wurm.¡±


    Maiya kicked Tamiel¡¯s feet out from under him and then sat on him. ¡°Yeah, I noticed you a while back. If you hadn¡¯t decided to become a wurm sandwich I probably wouldn¡¯t have exposed myself to you.¡± Maiya winked at the boy trapped underneath her. ¡°Now spill, or I could just kill you and take your stuff.¡±


    After struggling unsuccessfully to free himself for a moment, Tamiel sighed. ¡°I was born in a sky city. I was¡­ falsely accused of terrible crimes. My accuser killed my mother. With my fiance¡¯s help, I managed to escape the city. I¡¯ve been running ever since.¡± He stared off into the rustling canopy. ¡°In one of the cities I was passing through, there was a recruitment going on for a mercenary group. They wouldn¡¯t take me because I¡¯m too young. But I heard that there were tribes of people living in this forest and that they take in orphans and make skilled fighters out of them.¡±


    ¡°Fiance? A little young to be getting married, aren¡¯t you?¡± Maiya asked as she offered a hand to help him back to his feet. ¡°Though i guess that¡¯s a sky city for you. Full of weirdos, if you ask me. All stuck up and snooty from what I¡¯ve heard.¡± She pointed her nose in the air to accentuate her words. ¡°You''re better off down here anyways. Probably. Why would you want to be a mercenary, though? Sounds like a lot of hard work, when I can just wander around my forest all day.¡± She started weaving through the underbrush again.


    Barely able to keep up with her, Tamiel responded. ¡°No one but you would think this was easy. And I have to find a way back to my fiance. She¡¯s my best friend. This was the only thing I could think of.¡±


    Maiya spun around and grabbed Tiriel, hugging him as she continued to twist. ¡°So it¡¯s love, huh?¡± Without stopping, she snatched his hand and twirled him away from her. ¡°Too bad for me then, I might have been falling for you.¡± she said, while poorly holding in her mirth.


    ¡°Are you ever serious? We just met, and you¡¯ve already confessed to me?¡± The former prince retorted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that I was too young?¡±


    ¡°Just met? Excuse me, I¡¯ve been following you for weeks!¡± Maiya crossed her arms while pretending to be hurt. ¡°Just because you didn¡¯t notice me. And here I was, pining away for you.¡±


    His expression froze. ¡°So, basically, you saved me, just so you could make fun of me to my face?¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it!¡± she proudly agreed with him.


    ¡°This must be karma. Either that, or I¡¯m dead.¡± He shuddered. ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel for the victims of my own pranks.¡±


    Her eyes danced. ¡°What¡¯s this about pranks?¡±


    As they continued to walk through the forest, Tiriel tried to surreptitiously duplicate her graceful yet swift movements. When she realised he was trying to copy her, she started moving slower and with more telegraphed motions.


    Sasha, who had silently padded alongside them, suddenly perked up his ears. He chirped at Maiya.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, buddy? Something fun to hunt? Let''s show this hopeless orphan how we do things in the forest!¡± Maiya said as she scratched under Sasha¡¯s long chin. She turned back to the prince. ¡°Watch closely. There will be a test.¡±


    The gorgel and girl turned as one and raced through the undergrowth. Tamiel labored mightily to keep up. Sasha bounded off to the side and pounced into some bushes. From the other side of bushes, four round shapes scurried out, squawking and chittering. They looked like balls of fur with beaks.


    Without slowing, Maiya unslung her bow from her shoulder and shot one of the fleeing creatures in the head. She Leapt and kicked off of a tree, fired again and hit a second target through the back of its shoulder. The arrow tore through its heart, killing it instantly.


    She let go of her bow with one hand and spun as she pulled a knife from a sheath at her thigh. The blade lodged itself into the third creature just as Sasha landed on top of the last one and tore out its throat in one vicious bite. ¡°See?¡± she said as she put a hand on her hip. ¡°Easy. Even a babe could do it.¡±


    Impressed despite himself, Tamiel was forced to admit that despite her attitude, her skills were the real deal.


    ¡°You have a bow in your shelter, but you barely ever use it.¡± She handed him her bow and asked, ¡°Can you shoot?¡± Maiya pointed at the knot on a tree a middling distance away.


    Nonplussed, he readied the bow. Knocking an arrow, Tamiel took aim at the proffered target. He loosed the arrow and they watched as it soared towards the tree. It struck the knot exactly in its center.


    Maiya whistled, ¡°Not terrible. I can work with that at least.¡±


    Tamiel opened his mouth to respond, and then closed it again. He decided to agree with her assessment. ¡°My aim is great against a stationary target. But how often will that happen in the middle of a chaotic battle?¡±


    As Maiya turned away, she looked appraisingly at Tamiel from the corner of her eye. ¡°So, you¡¯re not completely full of yourself.¡± She waved him away. ¡°Get some dry wood for a fire, Tammy, while I dress these guys. Your cooking is pretty bad, kid. If I have to eat any more of your food, I¡¯ll die of boredom.¡±


    ¡°When have you... Wait. Is that why I¡¯ve been missing leftovers? You dirty thief!¡± Despite his bluster, he knew she was right, his cooking wasn¡¯t very good. He took a step forward, but the excited look in her eyes boded ill. ¡°You, know what, nevermind. I don¡¯t even care.¡± As he walked away he swore by his pride as a trickster that he would get the better of her. She just laughed her deep, throaty laugh.


    Leaving the fourth furball for Sasha, Maiya efficiently dressed and skinned the other three. There was a lot less meat than it looked like there should be, but it turned out that most of the bulk was from their fur coats. She pulled some seasonings from Sasha¡¯s saddlebags and finished preparing the skewers.


    While she waited for the wood, she performed a quick cleaning of the furs and set them off to the side. Presently, Tamiel returned and got a fire going by blowing a tuft of magical flame at his pile of wood.


    While they waited for the meat to cook, Maiya asked another question. ¡°What kinds of magic do you know? I saw both fire and water during your battle with the wurms. And then there was that weird black fire you used at the end. Wow, that was crazy.¡±


    He replied proudly, glad that he was better than her in at least one thing. ¡°I¡¯m pretty well versed in the common offensive spells in both the fire and water forms, counter magic, shields, illusions, set enchantments, some physical enhancement, and bindings.¡±


    It was Maiya¡¯s turn to be impressed. The boy was competent in magic, the sword, and could shoot a bow to some degree at such a young age. Not that she¡¯d tell him that. ¡°I guess that¡¯s a start. Let¡¯s eat, and then we¡¯ll start whipping you into shape.¡±


    After lunch, Maiya pulled her spear from its holder on Sasha¡¯s back and gestured for Tamiel to get ready. ¡°As long as you¡¯re in my forest, we¡¯ll practice every day. After all, I can¡¯t have you embarrassing me.¡± Finished talking, her spear flashed forward as she lunged at him.


    His sword arced from its sheath and knocked the spear away. He continued the motion into a ferocious counter. A bit of his frustration at her attitude leaked into the strike. ¡°Still claiming that it¡¯s your forest? If I beat you, does that make it my forest?¡±


    Maiya stepped back out of his reach and spun her spear behind her. The butt curved towards Tamiel¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t see why it would matter, considering you have no chance at beating me. Plus you already owe me months of back rent for living in one of my trees, eating my food, breathing my air. How are you gonna pay me back for all that?¡±


    He twisted to the side and stepped forward to deny her longer range. ¡°Then it¡¯s a bet. If I win, it¡¯s my forest. If you win, I have to pay you rent for living here.¡±


    As the match progressed, their movements continued to speed up. Maiya treated the training as a real fight, and each of her attacks used her full strength. ¡°You don¡¯t even want to know how much I¡¯m going to charge you when this is over,¡± she mockingly snarled.


    Tamiel¡¯s seriousness was apparent by his expression, while Maiya¡¯s excitement was writ in every motion. After a series of furious exchanges, Tamiel had started to gain the upper hand. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to change the name to the Used to Be Maiya¡¯s Woods, huh. Then I¡¯ll start charging you rent.¡±


    Just as he was about to claim victory, Sasha blindsided him. Bounding up behind him, the squirrel-beast brought his foremost legs down in a hammer blow. Only Tamiel¡¯s instincts saved him from being pounded into the ground. He slid between the downward smash and the whistling spear. ¡°Hey! Two-on-one¡¯s not fair!¡± he cried.


