《King Of Solace》


 ~Pagiral~

    ~~*~~This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "And though death may dance in swirls of smoke, with eyes red as burning ember. I shall not fear him. For I will prevail. I will defeat that which does not exist and prove once and for all that I am mighty!"- Hope''s last words


    ~~*~~

 Prologue

    ~Bravaldor - city in the mountains~


    It was not part of her mission, but she could not resist her burning curiosity. She knew there was something else the humans were hiding from them, a secret plan to prevent the return of her god, or perhaps destroy him altogether.


    She had heard it whispered behind royal walls, and despite her sisters'' insisting that it was nothing to worry about, when she saw the confidence with which the human kings held themselves, she could not help but wonder.


    Today, she would find out what their secret was. She would warn her father and surely, her efforts would be generously awarded.


    Tentatively, her hands picked up the envelope. She broke its seal, which she could see despite the darkness of the cellar. Her kind did not need light to see. The symbol embossed on the seal was an old one, one used back when gods and men had mingled freely. Back, before the end of the world had begun.


    She opened the envelope, careful not to damage the seal further as she peeled it off, and read the yellowed paper inside:


    "Mortal men, heed us, and heed us well. These shall be our last commands to you before we depart. You wonder why we cannot be by your side as we have been, before, in your time of suffering. Alas, we may not tell you this, lest the enemy uses it against us. But know this, dear sons of Hope. Though our one true God may be deceased, we are with you. Heed our commands and victory shall be yours;


    I. The necromancer is to create an army, under the control of Solace, as the elves have abandoned humanity.


    II. The watchful eyes of Wyden are to keep watch for the enemy''s return.


    III. The brave men of Bravaldor are to forge the finest of weapons, they will build within the mountains a fortress in which all men will reside when the end does come.


    IV. The dragons we have slain, and with your army, the shifters you will end.


    Fare well, and Hope be with you."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    She scoffed. Was that really it? Was this the grand plan humanity and its gods had? It was almost... sad.


    Finally needing to use the candle she had brought with her, she rubbed her fingers and concentrated. She snapped them to spark a flame, which blossomed into existence.


    Her shadow danced alone in the empty room, containing only a metal chest. Casting a flame with magic was a neat trick she''d learnt from humans during her years spent pretending to be one of them. Today, those years came to an end.


    She used the candle''s flame to melt the wax on the underside of the seal and resealed the envelope. Only one with a very keen eye would notice that the seal had been tampered with, and even they would have to be paying very close attention.


    Satisfied that the mountains held nothing more for her, she placed the envelope back into the chest. She locked it and stuffed the keys into a sleeve pocket on her borrowed servant dress. The owner of the dress would not be missing it, the dead often didn''t miss much of what they left behind.


    Before she could turn to leave, she heard boots beating hastily against the floor, followed by voices echoing in the passage outside.


    She cursed and drew two knives from her boots. It was about time she left this claustrophobic city anyway.


    ~*~


    ~Solestia - where peace and prosperity reign~


    "Give it up, princess. There''s nowhere left to run!"


    The guard''s crossbow was carefully aimed at the young princess'' chest, his finger gently brushing against the trigger. A second guard arrived, closing off her path to the left. Ducking low and bolting in that direction was no longer an option. She heard the clanging of metal as a third appeared. It seemed the right was off limits as well. She started backing away as they converged upon her. Behind her, a thousand-foot fall into an oily moat.


    "Why do you wait? Kill her!" the king ordered as he emerged onto the platform.


    Although said to be the strongest man in all human kingdoms, it seemed his gold-laced, layered robes had slowed his ascent to the top of the city walls.


    "Are you deaf? Shoot, you fools!" he commanded again, seeing the hesitation in his guards.


    The princess also saw this and took advantage of it. She jumped, gambling on the fact that they would not fire.


    A loud splash thundered across the castle and waves of water crashed against the walls as she landed in the moat, too loud an impact for it to have merely been just a little girl.


    "You insubordinate, incompetent, imbeciles!" the king spat, angrily shoving one of the guards aside to make his way toward the edge. He looked down into the moat and his face paled.


    "Set it ablaze, and send in Knights to recover the body."


    "Light the moat? Knights? But surely she''s dead. After-"


    "Follow your orders or I''ll have you sent to the dungeons!" the king bellowed. The three guards ran off without another word.


    "Dense buffoons," he whispered to himself as he looked up into the distance.


    Far past the moat and the people''s intricate houses, past sheets of farmland and the snaking river, he could see a hazy dark mass that was the beginning of The Walking Forest.


    "May the gods have mercy upon our souls."


    ~*~

 1. The Night Awakens

    ~Feline Settlement, north-east of Solestia~


    As always, the lake lay perfectly still. The surrounding grass and trees swayed in the cold night''s breeze, as if bowing in respect to the water''s tranquility. Its air, carrying nothing but the sweet scents of moss and algae.


    Only the rustle of Matthew''s leather boots could be heard as he made his way down to the lake. The boy was young, about eighteen years of age according to his memories. Keeping track of such things had proven pointless over the years, and so he had slowly grown to lose interest on the matter. Realizing that he had arrived, he stopped walking and looked down at the calm waters to see his own reflection.


    On the water, his own sorry face stared back at him, pupils too ovular for a feline and human-like ears. His hair, despite his best efforts, stood jutting out of his scalp in uneven spiky tufts. It was no wonder the other kids looked at him as if he were actually human. Looking at himself as he did then, there was no denying the oddity of his appearance. He could not blind his eyes to what the moonlight illuminated.


    Moonlight?


    He looked further into the lake.Surely enough, it was there. A great grey orb was reflected upon the water and it glowed with a mesmerizing hum. He quickly looked up and... nothing. No moon, no stars, nothing. The night sky was void of any light, just as it had been for as long as any living man could remember. Had he imagined it? He turned back to the lake.


    After searching the water''s surface for some time, with hopes to see the moon again, he finally gave up and filled the wooden bucket he was carrying with water. He lifted the bucket up to his shoulder and balanced it there, gave one last glance at the sky and the lake''s dark water, and left the ripples he had caused to dance alone there, unnoticed.


    *


    "You''ve returned early today," Lilian, Matthew''s mother, exclaimed.


    Her wide sharp eyes quickly regarded his presence. She smiled at him. Her flat, catlike nose twitched. She blinked, momentarily concealing the emerald green glow surrounding slits that were her pupils.


    "Stop grinning like that. You look like a dumb little girl," Matthew protested playfully.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    He was uncomfortable with the warmth that her smiles built inside him. His mother ignored the protests and giggled, her hands not pausing as she hung almost-dry leather strips on a wooden beam.


    "Why so early? You beginning to miss your ol'' ma?"


    "Not a chance," he placed the bucket atop a table. "Water''s on the desk."


    She turned around from her leather and picked it up.


    "I saw something ... unusual tonight," he announced.


    "Bandits?" she asked in alarm, her pointed ears standing erect, nose sniffing.


    "No, no, it was the moon. I saw the moon."


    "Moon?" She relaxed. " You are reading too many of your father''s books again. The moon disappeared long before you were born, my little one," she said as she darted into the bedroom, ruffling his hair with her free hand as she walked past him.


    He raised his own hand to parry hers but was too slow in his response.


    "Well, I did see it." He shrugged, starting to doubt what he had seen.


    He turned and walked towards the bedroom, dodging his mother''s second attempt at ruffing his hair as she walked back out.


    The house was separated into a bedroom and a kitchen by a thin timber wall. The whole building was built of wood on a wooden platform. The interior wall was thinner, and Matthew always feared he''d break it if he were to lean on it.


    He rummaged through a stack of books he had packed in his corner until he found the one he was looking for. The one book he had yet to read. He felt its weight in his hands, ran his finger across its rough spine and before he could unlatch its leather bindings and lose himself in it, his mother called.


    "Mat, could you run to town and get us some food tomorrow, dear?"


    "I''ll do it first thing in the morning," he replied.


    "Oh, and also buy us a deer from that butcher...Ben, if I recall. I hear he still sells them for nine silver, and I''m running out of hide."


    "Eh...I will, and it''s Barry. Barry, the butcher," he reminded her. He waited for her to add anything else she might have wanted to say and when nothing came, he opened his book and-


    "I hope you are not reading those ''Moon Servant'' books again," she added with a laugh.


    "Mom, come on," he whined irritably.


    "Sorry," she responded sheepishly.


    She does it on purpose,he thought, then smiled at himself. He closed the book and placed it on his hay-made bed.


    "Guess I''ll just come and let you continue teaching me how to weave then."


    Having lived his entire childhood with only her as a parent, he''d grown to know his mother. So much so that he knew that her attempts at teaching him how to weave strips from leather were not to increase their "business'' productivity" but to have someone by her side and keep her heart oblivious to the hole his father had left when he disappeared.


    All he knew about his father was that he had been a traveler, constantly crossing the Walking forest to sell and buy goods in the human city. He''d always come back with jewels and books for his Lillian. Until one day he left and never returned. He never got to know that his soon to be wife was carrying his little Matthew.


    *


    The book''s cover was still warm from Matthew''s touch. It rested upon the fur wrapped hay as if it felt the comfort of the bed. Its title glowing slightly from the candle light:


    BAKUNAWA


    ~*~

 ~1.2~

    ~*~


    Dawn brought with it a chill that had Matthew rethinking his plan of walking into town early. But seeing as he was already out of bed, and staring at the thirty minute long route that awaited him, he decided it best to follow through.


    When he arrived, the town seemed empty. Only a few vendors had started packing their merchandise and some shops were only just opening. Late hunters trickled in from the mountains with carriages carrying less deer than they should have been.


    One sad looking feline didn''t even pull a cart. He just had two rabbits slung up on his back and walked mindlessly past Matthew, whistling a tune that complimented the blacksmith''s metallic hammering echoing in the distance.


    Thinking it best to get to this Barry before people woke up and he realized that demand was in his favor, Matthew hurried on and followed the town''s winding dirt paths.


    As he passed the vendors, he picked up some rye and a wheat that the merchant claimed was from the human city, along with a few sachets of dried herbs that would become invaluable when the winter winds carried in the coughs to torment them. With his sac full of herbs and vegetables, he turned to seek out the butcher.


    After several twists, Matthew finally came face to face with the butcher''s store. A wooden sign hung on rusty chains, swaying in melancholy.


    Bob, the Butcher, it read.


    Oh, so it''s Bob.


    Before he could walk in, a strange sight caught his eye. There, in front of the butchery, leaning against the hard bark of its walls, was a human girl.


    She wore a dress so white that even though mud soaked, still gave a near-blinding glow when it caught the morning sun. Her long and curly jet-black hair covered most of her face, but Matthew could still see her oval ear protruding on one side, and her prominently pointed nose.


    "A human," he whispered in surprise.


    She looked up at him, fully exposing her human features. But when her eyes met his, he lost interest in all that she was. He saw the fear and pain that stained those beautiful sapphire gems and his heart lurched within him.


    "Who are you?" he asked. She gave him a quick scan and hesitated to speak. Seeing her mistrust, he chose another approach.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Ca...Can you spare a coin?" she asked back with an uncertain voice.


    "Straight to the point, eh?" He reached into his pockets and retrieved a gold coin, masking the pity he felt for her when he spoke.


    "Here, that should be enough to buy you supplies for your journey back home...and you probably want to leave before the streets are filled. We are not too fond of your kind here," and with that, he left.


    *This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Give me one whole deer." Matthew threw nine silver coins onto the counter.


    "Sorry son. You''ll need to add one more silver to that. It''s a gold coin a deer now," the butcher replied plainly, wiping his hands on an apron that had likely been white, once.


    "Since when?" Desperation lingered upon Matthew''s angry words.


    "Since the animals started retreating back into the mountains. It''s hard enough to catch a rabbit as it is."


    "Please sir, just this once. We need the meat for winter," Matthew pleaded.


    "I also need the coin, so add a silver or bugger off!"


    There was not a grain of sympathy in the butcher''s voice. Matthew knew he was not about to convince the man to change his mind, so instead, he took back five coins.


    "Can I have three of those rabbits then?"


    The butcher raised his brow. Matthew sighed, but added a silver anyway.


    "There you go."


    The butcher unhooked three fat rabbits off one of the hooks behind him and handed them to the boy. Matthew held them by their front paws, hoisted them over his free shoulder and left.


    *


    Just as sunlight washed over his face when he walked out of the butcher''s store, a shout burst through a gathered crowd hitting Matthew by surprise.


    "Get away from my inn!"


    A chubby man was shouting at the human girl whom Matthew had just met, waving what seemed to be a napkin furiously as he cussed. Matthew moved closer to join the gathered group and watch the events unfold.


    "Go back to your big cities and luxurious lives. Is it not enough that you chased us from your lands? You greedy barbaric-"


    Anger fully possessed the man and before he could finish his sentence, he flung the cloth he''d been holding at her. The man''s feline ears stood on end, his eyes turned completely black and his nose twitching violently.


    If it had been any other object, the girl would have suffered considerable injuries. Instead, the cloth floated harmlessly onto the ground, not covering half the distance it had been intended to.


    The girl noticed Matthew among the other onlookers. His face, unmasked by hate, was like a single flame in a sea of darkness.


    Some of the onlookers spat onto the ground to emphasize their disgust at her presence. It wouldn''t be long until one of these people decided to act and incited some violence. Concerned as he was, Matthew avoided the girl''s gaze and walked away, angry at her for not leaving when he had told her to.


    *


    As Matthew hesitantly strolled back home, he wondered how he would explain the missing gold coin to his mother. He could lie and tell her he had been robbed. Surely she''d be too worried about his well-being to even consider the loss, but winter was still coming. A full deer was hardly going to get them past it and three rabbits...well.


    He stopped just before the road forked into two. He looked to the easterly route that lead to the mountains. He could go and hunt there himself. He''d have to, before the deer were gone altogether.


    He briefly wondered why the animals were disappearing into the mountains, and not migrating lower as in past years. Before he could shed another thought on the matter, the sound of snapping twigs stole his attention and he spun back.


    Nothing seemed out of place. Dense shrubbery surrounded the thin dirt path that led up from the small town, with long grasses poking out from every crevice they could find in the thick brush.


    He realized that if anything, the oddity should have been in the silence itself and not the snap he''d heard. He was used to a few birds startling him as they chased each other or tried get away from him. For an early afternoon, it was oddly silent. So silent that he nearly jumped when a second snap broke the echoes of his thoughts.


    Had someone recognized him as Lillian''s son and decided to tail him? He was used to a certain amount of vehemence that some of the noble folk treated him with.


    On occasion, a boy or two from the palace, too full of ale to think straight, would find it quite amusing to tussle him about, knowing that the chieftain would hold back a measure of his justice if it was Lillian who suffered. Not that they succeeded much in making sport of him. Despite his lack of training, Matthew had grown to be quite competent when it came to defending himself.


    After looking back and trying to peer behind the bend the path had taken around a little hill, and resolving in that most drunks would still be in bed, he decided to ignore the sound, and continued his walk home. All the while fighting an illogical instinct that told him someone... or something, was following him.


    ~*~

 ~1.3~

    ~*~


    "Hurry with the water today, rabbit hide is quick to damage after they''ve been killed. I want to skin these ones right away," Lillian instructed as Matthew fetched the metal bucket. He had now grown well acquainted with it and its thick iron handle.


    "I won''t be long, and... I was thinking... I thought I''d maybe head to the mountains tomorrow morning to hunt some deer there myself. I''ll likely spend the night there as well."


    Lillian looked at her son. The glow in her eyes had all but faded, the pupils grown large and black, anger threatening to flood her thoughts.


    "So not only do you wish to throw our money away and at random girls on the street but now your life too?"


    "Mom, I said I was sorry... I... It won''t happen again."


    Worry washed the anger from her eyes when she saw how sincere her son''s apology had been.


    "You know, you cannot help everyone else when you are the one who needs helping. The world will only take from you, regardless of whether you give to it or not. So do your ma a favor and be a little selfish when it''s necessary, will you?"


    "Yes, Ma."


    Matthew realized he could not hold back the tears that were punching at his eyes. Before he allowed his mother to see them, he ran out into the night, feeling ever so dreadfully helpless.


    *


    Darkness had already fallen from the skies and enveloped almost everything it touched. Days seemed to have grown shorter, but Matthew didn''t mind that.


    He enjoyed the night. All feline did. Their senses, especially sight, heightened during these hours. For Matthew, it was different. He enjoyed it not for the sight and seemingly endless stamina, but for one reason alone. The silence.


    Even though feline were naturally nocturnal creatures, most had developed the human trait of working during the day and sleeping after sundown. It was an attribute they had developed from having lived among man for most of their existence.This allowed for Matthew to roam around and take in the peace and quiet he sometimes found himself lacking inside.


    He arrived at the lake and stood by its edge once more, with hopes to see the moon again. To his surprise, he did. First was his reflection, the same old rough pants and the same dark hair. Then further into the pool was the moon. He allowed his eyes to stay on it this time in case it disappeared again.


    When he felt convinced of what he had seen, he brought his eyes back onto his reflection. A figure stood behind him, casting a shimmering white reflection onto the surface.


    Matthew jumped. He turned and faced the caster of the second reflection defensively, not caring about the water that splashed and soaked his trousers.


    The human girl shied away and turned to leave, it was the same girl he had seen that very morning.


    "No, stop. You...you just frightened me a bit there."


    She stopped and looked back, eyes like clear blue crystals even in the night.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "I...I apologize." Unlike that morning, her voice now bore a tingling lilt to it. It reminded him of how glass sounded when tapped lightly with a metal spoon.


    "Eh, it''s nothing to fuss about." he said, relaxing his posture. When she didn''t say anything, he added, " Why did you not go home when I told you to? They could have killed you."


    "If I go home, they''ll definitely kill me."


    Even through the fear and fatigue that colored her words, Matthew could make out the prideful voice of a girl who was not only smart, but knew she was.


    "Where is home?" he asked. She looked down and gave no answer.


    A pair of swans floated by on the lake, gliding ever so gracefully under the surreal moon light. A gust of wind washed over them, tussling the long reedy grass along with the girl''s glowing dress.


    How can a cloth glow so readily?Matthewwondered. Effects of the moon perhaps... He quickly cast the thought aside.


    The girl looked almost angelic, standing there atop the lakeside, as a painting made of moon drops, were one to imagine it. Her skin almost pale, with hair darker than the sky behind her.


    "So then why follow me? Unless you plan on telling me you were headed elsewhere in this direction?" He gestured pointedly at the forest around them.


    The lake and his house were the only things standing this far north of the settlement. Those, and a whole lot of trees. Further up were the mountains and west of the lake, the Walking forest. Neither were destinations fit for an unarmed girl, and a human at that.


    "I was going... I need a place to stay." She saw his doubt stained face and added, "Just for a little while. I''ll be gone before the week is over."


    He considered this.


    "I''ll even pay. I can pay double what they charge in normal inns," she finished.


    "Then why not go to an inn?"


    "You saw what happens when I try to speak to your people. And you said yourself that they would kill me. I really need your help and-"


    "Look here!" Matthew looked her dead in the eye. "I''ve already helped you far more than I am capable of and do not want any trouble. So leave me be."


    He picked up his bucket and filled it with water. As he started walking away, a thought hit him.


    "What were you going to pay with anyways?" he asked.


    "Oh, I... I carried a chest full of gold and silver when the guards chased me here. I hid it in the big forest between the city and this town. I... I''ve been too scared to go retrieve it..."


