ã€ŠEmpathic: Enchiridion of Maxã€‹


 Prologue

    The planetoid''s orbit had deteriorated, bringing it ominously closer to a fractured world. The cultists, their minds shrouded in mystery and devotion, couldn''t fathom the celestial forces at play. Led by an enigmatic figure, they ventured deeper into the unknown.

    Unlike typical cults, theirs harbored a nobler cause. They sought to rectify the world''s chaos, to restore order tainted by the mistakes of the Nobilis. Their mission wasn''t apocalyptic; it was about securing a better future for all. Sacrificing lives today to safeguard tomorrow¡ªthe most defenseless being, vital to the fate of every existence.

    This was a cause worth fighting for. The ''good'' people of the Old World failed to comprehend, and the Martyr''s efforts to enlighten them had ceased with her passing. The cult''s secrets lured those who dared to seek them, sealing their fates in obscurity.

    A grave decision loomed over the cultists. They were willing to sacrifice all they held dear, even their own lives, in the name of faith and progress. The world''s salvation rested in the hands of every soul, yet few knew of this choice.

    The cult leaders understood another looming threat¡ªthe aliens beyond the darkness. Their mission extended to preparing the world to confront this cosmic menace.

    Amidst this turmoil, Salandra emerged from a hut to the cries of pain and the sound of cruel whips. Natives in strange attire knelt, bloodied under barbed lashes. Salandra gazed at the celestial chaos in the sky, longing for the embrace of the void, but she knew their mission was far from over.

    At¡¯da¡¯aon, on his knees and battered, witnessed the approaching void that devoured all in its path. He yearned for his family and the world he knew. His sacrifice must hold meaning.

    Many worshipped Y¡¯Gackot, the god who held their world together. But fear of chaos, not benevolence, fueled their devotion. Y¡¯Gackot''s power maintained their fragile existence.

    As a chilling wind swept over At¡¯da, he seized a moment to escape. The bright barbed whip slashed through the air, but At¡¯da was determined.

    His face met cold stone, eyes locked on the yawning void. He hoped someone would find a way to stop it.

    Slash! The axe fell, and At¡¯da¡¯aon''s blood joined a macabre river, a symbol of impending doom that threatened to consume all.

    ***

    The day before the harvest was a time of unity in the hamlet. Max, who had toiled in the wheat fields throughout the season, eagerly anticipated the moment when the wheat would be reaped. The prospect of savoring freshly baked bread made all the labor and exhaustion worthwhile. He leaned against a sturdy tree, gazing across the fields where the crops stood at their peak, a sea of delicious promise. In the distance, the towering forest trees were the only landmarks on the hamlet''s horizon.

    Max cherished the acceptance he found among the fellow youngsters he had grown up with during the harvest festivities. As he strolled along the outskirts of the homes, memories of events that had sparked the mockery and teasing from the other children resurfaced. It all began when he turned eight.

    One day, while chasing a radiant golden butterfly away from where the other kids played, Max found himself in a quiet, secluded spot near an ancient willow tree. There, he watched a beautiful yellow butterfly gracefully land on a fallen branch. His curiosity led him to gently cup the delicate creature in his hand. Max pondered the lessons of life that this tiny insect embodied¡ªits life cycle, its growth, and now its presence in the palm of a young boy''s hand. He wondered about the lengths this colorful creature would go to survive. But in a sudden, unexplainable moment, Max''s innocence gave way to a disturbing impulse. He closed his hand, feeling the butterfly''s fragile body yield to the pressure. He winced as its wings fluttered helplessly, then turned his hand upside down to watch the remnants fall to the ground.

    "Freaking weirdo. What is wrong with you?" Max turned to see Belka recoiling from the tree trunk in disgust. Max''s world shifted abruptly, and he was overwhelmed with disgust and horror at his own actions. He stared at Belka, trying to find words, but they eluded him. His gaze followed Belka''s curly brown locks and freckled skin as she retreated to the other boys and girls, who were engrossed in a local game of Grafter¡ªa game where a sticky ball was kicked onto trees, and everyone rushed to knock it off, in a nearby wheat field.

    From that simple moment of boyish curiosity, Max''s childhood became tainted by animosity and relentless bullying.

    ***

    Max gathered a handful of pebbles, his fingers trembling as he contemplated his past. "They just didn''t understand. Their parents, maybe as loving but not as strict as mine, never approved of anything I did," he mused, tossing the pebbles one by one at a gnarled tree that separated the hamlet from the fields. With each throw, he released a bit more bitterness. "I was just curious, just crushed for wanting to know."

    As the sun began to set and the harvest moon claimed its place in the sky, Max leaned against the same gnarled tree. He looked forward to watching the moon glow, a symbol of the goddess''s watchful eye over their crops and fields. Their hamlet was blessed, never suffering from failed crops or the pests that plagued others. It was said that choking plants and nests of pests vanished overnight, thanks to the goddess''s intervention. Max had witnessed this "legend" come true several times.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    While gazing at the wheat fields, Max heard commotion from the corn fields some distance away, beyond the old wooden amphitheater. A high-pitched scream reached his ears, followed by the sound of many footsteps. Reluctantly leaving his comfortable nook in the tree, he spotted something metallic in the distance. The setting sun cast its light on the object amidst the stalks and dirt.

    Just as he was about to investigate, something else caught his eye. The sun''s last rays revealed a rustling spot in the middle of the field, heading straight for his tree. Panic gripped him. He watched as the line of movement split, and the wheat bent as if something swift and powerful was passing through. A grunt reached his ears, and he turned to run towards the amphitheater, but he tripped over a root he had often used as a seat for mid-day meals. Falling face-first into the ground, his skin scraped against the earth.

    The rustling ceased, replaced by heavy footsteps. Max was stunned, and as he rose to his feet, he was abruptly hoisted into the air by massive arms. He tried to scream for help, but the position he was held in muffled his cries. The kidnapper carried him towards the wheat fields and into the forest.

    Max feared they would die in the wilderness, prey to the beast that roamed outside the hamlet at night. "We''re going to die out here. The beast will get us. Let''s go back! I won''t tell anyone about you," he muttered, but his words were stifled by his captor''s grip.

    As darkness fell, Max expected the kidnapper to turn back, trusting in the goddess''s protection within the hamlet. However, the giant of a man showed no intention of returning. Max was swept into the depths of the forest, surrounded by the eerie laughter of his captor.

    They reached a campsite, and the man explained they would travel together on foot. Max hesitated, but the threat of the axe strapped to the man''s back kept him in check. They settled for the night, and the man offered Max strange, unappetizing food. The meat was tough and dry, while the white substance tasted foul. Max questioned the man about the beast and their journey.

    The man laughed heartily, assuring Max that his tales of the beast were mere myths. He mentioned that there were others beyond the hamlet''s range, and Max began to realize the extent of his isolation. That night, Max couldn''t sleep, testing whether the man was indeed a light sleeper. Every movement was met with the man''s watchful eyes.

    At daybreak, they resumed their journey, and Max felt fatigue setting in. He knew he would miss the harvest festivities. The thought of what lay ahead filled him with both fear and curiosity.

    ***

    "You are special, boy," the gruff foreign man declared, his tone markedly different from the judgments Max had grown accustomed to. These words, spoken with a surprising sincerity, caught him off guard. Unlike the usual sense of alienation he felt among his peers, Max sensed a hidden well of confidence within him.

    Though Max couldn''t fully grasp the man''s cryptic words, he found them oddly genuine. The man made a peculiar, almost mocking gesture, emphasizing the uniqueness he spoke of. "The word may hold little meaning for you now, but you possess what knowing circles would call empathy," he continued, flashing a smile that revealed the most disconcerting set of teeth Max had ever seen.

    What Max had never known throughout his years was that he was an empath. As the man elaborated, Max realized that he had the ability to pick up on the emotions of others and project them onto himself. An adept empath could sense those emotions but also control the projections, a skill Max yearned to master. He hoped to shed the weight of others'' negative emotions that had burdened him for so long and forge a happier life.

    The next day, after a grueling journey that had left Max''s feet aching, a sprawling settlement appeared on the horizon. Max had known only his home, the hamlet, but this new settlement was larger than he could have ever imagined. The man referred to it as a village, and it was surrounded by a sturdy wooden fence, unlike the ramshackle one he had grown up with. Some of the buildings rose more than two stories, though they were constructed from wood and earth, unlike the stone cities of legend.

    As they walked through the village, Max couldn''t help but overhear whispers from the residents. They were astonished to see the man and perplexed by Max''s presence. In hushed tones, Max caught a few people referring to the man as ''The Brigand,'' and he wondered if he could adopt the name instead of ''Kidnapper.''

    The Brigand acknowledged the villagers with nods and, in some cases, boisterous laughter that sent people scurrying back inside their homes. "I thought I told you never to come back here, Brigand," a voice said, accompanied by the clinking of mail and the unsheathing of weapons. Max followed The Brigand''s gaze to three men clad in elaborate metallic armor, each wielding a different blunt weapon.

    Max observed The Brigand''s reaction. His smile remained, and Max felt an unexpected surge of confidence. The men commented on Max''s appearance, referring to him as a "magic virgie," and before Max knew it, a brawl erupted. The Brigand effortlessly dispatched the armored men while Max stood dumbfounded in the midst of the confrontation.

    As they left the village behind, Max gathered his thoughts. "You''ve talked a lot about me, but you haven''t really said anything about where we are going or who you are. I still don''t even know your name," Max ventured.

    The Brigand''s grin widened, revealing those unsettling teeth. "There''s truth in what you say, boy. My story isn''t one you''d want to hear, and as for our destination..." He poked the fire with a stick, sending embers into the air. "It''s best I keep that to myself a little while longer."

    Their journey continued, and Max marveled at the sight of a vast river, unlike anything he had seen before. It was a source of wonder, with sunlight dancing on its surface and aquatic life in abundance. However, Max''s reverie was abruptly interrupted as he was snatched from behind.

    A strong arm encircled his neck, and the man''s sweaty hand covered his mouth. Panic surged through Max as he struggled to free himself, but the grip only relaxed when he ceased his efforts. He heard The Brigand''s voice whisper, urging him to stay quiet as a patrol of six people passed by, led by a striking woman with long, gleaming hair and a scar across her cheek.

    Max couldn''t shake the feeling that the woman had spotted them, but The Brigand''s composure kept him steady. As the patrol moved closer to their hiding spot, Max felt an overwhelming intensity emanating from them, an amalgamation of fear and ferocity. The woman''s piercing eyes gave him chills, but it seemed they hadn''t been discovered.

    However, a sudden explosion drew the patrol''s attention, and they hurried toward it, leaving the woman behind. The Brigand and Max were safe for the moment, hidden amidst the brush. Max couldn''t help but admire the woman''s beauty as she observed their hiding spot, making him feel as though she had indeed seen through their concealment.

 Danger, Max!

    Many days passed, many days of walking, sleeping by camp fires trying to stay warm, and lacking a bath. The Brigand¡¯s pace slowed for no reason that he could tell. He started to sweat heavily, Max could even smell it. It wasn¡¯t even hot out as the sun started to disappear on the horizon.

    ¡°Here we are.¡± He headed off of the road and Max started to follow a trail with The Brigand. It wasn¡¯t a long walk from the road, but it was obstructed by trees. The building that they approached had perfectly smooth textured walls and it shined in the trailing sunlight. Max never before laid eyes on such a structure. All the buildings of his childhood home were made of wood and sometimes stone. As Max drifted back to the current time from contemplations of his past, he became nervous. They were then approached by a being in the shiniest armor he had ever seen. Max felt very outside of his element and did not even know how to comprehend all of these mysterious objects that now faced him.

    The being looked directly at Max and began making a series of strange clicks and buzzes that almost made Max believe the creature was trying to talk to him. ¡°<Him?>¡± the being twitched and started to approach Max. Something was different, Max took a couple of steps back right into the burly body of his former compatriot, who now seemed to stand to block Max¡¯s retreat. He was utterly soaked in sweat. This being that approached Max did not seem to affect Max¡¯s emotional state in any way. He/she had no emotions at all. NO! It had no emotions at all. It wasn¡¯t even living. It was some kind of golem.

    Arrows suddenly flew into the thick armored being. The force of the projectiles should have at least pushed the creature back, but they did not. Instead, the arrows shattered into shrapnel and dust upon impact, all of their force was exerted back upon themselves. A number of curses could be heard from high ground behind Max. In his current predicament, he didn¡¯t have much concentration to spare on hearing such words.

    Max tried his best to roll out of the grasp of The Brigand that now solidified upon his clothes. He imagined himself ducking under the burly man and hearing his clothes rip as he burst free. It was not to be. He heard shuffling through the brush behind him and he resigned to the fact that he was captive and that this thing would do what it willed with him.

    Another singular arrow this time burst against the creature in front of him, but this time it impacted one of its eyes. It took a slight step back, but it seemed mostly unphased. It looked up past Max and its other eye quickly glowed red; a glow that grew into a beam of red energy that created a sizzling explosion on the hillside.

    It had been just inches from replacing The Brigands grasp with its own, but now it was diverted. Max watched as the golem slowly backed up and then started a quick pace up the hill. It was out of sight now and Max could hear a good deal of arrows flying, footsteps, and sizzling explosions. The Brigand¡¯s breathing was heavy and labored. Max could smell blood and as he looked down near one of his arms, he could see it there, trickling down his shoulder. Was it shock that the boy felt? Max didn¡¯t feel an arrow or shrapnel hit him. What could it be?

    The sounds of combat had receded into the distance. He could feel The Brigand looking around almost frantically now. He started to push Max in the direction of the silver saucer.

    ¡°Stop right there, Pater. You¡¯re not taking that poor boy anywhere. You¡¯ve already done enough damage.¡± The voice was feminine. It was a sharp voice that stung with pain and anger. Or was that just the pain in his shoulder from the arrow fragment? The Brigand, or Pater, started to laugh that confident laugh that Max had heard before. That really made him nervous. Made him nervous? No, that wasn¡¯t what Max was feeling, that feel of nervousness was coming from... Pater! It was a faulty laugh of confidence. Maybe Max was saved! At the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little confusion from this sudden betrayal of The Brigand.

    The burly arms let go of him and gave him a shove. He stumbled to the ground and rolled along the muddy, grassy ground. He faced the pair that now faced off.

    In a single swift motion, Pater pulled the great axe from his back. The snaps that kept it secure popped and the rest of the harness that wrapped around his nearly bare torso fell to the ground. The size of the axe made a sound as it cut against the air. The speed at which Pater flung it around to ready position pushed the air around Max, creating a breeze that chilled him to the bone.

    The woman was the same one who hunted them previously near the river. Her hair flowed almost unnaturally about her body. She slung a bow across her back. A sharp looking, amazingly thin sword was sheathed upon her side. She drew it after throwing a glance at Max and preparing herself to fight Pater in single combat.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    The metallic being trudged off in the direction the other men were running. Bright red light continued to blast into the hill behind them as they fled. Dirt and debris flew up and obscured the view of the men as they continued to run. They took turns stopping and firing arrows from their short, slender bows, but the arrows continued to bounce off the silver armored man.

    Max was overloaded with the activities going on around him. He took several steps back from the dueling pair, distancing himself as well from the guards and the metallic man. This gave him a view of both groups at the same time. He felt a bit safer for some reason. Even knowing he could not dodge an arrow, it somehow felt better at least knowing he would see his demise. He took this brief moment to pat him down and noticed that the blood on his shoulder was not his. There was no arrow embedded in him.

    He looked up and saw that an arrow had punctured Pater¡¯s shoulder from behind. Max knew it must have been this woman¡¯s arrow. Pater stepped forward and spun quickly, letting the momentum of the huge axe head carry him through a full spin and back into ready position. The woman leaped over the axe and got a slight trim of hair from the large weapon.

    Pater smiled with that gnarly mouth of teeth. ¡°You should have given up the search.¡±

    ¡°You traitor. You¡¯ll regret this.¡± She stepped in towards him as he slashed down at her. It was only a feint; two steps back brought her out of the way of the axe.

    He must have expected such a move as he leaped up using the axe planted in the ground as a lever for his body. His momentum carried him upon her quickly before she could bring her sword up to stab him. His arm knocked it away, but not without pains of his own from the edge of the blade getting a piece of his bicep. ¡°Phaedra. You¡¯ll be sorry you caught up to us!¡±

    Leading with his non-bloodied shoulder, he slammed into her and she rolled as best she could to not be stuck under him when he landed. He was now without the axe, but that hardly seemed to bother him. Her sword was now planted tip down into a nearby tuft of grass.

    She caught herself from falling in a kneeling position and launched up off of the ground. Both of them now faced each other unarmed. They paced back and forth, facing each other. Each would feint or lunge and get back into ready position quickly. It looked like she would be no match for him.

    Max peered up to the top of the hill where the guards ran. The metallic man was at the crest of the hill. He could see that one of the guards was not lucky enough to evade all the attacks. He lay face first, body contorted in a look of pain before death. Burns covered the side of his body that faced Max. It was an unpleasant sight, far worse than the broken men that The Brigand had left back in that village.

    ¡°I¡¯ll snap you like a twig, just like I did your sister!¡± Pater said, drawing Max¡¯s attention back to the circling pair just in time. Pater reached out and grabbed around part of Phaedra¡¯s torso with one big hand and her legs with the other. The proportions were insanely out of perspective. His hands seemed wider than both her legs combined. He picked her up off of the ground and started to turn as if he would plant her face first into some nearby sharp rocks.

    She pulled out an arrow with a free hand while grabbing onto his back with the other. He lunged down to his knees with her head pointed towards the rocks. Max closed his eyes; this would be the most gruesome display that he would ever see. He just couldn¡¯t watch.

    The sound he heard confused him. He opened his eyes to see The Brigand on his knees in front of the sharp rocks. Phaedra was wrapped around behind him now. He was still barely holding on to her torso and his other hand was around her feet. She took the arrow in her hand and stabbed down into Pater¡¯s eye. There was a disturbing sound as the soft flesh of his eye popped, followed by a gut-wrenching scream. Pater let go of Phaedra and grabbed at his face in pain. Phaedra kicked his large body over into the rocks, heedless of the giant man¡¯s suffering.

    ¡°It would be best that you return to the road, Max. I will meet you there.¡± She got to her feet and started to pace around The Brigand. He groaned and lay still on the rocks with his hands on his face.

    Max finally walked away from the scene of what might have been his demise. Phaedra stayed behind for a moment. Max could no longer see the majestic, yet surprisingly dreadful, Phaedra as he arrived back at the road. The guards that had helped to rescue him were there with him. He heard the twang of a bow string and a male scream of pain. All the guards stopped chuckling amongst themselves and went silent. They had a look on their faces of utter seriousness. Next, Max heard the sound of a large thud and another scream. Phaedra came from around the hill and approached the road. She was covered in blood down one side of her body and on both hands. She had a grim look, as if she was not proud of what she had done. Max approached her and then went to pass her and head around the hill. Before he got very far, Phaedra held onto Max¡¯s arm and her guards grabbed his other arm. ¡°You don¡¯t want to see what is back there.¡±

    Max was shocked, he was sure she had just murdered Pater. Max surprised himself with how badly he empathized for the man that had just given him up to the ¡®enemy¡¯. He wondered who his friends really were, and whether he was among them now.

 Eyes Opening

    Phaedra sat down next to the camp fire with Max. The guards stood around the outskirts of the make shift camp. The camp sat not terribly far from where Phaedra and The Brigand had just fought and where they had all almost been taken captive by the strange suit of armor. Phaedra handed a blanket to Max, which he gladly accepted, and she rubbed his shoulder. His perceptions of her were not the loving and caring type so the hand on the shoulder caused him to sweat nervously. He even jumped a little bit from the contact.

    ¡°I understand that you are shaken. I also understand you don¡¯t have much reason to trust me. Do keep in mind that my men and I did just save your life. I lost a guard to that automaton to save you too. Your life has cost another.¡±

    Max felt a pang of guilt based upon that statement. ¡°Well I never asked you and your men to risk their lives for me. Don¡¯t put the blame on me for that loss. I appreciate you getting me out of there. What I don¡¯t know, however, is whether I am in the same situation or worse now as I was then.¡±

    ¡°There is no guarantee I could give you right now that you would believe. Your life is in danger through no fault of your own. What I can do to make you trust me is to let you go. If you like, my men and I could escort you back to your home. Would this be enough proof that I mean you no harm?¡± She obviously appeared to not wish this deal, but the fact that she was willing to offer it was a great gesture.

    Max thought now that the only way he could attempt to trust her would be to see if this offer were really the case. ¡°I accept your offer of escort. Take me back to my home in the hamlet. And by the way, what is an automaton?¡±

    ¡°That metallic creature that tried to take you. It is not a living being in the sense that you would understand. It was not born, it was created. It can shutdown, it can restart. Its memories are not necessarily its own. They are relics of a time long past, some, while others are from faraway lands that we cannot begin to fathom. My belief is that the one encountered today was from a far off place. The same place that its master came from.¡±

    ¡°Where did its master come from?¡± All the world and the past felt like a total mystery to Max.

    ¡°It will take some time to make you understand all of these things. I fear that all the time we have on the journey back to your home would not be enough. I will try to teach you if you feel you can handle the truth. I will stick to the most important parts so as not confuse you and give you the greatest picture.¡± She crossed her legs in a lady-like fashion that did not fit a combatant. Her extremely long hair touched the ground in this sitting position next to the fire.

    Max¡¯s thoughts betrayed his own intrigue into something greater. His mind worked for all these cycles filling with trying to figure out the mysteries of the hidden world, but perhaps adding some context to that would not hurt his chances of comprehension. ¡°Please do so, I would like the opportunity to help my hamlet and myself.¡±

    ¡°About your hamlet, I am not sure what of this knowledge they would be ready for. There are certain conservative elements of every gathering place that may not be pleased with your shaking things up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to choose that fate for myself. Besides, just about everyone sees me as an outcast anyway. When we get near the hamlet, you¡¯d better turn away and not come close. Oh yeah, and we better approach during the day. There is a beast that stalks our fields at night and kills any that have left the hamlet without any trace. I don¡¯t exactly trust you, but I would not wish that fate upon you or your men. Or myself for that matter.¡±

    She smiled and leaned in towards the fire. The smile was a pained smile, but the pain it showed was nothing to do with his descriptions or their relationship. There was some distant pain that she still struggled to conceal. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know exactly of what you speak. There is little to fear suffer the fools. Let us begin the conversations on a later night. We have several on the travels back to your home. That will also give me the time to decide what is best to tell you.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Max rested well that night, curled up next to the fire with the blanket that Phaedra had so kindly given him. He had no shelter from the sky, but the night remained clear and the jumping of the flames from the fire by the breeze was comforting. The arrangements comforted him like sleeping at home on a cool night by the fireplace, slowly spitting out comforting heat all night long. His comfort grew as he became aware of a constant guard that sat up throughout the night. The guard wasn¡¯t watching him. Instead he noticed them keeping a constant vigil on the outskirts of camp. This was the best sleep that he had gotten since leaving the hamlet in the forceful hands of The Brigand.

    The pace that they set forth on the return to the hamlet was a pleasant one. He just about set it himself, with the others following his lead. The guards seemed casual and enjoyed this slower approach to travel. They carried much more weight in weapons and armor. During this slow paced hike back to his home, Max rested on his own as he stared out into the wilderness, such sights he''d never seen before. He heard the sound of something like the buzzing of many insects perhaps. He looked and saw that Phaedra spoke and instructed one of her men in the ways of polishing his breastplate.

    Max slowly got to his feet as he looked in the direction of the sound. He slowly peeled away a couple of branches as he made his way through some thick foliage.

    As Max ventured further into the untamed wilderness, he stumbled upon a sight that took his breath away¡ªa wide-ranging river, both majestic and terrifying in its grandeur.

    The river stretched before him like an ancient, undulating serpent, its mighty waters surging with an unstoppable force. The sheer expanse of the waterway was awe-inspiring, its width extending farther than the eye could discern. The surface, glistening under the warm embrace of the sun, rippled with a mesmerizing dance of liquid silver.

    On one bank, the river''s edge seemed inviting, bathed in dappled sunlight that filtered through the dense canopy above. Lush green foliage and vibrant wildflowers lined the shore, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the somber depths of the water. Birds of various hues perched on overhanging branches, singing their melodious songs as if to beckon Max closer.

    Yet, as his gaze followed the river''s path, a sense of trepidation crept over him. The river''s center appeared as a dark abyss, its depths impenetrable and unfathomable. The currents raced with a thunderous roar, reminding Max of a primal force that could not be tamed. It churned and foamed, a maelstrom of untamed power, daring anyone to challenge its authority.

    The riverbanks on the other side seemed distant and mysterious, veiled in a shadowy uncertainty. Towering cliffs rose from the waters, casting ominous shadows that concealed secrets hidden beneath their jagged facade. Trees with gnarled roots clung precariously to the rocky cliffs, their branches twisting in eerie shapes, as if whispering tales of the river''s dark past.

    Max stood at the precipice, captivated by the river''s majestic beauty and overwhelmed by its formidable might. The very essence of nature''s duality seemed embodied in this mighty waterway¡ªa breathtaking spectacle that both invited and warned, a testament to the raw power and untamed wilderness of the world he now traversed.

    As Max stood there, mesmerized by the river''s dichotomy, the soft rustle of leaves behind him startled him. He turned to find Phaedra, his enigmatic charge, standing a few steps away. Her presence, so graceful yet unanticipated, always caught him off guard.

    "Phaedra, you startled me," Max admitted with a sheepish smile, his eyes drawn to the golden cascade of her hair that almost shimmered in the dappled reflections off the water.

    Phaedra offered a serene smile in response, her voice as melodious as the river''s song. "Forgive me, Max. I couldn''t resist sharing this moment with you. The river holds a certain enchantment, wouldn''t you agree?"

    Max nodded, his gaze still fixed on her hair. "It''s... incredible. And your hair, it''s like spun gold in this light."

    Phaedra''s laughter rang out like a tinkling stream. "You have a poet''s heart, Max. But remember, beauty can be deceptive. This river, as alluring as it is, conceals secrets beneath its surface."

    Max met her wise, azure eyes, filled with both depth and mystery. "I won''t forget that, Phaedra. It''s a reminder that the world can be both wondrous and perilous."

    She nodded in agreement, her golden hair swaying gently as if dancing to the river''s rhythm. "Indeed, Max. Now, let''s continue our journey. There''s much more to discover beyond this river''s edge."

    He then walked back to her men and continued their journey to the hamlet.

 Returning Home

    Max watched the guard with hair so long and full of curls that it seeped out of the bottom of his metallic helm as he stopped at the cross roads that split between what was unknown to Max and what would lead him home. The guard pulled out a set of interlocking stringed together, stones. He uttered under his breath and looked to the paths reverently.

    Max approached the guard. ¡°I didn¡¯t get your name before.¡±

    A few moments more and the guard looked to him. ¡°Sedrick.¡±

    ¡°What were you just doing?¡±

    ¡°Praying to one of my Gods, Vanusiil, Lord of Portals.¡±

    ¡°Gods?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Is that also an unfamiliar concept to you?¡±

    Max¡¯s cheeks lit up with redness and he simply turned and continued down the cross road. Once his embarrassment at his lack of knowledge passed, he would seek to learn more.

    Phaedra grinned.

    #

    Max took the opportunity of the quiet trek home to satisfy his curiosity, ¡°So if there is more to this world than the goddess and the she didn¡¯t make the world and she doesn¡¯t guide our hands, who did and who does?¡±

    Phaedra smiled, enjoying the inquisitiveness, ¡°The beginning of it all is still not truly understood. There are a great many that believe that one simply known as The Creator built all that you see. But really, only the First Born and the Scions might know for sure. They don¡¯t really share the fact of what they are.¡±

    In this moment, Max thanked the moons above and whatever god did watch after him for his apparent gift. He liked knowing the lack of annoyance to his questioning. ¡°Okay, and who guides and protects me?¡±

    Phaedra swayed with satisfaction as she continued down the path, barely disturbing the small stones that the guards kicked about,¡°All in due time, what is important is the results of all of this, not whether a person believes in this beings existence or whether it is a trumped up creation story. The world that existed long ago was forever changed with the death of what some used to call the one true God. That world had been broken, shattered. Now that realm exists as so ten distinct fragments. Some choose to call them dimensions, but you can see them up in the sky. I call them moons. At any rate, the end result is that these different realms are each worlds in and of themselves. Travel is possible between them, but it isn¡¯t always easy. This place, well it is universally called the Old World. It is understood to be the largest of all the fragments. All the other realms revolve aroundor orbit the Old World.¡±

    Max didn¡¯t ask any more questions. This knowledge shattered his world. He stared at the freshly harvested fields of the still distant village. The beliefs he¡¯d been raised with possessed such an empty quality now.

    #

    That night, when they set up camp, Phaedra and Sedrick would tell tales that Max found fascinating. It sounded almost like they were just making stories to entertain him. He could not believe that all the people in the hamlet were not privy to any of the stories that he had learned. In fact, there were a couple of historical and mythological bits that he read about in the hamlet and just thought that they were fictional stories.

    "It¡¯s just so strange that in a world such as this, only the goddess now lives. Is she the new creator?" Max asked trying to put the pieces together.

    Phaedra smiled and pulled Max closer to her, "Your little home knows and worships one goddess, but I assure you, there are a great many more out there. If we worked through all the goddesses, we might figure out which goddess you worship, or your people might have made their own idol. Such a thing isn''t unheard of but, well, your people are far more isolated than any I have ever encountered.

    Now that Max heard all of this, it surprised him that none of the villagers really asked questions to clarify more about the great beings above. "Tell me about some of the other gods. Give me some highlights."

    Phaedra giggled, "I''m no priest, but I can tell you about a few things."

    "Start with whom, if anyone, you worship. I''m not a priest, but I still worshipped the Goddess, up until now." It delighted Max that she seemed so happy by his inquisitorial nature.

    "Sure, and then you tell me about your worship, and we''ll figure out where you fit into the greater cosmological puzzle." She settled on to the ground and rested her back against the log they used as a seat upon until that point. "I don''t worship a single god. Only priests and a few very focused people worship just one god. I worship a pantheon of gods and goddesses that hold true for me in different parts of life. I wouldn''t say that I worship over every meal, but when I feel I could need that extra boost of confidence or energy from the outside, that''s when I pray.¡±

    ¡°Do you not want to share exactly what faith?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a complicated subject. We can talk more later. For now, what are the tenants of the goddess?¡±

    Max looked up to the starry night sky through the trees and thought hard, ¡°Well... that¡¯s actually a good question. She helps us with the harvest. She granted us a protector that keeps the crops in good health and keeps the monsters of the outside world out. Now, that sounds kind of silly. Our biggest celebration is harvest day, and we don¡¯t really have any other big holidays.¡±

    Phaedra shrugged, ¡°Max, sounds like a mixture of a couple of gods or one created for convenience''s sake. I¡¯d have to see some books or hear some more detailed stories.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sorry, guess I didn¡¯t really every pay that much attention to the teachings.¡± Max shrugged this time.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother me one way or another. I follow the path of Shardborn Ascendant. If you¡¯ll remember when I mentioned The Creator before, when it ¡®died¡¯,¡± she motioned with her hands, ¡°it shattered all over this place, probably also caused this place to shatter into all the moons that now orbit it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that sounds just catastrophic.¡± Max¡¯s gaze return intently to Phaedra, entertained by her explanations.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°That event is actually commonly called the shattering. Anyway, being of my philosophy means I pray to a number of gods both light and dark that all represent various aspects of life. I follow them because they were all once just people, and so I believe they understand our plight better than the Nobilis, the old servants of The Creator.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t understand who ever would have established the land where I come from and why they would keep all this knowledge from their descendants. It¡¯s almost frustrating.¡±

    ¡°At least you are curious. There is still time to learn,¡± Phaedra rubbed his shoulder warmly.

    ¡°So where is your family?¡± Max wanted to know more about this majestic sword fighter.

    Phaedra¡¯s pale face changed to a deep crimson and her expression went sullen, ¡°I... think we should get to bed. The hour is late. Goodnight Max,¡± she stood before he could respond or reach out to her.

    With the awkward moment ending, Max went to bid Sedrick good night. He rounded the rock to spot Sedrick not standing guard but kneeling and praying again. Max didn¡¯t want to interrupt Sedrick¡¯s prayers again. He turned to go rest when Sedrick spoke without looking up. ¡°Max, I¡¯ve thought about where you come from and this goddess of yours. I do believe that your people exclusively worship a goddess known as Kaika, the First Lady.¡±

    Max stopped, but didn¡¯t turn back around. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll have to look into that. Hopefully, we can talk about it later. I¡¯ll leave you to your prayers.¡±

    Max lay his head down and curled up under the blanket provided to him. Thoughts of Phaedra kept invading Max¡¯s mind. He thought of the comfort she provided him and the pleasantness of her voice. Max believed Phaedra¡¯s words so easily, putting his other recent company with The Brigand into perspective. The softness of her voice made every description of every historical event, even battles, sound like a somber and genuine affair. He always wanted to feel trust like this for someone, but even back home, he never found anyone to confide and believe in. Back home, he¡¯d probably always be an outcast.

    #

    Nearing the end of their journey, Max started to recognize the outskirts of his home. Phaedra walked closer to Max and the guards gave the two some space. ¡°The ones that I work for want to protect you. There are people that believe in prophecy. Some of these people are powerful. Many of these people believe that you have some part to play in the prophecy. They do not know what part it is that you play, whether it be of help to them or that you could hinder the eventuality that they believe. Either way, they want to study you. They want to understand. If you are not careful, they will get their chance.¡±

    Phaedra stopped on the edge of the woods. They could just barely see the place through the trees where the fields began and the way to the hamlet lay. She looked around, studying the trees. Her guards held back, outside of the wooded area. She waved them off and headed farther into the forest with Max. As the two of them walked, she started to get a look of interest.

    ¡°Max, do you or your fellow citizens ever have encounters with strange beings out here?¡± She climbed down into the stream with the widest banks. This was the one that The Brigand had easily cleared with a single jump what seemed like so long ago.

    Phaedra offered Max a hand to get down into the stream. She seemed delighted to feel the clean, cold water on her boots, soaking into her toes.

    Max nodded. ¡°Yes, our goddess¡¯s protector. I saw it on the way out. It looked like floating black liquid. It had some sort of a regular shape, but it fluctuated constantly.¡±

    ¡°Hhhmm.¡± She delightedly splashed a few steps through the water to the other bank and hitched herself up and back into the leafy ground. ¡°That is definitely no protector from a god. Such creatures do exist, and they are avatars of great power. None of them spend time in such limited capacities as what this one seems to.¡±

    Max nodded as he pulled himself up onto the opposite bank with Phaedra¡¯s help. ¡°It is said that the beast is dangerous unless we are in the bounds of the hamlet. It keeps our crops safe from pests. It does a great job, too.¡±

    There was something comforting about coming back to land that he knew a lot about. Finally, after all of the wisdom and words that Phaedra shared with him, he could talk about something. He felt proud for at least a mere moment in which he was the storyteller.

    ¡°Remember that automaton I was telling you about?¡±

    Max yet again nodded. He loved to soak in all this information that Phaedra shared. He also laughed inwardly as maybe he was wrong about being the storyteller at this point.