    Maiya scoffed as she continued to attack. ¡°So cry about it. I¡¯m sure that all your enemies will politely come at you one at a time. And Sasha¡¯s got skin in this too, now. He doesn¡¯t want to live in a place with that stupid name.¡±


    Tamiel started sweating. They were all using legitimate weapons: sword, spear, claws and teeth; so the danger was very real. One wrong move, and permanent damage would result. Though minor, they were all already sporting scratches and scrapes from their hazardous exercise. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll charge him rent, too. If you don¡¯t like it, you could always leave.¡±


    Tamiel couldn¡¯t tell if Maiya was giving it everything she had, but he was certainly near the end of his own sword skills. At least, without using his intent or various magics. Magic, he believed, would go against the unspoken rules of their duel. But intent was an important part of any warriors repertoire. In a flash he formed his battlewill into a series of stabbing points. Along with his physical blade, there wasn¡¯t anywhere for Maiya to dodge. He simultaneously unleashed a torrent of aggressive intent at Sasha, hoping to overwhelm the animal¡¯s instincts.


    Without missing a beat, Maiya fell bonelessly to the dirt. Tamiel¡¯s sharpened intent and his blade whizzed past above her. In one fluid motion, she rolled backwards and back onto her feet. As she stood, she planted her spear¡¯s butt into the dirt and waved lazily with her other hand. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough for now. We¡¯ve got more to do today.¡± She glared at him in consideration. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you had that much experience in using battlewill. But, you¡¯ll have to try harder if you want to pull a fast one on me, kid.¡± The butt of her spear launched into an attempted glancing blow across the boy¡¯s cheek.


    Mockingly, Tamiel sprawled backwards in a mirror of her own earlier evasion, and expressionlessly watched as the strike passed harmlessly overhead. Unsure whether to be annoyed or entertained by the prince¡¯s foolery, Maiya opted to just extend a hand to pull him back up.


    On his feet, Tamiel wiped his sword down and sheathed it. He stretched his warmed muscles and reveled in the fact that he felt better than he had for months. His body was finally starting to fill out again, due to the constant exercise and abundance of nourishing food. It also helped that Maiya¡¯s cooking tasted much better than his own, and he had no qualms with devouring everything she made. On top of his training, Tamiel also stumbled into a growth spurt, and his features became even more handsome.


    Over the next few weeks, the trio wandered the forest. Everything was a game to Maiya, and she turned every training session into an exercise in patience. One such trial had become a variant of hide and seek, where Tamiel alternately tried to find Maiya, which was extremely difficult, and then to successfully hide from her and Sasha, which was also extremely challenging. Maiya was a harsh teacher, though a good one. She was quite pleased with his progress. She taught him many new ways to find and hunt down prey, and then how to flush it out. How to prepare the meat and what herbs added the most flavor. Which plants were good for medicines, of which they needed a lot from all the cuts and scrapes that they inflicted on each other. How to climb trees quicker and stalk through the underbrush silently.


    One day, Maiya had enough and bluntly asked him, ¡°Tammy, you have wings, right? Why don¡¯t you ever use them? Afraid of heights, or something?¡±


    It was enough to mortify him. ¡°Oh, uh. Well, they grew right before I fled my home¡­¡±


    Maiya cut him off, incredulous. ¡°So, what? You¡¯ve been traumatised and can¡¯t use them?¡±


    The boy rubbed his neck, ¡°No. I tried using them for a bit, but I wasn¡¯t good at it. And then I barely had anything to eat, and flying took too much out of me.¡±


    Unable to keep in her delighted laughter. ¡°Let me guess. You forgot.¡± She doubled over. ¡°Huge wings on your back, and you forgot they were there? No wonder you smell so bad, if you haven¡¯t been washing them this whole time.¡± She slapped his shoulder a couple times as she cried.


    Tamiel sniffed himself, worried that he did smell. When he didn¡¯t notice any terrible odors, he growled mockingly.


    Bent over as she was, she wasn¡¯t able to brace against his sudden attack. He hooked her legs out from underneath her and sat on her back. Grabbing her feet, he started to mercilessly tickle them as she squirmed and pleaded for him to stop. Finally she begged Sasha for help, and the six-legged beast jumped on top of both of them. ¡°Not fair,¡± she panted after it ended with all three of them stretched out on the ground. She turned onto her elbow. ¡°But, seriously, flight is a huge advantage and you should learn how to capitalize on it.¡±


    So flight practice was added to their daily routine. At first, it was mostly about learning how to properly take off and then land again. Without wings of her own, Maiya got to relax, make snide comments, and laugh at his pitiful attempts. Really, nothing had changed, Tamiel thought. Slowly, his artificially-red scaled wings grew stronger.


    During this time, the weather continued to grow colder and snow started to flutter constantly from between the branches of the giant trees. Tamiel longed for the constant warmth of his city, even though he knew how to circulate his aura and regulate his body temperature magically. Despite his constant refusals, Maiya snuggled up next to him and stole his body heat during the frigid nights.


    As his wings became stronger, the difficulty of his training intensified. He figured out how to dodge incoming attacks, strike at earthbound foes from above, shoot arrows while airborne, and eventually, they found a nest of batlike creatures for him to fight against during his flights. Sasha, amazingly, kept up with him as he flew. The beast bound from tree to tree with Maiya on his back, while Tamiel dodged and dove through the woods.


    Months passed in this manner, as Tamiel learned from Maiya. One day, after the weather had warmed considerably, Maiya abruptly stated, ¡°I think you¡¯ve been sufficiently housetrained, and it¡¯s time I took you home.¡± She scratched under his chin affectionately. ¡°Yes, who¡¯s a good boy? You''re not too embarrassing for me to show to my friends anymore.¡±


    Tamiel smacked her hand away, retorting, ¡°I¡¯m not a pet, you know.¡± Maiya remained unconvinced.

 Chapter 9 - The Prince Fights a Duel

    The Forest of Giants seemed to offer some protection from the atmospheric turmoil that tore across the lands, but weather still managed to slip through the leaves of its massive trees. Snow blanketed the earth and made climbing those trees a laborious task. The bitter winds made travel even more unpleasant. The three travelers burrowed into a comfy tree hollow and waited it out. Tamiel used the time to improve his crafting skills. He tried to craft simple leather clothing from their amassed skins.


    Maiya was a constant thorn in his side. ¡°Hey, Kid. I¡¯m bored. Entertain me. Like dance or something.¡± She acted like a petulant child, demanding his attention constantly. Eventually, he figured out how to craft his illusions into scenes. He ended up spending a lot of his time telling her stories from books he had read, or plays that he had seen. Whenever a tale didn¡¯t go the way she wanted it to, she mercilessly took it out on the innocent storyteller.


    Sasha was also obsessed with the swirling and moving colors, though it was unknown whether or not he understood what was going on plotwise. He would scrunch himself up while his tail lashed back and forth erratically, his eyes darted back and forth along the hanging magical screen. Drool hung from his mouth is long sticky strands as he made excited little mewling sounds.


    Once the weather cleared, Tamiel, Maiya, and Sasha broke camp and headed deeper into the Forest of Giants. The trees were endless, and had developed strange ecosystems. It was almost as though many different environments had been stitched together at random. They passed through the hunting grounds of many different beasts, and fought off any challengers.


    The only constant through the varied terrains were the carnage wurms. Anytime the travelers were on the ground, they had to keep their senses open for the ravenous critters. The wurms hunted wherever they pleased, and paid no heed to the laws of the forest.


    A two headed wurm, easily four times larger than the first one that confronted Tamiel, burst from the soil. A younger tree collapsed as the beast tore through its roots. Nine smaller wurms broke from the ground in a rough circle around Maiya and Tamiel. Sasha had felt the wurms approach and leapt for a high branch. He refused to fight against the foul tasting creatures. Instead, he alternated between licking his fur and watching the pair fight below him with feigned interest.


    ¡°Whursauk, Guardian of earth and honey, let your fur become roots and bind my foes. Earth Bind.¡± At Maiya¡¯s words, the ground around six of the wurms churned and reached towards them. A lattice of roots pushed the keening things out of the dirt and fettered them.


    Tamiel spread his darkened flames down his blade and leapt through the immobilized wurms. The smoking pieces fell back to the earth. He landed next to the girl and they clasped hands.


    ¡°Korovix, mother of night, send these children off to sleep¡­.,¡± Tamiel intoned, while lifting his hand up.