    "You came through the Walking forest on your own? And did you say guards?"


    "Yes... but I''m sure they''ve turned back by now, probably think I''ve been killed off by feline."


    As if we were the barbarians they think we are...


    Matthew stood there, staring at the lake''s water and the moon reflected upon it. He had not looked up to confirm its existence lest it disappeared once more.


    The world seemed to be changing around him. The odd silence of the wilderness. The brighter nights and... this girl. Whether it was out of pity or curiosity, he would never know, but he did find himself responding with,


    "We head for the forest tomorrow, and I get half the gold."


    "A handful."


    "Half, or you sleep here by the lake." He shoved the bucket onto her hands. "You might as well start being useful if you are going to stay with us."


    *


    "What''s the meaning of this?" Lillian fumed.


    Matthew had set up for the human girl in the kitchen. Not having much space, it was either that or the other room with both Matthew and his mother. "I thought you''d listened to me when I said- "


    "I know, I know," Matthew cut in.


    He looked back at the house to make sure he could still see the girl''s shadow through the window as she lay down the hides he''d provided. She looked somewhat taller from out there.


    "She has a chest full of gold, and she is promising half of it if we let her stay with us," he explained.


    "You don''t even sound like you believe what you''re saying. Where is this chest of hers?"


    "She even returned the gold coin I gave her this morning," he argued. "Said she''d hid the chest in the forest. I''ll help her fetch it tomorrow. We''ll leave at dawn."


    "And the deer hunt?" She raised her brow.


    "I thought you didn''t want me to do that."


    "Well, we won''t have a choice if that chest of hers doesn''t exist, even with the gold coin I''m afraid we might not make it through the winter." She seemed to say the last words to herself.


    Matthew knew what she was thinking even with her not having said it. No one was buying the leather they made. Vivi, a friend of his mother''s who had risked her own reputation by secretly selling their leather, had been discovered and lost a considerable number of customers because of it. It seemed the whole village was determined to cast them out.


    "Anyway, if it is not found, I want her out," she concluded.


    "Yes, Ma," he whispered to himself. Lilian had already walked back into the house. Matthew gazed up into the now dark heavens, hoping beyond Hope, that tomorrow would yield some fortune for him and his mother.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ~*~


    Monsawg - An ancient feline tradition occurring once every twelve years. Combatants are selected from among the youths to fight through a series of brawls for the title of monsawg general, who controls the feline army. The monsawg general''s authority is above all but the chieftain''s. Rumor has it that before the great expulsion, the monsawg general used to be the most powerful figure among feline ranks.


    ~*~

 2. Death and Deception

    ~*~


    Shrubs and scattered trees seemed to congregate and grow thicker with every step that was taken. Matthew had insisted that they leave as early as possible, not wanting to run into any of the mages who constantly roamed the forest.


    He''d given up on wondering what they even did in there. As far as he knew, the forest held nothing of value in it.


    Maybe they were there to make certain that feline were not planning on mounting an attack on their precious city, or perhaps it was true that they could harvest the fire from the fire daisies that grew within. Either way, Matthew could not care less about such things, despite the small flicker of curiosity that he always had to shove to the back of his mind.


    "How far is it?" he asked.


    "Not very. An hour in this direction and we should be there," she replied, pointing past an enormous boulder that was almost as high as the trees that surrounded it.


    They had just entered the walking forest. An eerie silence hung over them as if an unseen spirit was stalking and watching their every move. As they delved deeper into the forest the grass seemed to stop growing, giving way to mushrooms that glowed with a purplish hue and let fly a sparkling dust when touched.


    In here, the sun barely touched the ground and wherever it did, a group of yellow daisies would grow, completely contrasting the shroom''s dark violet.


    The human girl seemed to eye these with curiosity. After a while she gave in and went to pick one. Before her hand could touch the bright yellow petals, Matthew moved to pull her back. She evaded him, bending her waist and slithering out of the way as he''d never seen anyone move before.


    "Touch those and there''ll be nothing of you left but ash," he warned, still stunned by her inhuman acrobatics.


    She shrugged in return. Matthew picked up an almost weightless twig and threw it at the flowers. They exploded into a yellow cloud that scorched whatever it settled on without casting a flame. Charred remains of soil were left where the flower had been. She scoffed, not amused, and kept walking.


    After what seemed like an hour Matthew stopped and looked at the girl.


    "Are you sure you left it in these parts?"


    "Yes, I''m sure..." she looked around, thinking.


    "Come to think of it, how did you even survive crossing the forest on your own? I know the mages don''t attack their own kind and trolls don''t usually come this far down the mountains, but the Fire daisies should have gotten you at least, never mind getting lost when the forest moves."


    At that question, her eyes lit up as if a sudden thought had just hit her.


    "You are one inquisitive feline aren''t you?" she asked excitedly. "Come. I think I know where the chest is."


    As they walked, she kept her eyes up at the tree formed roof that hid them from the clouds. Matthew turned and looked up too, branches of those thick trunked trees formed an intricate network bearing leaves that made everything beneath them dark and cold. Matthew enjoyed the scenery for a while until an unexpected sliver of light caught his eye. Upon focusing, he realized it was a bag of some sort with jewels hanging off the sides. A silver coin between his feet confirmed the riches which lay waiting within it.


    "How did it get up there?"


    "We need to find a way to bring it down," the girl said, evading his question.


    She swept around with her eyes until she spotted a dry branch. She went on to pick it up but noticed fire daisies growing merrily on its other side, intertwining its tips and thorns.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She gingerly held its far end and when her grip was firm enough she pulled. The yellow flowers puffed into a cloud but by the time the dust could settle on anything, she was well out of harm''s way. Smoke rose from the now burnt tips of the branch. She looked at Matthew and smiled proudly.


    "Yes, you can handle yourself around daisies, but how is that short branch supposed to help us retrieve the bag?"


    "Just watch," she smirked.


    She gazed up at her target, craned her neck whilst bringing the branch down beside her like a spear, then hauled it towards where the bag hung caught in the tree. The branch swiftly glided towards the bag but missed...


    "I was just about to-"


    Before Matthew could complete his sentence the branch had connected not with the bag, but with other branches that kept the bag in place causing them to sway and loosen it so that it came crashing down.


    "You were saying?" The girl mocked.


    "I was saying that you have a good arm," Matthew responded, looking up at where the bag had been and wondering if he could throw that far.


    Humans are generally weaker than feline...aren''t they?


    The girl rushed over to the bag and unzipped it. It contained a small wooden chest, or remains of the chest, to be more precise. The lid had broken off and a metallic lock was cracked open. Colorful gems that had spilled within the bag illuminated the girl''s face, making it sparkle beyond what any skin should, even under that brilliant light.


    She collected those that had spilled out during the fall, including the silver coin. When she had completed her task she swung the bag over her shoulder with convincing effort and looked up at Matthew.


    "Duck!" she screamed.


    Matthew had already felt the heat wave coming at him from behind and jumped out of the way whilst twisting mid-air so as to see the source of the fireball that crashed where he''d stood only but a moment before.


    "Feline scum! I should have known it was your doing." It was a mage.


    A short man with a red pointed beard that flowed down from red hair covered by a black hood. The hood was connected to a black robe made from a silk so fine it shone. Fire danced around the mage''s fingertips as he prepared to conjure up another fireball.


    Matthew realized he could not just stand by and wait for the man to get a good aim, so he charged. The mage saw his advance and clawed his fingers, casting two smaller balls instead. His eyes turned red and smoke escaped his nostrils.


    He threw the first fireball. Matthew rolled under. The second. Matthew jumped over and continued his assault. The mage took a step back with his right leg, bent his knees and pushed off the ground, spinning like a propeller. His feet caught ablaze and a circle of fire was formed in the air.


    As Matthew jumped after him, he stopped spinning, just enough to kick one leg outward. The circle broke and its flame followed the leg like a snake, catching Matthew right in the chest. His body hit the ground and he welcomed its cold embrace, his chest still feeling as if it were placed over a burning forge.


    He heard the mage''s feet touch the ground and realized his short break was over. He thrust himself away from where he lay using his arms, just in time to see a fireball scorch the shrooms he had been on.


    Ignoring his burnt chest he ran at the mage again. This time the mage had no time to prepare his ring of fire nor conjure up a fireball. Instead he braced himself for close combat. Matthew lunged at him with his knee. The mage side stepped the attack and brought his hand down to break Matthew''s spine. The hand met an elbow, causing the mage to spit through clenched teeth. Matthew took this chance to spin around and face his enemy head on.


    Uppercut- the fist missed, Matthew rose up with nothing but air where flesh should have been. Two quick jabs, both to the stomach, sent the wind scurrying out Matthew''s lungs. He came down with an elbow. The mage had not expected this and so with a satisfying crunch, the elbow connected with the back of his head. He was now falling forward. Thinking quickly, the mage wrapped his arms around Matthew in a desperate attempt at a tackle, which worked!


    Matthew was sent to the ground. He felt soft mushrooms soften his landing and for the second time was grateful for their seemingly futile existence. The mage attempted to jump off him, but Matthew''s hand struck out and caught him by his robe before he was off, not wanting to give him enough space to cast those wretched flames again. The mage, still having the upper hand, sent fists raining down on the boy''s face. All the while Matthew wriggled in an attempt to bring the mage under.


    The mage''s punches slowed. It seemed he was growing tired.


    So humans are physically weaker than feline after all,


    Matthew used this opportunity to get a firm grip on the man''s robe and brought his head down to meet his. Foreheads rammed into each other once, twice, thrice until the man was unconscious. He hauled him off of himself and stood up.


    His chest was red but didn''t seem like it would swell, at least he hoped not. His face throbbed and he could feel a bulge on his forehead.


    "You could''ve hel-"


    When he finally decided to look up at where the girl had been standing, he realized that she''d fled. He wandered around hoping she was just hiding close by but she was nowhere to be seen.


    He tried catching her scent. It was one of the weaker feline traits that he barely used, and his smoke filled nostrils weren''t helping.


    Why would she run? he wondered. It was not like the mage was after her. Guessing that she''d be waiting for him somewhere in the forest, he started walking back home.


    ~*~

 ~2.2~

    ~*~


    Lilian had just finished collecting the meat she''d left out to dry. The sun, having been shining with all its glory that day had dried the rabbit''s flesh to the very center. The fact that it had been cut into strips and salted had also helped with the drying process.


    After storing the meat in a grass basket she headed back inside, left the basket in the kitchen and walked straight to her bed. When her mind started drifting to how her son might be on a fruitless journey, she decided she had to distract herself.


    She didn''t trust humans, not only because her spouse had abandoned her. She knew about their greed and lust and had learnt of their cruelty first hand. The scars on her back ached at the very thought. Although having been very young during the war between the feline and humans, she''d seen more than a warrior''s fair share of it.


    Of cause she''d never told her son this, there was a lot she had not told her son. She believed that keeping such stories to herself meant that less people got hurt. She shook her head.


    These daft memories just won''t ever leave me alone will they.she thought to herself, and then an idea hit her.


    She walked over to Matthew''s stack of books. Before she could pick one, another caught her eye. She saw the cursive silver writing and instinctively picked it from his bed.BAKUNAWAit read.


    She opened the book and scanned through the pages. She''d read this one before. Back when she still cared about who she was, and who her son would be. She didn''t, now. She wondered if anyone did at all.


    Familiar hand drawn sketches of the moons flickered past her as she paged through the book. There was a moon reflected off a lake, a star filled night sky all with little notes next to them that Lilian didn''t bother re-reading. She paged hastily past long-winded paragraphs stopping only to marvel at the author''s drawings.


    She came across one that forced her to stop and actually read the inscription.


    The bravest of knights crumble at her gaze.Her scales dampen the sharpest of blades.With fires that dry oceans and turns brick to ash.Even the moon, high as it may be, cannot escape her wrath.Beware the dragon , Bakunawa, moon-eater.


    The sketch was nothing if not awe inspiring itself. The dragon stood towering over mountains with the sun desperately trying to take a peek at them from behind the beast. Its membranous wings were open as if about to take flight. Its bony horns arced backwards into its tentacle-like mane. Fire was illustrated pouring out of its mouth in a huge steaming jet of flames.


    She flicked to the next page to see more sketches of the beast. She kept at it until she was on the last page.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    By Tolumun.


    She had not bothered to see who the authors of these books were before, and now that she''d seen she realized their value. Humans would pay a hefty load of gold to get their hands on Tolumun''s work, despite not understanding half of what the man spoke of.


    Of cause, this could be a fake as most other books like it were. She quickly neglected the idea of travelling to the human city to try and sell the book, judging that the dangers far outweighed the chances of success.


    She placed the book back on Matthew''s bed and went to take another when a line of dust trickled down from the roof and onto her chest, almost falling into her eyes in the process. She looked around as more dust started falling.


    An earthquake?she wondered.


    She ran outside and was welcomed by the sounds of galloping horses and indistinguishable shouts that grew louder with each passing moment. Before she could follow her first instinct to run a mob of mounted feline rose up over the hill and surrounded her. More on foot emerged and in no time at all, she was cornered.


    "Where is the human child?" the lead rider barked threateningly. Lilian knew she could not lie to him, having been known for harboring a human before, there was no doubt that these men had already concluded that the girl was here.


    "She has already left. There is no way you are going to catch her now." she replied defiantly.


    Knowing he would not get any more information from her, the rider motioned to one of his comrades,


    "End her. The rest of you, search every corner of this shack and burn it to the ground." he looked back at Lilian. "We have warned you before Lil'', as long as you live with us, you must follow our law."


    His comrade had already dismounted. He unsheathed his blade as he walked towards her.


    "Who''s law Gideon? You know very well that the law does not apply anymore. If it did, you wouldn''t be up there looking so smug."


    "You are talking to your chief woman!" he bellowed at her. "You have insulted me long enough, and I have waited for this moment of justice for far too long. Now Fate can take what is rightfully his." As he said this his comrade kicked the woman into a kneeling position and placed the blade on her neck.


    "Do not you dare point your guilty fingers at Fate." she hissed, overcome by hate and anger she gazed straight into Gideon''s eyes. "And to call yourself chief when your father still lives? How shameless a man can you be!"


    "My father is dead Lillian! The human you are harboring is an assassin."


    Lilian allowed the words to sink in. She took in her surrounding and seemed to fully acknowledge her situation for the first time.


    "The chief is dead?" she asked in a panicked voice. "He can''t be dead... he''s the only one who knows... he''s... dear Hope, my son!"


    She batted away the sword aimed at her and stood up, not paying any heed to the blood that ran down her arm from where her elbow had hit the blade.


    "Gideon. You must listen to me, there is no time for this bickering. If what you say is true and this girl did kill the chief. Then humans are the least of our worries."


    Gideon looked on, unimpressed as Lilian rushed towards him. She knelt in front of him and pleaded,


    "You mustn''t kill me. Only I know the dangers we are about to face. Your father only kept me alive for that sole reason. We must find my son as soon as possible. I... I need to tell him-"


    Gideon guffawed. His horse startled and he had to pull on its restrains lest it trample the now crying woman.


    "I have seen people beg for their lives but this..." he waved his sword at her. "This is just pathetic. Even for you, Lil''."


    He looked to his comrade who had been standing there puzzling over his bloodied sword and the woman who''d just swatted it away with complete disregard to its sharpness.


    "Bet. Stop looking so dazed and kill this woman!"


    "Gideon, you are making a mistake! The shifters are coming and won''t be as kind as-"


    Bet swung his sword, cutting off her sentence with one graceful strike.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~~~*~~~ Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Do not wander too far into the forest child," warned the grandmother. "Gods dwell within, and do no look kindly upon those who disturb their peace." - extract from a common folktale of unknown origins.


    ~~~*~~~

 3. The Messenger

    ~Solestia, one of the three remaining human cities~


    "Who goes there?" a guard shouted.


    The cloaked figure stopped his approach and lowered his travel worn black hood to reveal himself.


    Blue eyes, blonde hair and a rectangular face that even though hardened by exposure to the unforgiving natural elements, still held a certain elegance, enough to swoon a few maidens if necessary.


    "A messenger from Wyden. I carry a message for the king." he announced, his voice calm and clear though still loud enough to be heard from atop the wall.


    The guard disappeared from he stood. After only a moment of waiting the thick iron gates drew open and four knights clad in white armour walked out. A chubby man who led them looked the messenger over before he beckoned him in.


    Inside the castle walls, the sun seemed to shine just a little brighter than in the city outside, the flowers grew greener and fountain waters clearer. It was as if the castle that stood before him, with its intricate twists and turns and pointed towers, gave off its own light to heighten nature''s already crisp beauty. This truly did seem like a place where one would find peace and solace. The messenger followed the chubby man through the well-tended palace gardens and into the palace itself.


    "Wait here, the grand elder will be with you shortly." the man announced as they entered into a great hall.


    It''s walls curved out and then inward as they approached the ceiling from which about a dozen golden chandeliers hung. Two long tables stretched from the archway entrance and seemed to span half the floor. On the far half a thinner more rectangular well-polished table stood just below the throne that loomed over the rest of the room with an inanimate authority. It was moulded from gold and cherry red fabric embraced its inside screaming comfort.


    "Beautiful isn''t it?" a clear voice that demanded attention made the messenger snap out of his reverie. Upon seeing the robes he knelt and bowed his head.


    "Your highness..."


    "Up." the king commanded.


    "Forgive me sire, I did not hear them announce you."


    "Don''t be so formal. Formalities are futile in times like these."


    "Then you''ve heard?" the messenger asked. Confused.


    "If it''s news about shifters then yes. We''ve had to deal with one just weeks ago. And a messenger from Bravaldor informed us that they had a similar situation."


    "No offence sire but if you''ve heard about the shifters shouldn''t you be taking more caution." the messenger gestured at himself.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The king smiled. He snapped his finger and before the click could echo in the hall a blade was on the messenger''s neck.


    He had almost forgotten about the knights that had escorted him in.


    "You wouldn''t happen to be a shifter now would you?" the king smiled and waved his hand. The knight released the messenger and walked back to his post. The messenger massaged his neck to try and rub off the feeling of a phantom blade that lingered there.


    "If a shifter dares enter these walls again I will have it sliced into a million pieces." a wave of emotions swept across the king''s face. "Is there anything else you wish to say?"


    "Ah. Yes." the messenger swallowed. "There have been reports of moon sightings from the Eastern Watch."


    He searched his robes and retrieved two folded papers with red eye seals.


    The king took the paper, broke the seal and read.


    "Maison!" the king called. The old man who''d escorted the messenger ran in and just as he was about to bow the king ordered;


    "Gather the elders and the knight''s council." he turned to the messenger, "What''s your name?" he asked.


    The messenger was caught aback by this statement. He''d never been asked his name before, well, not during a delivery. All people cared about were the messages he carried. He was just a courier and nothing more.


    "Daniel sire. Daniel Fawsley."


    "Well Daniel. You are about to carry the most important message any courier has ever carried. You''ll be given one white knight and a fresh horse. You are to protect this message with your life and ensure that it is delivered."


    "Forgive me your highness but I am to report back home on the success of this mission."


    "I am aware of that young Daniel. That is why the message is to the king of Wyden. Send that old fool my regards will you."


    *


    Daniel waited by the stables. He was used to waiting. In his line of work one had to be patient. What he wasn''t used to was not knowing. He''d carried many letters and messages too sensitive to be on paper. Some were even encoded but he''d always found a way around to knowing what was going on.