    ¡°Well, there are things like that automaton that are not metallic. This creature seems to be one such case. If I had to guess, I would say that somewhere off in that direction,¡± she motioned with one of her long, outstretched arms, ¡°there is a station where the beast recharges during the day. These sorts of devices exist in some of the out-of-the-way areas that have not yet been salvaged. Long ago, these things existed everywhere. They were typically not used daily. They were really used for the purpose that you say. A farmer would rarely have to weed or find ways to get rid of insects. The robots would do that for the farmer.¡±

    ¡°Is it just a malfunction then that it kills anyone who runs out into the fields?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say it is more likely just that the person who gave it algorithms on what actions to take was an amateur. It could probably be changed to leave people alone.¡± She placed her hands on her slender hips as she looked out towards the automaton¡¯s possible recharge site. ¡°Don¡¯t let me hold you up any more with my tales of knowledge. You¡¯ve been gone for a couple weeks and there might just be some people in town that fear the worst. Maybe some surprises in the people that missed you are in store. Whatever the case may be, you better get going.¡±

    ¡°Thanks Phaedra. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a trick, but you have given me every reason in the world, The Old World,¡± he smiled, ¡°to trust you. Will I ever see you again?¡±

    ¡°If I have my way, you can bet on it. If you leave the hamlet that is. I would remind you that if you stay, you may just put some of these people in danger. You have not been forgotten by those that wish to use you for their own purposes. I will be waiting in the nearest city, Rotheburg, that you will come across if you travel down this road here and follow the widest path.¡±

    He reached out and hugged her. The embrace surprised her, but she did welcome it. Her long arms wrapped around his body. The embrace provided them both with comfort. They held each other a bit longer than either of them thought would occur. He wondered if she developed any other feelings for him. He would love that. His youthful exuberance and her older wisdom made a good match, and her beauty also held his gaze quite often during this trip back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you again. Now that I know about the world out there, there is no way I can stay in this place. I¡¯ll find the widest road and I will follow it to the city. City. Wow, I thought those only existed in stories. I bet they are beautiful.¡±

    She squeezed him one last time before letting him go. ¡°Well, some cities are beautiful. There are others, however, that are hideous to behold. They stink of overpopulation and the streets are filled with muck. Watch your step, literally, around the people that frequent those places. As long as you do those things, you will make it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Just as Phaedra started to pivot away, she stopped herself. ¡°A warning. If you ever hear the name of Daefindel, be wary. My employer sent me to rescue a boy who was being kidnapped for this man. Probably, they were going to use you for some kind of sacrifice. It¡¯s not my duty to understand why you, but you were picked. If you do hear any mention of that name. You should use your best judgment to leave for Rotheburg at once.¡±

    That startled Max. Why would anyone want him? Maybe he¡¯d just been out on the edge of the field at just the wrong time. There seemed to be something special about the hamlet, perhaps, one day, he¡¯d figure it out. While Max lost himself in thought, Phaedra traveled back to the mysterious world beyond.

    As Phaedra receded from Max¡¯s view, his thoughts lingered behind. Should he continue forward? He almost turned right about around with the feelings of panic that he started to feel. What if, in that vast world out there, he never saw her again? Was it worth it, just to prove a point that his will was free?

    Max shook his head as he plodded on slowly, barely picking up his feet. It would not be right for him to let all of the people he grew up with think he was dead. It was right that at least his parents knew he was still alive. He should be responsible, as much as he wanted to explore the world.

    The chance to explore the world and learn even more would come. At least that is what he continued to tell himself to push each step forward towards home.

 Back to the Hamlet

    Max walked back into the hamlet. He had wondered at one point if he would ever see this humble little place again. Now he was here and in a way he felt comforted to be surrounded by so much he was intimately familiar with. In another way though, it made him feel empty and the place now felt so small.

    He stopped for a moment before crossing the threshold of the tree line that surrounded the sunset side of the settlement. He never truly took in all those surroundings. Outside of his perfect spot at the base of his tree where he liked to relax, passing many lonely days in the small community, he never took in the comfort of the community and its surroundings.

    The hamlet had generally left the trees out here untouched unless the situation during a winter became dire. So, all the trees had formed such a thick canopy as to be like twilight at all times. They were large and old trees, forming a natural border and giving a home to the beast that haunted the hamlet late at night. Beyond those trees that he stood at the edge of now, he could see the circle of buildings that was his home. He¡¯d never known a life outside of those old wooden wonders. They were so lovingly cared for and maintained, rotting woods replaced each winter when the fields didn¡¯t consume all of the population¡¯s time.

    At this time of year, the shimmering gold of the crops blowing in the wind were absent. Everything was a brown muck and the manure that had been added to the rows of plowed ground only added to the dreary appearance. Yet, somehow, what it brought to Max¡¯s mind was the thought of comforting evenings around the fire with his mother and father. It was some of the only time he could think of that were pleasant memories with them.

    His father had always been so hard on Max, wanting him to be more involved with all the boys in the community. His mother had been hard working and made his hours at home a comfort, up until his brother had perished at a young age. And, at that moment, his mother had never really recovered. Yet still, those cold evenings around the fire pit had been something that warmed his heart as he saw this fallow brown mire.

    As he walked down the path between the fields, workers started to pop up from their toil and approach the path. He was reminded of the time he walked through his first town with The Brigand. The people all whispered and pointed. They seemed shocked to see him; he was sure he would do the same if he was in their shoes. After his showman¡¯s walk down the path he entered the edge of the hamlet. Everything was almost exactly as he had remembered.

    Max noticed one of the older boys, Wade, leaning against a tree at the edge of the woods. Many of the kids younger than Wade pulled extra work in the fields because Wade claimed he kept watch on the outskirts of the safety of their home. Here he leaned, and he did notice Max, straightaway. Wade moved to intercept, ¡°Max. Holy Goddess. You¡¯d better avoid your parents for a bit. Your ma had a nervous breakdown after you never came home after the fire. You¡¯re in serious shluping trouble with your pa.¡±

    Max scratched his head, surprised that Wade cared. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±

    ¡°Why not? No skin off my back. Doing my job. I always thought there was something more out there. Tell me what you¡¯ve seen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite tired and I¡¯d really like to get something to eat.¡±

    ¡°Oh come on. I helped you, now you help me.¡± Wade tugged on Max¡¯s tunic after closing the distance.

    ¡°Look, there are rivers, there are villages, there are more people, there is nothing but trouble out there.¡± Max shook off Wade¡¯s loose hold.

    ¡°Suppose that¡¯s all I¡¯m getting out of you then.¡± Wade headed back over to the spot where Max first spotted him.

    Even with Wade passing on the information to Max, Max still got an uneasy sense that Wade wanted something or hoped to gain something. Best to avoid him, Max thought.

    Max¡¯s walk turned into a confident saunter, and that each step he took into his familiar and old world made him realize his new found strength from when last he set foot in the hamlet. His time here was spent in solitude. He thought that the only thing he could contribute to the world was tending to the easily grown and harvested wheat and sometimes corn. Now, he was special, and he knew things that no one else here in his home knew about.

    Belka had appeared from the meal house. She was dirty from cleaning and cooking with a wrap holding up her hair. She approached Max at a quick pace. He smiled and wondered what words she would try to use on him this time to tear him down. As she arrived directly in front of his path, she quickly reached out and slapped him. The touch stung, but not so much as Belka¡¯s seeming lack of concern. He couldn¡¯t believe after all this time that she still was going to resort to the ¡°push him around¡± method to degrade him. But wait; there was a different emotion emanating from her right now.

    ¡°You, you... Max. I thought you were dead. Oh my goddess, I can¡¯t believe you are real. It¡¯s so good to see you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, here I am. I¡¯m still alive. It¡¯s good to see you too.¡±

    ¡°You know, you just about killed me. You do look like you¡¯ll die of starvation if you don¡¯t eat soon. Come on. Let¡¯s get you fed.¡± She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the meal house.

    One of the boys that always used to pick on Max pulled a chair out from a table for him after a nasty look from Belka. She went into the back to throw together some stew and fresh baked bread. The smell of home filled Max¡¯s nostrils. It was a wonderful scent, one he had almost forgotten for the smell of a campfire devoid of finely cooked foods.

    While Belka was still out of sight, the front door opened again and there was ole¡¯ gran Valia. She had the standard broom in her hand and her typical hostile look towards the kids. She shooed all the other people, not just the kids, out of the meal house. She started to approach Max, and he prepared himself to get up and head out the door as well. As he started to stand, ole¡¯ gran quickly used the handle of the broom to push Max¡¯s lap back into the seat.

    ¡°It¡¯s time you and I had a real talk, Maximillian.¡±

    ¡°Please, just call me Max. Even my parents just call me Max.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t tell your elders what to do. You have gotten quite bold haven¡¯t you? I know you¡¯ve come back for more than just a visit. I¡¯m going to tell you right now, Maximillian, if you ¡®rescue¡¯ this place from what you think is dangerous to it, you will be opening up a whole new world of dangers.¡±

    Max contemplated a response rather than just filling the air with blather. ¡°I¡¯ll also open a strange new world of possibilities. What we have here isn¡¯t even a life. We are prisoners here.¡±

    ¡°Being isolated isn¡¯t always as bad as you might think, Maximillian.¡±

    ¡°What are you both talking about?¡± Belka had come back into the room with a bowl of food without either of them noticing.

    ¡°You need to get out of here missy. This is a conversation for just the two of us.¡± Granny reached for her broom that she had set against a nearby table.

    Belka set down the bowl and started to walk away, with her hands in the air in surrender.

    ¡°At least be useful and put that bowl of food over here so we don¡¯t have to be interrupted further.¡± Granny had command of the folks of the hamlet, that much was certain. Belka picked up the bowl and placed it on the table in front of Max, eyeing him with concern. She then made her way quietly out of the meal house with Valia watching her every move. Once the door was shut, the old woman looked back towards Max.

    ¡°Relationships are not always as they seem it appears.¡± She said as if it was more for Max¡¯s benefit than her own. ¡°I¡¯m just going to say this once, Maximillian. You leave be the way things are here. Leave if you must, but you had best not disrupt this place if you hold any respect still for your elders. Of course, if your wanderlust has gotten the best of you, these words might hold little more meaning for you.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I hear you. I don¡¯t want to disrespect you. At the same time, I have my own feelings and ideas. I will do my best to honor both of those aspects.¡± Max spoke with surety. Valia seemed to find that answer only marginally acceptable and continued to lecture Max about the history of the hamlet and the great things that the people of the hamlet had. After what seemed like hours of this one sided conversation, Max was finally allowed to leave.

    It was at this point that Max realized how hungry he was and that he had completely forgotten to delve into the stew and bread. The stew was now ice cold, so he just grabbed the hunk of bread, gave it one good dunk in the stew and left with just the piece to chow down on. As he left the meal house, everyone was waiting outside the building, obviously expecting to eat dinner before now, but Valia wouldn¡¯t have any interruptions and no one dared to defy her. Would Max do so?

    Although he was surprised by the warm reception from Belka, seeing her as anything other than a bully would take time. And sure, ole¡¯ gran had turned out to be more than a crabby lady with a broom, but that was just a strange circumstance all its own. His parents were pleased to see him upon first reaction, but they quickly turned to their darker and stranger natures quickly after the return. If there was anybody in town that Max was really happy to see, it was Brian and Mathew.

    The two boys cornered Max after he left the meal hall. Everyone else rushed in to eat, but they did not seem to care about food. Max put his hands up in a defensive fashion. ¡°Hey guys. It¡¯s been a while. How¡¯s it going?¡± They both advanced on him and he backed into the wall. Each of them raised a hand and grabbed onto one of his shoulders.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to tell us what you saw out there! We have always tried to test the limits and get out as far as we could before being forced back at dusk,¡± Brian said in a friendly tone with a big smile.

    ¡°We just have to know. You lucky dog!¡± Mathew gave Max a friendly jab with his second hand.

    Max relaxed the tension out of his shoulders and smiled. ¡°For a second there, I thought I was getting a welcome back beating.¡±

    Brian shook his head vigorously. ¡°No way. We¡¯ve never had a problem with you. But we might have to beat the details out of you if you don¡¯t share.¡± It was obvious that he was joking, or was it? Even outcasts such as these two never really associated with Maximillian before. All three of them shared a laugh.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Well, I was kidnapped. I was knocked around by multitudes of branches in the forest. I almost got run over by a man who was thrown by another man. I was grabbed and forced to go where I didn¡¯t want to. I almost got burned by a beam of light. Then I watched as my captor fought someone else that I thought was looking to kill me. Turns out, she was the highlight of the trip. She brought me back here under a safe guard. She also told me a lot about the world that I just had no idea about. For starters, this place is apparently called the Old World. Makes me wonder a little bit what a New World would be.¡±

    The two prodded him for more details. He went into as much detail as they wanted. They completely skipped dinner. The three of them went out by Max¡¯s favorite big tree and looked out on the fields beyond. He shared his experience with the beast that hunted the fields at night. They both shuttered a bit at the tale. He also shared the good news that the thing was not some living being. Also, it wasn¡¯t a goddess that protected the hamlet; the thing that cleared out the fields at night had protocols that it was supposed to follow. He also excitedly told them that they could modify those protocols and learn more about the beast. Max¡¯s two new friends were practically bursting with energy. He fed them his and out it came from them in whoops and hollers.

    ¡°Ole¡¯ Gran did share with me that I shouldn¡¯t disrupt the way of things here. I am fairly certain she mostly was referring to the beast and leaving it alone. It keeps out bad things just as much as it also oppresses us and keeps us in.¡±

    Brian and Mathew were both shifting back and forth with excitement. Mathew seemed quite intrigued. ¡°I want to see the source of the beast,¡± he said. ¡°I want to learn about why it stays outside the hamlet. We don¡¯t have to change it, let¡¯s just learn how it works. Then, we will be able to leave and come back without any need to worry about that. I can see now all the explorations we will carry out.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like some sort of visionary, right?¡± Brian started to laugh and gave Mathew a jab.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll both follow my lead on this. Let¡¯s get into as little trouble as possible.¡± Max chided them and tried to bring the humor back down into a more serious realm.

    They both agreed.

    Max had never been great friends with Brian and Mathew, but there had always been the fact that Brian and Mathew were the other outcasts. They had at least given each a respectful nod or a courteous hello when meeting each other in the fields or learning the various crafts that the hamlet relied upon to survive. One aspect that made Brian and Mathew appear closer to Max now was that of curiosity. They had been assumed nearly killed on a couple of occasions while they had all been growing up. They were outside of the hamlet right up to the last moments before sunset. They were always punished by their parents, and they had always been viewed as notorious trouble makers. As a result, they stuck to themselves and never caused any real trouble outside of social stigma.

    Many of the local folk saw Brian as a bit queer as his profession had become one under the stewardship of Lelamar, the head of the theatre. He did little in what many considered useful professions.

    Mathew, on the other hand, was a fairly educated member of the community. His excessive weight is what kept him estranged from the rest of the community. He was respected by some of the elders, but almost everyone saw him as exceedingly fat and lazy.

    Max realized he¡¯d eaten, spent time with the boys, and chatted with ole¡¯ gran, but all this time after being gone and he still hadn¡¯t gone home. He didn¡¯t allow himself to read into that sign much. He needed to get some rest and going home to do it made the most sense. He got to the door of the meager home with wood paneled walls and hay roof. He braced himself before pulling the door open and heading inside. In the hamlet, just like in this home, the family shared a mostly communal space and slept in the same chambers.

    Max took purposeful steps toward the sleeping chamber to pull a blanket over his face and get to sleep. A hefty, calloused farmer¡¯s hand stopped his progress. His father, Lorn Mortan, intercepted him, ¡°You¡¯ve been gone since that fire in the western field¡± The hand compressed, hurting his shoulder.

    ¡°I want to go sleep.¡± Max tried to wiggle his way out of his father¡¯s grasp, but a boy of his age could not match a working father¡¯s strength.

    ¡°Your mother has been forced to listen to the gossip of all the other women of the hamlet. Talking of you causing trouble of your disturbed nature, of the damage you sow upon our home.¡± He raised his other hand authoritatively, making Max wince.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±

    His mother¡¯s drunken voice entered the fray, barely coherent, ¡°You drive us to the depths of insanity, the goddess punished my body with this elixir. You are doing this to us.¡±

    ¡°I just want to sleep. I¡¯ll repent in the morning. I just haven¡¯t had a good sleep.¡± Max just wanted any way to get out of this and to approach the conversation with a fresh mind.

    Lorn shook his head, ¡°you¡¯re always putting these things off. You need to be disciplined again? You still act like a little child.¡±

    ¡°Please. I promise.¡±

    Lorn¡¯s fingers dug into the flesh of Max¡¯s shoulder painfully, ¡°You never listen.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even understand so I won¡¯t waste the time explaining it to you.¡± Max found the courage to reach his arms up around his body and then slammed them down onto his father¡¯s grasping arm.

    Lorn yelped from surprise and pain, letting go of his son. His brow furrowed and his eyes got dark, like shadows from his deep brow fell upon his pupils.

    ¡°You are both so ignorant. I don¡¯t even care to try. I¡¯ll sleep in the common room over this if I have to.¡±

    His mother tried to grab his arm then, but she did not possess the motor control to actually make contact, falling to the ground instead.

    Max left in a huff, vowing never to return. He sought the comfort of the common room, where he could sleep at least until early morning.

    #

    The next afternoon, they searched right along the edge of the fields. They masqueraded their search as some preparatory work for the fields. They did their digging and searching as far out of sight from the main clearing of the hamlet to attract less attention. After digging a couple of feet down in one point right along the edge of the now-cropped wheat field, Brian called for the other two to come over. He pulled up a very elaborate looking stake that had bright lights swirling on it from no apparent source. Attached to that device was a length of cord that went up and down the field along the edge of the hamlet. Each of them took turns quietly studying the little piece of treasure they found. They did not learn much from it.

    They studied that thing for another day, but more time studying it would not be possible without raising further unwanted attention. There were already a few people skulking nearby trying to get an idea of what the three companions were actually doing.

    The next day, they headed out to the forest bright and early, so early in fact that they probably tempted fate with the beast. The sun was not even peeking over the horizon; its light was just starting to clear out the darkness. They tried to make their exit as quietly as possible. With all the interest people were starting to have in their digging activities it was for the best. Once they arrived at the forest, they continued to keep a low profile. They didn¡¯t make it look foolish, jumping from tree to tree or rock to rock, but they did their best to always stand with some trees blocking the view of the hamlet. Only the most adamant of spies would have noticed their departure.

    Just in case they had run into trouble, Brian brought his stage sword, Mathew brought a hefty walking staff, and Max brought a knife. It was not that the three of them wanted that sort of trouble; it was more that they wanted to be ready for whatever followed today. Mathew also brought a piece of wood with cloth drenched in animal fat. It would give them light if they were forced underground, which from what Phaedra told Max, would probably be the case.

    Max led them in the direction that Phaedra had suggested. This path led deeper into the forest. There was a trail there, but not the kind of trail that was typical. There were no footsteps, hoof prints, or any other visible evidence of a being moving along the ground. Instead, Max pointed out the warping of the trees at about shoulder height. They bowed out from the ¡°path¡± and the leaves and twigs on the ground were disturbed. There was a trench in the thick leafy foliage where it almost looked like they were kicked away. The earth itself was blank of tracks.

    The three of them followed the path for almost an hour. Max noted that they never crossed the wider stream where the beast stopped when he was kidnapped. They must have headed parallel to the stream. Finally, the path stopped. The three spread out and started looking around. It was not long before Brian drew his sword, putting the other two on immediate alert.

    ¡°Oh, um. Sorry. No sign of danger, I just thought I¡¯d be lazy and use this instead of getting on my knees.¡± With that statement Brian used the sword to brush away some leaves and loose dirt. It was quickly apparent that there was a hatch of some kind in the ground.

    ¡°Ah ha.¡± Max came over quickly. ¡°Good thing we brought that torch. Are we ready for a little exploring an¡¯ adventuring?¡±

    Mathew quickly moved to the side of his friends. ¡°You bet we are ready. Let¡¯s see how to open this thing,¡± he stated excitedly.

    The three got down on their hands and knees and cleared away the rest of the debris until the entire door was revealed. There was a strange pattern on the central part of the gate, with numerous holes in that area in the pattern that must have given the beast a way to get in and out. Since its form was not exactly solid, the beast would never even have to open the grated door. Around the outside of this pattern, there was writing in a language none of the three understood.

    Brian looked like he recognized the symbology and spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ve seen these in some of the stage plays that Lelamar. I don¡¯t know what they mean.¡± He shrugged, ¡°but that is familiar. They are from the last age. The age before our hamlet became isolated.¡±

    Mathew was the first to get his hands on the newly revealed hatch. He boldly stuck his fingers into the openings and gave a hefty tug, putting his entire weight against it. It did not even make the sound of a budge. He tried again, straining reading all across his face, and still nothing. One final try and no different result came of it, except the effort ended with him losing his grip as his own weight carried him to the ground with a plop.

    ¡°Well... that approach isn¡¯t going to work.¡± Max said, as Mathew made his way over to help Brian out.

    Brian thought for a moment after letting go of Mathew¡¯s arm. ¡°There was that play a few seasons back that reminds me of this situation. It is when the main character is trying to find a way to the damsel and there is a seamless door between him and his destination. Upon searching for a while, he finds a lever that does the work for him.¡±

    Mathew nodded, ¡°that play was said to be a remnant of the last age, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°Most of them are. Most writings are, at least that is what ole¡¯ gran says.¡± Brian walked away from the hatch and started looking for landmarks.

    A few minutes of searching finally yielded results. Max thought logically about the things he saw during his encounters with the beast. He also thought about the logic of building a creation like this. If it started to malfunction, wouldn¡¯t it be a good idea for someone to be able to at least open the hatch without worrying about getting eaten alive by this thing? With that, he headed to the nearest part of the wide stream that was the border between where the beast could go and where it couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Hey guys! Come over here. I¡¯ve found something.¡± Max called out from the stream bed. He watched in the distance for his friends, who finally came into view after several minutes, appearing to scour the woods for Max.

    They came stumbling through the woods for a few minutes until the stream came into view. They continued to call out for Max until his head popped up from the stream bed, surprising them both into jumping. ¡°Hey. So I think I found it.¡±

    The look on Max¡¯s face was one of exhilaration. The other two boys were filled with that energy that peeks out in such a way that only a boys can. They rushed, pushing on each other and approaching Max with laughter.

    The boys hopped down into the stream bed and turned to face the direction they came from. Under a natural ledge there was a strange set of very unnatural looking levers, buttons, panels, and dim lights. ¡°To get a good look, you¡¯ve really got to get down and in there,¡± Max advised, so all three of them crawled in side by side with boyish glee on their faces.

    Mathew touched one of the lights, wincing unnecessarily because he was expecting to get burned. They were cool to the touch. ¡°I bet we can modify its behavior right out here somehow. Look at the number of controls this thing has.¡±

    Brian and Max both nodded and hit their heads against the top of the ledge at the same time and all three of them laughed. The three of them poked and prodded at much of the panel in front of them. They did not depress any of the buttons or pull any levers. They were just curious and the main priority must be not to screw anything up. First, they needed to learn as much as they could about the contraption. With all of their boyish enthusiasm, this thing in front of them was pretty much from another world. They didn¡¯t have much chance of knowing anything about it or figuring it out without some base of knowledge to work from.

    They decided that it might be the best strategy to go back to the hamlet and start doing some research in the old town book collections. They would need to stay as hushed about the actual reason as they could. It was best that they come up with some excuses that would sound plausible. Boyish curiosity seemed to be the easiest excuse and that is what they decided to stick with.

 Surviving the Beast

    For several days, they split up and the only contact they attempted was at dinner time. This was also part of the plan, to keep from drawing unwanted attention.

    On the fifth day, when Brian slid into the table for dinner, late, the other two gave him a queer eye. He usually arrived punctually as dinner was beginning. ¡°I think I may just have found something. I got a brief look through ole¡¯ grans books and jotted down some notes. She was pretty suspicious of me, so I didn¡¯t get to look at the book for too long. It was a book about advanced farming procedures to increase crop yield per worker. I know, that is a lot of words. I don¡¯t try to make too much sense of that. Instead, I just tried my best to skip all that talk and find anything about just what we are dealing with. I did.¡± He said the last bit in a hushed tone. He pulled out the notes that he had written on the locally-grown material they used for paper.

    Mathew snatched it quickly and started to pour over it. ¡°Wow! This is really great. Just your notes here, though hard to read, should be good enough for us to experiment!¡± His words were excited, but he did his best to keep his voice low.

    Some field work kept the three busy for the next few days. They occasionally got together to study the notes and share anything they figured out. The excitement died down a little bit.

    Max was working on cleaning up the wheat field, getting it ready to lay fallow until the growing season returned. He heard elevated voices arguing. It was coming from the direction of the hamlet. There were sounds of great concern in all the voices. He could sense that concern even from here. He dropped his tools and made his way over. Apparently, the argument had drawn a good number of others to it. Ole¡¯ Gran Valia and one of the younger fathers of the hamlet were heated. ¡°My daughter is out there! You want me to just leave her be. Leave her to the whim of the goddess? No one has survived that ordeal in any of your records.¡±

    ¡°You should have kept an eye on her. The sun will be down within minutes. The sirens are soon to wail. You want to lose the whole hamlet? I can¡¯t let that happen. If you go after her, it¡¯ll be your own life as well as hers that we lose.¡± She was stern, but she did have a point.

    Only one thing, she didn¡¯t know that the three companions probably knew how to stop the thing from carrying out its terror. Max acted quickly. He ran into the center of the hamlet and looked quickly for Brian and Mathew. Fortunately, the ruckus brought them from their work as well. He ran to them. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get back to that panel! We can¡¯t let that girl die. It isn¡¯t her fault. Many kids get lost out there and don¡¯t know any better.¡±

    They both nodded in agreement. As they started to move in the direction of the beast¡¯s lair, Mathew huffed. ¡°You two need to go. I will never make it before dark. That thing will tear me apart.¡± They both looked at each other nervously. Mathew definitely comprehended this thing more than the other two combined probably did. ¡°Go on. You are wasting time.¡±

    Max and Brian ran up the path towards the forest with only a moment more of hesitation. They sprinted as fast as their legs would carry them and their hearts pounded, trying to keep up. The last rays of light were disappearing over the horizon. They probably were not going to get to the stream bed!

    There was a slight rumbling sensation as they smashed their way through the forest. The trench and the bowed trees were just up ahead. The primary path of the beast was their last major hurdle before the stream!

    Brian started to become very animated and was making wheezing, gulping sounds. Max looked to their left, following Brian¡¯s gaze. There it was. The black, floating, liquid entity in all its glory seeped through the cracks in the hatch. The only way the outline of the thing was visible is that the trees behind it completely disappeared. In the near darkness, it was almost invisible.

    Whoosh! It flew by right behind the pair of them. When it picked up speed, it was nearly impossible in the darkness to follow its path.

    ¡°Oh Shit.¡± They both yelled pretty much in unison. They could see the stream bed now. So close, but that thing was so fast, they could never possibly outrun it.

    Whoosh! It flew by Max this time. He could have sworn that it bumped him, but he didn¡¯t feel any pain, just the force of something hitting him.

    They both leaped into the stream bed. The leaps were both desperate and would give them no chance to defend themselves from the fall. They both impacted the ground at about the same time and rolled through the cold water. Their bodies bounced about against rocks, onto twigs, and finally slammed into the far bank.

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    Whoosh! The beast was directly over the opposite stream bed. Max looked at Brian and knew that they both felt as if it was staring at them even though it possessed no visible eyes. In that moment, Max also noticed that his empathy with Brian had reached a certain level of comfort. He could feel Brian¡¯s feelings. There was time to explore that later.

    Whoosh! It disappeared from sight and headed towards the fields. They both knew their time was limited.

    They stood up to hop their way across the stream to the controls. Brian pointed at Max¡¯s arm. They were both covered in bruises and small bloody cuts. The cut at Max¡¯s elbow was more than the scratch of a rock or poke of a branch. The thing must have touched him after all. His entire forearm was covered in blood. He shrugged, the pain was non-existent.

    Brian pulled the damp notes out of his pocket as they crawled under the ledge. There were distant sounds of panic. Max could feel his eyelids growing heavy. He must be losing a lot of blood. He put his head down to think. What could they...

    Max awoke to the feeling of shaking. He opened his eyes and looked up to see Brian shaking him gently on his good arm. Max then pulled himself up to sitting position. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°We need your help. It¡¯s going to take all three of us to get this thing figured out.¡± Brian insisted, Max glancing over to the complex console, sitting seemingly idle.

    Brian backed up and out of the way. Max feverishly looked over the notes and the buttons, levers, displays, and blinking lights.

    Cold sweat covered Max¡¯s spine and dripped down to his britches as the barely audible screams of the adults filled the air. The screams in the distance got more urgent as the two boys looked over everything. Max started to get desperate as he started to toy with levers and buttons without any guidance, relying on luck.

    A loud thump and a crescendo of panicked voices signaled a climax to the far off encounter.

    ¡°Move.¡± Brian screamed from behind Max leaning over the console. Almost before he could get out of the way, Brian fell forward with little control as he hurled a large rock from above his head down into the controls.

    The distant encounter grew quiet. Brian heaved and sighed as he looked down at his handywork.

    ¡°Well, I managed to stop the thing. I think we might be in trouble though.¡± He motioned towards the console. There were a couple of large rocks near the panel. Max quickly looked back to the panel. It had been smashed to bits. There were wires, smashed glass, and other bits of the device that Max could not give names to.

    ¡°Uh oh.¡± This was bad news. It would become apparent over the coming weeks that the beast was gone. They could either admit to it now or be blamed for it and have a witch hunt come after them. ¡°We better go find Mathew and come up with a plan.¡±

    They made their way back in town as quietly as they could just before the sun came up. With any hope, they could at least claim that they were in the hamlet all night. That would give them some time to come up with a plan.

    #

    Max made his way to his parent¡¯s home, ever so quietly stepped into the foyer and winced as the door clicked closed. He curled up on the floor, hoping for just a few winks of sleep before his parents came to after the sun rise.

    He ducked out the front door before being disturbed by his supposed loving family. With the harvest being completed in his absence, the field workers would be called in to help with making ale, cooking bread, and preserving vegetables. Max did his best to shirk these extra duties most of the day and snuck out to meet up with Brian at the back of the amphitheater.

    Max noticed Mathew sneaking along the backs of the houses also leading up to the amphitheater. With the harvest being complete, soon would be time for the next seasons dramas to be performed. Most of the hamlet did not want to be spoiled by seeing the rehearsals. That fact made the back of the theater the perfect place for the boys to meet in private. Once Lelamar departed and left Brian to clean the practice props, Max and Mathew burst out of the nearby shrubs.

    The conversation got as heated as one could with all three of the boys not letting their voices get above a whisper. All they needed was someone to happen by, Lelamar coming back for something, and they¡¯d be busted. Max struggled to keep his own opinion straight. Mathew pushed for honesty for a while, which convinced only Max. Almost before solidifying his own opinion, Brian managed to bring back the discussion to keeping things quiet and letting people figure it out naturally.

    Max finally thought of a sort of compromise, ¡°What if we told them we found the panel and that someone else must have sabotaged it? Then we¡¯ve told them what happened and yet we won¡¯t be the center of the blame.¡±

    Now, with the descenting ideas, the boys split for the night to stew in their own thoughts.

    #

    As Max worked with Belka and some of the other girls, baking hard breads for the off season, he overheard much discussion from those girls and folks that stopped by. The talk of the hamlet seemed to be on just how quiet the nights previous had been. Since the incident with little Haley not getting gobbled up by the Goddess¡¯s protector, the winds had been dead. Some mentioned the unnerving nature while still others described feeling a fear and a burden released from their shoulders. Max teetered between keeping dead silent and shouting to all that felt relieved that he and the boys had been responsible.

    #

    Another day passed before the worst happened. Wade came running back into the hamlet. ¡°Raiders. Outsiders. I knew it. They¡¯re armed. We¡¯re in trouble. I always said there were others.¡±

    ¡°Raiders in the distance? If we can just hold out until nightfall, our goddess will protect us. Those wild men from beyond must be looking for some of our harvest,¡± the chief clergy of the Goddess, Helondeth, said while looking up into the heavens at the harvest moon.

    The three companions overheard all the commotion as they sat continuing their discussion on whether they¡¯d share their recent experiences with the control panel and what they¡¯d been up to since the harvest. Now it was time to make some kind of decision. If they said nothing, the raiders might just make their way through their home and take everything that the folk here worked hard to have.

 Raiders Paradise

    Finally, Max found his courage and made a quick decision. ¡°We better just tell them.¡± He walked to where the commotion brewed, and boldly addressed the crowd. ¡°Excuse me. I have something very important that needs to be said. Excuse me.¡± After the brief moment it took for everyone to even realize that Max was speaking, everyone stopped their chattering and turned to look at their young neighbor, who was now flanked by Brian and Mathew. ¡°The goddess will not be protecting us tonight or any other night to come.¡± The hamlet folk collectively gasped and their faces showed a mix of confusion and anger amongst their number.

    Valia shot Max a look that turned from quizzical to angry in just a few seconds as revelation came over her of what those words really meant.

    Max continued, ¡°The beast was banished a few nights ago. You all remember when little Haley was lost outside of the hamlet as night fell. Well, Brian and I stopped the beast so that she and her father could live.¡±

    They all looked at each other quietly, then looked back to Max as Brian nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°We did it to save them. We knew we could save them. We couldn¡¯t just let them die with the knowledge that we knew how to save them.¡±

    The silence of the folk quickly turned into arguing, loud voices, and some continuing silent shocked individuals. All three boys saw the way that Valia glared at them. The three boys nodded in decision that this would the best time for a retreat to allow the townsfolk to make sense of the situation and come to a grips with the revelation. Ultimately, Max knew that the boys made the right choice in opting to save the girl. The people here could not hide forever from the outside world.

    They rounded a corner of a house and were now out of sight of all the arguing locals. ¡°You boys are nothing but trouble. I should have known you would cause something like this. This little sanctuary has been safe for generations from all manner of troubles, now you have brought all that to an end.¡± The voice was aged, a voice of great experience. Max was not surprised when he turned to find Ole¡¯ Gran standing there, looking at the trio derisively.

    ¡°We had not a choice in the matter. We could not let an innocent little girl die.¡± Mathew¡¯s voice leap frogged out of his mouth with some level of courage.

    ¡°But you¡¯ve now doomed the rest of us to her fate. In time, the violence and creatures that permeate the outside world will flood this place just like all the others!¡± She shook her head with disappointment. ¡°I¡¯m leaving it to you boys to use all that troublesome knowledge of yours to help protect this place until a solution can be found. Get to the trap makin¡¯ and the battle preppin¡¯.¡±

    #

    She left the boys to themselves after that statement. All three joined the hamlet folk in preparing traps and spears. Meanwhile, a group of hardened men including the lumberjacks, Karind, the younger and the elder, made their way out of the hamlet to draw off the raiders. Some of the people looked at that with anger, while others respectfully nodded at them. Those that remained behind got down to their elbows in preparing for the inevitable push into town of the outsiders.

    At one point, during the preparations, Brian disappeared, heading in the direction of the forest. He returned to help set up a few of the traps before the sun fully set. He was quieter than usual. He didn¡¯t have much to say to Max or even Mathew, who had always been Brian¡¯s good friend. He did mutter a few things to himself. After they all returned to the hamlet, he walked off by a large tree, found a hefty stick, and started tossing it up and down in the air to himself. He continued to mutter.

    The next morning, Mathew and Max met up in their usual spot behind the theater, but Brian was nowhere to be seen. Not long after, Brian¡¯s mentor, Lelamar, came bursting through the door to back stage and rushed to the center of the hamlet.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Mathew asked of Max, quizzically.

    Max strained to hear, but the volume of Lelamar¡¯s yelling made it less difficult, ¡°the armor is missing, and and I can¡¯t find Brian anywhere. He must have taken it.¡±

    Mathew seemed surprised, ¡°Brian was acting strangely when he left, after the way the folks around here have always treated him. Do you think he¡¯s up to something? He even stole the armor that was on display on the stage.¡±

    Max thought back to the way Brian had been feeling when he last saw him. It was hard to focus and really understand those waves of energy on the spot. To think about them in the past without having specifically noted them was just about impossible.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. I have a feeling we will see Brian again though. You can ask him for yourself why he left and what he¡¯s been up to.¡± Max wasn¡¯t sure himself, but it was best to keep building the confidence up for both their sakes.

    #

    Days of grueling anticipation passed as Max continued to help shore up the defenses. He still saw no sign of Brian¡¯s return.Max didn¡¯t want to think it, but Mathew said it for him, ¡°Did Brian abandon us after all? I thought in his performances he¡¯d learned courage.¡±

    Mathew meant the comment just for Max, but several others overheard him. Simrou, an older farmhand, leaned up from securing a sharpened log in the battlements facing the western woods, ¡°Good for nothing boy, that Brian. Couldn¡¯t even bother to help with the tough work of the plantings and tendings of the fields. Good riddance I say.¡±

    Belka scoffed at Simrou, ¡°I hope he is alright. Brian¡¯s performances have provided so much joy, even in the middle of a tough season.¡±

    Max¡¯s father, Lorn came over, one of the only times since Max¡¯s return that ¡®d been acknowledged by Lorn, ¡°Its better. Now that Brian¡¯s gone, he can¡¯t screw things up for the rest of us. If only more of the hamlet¡¯s trouble makers would make off with themselves. We could get back to living a normal life again.¡±

    Mathew and Max made their way out to check on the traps that had been set up along the outer edge of the fields. The sun started to sink beneath the horizon when both of them stopped for a moment and looked up. Mathew spoke first, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen the sun go down from here... from outside the hamlet. It does still pretty much look like the same sun. It¡¯s a good feeling though. We¡¯ve got to survive this. There is so much out there to see.¡±

    Max could feel the tense waves of energy coming off of Mathew, especially with the absence of Brian over the last few days. ¡°We¡¯ll make it out on the other side just fine. We¡¯ve got so much to live for now.¡± Max grabbed Mathew¡¯s shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze.