    ¡°Whursauk, return my foes unto the endless dirt¡­..¡± Maiya replied while lowering hers.


    ¡°Mouldering Coffin.¡± They finished together as their other hands touched.


    The webs of earth from Maiya¡¯s last spell shuddered and reached towards the two-headed monstrosity. The beast screamed and writhed as the latticelike structure burrowed into its flesh. The skein of earth wrapped around it and tightened into a floating ball. The duo tightened their hands as one and the ball of dirt instantly tightened and crushed the largest carnage wurm. The sphere of earth shook the earth as it crashed, and the wurm¡¯s bodily liquids dripped out of the cracks.


    Maiya started to let go of Tamiel¡¯s hands, when he suddenly tightened his grip and pulled her in close against him. Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned red.


    Tamiel¡¯s sword flashed into his hand and arced behind Maiya and sliced the wurm that had been charging at her back.


    She turned even more red, and vaulted away from Tamiel while fanning herself.


    Oblivious, the boy finished off the last two wurms himself and sheathed his sword. He turned to Maiya in confusion as she stomped up to him. She grabbed his collar and lifted him off of the ground. ¡°You little brat!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any manners? You can''t just grab a girl and throw her around. Jeez.¡±


    Tamiel pointed over her shoulder. ¡°Uh Maiya. That thing doesn¡¯t look like it has any manners either.¡±


    She turned her head so that she could see where his finger was pointing. An owldog the size of a house crashed towards them from a gap between some trees. Maiya threw the boy one way and jumped back the other way.


    The beast spun and lunged at Maiya. She was off balance and couldn¡¯t respond in time. All she could do was watch as its giant claws came closer. Before they struck, Sasha landed on the arm and knocked it downward while chittering angrily. He started tearing into the arm with his needle-like teeth and claws.


    Both Maiya and Tamiel recovered their bearings and launched into action. Tamiel condensed a set of boiling bubbles from the air and sent them towards the owldog¡¯s head. They made whistling sounds as they flew through the air, scalding the owldog¡¯s neck and shoulders when they hit.


    As the beast reared up in pain, Maiya stabbed at its feet with the butt of her spear to further unbalance it.


    Tamiel pulled his hands apart and a bubble formed around the beast¡¯s head. He clapped his hands together and the bubble popped in an explosion of light, heat and sound.


    The owldog sat down ponderously onto its rump and stared blankly, its thoughts  completely addled by the onslaught. It shook its steaming head to clear it and accidentally dislodged Sasha in the process.  Sasha landed a few feet away and backed away warily. The owldog ignored the gorgel and snorted a few times. It decided to hunt for easier prey and limped off, favoring its back paws where Maiya had stabbed them.


    Maiya stuck her tongue out after the waddling monster. Her stomach rumbled loudly and caused Sasha to leap back in alarm. Tamiel burst out laughing and sat down on the ground, the tension draining from his body after the series of grueling bouts. ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t have let the owldog escape. It could have been lunch,¡± he joked.


    With her nose in the air, Maiya replied, ¡°I¡¯ve got other plans for lunch. Better plans.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? You¡¯ve always seemed more like a eat-whatever¡¯s-in-front-of-you kind of girl,¡± Tamiel continued ribbing her.


    ¡°You just don¡¯t understand girls, kid. We want what we want, and it¡¯s your job to get it. It¡¯s a good thing you came to me for your education. I¡¯d pity your fiance otherwise.¡± After she spoke, Maiya realised that she had gone too far. All she did was shrug, ¡°Sorry, Tammy. I bet it¡¯s been rough.¡± Her stomach grumbled again.


    He forced himself to chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Your carefree attitude must be rubbing off on me. And I know I¡¯ll see her again.¡±


    Maiya stepped in next to him and poked him with her elbow. ¡°So confident. Tell me about her while we scrounge up some lunch.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes lit up as he spoke. ¡°¡®Hira is really smart. We hatched so many schemes together that would have been impossible for me alone. She¡¯s always giggling and getting into trouble. But she¡¯s really kind, too. Her magic¡¯s calm and soothing, and she could heal anything. She¡¯s beautiful, always smiling. Everything she does is measured and graceful.¡± He continued talking as they walked, unaware that this was the first time Maiya had seen him truly smile.


    There were sounds of rushing water off in the distance and it got louder as they wandered directly towards a large flowing river. Several waterfalls added to the melodic scenery. On the bank, a group of crocodile-like reptiles lazed around in the sun. They each had one or two pairs of long, sinuous tentacles that twitched peacefully as they dozed.


    Mayia¡¯s squeal interrupted the boy¡¯s neverending description of his girlfriend. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been waiting for!¡± She charged at the startled pack of croctopi and twirled her spear. ¡°Don¡¯t let any of them escape!¡±


    Sasha and Tamiel got caught up in her enthusiasm and they bounded off after her. One of the crotopi noticed them and rolled onto its feet, screeching a warning to the rest of its pack. The creatures formed up shoulder to shoulder and created a writhing wall of tentacles.


    Maiya responded by magically creating a large pit behind the beasts. At the same time, Tamiel cast illusions to confuse and push the croctopi backwards into the trap. Illusory Tamiels got chomped, strangled, and torn apart by the large reptiles. Maiya, Sasha, and the real Tamiel dove into the fray. The poor croctopi didn¡¯t stand a chance. With wild abandon, Maiya and her minions tore through the entire group. Crotopus parts flew everywhere.


    Maiya dropped to her knees and pulled out a skinning knife. Before her prey had even breathed its last, she was butchering it and yelling at Tamiel to get a fire started.


    ¡°Croctopus meat is the best,¡± she gushed to the boy. ¡°And it¡¯s like they want to be eaten. See this bulbous organ? Its excretions are a perfect oil to fry the meat up in. Oh man, I can barely wait.¡± She quickly and expertly cut into the corpses and laid out the bared meat along a strip of skin. While the oil heated up, she skipped over to Sasha and dug into the saddlebags. The girl pulled out a container filled with breadcrumbs and a couple eight-inch tall eggs that she had stolen from a nest earlier.


    As an afterthought, she took the whole saddle off of the squirming squirrelbeast. ¡°Good boy,¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Waiting for the okay. Go get it!¡± He tore apart the ground in his haste to latch onto one of the corpses. He stuffed his face with the rubbery meat and rolled around in bliss.


    Tamiel poked at some of the meat, and kept glancing from the happily humming girl and her wriggling mount. ¡°Is it really that good?¡± he muttered.


    Both of them stopped and stared at him in shock and pity. ¡°You¡¯ve never had fried croctopus before? No wonder all of you skycity freaks are so lame. None of you have tasted pure happiness.¡± Sasha snorted in agreement and continued to roll around on his back and cram his cheeks to bursting.


    Maya continued to dance around as she prepared the breaded delicacies. When she was done, there was a veritable mountain of crispy fried croctopus. Without waiting for it to cool, she started cramming pieces into her mouth. She had to stop and bounce around while fanning her face. ¡°Hot, hot hot,¡± she cried. ¡°You better hurry up, Tammy, or I will eat all of this.¡±


    He tentatively took a bite. As the deep-fried lusciousness melted into his mouth his face relaxed into ecstasy. He dove in and fought his hardest to eat his fair share of the overwhelmingly good food. Maiya kept pushing him away and huddled greedily over the remaining heavenly fried balls.


    After devouring as much as she could, Maiya fell to the ground and lay there patting her distended belly. Tamiel crashed down next to her and moaned. ¡°How did we eat all that? It shouldn¡¯t be physically possible. Oh man. I¡¯m so full, but if there was more, I¡¯d still be eating it.¡±


    Later on, Tamiel rolled onto his side and watched as Maiya neatly bundled up the skins and remaining meat and set them off to the side of their makeshift camp. ¡°Why do you always leave the excess parts piled up like that?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°The gatherers from my tribes are constantly patrolling throughout the forest. I leave a magical signature on the leftovers and someone comes to pick them up.¡± Maiya revealed nonchalantly, as though this was the most natural thing in the world. ¡°We¡¯ve been doing this the whole time.¡±


    He furrowed his brow. ¡°Wait, but we¡¯ve been out here for months, and I¡¯ve never seen anyone but you.¡±


    The girl scowled. ¡°Then maybe I haven¡¯t trained you enough. Why, someone passed through and stopped to watch us fight the croctopi for a bit. I can¡¯t believe that you didn¡¯t notice. You should really pay more attention¡­¡± Her ire turned into mirth. ¡°If you weren¡¯t under probation, they definitely would have stayed for lunch. I bet they¡¯re really embittered right now. I make the best croctopus fritters in the tribes. ¡± She puffed out her chest importantly. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Tamiel stopped dead with his mouth dangling down as low as it could go. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from squeaking, ¡°This is¡­ astonishing. Your city must be the most beautiful place I¡¯ve ever seen. How did you build all this?¡± His eyes couldn¡¯t stop roving across the many wonderful sights before him.