    But even after reading the letter he''d just delivered. He could not understand what had changed the King''s mood. He also could not understand the letter he was holding right there and then.


    Keep her safe. it read.


    The king had not even bothered to try and hide it as he had even written this right in front of him before stamping his seal on it, a plain shield with swords crossed behind it. Who was being kept safe and why? And why had the King summoned a meeting? How was this message so important that he had to be escorted by a knight? What was taking the knight so long to arrive?


    "Mr Fawsley?"


    Daniel turned to face a man who had approached him so silently it was still hard to believe he was there. Had someone just snuck up on him, again? Beside him stood a girl. Black hair, a dress white as snow and the most dazzling sapphire eyes he had ever seen. A noblewoman, judging by the way she stood. Head held high and regarding everything like it was beneath her.


    "Yes. That''s me." he said to the man. His eyes still focused on the girl who just stood there, now looking down at the ground as if the soil owed her an apology for dirtying her shoes.


    The man handed him a piece of paper with the same seal as his.


    From the King.


    He broke the seal and read the letter.


    "So you are the knight? Why are you not wearing your armor?"


    "If you could read the rest of it please?" the man replied.


    He read the rest of the letter.


    "Satisfied?" the man asked.


    "You are the princess? Lady Nadia, your highness I was not aware of-"


    "Stop it!" the knight yanked him up mid-bow.


    "Does the word discreet mean nothing to you?"


    "Forgive me... where are the horses?" Daniel asked instead, cursing himself for being so stupid.


    The mission was simple. Get the princess out of Solestia as discreetly as possible and deliver her to Wyden where King Thomas would protect her. Protect from what? He had no idea. All he could think of at that moment was the reward. This was indeed, the most important message a courier had ever delivered. If one could call it that.


    ~*~

 ~3.2~

    ~*~


    The Knight''s council consisted of four members, Sir Bromley Bladesbane, Sir Roderick Damour, Sir Mathias Broadwick and Zengruid. Zengruid was a mage whom by unconventional means and circumstance had found himself on the council. The elders present at the meeting were Maison Damour who was in fact Roderick''s brother along with Morrosal Kurtas and Khan Solace, the king''s younger brother.


    A meeting like this had not been held since the war with the felines. And since king Nachum did not host as many balls as the previous king the meeting hall seemed dusty. Only the maple wood table they sat around and the throne which was constantly tended to seemed to be clean. The rest of the furniture was dust clad with not even a trace of human interference.


    "So Zengruid. What has your mage to say about his mission?"


    Zengruid lowered his hood that like the other mages'' hoods was black as oil to reveal his blood red hair.


    "I believe he can tell you himself. If I may?" he pointed at the door.


    "You may." the king said.


    The mage walked to the archway entrance and seemed to converse with an unseen character. After a moment he came back accompanied by another mage.


    "Your highness." the new mage bowed. "Elders and Council." he acknowledged these with a second bow. "My name is Shimza. A second grade mage from-"


    "Enough with the yapping, our king hates it when people yap. We hear you found the girl?" Maison inquired.


    If the mage was offended he didn''t show it.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Yes my lord. I tracked her deep into the forest until I came upon the treasure she carried with her."


    "No one said anything about treasure?" Sir Bromley said.


    Everyone had been informed about the shifter who had infiltrated the castle in the guise of the princess. But the detail about the treasure she carried when she fled seemed to have been left out.


    "Two of the guards that accompanied me on the chase say they saw her with a brown leather bag. She must''ve picked it up on her way out."


    "Okay. So where is she?" Bromley asked.


    "As I was saying, I came upon her bag, it seemed to be carrying jewels and other treasures."


    "Seemed? Did you not check?"


    "Sir Bromley. You seem to forget that the mage is on our side. No need to interrogate him." Zengruid reminded the knight in a warning tone.


    "It was high up in the trees. So instead of trying to get it down I decided to lie in wait for her." Shimza waited for one of them to ask how it had gotten there. When no one asked he continued. "She came back the next day accompanied by a feline. In the midst of my battle with the feline she managed to escape."


    Shimza didn''t mention the fact that he was beaten unconscious at that point and that the feline was a mere boy, maybe half his own age.


    "Did you capture the feline at least?" this time it was Roderick who asked.


    "No." the mage said with regret.


    "You are dismissed Shimza." Zengruid waved his hand as he said this.


    Shimza did not question the abrupt dismissal seeing as there was nothing else he had to report. He just turned and walked back out the hall.


    "So the felines are in league with the shifters?" asked Khan.


    "We should not rush into any conclusions." the king said.


    "We still need to act though. Our first priority must be the safety of our King and his heir." Sir Bromley was leaning over the table at this point so that he had everyone''s attention. "I will assign four of my best Knights to guard the princess'' chambers and double the knights guarding the palace. We can also double the guards around the city."


    "Do not get ahead of yourself Bromley." the king said. "Doubling guards and resorting to such bold measures only shows fear and weakness. We keep things as is."


    "Then sire. You expect us to pretend that there is no threat?"


    "Yes." the king replied.


    "Then why call this meeting at all?"


    "I needed each one of you to be updated on the matter. I also wanted to order you to ready yourself for battle. Just remember, there is no threat until we know what the threat is. We cannot defend ourselves from unknown enemies. Zengruid. I put you and Bromley on the task of finding out who the enemy is. And be discreet about it. Meeting dismissed."


    And with that the king stood up and walked back to his chambers, leaving the rest of the men to swallow their comments.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    "The feline were named so due to their uncanny resemblance to cats. The slits in their eyes that give them vision in the dimmest of light, ears that lie directly atop their heads to allow them a very acute hearing sense and above all, their fighting style. What to an untrained eye may seem like barbaric slapping and pouncing, is indeed, a series of calculated, swift movements in a dance deadlier than a sword fight." - Camden Morrow, adventurer, in the book, "The Races Of Linderyl?"Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ~*~

 4. Homecoming

    ~*~


    ~Matthew~


    He saw the smoke from afar. He wondered what anyone would be burning when the sun was still at its hottest time of the day. But as he walked closer it became apparent that the smoke was in fact coming from his house.


    Mom!


    Without wasting another thought on the matter he started running. All worries about the gold he had not found and the food they did not have for winter had vanished. Matthew did not even feel the pain that had plagued his body after his encounter with the mage. None of that mattered now. Nothing mattered. His mother had to be safe.


    When he arrived, he saw the flames that lingered about what remained of their house. His heart skipped a beat. He ran towards the smoking rubble and stared at it, praying and hoping that she was not part of the flaming bundle that was his home. His mind was racing, questions jumped up and down in an uncontrollable frenzy. He looked at the smoke,hopeless, not knowing what to do nor where to start looking. His voice was too caught up in his thoughts for him to shout out her name. Somehow he knew that that would not help. For a moment the smoke thinned out to reveal a figure on the other side. Another beat skipped.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    He wasted no time. He ran around his burning home and turned to face-


    It couldn''t be. His eyes saw what they saw but his mind refused it. He stood there. Motionless. He felt a void build up inside him, a burning emptiness eating at him. This simply wasn''t happening. It could not be happening. When denial seemed futile guilt took over. Why did he have to leave her alone? If he''d been there... The emptiness clouded his mind until he could no longer make sensible thoughts. His knees finally gave in and he fell on all fours. Tears were already trying to wash away the pain but merely rolled down his cheeks forming lonely streams there.


    He crawled to his mother, knelt by her side and just stared at her, lying there, with no hint of life in her. The sparkle in her eyes that used to warm him was gone. Leaked right out of her and was now a puddle of blood on the dry ground. He could not get himself to look at her half severed neck. All he could do was gaze into her eyes, hoping that she would smile just one more time and warm his cooling heart.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    "The first feline appeared a few over eight centuries ago after the great war ended. She is said to have quickly gained favor with the first king of the Solestian city. After witnessing the battle wisdom and physical strength she possessed, unrivaled by that of any mortal race he knew, the king asked her to help him rebuild his beloved city anew. That was when all feline folk emerged. It was almost as if a new people had sprouted from the very ground to share a home with the frail men of Solestia." - Sylus Skein, historian, in the book, "Our Land of Peace and Solace."The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ~*~

 5. Desperate Measures

    ~*~


    By the time night descended upon the world, Matthew had finally gathered up enough courage to bury his mother. The whole thing still felt unreal. With each shove of the shovel he found himself trying to wake up from the nightmare he was living. But no amount of will could undo what time had sealed. The past remained immovable.


    So he sat there beside his mother''s grave, trying to figure out what could have possibly happened. He was slowly fighting to collect his mind and deal with one thought at a time. Only one thing was clear and it was that the human girl would know. This had happened because of her and he was certain of it. There was no other person he could point his finger to. The feline hated his mother but as long as the chief lived, none would dare go this far. She was his only lead and if anyone was going to explain anything it was her. The only problem was finding her.


    He stood up and looked at the house. The fire had died out by now and only a few smoke tendrils trickled into the sky. He looked down at the spot where he''d laid his mother to rest, whispered a silent goodbye before turning his back upon everything and walking down the path that would lead him straight into town. If he was going to find this girl. He''d need supplies.


    As he''d expected. The butchery was already closed at this hour. He made sure that there were no feline too stuck on their nocturnal roots to still be wandering about the streets. There was no one, at least no one who could see him right there and then. He edged closer to the store''s door, scanned the streets again before trying it and cursed. Of cause it was locked. He had no experience with breaking into houses and the most he''d ever stolen was a taste of his mother''s cooking before it was ready. The memory sent a wave of warmth down to his chest which was quickly sucked into the void that was his heart. He shook his head. Looked around again to make sure no one had decided to arrive uninvited. He decided he''d have to walk around the store if he was to find a way in. When he turned to walk to the back he saw a window and an idea came to him.


    It was the most obvious thing to do but thinking is not of of the easiest things to do when your mind is filled with sorrow. He stalked his way to the window. It was built into the wood with the sole purpose of bringing light into the store and nothing more. Basically, he could not open it even if he was inside. He smashed it in instead but the hole he made could only barely fit his head. Its wooden frame stopped him from breaking the rest of the glass and opening a large enough hole to wriggle through. He held the frame with both hands, fitting his fingers in through the one square he had smashed in and pulled. The frame held. He pulled once more, this time even using the wall to support one of his legs as he pulled back. The wood gave a small groan that brought with it a little hope. With a few more heaves the frame finally collapsed and the unsupported glass fell onto the ground in a series of loud clangs and shattering. Matthew was sure he''d just woken the whole town but he could not give up just then.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He lifted himself up and squeezed through the window. As his body went through he searched for something to grab hold of on the inside but nothing was close enough to reach. So he allowed himself to fall onto the shards of broken glass that now littered the floor.


    Inside the store was too dark even for a feline to see instantly. The little light that trickled in through the broken window only lit up the spot on which he stood and nothing more. Using what memory he had of the set-up he walked towards where he thought the dried meat was kept. He felt about the air for some time until he found it and started to unhook it from the line on which it hung. His vision was slowly coming back as his eyes started to adjust. Though everything still seemed dull he could at least make out a few objects. He walked to what looked like a weaving stand hoping he could find some fur. Before he could reach it he stumbled upon something soft and almost fell. He narrowed his eyes at the spot and saw that he had stumbled upon some animal hides that were stacked into a pile. He quickly wrapped his stolen strips of dry meat in one and went to leave when he heard the call.


    "He went in there!"


    He''d been seen. He had no idea where the people were and there was only one exit and he was sure that they''d be headed for it first. Squeezing out of that window would take too long anyways so he could not even consider that option. He heard footsteps approach the window before he saw the butcher''s face come into view.


    "Get out of my shop. You thieving-!" he snarled at the boy and left the window. Matthew heard keys jingle as the butcher tried to open the door. Several other feline men rushed past the window to the door. He was trapped.


    He tightened his grip on the hide and faced the door. He was not about to fail his quest. Not this early and definitely not before the ones responsible for his mother''s death were dead. As soon as the door burst open Matthew pounced at the butcher. The big man stumbled back into the other men in surprise as Matthew crashed into them. Before they could regain their wits and catch him, Matthew was already up and running.


    ~*~

 ~5.2~

    ~*~


    "After him!" the butcher yelled.


    The men tailed him.


    They were faster than he was and didn''t have bags to weigh them down. At this rate, there was no way he was going to outrun them. Matthew could even feel them gaining on him. He willed himself to go faster but his legs were already at their limit.


    A hand tucked at the hide. He stole a look back and saw a hand about to grab hold of him. He turned left. The man was thrown off and disappeared down the streets. The rest managed the abrupt turn and kept on him.


    He looked up ahead. Next to one of the many wooden houses was a carriage. It would have to do. He tossed his package onto one of the roofs and ran straight for the carriage. He jumped on to it and up towards the roof. His feet missed the top and he went down. He''d misjudged the distance. His hands grabbed hold of the straw in the thatching and he hoisted himself up. He searched the rooftops until he located the hide bag. He broke into a sprint the moment he saw it. Within a few seconds he had picked it up and was continuing on his way, jumping from rooftop to rooftop without looking back.


    When he did decide to look back he found that they were still following him. He had managed to create some distance from them though. He jumped to a lower roof and down back onto the streets. Now losing them was a matter of taking a few turns.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    *


    The lake lay perfectly still, as it alway did on every night he visited. It was almost as if it was immune to the wind''s soft swirls that sent the grass blades swaying gracefully in its wake. Matthew stood there and stared at his own reflection upon those solid waters. His face was covered in soot and there was blood on his hands. He wondered if the ash that dirtied him was from his fight with the mage or his burnt home. If the blood was from the broken glass or... Tears welled up again in his eyes and he collapsed on to his knees. Why was all of this happening? He wondered. What was he even doing?


    He dropped his pack and dipped his hands into the water, distorting his reflection, and splashed his face. All the while questions raced through his mind. He could go to Vivi, find out if she was safe...but a part of him knew that she was, or perhaps he was afraid that she would stop him from seeking revenge for his mother. Better she concluded that he was dead too. It dawned on him then that he had not planned on returning to the settlement. Of cause he hadn''t. Why would he?


    He stopped splashing his face, which he had absentmindedly continued doing despite the water''s sting on his cut hands. He picked up his pack, dragged himself up and turned away from both the lake and the village.


    No one entered the walking forest at night. Even felines with their keen sense of smell and night vision were said to have found themselves lost in it. Rumor had it that the trees actually moved when one was not looking so as to lead you astray. Matthew had always had a hard time believing those kinds of stories but had stayed away from the forest despite his disbelief. This time he had no choice. He could not waste time waiting for day to break. Not with the amount of provisions he had. Every second was valuable and the less time spent waiting meant catching up with the human girl earlier. He made sure he was leaving the feline settlement from underneath the huge boulder as he had earlier that morning and entered the forest.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    The walking forest. It is said that the forest appeared alongside the feline folk. Both born of magic, and both as mysterious as the wind''s destination. The forest had its myths, and so did the feline, but both were a fair and harmless folk, until the war.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ~*~

 6. The Walking Forest

    ~*~


    Matthew had tried his best to walk straight so that he didn''t find himself going in circles. But one look back the way he''d come costed him everything because when he turned once more to face what was in front of him. It was exactly the same as what he''d seen behind. He panicked. All the trees were the same. It didn''t matter which direction he faced. He had to trust that he had not turned his feet in the few minutes that he''d been in the forest.


    So without looking back again he walked. He had not walked for more than an hour when his leg brushed against something and a loud pouf sent sparks crackling into the air.


    Fire daisy!


    He jumped back and fell onto the floor clutching at his burnt thigh. The skin had been burnt right off the muscle of his calf. As soon as he saw this and it registered in his head pain shot up his leg. He bit his lower lip to try and suppress the seething burns but it was just too much. There was no way he was going to get up and walk in this state.


    He lifted the makeshift hide bag and used it as a pillow. He was stubborn but he also knew that going on at this rate would only make things worse and the best he could do was rest.


    It did not surprise him when sleep didn''t snatch him out of the miserable night and he found himself just staring up at the leaf covered sky. Through the intertwined branches and leaves he caught a glimpse of a star. He did not realize what he''d just seen until it flickered again. He sat up and focused on the spot where the leaves gave way to the sky. Another sparkle.


    He couldn''t believe it. Men had described gazing at jewels in the night sky but most people disregarded such poets and old history books. ''They merely reference fireworks.'' Some would say. ''Those were famous during the olden days.''


    Others believed it was so because the gods used to walk among them and thus men''s eyes were blessed with the ability to see the heaven''s divinity, to remind them that they were not alone when darkness ruled.


    But Matthew was actually seeing a star now, not reading a book or listening to a feline who''d spent too many years around humans.


    Leaves crunched behind him and broke him out of his reverie. Upon glancing back he made out a figure making its way toward him at an alarming speed, the leave crunching becoming louder and faster. Had they followed him into the forest regardless of the dark? On the other hand, butchers and hunters weren''t usually the superstitious type and would probably not be phased by the concept of entering a ''walking'' forest. Especially when there was a meat stealing thief taking refuge within it.


    With a few wobbles and falls he managed to get up onto his good leg. He limped closer to one of the closest trees making sure there were no fire daisies to surprise him. He clenched his teeth. Wrapped his legs and arms around the tree and started shifting upwards. It was an agonizingly slow process as he could only use one leg and had to try and not touch the tree with the other. After what seemed like an eternity he was at the top. He looked below in search of his pursuer but he had climbed too high and the branches that had loyally assisted his ascent now blocked his view.


    He forced his head up and out through the bushy leaves and saw a sight that for a moment drowned all his misery and fear.


    There were thousands of them. Tiny little lights in the night sky that sparkled like fireflies. He had read about them and seen the pictures but none of them compared to what he was looking at. This was the most amazing thing he''d ever seen. That was until he turned his head to face the moon. It shone brighter than ever before and it was big. It had completely lost its grey nature and now shone white with a blue tinge to it. He gazed at it. He didn''t want to go anywhere anymore. He just wanted to stay there marveling at the beauty of the heavens. This truly was a divine sight to behold.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    His fantasy was short lived. The tree came to a jarring stop that almost sent him plunging down do the ground. When the branches stopped swaying and he didn''t have to hold on for dear life he quickly made his way down, well, as quickly as one could with a burnt calf. He did not even stop to consider his stalker who''d most probably still be waiting for him at the bottom as his mind seemed to have lost the ability to make sense of things.


    Had the tree been moving the whole time? How had he not felt it? He was confused.


    None of what had just happened made sense.


    As soon as his legs touched the ground he looked for his bag. It was gone. No. He had left it behind. Even the fire daisy shrub that had costed him his calf was not there and to his relief, neither was his pursuer. When he had started moving or how became the least of his worries so he quickly cast those questions aside. He needed food. As if on cue his stomach rumbled. He suddenly remembered that he had not eaten the entire day. Without worrying for too long he started walking.


    He did not even stop to try and figure out which direction to walk in. He just walked, limping with every step. He came upon a river and his heart almost leapt with joy. Among all the thoughts that wandered around in his head, dying of thirst and hunger had become the most prominent. He was saved!


    *


    "I''m tired!" the princess said.


    "And here I was thinking you were dumb." Daniel exclaimed. "We''ve just entered the walking forest. We need to pass before night falls."


    "We''ve just spent the whole night trying to sneak through the city and we''ve been walking ever since the sun stuck its nose over the horizon. Can we at least stop for some food?"


    "You are on a horse Nadia. Look at Sir..." Daniel realized he had not caught the knight''s name. "Sir, what is your name anyways?"