    The next day was the time. At about noon, when the sun stood highest over the hamlet, a group of raiders showed up, coming down the path towards the gathering locals. A young lookout, probably Wade, sounded the alarm, running through the small central courtyard. Everyone immediately began to gather the makeshift spears and weapons. It was a rag tag allotment. The laborers¡¯ natural physical prowess from long work in the fields was likely the only true advantage that they had. Almost no one was for lack of muscles. That would hopefully be enough to turn the tide.

    Brian¡¯s mentor, Lelamar, emblazoned the group with his loud boisterous voice. ¡°We stand here today to fight off the dark dregs of the world beyond. These beings know nothing of civilized behavior. They are here for what we have strove so hard to work for. They are here for what we need to survive. They are here for our lives!¡± Max recalled a performance during a play three harvests ago that Lelamar used almost the exact same words. The Tragedy of Luscentia, he believed it was called.

    Mathew and Max could not help but look at each other. They both smiled. Even in this situation of grave concern, Max knew that Mathew also could not help but think that Brian would also make some melodramatic speech that was far from necessary. Even if their friend had run off, at least he was obviously represented in spirit.

    The hamlet folk braced themselves. They watched as the raiders approached along the road and came up to the area that was most heavily trapped. They all held their collective breaths in anticipation. Some of the younger folk, just barely old enough to stand with a spear, shielded their eyes so as to not see the bloodshed that would come from some of the more gruesome traps.

    Then, just as it would begin with a step farther on the path, the raiders moved around the spiked pit. They stepped over the trip lines that would trigger the other traps. The hamlet folk sought not to give up the clever traps by their reactions. After the raiders avoided so many, the collective could not possibly keep silent.

    ¡°It was Brian.¡± Lorn said. ¡°Yeah, He betrayed us!¡± Several of the people started to throw their fists in the air in collective agreement. ¡°Traitor! Betrayer!¡± Simrou yelled, ¡°How could he?¡± Whoever that was seemed to feel as though it was personal. It might have been his mother or father, maybe even his mentor.

    The raiders smiled as they were now eye to eye and could easily make out the people of the hamlet, standing there as a rag tag militia. Max and Mathew looked at each other, shaking their heads. Neither of them could believe that Brian would betray them or the people of the hamlet. Just days before, he risked his very life to save a small girl who lived here. Why would he suddenly turn all that around and join a bunch of anarchic raiders?

    A young woman wearing an eye patch with wild unkempt hair spoke for the raiders once they were within shouting range. ¡°You people look pathetic. How you have survived on your own for this long I¡¯ll never know. You need a lord and his men to protect you. You need to find a liege. Too late now I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    Lelamar stood before the others, taking up the stance of a leader. ¡°We will fight to the last to defend what is ours. There are a lot of us and you will surely pay with much blood for what we have.¡±

    She smiled widely; it was the only way to see her facial expression from here. ¡°But you don¡¯t even know as of yet, what it is that we want. How can you be so certain you wish to spill so much blood?¡±

    That statement made Max worry. He began to contemplate the meaning when the woman spoke, interrupting his thoughts. ¡°There is one amongst you and his compatriot we are after. Give them to us, and we will have no further quarrels with your little hovel here.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Who would that be, pray tell? We are a proud people; we won¡¯t simply give you anything.¡± Lelamar spoke again.

    She motioned with her weapon still in her hand. The odd looking crooked blade of a device pointed directly at Max and Mathew, standing guard at the end of the militia formation. ¡°We want those two. They are worth a bit of coin, that¡¯s what we are after.¡±

    Everyone standing ready to defend the hamlet looked over. The couple of people standing next to the two boys stepped aside to make sure there was no confusion on who they were after. There was mumbling amongst rabble, most of it full of surprise.

    It was just then that Wade spotted another group of raiders at the edge of the woods, just coming into sight. He pointed and the group gave off a collective groan of stress and worry.

    Max stepped forward, ¡°Might we have a few minutes to discuss things amongst ourselves?¡±

    The woman cackled and made a couple of the militia members jump back. ¡°Yes. Please, make this easy on your hovel folks here. Come with us of your own will and spare your families and friends.¡±

    Lelamar nodded and so did Max. Mathew followed Max towards the center of the gathered mob, tugging on Max¡¯ tunic and whispering furiously. ¡°What are you thinking? Do you think Brian turned us in to them? Why would he do such a thing? I¡¯ve known him all my life. He must be under duress of these bastards. Let¡¯s fight ¡®em and go rescue our friend.¡±

    Max waved a respectful, but dismissive hand to that comment. ¡°Look at all their men up on the tree line. They have probably been fighting all their lives; we can¡¯t just fight our way through them with a lack of experience. The traps were our only chance at equalizing the field. They didn¡¯t help at all.¡±

    Lelamar stepped aside and allowed Max center stage in front of the militia. ¡°I am going to make this short and easy,¡± Max began. ¡°I know that in some ways, it is our fault that we have to deal with these raiders at all. The goddess has always protected us before. I don¡¯t want to see any of you hurt, or killed. For this reason, I hope Mathew will come with me. I will go with the raiders. It sounds as though they want a bounty. We have done nothing to deserve death. We¡¯ll go, and whoever is after us will hopefully be lenient and fair.¡±

    Mathew thought about that statement and seemed to agree. It was true that they had done nothing that would make them deserving of death or even a great punishment. That was unless, of course, that beast actually was a servant of the goddess and somehow the goddess put the bounty on them.

    The people all nodded. A few of them came up to hug Max and Mathew. Mathew¡¯s parents spent the longest time embracing their son. Max¡¯s father was here to embrace him, his mother was not in a shape that she joined the militia and so she was not present. His embrace with Lorn was short and sweet. The longer embrace was a surprise comfort from Belka. She was not a part of the militia, but apparently upon hearing all of the commotion, she ran out to wish Max safe travels and good luck. She kissed him on the lips, which shocked him. ¡°Make it back safe. I¡¯ll see you again someday.¡±

    He nodded to her and blushed in surprised embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s time we go now.¡±

    Max and Mathew started the long, slow walk up the path to where the leader of the raiders stood. Max kept his knife on him and both he and Mathew still walked using their makeshift spears. Two of the raiders that flanked the raider woman advanced on the boys and relinquished them of their weapons.

    They could hear some of the hamlet folk mumbling their relief at having the ¡°troublemakers¡± away from their home. They were hushed by the people who then gave well wishes and praise for the boys¡¯ bravery. Max even heard one say, ¡°Maybe they are men now.¡±

    The two were treated roughly the entire way through the forest. Once they reached the other side of the woods, a small camp was thrown together. There were a couple of wagons there headed by beasts of burden of various breeds. Tents were set; a few fire pits were made. Max and Mathew were hog tied and blindfolded. They could easily hear when the same woman they negotiated with spoke up. ¡°Now I want you and the other men there to head back and teach those hovel dwellers about what our kind are capable of. Burn down a few houses. Take a woman if you like. Just don¡¯t bring her back here. The sound will disturb me.¡± She cackled in the same devilish way.

    Mathew and Max both screamed and rolled back and forth along the ground. ¡°Leave them alone! We came with you. You have no reason to go back there!¡±

    She continued to laugh as both of the boys were hit across the back of the head with a blunt instrument until they were silenced down to groans of pain. Max lay still, his head pounding. It was then that he passed out.

    Both of them could hear a familiar voice speaking with the female raider.The voice cracked with youth, but the sureness of the words seemed so practiced at speaking. He sounded so friendly. They spoke of rewards. They spoke of travel. They spoke of foolish hovel folk. Max could hear Mathew mumbling in the gag that was newly added to his bonds.

    Later that night, as the two were nearly asleep despite their uncomfortable state, a figure came and stood over them. The shadow leaned over and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve got a surprise for you. I hope you like it.¡± The laugh that followed unmistakably belonged to Brian.

    Max¡¯s wrapped up head heated up with conflicting emotions flowing around in his head. The feel of those emotions flowing back and forth in his head was like that of a field of corn swaying one way and then back the other. Was Brian really a turn coat? In Max¡¯s heart, he knew there must be some sort of explanation. With that, the wind swirling the corn field in his head calmed and he felt that Brian was really going to help them.

    Time passed. Max finally found a state of sleep amongst all the pain and lack of comfort. His dreams were disturbing. He saw a world shattering. He saw mammoth beings of power stepping upon the fragments of the worlds. They stepped between the ever separating pieces with ease. Sometimes, one of the giant figures would even reach down and pick up a little being, as small as the size of their hands. He watched as the mammoth gods of the separating world smashed the little creatures between their fingers. The flesh and guts of those were once alive drained between the fingers and dripped down onto the fragmented world.

    The dream ended violently as Max¡¯s head hit on something with little give, replacing his dream with powerful waves of pain. He found himself still bound, gagged, and blindfolded. A chunky body rolled and bumped into Max. It must have been Mathew¡¯s. The violent jumps of their bodies up and down became fairly regular in frequency and intensity. Occasionally, there was a harder thrashing. Max heard the sounds of beasts being whipped into action, followed by a small, squeaking sound. They were in a wagon. No, he realized, they were under the carriage of a wagon, which puzzled him even more.

    The raiders must be hiding their bodies from any possible run-ins with authorities. They are probably just posing as merchants, especially if they took harvested food from the hamlet¡¯s warehouses. He did not hear any conversations. He did hear the off-key whistling of a single wagon driver.

    After several long and uncomfortable minutes of travel, the wagon seemed to pull slightly off the road and come to a halt. There was no apparent reason; perhaps the driver was fatigued and finally ready to camp out for the night. If sounds were any indication, the wagon driver dismounted and started a slow, casual walk towards the back of the wagon. Max heard a gasp come from Mathew. Mathew stopped moving and was very still.

    Moments later, Max felt hands around his feet. He thought for a moment to kick at the malicious wagon driver. Did the driver put Mathew out of his misery? Was it really Max that they were after, with Mathew serving only as collateral damage? The hands grasped at the bonds around his feet. With a sharp inhale, Max realized what was happening. The bonds loosened and then fell away from his feet. With a sense of relief, Max tried to lean up. He felt free from bondage. That thought ended quickly as his head bumped solidly into the wagon¡¯s undercarriage.

    Max heard laughter coming from two sources. One of them was gagged, but he could still determine that it was laughter and not panic. It was a few minutes in waiting. Their position was obviously out of sight and almost out of reach of hands. Finally though, their bonds were released, their gags undone, and their blindfolds removed. There, standing before them, was Brian. They both took a minute to pull themselves out from under the carriage of the wagon.

    ¡°Hey guys.¡± Brian certainly did not look like someone from the hamlet. He wore a strange hat, probably dug up from the costume bin at the theater, along with the armor that used to be on display outside. A scabbard at his side sheathed an impressive looking sword, and he wore a shiny red cape that looked too showy to be taken seriously.

    Mathew shook his fist at Brian. ¡°What the hell? What happened? What did you do? Why?¡±

    Brian waved a friendly hand at Mathew, ¡°Before I explain everything, it is best that we get a head start. If the raiders realize what I have done, they will be on our trail before sunrise. We better get a nice head start on them.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a great reason to put off explanations to me.¡± Max whispered more quietly than he probably needed to in the circumstance. The other two took his lead as they all said a very quick hello before moving on.

    They took the path to increase their speed of travel. It was certain that the raiders would take the same once they realized that their queries were gone. The distance that they could cover should make up for the difference. They didn¡¯t have much experience in these things. At one point, Brian quoted a few lines from a theatrical performance that he had done with Belka. Max and Mathew assured Brian that his stage work experience in such skills was probably a bit misleading and less useful than he might like to think. The argument about the stage and the skills learned while performing was brief. Max hushed Brian and Mathew. They were both running out of breath quickly from the walking and all the talking to go with it.

    Several hours passed since the time they left the scene of their wagon, the vehicle that led them to freedom from the hands of the raiders. The sun was even starting to rise at that point. Max looked at his friends; they were both haggard and making very little progress. ¡°I think that it is about time we found a place to rest and catch our breaths.¡±

    The three boys started looking around from the highest vantage point around. They noticed very little that could provide cover throughout the day. Suddenly, Brian got another flash of brilliance. ¡°Remember where the panel for the beast was? We will never see a good hiding place from up here on the high ground. Any place we find from here, they will surely find as well.¡±

    ¡°Too true.¡± Mathew was still a little bit suspicious of his friend, but this logic did make a good bit of sense.

    Max nodded in agreement as well. ¡°To the bigger streams then. Let¡¯s look for the fastest spot the water is flowing through. That is probably where the heavy rains would cause the largest over hangs.¡±

    They split up and each checked out a different stream. A few minutes later, they all got together. After a short discussion, they decided that Mathew¡¯s stream was the best. He joked that it should forever be known as Mathew¡¯s stream if it protected them from the raiders. They all got a small chuckle out of that while they moved to their camp. Max jumped down into the stream bed first, and then aided his two friends in hopping down behind him. They were at the sharpest bend of all the streams in the area. There were a couple of smaller old looking shrubs just above the ledge. It looked as though the thick old roots held the ground together to a certain point. Below that the dirt was all washed away. It was actually a tight fit for Mathew. At least the dirt was soft, and with the current water level, they were not going to be ice cold, trying to sleep in the water. The three companions crawled into the tight space and fell into a deep sleep of exhaustion.

    During the early afternoon, Brian and Max woke. Mathew snored quietly. He looked peaceful and did not appear to have the signs of panic and fatigue that the other two might.

    Brian adjusted his position and whispered to Max, ¡°Should we get going now? I don¡¯t know if I can sleep for another minute.¡±

    Max¡¯s own heart rate jumped for a moment and he rolled to give his arm more blood flow. It tingled uncomfortably, ¡°I think we better wait. People can see for a long way in the light. There aren¡¯t so many trees or tall crops out here to protect us and we could get washed away downstream if we try to trudge through the water.¡±

    ¡°Cover of darkness then?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll give that big lug some more time to sleep and help us not get caught. We need to figure out where we are so we can find a good direction to go.¡±

    Brian nodded, ¡°right well, I took the cart to down the left fork of the road from our home.¡±

    Max looked to the sky, contemplating, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that if we make it to at least the nearest village, the raiders will become an afterthought.¡± The raiders were small enough in number that any establishment larger than the hamlet should be perfectly safe.

    Over the coming day and the evening when their travel commenced, the distance in time between them and the raiders finally put all three at ease. And as the sun started to peak over the far horizon, the boys finally resumed their conversation that was held at the time of their rescue.

 Wool Over Their Eyes

    ¡°I acted fast. I didn¡¯t think we had a chance to defend the harvest against their numbers. I thought to myself, how could I make a difference? The only answer I could come up with was to use the skills that I learned from my mentor. That meant acting my way through the raiders¡¯ defense.¡± The two nodded with interest as they listened to Brian¡¯s story.

    ¡°So, I borrowed the armor, as well as quite a few props from the bins behind stage at the theatre. I went to the raiders and acted like a scout, interested in this hamlet. I then shared with them the reasons for my interest. I shared that there was a bounty on both of your heads.¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡± Mathew was impressed with his friend¡¯s plans and executions.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing, the raiders were quite illiterate. I would not call them the most effective bunch. Sure, they are tough, but there are plenty of ways to outwit them. They might just be the worst band of raiders out there.¡± Brian put his hands on each of their shoulders. ¡°Maybe we are not as bad off out there in the world as we might think. The ability to read and the teaching we received might be rare out there. Apparently, these people are starving, unsavory, malcontents from a northern city called Burklyn. I pieced enough together from what they told me in passing to convince them that the bounty was from a lord up there. I strongly suggest we never go to that place in our journeys. The people are starving and the lords couldn¡¯t care less. Sounds like war is brewing and perhaps these raiders are only the start of it.¡±

    ¡°Was one of these Burklyn lords you heard about named Daefindel by chance?¡±

    ¡°Nope, that name definitely does not ring a bell. Why?¡±

    ¡°Back to the story. What happened next?¡± Max saw the expression on Brian¡¯s face change to a hurt one.

    ¡°Well, they beat me a bit and forced some information out of me, such as the location of the traps that we planned. I told them I watched you all set them up. Then, there was the time after they took you both captive. That was a hard time for me. They ran back into the hamlet, surprising the villagers. They burned a couple of houses down.¡±

    ¡°They talked about kidnapping women for their pleasure. I sure hope they didn¡¯t do that,¡± Mathew muttered. Max nodded, thinking about his poor, sickly mother and also about Belka. If anything happened to them, he would feel terrible. He did offer himself and his friend as a sacrifice; he knew he should not feel guilty. There was little more he could do. But he realized he could have fought; he could have worked with the hamlet militia to defeat the raiders. He berated himself, thinking a few of them getting hurt in the fight would be easier on the conscience somehow.

    ¡°So, after all that, it was hard to keep the act going. I did my best to cause a distraction after getting set up to get the shlup out of there. I bribed one of the guards with what I had salvaged from the hamlet that was of value. I got you both out of there under the carriage of the wagon. You both know the rest. I just hope that at this point, we have lost them.¡±

    Max was astonished by the resourcefulness of his friend. He could thank him for the lives spared in the hamlet and for his own. ¡°Let¡¯s rest here and catch some sleep. Then we better head off at a good pace. I know where we can stop and be safe for a longer rest. After that we should be fine.¡±

    Mathew was holding up their progress quite a bit. It was not for lack of trying though. The mountains of sweat that were pouring over his face and down his body were sickening. He was breathing heavily and it didn¡¯t seem that he could make it around the next bend. As soon as they would get there though, Mathew kept on pushing. His fat body had never been punished in this way in its whole existence. The lack of fresh baked bread from the meal hall was also noticeable as Mathew cursed for a while on missing the bread. After some time, he started to whistle and make up tunes about smelling the bread baking, tasting the bread (even through his nose) as he would enter the meal hall, and then the bliss of the bread finally melting inside his mouth.

    Brian didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry by his good friend¡¯s predicament. Max felt sorry for Mathew, but he did hope that it would do him some good. He also hoped that Mathew wouldn¡¯t just keel over and die as it almost seemed like he would do.

    Brian wasn¡¯t doing perfectly well on his end either. The armor that he wore was heavy. He wasn¡¯t used to wearing it except for on stage. There is one thing to wear armor during a theatrical performance, but it is entirely something else to wear that armor for hour upon grueling hour of marching down the road that led away from the hamlet. Between labored breaths, Mathew gladly took the chance to make jokes about how challenging the actor and his apprentice, Brian would say that delivering lines on the stage was, only to see him now struggling so much just to walk.

    The two of them laughed and continued to heckle each other. Max led the way and listened to their jesting, rarely taking part himself. Though after a few days, the atmosphere had its effect on Max. He tried a few lines of humor with clumsy delivery. The two laughed all the same. Maybe humor wasn¡¯t so hard.

    After he finally started cutting in, the other two started to include Max in their jesting a bit more. Max would always fondly remember one point on their journey when Brian, Mathew, and he got into a bit of a tussle. It was all friendly. They did end up rolling off of the dusty road and into a muddy pit on the side of it. Afterwards, they looked like they had fought a battle against a mud monster.

    In the hamlet, there was no money. Currency was something more like bartering, though it usually didn¡¯t involve the exchange of actual goods. It was more of a ¡°You do this for me and you know I will do something for you¡± system. That didn¡¯t work out in the big world beyond and Max knew that. He tried to explain the concepts of money to Brian and Mathew and they really didn¡¯t get it. It is fortunate that Max had some limited exposure when traveling with The Brigand and Phaedra.

    This time, Max paid attention and took note of the rickety wooden sign that called the village by its name, Steadmire. They arrived at the village¡¯s inn and tried to take residence in a room. The patron of the establishment, a balding, sickly skinned man, peered upon the three boys with a snaggle toothed sneer.

    ¡°We¡¯re just in need of a room for the night. We¡¯ve got these things to give for it.¡± Max motioned as the two boys each set out a small sack with various knick knacks from their possessions and some bread scraps.

    The look on the patrons face did not change except to glance to a nearby set of stools. The men in those stools dwarfed the boys and looked just as ugly as the patron. ¡°Get out of here, riff raff.¡± He gave the sacks barely a moment of contemplation before knocking them on to the floor.

    ¡°Please, just a bed to sleep in for the night. We can work for it. We¡¯ve got strong backs.¡±

    ¡°Trock doesn¡¯t think so, look at the fat one. Hasn¡¯t worked a day and he¡¯ll eat all my grub. Get out or I¡¯ll have the boys get you out.¡±

    Brian cut in, ¡°Woah there Trock. I¡¯m Brian and we are harder workers than you think. Put us to work and give us a roof at least and you won¡¯t be sorry.¡±

    The two big, bald goons stared them down and cracked knuckles, getting ready to remove them. Trock looked the boys up and down. ¡°Probably the first roof you¡¯ve had in weeks. Fine. Get out to the barn and shovel all the hay up into the top and bring it in for the beds. Then you can sleep there amongst the horse shit.¡±

    Some of the villagers did whisper about seeing Max and The Brigand come through some time before. Yet none dared approach him. In fact, it seemed that people were avoiding him just a bit.

    Max pulled Mathew and Brian close. ¡°Now that we are safe from immediate danger of Burklyn bandits, I think it¡¯s time for a longer term plan of action.¡±

    The two boys looked back at Max with raised eye brows and Brian spoke for them, ¡°Did you have a plan in mind oh wise one of the outside worlds.¡±

    Max shook his head, ¡°This is no laughing matter. Those raiders are really small on the list of dangers. I have a friend. Her name is Phaedra and she rescued me from a horrible kidnapping and brought me home. She told me to seek her out in the city of Rotheburg, which lies in the other direction than the one that we traveled in from the hamlet.¡±

    Then, Mathew took his turn to shake his head, ¡°Woah, you¡¯re suggesting we head right back through the countryside where we ran into the raiders. You know, those ones that are still looking for us because we have a nice bounty on us.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Max looked to the sky, ¡°Look. I understand the risk, but she will actually help us and not kick us out onto the streets. I don¡¯t know if we really have much choice unless we want to be street rats or just crawl back to the hamlet as an embarrassment.¡±

    Brian rubbed his chin, deep in thought, ¡°He¡¯s got a point, Mathew.¡±

    They set off almost without giving the trip another thought, leaving the village of Steadmire behind.

    They stayed in town for two days until they decided the amount of work they had to do just to sleep in a bed was far from worth it. They set out as soon as they were finished with their labors for that day.

    Each night, the boys would converse around the poorly made campfire about many things. After a few days, no subject seemed to be off limits to the three of them. Brian and Mathew mostly asked Max about his brief adventures outside of the hamlet. Questions also came up about Belka and if they had lain together. They asked him about ole¡¯ gran. They even asked him a few questions about his parents. The one thing Max still didn¡¯t feel totally comfortable sharing with his new best friends was news about the Empath powers that he apparently possessed.

    Max could feel his connection with Brian and Mathew getting stronger, not just as friends but also on some deeper level. Some unconscious level that he felt the others probably could not recognize, yet felt deep within them none the less.

    Everyone can sense others¡¯ emotions. Everyone has a hidden connection of energy. But Max¡¯s ability, he was slowly learning, was gifted indeed. His ability to tap into that energy and ¡°see¡± that force was something he had to learn to harness. He had to teach himself to utilize every advantage to fulfill whatever this destiny is that he was apparently meant to fulfill.

    He wondered if and when he would finally share the knowledge of this gift with his new friends. Would he ever be able to trust them that much, to open himself to such danger? Was it fair to keep the knowledge from them? After all, he had a special connection to them; shouldn¡¯t they be allowed to learn of it? Max figured the answers would probably be forced upon him eventually.

    Finally, the monotony of the road, the hills, and the mud pits came to an end. The hills receded; the ground was marked with streams, straight and narrow, carrying water to far off places. It was not broken like the ground they had traveled. The land they had left looked like someone had just dug random pits and piled the remains right next to it, almost in a pattern. This land could almost be called beautiful. There were small gatherings of tall trees along the sides of the rare bends in the streams. The trees were much more massive than the shrubs that had lined the edges of some of the hills they had encountered previously. The sight of this area was less impressive than the massive river that they had forded. Max remembered his own reaction to that unending body of water. He did get some laughs that he shared with his companions when they first saw the river.

    In a moment the terrain no longer drew any of their gazes. One by one, their eyes had turned up toward the horizon. In the distance, with the light of the sun receding on the horizon, there were more lights than all three of them together could count. They danced like little individual fires.

    ¡°We might want to avoid whatever it is that is up the road from here. I¡¯d like to at least learn a little more about what is going on in this world before we get too tied up in things,¡± Max said.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we try talking to them and if we don¡¯t like what they have to say, we find another way?¡± Brian said with hope of acceptance in his tone.

    Mathew was still huffing from the previous exertions. ¡°I...¡± he groaned, ¡°think,¡± he puffed out air with phlegm, ¡°we should...¡± he huffed and straightened up, ¡°at least go... have a look.¡±

    Max rubbed the small beard that was starting to form on his face in contemplation. ¡°Let¡¯s just go for the compromise first then and take a look at them from a distance.¡±

    They approached the edges of the camp just after sunset. There wasn¡¯t really much for them to hide behind so Max suggested that they travel down the sides of one of the streams to have a little concealment. They had gotten to distant ear shot range of some guards that were sitting on a couple of stones far outside from the first group of tents. Their torches were propped against the side of the rocks where they sat. Mathew made a remark about how easy it was to sneak up on these guards. Just at that moment, dark figures stood up all around the three of them. There were at least six of them. Their dark cloaks were covered in leaves and tufts of grass. They had probably heard every word! Brian screamed as one of the figures had popped up nearly right in front of his peering face. They had been lying within feet of them.

    ¡°Stay where you are, do not run, or we will strike you down where you stand!¡± said a dark cloaked figure that looked quite similar to all those around him. Bits of dirt, clumps of grass, and similar earthen debris fell off from around the man¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait... we mean no harm, we¡¯re just...¡± Max spit out, fearing for him and his friends.

    ¡°Silence worm! You¡¯ll stay where you are and keep your mouth shut, I¡¯ll have none of your magic playing on me.¡± Several of the figures hopped down and splashed into the stream. They immediately began to pat down the three young men. Brian¡¯s sword was pulled from its sheath. The dagger Max hid upon himself was quickly found, and the spear that Mathew had upon his back was quickly stripped off.

    Even other possessions were taken off their persons and quickly stashed in large sacks. Brian complained as they peeled away from him, his favorite script. One that Lelamar loved that Brian never got to play the lead role in. Mathew lost his pouches of herbs and spices. Max was robbed of items of even lesser value. Small knick knacks he had grabbed along the way of their journey. They felt helpless; Max could tell that the other two felt their journey was already at an end.

    It wasn¡¯t long before they were escorted at sword point into the edges of the camp. Once they arrived, each of them had sacks thrown over their head so that they could no longer see and could barely hear a thing. It reminded Max a bit of a memory from growing up in the hamlet. After Belka had started spreading rumors about him, there was one time that a couple of the bigger boys cornered him and quite literally threw him into a large sack that was still filled with remnants of wheat that poked him all over his body. They dragged him to the well and threw him in. Fortunately, they had loosened the sack just before tossing it. After all, they didn¡¯t want to kill him, just scare him a bit.

    Several minutes passed. They were sat upon the ground and their hands were tied. The boys were close enough to each other to feel the others¡¯ presences. Max started to feel very cold as the night got later. They had no fire to warm them. They were not moving to stay warm either. Someone¡¯s teeth were chattering, Max couldn¡¯t tell if it was Mathew or Brian or both. Finally, their hoods were torn off their heads. It was done roughly, so hard that Max¡¯s nose was bloodied by the tugging of the hood. Their faces were dirty. Apparently hoods were not the first use of those sacks.

    ¡°In the name of Lord Jerrick, how dare you spy on our camp? How could you work for that bastard Candreale? Do you know just what a tyrant he is? What was your mission? Who are you?¡± The last question was ended with a smack across Brian¡¯s face.

    ¡°Who? What are you talking about? We come from a hamlet several days walk from here.¡± Mathew genuinely sounded confused, and why not, they had obviously been thrust into an unfamiliar situation.

    ¡°For spies, your excuses are pretty pathetic. They must be resorting to using some pretty weak men to take care of business. How did they not expect us to hear the fat one coming?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why we are not spies,¡± Max interjected as the look on Mathew¡¯s face became one of anger at the insult.

    The man that was questioning them just stood there and shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve put some serious pressure on Candreale if this is what he has to spare for spies,¡± he said over his shoulder. It looked like he was just muttering to the tent off to one side of his shoulder. There must have been someone standing beyond the tent just out of sight.

    Brian cleared his throat and attempted to spit, though not much came out as his mouth appeared to be quite dry. ¡°Yeah, we are spies from Candreale.¡± Max and Mathew both inhaled and looked over to Brian in shock. ¡°His men volunteered us! We didn¡¯t want to do it. We were taken from our homes by his men and forced into service. Please forgive us. We don¡¯t want to work for him. He is a tyrant. Please, let us go.¡±

    The man that was questioning them started laughing. ¡°Aaahhh, ha, yeah we got him on his heels. He won¡¯t get any information about our troops with guys like this. Unfortunately for you guys, we can¡¯t just let you go. They might capture you and milk you for information anyway. Yes, I¡¯m quite afraid that you¡¯ll have to stay with us. In fact...¡±

    A voice from behind the tent interrupted him and the figure stepped into view. It seemed as though the questioning man and the man that stepped out expected a reaction from the three captives, but there was no reaction. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t afford sparing men on guarding them either. They could just be good deceivers. I think it is time they proved it. Rearm them with their possessions. They will fight amongst the numbers of our skirmishers. The three of you are being drafted into this army. If you truly believe in what you say about Candreale, you will fight as hard as you can to take his army down.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord. We will make it so at once.¡± A couple of the hooded figures appeared again and slashed the ropes that bound the three of them. Their possessions were quickly dropped in a pile in front of them. ¡°Don¡¯t even try to desert, you¡¯ve already seen how fruitful that effort would be.¡±

    They had all of their meager possessions back and a couple of regular soldiers escorted them to a part of camp that was farthest from the streams. The ground was dry and the dusty, dirty track made a haze in the air from all of the foot traffic. This area of the camp was perhaps the least organized of all that surrounded them. The men here wore no uniforms. The smiles of many men as they walked by reminded Max of The Brigand. These men looked like the type you would not want to trifle with. They all looked one step short of crossing the law. Soldiers killed in battle to survive, explorers perhaps the same, but these men, they wore the expression of killers, of murderers. The sweat from the heat pouring down their faces was a good way to conceal the sweat from their nervousness. The soldiers that had escorted them there stayed close together and watched their backs closely.

    After they had walked through a few rows of the camp, the two soldiers pointed ahead with their spears to a larger and more impressive looking tent. The three companions looked ahead and before they could look back the soldiers were gone from sight. They shrugged nervously and made a brisk walking pace to their destination. Unlike the other tents, this one was colored and not just drab tan. They stopped just in front of the tent flap that led inside. Brian shrugged and reached out to move the flap aside and peer inside. He stood there looking dumbfounded with his hand just inside the tent.

 Conscripted

    ¡°Go ahead, we¡¯re with you,¡± Mathew and Max pretty much said in unison.

    Brian shook his head and looked more nervous than before. They then saw his hand moving back out of the tent into sight. There was a very large hand wrapped around his wrist and it was followed by what could not be described as a man. The ¡®man¡¯ was scarred and rugged looking. He actually reminded Max a lot of The Brigand. Some family relation maybe? Hopefully he did not know the fate of that man if they were related.

    ¡°What are ya scraggly looking boys do¡¯an here?¡± His voice was scratchy like he even had battle wounds inside his throat. ¡°I won¡¯t be tolerating any foolishness in dis camp.¡±

    Brian spoke after groaning in pain. ¡°We were... shit... sent here to fight with the skirmishers. We¡¯re supposed to prove we¡¯re not enemies.¡±

    A scratchy multi-toned laugh bellowed from the big man. ¡°Oh, a pleasure then boys! The name¡¯s Rufus. I be glad to have ya in ma¡¯ troop! But really anybody in da skirmishers be on neither side. We are on da side of survival. Can¡¯t say that side be doin¡¯ us well either.¡±

    The three gave each other nervous looks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep ya alive as best ah can though. We need da men.¡±

    They could hear coughing from inside the tent. A wheezing, sickly voice spoke up after some effort to do so. ¡°Rufus, bring these new boys in here.¡± A long pause. ¡°I¡¯d like to get a look at a face that leads me to think of something other than death.¡±

    ¡°Ya got it my lord.¡± He held up the tent flap and pulled Brian inside. Then after letting go of Brian¡¯s arm, he motioned for the other two to follow him in to the main body of the tent.

    They looked around at many trinkets that were beautiful. Nothing that they had would ever make a good trade for any of these items. Even the old armor Brian wore, perhaps their greatest possession, would not be just in trade for any of these lamps, books, jewels or weapons.

    ¡°Ah yes, come closer here. My eyes aren¡¯t as good as they should be.¡± The three of them approached a massive bed, one that didn¡¯t make sense to be in the field under a tent. The man in the bed was quite sickly. His wheezing voice was weak and his breathing much more labored than that of Mathew during a hike. ¡°Look at the innocence on the faces of these three. What brings such a group to the ranks of the skirmishers? Rufus, do you know their story?¡±

    ¡°Not too much sir, just rabble the nobles don¡¯t wish ta have around I s¡¯ppose.¡±

    All three of them began to tell their story. Not the spy story that the previous questioner had claimed or that Brian clung onto. They told of the hamlet they had come from and of the journey they had only just begun. The storytelling was energetic and far more exciting than it needed to be. After all, they reminded the old man, the journey really had only just begun.

    ¡°You boys don¡¯t look like you are ready to fight a war. You certainly do have weapons, but that is hardly enough to fight.¡± He then had a long coughing fit, one that he seemed to be holding back to finish his statement. ¡°Maybe you boys can bring some spirit. Rufus, I want these boys by my side during the fighting. I want to keep a close eye on them for myself.¡±

    ¡°Aye, lord.¡± The lord¡¯s eyes closed and he immediately started a wheezing snore. Rufus showed the three of them out. After they had gotten outside, Rufus stuck around instead of going back into the tent. Without saying a word he was giving the boys an opening to speak.

    Max caught on first, of course. ¡°He seems wealthy and of noble blood. He¡¯s also quite sick. What is he doing with the skirmishers? Why is he out here in such a condition?¡±

    ¡°Da lord is an elder. He¡¯s also made a few of unfriendly types back in the courts. He has been put in charge of da skirmishers, because o¡¯ dat. Da sickness has just sorta¡¯ come upon ¡®im during the travels and previous battles.¡±

    Mathew spoke up next, ¡°and what is this lord¡¯s name? We should know if we are to fight with him.¡±

    ¡°He be Lord Gadarax. You will be seein¡¯ his side in battle. There won¡¯t be too much fightin¡¯ wit him though. I¡¯ll do some trainin¡¯ of yaz before we get to our next big fight. Yall learn a thing or two.¡±

    The three thanked the man, then Rufus called for an escort to take them to where they would be sleeping. The escort was comprised of a couple of the more pleasant of the men they had seen. Not that they would ever be the type to pick flowers or anything of the sort, but perhaps they had only picked pockets or beat someone up. The area they were taken to was on the edge of the encampment. A tent was hastily raised for them. The fire that was between the groups of tents was already full of men. They tried their best to find a spot nearer to the fire, but most of the heat was soaked up by those directly around it.