    Inside a colossal grove of trees a beautiful town grew, nestled in their towering branches. Ornate rope ladders crisscrossed the air between the structures. Some houses were magically shaped out of hollows in the trunks, while others were gorgeously crafted and mounted on top of the branches. There were ornamental fountains where various domesticated animals drank. Giant statues of grand-looking beasts were enshrined in thrones of entwined branches. Vast nets became the playground for groups of adventurous children.


    As Tamiel was overwhelmed by the unexpected magnificence, a troop of fierce looking warriors had silently surrounded him. Their weapons were trained onto the bewildered young man. He blinked at them, mystified. Then, he opened his mouth to speak and turned to Maiya, only to find that both she and Sasha were gone.


    ¡°Why have you come here, outsider?¡± one of the warriors spoke.


    Still looking around for Maiya, Tamiel realised that he had been set up. Turning to the speaker, he replied haltingly, ¡°My name is¡­ Tamiel. I come... seeking admittance to the tribes.¡±


    ¡°What reason could we have to admit you, little boy?¡± One of them scathingly asked while he brandished his weapon.


    Tamiel was uncomfortable, but answered truthfully. ¡°I am an orphan. My mother died and I was left in a hostile environment. I escaped and have made my way here, under the auspices of Maiya Vierral. I have heard of the greatness and strength of your tribes. I also want to become strong.¡±


    ¡°We have no need for weaklings,¡± the irate tribesman replied.


    The leader of the group stepped forward and put a hand on the aggressive man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Everyone has the right to ask for our help, Somah.¡± He turned to Tamiel, ¡°But we do not always choose to give it. Know that we do not often allow strangers into our families, orphan. But that is not for me to decide. I am Challa. Follow me, little boy. Your fate will be decided by our Chief Vierral.¡±


    Hearing the name of their chief, the boy had a very bad feeling of what was to come.


    Surrounded by the group of armed tribesmen, Tamiel was brought to an amphitheatre-like clearing. There were fancifully carved wooden bleachers headed by an opulent tented dais that reigned majestically over the wide field.


    The bleachers were full of a wide assortment of people. Scales, feathers, webbed fingers, each person sported the characteristics of their Patrons. There didn¡¯t appear to be any common dress among the residents either. Many styles and amalgamations of styles appeared among them. Almost everyone carried weapons. Children scurried up and down the steps, yelling at each other excitedly and waving sticks.


    The arena was filled with assorted artificially built terrain. Large poles jutted from random points in the dirt. A few sturdy looking stone walls dotted the field. In one corner, a manufactured waterfall cascaded down into a large pool that had been dug into the ground. No expense had been spared in the building of this fantastic colosseum.


    The seat of honor was occupied by a giant bear of a man that could only have been Chief Vierral. He had a burly bristly beard and his hair was dreaded down his back. The short ears of a bear poked out of his hair. His face and arms were covered in whirling green tattoos.  He wore a combination of leather and chainmail with burnished metal plates on his left arm and leg. A massive two handed sword in a sheath was propped up on his chair.


    In a seat next to the chief, with her legs crossed, sat Maiya. When she noticed Tamiel starting at her, she broke into a catlike predatory grin. In an obviously telegraphed motion, she turned to the man, who must have been her father, and spoke something into his closest ear. He smiled at her and stood, taking a step to the edge of the platform.


    His booming voice reverberated across the arena. ¡°Young man. I am the chief of the Darkearth tribe. My daughter tells me that you wish to become one of us. Do you have what it takes, I wonder.¡±


    The crowd roared in response to the chief¡¯s call.


    He raised his hand and the crowd quieted immediately, ¡°We respect only strength. To be worthy of joining us you must be strong. But to be worthy of staying with us, you must also carry yourself with honor.¡±


    The people stamped their feet in unison.


    The Chief finished, ¡°My daughter says that you are strong. So we will honor you by letting you fight against one of our strongest younglings, my own son, Gerath. Prove yourself against him and the tribes will welcome you.¡±


    Challa gently pushed Tamiel forward into the center of the ring. He shook his head at the naked glee of his subordinate: Somah was wringing his hands and chuckling in anticipation.


    Cheers burst from the crowd as a young man walked out from behind the dais. Though he was younger than Maiya, at fifteen he stood as tall as his father. His massive muscles rippled as he sauntered out. Gerath had an honest and open face with half-lidded sleepy eyes. Like the rest of his family, the furry ears of a bear grew from his head and swirling green tattoos raced across his body. An easy smile was plastered across his face as he waved back at the crowd.


    Wielding twin great axes almost as large as Tamiel, he spun them around as if they were weightless. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, kiddo. Even if you are my sister¡¯s friend, I won¡¯t go easy on you. No matter how strong my sister said you are, you¡¯re no match for me. This will be over quickly. No hard feelings, okay?¡±


    Tamiel drew his sword and a dagger, then got down into a fluid stance. ¡°I see that you share your sister¡¯s confidence. I hope that it¡¯s not empty bravado.¡±


    The giant boy lunged forward as fast as his laughter bellowed out, his axes wide and low. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out, kiddo!¡±


    Knowing that his opponent was far stronger than him, Tamiel used both of his blades to block the first axe, trying to angle it so the axe would glance high off of his guard. Though the blow was even heavier than he anticipated, Tamiel recovered and barely managed to duck backwards and away from the second axe. Gerath whistled approvingly.


    After only a few exchanges, Tamiel knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to win if he continued to let Gerath dictate the pace of their duel. The smaller boy danced backwards before unleashing a familiar spell. He whispered under his breath,  ¡°The Guile of Korovix, trick the world. Shadow¡¯s children.¡±  Seven identical Tamiels ran in different directions and surrounded Gerath. The muscular boy raised his eyebrows at the sight, then grinned excitedly and drawled, ¡°Alright. This is what I¡¯m talking about, kiddo. What¡¯ve you got?¡±


    Gerath sliced at the Tamiel directly behind him. His slash cut straight through the false Tamiel, which burst into water droplets and smoke. The giant used his momentum to spin and his other axe lashed out towards another Tamiel. The second fake ruptured like the first.


    With a serious glare, the remaining five Tamiels each cast another spell, their voices echoing eerily around Gerath. ¡°Xertonos, ensnare my target in your ire. Flame Lash.¡± A long whip of magical flame burned from each of the Tamiels¡¯ daggers and lashed towards the dazzled tribesman. One of the whips curled around an axe, and that Tamiel pulled back as hard as he could. The axe was torn from Gerath¡¯s hand and it spun off into the dirt.


    The other four whips stuck at Gerath but he managed to cut one in half, block another and dodge a third. The fourth whip struck his shoulder and left a darkened singe along his back. It was clear that the illusion¡¯s magical whips were not as potent as one wielded by the true Tamiel.


    ¡°Not bad, friend.¡± Instead of getting angry, Gerath laughed joyfully as he kicked out at the closest Tamiel. The clone burst into a cloud of mana. The real Tamiel noticed that Gerath was keeping an eye in his direction, like the older boy knew which one was real.


    The remaining three fake Tamiels all rushed Gerath at the same time. Flinging themselves at him, they all exploded into a muddy liquid, which splashed into Gerath¡¯s eyes.


    Tamiel rushed forwards a second behind his clones, and used the opportunity to close in on his opponent. Building momentum, he lashed out with his leg, hoping to knock Gerath to the ground. ¡°Take this, Gerath!¡± he yelled.


    He saw the other boy muttering, but didn¡¯t want to lose his advantage. Too late Tamiel noticed that the earth had swollen up to encase Gerath¡¯s legs, which supported and grounded him. Tamiel cried out in shock as the giant dropped his second axe to the ground and grasped Tamiel¡¯s extended leg when it struck him. ¡°I¡¯m not done!¡± Tamiel lashed out with his other leg and kicked at the hand that held him.