    The man who''d been walking silently the whole time looked at Daniel. He had not spoken since they met the day before by the stables.


    "Sir Simon. Charles Simon. We will rest here for an hour." the man said.


    Daniel didn''t complain. They stopped and started eating.


    "How early in the evening do the trees start moving?" the knight asked.


    "I''m not sure. I have had no chance to try and work it out." as funny as Daniel thought that was. None of his companions laughed. "As long as we follow the river we will be fine though. I just like to be sure so the faster we leave this forest the better."


    "Aren''t you the brave messenger?" Nadia mocked.


    "I am a messenger. I never claimed bravery. Anyways, I don''t think brave men would enjoy getting lost in there." Daniel answered flatly. "Eats up your mind and makes you crazy, it does."


    The princess looked at the forest. The trees swayed calmly in the cool morning breeze.


    "Doesn''t look too scary to me." she said.


    "SHHHH!" Sir Simon bent low in a practiced crouch. "Hide." he whispered.


    Daniel motioned for the princess to follow suite. They squatted under the cover of the tall grass not knowing what was going on.


    "What is it?" Daniel asked.


    "I think it''s a feline." the knight said.


    "You don''t sound too sure." Nadia responded.


    "He is too far to see clearly but I''m sure those are cat ears. He seems wounded."


    Daniel crept to where the knight was so he could see better. It was a young boy, about his age. The boy was limping towards the river. Daniel had seen a few feline in the city selling some good merchandise. Most of them sold meat and leather hides and would often go into the forest to hunt for their stock and the rest worked for humans. But he''d never seen one so far into the forest.


    "What''s he doing here?" Daniel asked.


    "I don''t think he''s from the city." the knight said.


    Daniel realized that he''d not seen a feline dressed in that manner and had to agree.


    "He is definitely a wild one." said the knight as he reached for his sword.


    ~*~


    ///Long chapter eh? I hope it was well worth the read. Remember to leave a rating before you move on. As I write this, I am sitting in the middle of a mountain somewhere in the heart of Limpopo. Connection is hard to come by here so forgive me for delayed edits.

 ~6.2~

    ~*~


    "I''m tired!" The princess said.


    "And here I was thinking you were dumb!" Daniel exclaimed. "We''ve just entered the walking forest. We need to pass before night falls."


    "We''ve just spent the whole night trying to sneak through the city and we''ve been walking ever since the sun stuck its nose over the horizon. Can we at least stop for some food?"


    "You are on a horse Nadia. Look at Sir..." Daniel realized he had not caught the knight''s name. He was getting a little too sloppy.  "Sir, what is your name anyways?"


    The man who''d been walking silently the whole time looked at Daniel. He had not spoken since they met the day before by the stables, only grunting commands and requesting a change in direction at random intervals.


    "Sir Simon. Charles Simon. We will rest here for an hour." The man said.


    Daniel didn''t complain. They stopped and started eating.


    "How early in the evening do the trees start moving?" The knight asked.


    "I''m not certain. I have had no chance to find out." As funny as Daniel thought that was. None of his companions laughed. "As long as we follow the river, we ought to be fine. I just like being sure so the faster we leave this forest, the better."


    "Aren''t you the brave messenger of the North?" Nadia mocked.


    "I am a messenger. I never claimed bravery or whatever else iss spoken of me. Anyway, I don''t think brave men would much enjoy getting lost in there." Daniel answered flatly. "Eats up your mind and makes you crazy, it does."


    The princess looked at the forest. The trees swayed calmly in the cool morning breeze.


    "Doesn''t look too scary to me." She said.


    "SHHHH!" Sir Simon bent low in a practiced crouch. "Hide." He whispered.


    Daniel motioned for the princess to follow suite. They squatted under the cover of the tall grass, not knowing what was going on.


    "What is it?" Daniel asked.


    "I think it''s a feline." The knight said.


    "You don''t sound too sure." Nadia responded.


    "He is too far to see clearly but I''m sure those are cat ears. He seems wounded."


    Daniel crept to where the knight was so he could see better. It was a young boy, about his age. The boy was limping towards the river. Daniel had seen a few feline in the city, in places wiser folk would rather avoid.


    "What''s he doing here?" Daniel asked.


    "I don''t know, but I''d rather we not cross paths with him." The knight said.


    Daniel realized that he''d not seen a feline dressed in that manner and had to agree.


    "He is definitely a wild one." Said the knight as he reached for his sword.


    *


    The water looked clean. So without overthinking it, Matthew bent low and used his hands as cups to drink his fill. He was about to wash his burnt calf when his ears twitched. His head propped up and he started scanning his surroundings. It was hard to see anything. Next to the river, the mushrooms had stopped growing and a tall water grass littered the banks.


    He was about to dismiss what he heard when a man rose up from the grass and pointed a sword at him. A human man.


    The sword had a thin long blade and a short hilt. Matthew had seen this kind of sword before in one of his father''s books. Only a knight could possess such a blade. He had read about the knights in the great human cities and if what the books had said about them was anywhere near the truth, then he knew he would be outmatched if this encounter turned into a fight.


    So instead of trying to fight his way out, he raised his hands. He was not about to swim for it. Though the idea crossed his mind, the river was far too wide and feline weren''t too fond of water.


    "Where do you come from?" The knight asked threateningly.


    Matthew didn''t respond.


    "Who are you?" This time the knight stepped forward with the question.


    "Matthew." He said, taking a step back.


    "Matthew who?" The knight insisted.


    Matthew raised a brow.


    "Just Matthew." He quickly said, remembering humans always went by two names. "I am looking for the human city."


    The knight looked him over, uncertain of what to do. Then he lowered his sword.


    "Just head straight down the river. You should get there before midday. I doubt you''ll find anything to interest you there though. What business do you have with the city?" The knight was eyeing Matthew''s wounded leg as he said this.


    "I''m looking for someone... they should be able to help me." Matthew said. He wasn''t about to explain how he was on a quest for vengeance on one of their kind. According to the books, the girl he was looking for should be under this man''s protection. The knights were after all, protectors of the human realm.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "May Hope guide you on your way." The knight sheathed his sword and walked back.


    *


    Daniel saw the knight sheath his sword and start walking back.


    The feline must''ve proven to be of no threat. He concluded.


    So he stood up from where he hid in the tall grass, and so did the princess. The feline looked his way and feeling conscious about himself, Daniel decided to wave. The feline boy waved back.


    *


    Nadia had never seen a wild feline before. Their thirst for blood and revenge had always been emphasized when stories of the war against them were told. But now, looking at the feline boy wave so innocently, she seemed uncertain of what she''d been told. She lifted her arm and waved at him.


    And that''s when he saw her.


    *


    He''d found her! His anger overruled all sense of reason and he ran. He paid no attention to the searing pain shooting up his calf. He cared not if the knight turned back and started fighting him. He just had to get to the girl.


    The knight heard the boy pounce and turned with a kick that caught Matthew on the stomach and sent him splashing into the river. He instantly rose and glared at the knight, then past him at the girl.


    "You killed her!" He yelled, before charging at the knight once more.


    There was a flash of silver. Matthew''s shoulder was bleeding but he''d made it past the knight and was now running headlong straight at the girl. There was nothing standing between him and his prize now. The boy who stood next to her was too dazed to do anything about what was going on and would not be a challenge. He had her.


    "Don''t kill him!" The girl screamed, and before Matthew knew what was happening everything went black.


    *


    Nadia had no idea what had just happened. One moment the feline had seemed friendly and the next he was attacking them. Had it been pretence? So as to attack when the knight''s guard was down? Poor fellow, if only he''d known better.


    "hmpff..."


    "He''s waking up." Daniel announced. He didn''t seem very happy, having to carry the unconscious feline.


    He stopped and placed him on the ground.


    "He is not going to bite you." The knight said.


    "I''m just tired. If the princess here could just let the horse carry the feline and walk for just a few hours." He complained.


    "Princesses don''t walk." Nadia replied.


    "Well couriers don''t carry prisoners and help princesses escape from their castles, yet here I am." Daniel rebutted.


    "Well..." She fumbled, caught up in her words.


    "What''s that, cat got your tongue, princess?" Daniel mocked.


    "Well, princesses don''t have to argue with lowly messengers either." With that she looked forward and held onto the reins with her head held high like the royalty that she was.


    The knight was by the feline''s side. He took out his water skin and poured it out onto the boy''s face.


    *


    Matthew was jolted up from limbo. The knight was looking straight down at him.


    "So. Lets start this over. Who are you and where did you come from?"


    Matthew tried to stand and fight but his hands were tied behind his back and his legs were also secured.


    "Allow me." The girl said as she dismounted from her horse, a white stallion which under other circumstances, he''d be marveling at.


    "Why did you want to attack me?" The girl asked.


    "You know why." Matthew bit back at the anger that was filing him.


    "As a matter of fact, I don''t." She said.


    "Then why did you run away? As soon as that mage attacked, you saw your chance and ran with the treasure. Why?"


    "Ok. I think you hit him too hard Charles. He is not thinking properly."


    Daniel laughed at that.


    The knight walked forward.


    "What did you say?" He asked Matthew.


    "She lied to me," He said pointing at her. "I offered her shelter and she promised me gold. My mother got killed because of-"


    Matthew cut himself short. The girl was looking directly at him. He had allowed anger to drive him this far, but as he explained himself, one of the things he had not noticed jumped at him and the rest followed like rain drops.


    The girl that stood in front of him looked exactly like the one he''d been with. And yet it was not her. They had the same colored eyes, the same colored hair. They even wore the same white dress.


    But the girl who stood next to him was different. She was shorter. Her eyes were clearer and her hair was lighter. She even had a jasmine scent that wafted into the air with every move she made. She felt... real. He didn''t understand it. It was as if he had dreamt the other girl''s entire existence.


    "You are...You are not her." he finally said.


    "Of cause I''m not her. We''ve never met before. My name''s Nadia Solace. Princess of Solestia and heir to the throne. "


    ****


    ~Solestia~


    Shimza loved spending his time in inns. One inn in particular. The Dancing Troll. Whilst most mages spent their time trying to master higher aspects of magic and attaining higher ranks, he was fine with where he was. Once, he too had pursued power. It was one of the main reasons he''d become a mage. The power.


    But now, all he cared about was his next mug of ale. When other mages asked him why he''d lost interest, he''d tell them that he hated what the power did to most people, and how he did not wish for it to turn him into a monster. Though this was not the real reason why, it had often worked on getting people off his case. Everyone knew what had happened to Diablo of Bravaldor. In his hunger for power, he had torn the very earth and almost destroyed the city.


    Mages had since then been more cautious, and refrained from going too far. Some had given up completely whilst others, like Zengruid, simply looked at what happened as lack of wisdom and skill.


    "Hear ye Hear ye!" A man jumped onto a table with a mug of ale in his hand. He made sure that he had everyone''s attention before half singing and half shouting at the top of his lungs.


    "FROM THE DRAGON TOOTH TOP TO FORLON''S GRAVE."


    The men and women lifted their mugs and horns and chorused.


    "TOLUMUN THE GREAT! TOLUMUN THE GREAT!"


    "HE''S WALKED IT ALL HE''S SEEN IT ALL." The man led.


    "TOLUMUN THE GREAT! TOLUMUN THE GREAT."


    "CLIMBED UP THE DRAGON''S SPINE AND MET A TROLL


    FOUGHT IT BARE HANDED


    A DAMN GOOD BRAWL."


    "IT WAS A DAMN GOOD BRAWL!" Shimza echoed. This was it. This was the life. Who needs power when one has good ale and a song.


    "BUT THE TROLL WAS STRONG


    AND THE MAN WAS A MAN..."


    But the good life never lasted long. Before the song could get to his favorite part, another mage walked in and tapped Shimza on the shoulder.


    "A message, from the First mage." The man had to almost shout to be heard over the singing.


    "Can I at least finish this song?" Shimza replied.


    "It''s urgent. Can we talk outside?"


    Shimza reluctantly followed the mage out of the inn and onto the streets of Solestia.


    The city was normally filed with people. It was nothing surprising when one got pick pocketed by two people at the same time, who would then turn and fight each other for the loot. But when Shimza saw just how many people were out that day, he was surprised.


    "You haven''t been out of that inn in a while have you? Since the moon showed itself last night people have been out preparing for something big to happen. They are calling it the moon-servant celebrations."


    "The moon was out? Last night?" Shimza asked.


    "It was. Are you telling me you didn''t hear the people singing?"


    "No. I was too exhausted from my last mission to stay up." He said.


    "I''m sure the ale helped too."


    "Ah yes. That too. So anyways. What was the message?"


    "The First mage is sending you on another mission. He says not to fail this one. He didn''t seem happy with your last results." he handed Shimza a letter. It was sealed with the mage''s seal, a cupped flame.


    "Zengruid''s not been happy with a damn thing in his life." Shimza accepted the letter, half of his attention on a little girl who was picking an oblivious city guard''s pocket. He turned back and opened the letter. He read its contents and sighed.


    "I guess I will be missing these moon celebrations too." Shimza said before casting a flame into his hand and burning the letter.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    "When darkness does descendThis story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    And stone is scorched to sand,


    Solace must rise to quell their fear."


    - Verse one of the song, Blades of Fate, recorded by traveling merchants, shepherds and others daring enough to wander the wilderness of Linderyl. It is said to be sung by lost and deaf mad men.


    ~*~

 ~Interlude~

    ~Fate~


    Consciousness slowly embraced her lifeless body. Her eyes fluttered open to a void darkness. She tried  to move her head so as to look around but was unable. Feeling her arms and legs awaken, she tried them too but none would budge. Panic stricken, she started trembling violently but only in her mind. The inability to scream out her agony brought to her a fear she had not experienced before. Her heart pounded and thumped like a war drum.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    What is Happening? Where? How? Who? Legs? When? Move!


    Thoughts danced like drunken clowns, leaving no room for any sense to manifest. And then she saw it... or thought it, whichever. It was a light. A light so bright it cleared her mind and washed away her fear. With the light came memories long forgotten and a power that slumbered awoke.


    They will all pay for this!


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    There''s a story told, a story sung. Poets have rendered it to a bard''s soft strums. It is the story of a hermit, a wise old man. Said to have given to the first mage, a fire. Wise gifts he gives, to all who seek him. To all who wander, lost in Linderyl.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ~*~

 7. The Hermit

    ~The Walking Forest~


    Matthew didn''t mind walking. In fact, he quite enjoyed it. He''d walk for miles with no reason at all and enjoy every bit of it. But now, as he walked behind the knight, who pulled at him using a thick rope tied around his hands, followed by the girl who''d just announced that she was the princess of the human kingdom of Solestia, and a talkative guy whom he now knew to be a messenger of sorts, thanks to the princess'' constant emphasis on the fact, he hated it.


    Every step he took put him further away from the city and his quarry. The human girl, who may be responsible for his mother''s death, was drifting further and further away with every moment and there was nothing he could do about it but listen to the constant bickering between the princess and the messenger.


    He wondered what he had done wrong to deserve all that had befallen him within the past few days. It actually amazed him, how fast his life had changed. It amused him how he had sometimes complained at the boredom that filled his life. Only then, as he walked towards the unknown, did he realize that the boring life he was not too fond of, was the only life he wanted.


    The thought worsened his aching heart and he allowed it to. It was as if he was starting to enjoy the pain. Was he going insane? It didn''t matter. No one would care anyway. If no one would care then why continue living? Was revenge worth it? Was it worth living through all these memories? His mother weaving leather strips from different hides and telling stories that, as she said, even human children had never heard of, her warm smiles that only then he wished he''d held on to and savored every moment of.


    Yes, it was the happy memories that hurt the most. Everything he had ever done was for her. Every choice made with the intention of making her proud. And now she was gone. Maybe he should give up and-


    He laughed. The thought of him killing himself felt so ridiculous that he had to laugh. Maybe he was going insane. He looked up at the knight, stopped walking, and continued to laugh.


    The knight stopped immediately when he felt the rope go taught. He turned back and looked at him questioningly.


    "Walk feline." he commanded.


    Matthew continued laughing. Suddenly the knight looked all sorts of funny. Standing there, full of bravado, protecting the realm of mankind.


    What an utterly ridiculous concept! Did he think that a single corny statement justified his harming and mistreating of other creatures and killing of his own?


    Nadia pulled the reins on her horse to stop it from hitting the crazed feline.


    "I think something''s wrong with him." she said.


    Matthew turned and faced the princess. Up there on her horse all lofty. It was all so pathetic. Daniel had to walk around the horse to see what was going on. When Matthew saw him he stopped laughing. There was nothing funny about him. Not his blonde hair, not his blue eyes and not even his worn cloak.


    It was Daniel who burst into laughter this time. He laughed so loud it spooked the horse and Nadia had to fight to keep it at ease. She almost fell in the process and found the idea of her falling off her lofty steed funnier than it should be. Before she too could join in the hysterical laughter, the feeling vanished as quickly as it had appeared.


    The knight stood there wearing a confused expression on his face and a smile now decorating his lips. Matthew seemed somewhat distorted and Daniel had to lean on the horse''s saddle as the world spun beneath his feet and then it all stopped.


    A silence fell upon the whole group. The knight reacted first, unsheathing his sword though uncertain how he was going to defend himself against a feeling.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "So, so sorry about that. I did not expect anyone to cross paths with me today."


    The group jumped and spun around to face the man whose melodic voice had rung like a bell.


    "I do apologize for that too. I certainly did not expect to startle anyone today." the man said.


    He looked old. His hair had turned from white to almost colorless with not a trace of it having been red at all despite the burning conviction that it had been so which engulfed anyone who stared at it. His wrinkles had tired and sagged and his equally colorless beard was almost at his knees.


    It was the longest beard any of them had ever set eyes on. If they had not seen it themselves, none would have believed its existence. Not only was it insanely long, but it glowed with a yellow buzz, flickering in and out of phase. And now that they noticed this, his hair too seemed to glow.


    "I''ve read somewhere that it is unwise and rude to stare," the old man smiled at them. They quickly looked away from his beard. The knight was first to gain his wits.


    "Who are you?" he asked.


    The old man grinned.


    "I believe you already know the answer to that."


    Nadia''s mouth spoke before she even had time to think about what she was saying.


    "The fire that does not burn,


    The flameless fire,


    The first fire,


    The second fire,


    The last fire,


    He who is Arson."


    "What an introduction!" the man exclaimed. Thank you, your young highness." He bowed slightly to acknowledge her.


    "You are... real." Nadia said as if trying to convince herself.


    "As real as the pages you read that on, your little highness." The old man chuckled to a private joke.


    "How do you know her...?" the knight asked.


    "No need to worry Mr Sir." Arson chuckled again. "Now move on along, you''ve got a ways to go and the night approaches."


    "You are...you are the hermit." Matthew gawked.


    All eyes turned to him. The feline had not spoken since they bound him and forced him to follow them. It had been either that, or they would have had to kill him to ensure that their travels remained a secret. Why the princess had announced herself and given him the information he was now being held prisoner for, he had no idea.


    He was just glad she had stopped the knight when he suggested he be executed. Attacking the princess justified it apparently. And so their mission stayed discreet, they had tied and taken him with them, and now, there was the old man...


    Arson''s head snapped to Matthew.


    "Ah yes. I almost forgot about you. How goes your grand adventure my young feline. Not as fun as the ones in your father''s books is it?" Arson looked at the feline sympathetically.


    He lifted his hand and placed it on the feline''s shoulder. His white knuckles seemed paler against the feline''s brown skin. When he lifted his hand, Matthew''s shoulders felt lighter, his mind clearer.