    Finally, the boys gave up on warming their chilled bones in the damp air and headed for the spot of their tent. A voice called out to them, ¡°Nay, sorry boys. This tent is in too good a spot. It¡¯s mine.¡±

    A couple of men inspected the tent that had been set up for the three. Brian got the courage, he did that more and more, ¡°We were assigned this tent by Rufus. You¡¯d better leave it and us be.¡±

    A man stepped out from the other two more non-descript soldiers. ¡°We¡¯ll leave you be just as soon as you leave our brand new tent.¡± The man that spoke had perfect teeth and an expensive sash over a finely hewn set of leather armor. ¡°This is Ciylins¡¯s tent now.¡±

    Max almost spoke at that point to back up his friend when the finely dressed one, probably Ciylins, touched the hilt of a blade he wore at his side. He spoke again, ¡°Don¡¯t test me. Look at all the rewards I¡¯ve sewn from previous battles. Look around at these other men in tattered rags. Not many survive these battles, and you¡¯ll not be amongst their number. I have and I will.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Brian yelled out. A couple of the men around the fire grabbed the three of them so that all they could do was watch as their stuff was thrown out into the dusty ground.

    ¡°You get that tent now boys!¡± All of them laughed. The three boys dejectedly went over, grabbed their belongings and hoofed it to their new tent.

    That evening, it rained. The dust would be calmed now, but the evening was unpleasant. It became obvious why the other men had wanted to switch tents. Mathew stayed awake most of the night as the rain accumulated and dripped onto him in the tent. The other two were not immune to the dripping water. They had a miserable night with almost no sleep.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    The next morning, all of those same bastards were well clear of the tent of the three companions. They stood about as far from the tent as they could as they steered clear of the big man, Rufus. Upon arriving at the tent, he threw sparring weapons at the feet of the three boys. Quickly, he commanded the three to come outside and immediately started the three boys on a hard regimen of exercise of combat training.

    It was obvious to Max that the men of this camp were fearful of Rufus. He found that thought enjoyable since Rufus had actually been mostly pleasant to the three of them. If Rufus could train them well, perhaps some of that fear could rub off on them. He was not holding his breath of course. It is not like the three of them came from the kind of stock that made a good soldier.

    That night, around the camp fire, they were actually treated more poorly. The other men would occasionally grab one from behind and put them in head locks, or tried to beat them down by surprise. The boys were continuously abused throughout the night.

    Jolly Jim and Big Belly Bixler made all the men in this part of camp crackle with laughter. Jolly Jim told jokes, and Big Belly actually pushed Brian over and sat on him. Meanwhile, Jolly Jim insisted to Mathew and Max that the only way to save their friend was to poke Bixler in his naked belly.

    When they did so, Bixler just chuckled and all the men around the campfire mocked the boys. Finally, at Jolly Jim¡¯s insistence, Big Belly Bixler moved and let Brian breathe the cool night air before suffocation totally kicked in.

    They were already tired from no sleep and from beating each other all day, now this. They would surely go insane. The night was no better than the previous. Condensation had built up on the tent and leaked in again all evening.

    Rufus arrived early the next few days and woke them to a regimen of training. The others looked on as on previous days. It was apparent that Rufus had noticed the other injuries on the three that were not from his training. It was also obvious that they had been getting very little sleep. Condensation dripping on them, pranks pulled on them in the middle of the night, and probably general nervousness kept the beast of sleep from taking them along.

    Word had arrived that several small engagements had occurred with Candreale¡¯s forces and that soon the camp would be moving. Whispers from the other men were that the battle that they had all been waiting for was likely soon to commence.

    Upon arriving that morning and seeing a black eye on Mathew that he had not seen the previous day, Rufus changed their training a bit. He handed each of them sparring weapons and told them to stand side by side and then walked away counting out his paces.

    He grabbed his large great axe from the ground and stood about twenty paces away. ¡°Come at me. Let¡¯s see if I been a wastin¡¯ ma time.¡± The three of them looked at each other nervously. The onlookers nearby ran around the nearby parts of camp and started to gather a veritable crowd of the burly, dirty men. ¡°I¡¯ll be a comin¡¯ at ya soon if ya don¡¯t press in yaself.¡±

    Max could feel that the other two were in no condition to press an attack and the mood was affecting him. Rufus hefted his axe and took a step in their direction. Max¡¯s heart was thumping like a war drum. It was at that moment that their savior arrived, Mathew¡¯s temper. Several of the onlookers started to heckle the fat boy, even though after the last weeks¡¯ worth of training, he lost quite a bit of his gut and puffy cheeks. Max was not going to complain though as his own anger and will to fight increased along with Mathew¡¯s.

    Mathew looked over at Max and then at Brian standing on the far end. He nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s do this. No time like the present right?¡±

    Max nodded back, ¡°I suppose not.¡±

    Brian nodded and grinned, ¡°Agreed, let¡¯s do this.¡±

    The three of them looked out at the crowd that was forming and then in unison they all looked toward Rufus who had taken a dozen paces toward them at that point.

    They raised their wooden weapons and stared at his metallic great axe. Brian then yelled louder, ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± almost like a battle cry for his team. He launched himself towards Rufus and his two friends were only a footstep behind. His gusto did not last long however as he went face first into the pommel of the great axe that bashed him into the ground. His bold move had thrown Rufus off guard. The attack in unison left Rufus with no choice but to back pedal and go on guard, which was obviously difficult with such a massive weapon. He planted his back foot and rather than using his energy on defending with his weapon he lunged forward towards Mathew and screamed. The move caught Mathew so off guard himself that he slipped and landed on his back with a crunch.

    The onlookers all gasped from the impact as they mutually felt his pain. Brian was stumbling up and rubbing his face, still stunned from the heavy blow. Max swung at Rufus but the quick lunge toward Mathew had been enough of a move for the swing to connect only with the ground where Rufus was previously standing.

    Rufus moved quickly for such a large man. He used the momentum of his lunge to carry him in a spin beyond where Mathew had fallen. He stepped with a heavy stomp on Mathew¡¯s stomach in the process, knocking whatever willpower Mathew had left out of him. Mathew let go of his weapon and his face was one of surrender. Max maneuvered around Mathew¡¯s prone form to flank Rufus as Brian finally made his way over to the fight.

    ¡°Come on Mathew, don¡¯t give up. We¡¯ve got him on the run. Whoever would have thought we could do that?¡± Mathew rolled onto his side and looked out toward the onlookers. They did seem riveted, not just heckling. Brian and Max pushed in on both sides of Rufus and the fire pit, now only filled with embers, was on the great man¡¯s other side. There was only one feasible direction for him to go, and that was back over Mathew¡¯s prone position. He grunted with exertion as he began to perform a running, parrying, spinning leap. His axe swung in a wide semi-circle, blocking Max¡¯s and Brian¡¯s wooden weapons. He lunged up and over Mathew only to be shocked as Mathew¡¯s wooden weapon connected right around his groin and sent him flailing through the air with little control.

    It appeared that they had done it! They had taken down the giant of a man they knew as Rufus! He tumbled down, letting go of his axe to prevent from chopping at himself during the high-speed maneuver. Mathew got to his feet as quickly as he could while the other two pursued Rufus¡¯ roll as quickly as they could. Two of the three of them were on top of Rufus before he got back to his feet, and he was apparently unarmed.

    He laughed in that scratchy voice that he had used to instruct them for the last few days. His hands slowly raised into the air. It was indeed over. ¡°Well done boys, ya gotz ma good. Ha ha ha ha!¡±

    The training session was the shortest one so far with Rufus. Just after that, he left. He shared few words with them; he simply nodded and walked away with his training weapons in tow.

    That night was a wholly different night. They were given a space near the fire, and the men didn¡¯t call them boys. They were asked to recount the skirmish again and again. All three of them felt a new confidence, new to them not just since their arrival, but also since their birth.

    Just before retiring for the evening, Max sensed something wrong. He was just starting to get up to walk away from the fire. He quickly dipped to one side and a large set of interlocked arms dropped down on where his head had just been, barely dodging the grapple. Everyone around the fire gasped in surprise. Max took a quick step back and over the makeshift bench he had been sitting on. Then without hesitation he slammed into the figure with the interlocking arms. Jolly Jim tried to pull a prank just like on many of the previous nights. This time was different. Instead of Max groaning and surrendering to get out of the headlock, Jolly Jim screamed. He fell right into the fire, caused by the sudden disappearance of his target, Max. The fire belched around his body and shocked all those sitting there around the fire. Everyone got up from their seats and Jolly Jim quickly rolled out of the fire screaming in surprise and pain.

    Brian moved quickly to where the man had rolled out of the flames. He was not on fire, but he was singed on his clothes and burned on his arms. Brian grabbed his sleeves and looked Jolly Jim in the face. ¡°Where is your tent?¡± he yelled. The man hurriedly pointed. ¡°We¡¯ll be taking that one now. Tell your tent mates to get their shit out.¡±

    Max thought quickly and saw a chance to set his friends apart from this rabble, ¡°No. Wait, Brian. Let¡¯s not do that. Our tent is fine. He¡¯s learned his lesson.¡±

    Mathew and Brian both looked confused. ¡°Um, okay, I guess.¡±

    The three of them walked towards their tent. Mathew spoke up, pointing at Max. ¡°Since you turned down our tent move, you get to sleep under the drippy spot tonight.¡± Max nodded. It was dry tonight and no rain fell the last couple nights. Maybe the condensation was finally all gone.

 On The March

    The next morning, quite early, there was yelling throughout all the camp. The boys stirred for only a moment before they hopped to their feet in anticipation. Surprisingly for his size and sometimes lax attitude, Mathew was the first out the flap.

    A muscular horse whinnied in front of Mathew, and he screeched.

    ¡°Pack it up. Get ready to march. The battle will soon commence. Grub will be around shortly to fill your stomachs for the battle ahead. Be ready to fight. Be ready to die. Be ready to earn your keep.¡± An officer, not of the skirmishers, road through on horseback with the orders. His war horse looked majestic and his cleanliness did not belong in this part of camp.

    The men of the camp packed, some cheered as a sign of readiness for the battle while others sweat quietly. In swift time, the grounds looked clear of any camp with only a few fire pits and trampled ground as evidence. Burly camp followers rolled up the tents and threw the supplies into wagons. The wagon train of the skirmishers looked just as ragged as the tent and camp supplies had been. The skirmishers were now lined up as well as they could ever possibly be. Standing together, they looked quite a rag-tag bunch.

    As Mathew, Brian, and Max came together with their armor donned and weapons at the ready, they looked upon each other uneasily. Brian broke the silence, ¡°it would certainly be a pleasantry to have a better idea of what ideal we fought for or more of what to expect of our enemy today.¡±

    Mathew nodded, ¡°At least they did teach us more than just how to swing a sword. Let¡¯s hope we can escape this madness after whatever battle we¡¯re about to get forced into.¡±

    The man with the leather jerkin and tattered pants stepped in front of the gathering skirmishers. A farmer with long stringy hair, woolen shirt and hefty shoes lined up with the first. Then, Lord Gadarax cleared his way through the rag tag light infantry, the stand out leader. He Coughed and hacked, looking as though he might fall off his horse at any moment but for the large saddle and stirrups holding him sturdy. He rode up and down the line of men and inspected them. He didn¡¯t look too closely or seem to expect much. Rufus followed behind him on foot. Unlike Gadarax, Rufus took the time to stop in front of a gaggle to rough them up and into shape. When Rufus got to Max, he grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a good pat. He adjusted a strap on Mathew and then headed past them to continue the inspection.

    One man in particular, one who was dressed and armed just a bit better than the rest was sitting on a small stump. The rest of the men around were all standing, not so much at attention, but at least on their feet, respectfully for inspection. When Rufus arrived at the part of the line where this man sat, he halted as he had done before. Max strained to hear the words that were exchanged. What Max witnessed said enough to be telling. Rufus grabbed the finely sewn collar of the man¡¯s shirt and hoisted him to his feet roughly.

    Rufus screamed in the well-dressed man¡¯s face with his scratchy voice and phlegm spilling out, ¡°Making a name for yourself in the camps, matters not out here! Surviving a battle amongst our number and looting this armor makes you no better. Your chances to survive a second battle are worse than a first!¡±

    As Rufus removed his arm from his underling¡¯s shirt, he gave it a good tear. The man had it; he pulled a nasty looking spiked weapon from his belt and moved to get in ready position. Before he fully readied himself, Rufus thrust the weight of his whole body forward into his opponent.

    He did not waste time to draw his weapon. The surprise move forced the other man to stumble over the stump he had been sitting on and start to fall. Rufus grabbed the spiked weapon and plucked it from the startled man¡¯s limp hands. Then, without warning, he plunged the heavy spiked weapon into the prone man¡¯s skull. Rufus stepped back and the man on the ground still twitched, quite dead.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Rufus started walking up and down the line screaming. All three companions strained to hear what he was saying. In the end they agreed that it must have been something about an example. Don¡¯t be disrespectful or disobey orders. They thought that was probably a pretty bad idea anyway, but it looks like that concept had not been previously mutual. After the inspection of the rest of the line, the army got under way.

    Since the camp had been set up on a vast plain, it was easy, with the tents taken down, for Max to see all of the army arrayed and ready to march. Soldiers marched in well drilled formation, appearing majestic, almost beautiful in the gleaming morning sun. Meanwhile, looking back at the skirmishers, this haggard group looked like a rabble of criminals and ill trained farmers.

    Riders in glimmering silver armor rode stunning stark white horses with white manes up on the highest ground. Even the rider¡¯s armor gleamed with a white tint to it. The plumes on their helmets were a variety of hues spanning nearly any color that Max could guess.

    The other interesting group was quite small, with just a couple of figures riding on horseback. They did not wear armor, nor the stealthy cloaks like the men that had captured them. They carried strange looking gadgets. A couple of their horses looked like they should be overburdened with the weight they carried; none of them looked even slightly winded.

    The army marched down the flats for more than an hour, spread out to the flanks as they were. With all the weight he¡¯d been losing, Mathew kept pace with the men around him, only looking a little more winded. With all the training they¡¯d been receiving, Brian looked comfortable marching with his heavier armor. He almost marched in it akin to a second skin. Hopefully, the theatrical armor from the Hamlet would provide him with the extra protection for the efforts.

    Finally, just after the sun was highest in the sky, men on horseback with flags rushed up and down the formations. The soldiers started to form into battle ranks. The cavalry stamped their horses¡¯ hooves in unison. Max could see several large and complex looking machines being pulled up by horses and other large beasts of burden. These beasts¡¯ muscles bristled around their shoulders. The large spiral horns on the sides of their heads helped anchor the yokes around their necks.

    Several white and red checkered flags waved from off Max¡¯s left shoulder. Two of the men on horseback there split off and rode in front of the lines. ¡°Get your arses in gear! There¡¯s no time to sit on your haunches.¡± Max could hear the horsemen say before they rode too far past him to make out the words.

    While all the others were forming pretty, professional ranks, the skirmishers simply moved as a horde of men. It was at this point that Max saw their enemy. Their opponents stood arrayed across the field, just over a slight incline in front of them.

    A thin line of beings displayed their prowess out in front of the regular army of the enemy. Max could barely make out the horde of uniformed men beyond the enemy skirmish line. It looked like there would be no speeches, no battle plans, no preparations, and no rest after their march.

    The clinking of spears on leather shields and the screaming of men pierced Max¡¯s ears. Heavy footsteps, Barnabus yelling orders, clanging of weapons, and the shuffling of armor on skin overtook the words the Brian tried sharing.

    The mounted Lord Gadarax formed up with a few guards on foot right in front of their position in the line. Rufus was nowhere to be seen. They surely would have felt a bit more secure near him. Brian yelled above the chaos, ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. We¡¯ve proven ourselves, now is our time to show the enemy what we¡¯ve learned. We¡¯ll lead the way!¡± Brian¡¯s theatrical background gave him a way with words sometimes.

    Mathew looked around, ¡°I just hope we live. You just found your chance for the battle speech you always practiced for the hamlet. Don¡¯t you want to get out in front of the men and do it now?¡± They laughed awkwardly, but it was hard to cover up the fear they felt.

    Max could feel the eyes of the enemy soldiers upon him. He did not even understand why he thought of them as enemies, knowing nothing of this fight. Their appearance so indistinct from his own, added to the ease of seeing these beasts as enemies.Their fur, their obvious snarling and phlegm covered teeth, set them apart from any of the sentient beings he had yet seen. The monstrous creatures of the Dumar Citadel seemed more like beasts than men.

    ¡°How do we even know they deserve to die?¡± Max lowered his voice. ¡°It¡¯s not like the group we are serving are bringing food from the goddess to the needy.¡±

    ¡°We just have to hope and survive.¡± Mathew readied his spear and the formation started to march towards the enemy.

 Lines Clash

    The two opposing lines advanced upon each other, some obstacles in the mostly open field held some groups back while other parts of the line were filled with bloodthirsty looking men that could hardly hold back their pace. The formation lasted not even until engagement on either side.

    From Max¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t see much more than that. He struggled to see beyond the back of the Lord¡¯s horse, his friends at his sides and a few taller men on either side of them. His world became that small, all his concerns and fears bottled up there.

    He could just barely hear some men that he could not see shouting out curses and Barnabus screaming orders. He imagined one of them being Rufus pushing men forward in that scratchy voice. He couldn¡¯t make out any of the details of the enemies that were approaching them. He could surely even see dried blood upon the leather of their armor, if only he could see past that damned horse. Max tried to calm his rapidly beating heart, but without seeing the impending start of the fight, he could not. The enemy line could be mere yards away and he still didn¡¯t know what confronted him.

    Mathew spoke loudly to be heard, repeating himself, ¡°those things... look... not like us. Is that fur? Or just hairiness, or armor? I can¡¯t really tell.¡±

    Max heard Jolly Jim mutter with a quiver of fear to another man up front, ¡°Jangenvessen! They have Jangenvessen to Roegar and all that is holy? How in the Underworld do we survive this shite?¡±

    Max tried to peak around to Mathew¡¯s vantage point, and just as he did so, the clash began. Max still couldn¡¯t see anything of the enemy. He heard the sounds of men fighting and men dying. Lord Gadarax was still coughing furiously as he pulled his jewel-encrusted blade out of its holster and waved it in the air.

    Not long after this visual and audible cue came one that had much more impact on the three companions. The force of bodies being shoved upon them, and all the surrounding men, pushed the line apart. The two formations bucked and whined as if they were not made of men but of some material that only had so much give before it would snap. It was like a wave from a vast river or ocean that Max and his friends had never seen or experienced, only having seen such a thing in pictures and told of in old tales. They felt it now in the swaying and pushing of bodies against them. The three felt crushed as the men around them sought to avoid initial contact with the enemy.

    Like a spring, their part of the formation pressed against one another tightly, Max felt the wind coughed out of his lungs. The counter lunge of their deep ranks then countered, pressing on the backs of the boys and forcing them to press the last couple of men into the Lord and his retinue. The Lord on horseback waded passed the front of the enemy with his guards. The boys pushed forward on the backs and shoulders of the men that had buckled, right into the jaws of the enemy skirmishers.

    Max still had not seen the enemy. He could actually smell the blood in the air. The screams pierced his ears so much that they were now ringing. Or was that the sounds of spears bouncing off of shields? He couldn¡¯t be sure. Even though he stood on an open field, he felt trapped like in a box surrounded by deadly brambles being pushed deeper and deeper into the thicket.

    Finally, Jolly Jim, the man out in front of him stumbled as a spear drove into his shoulder. Max¡¯s first physical encounter with the enemy was to have his face splashed with the blood from Jolly Jim¡¯s shoulder. The spear had pushed through so far that it nicked the top of Brian¡¯s sword. The enemy¡¯s face then came within Max¡¯s sight. The spear had been pushed through so far Jolly Jim that the thing wielding it had made body to body contact with the now horribly maimed front line.

    The look in that face made Max retch. The jowls were far from that of people from the hamlet. Fur grew all over the face of this thing, and that on the top of the creature¡¯s head was incredibly long and wild. Each piece of fur stood thick, almost like a needle. The front teeth looked like they could bite through a man¡¯s throat and the distance from upper to lower jaw in the beast¡¯s open mouth was just about the perfect width for taking a man¡¯s throat out.

    The crushing pressure on Max¡¯s back relieved as he stumbled forward into the space left vacant by Jolly Jim. The open path into the enemy¡¯s formation did little to alleviate the three boys¡¯ fears. The man directly to Brian¡¯s left turned and ran... right into a readied spear of the line behind them, an accidental kill from Big Belly Bixler, who had obviously had not expected such a move. Mathew¡¯s side of the line was still somewhat intact, though with the breech to their left, he started to follow Brian and Max so that they could aid each other. These beasts were tall, almost a foot taller than Brian, who was the tallest of the three.

    The trio lined up with no gaps between them and stood in ready position as the first of the enemy burst into their part of the line. The beast thrust immediately with his spear, a long spear with gnarled and spiky bits pointing off in a few directions. The point stopped inches from Mathew¡¯s pudgy face as he came around from behind Lord Gadarax¡¯s party. Mathew had just enough time to duck and avoid the blow, perhaps partly due to the fact that the creature may have expected someone taller around the Lord¡¯s retinue.

    Max thrust with his spear, closing his eyes and hoping for the best. He felt his arm give at the elbow as the thrust struck true against the enemy skirmisher. The spear stuck through the flesh of the beast easily. The accuracy and strength of the blow surprised Max, but then he realized why the spear had gone through his opponent¡¯s body with so little force. The beast¡¯s momentum had pushed forth on the spear and lodged the back of the spear into the ground behind Max. That added leverage of the ground had pushed the spear more than a foot through the creature¡¯s boiled leather and spotted fur chest.

    At that moment of Max¡¯s triumph, the enemy took a staggering step back and just as it looked like it would fall it instead shook around and the spear slipped from Max¡¯s grasp. A couple feet of it stuck out from the flailing long-necked Jangenvessen. The haft quickly hit Brian and Max and knocked them both to the ground on to the bloody bodies of Jolly Jim and the recently fallen Big Belly Bixler, whose face was horribly gashed by teeth marks.

    Mathew stabbed with his spear and failed to connect, the point knocked aside by the flailing of the enemy. This put Mathew off balance, sending him back into a couple of men in the back of the formation. They quickly shoved him off and to his feet back in the fray. The skirmisher raised its spear above its head as Max stared up helplessly from his back. The bloodthirsty eyes pierced into Max and the inevitable pain that would be inflicted read on the bared teeth. Before the spear thrusted down, Mathew¡¯s weapon dug into the creature right below the neck. Blood flew out from there and poured down over Max again. The blood drenched his face and stung his eyes, completely blocking out his vision. As he wiped the blood away from his stinging eyes, a heavy, smelly body landed upon him. He heard the haft of his spear shatter upon the ground. He heard groans from the ground to his left, probably Brian.

    The body of that Jangenvessen found itself planted right on top of Max. The hulking thing stank like a wild animal, preventing Max from participating in the fighting, or even from perceiving just what the hell was going on. Max started to wretch and only managed to hold his vomit back because he couldn¡¯t turn his head to the side. He tasted the bile in his mouth.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The battle continued to rage around Max, but his vision limited him to just the feet of the soldiers around him. Another body landed on top of the stack and guaranteed that Max would be pinned down for some time to come.

    The sounds started to mesh together and the droning sound almost put Max into a trance. He labored just to breathe with those bodies on top of him. The last thing he remembered before his eyes closed as he passed out, were the heavy metallic feet of the regular infantry over taking the position of the skirmishers. One swift, accidental kick from those metallic boots was all it took to knock Max out.

    The sound of Mathew¡¯s voice woke Max, sounding like an echo down a long hallway. ¡°Max. Oh goddess, Max! Please tell me you¡¯re alive down there. Come on. Don¡¯t leave me alone here.¡± The sounds of chaotic battle clanged in the distance. Mostly, he just heard groaning and crying for help over Mathew¡¯s frantic yelling. Mathew was amongst those helping to lift the heavy body off of Max. It seemed, he had fallen unconscious for some time and his heart pounded like the heavy hooves of a charging war horse.

    ¡°Are you okay? You look like death.¡± Mathew asked. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Max responded with a large breath that he hadn¡¯t been able to take in a while. ¡°I think I¡¯m okay. Just bruised and worn down. How¡¯s Brian? Why isn¡¯t he helping you?¡±

    Mathew¡¯s facial expression changed quite a bit at the mention of Brian. ¡°When you were both knocked down, he landed...¡± Mathew paused and held back tears, ¡°on a weapon of someone who had fallen. He¡¯s in pretty bad shape. The battle is still raging, but we¡¯re out of it.¡±

    Max heard renewed sounds of horns sounding a charge. A massive explosion rocked the ground and cold sweat clung to Max¡¯s flesh. Lord Gadarax, still mounted, trotted up and down the field of corpses. His wizened eyes slowly looked from one man to another, halting his haunting gaze and motioning for some orderlies to retrieve a soldier still clinging to life. His gaze continued and stopped on one of the long necked enemies. He motioned again and this time a headsman walked up and took the head clean off at the base of the long neck.

    Max and the Lord made eye contact. He spoke promptly, not very observantly though in his still ill state. ¡°It looks like you and your boys made it. It¡¯s a good sign to see. You¡¯re men now. Gather up any survivors you can and head back to behind the lines.¡± The whole of the world was spinning around Max in slow motion. Brian budged and groaned. Max got up and over to him. A spiked mace had imbedded in his back. The armor he wore had little to no protection there. He stared with a haunted gaze straight forward, from the position an orderly must have put him in. Mathew moved Brian¡¯s head from propped on a bloody dead body into his lap.

    ¡°We better do our best to move him carefully. He needs help.¡±

    ¡°I... I... tried to stop this. What could I have done? I struck quickly.¡± Mathew sobbed.

    Max could feel the sorrow and the pain seeping into him via his connection with his friends. The pain nearly crushed his will, but now was not the time to fall to such feelings. He closed his eyes and tried to reach out with his mind. He could feel the concerns of Mathew, such a close friend now and one he¡¯d known for so long. He could not reach farther than that frightened but consoling mind. He sat upon his knees next to Mathew and opened his eyes to stare down at his mortally wounded friend.

    With few words, Mathew and Max grabbed on to Brian as best as they could and carried him arm-over-shoulders across the littered battlefield. While they walked, other gravely injured soldiers reached out for them and nearly tripped for one and then the other of the two boys.

    Mathew breathed and sobbed heavily while Max nursed his own torso from the pain. Panic struck each time Brian groaned. Blood leaked down Brian¡¯s back, his legs red and slick now. Brian¡¯s face grew white like a sunny day¡¯s cloud. By the time they had carried him behind the lines of the artillery, not even a groaning peep escaped the wounded friend. The boys could barely hold on to Brian¡¯s cold and damp body, slick with sweat.

    The orderlies¡¯ tent provided a welcome sight to the trio. Wounded and dying soldiers of many different ilks littered the grounds, mostly skirmishers visible from the outside. The bottom of some of the tents looked dyed red, quite especially near the opening flaps while the rest of the tents color showed the original tan.

    Max flexed and strained, pulling Brian back up to level with his shoulder. He hobbled into the nearest tent and set Brian down upon the only slab of wood not occupied. After several attempts of desperate grasping for help from anyone who would walk by, a ghostly woman approached them. Neither boy left Brian¡¯s side as she began her examination.

    She peered over him for a few seconds, looked at the two companions at his side, and motioned with an equally ghostly thin finger to turn him over. The two listened and acted quickly to turn him onto his stomach. An orderly quickly brought a bucket of hot water with towels. She worked quickly to wash away all the blood. The orderly returned to assist in removing the spiked weapon. The boys and the orderly yanked at the spiked weapon, but the armor created a trap for the jagged bits. The armor fell in two halves, broken and unusable by the time the orderly fully removed it. Brian started to scream even in his unconscious state.

    ¡°Back off,¡± the orderly said and the two boys quickly did so.

    As the spiked mace finally dislodged from his back, there were several snaps and a horrific sound that made all nearby shudder. The bloods leaked slowly now down his back. The healer worked quickly to stop the bleeding and wash off the bare back. The orderly dried down Brian¡¯s back after the healer stepped back. Brian¡¯s skin quickly grew damp again with cold sweat. The gashes were numerous and deep.

    After a short examination, the healer got off her knee and took a step back. She sighed. She paused, looked down at Brian and then pivoted to move to the next of the wounded. Max spoke up quickly, ¡°You can¡¯t just leave us here without even an explanation. Wait!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to hear what it is that I have to say. It is best that you just remain at his side, hope, and pray to any god you believe in. I will put what little chance he has in the hands of Gabriella.¡±

    ¡°There must be something you can give him. Can¡¯t you at least try to save him?¡± Max asked, emphasizing the word try.

    ¡°What more do you think I can do? Huh? What?¡± Her brow sharpened in frustration.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have some kind of magic? Don¡¯t you have some salves that could help me? Please. We never wanted to be in this war. We were just travelers. Travelers that didn¡¯t know any better. We never should have left the hamlet.¡± Mathew smacked his fists down on an open part of the slab.

    ¡°You should have deserted. At least stay near the back of the formations to avoid the fighting. That¡¯s where the smart skirmish men fight from.¡± She lectured them, but a lecture hardly seemed appropriate, especially to Mathew. He had a look of angry desperation.

    Max stepped between him and the ghostly woman. ¡°Look, is there any way we can help? Anything we can do to get help? It¡¯s my fault. I dragged my friends away from home. I¡¯m sorry we¡¯ve caused you trouble.¡±

    She leaned in closer to Max, but hesitant and avoiding Mathew. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your friend¡¯s injuries too. There are ways I could help him, but I am afraid that such things must be held in reserve for the lords and the men they sanction. If you could get one of the nobility to come down here and give me permission, I could save your friend.¡±

    Mathew chimed in with a raised voice, ¡°So what you are saying is that you have what you need to save him and that you won¡¯t. What sort of tender of care are you? Where is the justice in this awful place? You¡¯ll stand back and just watch him die?¡±

    Max could tell that Mathew was not helping the situation. Although the ghostly woman¡¯s anger had disappeared, Mathew¡¯s words did really seem to be making her feel helpless. That would not only worsen Brian¡¯s chances, but also that of the other survivors here. Max noticed a hesitation in the wispy woman. A battle between her fear and probably her caring nature tugged away at her. Max could only guess that some great threat loomed over her.

    ¡°So much for working with the good guys.¡± Max pulled on Mathew¡¯s arm.

    It was probably not a simple apology that she would have to issue if a noble died when she was supposed to have what she needed to save them.

    ¡°Come on, Max. Let¡¯s go find us one of these nobles. Lord Gadarax would do it. Let¡¯s try to find him.¡±

    The two of them left the tent and began their search. From the moment the tent flap went up, Mathew¡¯s eyes darted all about this part of the field. Max found himself tied up in thought. Mathew¡¯s determination outdid his fatigue as he trudged around, leaving no corner unturned.

    Max realized that in Mathew¡¯s current state of mind and temperament, even if they did find a noble, his anger would betray their task. Mathew would do just fine in at least finding a noble or two to speak to, but that would be the easy part.

 One With Crows

    They started back in the direction of the battlefield. Mathew first searched around every corner of every tent. He peered into groups of gathered men who had just come back from the battlefront and looked farther into auxiliaries that were not part of the soldiery. When his eyes failed him he started to ask each and every person that made eye contact with him. When that failed him, he started to grab people¡¯s arms and beg to be pointed in the direction of a noble.

    With all else failing, Mathew muttered about just searching for the only nobility they did know personally, Lord Gadarax. The two of them kept moving at a stunning pace, just slow enough that they could get a look at the faces of all the men and women gathered in groups. Several times on the desperate scramble, both Mathew and Max ended up tripping on stumps, bloody bodies, and shattered spears.

    They could not find Lord Gadarax anywhere. Not even including the soldiers, thousands of aids, followers, on lookers, and the occasional priest blocked their progress. Being from the tiny populace of the hamlet, such a gathering would have made both boys awestruck, but at a time of desperation like this, they paid it no mind.

    Finally, Mathew returned to his previous tactic of grabbing tunics and pleading for aid. Finally, one man pointed up a small incline to a group that was barely in view.

    ¡°Get yer bloody hands off my fineries. Up there¡¯s your bloody noble blood. Ye damn fool!¡± Max pulled Mathew away just as the man looked about to pull a knife.

    A wizened man with stringy white hair sat on a fine coarser, looking out toward the battle remnants through a looking glass. Next to him, a woman matched his fineries with a golden tunic with a cape clasped around her neck by a well shined badge. Two dozen men surrounded the pair, the two obvious nobles only viewable because of their horses. Banner men, flaggers, guards, aids, and a few well-dressed men and women made up the entourage. Mathew started to trod up the hill. His determined look deterred the first set of guards that thought to block his way. Max fell behind as he observed the details of all those on the small outcropping. He could see quickly that the guards of this noble became concerned and surrounded Mathew. They did not look pleased about the determined pace toward their liege.

    ¡°Halt in the name of Duke Warchylde,¡± the two guards drew swords and one pointed into Mathew¡¯s chest.

    Max immediately stepped up. ¡°Wait wait wait.¡± He grabbed his friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We are friends. We only wish to ask the nobles here if our friend might receive the medical aid that he needs to survive his battle wounds.¡±

    The closest guard motioned the others to hold position and they kept their swords drawn. That guard, wearing a ridiculously plumed helmet, sheathed his ornate blade and approached to within easy conversational distance. ¡°When approaching a member of high nobility, especially a general¡¯s vanguard during time of war, it is best not to approach in such a way. In fact, it might be best not to approach at all.¡±

    Mathew gritted his teeth, ¡°My friend is in need of your special ointments and salves, the ones that happen to be reserved for heroes and nobles. Or so we were told.¡±

    The guard spit on the field to his side. ¡°There are many soldiers who have fought bravely that deserve such things. What would make your friend so special that they should be used upon him?¡±

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t all the men that fight in such a war receive such things?¡±

    ¡°The wounded are too numerous and those supplies are too sparse.¡±

    ¡°Then why would you march to such a war without the items needed to fight it!¡± Mathew balled his fists and his nails dug into his palms.

    The guard then motioned the others back to the sides of the General. ¡°Such things are rare across all the lands. Wars are necessary and sometimes numerous, the herbs do not grow more numerous and the poultices get no easier to make. That is why they must be held in reserve for those who are privileged.¡±

    ¡°You should use them on each and every man in order of injury.¡±

    ¡°What is your unit again?¡± The guard¡¯s stance changed from superior to annoyed.

    Max finally spoke, ¡°We are with the skirmishers... good knight.¡±

    And that revelation seemed to be the last straw. ¡°You have squandered enough of my time, the General needs me. Be off with you.¡± He turned and went to assume his place.

    Mathew now started to yell as loudly as he could. ¡°General! Would you watch my friend die? Would your lady? Would you hold back your salves from her if she was sick?¡± He started to take steps towards the group again. ¡°General!¡± The whole of the nobles, guards, and aids turned to this screaming plump man.

    The same guard they had spoken to turned back towards them and motioned for some of the other guards. ¡°Get these two out of here! We cannot have these distractions in the middle of a battle! General Duke Warchylde has a battle to run.¡±

    Max started to back off of the small hill. Mathew resisted the guards as best as he could. Two of them grabbed his arms and no matter how hard he tried, Mathew could not push through their combined strength.

    After he had been carried a good distance away and his resistance died, the guards finally released him. ¡°Skirmisher whelp. Don¡¯t let us see you again or you will be arrested. During a time of war, you would not be pleased with your punishment. Neither would your friend here.¡±

    Mathew spit in their direction, but it was aimed poorly from his exhausted lips, dripping down onto his jerkin.

    Max did not lay a finger on Mathew, but stood close to him. ¡°We better go check on Brian. Provide him the care that we can.¡±

    ¡°I vow to learn of any magics or arts that I can to save people such as him. If there is any way, I will not allow others to suffer this same fate.¡± Mathew gasped. Max did notice that an aide to the older woman next to the general headed from her side down the hill in their direction. He rubbed Mathew¡¯s shoulder with brotherly affection and looked up in hopes that the aide approached them in a non-hostile manner.