    Though he was blinded by the sticky liquid, the grin never left Gerath¡¯s face. He reached up to grab Tamiel by the boy¡¯s torso and encircled him in a crushing hug. ¡°Yes you are, kiddo. It¡¯s over.¡± He whispered and tightened his grip further.


    Tamiel thrashed around wildly, trying to break the larger boy¡¯s hold. Unable to draw a breath, Tamiel¡¯s struggles weakened, and his vision started to go dark.


    A memory started to play on the inside of his eyes. The distant scene came into focus as he lost sight with the outside world. Valorous was caught, chained, and pushed to his knees by the guards he had considered his friends. King Raitan, his face full of rage, raised his magic sword and beheaded the prince¡¯s mother. He heard Nahira scream, tears streamed down her face in an agonizing torrent.


    ¡°No!¡± Tamiel screamed along with his memory of Nahira. Caught in the recollection, the former prince unwittingly released a raw surge of fire and shadow that blew the giant boy away from him.


    Gerath flew limply across the field and crashed into the ground.


    Tamiel dropped to his knees as he grappled with the painful memory. He gasped for breath as he looked around wildly.


    Unknown to him, the magical blast had torn through his personal illusions and he stood revealed to the tribe. His black hair was tangled in his face, his black scaled wings heaving with his breathing. Shadows writhed in his troubled eyes.


    The formerly boisterous stands were silent. The assembled crowd did not react well to the sudden transformation of the boy. They stared in shock at this apparition of the nightmare from times past. Even Maiya was staring, for the mysterious boy had never revealed his true form to her either. Even trapped under the Carnage wurm, his illusions had held.


    The disoriented boy tried to take a step, but the Chief was next to him, and a massive hand smashed into Tamiel, throwing him back and away from the groaning Gerath.


    As he pulled his giant sword from its sheath, Chief Vierral declared, ¡°Remnant of the Shadow, know that you fought well. But this deceit cannot go unpunished.¡± He had raised his sword to skewer the prince, when Maiya dashed from the dais and grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Father, I will vouch for him.¡± Maiya stated. Then she turned to the frightened onlookers, held her chest and pleaded, ¡°I¡¯ve traveled with him for months. He may be a mystery, but he¡¯s not evil. We all understand that one¡¯s blood isn¡¯t all that they are. We aren¡¯t so weak that we discriminate because of someone¡¯s lineage. It was my decision to bring him here. By the name of Maiyael Vierral, if he ever steps out of line, know that I will kill him myself.¡±


    The chief considered his daughter¡¯s impassioned speech for a moment and then shrugged. ¡°Well, it was a good fight.¡±


    At the chief¡¯s decision, the crowd roared their approval, moved by the exciting bout.


    Maiya bent over and held out a hand to the boy, ¡°You¡¯re lucky it was my dad here, one of the other chiefs might not have been so lenient. They all like to shirk their duties and disappear for months at a time.¡± She raised an eyebrow at her father.


    He shrugged unapologetically at his daughter and then poked Tamiel¡¯s chest. ¡°Prove yourself worthy of my daughter¡¯s trust, boy. We are all taking a risk of allowing one hated by the sky kingdoms here.¡± Having said his piece, the chief lumbered off like a sleepy bear.


    Gerath shambled up next, and slapped Tamiel on the back, staggering the smaller boy. ¡°Well done, friend; quite the spell casting there. I did not see that coming at all. Though you might want to train that aura of yours better. Man, I¡¯m gonna be bruised for a week.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you big baby.¡± Maiya poked at her brother. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you lost to this little kid.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m taller than you, Maiya. And I¡¯ve beaten you plenty of times.¡± Tamiel cut in. He was still a little addled, both from the clan''s easy acceptance of his blood, and from the chief¡¯s backhand. ¡°Thank you, though,¡± he responded to the older boy¡¯s words. He turned to Maiya and asked, ¡°How is everyone so willing to accept me?¡±


    She shrugged back, ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been being watched since before you entered the forest, and the elders had already decided to accept you into the clan.¡±


    When he looked at her accusingly, she fluffed her hair and winked at him flirtatiously, ¡°What? You didn¡¯t think my father would let some strange boy hang around me without coming to check things out, did you?¡±


    Wondering if he would ever get a straight response from her, the newest member of the tribes shook his head.


    An elderly lady in flowing pale robes glided towards them with a serene smile. Though she was wrinkled with age, she had a mysterious vitality about her. Her short white hair was decorated with feathers. Her nose looked like a beak, but it gave her an abstracted charm instead of making her look stern. The Vierral siblings nodded their heads at her respectfully. She spoke to Tamiel, ¡°What an intriguing young man. I could sense your powers before you even entered the village. Call me Mystia, child. I am the Chief of the Indigofalls tribe.¡±


    She ran a graceful hand across his scaled arm, then circled around him to touch the curve of a wing. Continuing around, she traced his cheek. Holding his chin in between her fingers, she stared deeply into his eyes. ¡°I sense no malice in your spirit. However there are forces at work unknown to you, and they would very much like to devour you.¡±


    A bluish glow suffused the old woman, centering around her eyes. ¡°I will have to hide you while you are here, until you can learn to do it yourself.¡± The glow spread from her until it encompassed the boy as well.


    He felt a cool, calming assurance from her magic, as it seemed to seep into his skin and form a gentle knot in his chest. Tamiel sighed in relief, as a keening pressure that he hadn¡¯t been aware of previously was muted. ¡°Thank you, Chief Mystia. I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble while I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal, child, you¡¯ll find that we aren¡¯t big on such stuffy manners. Now, let me look at you. Your previous illusions were masking your presence well enough, but we can¡¯t have you lighting up like a beacon every time you get into a fight and those illusions fail.¡± Mystia said lightly. ¡°My Indigofalls tribe will have much to teach you, while you remain here. You should think about joining my tribe, when the time comes. But of course, that¡¯s all for later. I think the tribes are setting up a welcoming party for our newest little one.¡± She endearingly poked his nose.


    Unnoticed by Tamiel, a young man was glaring at him from the bleachers. He was a livid shade of red  and he shook with jealousy at how close Maiya was acting towards the dashing and mysterious boy.

 Chapter 10 - The Tribes Welcome a New Member

    The arena had been transformed in a matter of moments. Giant cooking fires littered the grounds. Colored lanterns cast a warm glow throughout the area. Tents were set up haphazardly with games or industrious vendors hawking their wares. The ever-present children rushed around carelessly while adults lovingly watched.


    Impromptu duels cropped up among the older children that wanted to test their skills. A few of them tried to imitate Gerath and Tamiel¡¯s duel for comedic relief. Cheering groups observed, joking and laughing.


    Pretty young ladies congregated in huddles of three or four, giggling and flinging flirtatious eyes carelessly at the posturing young men. Some number of the girls glanced at Tamiel and blushed at the dashing boy, hoping to catch his interest.


    Tamiel sat on the floor of the dais and tried to take everything in. He had met so many people that his head spun. Loads of uneaten food had piled up around him. Everyone who had cooked something gave him some of their food, and expectantly waited for him to try it.


    He tried to ignore Maiya, who was nearby, recounting stories of their forest adventures to a crowd of sparkling eyed children. With exaggerated words and motions she kept them enthralled completely. Tamiel almost didn¡¯t recognise his own parts in her tales. He couldn¡¯t help but think that her audience had the same childish look in their eyes that she had when they were snowed in and he was telling her stories.


    A pack of bitter looking young men skulked nearby and listened to Maiya¡¯s fabrications. They cast furtive glances at Tamiel whenever Maiya was turned away from them. One of them pushed another while saying, ¡°Go on, Sedris, I thought you had a thing for Maiya. Gonna let that Shadow-blooded pretty boy take her away from you?¡± Sedris was the name of the boy that had been glaring down on Tamiel at the conclusion of the duel.


    ¡°Shut up, Teake,¡± Sedris responded while pushing him back. ¡°Look at how skinny he is, Gareth must have thrown the fight. No way Maiya would go for a punk like that.¡±


    Despite his sour and scathing words, Sedris was a normally kind young man. His brown hair ran down to his neck in carefully manicured spikes. His thoughtful blue eyes had caught the attention of many pretty young girls. Testaments to his deeds were prominently painted in blue ink across his exposed skin. He was garbed in a long sleeveless tabard that was open in the front and had tight black pants on which were tucked into very well made boots. He was decently tall, and while not bulky, he did have clearly defined muscles.