    "A heavy burden you are carrying there, young one. You ought to throw some of that away."


    "If you really are Arson...the hermit... aren''t you supposed to give us three gifts to help us on our journey?" Daniel asked.


    "The legendary messenger... not legendary yet, though. Look at you all trained and ready, yes, yes. You are well beyond what we''d even hoped."


    "Uhmm..."


    "Forget my mindless chatter. I have gifts. Yes. Important gifts for my travelers."


    In one swift motion, Arson''s arm sprung up and before anyone could stop him, he had the princess'' hand in his own.


    "For you, dear one. Protection and a knowledge." He kissed the back of her hand.


    "Wha-?"


    Arson darted away from her and was again upon Matthew, holding his hand up.


    "And for you, fire and knowledge."


    He darted back to where he''d been standing looked back at the travellers.


    "Sir Night Sir, or knight? Night? knight!" Arson laughed at a joke no one else could comprehend. "To you, I will give a knowing, as a reward. Yes, a reward."


    "I think the famous hermit is just a madman." Daniel announced.


    "Oh, no my young ass-, messenger. You''ll find you are the madman, if you do not tread carefully."


    Daniel froze. He stood, planted firmly in the ground. He lost the charismatic, lowborn, messenger aura he carried around and a more menacing mood swirled about him.


    "Now is not the time to bare your fangs young one." Arson turned away from Daniel, "Your knowings will come to you when you need them, Sir Knight Sir. For now, keep protecting my dear ones and get them out of this forest before the storm."


    "A storm is coming?" Matthew looked skeptically at the clear blue sky. He had not noticed the sudden change in Daniel''s composure. The knight seemed to have missed it too as only Nadia shifted on her horse, suddenly more afraid of Daniel than she was of anything else around them.


    "Do not trust blindly in what you see. Life is full of surprises. Now go. I''ve wasted enough time with you. I have other matters to attend to." Arson responded to Matthew.


    And with that, Arson turned around, his black robe waving in the wind. Its golden rims shone as it reflected the sunlight. His hair gave one last buzz of light, before he disappeared into the forest.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    As the feline population grew within Solestia, some of them took to mercenary work and the majority were enlisted into the king''s army. Half a century went by, Solestia''s walls were rebuilt and the king''s son inherited the throne. Where his father saw an ally, he saw an invader. A threat to humanity''s way of life and a growing parasite. Perhaps it was from this hatred that a division formed between the two peoples and curiosity turned to weariness and fear.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ~*~

 8. A Royal Assassin

    ~The Walking Forest~


    Shimza looked out at the feline settlement from the edge of the forest. He knew it would not be wise to just walk into the town in the darkness. So he decided he''d spend the night in the forest instead. He turned back to where he''d set up camp around a tree. He stood next to the tree, closed his eyes and rested his palm on its trunk. He took a series of practiced breaths then muttered;


    "Fire turn fire burn


    Do not stray but obey


    Flaming flower do not cower


    Circle form fire borne."


    He opened his eyes and scanned his camp. Surrounding him and the tree in a perfect wide circle, were fire daisies. He smiled at himself. Despite not wanting more power he still felt some slight satisfaction at his improvement. A few weeks ago he could barely command a single daisy into doing his will. A few years ago he could not even dream of casting a flame. Now he had successfully bound a tree and set up a warning system in case something came wondering about. He had done it rather easily too. Second grade mage? He could probably take on Zengruid and win if he wanted to. He could become first mage and-


    He remembered the feline kid who had bested him just a few days ago and hoped for his sake that not all felines would be that strong and fast. To clear his mind of these futile thoughts and suppress other unpleasant memories that were starting to blossom, he sat and leaned against the tree, fished out a bottle of ale from his travel sac and sang himself to oblivion.


    *


    When night gave way to day Shimza packed his sac and unbound the tree he lay under. The daisies scattered, finding sun-lit patches to sit in and he was on his way.


    He did not have to go far. Before he even entered the town he was spotted and a group of four feline had surrounded him. The tallest of these stepped forward and gave the mage a threatening stare. Under usual circumstances Shimza would be shouting vile things at them and throwing fireballs. He hated the feline just as much as they hated his kind. But he was on a mission. So instead he chose a peaceful approach.


    "I come in peace," Shimza said, raising his hands to show his unarmed state.


    "On what business? There is nothing for your kind here," the feline said.


    "I need to deliver a message to your chief," Shimza responded.


    "Our chief will not listen to your fowl words human," There was an edge to the feline''s tone as he said this.


    "I have reason to believe your chief will want to listen to what I have to say," Shimza insisted.


    "And I have reason to believe otherwise," the feline said, daring the mage to counter.


    "Well then. I guess I''ll be on my way back home." Shimza turned to walk away but one of the feline men blocked his path.


    "On second thoughts, I do believe the chief will want to see you," the man said.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I''ve decided I do not want to see your chief after all."


    "I do not think you have a choice on the matter." The feline prodded him on the shoulder and turned him around as he said this and they escorted him through the town.


    As they moved through the settlement Shimza felt the cold stares that bore into him from every feline they passed. Every now and then they passed groups of four well-built feline men like the ones escorting him. He soon figured that they must be some sort of street patrol. By the way other feline looked at them and the tension in the air, Shimza could tell that there was something unusual and unsettling yet familiar about the atmosphere. He knew feline hated humans but what he felt as he walked across the little town was more than hate. Children looked at him with remorse and only their mothers'' curt words stopped them from stoning him. A few men who were fitting glass into a window stopped what they were doing and he could have sworn he saw them consider using the glass to cut him up instead of wasting it on a window frame. Fear suddenly clutched at his heart as he realized his situation. These people wanted him dead and he could do nothing but wonder why he was even still alive. They could have killed him on the spot and be done with it.


    *


    "You are not the chief..." Shimza speculated as he regained consciousness to see a tall dark-skinned feline.


    "I am now. Thanks to your people," the man shot back.


    The mage seemed surprised by this.


    "Uhhh, I seem to be lost here, do you mind explaining what that means?" he said.


    "Do not test my patience. We know it was you and we know why you are here," the feline said.


    "Okay, you know it was me who did what exactly?" As much as Shimza asked this to gain information, as per his mission, he was also genuinely curious.


    The feline looked irritated, as if he did not like this game that the human mage was putting up. He motioned to a guy whom Shimza recognized as one of the men who escorted him into the town. The man passed on something that Shimza didn''t recognize until the feline who was now the chief moved toward him waving the object in the air purposefully. It was a knife! Shimza decided then that it was time to call it quits on the mission and fight his way out. The first mage would have to be fine with the little information he had gathered which, as he saw it, was none at all. That didn''t seem to matter seeing as knives were involved. He made a move to stand and realized he couldn''t. Looking down, he noticed for the first time since regaining consciousness that he''d been bound. A thick rope wound around his waist and his legs anchoring him to the chair on which he sat and also, he was sitting. He attempted to cast a flame but individual strings were tied to his fingers and stretched taught so that he could not even as much as twitch. His captors had thought this through.


    "Ah, you are starting to see what''s going on here," the feline said. "You''ll start talking now?"


    "What did you do to me?" Shimza fought to hide his fear.


    "A well-guarded feline secret. Now talk before the knife does some cutting. I''ve been wondering if mages really do bleed fire..." The genuineness in the feline''s tone sent a shiver down the mage''s spine. His mind worked fast. He had to think of something. Was this about the feline boy he had fought? Was he that important? No. It could not have been about that unless...


    "A girl. A human girl. Is that who you are looking for?" he offered.


    "Why yes," the feline said, taken aback. He had not expected it to have been that easy. Then he added;


    "Not just any human girl. It was your princess. She came in here and assassinated our chief and we would like to know why?"


    Shimza took all of this in. Now he knew why the girl had come into the feline town. But solving this mystery only allowed more questions to grow. Rumors that the girl they were chasing was actually the princess had crept into almost every dark corner of Solestia. Shimza himself was not too concerned with the royal families and believe it or not. He did not know how the princess looked. If this didn''t confirm the rumors then Shimza didn''t know what would. The question now was why the king would want her brought back dead. He had made it clear to Zengruid that she was not to enter that palace alive. And why would she murder the feline chief. Surely this would start a -


    Shimza looked up. He did not understand a thing that was going on. All he was sure of was that whatever events had taken place were going to start a war in which he was most probably going to be the first casualty. He smiled at the feline;


    "Oh, well that is the same person I am looking for too."


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    Assassins... there are those who claim the title, doing odd jobs and spilling blood for coin. But these are mere living men, and almost always find themselves in one dungeon or the other. And then there are those, who''s names are like poison to the mouths that utter them. Said to be able to kill with nothing more than a name. The ones named the Spiders. The Dead MenThis book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ~*~

 9. Brewing Skies

    ~*~


    The four sat around a fir, Matthew no longer tied. After their meeting with the hermit, he had not seemed like much of a threat. It had been a weird feeling. He was a friend, someone they could trust. The knight still stole cautious glances at him, but he just sat there, harmless. A silence hung over the travelers, all of them taking in what had just happened.


    Nadia had spread a shawl like cloth on the ground, noticeably far from Daniel, and was sitting cross legged, staring into the fire, mesmerized by the dancing flame''s twirls. She had changed from her dress and now wore long travel breeches and a plain long sleeved shirt. Her dark hair was tied into a knot, fully exposing her blue eyes that shone black under the firelight.


    It was Daniel who broke the silence;


    "If anyone has complaints about the food, I urge them to keep those to themselves."


    He finished cutting the piece of cheese he was holding into four slices and went on to do the same with the bread. He fished out the potatoes he''d thrown into the fire and set each on plate-like leaves he had sworn were not poisonous.


    He handed out the food and took out his water skin.


    "Wine anyone?" he asked with a mischievous smile.


    "You could''ve carried more water with that you know," The knight said disapprovingly.


    "Plenty of rivers between here and Wyden."


    "I''ll pass," the knight said instead.


    "Princess...?"


    Nadia eyed the water skin skeptically.


    "Hmpff."


    "Don''t be snorting at me messenger," she scoffed. "You may be used to eating like-"


    "Like what?" Daniel challenged.


    "We should have brought more supplies," Nadia said, evading the attack.


    "And who would carry those supplies?" Daniel asked.


    "Add another sac on the horse." She said this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "That horse can barely carry you and our current load, maybe if you''d walk like the rest of us-"


    "I am a princess," she said with authority.


    "Or maybe if we''d taken two horses-"


    "You know very well that if we''d taken two horses someone at the stables would have noticed and-"


    "Why is all of this a secret anyway?" the messenger finally asked. "Your father could have just organized a small escort of knights and a banner carrier with some servant girls to get you to Wyden in luxury. You''d have your own cork bearers and everything and wouldn''t have to drink filthy messenger wine."


    Nadia rolled her eyes and looked back at the flame. She nibbled at her food in silence for a while, then opened her mouth to speak but decided against it and continued eating.


    "The stars look beautiful."


    They turned to look at Matthew who had finished his meal and was looking up at the sky. There was no moon there but the stars were out and decorated the night like a thousand sparks.


    "It was a shifter," Nadia said to Matthew after a brief silence.


    "Princess!" the knight warned.


    "No," she said with finality. "He deserves to know." She turned to Matthew. "The person who killed your mother, she looked like me, right?"


    Matthew looked at her.


    "Yes, but it was not you. I... I''m sure of it."


    "Yes. It was a shifter. The same shifter broke into our castle, my home, not too long ago. It made itself look like me so it could infiltrate the city. It''s part of the reason I have to leave Solestia."


    "I know what a castle is," Matthew said.


    "Oh... Sorry. I didn''t mean-"


    "I know what you meant. Do you know where she is?"


    "No. But I''m sure my father''s looking for it. If there''s a brain in that head it made then it''ll be nowhere near Solestia. But if it''s in Solestia then rest assured that your revenge has been taken care of." Nadia smiled at him reassuringly.


    He turned away and gazed back up at the stars. He didn''t want the shifter, or whomever it was, to be dead. He wanted her alive. He wanted to ask her why, and he wanted to kill her.


    Sir Charles stood up and stretched his limbs.


    "Fawsley, are you sure we are far enough from the forest to set up camp?"


    "Yeah, this is the best place to set up camp. Any further and we hit the mountain pass where we''ll not want to spend a night, trolls and all. We can go through tomorrow with the sun on our shoulders, safer that way. Once through, we can rest at the Swollen Foot inn. It''s just beyond the mountains."


    "Alright. We''ll sleep here for the night. I''ll take first watch."


    He walked a little distance from the fire. The trees were shorter here and not as dense, so it was easy to see a little more into the distance. The starlight also helped illuminate the land, leaving everything as graying dark silhouettes.


    Nadia went on to line the ground with more cloths. She set her small blanked down since it was too humid to go under it. After moments of trying to make the ground as comfortable as possible, she lay on it and continued to stare at the fire. It seemed to take things off of her mind.


    Daniel simply lay on the naked soil, wrapping his cloak around himself with practiced ease.


    Matthew rested against a tree, looking up at the heavens in wonder. He shifted to get into a comfortable position and was surprised when a pang of pain didn''t shoot up his leg or side. He turned to look at his calf but instead of seeing burnt flesh, there was a mark tattooed there;


    A flame that resembled the fire mages'' seal. He had seen the sign in many of the books. As much as it was unnerving, something about the mark calmed him. It was the way it buzzed, in and out of phase with a yellow hue...


    ~*~

 9.2

    ~Solestia~


    "Your highness," Maison almost collided with the king as he came running through the flowers.


    "Your highness, the knight''s council is on its way. They''ve found out about the princess," he reported breathlessly.


    "Calm down Maison. You know better than to disrupt me when I''m taking my walks around the garden, and I''m sure they do too," the king said.


    "Forgive me sire. But I tried to tell them that. They just wouldn''t listen.... They seemed very upset." The plump man quivered as he tried to contain the urgency in his voice.


    "Alright, go and tell them to assemble at the high table. Assemble the elders as well. It''s time."


    "Yes your highness."


    "And do hurry before they trample on my flowers like you just did."


    "Apologies, your highness."


    Maison turned and ran, this time taking the cobbled stone paths that wound around beds of different colored flowers. Reds, yellows, violets all whistled by as the old man ran, his brown robe sending gusts of wind to scatter their petals with every turn.


    *


    "You knew. You knew all along and yet you kept us in the dark. You doomed your own kingdom!" Sir Bromley was pointing his finger accusingly at the king. He did not care that etiquette frowned upon the act. He was furious.


    "You must understand. I could not risk spreading panic," the king said, his voice remaining calm as ever.


    "Panic?" The knight huffed. "You are worried about panic? People will die by the thousands. Our families will be wiped from existence and you are worried about panic?"


    "Sir Bromley. I see I cannot convince you to see reason-"


    "Reason? You saved your daughter and sacrificed the rest of the kingdom! And you call it reason?"


    "Quiet Bromley!" the king snapped. It was so unexpected that despite his anger, the knight shut his mouth on command.


    "I''ve made my decision and even if I wanted to change it, I cannot. All I can do is hope that it was the right decision. If you do not want your families to die then you will fight for me. Help me defend not just this one kingdom but all of Sollestia. You must realize that this is not just about our city. It''s about the whole world. Help me save it."


    "No," Bromley turned to leave. "I''m going to take my family and flee to Bravaldor. You can execute me for treason if you want Nachum. But I will not fight for a king who turned his back on his own people. You were supposed to be our king of Solace."Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "This is not about some absurd mythical legend," Maison put in. "And you would be wise to refer to the king as his majesty."


    "It''s alright Maison. Let him leave."


    "Thank you... your majesty." Bromley gave the briefest of bows, and left.


    "Now the rest of you, you have a choice to make. Stay and fight, or leave. Though I do not think running will get you far. The shifters'' army is making its way through the walking forest. Crossing it is the only way to leave this city, and so the only thing we can do is defend it. I will not deceive you. The chances of winning this battle are very slim."


    "We know we cannot win this battle," Roderick broke in.


    "Brother..."


    "Keep quiet Maison," Roderick turned to the king. "I will fight for you. I will bring the knights under my order to your cause. But first I want to know why?"


    The king looked at Mathias. The knight had not spoken since the meeting had started.


    "I''m with you your highness. I''ve sworn an oath to the red wall."


    He looked to the elders. Morrosal nodded but Khan stood up, bowed, and left.


    The king watched his brother leave with a pained heart before turning to those who remained.


    "Thank you for staying. Now, about the decision I made. All the kingdoms knew that this war was coming. At least, the royal families did. For three millennia, we prepared. Thus the knights were formed and other... failed attempts at warriors loyal to humanity. But the war was supposed to have happened a hundred years ago. When it did not, we thought the shifters had given up and we could rest easy. In only a hundred we completely neglected the effort, it seemed futile to waste fortune on a nonexistent war. I knew when we had the shifter incident that the attack was not cancelled but postponed. There was no time to ask for reinforcements. It takes five days to our nearest ally and the war will be over by that time. If we flee they will catch us on the road. That is assuming we can move a whole city''s worth of people. We''ve been using the walking forest as a protective barrier, but now it acts as a cage. Roderick is right. We cannot win this war. Sir Bromley was also right. I acted selfishly in sending my daughter away. I will not ask for forgiveness because I do not deserve it. But if we fight this army, we can at least weaken it enough for the next kingdom to survive. It is not about us anymore. It''s about all of humanity. The shifters will not stop with us. I know for certain that they are here to finish what their god started thousands of years ago. So are you still with me?"


    The knights nodded. The elders bowed and Zengruid ran in. He gave a quick bow.


    "Your highness, we have a situation," he announced.


    "They all know Zengruid. Speak freely," the king ordered.


    "The shifters have attacked the feline settlement just beyond the trees. The feline were badly outnumbered and..." Zengruid looked down. "The second mage I sent there has not returned. He was gathering information as per your instructions and I''m afraid he suffered the same fate as all the feline."


    "I am sorry to hear that Zengruid." The king consoled.


    "I''ve sent all my mages into the forest. The attack on the feline village slowed the shifters'' advance and allowed us to form a steady defense line among the trees. I must return to join them; I must be there when the battle begins. I''ve estimated that they will be here by sunset."


    "And my daughter..."


    "She was well beyond the forest yesterday your highness. The daisies no longer whisper her name. She is beyond my reach."


    "Alright then, the knights will take the second line of defense," the two knights bowed and left.


    "Elders, take the king''s guard and evacuate the city. Get the women and children in the town hall and set up a line of defense behind the farming fields. Once the shifters get through... If the shifters get through the knights and mages then you can pick them out with arrows as they cross the fields. Give every other able bodied man a sword and a shield." The king stood up from his throne and unclipped his robe. There was a clanging of gold as the fine red furs hit the ground.


    "Maison. Bring me my sword."


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    Feline are known to have no culture of their own. They adopted the the mannerisms of the men of Solestia where they lacked tradition. So much so that they even slept during the night when their nature clearly showed them better adapted for a nocturnal life. Their existence is one of the many wonders of Linderyl. Theirs and that of the Otherworlders. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ~*~

 10. To be Feline

    ~*~


    Daniel finished strapping their minimal luggage to the horse and turned to help Nadia onto her saddle.


    "I''ll walk from here onward." She said, striding past him to join Matthew and the knight who were already taking their first steps towards the mountain pass, her hair a glowing black despite the scarce light of dawn.


    Daniel looked to where they''d set up camp the night before. They had scattered their extinguished fire''s ashes just enough to make it seem older than it really was. The knight had insisted they conceal as much evidence of their being there as possible.