    The extravagant looking young man did indeed come to them as they started walking back to the nursing tents. ¡°Hold for a moment.¡± He rode up on a small pony. Though his outfit showed him of high station, the man was small in stature, perhaps not even a man. ¡°The lady has heard your plight. A friend of yours has good friends indeed. She believes that your devotion to your friend should be rewarded. She offers a bit of her own personal stocks to help your friend.¡± He held out a tightly drawn pouch towards Mathew. Mathew grabbed it from him with more force than was necessary.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Max spoke before anything could be taken the wrong way. ¡°Thank you and thank your lady for this gesture. Hopefully it will not be too late...¡± Before he could finish the statement, Mathew grabbed his tunic and started to pull him in the direction of the tent.

    As Mathew dragged Max he yelled out, ¡°What are your and your ladies names so that I may thank you both?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice took on an odd drawl as he raised his voice, ¡°I am Aide de camp Kingstate and my lady is Duchess Margaret Warchylde. Safe journey¡¯s to you and your wounded friend. And to the angry one as well.¡±

    They ran as quickly as they could. After all the exertions of the day, it seemed impossible that this energy could still exist within them. They gathered up a hidden reserve of energy to make the final dash. They slammed into auxiliaries and exhausted soldiers. They tripped over soup cooking over small fires. Then, finally, outside the tent that held Brian, they tripped on a pile of bloody rags that lay just across from the entrance.

    They quickly recovered their footing and burst through the flap of the tent, startling an orderly in the process. It is then that Max¡¯s and Mathew¡¯s eyes both fell upon Brian. The sight that met their eyes brought their stomachs to their throats. The ghostly woman turned her gaze up at them as she now covered the torso and face of Brian with a white sheet. She laid it upon his unmoving form with great care and lost hope. Max and Mathew both slumped at the sight of their expired friend¡¯s body.

    Mathew lethargically made his way to the table and lifted the sheet. His childhood friend lay there, looking face up to the sky. He brushed his hands over his friend¡¯s eyes to close them. He stood there and stared at his once living and breathing friend. Max could feel that reserve of energy in Mathew sputter out. His friend collapsed on the floor right next to Brian.

    Max hadn¡¯t ever been as close to Brian in his childhood as Mathew had. They¡¯d really been like brothers. He could still understand the hopeless feeling of loss, somehow.

    In the coming moments, Mathew fell unconscious. The orderlies came over to make space for more wounded. They began to heft Brian with what looked like little care for him. They move him to stack him alongside many of the others that had been brought off of the battlefield and died. Max pulled Brian¡¯s body off of the pile of dead. He found a spot away from the traffic outside, and laid him out.

    The sounds of the battle echoed in the distance. The cacophony that once filled the air now registered as only an occasional burst. Soldiers walking by spoke in labored, exhausted voices that the forces of the citadel turned tail and started to run.

    Max lost track of time, sitting there, trying to think but failing to think of anything positive. Mathew returned, apparently after having been booted out of the nursing tent. He plopped down on the ground next to Max and the body. In his hand, Mathew carried the bloody remnants of his expired companion¡¯s split breastplate. They sat together in silence for a long time.

    Mathew finally broke the silence as the sounds of battle utterly vanished in the distance. ¡°I want to take him back to the hamlet. It¡¯s the only place he really belongs.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can go with you. I never belonged there. I understand you must do it. I can¡¯t go with you.¡±

    ¡°I thought that was the case. I won¡¯t be staying there either. I just need to take him back.¡±

    Hours passed. The battlefield was swept for survivors and the dead were buried. The units all reformed and camps were made on the far side beyond the nursing tents, away from the smell of the battlefield. Tents were erected. Max and Mathew brought Brian¡¯s body to their tent and stowed it inside. The usual rowdy atmosphere that had been the skirmisher part of camp was not this evening. There were pockets within it, those of the real killers, where stories were being told in loud voices that cracked through the quiet night. The new Jolly Jims and Ciylins of their unit would be filling the heads of their compatriots with their glories. Though Max doubted the braggarts would survive more than another battle or two.

    Mathew and Max retired to their tent with Brian¡¯s wrapped body sitting in the corner. They started a small fire and had a bit of dried meat and fruit to cleanse their palettes of the tough day they¡¯d had.

    After a quiet hour of that, Mathew looked over at Brian¡¯s body. ¡°He was a good friend. You may have gotten a lot of ire, but you were a hell of a lot better at keeping to yourself. I wanted to have friends and to be surrounded by the other kids. They always used to play at wooden swords and make shift obstacle courses. Oh, they invited me along, but usually, I ended up the pig in the pit or the monster that all the kids with swords beat and stabbed.

    ¡°Brian is the boy that stopped that and asked me if I was okay one day after a particularly severe beating. He said that he saw a look of fear in my eyes, and that¡¯s when he realized what he¡¯d done. From that day forward, he came to my defense. I remember the very next time we played at swords and they labeled me the monster. Well, they came running at me and Brian shoved one of them down and put his sword to another¡¯s chest.

    ¡°That one actually went running off crying and the other two just didn¡¯t know what to do. They stared at Brian and forgot all about me. Brian flourished his wooden sword and swung his other arm up to balance his pose.¡±

    Both of them smiled as they wiped tears away from their dirt covered cheeks, finally cleaning them up a bit.

    ¡°He just laughed at them, this sort of an on guard taunt. The two of them went running just the same and both clattered right into me, screamed, dropped their wooden swords, which I promptly picked up, and found a path to get the heck out of there!¡± Mathew ended, looking smug.

    Max could see the difference between them well. Mathew and Brian had become the bully in some of the kids¡¯ eyes. Max didn¡¯t think he could ever become that way.

    ¡°I remember Rissa and his notorious break down. He was so in love with that girl. Rissa had the cutest freckly face at that age and her straight brown hair looked almost like a fine horse¡¯s mane.¡± Max laughed fondly, ¡°Now I wouldn¡¯t be able to say if she was actually cute or if it just adds to the fond memory of the story for Brian, but that¡¯s about what I remember correlating her to.

    ¡°So, he was smitten with her, always joining her side in games of tug of war and always trying to be her partner in the three-legged races. She got everything she could out of him and he just thought that meant she was into him. Then, I remember, finally, when he brought her those flowers from Leia the Florists gardens. The ones he stole because he had nothing good enough to trade for them.

    As Max continued, Mathew started to smile and blush, thinking of the memory, ¡°Well, anyway. Brian hadn¡¯t really cut them well and they were all over the place and pretty much falling apart as he brought them up from behind his back to give to Rissa. She smiled and backed away shyly as he asked her to be his love. He actually said it that way, like something out of one of the old tales. Then, when he got more persistent and she continued to back away and then to actually shake her head, the flowers drooped.

    ¡°Finally, she said that she didn¡¯t like him.¡± Max stopped at that point as Mathew turned beet red.

    Mathew then blurted out, ¡°He collapsed to the ground and called for help. He acted like his heart had stopped and he was going to die right there on the spot. He may have even said as much!¡±

    The two of them laughed hard and gave each other a friendly pat on the back. Tears started to roll down Max¡¯s cheeks from the heavy laughter that held back his ability to breath.

    Finally, after long moments of the laughing, Mathew finished, ¡°he did always have a flair for the drama. It is no wonder he apprenticed to be a playwright.¡±

    Max passed more stories back and forth with Mathew to fight away the pain of their loss throughout the night.

    Before the sun rose that morning, a muscular figure pulled the flap of their tent back to allow the pre-dawn breeze into their resting place. Rufus spoke up after giving the boys a moment to awaken, ¡°Hai. I¡¯ve been informed of ya situation. Lord Gadarax az released ya from service. I got da scroll sayin¡¯ so. He also passed on dis mule. It was somebodies. But ¡®es dead.¡± He handed Max the end of a rope that must have been tied around the mule¡¯s neck. In Rufus¡¯s left hand, he held out a scroll in Mathew¡¯s direction. A lordly seal, which must have been the symbol of Lord Gadarax caught the morning light.

    ¡°Thanks for all you have done for us. We might¡¯ve all died if you hadn¡¯t shown us a few things. You gave us a fighting chance.¡± Max said, with a somber tone.

    He looked like he wasn¡¯t used to hearing compliments. ¡°I¡¯ll bez off dan. Take care yaself¡¯s.¡±

    Obviously the man wasn¡¯t much for conversations, and his poor abilities to speak probably contributed to that. Max thought that if he¡¯d had the chance, we would have liked to repay Rufus by helping him with that as Rufus had helped the boys become men.

 A New Path

    Max sat and ruminated in his own thoughts of his loss, his decision not to go home, and what path he might take next.

    A youthful man¡¯s voice interrupted those thoughts and startled Max, ¡°Hello there, Max.¡±

    He felt like sinking down into nothingness watching his only friend walk away with the corpse of his only other friend. He already regretted not leaving first thing in the morning with Mathew. So as the young man uttered words of his name from over Max¡¯s shoulder, Max still found his thoughts on the road with his friends and not in the present, ¡°Max?¡±

    Max turned his back on the departing Mathew, but he vowed that it was not a metaphor. ¡°Yes. What can I do for you? Before you start, know that I have been released from service by Lord Gadarax.¡±

    The young man waved one of his hands in a motion of dismissal. ¡°I understand and that certainly only helps my business rather than hindering it.¡± The man¡¯s robes shined with gold trim along the edges of the robe and of the pockets. The deep blue color looked almost a shimmering purple in the bright sun light as clouds parted overhead. The robes possessed such bulk that the probably thin man must have many items concealed in those robes.

    ¡°Well, how do you know my name?¡± Max huffed with impatience, distracted of the thoughts of Brian¡¯s passing and his mourning.

    ¡°You could probably answer that question yourself if you think deeply about it. I will make it easy on you, though. I have sought you out to aid you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow your logic.¡± Max leaned back and thought about any connection in memory of a man in a set of robes. ¡°And aid me? In what? Who are you? What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°I am a pragmatist, Max. That means, I believe in the here and now. I believe in what I can feel and touch. I believe in what I can see and measure. With those words, I hope to bring to your mind that I am sided with you. I want to protect you and help you along on your journey.¡±

    ¡°Your name? Does this have to do with that prophecy business?¡±

    ¡°In fact, it does. From my side, that prophecy business doesn¡¯t mean all that much. What it does mean practically, is that someone is out to get you and treat you as less than the being that you are. That or they will prop you up as some sort of heretical idol to their cause. Either way, trust me; you want to have no part in it. That is, of course, your choice to make.¡±

    ¡°Who is this they? People talk in the greater world in such obscurities.¡±

    The robed man shrugged, ¡°There are many forces in this world that seek advantage, the Beckerans, the Terpen Collective, the Old Sargovian Empire, and you just witnessed two others, the Dumar Citadel and the combined forces of Rotheburg, Burklyn, and the Numak Districts, in so much as they were actually present here. You see, most of these forces were of mercenary origin. Fighting the Dumar Citadel is an unsavory task best left to conscripts and professionals.¡±

    ¡°Why you, I lost a friend, a so called conscript, in that fight.¡± Max balled up his fists to the point that his fingernails could have drawn blood.

    ¡°I¡¯m not stating that my opinion is in agreement. After all, I was here fighting the good fight as well.¡±

    ¡°Well, I was just traveling the world outside of my home more from an unofficial banishment than anything else. That seems just petty enough a reason now, forced into conscription.¡± Max looked back over his shoulder at the mule that carried the body of Brian, not able to make out the distant details any more. ¡°I was looking for adventure, instead I got to watch and experience the death of a friend. Maybe I want to have a destiny and to be important. But I wonder most of all if I¡¯d just like to go home.¡± He shot this man a glance. ¡°Your name?¡±

    ¡°Everyone wants to be important, and you certainly can be without having a pre destination to your path. That is what destiny is. Destiny is a lack of choice. It is the lazy man¡¯s way to justify his path through to its conclusion. Rather than using sense to choose a path, someone chooses the way that is expected of him or her.¡± The robed man shrugged. ¡°Alas, who am I to say, but Enchoron I am and that is who it is to say.¡±

    Max nodded. ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance. I guess.¡±

    Enchoron extended his hand with an open palm. Max simply looked down at it, almost in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s there for you to shake with your own hand as a sign of welcome.¡± Max shrugged and grabbed Enchoron¡¯s hand, shaking it almost violently in a way of obvious lack of understanding.

    Enchoron laughed and stifled that laugh quickly. The expression on Max¡¯s grew grimmer by the second. Max then let go of his hand and looked around. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on staying here with these people any longer. If that was your intention, now is when we part ways.¡±

    Enchoron looked around at the soldiers, nurses, and aides that sat by the dying embers from the previous night. ¡°Actually, I would be quite glad to get out of here. I think I probably made a few enemies out of friends back there. I¡¯d rather put a few leagues between them and myself. Not that they¡¯d try to kill me, but I¡¯m sure they would love to make my life miserable.¡±

    Max pulled his pack up off of the ground and stretched as he stood up. He started taking first hesitant steps that then grew more sure as he walked down the road in the direction opposite of Mathew. Farther away from the things he knew, he chose to walk. Enchoron obviously didn¡¯t expect him to so quickly start his journey away from this place. He looked around towards the camp, thinking quickly, then picking up a brisk walking pace to catch up to Max.

    The two of them walked briskly. Max could not hold back at least a couple of tears. As he walked, he thought about so many things from his past. His childhood home had been so predictable and safe. Every step that he took seemed to add more unpredictability to his future. He welcomed the thought of separating from those he cared about and from the events here. Deep within, he hoped to trust in Enchoron¡¯s perspective that someone¡¯s fate wasn¡¯t predetermined.

    He did not want to believe that a greater power determined fate. From what he¡¯d heard on the road, some thought the now dead ¡®Creator¡¯ determined the course of the entire world then and the entire world to be. He glanced over to Enchoron, who caught up, ¡°I¡¯d like to believe I have a choice. Is there a way to take your path and learn to determine my own steps?¡±

    ¡°There is bravery in what you are doing. People will be hurt. That is inevitable. We must all choose a path that will harm those around by the least amount. Sometimes, in the short term, it may appear that we are harming more than helping, but we cannot see the future.¡± Enchoron did not seem out of breath. His youth, like that of Max¡¯s blessed him with great endurance, and the way his possessions clung inside his robes, made him seem a traveler of many paths. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, I may just travel alongside you, study, document, do my usual. I¡¯ll be here if you need. I am not pushing on you in any way. I am just here to offer insight. I will offer guidance if you so desire it.¡±

    ¡°Right now, silence would be nice.¡±

    Without another word, Enchoron simply nodded. He walked along side Max. Finally, when the camp was completely out of sight and no sound of hammer on sword could be heard, Max stepped off the side of the path and sat down on the soft ground. Enchoron waited to see if it was a brief stop before he settled in on the ground next to the path.

    Max thought back to Belka and how worried she must now be. He thought about his parents that probably barely kept him in their thoughts. He remembered The Brigand who first appeared to be a kidnapper, then appeared to be a friend, but no, indeed he intended to be harmful to Max. Then there was Phaedra, she was kind. She taught him about the Old World. He would be walking much more blind then he was without the guidance she provided. Her willingness to walk away from him was proof that she had no ill intentions with him.

    ¡°This might be a kind of pre-determination, but I have a friend that told me to meet her up this way we travel. But how will it be just my choice if she already planted that idea in my head. It sounds like that could be me following my fate.¡±

    Enchoron smiled gleefully and seemed glad to see Max thinking about going forward. ¡°Well, in my shoes, I use all available information around me to come to the best course of action. So in that case, my eyes tell me a good deal about what is going on, then I use a few other sources,¡± he patted his robes, ¡°determining which way best suits my goals, then start walking that way. And through that, I¡¯d say if you do have a friend on the path ahead, that knowledge is part of the available information.¡±

    ¡°Then I suppose,¡± Max examined a twig that he picked up off of the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll use that knowledge to help me make the next choice and your knowledge beyond that.¡± He pointed the stick at his new traveling companion. ¡°Do you think there is any way my friend, Mathew, might catch up at some point?¡±

    Enchoron looked down the path, back the way they came. ¡°If he has such an intention in his thoughts, and you leave him the opportunities to do so, the chances become much greater.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Max and Enchoron remained quiet until the night grew late, and they put the journey on hold for some much needed rest.

    More idol chat followed and the two became a little more comfortable with each other. Max shared the tale of his abduction and rescue that brought him out of the small hamlet community into the greater whole of the Old World.

    ¡°Tell me, why during the time of harvest celebrations did you find yourself all alone and so able to be kidnapped without the others spotting what happened?¡± Enchoron prodded.

    Max hesitated, ¡°Well, you see, I guess I could bring that to a story from very early in my life.¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°It might sound strange. I guess I was a bit of a curious kid. I chased this beautiful butterfly away from the fields where I played with the other kids. I caught it and it fascinated me how it came together. I took it apart, first wing after wing and then I grew curious how the insides felt. I squeezed and crushed the body of the remainder of the bug. It made me think about what little power this tiny being had in its chances at survival.¡±

    ¡°We all do strange experiments as children that we wouldn¡¯t as adults. Young gods are much the same in their experiments with power. That¡¯s why it¡¯s best to be wary of the young of the Shardborn and at least one argument the worshippers of Nobilis can attest to as to the wisdom of their choice.¡±

    ¡°Well, sure, but this girl was watching me the whole time. She saw what I did. She thought it was disturbing and gross and she let me know as much. She didn¡¯t just let me know though, she made sure that all the children knew that day to all those out at play. The stories grew from there and even some of the adults heard blown up tales of my strange and cruel curiosity. It devastated me. I always knew how they judged me with their glares. I never did fully recover.¡± Max shrugged.

    ¡°Max, your parents must surely miss you and hope for your safety.¡±

    Max snorted as he finished a sip of water out of one of Enchoron¡¯s fine wooden cups, ¡°Not a chance. Nor do I care. I¡¯m much more content to be out here on the roads, finding my own way than seeking comfort or guidance from them. They¡¯ve not been kind to me.¡±

    Enchoron offered a small flagon that previously only he had imbibed. ¡°My mother, Adayla couldn¡¯t have been a kinder mother to me. I wish you could have had such an experience. All the same though, I still had to leave her for the world beyond. I feel she taught me the greatest lesson, the kindness of the human heart. Unfortunately, my thirst for knowledge far outstripped anything she could teach me.¡°

    Max took the flagon, sniffed it, and took a small swig. ¡°I think my parents wanted to love me and they tried, but my ambitions may also have outdone their abilities.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly understandable, because I do believe you have a great talent possessed by a miniscule few. I was sent to the tutelage of the Wizard¡¯s Council who assigned me to the understudy of my master, Maren Dawn. From him I learned about the world, its secrets, and how to be a wizard. At first, it was incredibly difficult to be without Adayla. It took several cycles to finally understand, this was a necessary thing.¡± Enchoron¡¯s eyes watered ever so slightly, only enough that an untrained eye would have missed it, but Max did not. Then, as quickly as Enchoron¡¯s eyes showed variance, he went stone faced and returned to his previous stature.

    Max still didn¡¯t trust Enchoron, but he did seem friendly enough. Max reached out with his empathy to the other man¡¯s feelings, but Enchoron did an incredible job at guarding his emotional state. The scan didn¡¯t feel to Max like when he reviewed the ¡®automaton¡¯ where there were no feelings at all, Enchoron¡¯s mind seemed muted somehow. Max eyed Enchoron and wondered what this could mean. The other man looked back with a knowing glance.

    Enchoron eyed Max knowingly at the end of each stanza of their conversation. He had to have known that Max attempted to look beyond the surface and read him. Max respected that he didn¡¯t overreact or mince words with him about these attempts. After all, Max did not get too terribly much from that, though the stories interested Max.

    #

    The two of them finally got back to traveling the path when sounds of soldiers on patrol disturbed them. Max picked up the pace, more than eager to get away from the scene.

    After picking up Enchoron¡¯s wagon, farther down the road and mysteriously from a well concealed hiding spot, they traveled for several days. Max¡¯s new traveling companion shared very small snacks in the morning and around dinner time each day. He could feel a positive effect upon him. He felt less fatigue. He felt stronger and more easily able to get each day started. This man quite literally had tricks up his sleeves. Max could not believe that morsels so small as the size of one of his finger nails could actually have this much effect on him.

    Max should¡¯ve been starving.

    During their breaks, Max returned to keeping to himself while Enchoron read from ancient leather bound books. When the two talked, Enchoron would gladly engage in the banter. When Max didn¡¯t initiate conversation and no immediate questions needed resolving, Enchoron would pull out a strange device that would glow. He would stare at it for lengths of time. Sometimes it would be a momentary glare and other times he would stare for what seemed like hours. At night, it would light up his entire face. Max¡¯s eyes ached from just brief glances at the glowing orb. He found it perplexing that anyone could stare at a single light so intensely for so long.

    ¡°What is that light that you stare at so often? It¡¯s a strange habit to me.¡±

    ¡°You are not alone in that. Most common people, not that you are common, refer to this,¡± he motioned at the device in his hands, ¡°as magic. It is not merely a light, although it might be useful to provide such in a time of need. No, this device contains many tomes of knowledge that I study with vigilance. I like to know my enemies... and my friends.¡± He motioned slightly with the device towards Max. ¡°I could teach you how to use it if you would like. Also, you must possess the lack of concern and fear that others might shun you and your presence.¡±

    ¡°Could you explain to me, why do so many people see these things as magic and others call them something else?¡± Max scooted around the small fire. Just a few feet away from it, the chill air bit at his exposed skin, thus he stayed rather close.

    ¡°Of course! Magic is essentially a term that people use for something that they cannot explain. They see something done and they wonder, how could this be? There are typically two ways to explain these instances. The first is that it is a divine work or miracle. The second would be that it is magic. Magic to the common observer, simply is. It simply works. There is no way to observe it and take its component parts and replicate it. I understand how this device works. I understand that there are reasons why it functions the way that it does. That is what makes it technology.¡±

    ¡°This whole world is just about magical to me if that is the case.¡± Max scooted just a little closer, feeling slightly more comfortable with the light being emitted from the orb. He chuckled nervously.

    ¡°We¡¯ll fix that. You are a bright man. You are a little behind though; there is so much to learn. There were times past, some believe several ages past where everyone understood devices like these. The age previous to our own is one such age. Another is theorized to be before the Shattering, when the Creator died.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like there is some kind of natural cycle at work. These things come and go.¡± Max contemplated.

    ¡°You are perhaps right in that my friend. Some believe that these ebbs and flows in the ages are a work of the god known to many as Vanusiil, the lord of portals. It is believed that he keeps the flow of the world through time in line now that the Creator isn¡¯t around to perform that role.¡± Enchoron turned off the light device and put it away under his robes. ¡°We have a good bit more of travel to do before we get to the next town. We may want to contemplate resting at this time.¡±

    ¡°I assumed that you wouldn¡¯t believe in the Creator that I have heard others speak about.¡±

    ¡°That may be. I would say, I must believe in him, as I have seen evidenced in this world... so many signs of those that were once Its servants. Now though, Max, it is probably best that we get some rest. Who knows what tomorrow will hold for us?¡±

    Max yawned. ¡°That sounds like an excellent idea. I¡¯ll see you on the other side of sleeping.¡±

    ¡°Enjoy your travels through dreams, my new and most gifted friend.¡± Enchoron smiled, his words as sincere as his shining white teeth, but they were also said with a light hearted side.

    They slept soundly that night, beyond the sounds of the tinkering of smiths and the practice slashes of soldiers¡¯ swords. In the morning, they were both awakened by the sounds of soldiers marching by in formation. It was not the whole army, but a decent sized patrol. Upon seeing the soldiers again, Max quickly packed away his few belongings and Enchoron did his best not to slow Max down.

    Max thought that he would never see anything except for empty land and sparse farmsteads as they rode along the road. Finally, after days of travel, a vast and unfamiliar sight sat distant upon the horizon via the path. The flat ground along their path allowed for them to see for many miles distant. And as they continued their journey, for almost an entire day, Max could see spikes of grey and brown standing tall and vast on the horizon. He did not have the ability or knowledge to know what it was.

    ¡°What in the Old World is that?¡° Max asked his new mentor as he motioned at the jagged object that stood up on the horizon.

    Enchoron chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re still so innocent Max. It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯ve got me. Someone else would take advantage of that. That¡¯s the city of Rotheburg, and really, that should be our next destination.¡±

    After a long exhale of breath as Max panned across the entire width of the city, ¡°That¡¯s Rotheburg? Well, that¡¯s where my friend requested that I meet her if I left home.¡±

    Enchoron possessed a knowing twinkle to his eyes as his eyebrows raised high on his forehead, causing deep creases up to his full hair line.

    A city! Max only heard of cities in stories. He thought they were another object of a distant past. Something that was left behind in the previous ages in exchange for a large number of hamlets. The idea was absurd, but he never did have anything to compare the hamlet to, except in his imagination. As the city grew in perspective on the morning that they would actually arrive in the city, his breath was truly taken away. There were massive stone towers standing up through the mists. He never saw such a heavy mist as that which surrounded the tall hewn walls of the city. The tall outer walls of the city stood at many times Max¡¯s height and reached out from the left and right of the gate for, to Max, an unimaginable distance. Back home, he never experienced anything that was so massive to block the view like this. Max blinked a few times and strained to see up into the towers that punctuated the far ends of the wall.. Though the ground continued to be quite flat, the heavy mists that hovered around the first dozen feet from the ground crawled out from the city walls out to the horizon. Max thought, there must be no way around the city without entering the mists. Of course, that probably was not true and he realized this. That was no changing the feeling in the pit of his stomach. The most notable feature of the southern wall of Rotheburg pushed out beyond the crawling mists to ground level some hundred yards or more from the city walls.

    ¡°The Rotheburg Ramp, that¡¯s one of the only safe accesses to the city. Notice the quite memorable halberds and glaives, some carved of stone and others made of ancient tempered steel. They¡¯ve punctuated the extents of the ramp for nearly a millennia. This whole thing is a tribute to the war god Roegar and also to one of Darioon¡¯s three loyal chosen, the blessed Roth.¡± Enchoron motioned to the dangerous looking pillars on the edges of the ramp.

    Max had to agree that he would indeed remember the dangerous and powerful design for many days to come. He stood, bumped occasionally by the constant traffic that traveled constantly through the gate of the outer wall, up ahead.

 To Rotheburg

    ¡°Yep, here we are. The city of Rotheburg. Welcome to your first experience in being surrounded with unfriendly people and hoping that they don¡¯t strip you of everything you hold dear before you come out the other side.¡± Enchoron said with a cheerful tune to his voice. ¡°I am exaggerating, of course. It is not that bad. It is just that the look on your face says pretty much what I just said about the city. That is the view that some do have, but you are far more open than people with that view.¡±

    Two stout men with leathery, dark skin were standing at the top of the large ramp that led from the road up to the walls.

    As Max approached the city, a sense of awe mingled with an undercurrent of unease. This city, sprawling and enigmatic before him, bore little resemblance to the quaint sketches of urban life he''d seen in the well-thumbed pages of books back in his village. Those illustrations depicted cities as fortresses of civilization, their mighty walls pierced by grand gates that welcomed travelers from afar. Yet, what lay before Max was a departure from that familiar imagery, a deviation that piqued his curiosity while stirring a sense of foreboding within him.

    From where he stood, he could discern no welcoming entrance, no grand doorway carved into the city''s imposing walls to greet visitors. This absence was the first clue that he was about to enter no ordinary city. His gaze, hungry for understanding, swept along the length of the wall, searching for any sign of ingress. It was then that he noticed, some distance away, what appeared to be remnants of an old road, its course leading toward a peculiar gate. Unlike the sturdy, welcoming portals he''d imagined, this gate seemed to have been forsaken, surrendered to neglect and decay. Barricades and debris cluttered what once might have been a thoroughfare, suggesting a city that had turned its back on the world outside its walls.

    But it was the fog that captured Max''s attention most of all¡ªa thick, swirling mist that seemed to breathe life into the scene of desolation. It oozed from between the gaps in the barricades and debris, a living entity that blanketed the area with an eerie, almost palpable presence. This fog did not merely obscure; it seemed to consume, swallowing the ground it touched and creeping with insidious intent. It extended its ghostly tendrils up the full height of the walls, shrouding the city in a veil of mystery and menace. The sight of it sent a shiver down Max''s spine, a visceral reaction to something so out of place, so unnaturally pervasive.

    Yet, there was more to the city''s strange design that caught his eye¡ªa massive ramp that spiraled upwards from the ground, reaching for the heavens. This architectural marvel stretched up to the tops of the tallest towers, a bold defiance of traditional city layouts that fascinated Max. It suggested a city that reached not out but up, aspiring perhaps to touch the sky itself. This ramp, in its ambition and scale, stood in stark contrast to the decay at the city''s entrance, a juxtaposition that left Max with more questions than answers.

    As Max stood at the threshold of this strange city, enveloped in the thick mist that seemed to whisper warnings of the unknown, he realized that he was about to step into a world unlike any he had ever known or imagined. The fog, with its eerie, creeping presence, the abandoned gate choked with debris, and the monumental ramp soaring into the mists¡ªall of it spoke of a city that harbored secrets, dangers, and perhaps wonders beyond his wildest dreams.

    Max got a feeling of hope rushing into him. ¡°I think this must indeed be the place that Phaedra spoke of.¡±

    Enchoron stopped walking up the ramp, causing his cart alongside him to come to a halt as well, and turned to look at Max. ¡°Did you say Phaedra?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±

    ¡°Did you also run into Pater then?¡±

    Max hesitated for a moment, but decided there was no more harm in saying that he knew Pater if he already said that he knew Phaedra. ¡°Yes¡±

    ¡°I am surprised that I found you in the middle of that battle all alone then. It is not like them to allow their mark to go freely.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound as though they work together.¡± Max was confused by this.

    Enchoron nodded, ¡°come on now, no reason to block the ramp and stand outside of the city here. They did work together and they do. Are you saying that you met them separately?¡±

    Max was truly flabbergasted. ¡°Well, I am fairly sure that Phaedra killed him. She muttered quite a bit about getting revenge for someone she lost. Well, I guess I do know more about something going on than someone. That¡¯s nice.¡±

    The young man¡¯s eyebrow raised as he looked at the hamlet born man, ¡°That is quite an interesting revelation. If you have a friendship with her, do not worry. It is not that I am at ends with her. We just do not work for exactly the same cause or people. Similar enough though.¡±

    Max stepped up to equal height on the ramp and walked alongside the robed man. ¡°Good, I do want to seek her out. She said it would not be hard to find her.¡±

    ¡°Surely, if this is where she waits, she will find you before long.¡± He seemed to be keeping a more alert eye on his surroundings after that.

    Once they got to the top of the ramp, Max worked to catch his breath. It was not from the exertion of the short climb, it was from the sight that faced him now as he arrived in the city proper. The ground was impossible to see. The fog was so thick that it made any attempt to find any forms on the ground impossible. The spires of stone that he witnessed from the distant road now stood high above his head. They were commanding in presence, and through the windows on these towers and on some of the roofs, he did spot citizens moving about, doing their duties and work. The sound of people moving about and conversing filled the air. It was as if the design of this place increased all the volumes of the words. They were impossible to understand and chaotic, echoing all about. He became dizzy with vertigo from being overwhelmed by this myriad of inputs.

    He was brought out of his stupor by the feeling of soft hands grabbing onto his arms. The rough material of the robe covering the arm brought his attention back down to ground level. ¡°It will be alright. Just stand and take a minute to take it in. Here,¡± he pulled the stupefied traveler aside and sat him on a stone bench.

    Benches just like this one lined the stone walkway that headed from the outer wall into the city. At no place along the walk way were there any stares that headed down into the fog. It was almost like this whole place was built to stand up above the strange darkness that lay only within the city walls. It raised many questions in Max¡¯s head. First, he needed to get acclimated and then the questioning could begin. Enchoron sat down by his side and looked around to absorb the city as well.

    ¡°I have also not been here for long in the past. In fact, the only brief time I spent here was right before I set out to find you. Yes, if you had not figured it out just yet, I fought in that battle only to gain the opportunity to encounter you. You¡¯ve seen that crystal I peer into. It gave me some focus as to an idea of where I might find you. Then when I came down the countryside and there were no free peoples still around the land not engaged in conflict, I grew certain to your whereabouts.¡±

    It was comforting to Max that the man was so straight forward. If he was hiding anything, he covered up that fact by filling the air with so many words that there was never a moment to ask questions or wonder. The exercise was beneficial anyway; it gave him the chance to learn quite a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why people are spending so much effort on me. I know that Phaedra explained to me why people have the interest, I just wish I really knew behind all of that the true reason and purpose.

    ¡°Self-determination is better anyway. I would not worry about it so much. Just look at all of this as the opportunity for you to explore the world beyond that you only heard of in tales before.¡± He sat there in silence when Max did not respond. He waited patiently until finally Max stood back up, looking ready to proceed into the previously unknown.

    They walked the length of the stone walkway, it was really more of a bridge over fog instead of water. Still, a bridge of this size was another new experience for Max. There was an ever so slight sway to it, even through the thickness, almost like it was sitting on something less than solid. Once they crossed the gap between the wall and the first of the towers, this walkway opened up to an expansive central street. There were cul-de-sacs and outlooks that extended out beyond the towers. There were buildings built of the same stone that sat upon wider parts of the stone walk way. There were even some wooden buildings that looked more temporary than anything.

    When the walkway came up to and passed each tower, there were offshoots that usually made their way up to heavy wooden doors. Sometimes there were iron gates and wooden doors and still other times, just iron gates. There were quaint signs hanging above the doors of each tower. Some of them did have some form of writing on them, probably describing their purpose, but they were written in a language Max did not understand. The pictures and coat of arms that dominated most signs were helpful in determining the purpose, focus, or simple use of some of the towers.

    Max and Enchoron finally settled in to a tavern and found some beds. Enchoron took care of the costs, which was fortunate for Max, who didn¡¯t really feel like working off the expenses or sleeping in the streets. They settled in for lunch at the tavern, it was not as crowded as Max expected. In fact, compared to all the noise that he heard when they entered the city walls, there had not been as many people as he would have expected at all.

    One nearby local chewed his food loudly and stared at Enchoron. After long moments of intense staring, something twinkled in his eye as he must have realized Max and Enchoron did not belong in Rotheburg. The man¡¯s clipped, heavy drunken accent called out, ¡°I bet your wizardly friend here hasn¡¯t told ye about this city and its curse. You better watch out! Fallin¡¯ into the fog just might be the end of you.¡± Max looked a little nervous and leaned away from the man slightly. The man, probably a smith from the smudges on his face, leaned back to his porridge and laughed.

    His friend put his elbows up on the table after grabbing the bread that came with the porridge and taking a huge bite. After chewing, ¡°do not listen to that foolishness. The fog is something of a curse, it just requires caution. There is no need for fear. Remember the difference of magic to knowledge. Let me explain if you would.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Enchoron¡¯s words did have a way of making things seem to be not as serious as they really were. Max continued to eat, but he did make a mumbling sound of acknowledgement.

    ¡°The fog is actually a veil of sorts. Before the last age of man began, a curse of sorts was levied against this place. It is my belief that some ancient source of knowledge was used to create a bomb of sorts. That bomb was used on this place. The walls were strong enough to contain the effects of that bomb. Now, this city and the conflicted Plane of War have fused. Traveling into the fog does not mean death. It does mean that you will be transported to that far away fragment that once was part of the Old World. It is the closest of the fragments to this place that we know of as the Old World.¡± He moved his hands around animating the story and the theory. Some of the other tavern residents even turned their heads in such a way to listen.

    ¡°Why is it called the Plane of War?¡± Someone else chimed in.

    Enchoron stood up from his chair, forgetting about the remainder of the food that was not finished. ¡°Well. You see, it is a place of intersection. It is where many of the elements and beings from many of the fragments all collide. It is not a hospitable place except for the bravest and hardiest of peoples. Again, it does not spell someone¡¯s doom, unless they are ignorant.¡±

    A few more people asked some silly questions that even Max could have answered. After a few minutes of this, a new look came over Enchoron, one that he almost regretted involving the entire audience. They finished their meal with little peace.

    Max and Enchoron retired to their rooms, even more exhausted after their talkative meal. Max made his way through the incredibly narrow door, located right next to his new mentor¡¯s. The wooden wall between the rooms could barely allow for the rooms to be described as separate. And so, the following morning, when a quiet tap came to Enchoron¡¯s door, Max woke as well.

    As Enchoron¡¯s door creaked open, Max, in all his curiosity, took the opportunity to peek outside as well. The woman standing there struck Max as rather strange. The bright green of her hair reminded Max of a moss that grew on the sun side of many of the trees back home. Her functional tunic concealed her ample, yet toned curves. Max assumed she could probably sprint like a predator.