    One of the slightly more clear-headed boys scoffed. ¡°That fight was honestly brutal, man. Being able to cast several complicated spells in succession like that, he¡¯s definitely got some skills. And that finishing move? I couldn''t have handled that.¡±


    Another one chimed in, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been listening to Maiya¡¯s stories? If even a quarter of that is true, I wouldn¡¯t want to fight him. And I know Maiya is good enough that what she¡¯s saying seems conceivable.¡±


    The two¡¯s attempts at placating him had the opposite effect on Sedris, who was deep in the throes of unrequited love. Mustering his courage, he stomped towards Tamiel, intent on putting the younger boy in his place. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Tamiel, right? Don¡¯t get full of yourself just because you beat Gerath. He may be big, but size isn¡¯t everything,¡± berated Sedris.


    Tamiel¡¯s confusion at this hostile boy''s posturing was evident. Everyone else Tamiel had met tonight had been congratulatory and kind when introducing themselves. Further, his pampered upbringing followed by his month-long journey as a starving thief and then living in the wilds with only Maiya for company had inhibited his understanding of the thought processes of other young men.


    Before he could respond, Maiya had left the group of enthralled children and bounced towards them. She threw an arm around each of their necks. ¡°Hey, looks like my two favorite boys are here! Tamiel, I see that you¡¯ve met my pal, Sedris Nighthawk. Whatcha talking about?¡±


    Sedris blushed at the physical contact from his crush. ¡°I was welcoming him to our city. It¡¯s been too long, Mai. You¡¯ve been gone for months. Who knew you were babysitting some little kid.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Oh yeah? Good.¡± Maiya grinned at them, ¡°Tammy¡¯s kind of a project of mine, so it¡¯s good you guys are becoming friends.¡± She completely ignored Sedris¡¯ attempts to belittle the other boy. She lifted both of her arms and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°We are gonna have so much fun together.¡±


    When she wasn¡¯t looking, Sedris glared at Tamiel again. His voice was at odds with his expression as he replied, ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait.¡±


    Their passive-aggressive conversation was interrupted by bright flashes of multicolored lights. In front of one of the tents close by, a comfortable chair had been set out. Chief Mystia sat down gracefully and excited children rushed towards her. They jostled each other for the best seats and sat down on the ground. Some of them had brought blankets to sit on. A few adults also came forward to gather around the Ethereal older woman.


    ¡°Now my children, let me tell you the story of how our tribes came to be.¡± she said. As she spoke, she raised her arms and the shining lights above her were woven into a floating tapestry. The colors shifted mesmerically as she gathered her thoughts.


    Mystia continued, ¡°Our world has always been a harsh place. The peoples of the earth were ill equipped to deal with the fierce tendencies of our mother¡¯s nature. Wild beasts hunted us as the unstable weather tore us apart.¡±


    The tapestry showed a vast swath of grasslands, where little people ran from charging creatures imbued with sharp claws and teeth. The ground was sundered under them and rain pounded down on them from above.


    ¡°We know of the peoples who built the sky kingdoms. They prayed to Spirits that lived out among the stars. And they were answered by these beings, but they were not of our Mother Enoch. So instead, we prayed to our world. And Enoch answered us.¡±


    Tamiel was enthralled by the tale. Though it started similarly to his own understanding of history, it started to vary, leading his thoughts towards a deeper wonderment of the magical nature of the planet.


    Mystia continued, ¡°From the earth issued forth our own Guardians. They gave their spirits to our tribes, disappearing into our bloodlines and granting us some of their immortal strength.¡±


    The Tapestry shifted to show each of these great spirits, manifesting from the ground and then fluidly sinking into the kneeling tribes.


    ¡°Frecki and his brother Gerri, the giant wolves. Their tribes were bound with close ties of brotherhood. They value unity above all.¡± Frecki and Geri loped out of the earth as wolves the size of trees. Both of them had bony protrusions along their legs and spines. Frecki was thin and streamlined and his movements were lighting fast. His Brother Gerri was more like a mobile siege engine. His giant bone plates granted him an almost perfect defense. Continuing their charge, the brothers leapt over a group of prostrated worshippers and sank down into their flesh. The affected people¡¯s teeth sharpened and their ears transformed into those of wolves. Some of their feet grew at an extra joint as fur covered their bodies. Bone plates formed along shoulders or forearms. Some of them gained the characteristics of Frecki and their arms and legs lengthened and became springlike. Others bulked up and became immovable bulwarks like Gerri.


    ¡°Babu the great monkey is a thinker. His tribe is moved by the desire for knowledge, constantly observing the world around them.¡± Flowing out of the trees, Babu was a white furred monkey. He pounded the ground powerfully, then strode purposefully into another group of kneelers. Their limbs distended and they grew more muscular. Some of them sprouted Babu¡¯s white fur or a long prehensile tail. Their faces grew deeper and wisdom twinkled in their eyes.


    ¡°Epona, fastest of all horses. She believes that the tribes¡¯ salvation lies in progress. Her tribe never gives up on their hopes for the future. ¡± Epona came galloping out of a fissure in the ground while whinnying mightily and raced towards a third grouping. These people gained her cloven hooves and mainlike tail, a small few grew an additional set of legs, becoming true horses from the waist down.


    ¡°The chimera Leonidas. A mutable Guardian, they know that change is inevitable and they taught that acceptance to those in their tribe.¡± Rocky spikes tore from the ground, fracturing and mixing with various roots and grasses. The form of a multi headed beast slowly rose from the chaotic mixing. They had the heads of a snarling lion and a bleating goat, sharing their shoulders between them. Their rippling body was that of the boar with a tangled mane and powerful front claws. Their back legs were cloven like a goat¡¯s. The black wings of a bat grew from their back and a hissing snake came out of thier backside like a tail. Those Leonidas blended had gained their chaotic nature. Some of the tribespeople grew the whiplike tail of a snake, while others sprouted horns and cloven hooves. Some gained batlike wings, and others still had their countenance become more catlike complete with whiskers, a thick pelt and retractable claws.


    ¡°Whursauk, the oldest of the bears, He was the first being formed on Enoch, and he will be the last to return to Enoch. He embraces patience, and reminds us to live for the now.¡± A great black bear faded out of the trees and slowly plodded forward. He wore armor made of bones and his eyes seemed to contain the entire world. The tribe that he chose became ponderous and larger than life.


    ¡°Harmon the armadillo. In any journey, it is the individual that decides how that journey goes. Her tribes understand that value is inherently different for each person, and each of them gained a fierce independence.¡± The last to lumber forth, Harmon had impressive protective plates that granted her a vigorous defense against attack. Those she touched gained a portion of her bulk and defensive physiology. They also learned to burrow through the ground at great speeds with shovel-like claws.


    ¡°We were granted one last boon from Enoch for our worship. The Forest of Giants grew profoundly. With its deep roots, it holds the earth together and prevents the quakes that plagued our ancestors. The rise of its branches and expansion of its canopy pushed away the deadly winds and overwhelming floods that still threaten the rest of the world.¡±


    The hovering tapestry showed this growth. Twisting roots drilled deep into the dark soil and joined together until every tree was connected to all of the others. Their branches lifted further off the ground and bifurcated repeatedly, intertwining until they became a wall against the foul wind¡¯s force.


    ¡°Our Guardians¡¯ gifts have allowed us to carve out our own home and go tooth against tooth and claw against claw to fight the horrible beasts we share our world with. May you always walk in the grace of Enoch, children.¡±


    As the Tapestry faded away, Mystia stood up with the help of her long staff. The crowd around her was somber, as each person considered her words and reflected on their own resolve. Around them, the lively party continued and eventually drew even the most pensive of them back into its warm embrace.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Tamiel and Sedris were currently engaged in a mock battle, while Maiya and some of her friends watched and provided colored commentary. The boys were pretty evenly matched and since neither could use their deadlier skills, the match was dragging on a bit.


    Maiya regularly forced Tamiel to spar against her friends. Since Sedris was constantly underfoot, because of his crush¡¯s continued interest in the mysterious boy, Tamiel also fought against the older boy often. In spite of Sedris¡¯ failed attempts at social subterfuge, he was pretty capable in a fight. His weapon of choice was a hook-bladed knife attached to a magically formed cord with its other end terminating in a metal ring. Sedris could use this strange weapon in close quarters, long range, and to swing around masterfully, using the environment to sneak attack his foes.