    Daniel had gone on to even water the grass that had crumpled from their sleeping on it, saying that it would help it straighten faster. When Nadia made a fuss about the water loss he assured them again that he''d walked this route countless times and that there was barely any need to carry water. In fact; He''d made the journey twice without as much as a water skin.


    "Enough rivers between here and Wyden to quench the devil''s crevice." He''d said at one point.


    He gave one final scan of their camp and nodded to himself before leading the horse on its way.


    When the sun finally broke through the horizon it made the looming mountains glow red on the edges giving them an ominous look.


    After what seemed like an eternity of walking and dawn had fully become day the mountains still loomed, casting their shadows on the travelers. Nadia was beginning to think they would never reach the bloody things but didn''t complain out loud. They filled their water skins twice on the countless streams they had to cross with Daniel reminding them each time that there were more up ahead. Matthew merely drank from the stream, silently lamenting his lost supplies.


    The sun rose over the mountains to beat down on them at full tilt and they felt its stinging rays scorch their faces relentlessly. Without the walking forest to cover them they had no choice but to trudge on in the open heat. Among the countless shrubs a tree would appear and they''d adjust their route so as to end up in it''s shade.


    Not wanting to waste too much time they didn''t stop for lunch but ate on the road instead. The sun ripened and went from yellow to orange. It now hovered behind, casting their shadows before them.


    "Maybe we should stop at the next reasonable tree and set up camp." The knight suggested. "At this rate we''ll never hit the pass in time. "


    "No. We''re already in troll territory. We need to get through the mountains today or head back." Daniel said.


    The knight weighed their options.


    "Let''s quicken the pace then." Nadia pulled ahead and the choice was made.


    Shrubs and trees were slowly replaced by rocks and boulders. Yellow flowered grasses sprouted from the sandy soils bordering an evident path that seemed to have been deliberately cleared.


    "It looks like there are people about." The knight said to no one in particular, eyeing the path suspiciously.


    "No one comes out here. Fire mages from Wyden used to use the pass to get to the walking forest but not anymore. They are not responsible for the path though. No one knows how it came about. We are just grateful that it exists." Daniel informed them.


    "What were the mages looking for in the forest? Nothing in there but shrooms and the occasional troll or two" Matthew asked curiously.


    "Fire daisies. They harvest them for their experiments." Daniel answered.


    "What do they use now?"


    "In his experiments, one of them figured out how to plant them and started selling them. Made a huge fortune doing it too, until his secret leaked to the common people. Apparently you just need to grow some purple looking sparkly mushrooms and the sun does the rest."


    Matthew looked at the messenger quizzically. Daniel smiled:


    "The shrooms act as a fuel you see. The sun ignites it and instead of a fire... daisies grow out of it." He said.


    Matthew took this in. He noted it as something he would try out when he got the chance. His mother would have been fascinated by this information.


    "Still doesn''t explain the mountain pass." He said before any memories of his mother came to plague his mind. Most of the pain had somewhat subsided after the encounter with the hermit, leaving a melancholic longing there instead.


    "I read somewhere that the Northern lady used it to go through the mountains. She commanded the rocks to part and the mountains moved. Then told the weeds not to grow where she had set foot and they too obeyed. " Nadia said to Matthew.


    Daniel looked between them and slowed his pace. He joined the knight who had kept a professional distance behind. For a knight, he seemed used to guard duty.


    "That''s from the second verse of Daughter Of The North." Matthew commented.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "You are a moon servant?" Nadia half exclaimed.


    "No... feline don''t follow any specific religion. But I read quite a bit."


    Nadia''s eyes scanned over the feline boy, a quizzical expression drawn on her face.


    "What''s it like to be feline?" she finally asked.


    Matthew looked back at her, blank-faced.


    "I mean... how do you live? As in what do you do when you are not... uhmm, seeking revenge and such?


    Matthew chuckled despite himself.


    "I guess we eat... bathe, sleep... and work...and uhmm..."


    Nadia sighed.


    "Fine. Let me ask a different question. Do your pa..." Her sentence faded off as she suddenly remembered why the feline was there. "Do you have a girl you are seeing maybe? Back home?"


    "Uhmm... princess I..."


    "No. No, I didn''t mean..." She gestured between the two of them. "You are feline and I''m a princess and..."


    "Yes, I am... feline."


    Nadia noted the sombre tone in his response and quickly added;


    "Not that being feline is bad or anything. I know most people think of you as wild savages and all, but it''s because of the war right? I''ve read many books on war. It''s not af is you can just turn back and shake your enemy''s hand as if nothing happened. Even if they did spare you. I mean-"


    "No," Matthew interfered. "It''s not that."


    "Huh?"


    "It''s just..." Matthew hesitated to start.


    "Did something happen between you and your...?"


    "My? Oh, no." He tilted his head to scratch his ear with his shoulder. " I''ve never really had...friends, or interacted much with other feline. So I wouldn''t tell you what it''s like. I''ve only read books and those are all written by men so... I can only tell you what you think we are like."


    Nadia nodded in understanding.


    "I see, and were we right?"


    "Were you right?"


    "In the books, were the things the human thought right?"


    "I just told you I wouldn''t know since-"


    "Are you assuming that your own thoughts don''t matter?"


    Matthew''s head perked up and for the first time in their conversation he looked at her. He found she was staring right back at him, blue eyes sparkling expectantly. He quickly looked aside.


    "You are feline, aren''t you?" She asked rhetorically.


    "Yes... I am, I guess."


    "Then were the books right about you?"


    "Sometimes. I mean, no matter how much we hate the comparison, we do like cats... to an extent."


    Nadia laughed at that. A sweet titter that reminded him of a flute in spring.


    "And..." she pursued the topic.


    "They were mostly wrong though." Matthew paused to scratch his ear again. "I don''t consider myself or any of the others savages or anything but..."


    "But you still attack any humans on site." she finished his sentence.


    "That was a misunderstanding."


    "I''m sorry, my humor is not ... I''m sorry." Nadia apologized. "I''ve always had doubts about feline being savages. In fact, the few I''ve met in the city were very kind so to imagine that they suddenly became savage when they were beyond the forest was a little hard to believe. It was like having to believe that the forest actually walked!"


    She laughed at the ridiculousness of the idea.


    "It does walk." Matthew corrected.


    "Okay, yes. Anyways, I had my doubts about you being savage and barbaric and such. But hearing constant complaints from the people come to my father with complaints of feline ambushes and how mages dreaded going to collect fire daisies in fear of running into feline folk I wondered. Especially when the royal kitchen staff requested armed escorts to accompany the hunters when they went out."


    Matthew scoffed.


    "Well, perhaps these mages and hunters should stop attacking every feline in sight and maybe we wouldn''t attack them too."


    "So that''s how it is."


    They walked in silence for a while. Matthew a little more irritated at how she brushed off his comment on the forest than the whole politics between their races. He didn''t care much who liked whom and personally just hated people who found it okay to hurt others. He scratched his ear again furiously and exclaimed when several rodent-looking creatures skirted away from their path.


    "There are so many of them!"


    "Huh?"


    "Things, just...the insects, birds and all these little animals scurrying around in the grass. It''s...noisy."


    "Oh... I almost thought my presence was making your ears itch."


    "No, your presence is..."


    She raised her brow questioningly.


    "Your presence is fine."


    "Fine? I can live with that." She frowned; "How do you handle crowded places then?"


    "It''s different when it''s people. I can focus on specific individuals then and quite easily ignore the rest. But these are all coming directly at me... I''ve never experienced this before. "


    "What''s it like?" Nadia asked, interest brimming from her.


    "Like a thousand stories being told to you all at the same time and yet you can still distinctly hear each one separately. It''s irritating."


    "You mean you can understand them?"


    "Not so much understanding but... I can read their signals. A mate call, a warning, directions to a food source, more warnings. Most are just warnings... probably of us."


    "That''s pretty cool..." She moved closer to him, eying his ears curiously. "Can I touch your ears?"


    "Uhmm..."


    Before he could respond, she had her hand on his ear. He almost pulled back at her touch. Her soft skinned fingers gently clasped his ears and she caressed it, feeling around the shape of it. He turned to tell her how uncomfortable this was but his words faded when he met her eye for the second time that day. Excerpt this time she was close, really close.


    "Ahem!"


    Matthew abruptly pulled away from her. Nadia merely turned back to face the knight who''d cleared his throat.


    "You worry too much Simon. He''s harmless."


    "I doubt that''s what your loyal knight is worried about." Daniel put in.


    Nadia ignored him and quickened her pace to catch up with Matthew who''d hurried on ahead.


    "Don''t mind him." She matched his pace. "Your ears are rough... no, tough. Do all feline have such thick skin?"


    "Don''t let her lead you on my feline friend. Her royal highness probably just misses her pet." Daniel shouted from behind.


    Nadia stopped in her tracks. She turned, her movements curt, precise. She half walked, half hurled herself toward Daniel. Her stop was punctuated with a slap followed by a coughing messenger.


    "Ouch..." Daniel let out.


    The knight extended his hand between them.


    "My lady, bickering with our guide is not wise. Besides," He pointedly said the next part to Daniel; "we are in dangerous territory are we not?"


    "Yes," Daniel agreed, rubbing his cheek.


    They resumed the walk in silence, The knight made sure to keep Nadia and Daniel separated to avoid any more arguing.


    Matthew kept walking on ahead. He noticed that his ears no longer irritated him. His heart though, was another matter entirely. It had not stopped pounding since the princess had stroked his ear. When she had stopped his breath had come back to him and only then had he realized he had been holding it. Even the sound of a slap cutting through the hum of insects and birds had not cut him out of his thoughts. His mind was still stuck on the delicate features of her face and how close it had been to his. He was not used to intimacy.


    As his brain did somersaults and tumbles around his head, he wondered for the first time why he had continued to follow these people even after they had freed him. He wondered why they had freed him and why his mind was fuzzy on the events leading to his freedom. Above all, he wondered why his ankle was throbbing as if being dipped in and out of fire...


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    Feline are known to have no culture of their own. They adopted the the mannerisms of the men of Solestia where they lacked tradition. So much so that they even slept during the night when their nature clearly showed them better adapted for a nocturnal life. Their existence is one of the many wonders of Linderyl. Theirs and that of the Otherworlders. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ~*~

 ~Interlude II~

    ~The Void~


    She waited in the whiteness. It was a limbo of sorts. The white light that she''d awoken to stretched infinitely in every direction. The humans were responsible for this, Hope was responsible for this. But they were all going to pay. All she had to do, was wait.


    Then it happened. Right before her eyes the whiteness started to give way to color. A hazy blue sky hung over sands with dunes that stretched as infinitely as the whiteness had. But unlike the whiteness, these had substance and she could actually recognize them; The Fields of Forlorn. After a moment, a figure flickered into view, a girl, sapphire blue eyes and hair dark as night.


    "You are late," she said.


    The girl knelt on one knee and gave a bow so deep that if she went any lower her head would touch the ground.


    "Forgive me my lord. But the shield was stronger than we anticipated. It took a hundred more years to fully crumble," the girl responded.


    "It does not matter. How goes the plan?"


    "The feline are taken care of. Solestia will soon follow."


    "And the gems?" she asked.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Still looking my lord. They were not in the cities, as we had assumed. Only gold and other worthless trinkets." She dumped the contents of the riches in front of her.


    "You''ve had five thousand years to look for them. If they were not in Solestia, you should''ve searched elsewhere. Without them we cannot win this war. Without them I cannot leave this prison!" she pointed out.


    "Forgive me for my incompetence my lord. But Solestia was the last human dwelling we had yet to search."


    "And the Elves?" she asked.


    "The Elves and the humans have not gotten along since your... leave, my lord. I doubt humans would trust them with such a power."


    "FOOL!" she snarled, her voice booming like thunder. "Of cause they would like it to appear that way. To think that you did not catch on for thousands of years, it almost amuses me. "


    "Apologies, my lord."


    "Enough with the apologies. The Elves have the gems, go and retrieve them. Free me of this insufferable cage so I may meet my captors."


    "I shall retrieve them at once my lord."


    "Yes. You shall. And next time you come visit me. Shift into something more pleasant to look at."


    "Yes, my lord." The girl''s body quickly changed. Her skin quivered for a moment before her limbs twisted into convoluted knots and she faded into a heap of sand. The sand then gathered up into a faceless humanoid figure with its granules still shifting and flowing without breaking form.


    "Now go and find me those gems."


    The girl, who was the shifter, stood up, gave another -more formal- bow, and left.


    As she moved farther and farther away, the color slowly disappeared. The desert''s sands were first to go, fading and giving way to nothingness. Then the blue of the sky slowly disintegrated into little bubbles of color that flickered black and blue in the whiteness, lingering for just a few seconds too long. Fate knew there was nothing there. That it was her imagination, a trick of the eye, the results of staring directly at the sun. She closed her eyes, took a few blinks, and surely enough, when she opened them for the third time, there was nothing but white.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    As the feline population grew within Solestia, some of them took to mercenary work and the majority were enlisted into the king''s army. Half a century went by, Solestia''s walls were rebuilt and the king''s son inherited the throne. Where his father saw an ally, he saw an invader. A threat to humanity''s way of life and a growing parasite. Perhaps it was from this hatred that a division formed between the two peoples and curiosity turned to weariness and fear.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ~*~

 11. Dancing With Trolls

    ~*~


    If not for his thigh, that seemed to grow hotter with each step he took, Matthew would''ve been gawking at the mountains'' sheer sizes. The dragontooth mountains, which bordered his home from the northern unknown, were larger. But those had gradually steepening gradients and plain almost flat expanses that often made one forget they were on a mountain. These, on the other hand, were more like piles of rocks that had somehow been stacked up to insurmountable heights. Looking up the jutting bluffs made Matthew a little dizzy.


    Or perhaps the dizziness was a result of his now seething leg. He could feel sweat dripping down his torso despite the sun having dipped a little over the horizon behind them. The sun-kissed tips of the mountain tops did little to alleviate the pain. Their resemblance to burning embers only made him feel even hotter so he tore his eyes away from what he would have considered beautiful and looked ahead.


    The path they were on lead them to what looked like a tear on the mountain wall. Matthew grew suddenly very eager to be within this crevice, thinking of the cool air that would hopefully be contained within.


    Before continuing on, he looked back and found that the knight had stopped walking. He now stood, hand on the hilt of his sword, listening. Daniel too had stopped, his eyes glued to the path they''d just left behind. The princess noticed the sudden tension and even she spun back to check on what happening behind them.


    Matthew''s head swirled, the dizziness blurring his vision. He started hating the stunted trees that had suddenly replaced the yellow-flowered grass he had begun to get used to.


    Where were these bastard trees when I needed shade?


    Now, they only served to further blind him from whatever was coming. But he did not need to see it. A shift in the wind carried the salivary scent of wet fur into his nostrils and his adrenaline spiked.


    "Run!" he barked.


    Snarling and bounding on their muscled forearms, seven foot, ape-like trolls broke through the scarce shrubbery and ran straight at them.


    The horse neighed and pulled on its reins causing Daniel to stumble back. The knight hoisted him up and pushed him forward, leaving the horse to bolt into the wilderness. Matthew waited only for the princess to catch up to him and they ran in formation, keeping her at the center of their makeshift triangle.


    As mice into a hole, the travelers slinked into the tear in the mountain. Steep unscalable cliffs jutted into the skies besides them trapping them in a narrow path.


    The trolls gave chase. Some jumped up to the cliff''s sides, using their arms to swing from boulder to boulder. It was not long before a few dropped down ahead of the travelers, cutting off their only escape and halting them in their tracks.


    "So... No sudden moves?" Nadia squealed.


    The knight didn''t hesitate. With a flash of his sword the first troll was beheaded and the second impaled. The third was more careful. It moved around the first thrust and swiped out with its clawed paw. The knight jumped. The paw went under. The troll''s head fell.


    The beasts seemed to realize that going one at a time was a lousy tactic. All at once, they ran at the travelers.


    "Feline! Help me clear a path for the princess." The knight barked over the growling and clanging of sword on claw.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Blood spilt everywhere. Matthew was kicking and tearing trolls bare handed, shoving others in every direction as they closed in on them. The knight dodged and sliced spewing more blood into the air. Daniel had drawn from his cloak two kote that he wore like gauntlets and used to parry swipes that would have been otherwise fatal. Nadia stood in the middle of the three''s protective circle, watching with horror as the trolls clambered over each other in an attempt to get to them.


    Matthew edged towards the knight and they slowly started to clear a path. As a unit they moved forward leaving dead trolls which were instantly replaced by living ones. The were less trolls ahead than behind making it hopefully possible to open their route. Daniel had one hand in a troll''s mouth, the gauntlet the only thing saving his hand from decapitation when Matthew shouted:


    "Clear!"


    The night pulled a startled Nadia by the hand and shoved her out of the chaos.


    "Run!" He bellowed.


    She didn''t need to be told twice. She was up and running just as Daniel cried out.


    "My hand!"


    Matthew dove at the troll with Daniel''s hand in its mouth. He caught it on the chest with his shoulder, body slamming into its brethren. If the trolls had been organised and weren''t trampling over each other, the fight would have been already over.


    Daniel''s hand was yanked free and he lunged out the same opening the princess had gone through. The knight stabbed another troll and and pushed through to the outside. When he looked back the opening was completely closed and Matthew was nowhere in sight. Daniel moved back to try and free Matthew but the knight placed a hand on his chest, stopping him.


    "There''s nothing we can do for him now," he said.


    Daniel looked to the mound of seven foot trolls that was forming over the poor feline.


    "The horse?"


    The knight pointed further behind them were a larger mound had formed. In the confusion they had not heard its dying cries as it had returned to rejoin then. Such was a proper battle trained horse. It had attracted most of the trolls and in a way, saved them.


    "We need to leave." They turned and ran.


    *


    Nadia ran. She ran faster than she''d ever ran in her entire life. The weariness from the long walk in the sun had evaporated, washed away by fear. The mountain pass grew narrower with every step and arced further and further away from her companions.


    Moments passed and her legs finally gave way. She stumbled to a gentle rest on a mound of rocks. No trolls had followed.


    She struggled to catch her breath as her lungs tried to inhale and exhale at the same time. Her heart was pounding so fast she almost couldn''t feel it. All she felt was a throbbing lump in her throat that she assumed must be her heart. Sweat dripped down and formed small rivulets on the dry rocks she leaned against.


    She decided to wait for the others for a little while before continuing on her journey. As much as she dreaded it she would have to go on her own if the others didn''t make it. She also could not wait for too long and risk the trolls catching up to her. She was about to stand up and leave when the rocks shifted under her weight. First she thought she had caused it but took a step back in alarm when the whole bundle of rocks shuddered and quaked.


    Her calming heart spiked once more and jumped back to her throat. The rocky mass tore out of the earth and the whole thing stood upright. Nadia could not believe what she was seeing. The stony monstrosity stood twenty feet tall. The entire thing was made of stone. It stood, apelike, gazing down at her with glowing white circles that were its eyes. For the first time in her life, Nadia stood frozen in fear.


    It swung it''s massive arm and as Nadia stood there, faced with death, her life flashed before her eyes.