    The green haired woman whispered through the slight crack in Enchoron¡¯s door, ¡°The Wizard¡¯s Council of Genma sends its greetings. Ara born of the Harvest, I bare you a private and vital message.¡±

    Enchoron glanced to Max¡¯s door, seeing it cracked open. ¡°Go back to bed Max. I need to go and speak to Ara.¡±

    Max shut the door and put his ear to the door, listening quietly. All he heard were foot steps moving away from the door. He gave up after waiting for another minute, his tired eyes and fatigued legs failing him.

    When he finally woke that morning, Ara seemed like a distant memory. He paid it no mind as the rush of energy to explore the city took over. All the trauma and terrible conditions he¡¯d dealt with called for him to sleep for many an hour. He thought about Mathew. He hoped the hamlet was alright. He hoped that Brian got the honorable reception and burial that he deserved. He had conflicting dreams involving a love triangle with Phaedra and Belka.

    Max stretched his arms out as he rose from bed, the fatigue of battle and travel on the road melting away after so much time. Even if the stone smelled of mildew and dust hung in the air, there was a certain safety to the strength of stone and the hay on the stone slab of his sleeping quarters felt more even than the rocky side of the road.

    He met Enchoron for breakfast, a hearty portion of eggs and assorted meats.

    ¡°Shall we begin some teachings? I have many books to call upon from the wizard archive of this city.¡± Enchoron asked and as Max raised an eyebrow, he elaborated a bit, ¡°It¡¯s not a city known for its wizards, but all major cities, outside of Trolan house a wizard envoy at the least. The one currently assigned here, Rarith, former apprentice of Yulen, former apprentice of Deltin, has quite a love of books. Even for a wizard. He can¡¯t travel without at least two wagons as he couldn¡¯t part with his books for as long as any journey away from Rotheburg might take.¡±

    Max tore off a chewy piece of meat with his teeth, ¡°Though the idea of learning your tricks and histories is appealing. I¡¯ve just got to see this city first. Who knows when I¡¯ll ever have the chance to see a marvel like this again. And all made of stone too. And the mists, just eerie.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I must warn you at descending below this elevation anywhere within the city walls. Do all the exploring you want, but if you choose that sort of exploration, do get me first.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Max exclaimed as he grabbed a sausage and his coat, jumping to his feet. He sauntered through the door to the street and turned to go deeper into the city.

    He explored Rotheburg for a couple of days. He found his way into several derelict towers with easy access to their lower levels. He looked into the mists each time, longingly, thinking about breaking Enchoron¡¯s cardinal suggestion. Instead, Max headed to other parts of the city. He wished that he could see it from above. All the hearty towers and stone path ways criss-crossing the mists would be quite the site. He found his way to the Northern Gate. There, many men, bloody, well-armed, and exhausted, rested by the side of the streets.

    He talked to passersby on the streets, telling his own origin stories and hearing those of the locals. Many of the residents lived a paramilitary life from a young age.

    One or two of the locals showed a keen interest in Max¡¯s stories. Some even following him to hear the stories repeated again and again with amusement.

    Each night, upon waking, he found it so absurd that an experienced woman like Phaedra would ever have more than a professional interest in him.

    #

    He lay in bed, the sun not yet up. It was a fulfilling night of sleep and his dreams were vivid and numerous. In many of the dreams, he was night himself. He wished that he could reach into his dreams with his empathic abilities to read the emotions of the dream characters. He could hear voices. It sounded like they were arguing. Indeed, one of them was Enchoron, what about the other? He heard a few more heated and clipped phrases going back and forth. The other voice was a sharp feminine one. He reached into his recent dreams and the voice was familiar. The voice most definitely belonged to the beautiful Phaedra.

    Max got up and made his way to the door. He put his ear up against the door. The sharp feminine voice of Phaedra perked up his ears, ¡°he needs to be taken far from here. There are too many forces at work here.¡±

    ¡°No. He needs to rest, and again, he needs to make his own choice. You cannot just herd him around like cattle. I know your intentions are true, but he will not learn a thing if you treat him like some ornament that is fragile and needs protection. All that will nurture is an ornament of fragility that needs protection!¡± The exaggerated voice of Enchoron sounded aggravated.

    It was still very early, the two of them must have thought that he would still be sleeping soundly. He did not share his difficulty in sleeping so that was no surprise. He opened the door to his bed chamber and stepped into the hall way.

    The arguing stopped. Both of them looked over and saw Max standing in the hall way. Their faces flushed with embarrassment, Phaedra spoke first, ¡°Max, it¡¯s so good to see you again. I was starting to worry that you decided to stay home and not travel out into the world.¡± She sauntered toward him. It looked as though she was coming to embrace him.

    He took a step back, the move surprising her. ¡°What is it that you all talk about? I know it has to do with me. Why can¡¯t you speak to me directly about it instead of literally behind closed doors?¡±

    Enchoron walked over and stood next to Phaedra, facing Max, ¡°sorry that we are not including you. It was not intentional. Phaedra woke me before approaching your chambers and the conversation quickly got out of hand.¡±

    Phaedra nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°We both have good intentions in mind. We also do not have the purpose of manipulation in mind.¡±

    ¡°I take it from the words that I did overhear that you want to protect me Phaedra. Enchoron wants me to learn, but to shelter me from the goings on as much as possible without hindering the learning. Would it be just as difficult for both of you to share with me just what you are protecting me from?¡± Max insisted adamantly.

    Phaedra¡¯s soft voice got even softer as she responded, ¡°The Old World is a complex place. I think that we would love to share with you all of those mysteries. There are still many mysteries to us as well,¡± she looked to the robed man, ¡°but without the context of everything that we have knowledge and experience of, you might not understand.¡±

    Max appeared frustrated, ¡°is there any person or maybe being or device in this world that can answer for me the truth? Enchoron speaks that destiny is false, but what if that is just an illusion to make people feel that they do have free will. And, Phaedra, what if your side also does not understand the truth, that I do serve some purpose. My home has stayed buried since the last age. Only now has it ever been disturbed by so many outside influences.¡± He held up a hand to stop interruptions. ¡°Yes, I am sure that there are probably incidents that were not passed down or that were not deemed necessary for our education growing up in the hamlet. It does seem that my home has now been irreversibly changed, first by outside influences and then by my hand through my friends.¡±

    Enchoron soaked in the words before speaking cautiously, ¡°the fact is, whether destiny or prophecy is true or not, there is no way that you will not have a serious impact on the world. You do have a rare talent. One that is sought after by many great lords and seekers of power. Churches as well, have their power brokers that would gladly have someone of your empathic ability to call upon when their faiths or gods or avatars are threatened.¡±

    Max interrupted before Enchoron was finished, ¡°why do I have this power? What has caused this talent to become present in me? Was it passed on by some distant relative? Did I encounter something that formed this power within me? I feel the more I have traveled, the more questions I realize that I have which are not answered.¡±

    Phaedra glanced at Enchoron before she nodded her head in decision and spoke, ¡°There is perhaps one being that might be able to answer this ultimate question that you have. It is a being that is respected by believers in faith, by those that believe prophecy is true, and by those that believe in science. There are Scions from ages past that still live. They have experienced this world in many of its iterations. They have an ability to see beyond the physical. They understand events and energies on a level that even the gods perhaps cannot. They are not distracted by prayers; they have not the need for worshippers to keep their strength.¡±

    Enchoron groaned, ¡°And where do you suppose we go to speak to a Scion? Do you think that they sit on the council of every city? Do you think they live in the wilderness in cottages all on their own? There is not even a known Scion sitting on the wizard¡¯s council. They are unknown to all civilized places.¡±

    Max looked at the robed man, ¡°You said that it was important for me to make my own choices. It was important for me to learn. It was the case that I did not have to follow a specific path. I tell you now. I want to find one of these Scions. I want to know for certain what part I play in this grand device that is the cosmos.¡± He motioned outward with both hands.

    The other two could not tell if there was sarcasm in this expression or seriousness only. In the end, it didn¡¯t really matter. The two of them looked at each other. The conversations that followed got to be confusing again for Max. He calmed down at this point and leaned against the near wall and listened. Phaedra and Enchoron now went about discussing theories and information on where they might be able to find the query. The sun¡¯s rays were just beginning to peek into the hallway.

    Finally, after Max obviously zoned out for several minutes, staring at the beams of light, illuminating the dust in the stony hall, Enchoron looked to him, ¡°I feel no progress to be made this morn and I¡¯m still quite tired from studying late. Convene for lunch?¡±

    Phaedra shrugged, ¡°I could use some breakfast. I¡¯m famished after a foray North of Rotheburg.¡±

    Max just yawned in response to the two, but he at least looked back to them, paying some attention.

    Though, now with Max having renewed his attention, the two continued a debate with Phaedra insisting private lessons and training and Enchoron insisting a more exploratory approach. After several more minutes of this, the two shrugged together, fatigued from the circular conversation.

    Enchoron headed into his room and Max looked to Phaedra, trying to decide whether to go with her for breakfast or finish his rest.

    Phaedra made the decision easy for him. Her hand touched his cheek ever so daintily. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to wake you, in truth, I just wanted to make sure you were both really here. Rest up now and we¡¯ll catch up over lunch. Come early.¡± She winked at Max.

    Before he could respond, she turned and started back toward the common room. Max immediately regretted not reaching out to hug her when he had the chance.

 A New Friend

    To aid in their studies and tutoring of Max, Phaedra acquired an additional inn room that the three then rearranged as a private meeting room and makeshift study. This finally gave Enchoron an private place to teach Max and a place to allow them to discuss things not meant for any outside ears.

    Enchoron brought forth such a vast assortment of books that he¡¯d temporarily hired an assistant to carry them to their private meeting room. ¡°So many lessons, so much of this world to go over. You need to become not just a back country peasant.¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡± Max looked over at Phaedra, not wanting to seem so simple.

    Enchoron noticed the glance, ¡°I meant nothing by it. We all know you have something that we can sculpt into a special talent indeed.¡±

    **

    The boy that Enchoron had hired looked strong of back. He didn¡¯t look as though he was an apprentice or one that lives a sedate life. Max had to wonder what it was around here a laborer would do, other than carry books.

    Max followed the boy. His hair was in a perfect, plain straight cut at medium length around his head like a bowl. His clothes were functional with a number of pouches and a sturdy looking belt.

    Max felt like a bit of a slouch. He realized as he looked at the boy¡¯s attire and appearance, that Max¡¯s hair was a mess of a brown mop on his head and his tunic was stained still with dried blood as well as dirt and particles of grass and even a little bit of leaves. Max was used to life out in the country, and he was not used to getting cleaned up to look so nice as this boy.

    As the boy dropped off a small stack of books and went to walk to the main floor of the tavern where most of the people staying in the inn took their sup, Max followed him.

    The boy looked at Max with a raised eyebrow and then Max spoke as he felt the cool collection of the boy¡¯s outlook, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m sort of new to this whole kind of place. I¡¯m a...¡± he didn¡¯t want to use the terms Enchoron had, not to describe himself. ¡°Anyway, my name is Max. I was wondering, we seem about the same age. Do you know of anything fun to do in the city for someone like us?¡±

    The boy didn¡¯t stop walking as he went to grab some more of the papers and quills in a box as he dropped them in the spare room turned study. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of time for idle chit chat. That¡¯s not what he paid me for. Grab a box or get out of the way.¡±

    Max blushed and nodded as he took another box with some strange looking bracelet like devices and set them down where he was instructed by his peer.

    As the two finished, the boy collapsed onto a comfy chair and panted. ¡°Thanks. If I don¡¯t finish my task before I goof off, the clients can get mad. Anyway, my name is Coriander.¡±

    Max raised an eyebrow. ¡°Like the plant?¡±

    The boy nodded as he pulled a pick out from his pocket and used it to get at something between two of his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re not the only farm boy in town. My father was not very imaginative. He just liked the taste of the seeds.¡±

    ¡°What brought you to the city?¡± Max asked.

    Coriander nodded, as he stopped picking at his teeth and pocketed the little stick. ¡°The farm isn¡¯t far from here. When I saw an opportunity not to be a farmer like my father, I took it.¡± He saw a look in Max that there was some empathy there. ¡°So, when one of the Paladins of Rothe came through our village when we were selling product after the harvest, I begged him to let me come along. I showed him what a strong back I had and that I had a good work ethic. He took me with him here to Rotheburg.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Paladins of Rothe?¡±

    Coriander chuckled, ¡°You aren¡¯t from nearby. The Paladins are known well here but their name is spoken far to the South and all the way up to the Northern summer ports as well. They maintain a barracks and temple here and they keep an eye on the mists of below.¡±

    Max nodded and laughed. ¡°Oh yeah, one of the local drunks in the tavern tried to scare me with tales of the mists. That¡¯s the fog below all the bridges and towers right?¡±

    Coriander nodded, taking on a serious expression. ¡°Its no laughing matter. Lots of rumors about where the mist came from, but its been here for many generations. The Paladins were here before the mists set in, but they don¡¯t plan to leave their presence here behind until the mists are long gone. They seem themselves as the protectors of the remnants of the city towers. I want to be one some day. But, well, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever make it.¡±

    Max thought to ask why, but then Coriander raised his arm and he could see that Coriander¡¯s hand was malformed. Perhaps an accident, or perhaps something from birth, but either way, he only had one good hand. He didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d missed that with all the physical labor Coriander had just done.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Max said quietly and blushed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Coriander shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t be. I¡¯ll be the first to join the order with only one good hand. There are certainly Paladins that lose limbs during their service, but I¡¯ll be the first to start that way.¡±

    Max nodded and respected that. He could sense that Coriander had long since left any shame behind and was proud of who he was. ¡°You¡¯re great. Can we be friends? Mine are all long behind me.¡±

    Coriander put out his good hand and Max shook it. ¡°You were asking about what boys our age can do around here for fun. Well, it is dangerous around the city with the mists, but there is a game they play near the West Watch tower called Grafter.¡±

    Max¡¯s ears perked up, ¡°Really? We played that back home all the time. How do they play it here without a field and trees?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯d play it in a field to be honest. The ball is sticky with sap and it gets tossed or kicked up on the side of the tower. Points for how high up the tower it goes and then more points for whichever team climbs to it first.¡±

    Max blushes. ¡°That sounds dangerous. What if they fall into the mists?¡±

    Coriander replies, ¡°Well, its become something of a hobby for many that travel here from the East. So, they have put in a good many nets and rope webs to cover the whole playing area. There hasn¡¯t been an incident that I¡¯ve ever known.¡±

    ¡°I hope I get to play some time.¡±

    ¡°I hope so too. Maybe I¡¯ll see you there.¡±

    ¡°Can you play even with your hand being unable to grab things?¡± Max asked.

    Coriander nods and grins, ¡°You saw how I carried the books. I make do just fine. Well, if you find yourself near the auxiliary quarters of the Paladins, keep an eye out for me.¡±

    With that, a new friend made, Coriander stood and Max stood and they both embraced in a friendly hug. Coriander and Max said nearly at the same time, ¡°country boys stick together.¡±

    They laughed as Coriander left and Max looked over and felt intimidated by the grand stack of books that was to be his work to come. At least it was his work until he could find one of these Scions.

    He¡¯d never done so much reading as Mathew had, but he did seem to pick up on things of those around him when they let him. He hoped the same would be true of Enchoron, who he had already seen rapidly read through a number of dense looking texts.

    He slid his fingers along the covers of the books, most of them leather bound, but a few were just bound stacks of tough looking paper. ¡°The History of Sargovia. Metamagic and other math. Sargovian Dynasty. A Brief History of the Homesteads. The Pantheons and You. Myths of the Creator. When a God Dies. Traveling the Outer Realms. Casting your First Spell. Huh.¡±

    He heard a chuckle and looked up to see Enchoron now leaning in the doorway. ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard of that last one, is it an acronym?¡± And without Max answering him about his quizzical sound, Enchoron came over and kicked his feet up on the table. ¡°So where do you want to start Mr. Max?¡±

 Finding Power

    Enchoron sat down and settled in at the table stacked high with books. His robes billowed out comfortably around him, looking a little less dense with whatever he kept under them. Still, the many layers drooped down around him and made it always look as if he was in bed, covered in comfortable blankets.

    Enchoron took the top book off of the stack and set it in front of him and started to casually flip through it, not reading but instead looking up at Max. So, you¡¯ve had a chance to look through a few things and I assume something may have caught your eye.¡±

    Max starts to take the books off of the stacks of the many piles in front of him, and even a few off of the floor as there was just not enough room for them all on the table.

    Max spoke up as he plopped down a book about The Pantheons and another about the History of the World. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never really gotten to learn much about the world outside of the Hamlet. For a while, I was a bit confused by the talk I kept hearing about other Gods. We only ever knew of the Goddess and we gave her a few names. But also, history is such a strange concept to me. We had legends. Legends that our home was settling many generations ago by explorers and adventurers that sought to have a simpler life, but I never really gave it much thought more than that. The elder of our home would get a little tight lipped when we asked for more specifics about our origins.¡±

    Enhcoron nodded, ¡°That is plain and clear. In all fairness, a little place like your home generally doesn¡¯t have much of a history unless something incredible were to happen there. Or someone influential came from there.¡±

    Max contemplated as he started flipping through pages, emulating Enchoron. ¡°Do you think... I could put my home on the map some day?¡±

    Enchoron nods, ¡°There is always a chance. I still have yet to test whether you have magical talents as well as your gift. And even with your gift, I want to see the limits of what you have. So, on that note, we are going to spend our time over meals in the tavern trying to have you read people.¡±

    Max stopped flipping pages and brushed his fingers over the manuscript as he looked up at his teacher. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to hurt or offend anyone.¡±

    Enchoron replied confidently, ¡°I don¡¯t intend on that happening, I just want you to try to feel what they¡¯re feeling. Sometimes, that could be a good thing, because someone could be in pain and perhaps you might be able to help them. But... in the mean time, we are going to concern ourselves with educating you a bit.

    ¡°The history of the ancient world and the pantheons wind together quite nicely, so that is probably a wonderful place for us to start. And once you improve on your reading skills, you¡¯ll be able to get so much more without my tutelage. Then, we can start to work on that fundamentals of magic book and lessons.

    ¡°Most historians agree that civilization as we know it started a little over a thousand years ago. What we can truly comprehend as this world and our place in it was a consequence of a series of cascading events. Back before there were pantheons, there was a Creator. The Creator is what built the foundation of everything we see around us. They were a being a unlimited power and potential. That potential was tapped into by their very servants, one that would one day become a pantheon known as the Nobilis. The Nobilis were one day the angels of the Creator. They each were made with a purpose each their own. The Creator could build, yes, but what we believe the Creator wanted was to witness and watch what others would do. This curiosity further passed down the line and the Nobilis then created the sentient species that we all know so much of today.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°So many minds then added that could have such influence on making the world what it is today. The chaotic energy of so many creative minds though are believed to be what caused the Shattering. The Creator in all its power was exponentially copied again and again in small pieces of power. And this caused cracks in reality. Those cracks then led to the destruction of the Creator in the Shattering.

    ¡°At any rate, that is basically how the world came to be what it is today. That Shattering was violent not just on the originator of all, it fragmented the world as well. Many say the planes or fragments that orbit around Sargovia were once a part of this place. No one really knows for sure. If you learn powerful cosmology spells, you can study the orbits of these around our world.¡±

    Max watches Enchoron speak and enjoys the wisdom and that little bit of flare that he adds with his hand gestures. He can almost imagine that bleed through of patrons in the tavern instead being others sitting there entertained by the stories too.

    **

    That next meal that they took in the tavern was the first time that Max started to focus on opening up his mind to reach out to those around him. Enchoron and he worked on a delicious bowl of rabbit stew so piping hot right from the cauldron that rested on the warm hearth.

    ¡°You need to learn, Max, to empty out the thoughts that are filling your own mind. Once you do that, you¡¯ll be able to better understand another¡¯s mind. I¡¯ve seen it in you even in our brief weeks that we¡¯ve traveled together. You confuse what you feel from others with yourself. You need to learn to put up a barrier between the two. If you don¡¯t, well, there is a reason that people with your gift are so rare. You¡¯ll go mad if you don¡¯t learn to properly control it.¡±

    Max still sometimes couldn¡¯t believe this was a gift he actually possessed, wondering if he was just reading subtle signs or even jumping to conclusions.

    Enchoron talked him rhythmically through some breathing exercises and some calming ones. As he did this, it was almost as if the floor under Max dropped away metaphysically and he could feel a pocket of himself folding up down there. He could feel that he was safe and that this moment brought comfort to him.

    Enchoron could see a change in him, ¡°Good good. You¡¯re doing so well. Now, why don¡¯t you try to first close your eyes and just imagine tendrils reaching out from your mind. Now, mind you, I¡¯ve only read of this in books, so I can¡¯t guarantee this is right.¡±

    Max closed his eyes and tries to focus on his mind being larger. He hears the sounds grow louder and then suddenly go dim. He isn¡¯t so sure anything is happening with his eyes closed. It seems almost as if everyone has just gone silent and must be staring at him being so strange.

    Max feels a hand on his, and then feels a different hand on his other one as well. He hears the soothing voice of Phaedra. ¡°I¡¯m here too Max. You¡¯re doing just fine.¡±

    He must have been sitting there in silence for some time, but he could tell he had not moved. Max tries to not just push out all of his mind, he tries to focus it as if his mind is walking the room. And that¡¯s when he senses it. A barmaid, she¡¯s tired but pleased with her work. She is flirting with a man nearby. She¡¯s happy and she seems to wonder if this is going to be someone more to her.

    He reaches to another direction. That is when he nearly falls out of the chair. If it was not for both of his hands being held, he would have fallen right onto his back. The chair screeches under him and he gasps. His eyes open and they dart about the room, trying to know who he¡¯d just felt.

    Phaedra squeezes his hand and Enchoron moves to look into his eyes. ¡°What is it? Max? Did it work? You look spooked.¡±

    Max nods, ¡°Someone in here is malicious. The feelings were of hatred, fear, and um... uh... violent intent. I can¡¯t tell who it was. It.. makes me shiver.¡± And Max indeed did start shivering.

    ¡°Lets get you back to your chambers.¡± Phaedra said as she stood and helped Max to his feet. His knees were weak and he wobbled and Phaedra¡¯s hands held him steady.

    Moments later, he¡¯s laying in bed and he goes to sleep rather quickly, exhausted from the exertion.

 Grafter in Rotheburg

    In the coming weeks, Enchoron taught Max about subjects that he found appealing. They still went out to the tavern for their meals, but Phaedra made herself present during each of them. Outside of those times, she rarely seemed to be in their adjoining set of rooms.

    As time went on, the attitude relaxed. Perhaps this feeling wasn¡¯t targeted at him in particular. After all, Rotheburg¡¯s taverns did have a number of travelers and with the wars in recent times between the forces allied with Rotheburg, and those of the Dumar Citadel, mercenaries were not an uncommon sight.

    Max learned about the chief pantheons, the Nobilis and the Shardborn. He¡¯d not understood why it truly mattered what Gods someone worshipped, but he¡¯d also learned that there had been wars covering the continent that were because of these zealots on both sides.

    He learned about the old Sargovian Empire and the dynasty. This city was founded by that empire. It had all started with an immortal emperor become God that united the continent under his rule through a series of conquests and liberations.

    There was so much to learn, and there seemed to be so much time as well.

    Max started to leave the tower the tavern was in more and more, taking time to go and rest against the bridges and to peer off into the mist.

    One day, he finally got the courage to head to the western part of the city. It was there that he heard the sounds of people playing loudly. He walked several bridgeways and started to spot a series of nets illuminated by the grey mists under them.

    ¡°Here it is!¡± Max said excitedly as he saw a group of people cheering and betting on a Grafter game. He rushed over to get a good look and that is when he finally saw his new friend, Coriander, again.

    Coriander was wearing a tabard that denoted his team color and he was currently in the middle of climbing the far tower that was built into the city wall. Max saw that he¡¯d been right, his apparent disability was not one at all when it came to digging his hand into the gaps between the stones. The ball was about 20 feet up from the nets that they crawled along and Max could immediately see just how much more intensive the game was here. People were tackling each other and dropping into the nets and others were climbing for the ball and trying to pull each other down or climb on top of each other.

    The game wasn¡¯t violent, but it was physically rigorous. He watched as Coriander managed to climb the tower stones and approach the ball at the same time as someone from the other colored tabard did as well. Coriander looked down and back and saw that he had another team mate close on his own heels. ¡°Not today.¡± He called out to the other player that was so close to the sticky ball. He took a leap of faith as he launched off the wall and wrapped his arms around that players waist. A high pitched yelp came from them and they both fell into the netting.

    Coriander cheered from where he was wrapped up in the net with that other player as his team mate managed to grab the ball and hoist it up in victory.

    As they celebrated and they brought the ball back to an old tower top that was lower in height and aligning with the upper nets, Coriander spotted Max.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Max waves over at him. He bounds over through the elastic netting and climbs up a small ladder to the stands. ¡°Max. Its been a while. I was wondering if we were going to see you.¡±

    Max smiles at Coriander and puts a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy learning. I haven¡¯t had much time to explore further.¡±

    Coriander waves an arm as he gets the attention of the other players. ¡°Hey everyone, this is Max. He¡¯s from the Homesteads. They play Grafter back where he¡¯s from too.¡± The players from both teams waved, looking to be rather excited for another friend. Coriander looks back at Max. ¡°In fact, do you want to play a round for old times sake?¡±

    ¡°No, really, I don¡¯t think I should.¡± Max shook his head, almost intimidated by how much more involved the game looked here than it was compared to his game back home.

    Coriander put a reaffirming hand on Max¡¯s shoulder and then stripped off the tabard he had been wearing. It was quite clear that Coriander had a better physique and it made Max blush to see it. ¡°Nonsense, get out there, just for one round.¡± And with that he put the tabard into Max¡¯s hand. ¡°Just watch out for Jessica. She is quite a tough opponent, so quick.¡± And he points to the player that he¡¯d tugged down off the wall to save the victory.

    ¡°Okay, why not.¡± He shrugs as he puts the tabard on tightly over his tunic to not get Coriander¡¯s sweat on him.

    ¡°Off you go.¡± Coriander says playfully as he gives him a little push down into the nets to where the others gather to start the play.

    Jessica, her hair so short that she looks almost boyish, grins as comes to line up in front of him. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of, country boy.¡±

    Up close, Max actually thought she was pretty cute. She had smudges on her face and had a bit of a look of a street urchin, but her skin also looked soft and her eyes were a cool green hue.

    Max lines up along with all of the other players on both teams, some of the bigger players were on the solitary bridge that went up to the tower that they played on, obviously ready to wrestle more than go for the ball, taking out the quick and easy path.

    The player took the ball and he got set to kick it, one facing of the ball was totally devoid of the sticky sap so that it could be easily launched as far as the tower. A player would score no points if the ball didn¡¯t at least hit the tower.

    The guy kicking it had a little hint of beard, but was still too young to grow a full one, but his legs were bursting with musculature. He held the ball and spun about as he lobbed it up in the air and then gave it a kick, sending it pretty high up on the tower, probably about twenty-five feet. All of the players started to scramble and run as each team mate tried to posture to help someone else get by.

    Max could see why Jessica was formidable in the nets. She was an acrobat in her movements. She managed to wrap her body around Max¡¯s and got Max tangled in the net a bit. As soon as that was done. She pushed off Max¡¯s body and bounded in the direction of the tower.

    Max was panting already and he¡¯d barely made any progress at all. He could see the safety net below this one, the last defense against falling into the mists. This sport here was definitely one for the daredevils.

    He managed to get his leg out from in the netting and gingerly crawled along it. He didn¡¯t have the skills for this and he made it only to the base of the tower by the time Jessica was securing the ball after pushing her foot off of the shoulder of one of Max¡¯s team mates.

    All of them laughed and cheered and had a wonderful time. Max liked getting this chance to restart with kids his age, though of course, this was not like at the Hamlet. They were all nearly men and women if not some of them actually were already.

    Still, Max recognized something. Unlike those strenuous moments like playing Grafter when he was younger, he seemed to be able to keep a cool head and not get overwhelmed by all the feelings.

    He went to go climb up out of the netting when he felt a dainty but strong hand on his shoulder. ¡°Max, you did alright, at least you touched the tower. It was nice playing with you.¡± He looked back and saw Jessica smiling and he could immediately sense that it was genuine.

 Studies Interrupted

    Max¡¯s enthusiasm for study suffered for a few hours the next day, but after that, it seemed to have rejuvenated him. Enchoron was pleased to see how his reading had improved, probably even to rival his old friend Mathew¡¯s reading abilities now with the complex tales that he¡¯d comprehended.

    After a simple history lesson about the Homesteads of his homeland, how it had for so long been the breadbasket of the continent, he even got to have some simple lessons on the workings of some simplistic magic tricks.

    Max had his usual moment at lunch, reading the feelings of those in the tavern. The tavern felt different that day. He couldn¡¯t quite place it, but it just felt so very muted and with a lack of energy. He looked around at the people and there were some local masons, traveling merchants, and a few extra hands from the poor northern city of Burklyn. He sensed the bar maid that was again trying to find the perfect man to give her an adventure. He wondered often why it was that she never seemed to come to him, flirt with him, but alas it appeared that she didn¡¯t like younger men like him.

    With the ease of all those feelings, his mind open more and it felt as though it encompassed the entire room. He started to have trouble breathing. Enchoron looked over and put down the wooden spoon filled with the lentil and vegetable stew that was on offer that day.

    ¡°Max? Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°I just need... some fresh air. Everything is fine.¡±

    Max stood and dropped his spoon in the soup. He walked out the heavy oak door of the tavern and took a long breath outside. Sometimes, he missed the golden fields of harvest time at home. The rolling hills there went on so far. Up here in the towers and on the bridges, he was so high that unless he was on the outer walls, he just saw sky. There were no mountain ranges near enough, though on a clear day there were some seen to the East. On the western side, there was a solitary distant volcano, only evident when it put up some stacked plumes of smoke.

    He walked over to the edge of one of the nearby bridges, leaning against a familiar keystone that he¡¯d often gone to to think. He looked down into the swirling mists. Sometimes, if he focused with more intensity down on the mist, he could sense the turmoil there. It was as if it had a feeling all on its own.

    The distraction was enough as he looked down that he did not notice the dark cloaked outsiders that approached him. They crept along the misty wooden planks of the bridge and towards him.

    Drawing dark and twisted blades, they stalked to near striking distance as the three of them spread out in formation to all be able to strike simultaneously. Dropping down from the parapet above the tavern and taking the assassins by surprise was the sleek and dangerous figure of Phaedra.

    Her thin dueling blade drove down into the shoulder of one of the three assassins and sent him staggering forward, the other just barely dodging the clash and leaping forward towards Max. Max turned and screamed as he finally saw the assailants having lost himself in such a place as those swirling mists of another realm.

    Even now, he wasn¡¯t so sure what he could do to help, but he found himself stepping back to dodge the assassin¡¯s blade out of survival reflex. His back collided with the keystone and sent a painful trigger through his body.

    Phaedra rode the one that she¡¯d stabbed to the edge of the bridge and slid her blade back as she kicked him off and into the mists. She turned to find herself facing off with the third assassin while Max was still busy fending for his life.

    Phaedra pulled her parrying dagger and stood en garde. These two entered into a matched series of parries and strikes as they step back and forth trying to find an opening. As good as Phaedra was, this assassin was just as good it seemed. She was fortunate to have gotten the jump on the other one.

    Meanwhile, Max fought for his life. He grabbed at a pot that had been left outside of the tavern and swung it at the assailant. It was only a temporary opportunity to hold this black robed figure back. The assassin leapt forward and Max tried to dodge as he tripped on a stone corner of the courtyard outside of the tavern. The assassin pierced Max under the rib, not so deeply with the dagger.

    Max stood and put his fists up to try to defend himself. He found that suddenly he was unable to stand and he saw his fists swaying in double vision. Then, the side of his head kissed the ground as he faded. He lay there as he felt himself being picked up into the would be assassin¡¯s arms. He sensed the ground moving quickly as he was carried away from the fight.

    A sudden emoting of words of power danced on the air. Max could barely tell what was happening as the one that was carrying him stumbled and dropped him and slid down unconscious.

    **

    After going over many of the books and looking for tales and poems about Scions, Max moved outside to get some fresh air. Max breathed the cool air the blew over the tower and rushed around and into the depths of the city in torrents of power. Phaedra followed behind him. ¡°Sometimes he just thinks about the grand scope. The world and the dangers that face it. It¡¯s the job of the wizards.¡±

    ¡°What does this have to do with? I know, the wizards have some great place, like they are sitting up on high and looking down over the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t really bringing that up to focus on the grand scope that they look at. I¡¯m saying that the visceral is sometimes lost on them. Enchoron¡¯s words can come across as though you are just a tool, but we know that¡¯s not true. Max,¡± Phaedra put a hand on the balcony right next to his, so close that her heat almost warmed his hand in contrast to the chill air. ¡°Be a man and make something of yourself, not just something for other people. Define yourself and become strong in your choices.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Phaedra spent extensive time in the mornings setting up way points throughout the city for Max to then run through. Each day, the courses got more and more difficult and physically demanding. Dummies would swing faux weapons at him at intervals during the courses. They might not have been real, but the weapons still stung, nonetheless.

    If he was going to make sure that the part he played in the events of the future, he would have to be ready. Phaedra taught him more about how to fight.

    Enchoron took Max to a quiet tower that bore little in the way of decoration. The cleanliness of the tower marked it unique amongst the many towers. Max studied each figure inside the tower, curiously. They all seemed so calm, they almost didn¡¯t seem sentient, but they were all quite human.

    ¡°Your gift can have difficulties at reading those that are clear minded. These Monks of the Sharp Tower are an excellent example. You¡¯ll have to get better if you¡¯re to use your gift to greatest strength. After all, the most valuable targets to use it on are those that are the best at hiding from the outside world.¡± Enchoron nodded respectfully to one monk, whom returned the regards.

    In this quiet place, Max started to work on harnessing his empathic gifts. Enchoron used the whole of Rotheburg as the playground for testing Max with his power. They moved from tavern to garden, to gate. Slowly, Max opened his mind and sharpened his strength.

    One morning, Max found Enchoron sitting and eating breakfast porridge much as he did most mornings. Max sat across from him, ¡°Where will we try to push my limits this day?¡±

    Enchoron finished chewing slowly, dabbed his lips with a towel, and smiled widely, ¡°Today, and for some days to come, we¡¯ll be working on something new.¡± He pulled a belt out of a sack on the floor next to him and yanked a device out of the belt. Enchoron hefted it for a moment, then he set it on the table and slid it across to Max.

    Max picked up the device as Enchoron scooped up another spoon full of porridge. ¡°It¡¯s time you learn about all the secrets of wizardry, much as my mentor once did for me.¡±

    Time flew by with the training¡¯s of Enchoron. Wizards seemed so mysterious, but it became quite clear to Max that they just studied and knew so much of the world¡¯s secrets that it seemed like such magic.

    One day, only books of history and many maps lay on the table and piled on the nearby floor. This looked to lead into a number of days of more mundane lessons. Enchoron motioned for Max to sit. ¡°Get comfortable. Today, we begin your lessons on history and geography. You need to know all of the things that go on in the greater world. Rotheburg, this city that we now grace with our presence, is one of the three cities that stood strong in support of Sargovia when the world rebelled against the imperial capital. The other two were Genma and Zu. Each of them was ruled by an immortal child or ancestor of Darioon, the God and Emperor of man.¡° All of the lands that you have seen and most of the mortal lands you will travel once belonged to the Sargovian Empire. Darioon conqured and united all of the known world. His ancestors inherited some of his immortality in some aspect, though not truly immortal themselves. Rothe was known for his courage. You will see as you speak to others here, that his influence can still be felt among the locals that have long called this place home.

    Rotheburg is North of Atras, the old imperial capital. Atras is pretty much the center of the world that still remains intact. Travel an equal distance on this world in just about any direction from Atras and you¡¯ll arrive at the shattered lands. Those are the lands that are all that remain after the Shattering tore the moons, planes, or fragments apart.