    ¡°Come on Sedris, spank that little kid!¡± one of the onlookers yelled. After the encouragement, Sedris¡¯ attacks became flashier and came faster as he tried to overwhelm the younger boy.


    Despite the quicker pace, Tamiel appeared distracted. While he fought, he reminisced about the last few weeks. Overall, he felt that his new life in the city of the tribes was good. He had been forced to endure a pseudo-celebrity status for a while. He realised that just the fact that he was the newest distraction meant that throngs of curious teenagers were constantly nosing into his affairs. With his poetically sculpted looks and martial skill added into the equation, the boy was overwhelmed with invitations to parties, challenges to duel, and romantically inclined overtures.


    Maiya, herself, was quite the flirtatious butterfly and she coerced him into conforming to her lively social scene. Since she considered Tamiel to be an amalgam of favorite protege and second favorite pet, she gloated to her friends while dragging him along begrudgingly behind her. ¡°Look at how well behaved he is. And so strong, I definitely recommend that you find one for yourself, Serla.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not a pet,¡± Tamiel complained softly, mostly to himself. He knew that neither Maiya, nor her friends believed him in the slightest. He decided that it was easier to try and ignore their air-headed antics and focus on his fight. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Sedris had unconsciously backed up a step at Tamiel¡¯s distracted glower. When the jealous boy realized this, he tried to cover it by berating his new rival. ¡°Hey, city kid, my eyes are up here.¡±


    Tamiel used that opening to go on the offensive. He slowly beat back his retreating opponent while staring into Sedris¡¯s eyes acerbically. His princely upbringing and social isolation from children his own age exacerbated his feelings of awkwardness among them. He had been emotionally wrecked by the first few confessions and he was taking it out on his current opponent. He had valiantly tried to explain his relationship with Nahira to the other teenagers.  Despite knowing that there was no room for anyone else in his heart romantically, many beautiful youths continued to amorously throw themselves at him. But when none of his admirers were terribly hurt by his rejections, he started to gain an understanding of the dating scene that pervaded his new home. They were much more socially open to casual encounters than he was used to. Still, the mental picture of an angry and disappointed Nahira made Tamiel involuntarily cringe.


    Sedris took the opportunity to whip his cord around a branch and launch himself at the preoccupied boy. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m picking on you. Get your head in the game.¡±


    Tamiel sidestepped his rapidly approaching foe and slashed down with his sword. ¡°Worry about yourself, Sedris. You haven''t beaten me yet.¡±


    Sedris spun around in the air and blocked the blow with his curved knife. Using his momentum, Sedris flipped behind Tamiel and launched his cord at another branch. He disappeared around a tree, and came around behind Tamiel. ¡°That¡¯s it, Sedris, get behind him!¡± someone hollered. His sneak attack accidentally ruined, he was disappointed when Tamiel calmly turned and blocked with his dagger, and counterattacked with his longer sword at the same time.


    Scoffing, Sedris dodged and shouted, ¡°Can¡¯t beat me without help, huh? Try this!¡± He launched a furious flurry of strikes with both his curved knife and his bladed ring.


    ¡°Maybe you should tell that to your friend over there.¡± Tamiel fluidly parried and countered each stroke. Sedris stepped back and flung his ring out, which Tamiel promptly struck off to the side.


    The girl sitting next to the hollerer elbowed him. ¡°Yeah, dummy. Way to ruin the fight.¡±


    Sedris pulled the cord and tried to wrap the ring around Tamiel¡¯s leg. Tamiel leapt into the air to avoid it. Smirking, Sedris snapped the cord like a whip up into their air and snagged Tamiel¡¯s leg. ¡°Rough. It¡¯s over.¡± one of Maiya¡¯s friends said regretfully.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it yet, Tammy is quite the scrappy little wench.¡± Maiya replied. Instead of allowing himself to be thrown onto his back, Tamiel used the pull to launch him forward and aimed a kick at Sedris¡¯ chin.


    The onlookers gasped. Cursing, Sedris blocked Tamiel¡¯s boot with his forearm and grunted at the heavy blow. He used the contact to wrap Tamiel¡¯s other leg in his cord and bind the two legs together. He tensed to throw the smaller boy, ¡°Looks like your fans are going to be dissapointed, kiddo,¡± he said condescendingly.


    Both fighters tried not to be distracted at the wild shouting all around them. Tamiel dropped his short sword and latched onto Sedris¡¯ arm as the smaller boy started to fall. His weight threw Sedris off balance and they both hit the ground and their weapons were knocked from their grasps by the impact.


    Tamiel¡¯s legs were still wrapped up in the cord, so he whipped both of his legs around in a vicious kick at Sedris¡¯ temple.


    Sedris was able to move mostly out of the way, but was still struck by a glancing blow to his cheek. He growled again as he spun himself around and lunged onto Tamiel¡¯s chest. He cocked back his fist and drove it into Tamiels eye. But as he pulled his arm back for another blow, he was stopped by the frigid feeling of a sharp point pressed against his stomach. Looking down, Sedris grimaced as he saw his own blade in Tamiel¡¯s grip.  His voice was strained as he said, ¡°You got lucky, Tamiel. Don¡¯t think this is over.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, boys!¡± Maiya called from the sidelines. Fanning her face with a hand in an exaggerated manner, she sauntered over. ¡°Oh my, you two look quite handsome with those matching black eyes. It¡¯s so manly, I may faint.¡± Her friends giggled.


    Snorting, Tamiel pushed Sedris off of him, stood up, and kicked the cord away. ¡°More like, you¡¯d get so excited that you¡¯d join in and stomp on both of us. Not exactly my version of a good time.¡±


    Maiya pretended to pout, ¡°Hey I¡¯ve learned self control. I haven¡¯t jumped in for at least three days!¡±


    Sedris joined in with his hands on his hips, ¡°I still have bruises from then. You came in out of nowhere and sucker punched both of us. You shouldn¡¯t interrupt a duel between men, Maiyael.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say you sound like my mom, but she¡¯s actually the one who taught me how to fight, Se-dris!¡± Maiya replied with a shake of her head.  She turned her back on the two boys with her nose in the air.


    Spinning back around, she stepped towards Tamiel and batted her eyes. ¡°You understand me, don¡¯t you Tammy? I just wanna join in on the fun.¡±


    Sedris glowered at the attention Maiya was giving to the handsome young man.


    Tamiel cracked his back and replied, ¡°Even your father doesn¡¯t like sparing with you, Maiya. And he¡¯s a battle freak. You need to learn to hold back.¡±


    Despite his feelings for the other boy, Sedris nodded his head in complete agreement. ¡°I¡¯m forced to concur with my rival, Maiya. You¡¯re one of the chief¡¯s daughters, you should act with more decorum.¡±


    Maiya and Tamiel responded at the exact same time.


    ¡°Decorum? Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Your rival?¡±


    They turned to each other with similar dumbfounded looks on their faces.


    ¡°Did you know I had a rival, Maiya?¡±


    ¡°Seriously, what kid says stuff like that. Decorum?¡±


    Sedris stomped his foot. ¡°Maiyael, that¡¯s a completely reasonable word, and you are the daughter of a chief. I¡¯m just looking out for your future. And you, of course we¡¯re rivals, you little runt. You should be sweating excitement at the honor of being considered a rival of the Great Sedris, even if just barely so.¡±


    Maiya laughed so hard she snorted. ¡°I think you might have hit him too hard, Tammy.¡± She continued to laugh as she pulled a dread in front of her nose like a mustache and struck a pose. ¡°Me, I¡¯m like the poster-child for decorum.¡±


    Tamiel had a blank pitying look in his eyes as he nodded. ¡°Yeah, sorry, Sedris. I¡¯ll go easier on you next time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, buddy. Better luck next time.¡± Sedris¡¯ friends tried to console him. He threw his hands up disgustedly and sulked away, grumbling to his friends.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Tamiel¡¯s teachers were delighted with their new pupil¡¯s diligence and drive. Chief Mystia was especially pleased when Tamiel showed an affinity for her spiritual magic. ¡°Good, child. You¡¯re a surprisingly fast learner.¡± she murmured dreamily. They were inside of Mystia¡¯s house,  a three room home built high in the branches of a tree. The furniture was bolted down to prevent it from shifting whenever the tree swayed in the wind. Herbs were hung from the rafters and the various tools of an herbalist were strewn around the room¡¯s many surfaces. Though cluttered, it was clear that everything was placed meticulously for easy access. Tamiel and Mystia were sitting cross-legged on the floor, facing each other.