    *


    Matthew was swarmed. He fought to breathe under the countless troll bodies. He felt his body being crushed and gave a scream when a troll managed to get a bite of his leg. Its teeth sank into his skin like knives. He cried out and inhaled a lungful of the musty air that smelled of wet dogs. There were limbs and heads everywhere. Some trolls bit and tore at one another in the confusion. Blood was dripping onto his face but he ignored it, focusing on staying alive. He could not allow the trolls'' weight to squeeze the life out of him. He had to ignore the burning pain in his leg as as the teeth sank deeper and scraped against bone. He clenched his own teeth and refused the cool embrace that death offered.


    That''s when it happened. His calf''s burning intensified and it was not because of the troll trying to bite his leg off. It changed and alternated from hot to cold along with his racing heartbeat. If he could see it he would have noticed the flame symbol''s buzzing yellow light also pulsing with a vigorous intensity.


    A heat wave washed over him and Matthew gave a loud wail as a white light drowned his vision.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    Whispers whisper of a man who wanders the wild. Old as time yet never aging. A giver of gifts, a merchant of fire. One who harbors all knowings, a son to the one true God.


    ~*~This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    --------------------

 12. A Knowing Of Things

    *


    It swung its massive arm and as Nadia stood there ,faced with death, her life flashed before her eyes.


    That was what happened when someone faced eminent death, or at least that was what she thought happened. What flashed before her eyes was not her life though, not the life that she had lived anyways;


    "She was on a tree, waiting for them. She knew they were coming. Any moment now and the signal would go up. She looked to the other trees. Everyone was in position. A classic ambush.


    But the signal never came. No fireball shot through the sky to announce their quarry''s arrival. It was when she heard the cries of her fellow mages that she realized the horrible truth. They had been expected and their trap outmaneuvered.


    She climbed down from the tree. The walking forest flashed with firelight as the mages fought desperately to keep their enemy at bay. But it was all in futility. She turned to join the fight but a mound of sand erupted from the ground and plunged itself at her..."


    A darkness...


    "She was waiting. The sun had set. She stood at the very edge of the barley fields. She was in full armor. Her sword out and ready. A light breeze carried the smell of ash and smoke wafting in from the forest. Any moment now...


    ''Attack!'' yelled the commander. They all rushed at the forest. The enemy had to be kept away from the city. They had to keep the enemy away from the city. So she fought. With all her strength and all her will she fought. Her comrades fell besides her and still she fought. She stabbed and parried, rolled and sliced just as she had been trained. but her muscles tired, her motion faltered and she was drowned in sand..."


    A darkness...


    "Now she was on a roof. The last of the women and children had been evacuated. Stars shone brighter than ever before. It was hard to believe that all that was, was real. None of what was happening made sense. But she was just grateful that she''d lived long enough to see it.


    ''Knock your arrows!'' She heard the cry and focused on the task at hand.


    She lifted her bow, swiftly drew an arrow from her quiver and armed it.


    ''Aim!''


    She aimed at the barley fields which stretched into the distance. Without the sun for light she could not make out where the fields stopped and the forest started. But she could see the slithering figures that were the shifters pouring in from darkness. She estimated the distance, lifted the bow, aimed at the stars and waited.


    ''Loose!''


    She fired her arrow and knocked another onto the bow. She was about to take aim when a tree came hurtling towards her. Before she could question how it came to be that a tree was flying straight for her face-"


    A darkness...


    "Children crying. Mothers singing. A bard plucking tentatively at his lute with trembling hands..."


    Darkness...


    "She shifted into the princess. It seemed the appropriate thing to do. Together with her companions they stalked towards the throne. The king was in full armor. He rose and came at her without a word or warning. He didn''t even flinch when he saw his own daughter standing there. He swung his longsword with the strength of ten men. She stepped back to avoid the arcing blade, allowed him to follow through, then stepped in and drove her small knife under Nachum''s breastplate and through his heart.


    Light flashed!


    *


    The knight turned a corner and saw it. His worst nightmare come back to haunt him.A giant stone golem stood before the princess and it was about to crush her.


    "No!" he yelled. "Not again!"


    He ran full tilt at the princess. He was not about to let the golem claim another life he cared for. This mission was all he had left. He had to save her.


    Hands wrapped themselves around his waist and he was tackled to the ground.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "You won''t make it in time. You''ll die!" Daniel scolded.


    "No." The knight punched Daniel in the face but he held on.


    "No No No!" The knight cried. "I can''t let this happen again. I can''t let you die..."


    The knight kicked and shoved at Daniel.


    "Let me save her. I have to save him... He is... my friend." The knight started to sob, tears stinging at his eyes.


    "I have to save... Timothy..."


    Daniel tightened his grip around the knight. They couldn''t fight that thing. He had to keep him away. It was the right thing to do. No matter what happened the knight could not be allowed to interfere. It didn''t matter that his arm was bloody and sizzling with pain from where the troll had bit him. It didn''t matter that the knight''s kicks had broken a rib or two. Daniel had to keep him there. It was the right thing to do and somehow he knew it. Yes, he was certain of it. So he held on and watched through swollen eyes as the golem''s hand fell onto the princess...


    *


    A heat wave washed over him and Matthew gave a loud wail as a white light drowned his vision;


    "Everything was white. The whiteness stretched as far as his eyes could see in every direction. He searched around the emptiness until he came upon a figure.It was not human and neither was it feline. It didn''t fit into any of the six races that inhabited true Sollestia and it was not a creature that Matthew was aware of. It was indescribable. It was all the colors and none of the colors. It had as many limbs as he could count and yet no limbs. It was not the beginning but the end and only the end. Yet it was whatever you wanted it to be. He then knew that he was staring at Fate....


    ''And the gems.'' Fate asked someone Matthew could not see.


    ''Still looking my lord. They were not in Solestia like we assumed. There was only gold and other worthless trinkets.'' A voice replied.


    ''You''ve had five thousand years to look for them. If they were not in Solestia you should''ve searched elsewhere. Without them we cannot win this war. Without them I can lot leave this prison!'' Fate said pointedly.


    Matthew knew the gems would not help. He knew they were not the key fate was looking for. The humans were truly cunning creatures. They had tricked Fate once again. He didn''t know how he knew this. He just knew. And yet something felt... off.


    He also knew the identity of the invisible person. He had heard that voice before. It was unmistakably familiar. It belonged to the human girl. The shifter. The one responsible for his mother''s death. He moved forward to confront her before as she left but was pulled back by an unseen force. Fate turned and looked straight at him with his many eyes but seemed not to see him. He closed his only two eyes and took a few blinks. He opened them and stared at him but still saw nothing. Then..."


    A darkness...


    "Matthew was in a cavern of some kind. It was too dark to make out anything. He would not have known it was a cavern if not for the hollow drips of water that sent echoes bouncing off the walls. A large groan shook the ground and pebbles fell. A gust of wind brushed past him as something moved in the darkness.


    He strained his eyes to try and make out what was in there with him and saw nothing but blackness. Then an orange light flooded the cave, blinding him momentarily. He shielded his eyes with his hand then slowly released it to try and make out the source of this new light. Red veins lined the edges of its surface and at its center, standing as tall as he was, a vertical, elliptical mass of blackness.


    Hard bone like armor surrounded what Matthew realized was an eye despite it being the size of a mammoth''s head. Its armor curved back and rose into a horn. Its green scaled muzzle twitched as it gave another purry groan that shook the cavern. Snake-like tendrils that were its mane glimmered under the dim light. A fierceness radiated from its intimidating existence and made Matthew wish he''d never been born. He stumbled back in fear and kicked something that clattered across the floor. He looked down and was met with dozens of shattered swords. From long blades to great-swords and even some battle axes littered the ground. Among the metalwork charred remains of skeletons of men who''d met their fate rested there.


    Matthew suddenly wanted to be back under the mass of trolls, anywhere else but there. And then..."


    A darkness...


    "Matthew was standing beside the princess. A large boulder was bearing down at them. Upon further inspection Matthew noticed that it was not just a boulder but a hand. He was not afraid, he instantly knew what to do. Compared to the creature he''d just seen, this was... nothing. He raised his own hand and his calf burned. The boulder crashed down and struck an invisible shield. The golem looked surprised to see the princess unharmed when it lifted its hand. It struck again, and again, and again. Alternating hands like it was playing a drum but the shield held strong, giving a fiery glow with each impact. Pieces of rock flew in all directions and a dust cloud enveloped the scene.


    In the chaos the princess spotted something on the monster''s abdomen. It knocked her back from her shock and she started moving towards the stone giant. Matthew moved with her, holding the shield up like a torch. The golem grew frustrated seeing it''s quarry move forward instead of lying dead in flattened chunks and pieces. It changed tactics and started jumping up and down whilst simultaneously bashing at the shield bubble in an attempt to stomp and smash the girl. The shield held and was now constantly distinguishable as sand rolled off its sides.


    The golem stopped to inspect the resilient human.


    Nadia saw it stop and immediately barked an order.


    ''Now!''


    Matthew retracted the shield and she reached out and took hold of the sparkling object which had caught her attention. The beast gave a loud roar as its stony being was sucked into the gem.


    Light flashed!


    *


    Matthew woke with a cough. He looked at the dozens of trolls that surrounded him. All of them now naught but smoking carcasses lying in the evening sun. The ground around him lay black burnt by whatever fire had burnt the trolls. The horse lay a few feet behind him. Its belly ripped open and its fur burnt black. Without stopping to consider the countless questions in his mind, he ran in the direction of his travelling companions.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    The lady of the north, Aurora, Dawn. She goes by many names, and yet all who dwell in Linderyl know her. She loved humanity so much that she cast away her freedom and bound herself to the Northern skies, from there, she would look after her children for all eternity, all in the name of Hope. The one true God.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ~*~

 13. Arsons Fire

    ~*~


    Shimza was going to die. He knew this, and yet, he kept crawling forward, kept hoping that he would find salvation. Had this not been what he wanted? To finally die and join his family? He wondered for a moment if there was an afterlife, and if he would have his memories of his family once there.


    His wife Sophie, who kept her hair dyed red so people would mistaken her for Mellifluous and their daughter Rory. Sweet little Rory whose eyes were darker than a starless night sky. Rory, who''d cried when her farther burnt himself casting his first fireball. Rory, who''d nursed her dying mother on her own in her father''s absence. Rory...


    He would finally get the chance to explain it all to her. He''d tell her how he''d wanted to be there for her mother but could not disobey the king. He''d tell her that if he could go back in time, he''d disobey the daft king''s orders anyway and refuse the mission. He would stay and look for a cure to heal their mother instead. He would never abandon them again and every night he would remind them of just how much he loved them.


    For the first time since his daughter''s death, Shimza cried. He did not cry because of the arrows protruding from his back. He did not cry for the blood he''d left painting the mushroomed floors of the forest. He cried for a path not taken, a life not lived. A life where his name was not Shimza, but Jaune Quelman.


    He started to laugh, spitting blood with every chocking cackle, remembering how he''d hated that name. How he''d wanted so badly to leave his father''s title behind to become a single named man. To become a mage who rained fire upon his enemies. To become Shimza.


    Shimza, who was dying alone in a cursed forest, with no family, no friends, and worst of all, no purpose. Finally giving up on salvation he rolled over, exposing his skewered belly, blood still oozing out of the freshly cut gash that lined his stomach. He looked at the blood gurgling and laughed. This was it. This was the end.


    "Of all the people who''ve laughed at the beginning of an adventure, your laugh has been the loudest."


    Shimza looked up at the robed figure whose beard swept over the mushrooms as he leaned in to inspect the mage.


    "Are you supposed to be him?" Shimza chortled out.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Why, I am him." Arson responded.


    At this Shimza coughed, spraying Arson with a mixture of blood and saliva which vaporized upon contact.


    "Holy fire storms! It is you. Am I dead?" Shimza looked about him and smiled a deathly smile. "You are not supposed to feel pain even after death... are you?"


    Arson had to smile, he offered the mage his hand.


    "Not just yet Mr Quelman. You are still far from Death."


    Shimza tried lifting his hand but it had numbed.


    "Oh, sorry." Arson said and went to place his hand on the mage''s forehead. The world spun, and disappeared from view.


    *


    "Where am I?" Shimza asked when he woke, examining the fabric walled room he was in. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the ringing bells that echoed within his head.


    "What have you done to me?" the more he shook his head the louder the bells rang and then they started burning. As if a spark had ignited deep within his mind.


    "Relax..." Arson cautioned. "That will only make it worse."


    Shimza looked down at himself and found he was fully undressed.


    "Here." A feline woman handed Shimza a new set of clothes resembling those the hermit wore.


    "Those should withstand the fire." Arson put in.


    "Hermit, what have you done to me?" Shimza yelled in frustration.


    "I''ve given you a link to the spark. The one true fire."


    Shimza jumped at the old man and pushed him up against the wall.


    The feline woman pounced up and swept his legs from under him and he had no choice but to let go of the man as he came back to the floor.


    "What link? What fire?" He screamed from his seated position.


    Then he remembered something and unfurled the fists he''d unconsciously made. He looked at his stomach. Nothing. He felt for arrow stubs sticking out from his back. Nothing. He was perfectly fine. As if he had not just been on the verge of dying.


    "Thank you Vivi," Arson said to the feline, nodding his head in acknowledgement.


    "What is this, old man?"


    "These are your gifts, sir." the feline responded.


    "There''s nothing you can give me that I want." Shimza replied, picking up the clothes so he can be on his way.


    "I often found that the best gifts are not those that are received." the hermit said. "But those that are given."


    At this, Shimza turned around and faced the old man.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "You are a giver, aren''t you? Not happy when receiving gifts but live to give them. I met a fellow just like you only but a day or so ago. You may know him. Lost the one he was happiest giving to, just like you. I believe he''s found others though. There are always people looking to be helped."


    The feline woman looked saddened at the words, as if what the hermit was saying held some profound and deep meaning to her.


    Shimza turned and looked at the door. He figured he was in some sort of tepee as the wind made the cloth covering the entrance flap, sending a gentle breeze into the room.


    "Who needs my help?" Shimza asked.


    The hermit smiled. This was the day they had been waiting for. The final piece was in place. Fate may have played his card well when he destroyed the feline alongside Solestia, but men would have Hope once more.


    "The question may not be of who, but what?" Said the hermit. "Prepare to save the world my dear mage."


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    It is said that there was once a war. A holy war, one among Gods. A war so great it shook the world and destroyed the hundred kingdoms of men. It is also said, that such a war may not have ended.


    ~*~

 14. The Mountain Pass

    ~*~


    When Matthew caught up to his companions, the knight was standing above a collapsed Nadia. Daniel knelt before her, his fingers probing about her highness'' neck with a practiced efficiency.


    "She''s alive." He confirmed.


    The knight heaved her off the ground and carefully made his way clear of the rubble that surrounded them.


    Matthew''s mind was both as chaotic and as calm as the dust that clouded the air. Red rays of sunlight pierced the dust-cloud from above, giving it an eerie and yet alluring sparkle.


    "Princess..." Matthew started but his voice faltered. Questions competed to be voiced but the grim expressions everyone held were all the answers he would receive. Shock riddled their faces and left uncertain scowls drawn there.


    Not Daniel nor the knight questioned how he was even alive when he finally joined them, catching a limping Daniel who''d nearly fallen when his foot landed on a rather pointed pebble.


    With a dust-clad princess draped across sir Simon''s arms, Daniel and Matthew walking shoulder to shoulder in mutual support, the company retreated further into the mountain pass.


    No words were exchanged for a while as they walked. A few grunts of pain prompting them to change their pace was about all the talking they did.


    A notable sigh of relief washed across the entire group when the silence was suddenly and finally donned with bird chirps and small insects began to dart about their path once more. None had noticed their earlier disappearance until now.


    Daniel let out a "Hmpff" as they walked past ethereal waterfalls that cascaded down at them from the cliff''s indistinguishable heights, most turning into mists before they could connect with the streams below.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Rainbows colored the skies above them and the wet surfaces of the cliffs shone a bright crimson.


    "If I had not traveled this path before I would have thought myself in heaven." Daniel finally let out through labored breaths.


    "Don''t talk, you''ll find yourself there if you keep at it." Matthew warned, pointing at the blood that had trickled out of Daniel''s mouth along with his words.


    "Do not worry friend, I am quite fine. You will find I am not as fragile as I appear."


    The knight flinched at the statement. He brushed a cautious look over Daniel, lingering on his gauntleted hands before setting his eyes on the path once more.


    Matthew briefly wondered what had transpired between the two before his mind was engulfed in its perpetual chaos once more.


    Fate, a dragon and a stone golem... His head spun and his calf burned causing him to buckle with his next step.


    "Are you alright there?" Daniel asked, wiping the blood with his free hand and tightening his grip on the feline with the other.


    Matthew nodded, unable to hide the effort it took nor the sweat that soaked his entire body.


    Dust in the air, shattered boulders littering the ground, an unconscious Nadia. Had there really been...


    The cliffs came to an abrupt halt, leaving the path to snake its way out of the mountains and into the surrounding wilderness.


    Two large statues of the Northern lady marked the exit and flanked the path like beckoning merchants. They stood, large enough for Matthew to struggle in trying to make out the delicate features on the statue''s face. The curves on her sultry body were carved draped in thin fabric. A large bowl rested upon her shoulders and with one hand she beckoned to those who would enter the mountain.


    The travelers did not spare the magnificent creations time to gawk. None would have even been perturbed had the statues began to move.


    A stone owl hooted from deep within the bushes, cutting its call abruptly at the sound of their footsteps. Darkness fell ever so slowly, revealing a light that shone like a beacon a distance ahead of them.


    For a fleeting moment, everything was cleared off their minds. Questions about mythical creatures and cosmic visions could wait. The prospect of a warm meal and soft bed to sleep on nearly washed all their worries away.


    But each of them knew that those would only serve as temporary distractions. An encounter with forces such as they had met, rarely ended with a warm meal and a soft bed.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    It is known, that dwarves built the mountain city. Great monuments like statues of their goddess and heroes can ve found on every notable road across all of linderyl. Some remain polished and have withstood the test of time. Others, along with their creators, vanished...This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ~*~

 15. The Swollen Foot

    ~*~


    They had rented a single large room with two beds. The Swollen foot was not a luxurious inn and could only barely pass for moderate. But none of the four companions complained when a rat skirted out the room upon opening the door. Nadia did not even notice the dust that puffed up from the bed when the knight rested her on it. The only thing she noticed was a slow creak as the wooden frame threatened to give way under her weight, and then she was back to unconsciousness.


    Daniel and the knight stood staring at her, not uttering a single word. They had thought she was a goner. They had seen the golem smash down on her with arms thick as the entire bed she lay on. How had she remained, dusty and unconscious and yet unscathed, lying in the rubble that should''ve meant her death.


    And then there was Matthew. He stood next to the small window of the room, hand resting on its wooden frame, eyes staring out into the distance.


    He too had died, for how could one survive what he did. All were very aware of the swarms of trolls that washed over him as they made their escape. It didn''t matter that he was feline. No one was supposed to survive that.


    Daniel broke free of the shock. He exhaled deeply and closed the door. He turned as it clicked into place and faced his companions


    "I... I saw her. she was standing right in front of me." Matthew said suddenly.


    The knight helped Daniel who seemed to be having trouble sitting, onto the other bed.


    "We''ll discuss what happened tomorrow." The knight said. "We need to rest for now."


    Matthew nodded absentmindedly. The thought of resting made him want to collapse where she stood.


    "You and I will have to sleep on the floor."


    Again, Matthew nodded, eyes not for an instant, leaving the window. Nothing but darkness and stars stretched out into the horizon.


    "You are unlike most feline" Daniel let out.