    ¡°All those moons you see in the sky, those are referred to in a number of ways, though I like to call them the moons, as they have become moons that orbit the Old World. When each tore itself apart, each moon maintained a different aspect of the universe, and that may be one of the few mystical elements of the geography that I have yet to find a good explanation for.¡±

    The first lesson covered much of the geography of the Old World and some of the moons or planes. Max had not decided for himself what name made the most sense to him.

    The next lesson went into history early the next morning, before Max¡¯s physically intense training drained him of focus.

    The lessons went on for too many days. Max sat and wondered when his training would focus again on more applicable knowledge. Enchoron would often repeat the same knowledge, and Max would know that he repeated something but still couldn¡¯t remember what knowledge he should impart.

    Finally, again, Enchoron started to repeat another historical tale, but this time, Max perked up in his seat. Max blurted out an ingteruption while Enchoron had been in mid-sentence. ¡°Because the nature of the Shardborn is fickle and transitory. Gabriela joined the ranks of the gods from a humble healer. All those that traveled with her hoped to receive the shard of the creator, but their nature¡¯s already had representation amongst the pantheons. So the nature of the gods is balanced among the aspects of reality, but that doesn¡¯t mean we have to support and worship all of them. That¡¯s what the various philosophies of the pantheons is all about!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me while I try to teach.¡± Enchoron slammed closed the book and gave Max a stern look.

    Max¡¯s smile faded, then just as quick as his interruption, his smile returned and he laughed. Max sensed that Enchoron was quite proud and pleased, not angry.

    At that, Enchoron also bellowed out a laugh. ¡°That¡¯s not quite the point I wanted to make, but that¡¯s a good one.¡±

    Each night ended with Max, Phaedra, and Enchoron looking through stacks of papers, books and journals, seeking any information about Scions that they could discern.

    Max lay in bed most nights, unable to sleep, thinking about home and about Belka. It was strange how far away it felt and how it felt like boyhood memories and fantasy. He felt for Phaedra like a man would feel for a woman. This life and that life in the hamlet seemed like two different people.

    His training with Phaedra finally came to a climax after he lost track of days that she defeated him in their sparring and his head hurt as if bloated from the infusion of knowledge he¡¯d gotten.

    Finally, after Max put up this, his most valiant of efforts at dueling Phaedra, bleeding from his cheek from a near cut, Phaedra lowered her blade. She stared at him hard for a long moment. ¡°I can¡¯t expect that by the end of this you shall be my equal in a duel.¡± A sharp pain grew in Max¡¯s heart, though he knew her words to be true. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this out of disappointment. You¡¯ve learned so much, so quickly.¡±

    Max lowered the dueling sword and removed the thick glove he wore on his other hand, undoing the belt that housed his ray gun. He walked over to the stone balcony and looked over the extent of hazy Rotheburg.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be good enough to face the future. I¡¯m not being good enough for you.¡±

    Phaedra quietly appeared at his side, looking over the city. ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯re diverse in ways I could never hope to be. To show you, I¡¯ll give you this.¡± She held out a bracelet. It did not shine with obvious value of precious metal and stones, but it looked quite ancient.

 Moving On

    Max walked into the make shift study that the additional rented

    inn room had become.

    He would be surprised if Mathew even recognized him. Still, he

    could not be sure how Phaedra felt for him. It was obvious that she did care.

    He was not sure if it went further than the care and concern a close friend

    feels. He hoped that someday he would find out and that it would go further.

    After all of the time training, after all of the time researching,

    Max would never guess that the possible solution to their conundrum would fall

    right into their laps.

    He had lost all sense of time. He watched the sun set. He watched

    the rise and fall of the season, certainly, but beyond that, the old gauges

    were long gone. It used to be the fields that he and his kin watched to

    determine just how much time passed.

    Enchoron and Phaedra laughed as they walked down the hallway

    towards Max¡¯s bed chamber. He was surprised just how friendly the two of them

    were now after the display he remembered of seeing them arguing over his fate

    in the hallway that they now walked down.

    Max was standing in his doorway to greet them as they approached.

    The expression they shared said that they knew something new this day. Perhaps

    it was a breakthrough into their research? Maybe they sensed Max was skilled to

    the point at which they could no longer help him? ¡°What¡¯s new? We¡¯re ready to

    move aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Enchoron nodded and Phaedra shot Max a warm smile, the deep manly

    voice answered, ¡°Indeed. Perhaps not in the way that we would have perceived,

    but that is the way of the world. For those that believe in fate, they would

    blame it for this opportunity. I believe though that it is more about the skill

    of perception that we have utilized throughout these past days.¡±

    ¡°Get to the point old man,¡± Max, the studious pupil, smiled. All

    three knew the jape at the youthful mentor when they heard it.

    As she stopped moving, Phaedra¡¯s hair fell calmly at her side.

    ¡°Let me interject. There is a man traveling through the plane of War, very near

    to the area on the other side of Rotheburg. He knows of where we can find a

    Scion. Rumor has it, he visits one fairly frequently. Or at least he did until

    that Scions home was invaded by forces from beyond The Creator¡¯s Realm.¡±

    Max nodded with understanding. He knew that name was used to

    describe the known cosmos that was made up of the fragments of that first Gods

    creation. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±

    ¡°Pelos,¡± they both answered together. His mentor of devices

    continued, ¡°he does not know yet that he will be aiding us. In fact, I will

    have to separate ways with you for the time being. You see, Pelos and I do not

    always see eye to eye. You will have a better chance of convincing or foolingEnjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    him without my presence there to distract him.¡±

    ¡°So you are staying behind? Why? I would rather have you along.¡±

    ¡°You must be able to walk on your own two feet. Besides, I also

    need to wait here for your friend, Mathew. He has not abandoned you. I do

    believe, he is on his way here now.¡± Enchoron smiled sardonically.

    ¡°What? How? When did you learn of this?¡± Max couldn¡¯t believe his

    ears.

    Enchoron palmed his crystalline orb from out of his deepest

    pocket. He didn¡¯t say a word, he just looked over at the orb and stared into

    its depths for a moment. ¡°So I should stay here.¡±

    Max nodded in agreement, ¡°That does sound like a good reason to

    stay behind. You aren¡¯t running off to go do something sneaky that I should be

    told about are you?¡±

    Enchoron made wide waving motion with one arm towards the other

    end of the hallway. ¡°On that note, I suppose it is time that I return to my

    studies. Take good care of him, you long haired beauty you!¡±

    Phaedra shook her head. She showed just the hint of a blush. She

    muttered something under her breath that was an affectionate phrase for the

    robed man. She looked up at Max. ¡°Are you all ready to travel my new man?¡± She

    tapped him with an enclosed fist.

    ¡°I better start packing. I did not realize we would be leaving so

    soon.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while you know. You can¡¯t stay cooped up in the

    walls of this city forever you know?¡± She followed him into the room as he turned

    to start getting his belongings together. ¡°The lousy oaf is at least leaving

    you with this gift to help us along.¡±

    He turned back to her and looked down at her hands. They were held

    together in front of her body holding an object wrapped in soft, expensive

    cloth. He raised an eyebrow. He was pretty sure he knew what it was. He put

    down the clothes he had started folding. His hands shook as they started to

    unfold the cloth. Even the cloth was worth a good bit of gold, but what was

    inside was nearly priceless.

    Max practiced with this device. Even Phaedra was in awe of it

    then. Now she was excited to be the one presenting it to her. The last bit of

    the cloth fell away and revealed what Enchoron has affectionately referred to

    as a ray gun.

    They started to descend the steps of the tavern that led into the

    fog. Phaedra walked into the fog without more than a look back. Max was right

    on the edge. He stared as hard as he could and now amount of concentration

    could pierce the veil before him. He would have to take a blind step forward.

    At least he knew that she was already on the other side, they would die

    together if they did die. Somehow that thought was not all that comforting. Max

    shook his head to get rid of that image. Then, without even looking back, he stepped

    forth into the fog. The feeling choked him for a moment. He felt cold and hot

    at the same moment. All over his body, there was a tingling sensation like he

    was being pricked by a thousand needles all at once.

    He opened his eyes. The view was not foggy at all. The stone walls

    that surrounded the stone staircase were still there. They were worn with much

    more age. They were chipped and broken. There were even segments of wall up

    ahead that had completely collapsed. Those kinds of gaps in the Old World would

    cause the tower to tumble.

    ¡°Come on. Hurry up! No time to waste. We need to get to a good

    spot to view the area from or we might miss our chance.¡± The voice was coming

    from out of sight, but definitely dead ahead down the stairs.

    Max moved at a near run to catch up. He was still being cautious,

    but he was using his arms against the walls to balance himself and make the

    speedy descent much easier to handle. He could see a massive source of light

    was making the hall up ahead glow. He rounded the final corner and saw Phaedra

    standing on the edge of the last stone step, looking out into the embattled

    terrain ahead. The sun here was bright and blazing like no season he ever

    encountered during his years in the hamlet. The heat from that distant source

    was intense. He saw meteorites shooting down through the sky, burning lines of

    fire all over the scene outside the tower. He saw another one of the towers up

    ahead, the upper portion that was in the other world was instead just a ruined

    pile of debris in this one.

    It would take him an age to try to understand the science behind

    how any of this worked. At least he had the knowledge of science to operate the

    ray gun at his side if all else failed. She smiled at him as she noticed him

    looking down and checking out the side arm.

    She pointed across the scarred, open ground. ¡°Over that way is a

    good vantage point. Follow me. Watch for falling rocks...¡±

    They waited atop the ruin on the hill. During their time there,

    Max did see one of the meteorites strike home nearby, scarring the ground with

    a deep trench. This was a place where you had to watch where you walk. All

    those deep trenches and craters would give someone a bad day if they fell in

    without knowing it was coming.

    He saw a lone figure walking through the wasteland towards

    Rotheburg. The man was wearing strange clothes that fit his body like a glove.

    He also looked beat and tired through the shimmering humidity that was

    apparently commonplace on most of the War Plane. He stood up and pointed. His

    friend got up and came over, shielding her eyes from the brightness of the sun.

    She grinned, ¡°That¡¯s him. He looks like he¡¯s been through the Burtox Den if you

    ask me.¡±

    ¡°The realm of devils and darkness and cold?¡±

    ¡°It was just an exaggeration? I¡¯m not serious.¡± She put a supportive

    hand on Max¡¯s shoulder.

    She hopped down off of the ruined piece of rock they claimed as

    their watch post. She offered to help him down, but he declined. He slid down

    the side of the rock and then let go in one swift motion, landing on his feet.

    The distant man spotted them long before they were upon him. He

    took a defensive position and seemed to be preparing for the worst. They both

    waved and kept their weapons sheathed. The soft voice of Phaedra rang out

    loudly, ¡°Pelos, we are not hear to fight you or arrest you. We are here to

    talk. We are hopefully here to ask for your help if you will grace us with

    that. If not, we can always escort you to Rotheburg.¡±

    The figure peered out from behind a rock, he stepped back and

    thinking he was out of sight, he adjusted his suit and took in a deep breath.

    He then stepped back into sight from around the rock, ¡°Well, what sort of help

    are you looking for? And yes, I¡¯d certainly like an escort, just keep your

    distance until I am sure you are not just going to grab me and take me in.¡±

 Pelos

    They approached him calmly with their hands visible in the air at

    their sides. The man was surrounded by this air of confidence, even though he

    appeared unarmed and ragged. His slight adjustment behind the rock did take

    back a little of the ragged description that Max would use for the man.

    Max could feel the waves of nervousness coming off of the man,

    even if he displayed something else. It was quite palpable actually. As the two

    groups got to within easy conversational distance, Max addressed Pelos, ¡°I seek

    out sage advice from one of the Scions. Rumor has it that you visit with one

    fairly regularly. I was hoping you might take us along with you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you see, well there is a problem with that. There might be

    men hunting me, but the things that stalk the place that my Scion friend lives,

    well, they are far worse than anything that exists or is natural here on the

    Old World.¡± He adjusted his jacket and tilted his head as he finished his

    words.

    ¡°We can escort you all the way.¡± Phaedra said with confidence.

    The man sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t think you quite understand the gravity of

    what I am telling you. The city of Spire used to be the domain of one of the

    wisest races of beings in the known cosmos. They have been banished from that

    place and now travel as refugees, trying their best to earn some kind of

    existence. The things that live there now are not easily trifled with.¡±

    Max fed off of Phaedra¡¯s confidence, ¡°You don¡¯t know quite what

    you are looking at. She is a highly trained warrior, and I have skills that few

    possess, because they are natural and cannot be learned.¡±

    The man cocked an eyebrow and his head was still slightly tilted,

    ¡°A man with a natural talent. It sounds a bit like a bad joke. If I do not have

    any records of this talent you possess, I would ask that in exchange for me

    taking you to my friend, you allow me to study you, if what you say is indeed

    true. You have until we walk the distance to the steps of Rotheburg to convince

    me or accept my offer.¡±

    ¡°Look. I come from a small place that believed the outside world

    didn¡¯t even exist.¡±

    ¡°A sheltered farm boy? Fantastic.¡± Pelos said in his sing song,

    pitchy voice.

    Max¡¯s cheeks heated and just before letting into Pelos, Phaedra

    softly touched his arm. Max realized that some of Pelos¡¯s annoyed energy flowed

    into the open conduits of himself. ¡°Okay. Look, yes I am from a backwater. I¡¯ve

    learned a lot about the world by force. You¡¯d probably never have met me or me

    you except that external forces specifically pulled me into the Old World

    beyond. Maybe I would have rather stayed home.¡± Max paused, ¡°No, no I would not

    have wanted that. I have a curious mind, and now all this business about me

    having a destiny I have to fulfill is getting my head and my heart all tied up

    in knots. It¡¯s now that I¡¯m a part of this world at large and apparently need

    to be a part of something. I want to pick the right thing, and I¡¯d like to have

    my own choice. I¡¯ve been informed you might be able to help.¡±

    Just as they were hitting the first stone step that they used

    previously to descend into this place, Pelos pivoted and stopped. ¡°I did hear

    you utter the word prophecy and destiny at some point in all that, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    Phaedra blanched and Max reluctantly nodded. Would such words doom

    them to this man of apparent logic?

    ¡°Those are words that I find interesting. They always come up on

    the cusp of great change, even if those great changes have nothing to do with

    any divine will or predestination. Actually, no one has been able to prove or

    disprove these things.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you will help me?¡± Max stood tall and proud.

    ¡°I have been trying to understand the attackers that invaded my

    home for my entire journey from it. I thought they were the usual jealous noble

    types, but those words do get me thinking that perhaps we are coming to that

    very cusp.¡± He shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to take you there or get myself

    killed in some far off place without the comforts I enjoy, but for the purpose

    of returning my life to normalcy, I will take you.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Max leaped into the air with boyish excitement.

    ¡°We need to find a place where we can crossover. Spire is a good

    distance from here. It orbits in the most fragmented of the planes, the Astral

    Field. Walking there is no good at all. Fortunately, we happen to be in one of

    the easiest places to travel from. Sure, it¡¯s dangerous here, but it¡¯s also

    convenient in a lot of ways.¡± He confidently stepped back down into the ground

    and left the steps behind.

    Even with the shape that Max was in now, compared to before, when

    he lived in the hamlet, his back still ached from the large pack he carried.

    That pack held food and other supplies for him and a good amount that he

    volunteered to carry for Phaedra. Pelos did not have much in the way of

    supplies, but he seemed to be making do.

    #

    Not long after the three set foot to trailblazing across the

    foreign landscape, Pelos stopped and stared off in the distance. He pulled out

    flat piece of glass and stared through it, squinting hard, showing some

    apparent signs of age.

    Phaedra impatiently asked, ¡°What is it? We¡¯re not headed that

    way.¡±

    Pelos removed the eye piece and passed it to Max. ¡°You¡¯ve not

    spent much time here? Look over that way. Look high on the horizon, you¡¯ll see

    the Eastern Spine Mountains that hold up the Old World, as the commoners say.¡±

    Max looked through the glass, finding himself also squinting until

    his brow pushed hard, almost painfuly into the glass. The distant horizon

    looked like a wall of stone with no sky. Jagged, unpredictable rock faces

    jutted out toward Max. He panned down and couldn¡¯t even see where the rock metUnlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    the ground, so far beyond the edge of the horizon of the surface. ¡°Woah.¡±

    Pelos quickly snatched back the eye piece as soon as Max relaxed

    his brow. ¡°Lots of fascinating things to share see? For one like me that¡¯s

    traveled so far.¡±

    The pads of Max¡¯s feet ached by the end of the first day. The

    ground here pushed hard into his feet, pebbled stone, boulders, and even shiny

    glassy looking surfaces. He slept soundly, tucked into a small tent, obscured

    by how well the tent blended with the local ground.

    Max summed up the second day of his travels on the War Plane to a

    shower of meteorites that filled the sky and lit up the darkness with the

    streaks of fire that filled the skies after the sun set to the west of the more

    and more distant Old World.

    The third day, Max experienced large steaming crevasses in the

    rock below his feet. Without nimbleness and various skills, the three of them

    would have turned back there.

    The fourth day involved climbing up and down piles of boulders

    still so hot to the touch that without gloves and full body attire, they would

    have been severly burned. That day was the most miserable of all thus far. He

    sweat so much that his clothes stuck to him and he wished to walk in the nude,

    except that the heat would have his skin sticking to the landscape and then

    ripping off. Fortunately, by nightfall, they made it past the Boiling Stones

    and an often used campsite with a hot spring bath gave them refuge. Max

    marveled at the lack of need for a fire to keep warm or lit up at night.

    The fifth day ended with Max wishing for the brilliant greens and

    golds of the scenery from the hamlet. He never knew he could miss blades of

    grass so much.

    Pelos stood there next to Max, pointy elbows protruding with his hands

    on his hips, ¡°all the planes or moons as some call them are quite stark in

    contrast to the Old World. When you learn them all, you¡¯ll never truly be lost.

    You¡¯d like to know of them all wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    Max nodded, ¡°Indeed I would.¡±

    ¡°Well there¡¯s the Wild, a moon, can I just be one that calls them

    moons? Good, it¡¯s a moon that¡¯s always in flux, falling apart to be remade by

    the great machine. Foothold, which is an underground Labyrinth moon with an

    unlivable surface. The Blessed March is a moon enveloped in clouds, some of

    which have taken form, and that is the place the most devout says has a

    stairway of clouds leading to Highcourt, or the heavens. The Astral Field,

    which is once was more a moon and now is but rocks on the horizons, but still

    close enough to each other to be associated. Harvest is one of the most

    hospitable places. You¡¯d probably find that one the most like home, and it¡¯s

    probably the hardest to distinguish, though the growth there is beyond

    imagining. Then there are the dark places, they orbit closest to the

    Underworld, my mind can¡¯t even fathom what that means. Burtox Den, which is an

    ordered place, but don¡¯t see that as a good thing. Eternal Shadow, which in

    some ways is as close to the Old World as you can get, but the societies and even

    the land itself seem to shape to match. Then, the Nether Storms. Now that¡¯s a

    place I¡¯d not like to ever return to. It¡¯s like an ancient primordial world,

    there are few bastions of safety on that moon.¡±

    It all became a bit much as Pelos launched into deeper

    explanations. Max paid more attention to wondering onward.

    The explanations distracted Max as they walked long into the fifth

    night, only to finally arrive at a structure that must have once belonged to

    civilization. It looked mostly intact, even though it also appeared severely

    cracked, as if dropped from a great height and allowed to rest awkwardly and

    unintentionally on the boulders.

    ¡°That looks comforting, though really, it does not look safe in

    the slightest.¡± Max stood on one foot as he frantically rubbed the bottom of

    his more achy foot.

    ¡°That¡¯s our destination for the night, nonetheless. The storms out

    this way can get rather intensive.¡± Pelos lazily explained, as if Max should

    already have known.

    Upon closer inspection, pock marks of various sizes littered the

    roof of the structure. They had to crouch to get through door way they took, it

    stood cocked looking like a misshapen triangle, partially concealed by rock.

    #

    After resting in the long abandoned shelter, Max awoke to find

    Phaedra was gone. Pelos sat, reading from a small manual that he found in this

    shelter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your friend has not gone far. She wanted to check out a

    hunch before we moved in on the astral train.¡±

    Max yawned and stretched. The sleep this night was the most

    comfortable since they set out on the War Plane. After a few minutes of sitting

    in the cot and rubbing sleep out of his eyes, the door opened. They both jumped

    from surprise but saw quickly that it was Phaedra. ¡°It is as I had feared. We

    are being tracked. A man with giant¡¯s footsteps is somewhere nearby and has

    been following us for some time now.¡±

    Pelos gulped. ¡°Giant¡¯s footsteps? Interesting...¡±

    Max stood up and started to dress for travel. ¡°Then we better get

    moving to get to this astral train before this man catches up to us.¡±

    The three quickly got ready for travel. As they stepped outside,

    Max looked back at the shelter. The roof had taken a beating from all the years

    of its existence. It served them well for their solitary night. He was not

    surprised that no one wanted to live there on the long term.

    The three of them walked with a determined pace, and before long,

    they arrived at their destination. They crested a steep ridge to get a look on

    what they were approaching. Max was blown away as the ridge was actually the

    outside of a very deep crater. Down within the crater was a complex that was

    surrounded by bubbles of shimmering energy. He watched as a meteorite impacted

    the shimmering energy and simply vanished in a fizz and a flash.

    Beyond the complex of bubble shaped buildings that were connected

    with tubes was a massive solitary structure. It ran the whole length of the

    rest of the facility, also surrounded by the shimmering energy. It was a path

    with a set of cars sitting on one far end of it. The other end of it pointed up

    to the sky, high up, but not higher than the lip of the crater. It was easily

    the first bit of this place that anyone would see from a distance.

    ¡°Shall we?¡± Pelos headed down a ledge of the crater that he was

    obviously familiar with. He kicked up a bit of dust and slid in a few spots. It

    was not an easy path, but he definitely mastered this one. The two of them

    looked at each other up on the ridge. They both started the descent, trying to

    follow the path that Pelos took. There were a few nearly catastrophic slip ups,

    but together they made it most of the way down the crater.

    A large booming sound from up ahead caused them all to falter and

    almost stumble. It was the booming sound of acceleration. One set of the cars,

    up ahead were moving quickly towards the exit ramp. Pelos kept moving, the

    other two stopped to marvel as another boom announced the departure of the

    train off of the distant tracks. It flew with great haste along a predetermined

    path up into the sky.

    Max could not help but reach out for a moment to feel for the

    emotions of those on the distant train. The feelings that were reflected back

    to him were unsettling. It was not an exact science, but he could not help but

    feel that those people were somehow connected to everything that was going on.

    Pelos looked up from deep down below in the crater, ¡°Come on! No

    time to waste. We¡¯ve got to make that next train, it is the only one left here

    until another returns.¡±

    It was hard to make out his words over the booming sound of the

    distant train and the distance that was now between them.

    Phaedra grasped his shoulder, ¡°We better get moving. There is no

    telling what to expect, but it is best to listen to the experienced one here.¡±

    Finally, dusty and dirty, they arrived at the bottom of the

    crater. The shimmering energy bubble was just in front of them, and just beyond

    that, the complex and the railway.

    Pelos started to pat the dust and dirt; it fell off of his clothes

    nicely. Almost like magic. ¡°This place has been abandoned for a long time. Only

    occasionally do people...¡±

    Sizzling energy flew past him and exploded against the side of the

    crater, pulverizing a rock. It flew right through the shimmering barrier. He

    ducked down and held his head.

    Phaedra went quickly into action. She started to run forward

    without the hesitation that Max and Pelos showed. She came to the edge of the

    bubble and as she moved through it, the thing shimmered around her.

    Following her lead, Max moved forward. He locked arms with Pelos

    and gave him the momentum needed to move forward through the bubble. It

    shimmered around them as well.

    There were figures taking cover amongst some of the supports that

    held up the strange modular buildings. A couple more were concealed behind one

    of the tubes that came down to ground level and connected up to two of the

    buildings. More energy blasts came from the defensive positions and fortunately

    missed them.

    Pelos dove for the ground behind a couple of small rocks and

    shielded his head with his hands again. Max shrugged and started to maneuver

    with speed to some supports that he could use for cover. He found Phaedra

    there, bow drawn and a unique looking arrow, nocked. ¡°We¡¯ve got to work

    together here. There are a lot of them. Feed off of my energy. Time to use that

    ray gun of yours.¡± He drew the thing and viewed all the switches to make sure

    it was properly set. He glanced around the support at the enemies that waited

    for them. This would be the first time he would use this thing to take a life. It

    would also be the first time he was forced to kill since learning to expand his

    empathic powers. He would have to be careful not to let the flood of pain and

    fear that his victim would feel affect him.

    He and Phaedra both turned the corners of their cover opposite

    each other at nearly the same time. Both also fired shots with bow and ray gun

    to cover their advance. The fight was over much faster than Max expected it

    would be. The two of them moved farther apart, but he strained to reach out and

    feel her emotionally state and feed off of it. Their new positions after each

    maneuver made it so that the enemy could not find cover from them. Max shot and

    killed his first man and Phaedra followed suit with the bow. They turned to

    fight the others that were hiding behind the tube.

    Those few appeared to not have ranged weapons. They used the

    engagement with their allies as a chance to get themselves into position to

    fight. Before they could engage though, they were overwhelmed from behind. A

    familiar figure wielding a great axe bull rushed into one opponent. Then that

    same great axe was swung, one handed in a wide arc. It made a strange

    accelerating sound and smashed both of the men down in the ground. They groaned

    in pain and did not move from their prone positions.

    It was The Brigand! Pater! With the enemy defeated, Phaedra drew

    and arrow and aimed for Pater. Max leveled the ray gun on him as well. There

    was something different about the man. He was missing an arm!

    Phaedra spoke matter-of-factly, ¡°I feared as such. So you are the

    one who has been following us?¡±

    He nodded and dropped the great axe. ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight. This

    will be hard to understand, but I must try to explain. Hopefully those

    empathic...¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± Phaedra took a step forward with the bow aimed

    mercilessly at the now unarmed one armed man.

    He fell to the ground and the look on his face was pained, ¡°I was

    not of my own mind. Phae, we used to work together. I know I did something

    terrible to you that will be hard to make up. Give me a chance.¡±

    Pelos walked up to the scene, ¡°Everyone should calm down. Let¡¯s

    speak like civilized people here.¡± He started to approach Phaedra. Max lowered

    his weapon.

    Before he could close the distance to Phaedra, she spoke, ¡°stand

    your ground and don¡¯t come any closer.¡± Her voice was strained, a tear slid

    down her cheek. ¡°You cannot understand the horrible ways in which this man has

    changed my life.¡±

    ¡°Does not everyone deserve a second chance? An opportunity to correct

    their mistakes?¡±, Pelos asked.

    Max reached out carefully as the others spoke. He felt into the

    energy of the prostrate giant. He felt pain and he felt sorrow. He also felt a

    strange sensation that this man was almost new to him, as if they were not encountered

    and introduced in the past. ¡°Phaedra, there is some truth to his words. He is

    sorry. More than that, he does seem like a different man from before. Please

    put the bow down.¡±

    ¡°You are lucky I didn¡¯t kill you before for what you have done. I

    told you to go far away, I never wanted to see you again. Yet here you are! Why

    tempt fate like this?¡±

    The man fell to his elbows and held his hands together as she

    advanced on him. ¡°Max, you, the world. I owe you all. I¡¯m here to pay my debts.

    Let me fight for you. Let me help you.¡±

    She advanced so that the arrowhead was almost in contact with his

    head, finally Max had enough. ¡°Stop this! You are all here because of me. Now

    listen to me. We have a direction to go. Let us go together. He speaks the

    truth!¡±

    She pulled back on the bow just in time to let the arrow twang out

    into the distance. She strapped the bow on her back and without looking at any

    of them, she headed for the train.

    Max understood, at that moment, the pain Phaedra bared and that it

    did have some association to Pater. He couldn¡¯t let this go without at least

    finding out something. He¡¯d get Phaedra¡¯s side later. Now he needed to know not

    just that he could trust Pater, but he needed knowledge. ¡°Pater.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Pater lunged up to his feet with great bulging leg muscles.

    ¡°Who were you working for? Who did you try to sell me to?¡±

    Pelos looked on curiously.

    Pater¡¯s face contorted as he cringed, and he spoke hesitantly.

    ¡°The man¡¯s name was Daefindel.¡±

 The Train

    The train was designed to hold a large number of people. It felt just empty with only the four of them on board. This was perhaps the most impressive technology that Max ever experienced. It would perhaps not be the last though.

    Phaedra and Pater sat in the same car of the train, but they were as far apart as they could be. They did not speak to each other or even look towards each other. Max was going to have to think of a way to make them settle their differences for good. If they did not, it was quite possible that in the heat of the moment, their animosity would be the end of them all.

    ¡°Before we depart, there are a few things you should all be made aware of. The creatures that now inhabit The Spire have done horrible things to the people that stayed behind who used to call this place home. It is best, that no matter what happens, do not let them pull your heart strings into helping them. You will not be pleased with the result.¡± Pelos was somber and very serious.

    ¡°Are they united? Who are they?¡± Max tried to break the ice of the other three that were being lectured.

    Pelos gave a glare to both Pater and Phaedra. ¡°This is serious. You both need to stop this foolishness. I am here as a volunteer and I don¡¯t intend to get killed, because of the two of you.¡± He looked back to Max, ¡°It is more of a what than a who. They are united. They serve an alien being known as Krakulath. He is their god. They come from beyond the known cosmos. They followed the Plaenitorm here from some distant realm where a distant world now lies in ruins due to the influence of these creatures.¡±

    ¡°The Plaenitorm?¡± Max asked.

    ¡°It is a long story that must wait. We first need to get this machination under way. Then, we will have some time to speak about theories and stories.¡± He turned and headed back into the engine. Max got up from his seat and followed him. The other two remained seated. There was strain evident that they did want to try and mend things, but neither of them wanted to make the first move.

    **

    Max looked upon the most unfathomable of devices. To him, the view screen before him so nothing more than a fantastic piece of abstract art. That alone was hard to grasp, as his upbringing was so practical that abstract things were hard to understand. At least now with his understanding of emotions, he had some concept of more that could not be seen, but could only be sensed. As Max continued to stare at the view screen, Pelos started to laugh in a superior tone that Max quickly understood was condescending.

    Pelos spoke and choked out some words between chuckles, ¡°I¡¯m sorry... This is something I¡¯m familiar with so that look on your face just makes you seem, well... just never mind that. In basic terms this is a way of viewing the various places that we can travel to.¡±

    ¡°Why are the places shaped like circles?¡±

    ¡°Well, not circles, but spheres actually.¡± Max turned his head slightly in confusion, ¡°It¡¯s just a three dimensional, ah never mind.¡± Pelos flipped a few of the switches and the ¡®spheres¡¯ moved quickly so that each was cycled through on the center of the view screen. ¡°We simply move one of the locations to the center and when we execute the command that is where this fancy machine will head to. No need of piloting or anything of the sort. I know, from the way the guilds here make it look, it¡¯s actually quite easy.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    As Max sat in the drive chamber with Pelos, he started to realize that he should not feel inferior to him. Despite having a lack of knowledge of all these magical devices that Pelos had, he understood the invisible world of the waves of energy that came off of living beings. Pelos obviously had no understanding of this subtle world, judging by the way that he obviously saw Max as so inferior.

    The cars started to pick up speed following the tracks that headed into the sky. Minute after minute, looking out the window, it was obvious that the convoy of cars was accelerating rapidly. Here, inside the drive chamber, Max couldn¡¯t feel a difference at all; it was like he was standing still. More of that magic must be at work here.

    ¡°If it¡¯s wisdom that you seek, the best place to go would probably be Spire. Although these days I hear the place is overrun with some quite freakish and strange inhabitants. The old inhabitants of that place would be the best to seek guidance from, but there¡¯s nothing to say we can¡¯t bargain with the new masters!¡± Pelos seemed to have a bit of crazy in his eye. He hoped for adventure, but would it get them killed?

    As the train of cars approached Spire, Max observed that the sky had no blue to it at all. It was just the blackness of night. There was no hue to it at all, just blackness. The stars were brighter than ever though. They each had a halo that provided a good deal of ambient light. At first, the only way to see Spire was the fact that an indefinable shape up ahead blocked all the bright stars that were behind it. As the train approached Spire, the dark rocks that made up the fortress started to come more into focus. The carved city of Spire sat on a floating bed of rock. The area under the city looked like an upside down mountain. The name for the city was easy to determine after seeing it. The center of the city was far taller than the city was wide. There must have been level after level within the cities depths. Max wondered what must have been in the depths below the street level of the city. Where did the old inhabitants grow crops? How did they survive? Where was their water source? Perhaps they had a spring like that of the hamlet. It would have to be massive for such a large city. It didn¡¯t really seem possible.

    The train pulled into a grand station. It was near the crust of the fragment. As the train pulled in, Max viewed the previous grandiose nature in an umbrella of sadness. There were many tracks that were now unusable. Carts, crates, and other debris in every state of disrepair littered much of the area. The lights at the front of the engine were the only tool used by his eyes to gather the evidence of the condition of the station. The giant cavern was littered with light fixtures, all of which were nonfunctional. The train lurched to a halt and the lights on the engine slowly started dimming. Now, the outside of the train was like a black hole of darkness. The interior lights of the train all activated, making it a beacon for any creatures that might be nearby.

    They quickly departed the train via the caboose to avoid standing in the lights as they exited. Any enemies nearby would still be well warned of their arrival. Pater actually mumbled that he would rather they come face them now, that way they would not run off to warn anyone instead. Phaedra actually mumbled a quiet agreement. They moved in single file as quietly as they could along several of the tracks before skipping over a few times to get to the station. The tracks were in a serious state of disrepair, Pelos almost tripped a couple of times over bits that should be solidly in the ground.

 The Scion

    They moved through the buildings next to the tracks and were forced to halt progress a couple of times to listen to distant footsteps and sounds that they could not even identify. This sent shivers down Max¡¯s spine; he stared to wonder if coming here was the wise course of action.

    Pelos continued to lead the way with Pater right behind him. Occasionally, Pater would put a hand on the suited man¡¯s shoulder and force him to stop at a corner. Pelos would always dust himself off after this and look back with a slight bit of contempt. The halls were all short and dark. Without their guide, they would never make it through here. It seemed like it was designed as a maze, but at one point their guide whispered that a maze was not the intention, but the city was compacted into this as he called it, asteroid.

    They finally wound through another featureless hallway and the sight before them was finally different. The chamber was deep and tall. It opened up at a gradual slope and the floor also gradually sunk down so that the room was quite tall at the end. There was what Max would describe as furniture, but it was not like any that he every sat in or ate off of before.

    The suited man stopped at the entrance, ¡°This is it. I will wait here with Phaedra and Pater. Take your time with the Scion. We will watch for the servants of Krakulath.¡±

    Phaedra ruffled Max¡¯s hair and wished him luck, ¡°I hope you find all the answers that you seek. With your gift, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get more than you could hope for.¡±

    Max crawled through the small archway and into the expanded chamber. The chairs there looked like something that a multi-legged creature might benefit from. He almost giggled inappropriately, thinking of how something with hind legs and fore legs would sit in chair.

    Max shivered, looking around the chamber at the finely crafted works of art. Chairs, tables, a bed, tapestries and other exotic pieces that Max could not even begin to imagine a use for littered the room in an organized chaos.

    Then, a figure floated out of a tub near the taller part of the room. He watched as a massive, grey head moved higher. A thick neck with heavy pulsating veins followed and then shoulders that appeared weak and sleek, but also quite broad. Max let out a gasp as the rest of what must have been the Scion¡¯s body floated into view. The face and skin lacked many features that Max considered regular, but perhaps such features belonged only to humanity and other such creatures.

    Separate lights, like stars floated around the now hovering giant. Coronal emissions fired off between the lights providing reflections of color on the otherwise quite plain skin of the Scion.

    Max¡¯s nervousness forced his hand before the Scion could do more than flex his expansive facial muscles. ¡°There really should have been a script for this meeting. I,¡± Max hesitated but continued, ¡°should have prepared a list of all the things I need to ask you. What the shlup, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have remembered to use it anyway.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Max stopped and watched the features on the floating Scion. Again, before any response to the immature greetings could be leveled, Max spoke, ¡°its just that all these people think I¡¯ve got some destiny. I don¡¯t know what to tell them. Do I have a destiny? Are these people really my friends? Do I belong in this world? I was taught growing up to avoid the outside and that it was dead. Should I have taken those lessons to heart?