    ¡°Because of my bloodlines, I¡¯ve always had an easier time learning different affinities.¡± Tamiel responded sincerely. With his royal upbringing, he sometimes forgot that not everyone got the kinds of training and curriculum that he had access to.


    ¡°That certainly helps, but I¡¯m more charmed by your ability to sit still. My teachings aren¡¯t something that most of the children here are interested in.¡± She sighed dejectedly. Training in spiritual magic involved meditation, self-reflection, and fostering a calm and focused demeanor. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame because spiritual magic is both quite beautiful and very powerful. Most of the children seem incapable of staying calm. Especially since there isn¡¯t any instant gratification to it. Bunch of Boneheads.¡± The lack of stimulation was an especially high hurdle for most of them. This was a stillness different from tracking and observing your prey for the perfect moment to strike, so most of the tribespeople had zero interest in it.


    During these sessions Tamiel slowly opened up to Mystia about his transformation. ¡°Last year, my fiance and I accidentally discovered a hidden seal binding a portion of my aura. We were trying to create a spell to quicken the magical power in the blood of a mage. We were also hoping that doing so would manifest further traits from the Patrons. While trying to enhance the connections in my blood, we broke that binding and it ignited the blood of the Shadow Dragon clan hidden within me. That event granted me these wings, my horns, and hardened my scales.¡± His wings curled involuntarily as he started to remember what had happened after.


    ¡°I see,¡± Mystia cut in before he could plunge into his painful past. ¡°Yes, I felt the reverberations of that event, even here. You must carry a very pure source of the Shadow¡¯s blood, child. That seal must have been connected to the other scattered survivors. When you broke your seal, it broke open the seals on anyone who also carried that bloodline. There were even a few here whose blood was ignited. It was because of them that we could be so easily accepting of you, Tamiel. Though we don¡¯t carry the same extreme phobias of the sky nations, we probably would have been more suspicious of you. It turned out that there were more survivors than we had previously thought. Either that, or the survivors were highly prolific.¡±  She winked beguilingly at the slightly embarrassed boy.


    After Tamiel stopped coughing, she continued.¡°Your awakening reverberated across the spirit realms. Since then, I¡¯ve made a small study into those affected tribespeople. While there is no unified understanding of our magic, we do know that those with different bloods may have similar abilities with only minor differences in how they operate. I¡¯ve also gotten in touch with a school beyond the forest that has been attempting to categorize our magical natures and define how they function.¡±


    Tamiel interjected, ¡°Yeah, was it the White Wind School? My mother had a friend in their organization, so I know a little bit about them.¡±


    Mystia was enthused that the boy knew of the school and her planned lecture devolved into an airy chat. ¡°Oh, how alluring. What do you know about the theories of the White Wind?¡±


    A bit of a magic enthusiast himself, Tamiel dove into the topic. ¡°The base of their research shows that our ability as mages to manipulate mana is tied into the manifestations of our Patron¡¯s traits.¡± Mystia nodded as he continued. ¡°Now that¡¯s not to say that those with stronger physical traits are inherently better. How you are able to use your power is more important than how much you have. Now my own theories and research dovetailed into theirs on these next points. So it¡¯s a fact that there is magic that can improve physical abilities. Muscle mass, reflexes, and the like. Well, I believe that since blood is a physical component, you should be able to strengthen it too. But while I have indeed grown wings, it doesn¡¯t prove my theory. I broke a seal before we could actually try my experiment.¡±


    Mystia¡¯s eyes grew sharp as she responded forcefully. ¡°What exactly was this experiment? Tell me everything. Better yet, let''s recreate it, who do you think would be a good test subject, I mean, candidate for this?¡±


    Feeling a little worried, Tamiel tried to slow down his teachers enthusiasm. ¡°It would be difficult to recreate. I was working with my fiance. She also uses a sort of spiritual magic, but I couldn¡¯t tell you if there are any important differences between your powers. And besides, all of my notes were left behind, and probably destroyed now.¡±


    The elderly lady was appalled. ¡°Who would dare to destroy such research? The very idea is abhorrent.¡±


    ¡°In the sky kingdoms, anything touched by the remnants of the Shadow clan is tainted. That would include me, I guess.¡± Tamiel started to fiddle with a seam on the knee of his pants.


    Mystia¡¯s exuberance was doused. ¡°You know that¡¯s not true, child. Your blood doesn¡¯t define your personality.¡±


    Tamiel tried to smile, ¡°I know, Mystia. Thanks. Anyways, my fiance could see the flow of magic inside a body. We found that most buffs increased muscle function and blood flow. So we concluded that if we could focus it more on the blood, we could increase its ability to absorb and distribute mana from the atmosphere. Over time, or with enough mana, we believed that the body''s natural capability would grow and awaken the dormant traits in the bloodline.¡±


    Standing up, Mystia paced back and forth in the tree hollow as she considered his ideas.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡°Tamiel! Wait up!¡± A nine year old boy yelled as he ran towards Tamiel. He was one of the other orphans that had been adopted into the clans. He had patches of black scales that marked him as another shadowchild.


    The older boy stifled his irked sigh. ¡°Oh, hey Mikah. How¡¯s it been?¡±


    Mikah mimed throwing a series of punches into the empty air. ¡°Awesome, bro. I caught your last match against Sedris. You¡¯re always so cool when you fight. How¡¯d you get so good? I bet it was your blood, right? I¡¯ll be that powerful when I grow up, huh? Think I¡¯ll get wings like yours? I bet I will.¡±


    As the beginnings of a headache blossomed behind his left eye, Tamiel held up his hand in an attempt to stop the bubbly prattle of the little kid. ¡°Mikah. It¡¯s because I work hard that I can fight like that. I keep telling you that you can¡¯t just rely on your blood to become stronger. Didn¡¯t Chief Mystia explain that to you, too?¡± Mikah¡¯s constant attention made him almost feel bad for the victims of his own youthful pranks.


    ¡°Aw, Tamiel. They just treat me like a little kid. I¡¯ve already learned all that stuff. See?¡± Mikah tried to leap into the air and perform a flashy roundhouse kick, but he landed wrong and ended up hitting his butt against the hard ground.


    ¡°The basics are super important, Mikah,¡± he said as he helped the teary-eyed kid back onto his feet and dusted him off. ¡°You need to strengthen your foundation more, or else you won¡¯t be able to keep up later. The best hunters cultivate patience. You know that.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Come on, big bro Tamiel. I want to be stronger now. How did you do it?¡± the kid continued to plead.


    Tamiel rubbed his neck and looked daggers at the boy. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, practice. You¡¯ve got to train if you want real strength, Mikah. Power gained through shortcuts is always hollow. It¡¯ll end up hurting you in the end. Now run along. I know you haven¡¯t finished your lessons today.¡± Tamiel had been forced into a role of false authority, when the kids who had awakened to their shadowed heritage found out that he was the one who reignited their bloodline. Much to his consternation, Mikah and the others practically worshipped him and tried to follow him everywhere.


    ¡°But big bro, me and to others in your black dragon tribe were thinking that we should have a secret meeting tonight. You¡¯re coming right?¡± Mikah hopefully pulled on Tamiel¡¯s shirt.


    ¡°Ah, no, sorry. I probably won¡¯t be able to make it. I¡¯m pretty tired from today¡¯s training, so I was planning on heading to bed early. You know, you¡¯d be too tired to party if you took your lessons seriously, Mikah. Just saying.¡± Tamiel tried to poke him a bit.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, bro. It¡¯s not a party, I promise. It¡¯s an important secret meeting where we¡¯ll discuss our plans to officially start our own black dragon tribe. With you at the top, of course. Come on, please?¡± Mikah was filled with childish persistence and ignored anything that anyone said that didn¡¯t agree with him.


    ¡°Hard pass. I keep telling you that I¡¯m not interested. Wait.¡± Tamiel paused for a moment. ¡°Are there going to be snacks?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! Yeah. And we¡¯ll make sure to get those berry wisps that you like so much!¡± The boy wiggled with excitement, thinking that he had finally reeled Tamiel in.


    ¡°Well, if there are snacks, it''s a party. So, no. Not when we all have more lessons tomorrow.¡± Tamiel turned decisively and walked away.


    Mikah stomped his foot. ¡°Dang it.¡±