    "I wouldn''t know." He replied.


    The knight looked between the two, whispered something to himself, and headed for the door.


    *


    "What''s your name?" The knight asked a little girl who''d ushered them into the inn. She was about fourteen years of age and had an edgy accent.


    "Rose." She said. "My mother will be here soon. I told her about your wounded friends, and she went to the garden to get some herbs. She''s really good with herbs."


    "Thank you, Rose. Do many people come past here?"


    "Not really. Only troll hunters and rarely travelers to and from Solestia. Most of which are messengers anyways, so I don''t think those count. You are not messengers, are you? And the other one... is it a feline?"


    "Hush!" A woman walked in and lightly smacked Rose on the back of her head. "She''s a nosy one my young Rose, please forgive her."


    "It''s quite alright." said the knight, smiling at the little girl. "Young minds are often curious. It''s what makes them beautiful after all."


    The woman reciprocated the smile. Her eyes darted to the sword on the knight''s hip but just as quickly she looked away.


    "My name''s Mellinda Ironfoot. It''s nice to have visitors that respect knowledge over brawn."


    "Charles Simon." The knight replied, shaking the woman''s hand.


    "My daughter informed me that some of you are injured so I went and got these." She gestured to her bag which she left dangling on her side. "May I see to them? It will not cost you extra."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "You are too kind. " The knight bowed gratefully to the woman.


    *


    Mellinda was indeed, good with herbs. After washing the injured boys'' wounds there was no trace of oozing blood and their pained scowls had all but faded. She lay some leaves over their cuts and gashes saying that they''d stop the wounds from getting infected. She also made the feline drink a thin broth that she said was to give him the strength that he''d lost along with his blood and was to ensure that he did not die in his sleep. After that she offered Charles a concoction that he was supposed to rub on his swollen feet and other bruised places, she went on to check on the princess.


    "She was travelling with real men, to have come out unharmed and without a single scar." Mellinda commented. If she expected an answer, she did not receive it.


    She washed and rubbed the princess'' legs before leaving the travelers to their grim reliving of whatever had befallen them.


    Minutes after, Rose came knocking.


    "Extra blankets." The girl said cheerily. Holding the furs out for Nadia to take. " As our only guests you can have as many as you want. Mother says its fine if you take another room too. No extra costs since they are not in use anyway. Only the one at the end of the corridor is occupied. I would not go near there if I were you. The man there said he was a ghost."


    Daniel flinched at the comment, bur remained silent as the girl went on to tell the about which rooms were best and furthest away from the creepy ghost man.


    "That''s alright but we''ll stay together." Charles responded kindly.


    Rose stole a look in the feline''s direction before darting out of the room.


    *


    Matthew woke up to the sound of singing birds and a familiar thunk that reminded him of an axe hitting against a tree. The floor, though hard, had been surprisingly more comfortable than he had imagined. Daniel lay on the bed next to him and the princess, already up, was folding her sheets on the bed opposite.


    "Where''s sir Charles?" Matthew asked.


    "You are awake!" Nadia exclaimed. "He''s helping the Ironfoots with wood for breakfast. I was about to go out there myself."


    "Where is it?" He asked in a serious tone.


    "I don''t know." She replied, knowing what he was referring to. It had been on her mind ever since the golem incident. "It kind of just faded into my hand... I... I can still feel it."


    She inspected her small hands curiously. There was nothing odd about them, the glowing gem had been hard and substantial only for a second before fading into her palm. Now, only the dirt stuck in her nails betrayed the fact that all was not as it should have been.


    Matthew stood up and limped outside. He was glad she was well but could not find a way to voice it. The sudden embarrassment he felt when he recalled how close to her he''d stood in the vision was more than enough motivation to leave her folding as she was.


    The sun was up, golden and glorious against the blue sky. Several rain clouds wondered about aimlessly casting shadows on the mountain sides. The bird''s melodious cacophony was louder now that he was outside. The euphoric scene was made even more beautiful by the familiar dew drops that sparkled as they rolled off grass blades.


    "Good morning there." Matthew was greeted by the woman who''d tended to them the night before, whom he assumed was the inn keeper. "I''m Mellinda. I don''t believe we''ve been formally introduced."


    The woman had to shift a basket she was carrying to her left hand in order to give Matthew a proper handshake. She was old. Somewhere in her late fifties by his estimations. Her brown hair fell around her barely wrinkled brown face in long entangled curls. Her warm green eyes that reminded him of his mother latched on to his and held his gaze. She smiled at him. It was a smile so genuine it would shame an anthurium''s petal.


    "Morning." Matthew replied. " Matthew."


    "So I''ve been told." She seemed to consider something, " We don''t see many of your kind here."


    Matthew thought a while. Then decided to just nod.


    "In fact. We don''t see any of your kind. Only rumors and paintings. Only now do I realize how wrong they were."


    "How wrong?" Matthew asked, curious.


    "Well, you are much less scary in person for one. Handsome if I dare say. And not half as barbaric."


    "But barbaric nonetheless." Matthew replied with a knowing smirk.


    The woman smirked back playfully.


    "All people are barbaric. Just some more than others. Not that I agree with the feline ways or what I''ve heard of them. No. But I''ve seen humans do worse with mine own eyes. When you''ve traveled as I have you see things. Terrible, terrible things and- oh, I''m blabbering again. Forgive me. I had gotten used to having my husband stop me when I drift in conversation. And here I go again."


    "It''s okay. My mother was just as talkative. If not more. Where''s your husband?" Matthew asked, then regretted the question when the woman''s expression gloomed at his words.


    "Oh, sorry. I didn''t mean to pry." He added.


    Mellinda smiled again, the gloom washed away just as quickly as it had appeared.


    "I better go prepare the food. It seems the fire is already burning. I could use a hand in the kitchen..." With that she headed around the house.


    Matthew decided to follow her. He had nothing better to do and lying in bed was out of the question, he was not about to let his thoughts wander freely in his mind.


    And just as he was bent on trying to avoid the commotion in his mind, sir Charles rounded the corner at a jog, axe in hand.


    "Matthew!" He swung a glance past Melinda, then turned back to Matthew, "Get to the princess, now!"


    Matthew did not stop to think or question the order. He simply just turned and ran.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    --------~*~----------


    Trolls and goblins, witches and golems. these are but the friendliest of Fate''s creations. The only ones men can claim to have survived. Others, less soken, are but humanity''s silent fears. Creaatures f destruction and turmoil.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    -----------~*~----------

 16. A Dead Mans Confessions

    ~*~


    "What is happening?" Melinda asked with practiced calm.


    "The other man in the inn, do you know him?" The knight asked, voice a commanding whisper.


    Mellinda eyed Charles warily, questioning whether or not she could trust him.


    "I need to know what is happening before I can give out information regarding my guests." She responded sternly.


    Charles sighed.


    "I have no time for this miss." Charles dropped the axe and with his hand on the hilt of his sworn, he followed Matthew.


    Rose came running from where the knight had been, a confused expression on her face.


    "Ma, is the ghost man a bad man?"


    "Ghost?" Mellinda froze upon hearing the word. "Did he say you he was a ghost?"


    "Ma...?"


    *


    Matthew darted up the stairs and nearly crashed head first into a hooded stranger, standing bent before their door. The man did not as much as flinch when Matthew threw himself to a stop, nose coming mere inches before the man''s chin.


    "Sorry," Matthew offered. "May I go through?"


    "Matthew, back already?" Nadia called from inside.


    The stranger turned from the door to cast cold eyes at the feline.


    "I wish to see your other companion," he commanded.


    "What for?"


    "He is a... lost son of mine I believe. A fellow ghost wandering the land of the living. I''ve come to take him home. "


    There are fears that people do not speak of. Yet despite the lack of chatter, people remain aware of them. Most do not believe them, as Matthew had not. But even those keep a wary eye out and avoid treading where such unnamed evils were rumored to lie.


    As Matthew stood there, the knight''s urgent tone reverberating in his head alongside the man''s words, a trembling fear such as he had ever known grabbed him.


    It was only when a blade whistled toward him that his body instinctively pranced backward. The stranger''s cloak fell back, revealing broad tattooed arms and gauntlets similar to those Daniel had worn. Thick hands held two ridged knives, attached to the gauntlets through a thin silver chain.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "You are real..." Matthew gawked. "And the messenger..." He stumbled as he took a second step back, and the man attacked.


    Two chain-tailed knives coursed through the air. Matthew dug his fingers into the wooden flooring and twisted his body out of the way, and down the flight of stairs he''d just climbed.


    He grimaced in pain when a knife retracted from his thigh, pulled back to its owner by the chain. Before he could question how he had been stabbed despite his evasion, he crashed against a table.


    His head was dizzy and his sight began to blur. But he knew better than to lie back and allow the fatigue to take over.


    "Nadia! Run!" He yelled out.


    "Nadia?" The man queried. "It couldn''t... possibly be Solace''s own daughter now could it?... oh dear nephew, what has he brought to us now?"


    Matthew cursed himself. Daniel and Nadia simultaneously emerged behind the man. The door now behind Matthew flew open and the Knight joined in, sword drawn.


    "My my, looks like it''ll be a dead party." The man announced.


    "What do you want assassin?" The knight sneered.


    "Oh" The man casually stepped down the stairs as he nonchalantly explained himself. "I was just waiting in this humble inn for my dear Daniel to return home when you all decided to drop by. A pity, I had not known my nephew would have been travelling with companions you see. Only he was to go home with me today. But alas, such a shame. And from the looks of it, that one''s a princess as well. What a sudden way to be reminded that rank means little in the real world."


    When he finished his speech, He had reached the end of the stairs and was pacing slowly toward Matthew.


    "Uncle, stop!" Daniel butted in. "If you kill these people you''ll have a whole kingdom hunting for you. You know as well as I that rank does matter. Or have you forgotten?"


    The man stopped and looked back at his nephew.


    "Oh, you do not know do you?" He shook his head. "The kingdom of Solace is no more dear child. No one will be coming after me or anyone for that matter. This is where all your journeying ends."


    Nadia moved away from Daniel, suddenly unsure of whom she could trust.


    "And thus, I will start with this feline fellow, Consider helping out with the young maiden there if you will. I would not want to linger too long with these ones. The inn keeper may have decided to flee and that could be...problematic."


    Daniel twisted his wrists and two knives slid into his palms.


    "You know, that was always the problem with you uncle." Daniel said


    "What?"


    "You thought you knew me."


    He attacked. He jumped down after the man, letting loose a single knife mid-air. The man retaliated, throwing his own knife to parry Daniel''s, who landed on the floor swinging his second blade. Punches rang with metal as blades met and slid across each other.


    The stranger feigned a left jab and caught Daniel on his side with a strike to his right. Daniel grimaced but did not let up. As the man''s hand went to twist the knife, he stabbed at his now exposed torso, forcing him to forfeit the twist and retreat.


    The knife at Daniel''s side was yanked free and he fell to his knee, one hand clutched at his oozing blood.


    "Tenacious as ever, I see. "


    "I was never what you made me uncle." Daniel let out. " And I''ll never be."


    A sword cut through the man''s back and into his heart.


    He fell, dead, a portrait of disbelief and shock.


    The knight pulled his sword out of the corpse and stepped forward. He levelled it at Daniel''s throat, not sparing his injuries and sympathy.


    "Speak,"


    Daniel craned his head up and looked the knight in the eye, he turned and watched as a trembling Nadia followed down the stairs. Matthew was now up, hand supporting his weight on the table he had fallen against.


    "Yes," Daniel responded. "Speaking seems wisest, considering the situation."


    ~*~

 16.2

    ~*~


    Daniel sat, his torso bandaged, atop the bed he''d slept on the night before. He had been stripped of his cloak and the various weapons he''d hid inside its sachets. The knight sat on the bed across from him, sword held at the ready. As if he posed any threat with a hole in his side.


    Matthew sat, stabbed leg out and straight his head on his other knee. He had a bandage running around his thigh. The princess stood next to him, straight and unyielding. A put-upon bravery on her very terrified face.


    "Who are you?" The knight queried.


    "Is it not enough that I am on your side?" He raised his brow in mock humor.


    "Your kind do not have a side!"


    "I apologize. Humor is the only thing between me and the insanity of this world."


    "Neither it, nor sweetly spun philosophies, will save you from my blade if you do not speak. Who sent you? And for what purpose?"


    Daniel sat back and leaned against the wall. He exhaled a weary sigh and looked up at his companions. He seemed to resign himself to an inevitable realization and nodded.


    "You are welcome to believe me or throw whatever nonsense I''m about to spill straight out the window." He began.


    When no one said anything, he continued,


    "I used to be one of them. But I... resigned-"


    "You cannot simply resign from... them."


    "The Dead Men are a complicated family." Daniel answered. The group winced at the name. Matthew''s head peeked up, his eyes burning with newfound curiosity.


    "You are a Dead Man? As in the guild of assassins? They are real?"


    Nadia shot Matthew a chastising look and he shrugged in response.


    "Oh, a fan, are you, feline?" Daniel asked, each phrased laced with heavy sarcasm.


    "I was." Matthew responded honestly. "Did not think you were... real."


    "As it should be, according to the elders." He looked past everyone, and as if speaking to himself, he added, "The elders want to preserve what they believe is a sacred culture. A life outside the Divine alliance. Much like the elves, they don''t want to be part of the humans.


    "Humanity has grown corrupt. You practice and preach divine wisdom and magics but live to feed your own selves and fill your own bellies. It was no wonder the elves secluded themselves, no wonder Dalni fled with the dwarves. Any sensible god would choose to forsake such weak and ignorant creatures."


    "If I wanted a lesson on your politics and history, I would have asked it." The knight broke in.


    "I didn''t much agree with the elders," Daniel continued, as if he hadn''t heard Charles'' threat. I, and several others of us who found themselves Dead Men not by choice, but simply because we were born into the guild."


    "Wait, people are born into the guild?" Charles asked.


    "I thought you didn''t want a history lesson," the assassin joked. "But yes, there is a whole society of us. Thriving with women and children, farmers and bakers, such as any other sustainable society. But as you said, I shall save you the boring lecture on how we live and explain how I found myself in the position I am in as we speak.


    "So as one of the younglings not too keen on living such a secluded lifestyle, with the world never knowing of your existence. I decided it best to leave the guild. But as you said, one does not simply resign as a Dead Man. To do that, one would have to die, as we are already supposed to be. We are after all, already dead to the world.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Instead of outright just leaving the hideout, which would have ended with me conveniently falling off a cliff or getting myself bit by a desert snake. I took a self-sacrificing mission that would have me named as a hero among the Dead people. I would infiltrate the royal ranks of the Divine alliance and monitor them from within, making sure word of our existence remained... silent."


    "Yet you still take assassination requests." Nadia put in. When the knight gave her a skeptical look she continued," I overheard a conversation I was not supposed to once, in the castle."


    "And you lived to tell the tale, must be nice to be royalty." Daniel jested.


    "I feel you are beginning to lose awareness of your situation here young Fawsley, if that is even your real name."


    "It became real," Daniel spoke, once again, seemingly ignoring the knight. "I took it up as an alias at twelve, when I left for my mission. At twelve, I was a fully-fledged, and fully trained assassin. I took to Bravaldor and worked as courier, a street boy taking messages to and fro for spare change.


    "It was easy to earn favor with the minor families. I quickly gained a reputation for not fearing to dive into dangerous places for the sake of delivering a message. It was only a matter of time before I started delivering for the Royal family. And that was when I began to have access to a lot more of the important stuff. Some secrets your families have there, your highness. " He winked at Nadia.


    "And so I spied, and from those I was connected to, I collected contracts. Nothing had changed. I was still living in the shadows. With no identity to call my own. So I decided to simply stop being a Dead Man. I killed all my contacts, within and without, so no one who knew who I really was remained.


    And as such, I had claimed my life, and continued living as me. Daniel."


    "Until now." Matthew added, knowing the pain of losing an entire life.


    "Until now." Daniel agreed.


    The knight sheathed his sword.


    "And let''s say I believe this sad tale of yours. Let''s say I''m foolish enough to allow an assassin to remain in her highness'' company. Then what of what just happened now? If you killed everyone who knew of your existence, then who was he?"


    A dark shadow wove itself across Daniel''s face and he looked down at his hands, as if he could taste their bitterness.


    "When I was still a kid. I believed my plan to have worked. I learnt recently that I had gotten away with what I did simply because they had had no time to spare on me. There were events taking place, events far more important than keeping ourselves secret. My actions were but a nuisance to the Elders. The assassins I''ve killed, well, you can''t mourn a man who died when he was born. We are disposable, lifeless pawns as far as they are concerned. As of what happened today, I assume I may be important once more..."


    The knight took the information in. As he stood there, pondering what his next action should be, a knock came at their door.


    Mellinda walked in with a tray of food, young Rose tailing her with plates and silverware.


    "None of you had breakfast," She said, before setting everything up on a newly brought table and carefully dishing out. It was as if she feared she might break the silence that had ensued upon her entry.


    When she finished, she turned to her customers and asked,


    "How are your wounds?"


    "Daniel and Matthew will not be going anywhere for a couple of days," The knight answered in their stead. "But they should live."


    "I apologize, again." Mellinda offered. "had I known..."


    "You were doing your job ma''am. I would not fault you."


    She relaxed at the words.


    "However, I would still ask a favor of you." He added.


    "Anything,"


    "The horses in the stable. Could you sell them? I fear the assassin will no longer need his."


    "I''ll only have you pay for the ones I own, the other, you may have. I would not sell you that which is not mine."


    The knight nodded in acknowledgement and the woman left the room, her daughter following her silently behind. She did not even raise her head to eye them with the curiosity of a child.


    "A child like that should not see such things." The knight said to himself.


    "I wonder how they survive out here, on their own like that." Matthew put in.


    Nadia walked over to the table and pulled it to their midst. She selected a plate with the smallest portion of food and a fork. Without much courtesy for manners, she started probing at the lavishly placed foods. Meat, rice and various colorful sides and vegetables. Everyone else followed suite.


    The knight fished two more plates from the table. He handed one to the feline and the other to Daniel. He paused as the assassin raised his hands to accept it and asked,


    "I know you are not here to kill us, as you had ample time to do so before this. I am not happy that you brought danger to this mission, and neither can I fault you for it, seeing as you had no choice in the matter. But I hope, for your sake boy, that you have no other ulterior motive."


    Daniel took the plate and nodded in understanding, yet again, brushing off the threat.


    Matthew took a spoonful of his dish and looked up.


    "This is good," he commented. "So now that we''ve established that we are on the same side, are we going to talk about what happened in the pass?"


    "Last I checked; you were our prisoner." Daniel laughed.


    "Last I checked, I was stupidly saving your arm with my life." Matthew shot back.


    "Stupid indeed."


    They all laughed. A hysterical laughter such as they had shared when they met the hermit.


    "I guess, I will go first then, seeing as I am already talking." Matthew said, as he lifted his trousers'' leg to reveal his glowing tattoo.


    ~*~

 ~Pagiral~

    ~*~


    When people do not understand events occurring at a national scale, they conspire. When their conspiracies are ignored for too long, they act. Some had whispered of the feline being secret servants of Fate, sent to topple Solestia from within. Some whispered they were the infamous necromancer''s creations. Others thought them otherworlders, but most saw them as nothing but parasites. Swindling labor from the locals and eating their food. Perhaps it was for this reason that the king''s son despised them. Perhaps it was for this reason the people of Solestia where more than happy to follow him to war.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ~*~