    Max cocked an eyebrow and looked up at the Scion, mouth hanging open and shoulders slouching. This was his chance to get to answers to all the questions burning inside him. He needed answers to so many grand things and sought answers to very personal ones and yet he just had to stop and hope that the Scion would feel generous enough not to simply squash him.

    The other worldly form waited patiently for him to finish. The being¡¯s head tilted sideways ever so slightly as if to curiously hear him. Once Max finally stopped for a considerable few seconds, the being finally responded.

    ¡°What you must realize is that you have no destiny. All of these people have used soothsayers and fortune finders to learn about you. They weren¡¯t looking at the time for you specifically, but they were looking for that which would determine a significant part of their future. In this way, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. By asking the questions they did, they learned of you. They learned that you would be important to their causes and their efforts. It was these very predictions that made you important, so it really had nothing to do with anything you will do or had done. You could say that in a way, they created a specter of you, one that would be involved in their future, and then they all assumed that you had some greater purpose. There is no greater purpose. They latched on to something, something that ended up being in common with all of them. If none of these foolish mortal fellows had ever asked of their fortunes, you¡¯d more than likely still be sitting in the hamlet getting kicked around by your fellows. So, in a way, you could either blame them or thank them for your current circumstance.

    ¡°As for some of your other questions, I had best not answer them. If I do, events may unfold as I have said simply because you seek to make them so or you seek to avoid them. I am not attempting to use my superior knowledge and my place of power to change the events that will unfold. If I say to you what I see, or what I believe the answers to be, then my will shall be forced upon the world. I do not wish this to be the case. It is this world¡¯s choice and this world¡¯s power to be allowed to take its own path. And besides, I do love surprises. Your path has many turns that I do not wish to deviate.¡±

    ¡°You could probably ask questions until the end of time. Unfortunately, time is what we are short of,¡± the snobbish Pelos said.

    Max started to ask another question of the Scion, but was interrupted by a soft but yelling voice, ¡°Max we¡¯ve got to go. Those things are getting close. We¡¯ll be trapped if we don¡¯t hurry.¡±

    He looked to the strange being on the screen, ¡°I better go. Thank you. I feel as though I can go live my life for me. I can make any choice, I can be happy with any life I want.¡±

    Since he could not read the Scions emotions, he felt a little blind. So the look on the face of this semi-divine being almost confused him. He didn¡¯t spend any time trying to figure it out. The being had been around for probably thousands of years. It would take more than the few minutes that Max was given to figure out the emotions of such a thing.

    His companions ran into the room. All three of them started to yell various things, and he could not understand a single one of them. Great axe and sword were drawn. The snobby well-dressed man looked as he always did, confident but nervous. ¡°We¡¯ve got to fight our way out. We can¡¯t let them come in here and get too suspicious of this room.¡±

    The four of them were side by side, facing the exit, in ready position.

 Escape

    They burst into the hallway and started to move fast. At this pace, they would probably ram right into their enemies before seeming them. That seemed to be just fine by the two of them that were so well trained for close combat, so naturally those two led the way in the darkness. Though, at the speed they were going, their guide had to yell out directions as they ran so they didn¡¯t encounter a wall before encountering an enemy. They turned the corner to the next nodule of passages, and there they were.

    Max and Pelos stumbled back a little bit at the sight of them, their compatriots continued headlong into them. It was dark in the chamber, but here¡¯s what Max could see: beings with wide mouths and something looking not quite so rigged as teeth rimming them, what he would best call arms that were lined the entire length with something akin to fingers, there were two wide holes on their chins that might be part of a nose, and finally they were no visible legs, only many thousands of strands almost looking like hair from their waist level that did not appear to hold up their weight.

    The ramming attack that the two close combatants dealt would have rendered normal men prone and reeling in pain. Unfortunately, these targets were far from normal or men. Instead, upon running into them, both of their targets simply glided backward as if they were not in contact with the ground. This sent Pater and Phaedra nearly face first into the ground as they stumbled. Phaedra broke into a tumbling roll to save herself the embarrassment. This carried her all the way to the new spot her target now stood. Pater was saved only by the sacrifice of his axe to the sky, his solitary hand planted in the ground pushing his entire body sky high and off the floor with amazing strength.

    Max wasn¡¯t stunned for long. He pulled the ray gun free of its holster and quickly manipulated a couple of the settings. The knobs and dials were easy enough to do with the free hand while the weapon hand readied to fire. He acted on a quick hunch upon switching the settings and then fired. As the bright beam of energy hit his target, it not only burned a hole there as would normally be expected, instead the alien being¡¯s waist exploded in a ball of flame that enveloped the rest of its body. Now its body freely collapsed to the ground, or at least what was left of the charred remains.

    ¡°Fire works well!¡± Max exclaimed just as the flames from the explosion were dying down.

    He looked back over to the two melee combatants just in time to see that Pater did not carelessly or desperately throw away the axe. He saw it arc down so that the blade just missed his outstretched arm as he was in mid leap. As soon as he landed, the pommel fell into his hand. The momentum was still carrying the heavy thing forward, but he made it look like it was all part of the plan all along. He simply used his only arm as a lever to guide the weapon. He planted down in his position and the axe lodged itself in the lower torso of the alien. A wheezing sound filled the air as the creature halved in size before their eyes and collapsed to the ground in a heap.

    Phaedra got into a bit more of trouble and was in dire straits. She came up out of her roll ready to slash at the alien, but it moved with graceful precision without a single step. It was out of her way and two more aliens were there to replace it. Both of them wielded pole-arm looking objects. These things would probably be impossible to disarm. These particular weapons grips were from almost one end of their arm to the other with all the little fingers wrapped around them. It made Max think a little bit of thousands of little bugs crawling all over something you wanted to pick up but just couldn¡¯t get the motivation to reach in through the prickly icky things.

    The two beings slashed down upon her, and she survived, just barely parrying one blow while twisting her torso so that the other missed her, for the most part. The sound of blade tearing flesh resounded through the chamber. It was a sound totally different from that of killing the alien beings. She grasped at her side as she performed a spinning parry to knock away both blades. She now stood at the far hallway.

    Another one of the aliens that was free from engagement put a clear circular object over its head. Max dived for the ground, fearing the worst. Pelos was not so quick to react, and Max yelled as he fell, at the man, but he did not seem to have comprehension. He started moving forward towards one of the tunnel exits. Was this his moment of betrayal? Max experienced it before, but he never felt such intentions on the man. The man seemed to be very skilled at preventing people from reading him, so it could mean anything really.

    The object on the aliens head glowed a bright blue color and a beam of energy shot out from it. It struck Pelos! That must mean this was no last moment betrayal. They would have to find their own way back to the station. Then the energy stopped, Max could see a shimmering bubble of energy that surrounded the well-dressed man, and when he looked back, he was fully in tact with no sign of injury. ¡°We¡¯d better high tail it out of here, we are pretty vastly outnumbered.¡±

    They finally broke away from their pursuers. It was obvious that their guide through this foreign place was out of his comfort zone. He looked around for what would be the right passage as he spoke to himself, eliminating options and then adding them back in again. Max heard someone groaning in pain and suffering. He told his friends to quiet down. They asked what was going on and then they all started to hear it as well.

    Pelos was first to form an opinion, as usual, ¡°oh no. We are not going that direction. Do you remember what I told all of you about the former inhabitants of this place? Yes, I know that doesn¡¯t sound like an unfriendly alien, but that doesn¡¯t mean that we should flock towards every such sound. It could just be a trap.¡±

    ¡°Hush up, wise guy.¡± Pater said as he looked to the man he owed a great debt to. ¡°What¡¯ll it be, Max?¡±

    He was thinking as he looked at the different tunnels around them. He laid eyes upon each of his companions to try to get a feeling for what they really wanted to do. ¡°Do you know the way back to the train station from here?¡± Max addressed the stubborn Pelos.

    A long pause was followed by quiet words, ¡°No. I don¡¯t know the way back from this particular nodule. Soon though, just a few more intersections and I will have my bearings.¡±

    He looked towards Phaedra, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I think we could learn vital information from someone that has been captive to these things for a while. And I know that if I was in these people¡¯s shoes, I would want someone to come for me. At least to see me and to know that I was worth a small journey out of the way.¡± She started to walk down the path that the sound was most likely coming down.

    ¡°That settles it then, majority outweighs the few.¡± Max followed her.

    ¡°You know,¡± Pelos said louder to be heard as he chased after his new friends, ¡°that adage is not always the wise way to go, especially when dealing with people that won¡¯t listen to reason.¡± Pater shot him an annoyed look while using his only hand to put the pommel of his axe. ¡°Oh whatever, majority rules, more like the guys with the biggest guns rule.¡±

    They moved down the tunnel ¨Clike hallway single file as they had been and with haste. The groaning got louder until it echoed about them as they entered the next major chamber. There was a figure, collapsed on the ground up ahead. They all approached together and their eyes mostly fell upon this woman. The volunteer guardian of Max, Pater, started to hold back a bit and keep his eyes on the access ways leading to this chamber. As the ambient light became enough to make out more than just the form of a bipedal being, the three that approached all gasped.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°You see, I told you that we should have just left this be. We¡¯ll never get this sight out of our heads. Have you ever seen such an atrocity, is this thing still even a person?¡±

    Max interrupted Pelos, ¡°Quiet, you are scaring her.¡±

    ¡°I think she has every right to be scared, just look at...¡± before he could finish Phaedra actually cupped his mouth with one extended hand.

    Max leaned over. He could feel the pain and fear in the waves of energy that flowed off the poor girl. When Pelos finally gave the signal that he would shut up, he also leaned over to examine the girl medically. He started with her face, not touching her, but giving her basic commands so that he could observe her. She listened, but the look of fear in her eyes made Max blanche.

    Pelos finished his examination and backed off from her. He took a few steps away and turned his back to her. He motioned for the others to come over to speak with him. Phaedra did not listen, she removed her cape and wrapped it around the poor girl who sat up, but she appeared too weak to stand.

    ¡°Those things have done something to her. What¡¯s perhaps stranger than that,¡± he looked over his shoulder at the girl, ¡°is that her kind are not those that used to inhabit and rule Spire before the creatures from beyond came.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible that she could have traveled here afterward or that her family was a rare one that lived here among the others that belonged?¡±

    ¡°Well, such things are always possible. I don¡¯t think that it is the case currently. I¡¯d have to hear her speak to be certain, the dialects of where she is from and this place are quite different.¡±

    Max approached the young woman. She wore the clothes of a member of a lesser class. Now that he took a good long look up close at her, she also carried some sort of beetle, almost a scarab, looking monstrosity in her chest. It was dug in there and it looked painful. ¡°Can you speak? Are you alright to move? We can try to help you.¡±

    She slowly and painfully got out a response. The words were slow and confused. Putting her thoughts together into speech did not help much for answering the questions.

    Pelos nodded fervently after hearing her speak and backed up from her. He motioned for Max to come back over to him. ¡°She is not from here, I am certain of that. I would say she comes from the Wild Plane if I were to place a bet on it. And by the way, I would bet quite a bit on that guess.¡±

    ¡°What do you think it means?¡± Pater said over his shoulder while the two of them were hunched together in quiet conversation.

    ¡°I think it means that this poor looking lady is not as innocent as she would have us believe.¡± Pelos said with great belief behind his words.

    Max responded after glancing over at the girl briefly, ¡°In a way, I know what you mean. She is certainly scared, but there is something else there. Some surety as though this position she is in now is not totally a random incident. Almost as if it is her own fault.¡±

    Pelos rubbed his chin, where some grey black stubble was starting to form, ¡°She was here with others. She was here for a purpose. For a quick, precision mission that I cannot pin down.¡±

    Max approached her. She was still holding on to Phaedra¡¯s cape and Phaedra was holding onto her shoulder to comfort her. He got down to one knee in front of her and made sure his ray gun was out of sight on his belt. ¡°Please be honest with me. I know that you were here for a purpose. What was it?¡±

    She shook her head and her eyes went wide, ¡°No no no no.¡±

    ¡°Calm yourself, we will help you. You can leave this place with us. Please just tell me the truth.¡±

    Phaedra looked up at Max with deep eyes that showed she was not exactly pleased that he decided to ask this victim questions like an interrogation would.

    The trembling woman in the simple clothes also had one other curious possession. It was a belt that carried a hilt for what would be a very thin blade, thinner than any Max ever saw. ¡°I cannot tell you our purpose. I belong to a cult. One that searches and hopes to bring back a dead god and another god receives our prayers that may have ways to bring him back.¡±

    Phaedra let go of her slowly and started to back away. She seemed disturbed by the combinations of what she heard, ¡°You seek the help of the god of undeath. The one who can empower his worshippers to bring anything from the beyond?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but the god we love and cherish, the god who is dead, he would be a great boon to all the peoples of the old world.¡±

    Max thought quickly, ¡°Do you believe in prophecy? What about destiny?¡±

    ¡°Yes... Of course. Our leader, a mortal being, he...¡± she started to groan in pain and grabbed at the scarab on her chest. As soon as her fingers made contact with it, she screeched even louder and her fingers bent in strange ways as her arms waved into the air.

    ¡°Shut her up or knock her out!¡± Pater looked furious and concerned. ¡°We need to start moving. They will have surely heard that.¡±

    ¡°She should tell us more before we try to save her. She won¡¯t tell us another word once we get her out of here!¡± Pelos¡¯s eyes looked as if they would pop out of his head as the stress was getting to him.

    Max looked upon the woman who was at eye level with him on his knees. He tried to shout out a few questions. He tried them again. She was doing nothing but letting out a squeal that pained him through empathy and made the small amount of hair on his arms stand up. ¡°Forget it. We need to help her. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    During their journey through the last few hallways, Phaedra starting nursing her side a bit more. Max came along her side, helping the young woman to walk with one arm. It was apparent now when he got closer, her wound was grave. Her face was usually rather pale, but now it was nearly stark white. ¡°Pelos, take this girls arm. We need to work together if we are going to make it.¡±

    He reluctantly came over, muttering something about frustration and death. He brushed his black hair behind his ear just before offering an arm and shoulder to the ailing young woman. Max offered first and then insisted in aiding Phaedra with walking the rest of the way.

    With one last direction from their guide through this dark place of alien nightmare, the chamber opened up. In the distance, the light of the train they rode here on was the only beacon to show them the way. Pater took a long lead on the group to engage any enemies that might lie on the path between them and the train.

    With that beacon of hope in sight, all hope was immediately lost. Phaedra collapsed unconscious suddenly and crumpled to the ground. Max could not hold her. Only seconds after, the young woman also collapsed. Her face was awash with suffering. Her hands quivering just on the edge of the scarab that was attached to her chest.

    She started to complain of a pressure building from inside her skull and going all the way down to below her waistline. Distant screeches of alien sound pierced their ears.

    Pater stopped on a dime and quickly sprinted back. ¡°They are closing in from all the exits. It would not be surprising if a patrol of them was ahead as well. We¡¯ll never make it with these two.¡±

    Max looked towards Phaedra, her side covered in blood, then to the wailing woman who now wore tears upon her face. He knew he must make a decision soon, but it seemed so heartless or stupid no matter what of the three decisions he probably made.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make this easy on you Max. Just remember, I¡¯m a tough bastard.¡± Pater leveled his only arm at Max with an empty open palm. Max took it in the gesture that he learned what seemed so long ago. They shook hands; Max was filled with waves of regret and indecision. It was easy to find a path with what happened next. Pater pulled the great axe off of his back and started to run down to the nearest tunnel opening. Pelos looked on in silence, perhaps not wanting to be volunteered for any unsavory tasks. Max looked at him, motioned towards Phaedra for his cowardly compatriot and they switched places.

    Phaedra¡¯s eyes fluttered open just enough so that she could see to stand, all her minimal weight was pressed on the well-dressed guide. Max offered an open palmed approach to the estranged young woman and then threw her over his shoulders and started to carry her. The contact of the thing in her chest with Max¡¯s body was not pleasant to her, but it was necessary.

    As they hobbled quickly towards the train, their ears were filled with the solitary sound of Pater charging and screaming as loud as he could through the corridors that they so recently vacated.

    Upon entering the train, they nearly all collapsed in a pile from either injuries or exhaustion. There was still no time to rest. Right before coming into the doors, the sound of shuffling on the ground gusts of wind in the air, made obvious that they may not be alone for long. The distraction, hopefully not sacrifice, that Pater gave them got them to the train in one piece, or at least in the pieces that they were in at that time. It would not last long. The beacon of the interior lights would show every one of their movements.

    Max prodded Pelos, who lay next to the two women. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get this train rolling.¡± A pause, ¡°Come on.¡±

 A New Found Power

    Finally the man, disheveled as Max ever saw him to be, got to his feet. They moved with haste and short breath to the engine and with each other¡¯s help, made quick work of powering up all functions. When the head lights of the engine came on, illuminating the front of the station, they both jumped.

    There were a couple of aliens unlike the ones that they fought before, moving past the engine and towards the first set of cars. ¡°Go go. I¡¯ve got this under control. You need to fight them off. If they board, we¡¯re done.¡± Pelos shooed Max away and as he started to head through the exit door, he adjusted his suit customarily before diving into the controls.

    The train hit several bumps as it accelerated off of the tracks and out of the station. Max could see several unidentifiable figures flew off from great force of the train ramming them. It was fortunate that the train accelerated so quickly, the number of figures just outside the doors that Max could see through the light would have overrun them quickly, ray gun or no.

    He took this moment to move Phaedra to a booth and lay her out in as comfortable a position as he could. He noticed through the windows that lined the passenger cars that the star covered sky of the Astral Field was all around them now. The train made a series of jerky movements from side to side as the cars turned in what seemed like empty space. He was not sure how something like this maneuvered after it left the tracks. They were on their way after another minute or two and Spire was starting to shrink to smaller and smaller size as they accelerated back towards the station on War.

    Pelos rejoined the others in the first passenger car behind the engine. His hands seemed slightly burned, but he made no mention of it and Max did not think it worthwhile to ask.

    The next minutes found them all sitting and laying in silence, regaining their breath. The only sound that touched their ears was the constant chugging of the train engine as the gears turned and caused this magnificent machination to continue towards their chosen destination. The calm rhythm put Max into a near trance. He sat with his eyes just barely open. He kept thinking that he would see Pater out of the corner of his eye, but he knew that they were only day dreams. His friend and guardian was lost almost as quickly as he was found.

    The young woman¡¯s body suddenly contorted in ways that Max did not think it possible for a humanoid body to do. Pelos nearly leapt to his feet and away from her. He started to point with both hands and frantically move a hand up to his mouth and nose as a horrid smell filled the air. Max went in the opposite direction, towards the young woman. The horrid smell was probably coming from the dark fog that was coming out through all the orifices on her face.

    Max tried to grab a hold of her to steady her but her motions were too violent. ¡°Try to relax. Calm yourself.¡± The young woman did not seem to comprehend any of his words. He would have to try something experimental, something he was yet to attempt with his empathic ability. He forced as much of calm upon himself as he could. He reached out towards her through his energies. Her energy was weakening. A sound started to fill the car like bones shattering and flesh ripping.

    Pelos came to stand over the two of them. ¡°Tell us what you know! I can help you.¡± He reached out a hand toward the tortured woman. ¡°Tell us what we need to know. I can save you.¡±

    The girl actually gathered the energy to spit at him. Max could feel his energy trying to fight and find a way into the ever shrinking gaps into the girl¡¯s emotional pathways.

    The pathways suddenly collapsed. She was gone. He failed to use his gift to save her. He thought of Mathew and Brian. He thought of Mathew¡¯s vow and how he would have done anything and everything to help the poor girl. He sat on his knees with his eyes closed, soaking in the failure. He tried to take in the knowledge and to shed the emotional pain.

    A tugging at his belt took him away from the trance like state. Pelos had pulled the ray gun out. It was then that Max, out of surprise and sudden fear jolted back off of his knees and fell onto his back. A new creature stood over the young woman¡¯s skin and bones. The scarab was located in the neck area of this thing. It was dark and fleshy with a gross looking rib cage.

    The thing rapidly swung a fleshy, slimy appendage at Pelos and smacked him squarely. He flipped over and slammed head first into a nearby table that sat between two booths. The ray gun flew out of his hand and landed up towards the engine. Max started to crawl away on his back, still staring at the thing. At that moment when the girl¡¯s pathways had shut, he had witnessed something profound. It was disturbing and otherworldly, the birth of this alien creature. At that exact moment, it gained consciousness and feeling. It was a feeling that Max could not understand.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    An appendage slammed between Max¡¯s legs. That renewed his train of thought away from that energetic dimension. It slithered towards him at a slow pace, but crawling in this position did not make him any faster. Another appendage slithered out along the ground and wrapped itself around one of Max¡¯s legs. He grabbed on to the edge of a nearby booth, but the appendage was not weak. He started to slide towards it. He looked back to where the ray gun sat, still out of his reach.

    A sound of blades being drawn for battle brought his eye up to where Phaedra¡¯s unconscious body lay. There stood Pelos, nasty bruises and blood all up and down one side of his face. In one hand, he held Phaedra¡¯s thin blade.

    A twinkle came to his eyes and a snarky smile crossed his face. He started to laugh as he swung the sword against the appendage that held Max. Hit after hit after hit upon it did not slash through it. Pelos began to laugh harder and more neurotic. The appendage finally let go of Max and went for Pelos. He fought wildly like a mad man, quite a break from his usual gentlemanly demeanor.

    Max nimbly hopped to his feet and ran for the ray gun. He swiped it up in a palm and while turning he adjusted the nozzle. The laughter was maddening and the sounds of flesh rubbing on flesh actually brought Max¡¯s mind to think of something disturbingly pornographic. The thoughts sent waves of shivering madness down his back. With those feelings coursing through him, he leveled the ray gun on the alien and fired opposite of Pelos.

    With that shot, it was all over. The disturbing and alien feelings they felt and witnessed were never discussed further. The alien birth that Max witnessed through his power only came up in theory from Pelos.

    Finally the man, disheveled as Max ever saw him to be, got to his feet. They moved with haste and short breath to the engine and with each other¡¯s help, made quick work of powering up all functions. When the head lights of the engine came on, illuminating the front of the station, they both jumped.

    There were a couple of aliens unlike the ones that they fought before, moving past the engine and towards the first set of cars. ¡°Go go. I¡¯ve got this under control. You need to fight them off. If they board, we¡¯re done.¡± Pelos shooed Max away and as he started to head through the exit door, he adjusted his suit customarily before diving into the controls.

    The train hit several bumps as it accelerated off of the tracks and out of the station. Max could see several unidentifiable figures flew off from great force of the train ramming them. It was fortunate that the train accelerated so quickly, the number of figures just outside the doors that Max could see through the light would have overrun them quickly, ray gun or no.

    He took this moment to move Phaedra to a booth and lay her out in as comfortable a position as he could. He noticed through the windows that lined the passenger cars that the star covered sky of the Astral Field was all around them now. The train made a series of jerky movements from side to side as the cars turned in what seemed like empty space. He was not sure how something like this maneuvered after it left the tracks. They were on their way after another minute or two and Spire was starting to shrink to smaller and smaller size as they accelerated back towards the station on War.

    Pelos rejoined the others in the first passenger car behind the engine. His hands seemed slightly burned, but he made no mention of it and Max did not think it worthwhile to ask.

    The next minutes found them all sitting and laying in silence, regaining their breath. The only sound that touched their ears was the constant chugging of the train engine as the gears turned and caused this magnificent machination to continue towards their chosen destination. The calm rhythm put Max into a near trance. He sat with his eyes just barely open. He kept thinking that he would see Pater out of the corner of his eye, but he knew that they were only day dreams. His friend and guardian was lost almost as quickly as he was found.

    The young woman¡¯s body suddenly contorted in ways that Max did not think it possible for a humanoid body to do. Pelos nearly leapt to his feet and away from her. He started to point with both hands and frantically move a hand up to his mouth and nose as a horrid smell filled the air. Max went in the opposite direction, towards the young woman. The horrid smell was probably coming from the dark fog that was coming out through all the orifices on her face.

    Max tried to grab a hold of her to steady her but her motions were too violent. ¡°Try to relax. Calm yourself.¡± The young woman did not seem to comprehend any of his words. He would have to try something experimental, something he was yet to attempt with his empathic ability. He forced as much of calm upon himself as he could. He reached out towards her through his energies. Her energy was weakening. A sound started to fill the car like bones shattering and flesh ripping.

    Pelos came to stand over the two of them. ¡°Tell us what you know! I can help you.¡± He reached out a hand toward the tortured woman. ¡°Tell us what we need to know. I can save you.¡±

    The girl actually gathered the energy to spit at him. Max could feel his energy trying to fight and find a way into the ever shrinking gaps into the girl¡¯s emotional pathways.

    The pathways suddenly collapsed. She was gone. He failed to use his gift to save her. He thought of Mathew and Brian. He thought of Mathew¡¯s vow and how he would have done anything and everything to help the poor girl. He sat on his knees with his eyes closed, soaking in the failure. He tried to take in the knowledge and to shed the emotional pain.

    A tugging at his belt took him away from the trance-like state. Pelos had pulled the ray gun out. It was then that Max, out of surprise and sudden fear jolted back off of his knees and fell onto his back. A new creature stood over the young woman¡¯s skin and bones. The scarab was located in the neck area of this thing. It was dark and fleshy with a gross looking rib cage.

 A Disturbing Sight

    The thing rapidly swung a fleshy, slimy appendage at Pelos and smacked him squarely. He flipped over and slammed head first into a nearby table that sat between two booths. The ray gun flew out of his hand and landed up towards the engine. Max started to crawl away on his back, still staring at the thing. At that moment when the girl¡¯s pathways had shut, he had witnessed something profound. It was disturbing and otherworldly, the birth of this alien creature. At that exact moment, it gained consciousness and feeling. It was a feeling that Max could not understand.

    An appendage slammed between Max¡¯s legs. That renewed his train of thought away from that energetic dimension. It slithered towards him at a slow pace, but crawling in this position did not make him any faster. Another appendage slithered out along the ground and wrapped itself around one of Max¡¯s legs. He grabbed on to the edge of a nearby booth, but the appendage was not weak. He started to slide towards it. He looked back to where the ray gun sat, still out of his reach.

    A sound of blades being drawn for battle brought his eye up to where Phaedra¡¯s unconscious body lay. There stood Pelos, nasty bruises and blood all up and down one side of his face. In one hand, he held Phaedra¡¯s thin blade.

    A twinkle came to his eyes and a snarky smile crossed his face. He started to laugh as he swung the sword against the appendage that held Max. Hit after hit after hit upon it did not slash through it. Pelos began to laugh harder and more neurotic. The appendage finally let go of Max and went for Pelos. He fought wildly like a mad man, quite a break from his usual gentlemanly demeanor.

    Max nimbly hopped to his feet and ran for the ray gun. He swiped it up in a palm and while turning he adjusted the nozzle. The laughter was maddening and the sounds of flesh rubbing on flesh actually brought Max¡¯s mind to think of something disturbingly pornographic. The thoughts sent waves of shivering madness down his back. With those feelings coursing through him, he leveled the ray gun on the alien and fired opposite of Pelos.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    With that shot, it was all over. The disturbing and alien feelings they felt and witnessed were never discussed further. The alien birth that Max witnessed through his power only came up in theory from Pelos.

    **

    Max looked upon Phaedra, sweat soaked his own brow as if he had injuries and fever.

    Pelos snapped his fingers in Max¡¯s peripheral, ¡°Max. Hey in there. I need to know about these abilities of yours. You¡¯ve met a Scion now.¡±

    Max gazed upon Pelos with eyes like burning daggers stabbing at him.

    Pelos didn¡¯t let his persona fall away for even a moment. ¡°You promised me.¡± He grabbed Max¡¯s hand forcefully as he started to turn back to Phaedra.

    Max almost lashed out in anger, though the touch actually gave him a certain level of understanding, somehow, that Pelos tried mostly to distract him from Phaedra¡¯s pain. Max nodded and allowed his shoulders to relax. ¡°Now¡¯s as good a time as any.¡±

    ¡°Interesting.¡± Pelos slowly moved his hand back into his own lap. ¡°You sensed something stronger and deeper from me when I made contact, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Max nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of a simple mathematical equation now, tell me what numbers are involved.¡± Pelos tested.

    Max looked into Pelos¡¯s shaky, discomforting eyes. He couldn¡¯t even tell more than that the man was deep in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t work that way.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Pelos moved forward to grab Max¡¯s arm again, but Max quickly pulled away and out of his reach.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure as this train will take us to safety now.¡±

    ¡°Oh to the dead creator, don¡¯t even curse us like that.¡±

    The questions didn¡¯t stop for some minutes. Max answered what he could and subjected himself to Pelos¡¯s tests. His heart and mind grew distracted, thinking about the prisoner¡¯s from the Spire and the emotional and physical trauma that befell them. Just like the one here, they¡¯d surely all meet a terrifying end.

 A Message Heard

    Finally, they returned to Rotheburg. When the foggy threshold from the War Plane was crossed back into the city and into a world that Max was familiar with, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief that came up from deep within him. He wanted to collapse right there on the nearest stair, but Phaedra still needed help. She was certainly not out of the rough of it yet.

    They emerged from the deep passage below the tavern and entered into a busy lunch time. Everyone stopped eating and looked over as the door that led only down into the War Plane opened. A couple of burlier figures tensed and reached for the nearest sharp object. Enchoron was there, eating his morning cereals. Sitting across from him was another familiar face, chowing down on a similar sized bowl of the cereals. The familiar face of his friend Mathew smiled up at him. Eating a small bowl of cereals? They were separated for a while, the man get the change of habits after all.

    Enchoron and Mathew both rose from their meals, discarding their kerchiefs into the bowls to denote doneness. Pelos then came through the door. He made eye contact with Enchoron and took a step back cautiously.

    The robed man obviously was ready for this moment with a disarming set of statements that Max had trouble following. Some bits of another language he did not know mixed with a political complexity he could not understand. Pelos then stepped into the tavern and motioned to a staffer for some fresh grub.

    Max continued with assisting Phaedra until they got to the chamber that was hers previously. The innkeeper was quick to help them, seeing the terrible state that she was in. They laid her down onto the bed and Enchoron immediately started reviewing her injuries. Max also noticed with astonishment when Mathew leaned over and started to examine the wounds. Mathew described the wound and its condition with medical precision. He was learning, just like he said he would. He made that promise to himself and to any in the cosmos that cared to listen, he would not let others suffer the fate that Brian had.

    Max left the room with Phaedra in capable hands. Finally, he would have a chance to rest without worry. He leaned against the hallway just outside her room. Finally, Mathew exited and with wisdom of years that were really only months, lay his eyes upon his friend from the hamlet. The two opened arms to each other and embraced each other in a friendly hug. It was no timid or ginger affair; there was a genuine tone to the reunion.

    Mathew found it within him to finally speak, ¡°My friend, it¡¯s been too long. So much has happened since I last saw you.¡± He held up several vestments to the rays of sunlight that came through the towers small windows. ¡°I have learned much of the outside, just as you did. I follow the Tender of Every Wound now. There are others I respect, but she demands my prayers. In return, she gives me gifts.¡±

    Max was impressed, ¡°I am glad to hear that you have found a calling for your heart. I still search for the calling. My travels have made me conflicted. All I have learned now is that I can choose a calling of my own.¡±

    ¡°You are still young; I¡¯m a step ahead of the game from you right now. You were ahead the rest of the time since your first departure. Do you know much of the specific gods and goddesses? Do you know that I was saying I worship Gabriella?¡± Mathew pulled the shimmering vestments back done to where they hung on his now much smaller belt.

    ¡°I know some of the gods. I did not think my route was with them, so I have not taken to learning the details. Please, tell me, are your gifts going to be able to help Phaedra? She means a great deal to me.¡±

    Mathew nodded grimly, ¡°I can save her, especially with Enchoron¡¯s help. It will take time, her wounds have become infected and the weapon that inflicted the wound was of some strange origin. A form of corrosion of her skin has set in that I have only rarely read of. Give me time and I will bring her back to you.¡± He gazed upon his tired friend with concern, ¡°Go get some rest. We will get you when her condition improves.¡±

    Max did not even remember the walk to the bedroom. He did not remember removing his garments. All he remembered was how comfortable the bed felt as he started to pass into a deep sleep that he had no luxury for any time since they left this place. This city, the city of Rotheburg that almost was a second home to him now.

    He started to enter into a fascinating and detailed dream. He walked along a fantastically winding path. It weaved around back and forth on itself for no apparent reason. He followed that path, and there were also others that did the same. The sky was filled with slow moving, visible swirls of wind. After walking the path for some time, it terminated at the entrance to a vast unfathomable city. This city could only exist in dreams. The dimensions and geometries of the walls and the towers that poked high up into the sky would collapse by the rules of science in the Old World. Max was amazed that he was even able to think this much throughout this dream. In these things, usually someone was only a witness, this must be lucid dreaming.

    A figure stood at the gate to the city. It was a hooded figure that glowed with spiritual power. He stepped forward to block Max¡¯s path into the city. In a foreboding voice, the man spoke, ¡°I have sent unto your door a messenger. You must trust him. The news he brings will astonish you. Come with this messenger to the place where your fates will be realized. You shall forever be remembered by this world as a force that stood for what must be done. For...¡±

    Max was ripped away from his dream and was covered in a cold sweat. He felt along his smooth jawline and wiped away the sweat with the thick quilt that comforted him from the cool chamber. Another soft tapping on the door filled the room with a sense of sleepy hazed confusion. And then another soft tapping followed by an incoherent whisper tied the dream that was just floating about to something solid. Max quickly threw on a long garment and pulled open the door just enough to see into the hall.

    ¡°I come bearing urgent news regarding your friend, Phaedra,¡± shifty eyes under a large hat looked back and forth down the hall. His presence was so close to the door in such a way to insist upon entry. He did not look large enough to actually force his way in. No. Instead this man¡¯s way seemed to be to simply nudge in his intention with the use of his body. Max opened the door just enough to let the suspicious man into the room. He wore traveling cloak and rugged boots.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°What is it? Is it some news of her condition? Tell me.¡± Max felt his heart racing as he thought of his mentor and dear friend.

    ¡°Brace yourself. This news is not exactly what you are probably expecting. You see, I am a messenger for her employers, but I have another agenda. This agenda is why I bring you this,¡± the man pulled a wrapped scroll sealed with wax out of his cloak and handed it to Max. ¡°I¡¯ll wait in the hall if you would prefer privacy.¡±

    Max shook his head while looking at the sealed scroll. The wax seal was dominated by a shield with a sword and taut snake crossed in front of it. He regarded that curiously for just a moment before reaching for a nearby knife upon the desk to break the wax. It snapped with a satisfying sound before it unrolled. He grabbed it and held it taut to look over its contents.

    Phaedra,

    This letter waits the return of your voyage with our query. Be careful that no harm comes to him. We need him very soon. Elements of the puzzle are moving into place, and we now know the forces that seek to change the world. They are a prophetic and heretical cult that seeks to resurrect Sevaliki amongst other things.

    That was the dead god. The god that he learned was one of the Nobilis, the ancient pantheon created by the first god. He was a god of wilderness and nature. He was a god of predators, and more brutal followers of that god saw his rule as survival of the fittest, true nature ruling over all other laws.

    The letter continued:

    It is now that we must instruct you to carry out the direst of duties. You must take Max, use whatever reason you need to. Take him away from Rotheburg and away from Enchoron. He and the Wizard¡¯s Council would not appreciate our strategies. You will use him as a bargaining chip with this cult. Another letter will arrive with further instructions on the bargaining you must do and what, specifically we seek. Fortunately for us, this cult still sees Max as having a place in their prophecy. We must use this to gain advantage.

    With haste,

    Lord Candreale

    Max looked up at the messenger in shock. He felt sweat forming behind his ears and the small hairs on his neck standing on end. Was this a trick? Why was this messenger giving him such a damning message? He focused his empathic powers on the man and waited for him to speak.

    ¡°I am a member of the cult he speaks of, the Daefidian Cult. I¡¯ve come here on command of our holy leader, Daefindel. He hopes that you would speak with him about the future and about what could be your place in it.¡±

    Max kept the knife casually in his hand and moved it into ready position but to his side, out of sight of the messenger. ¡°Why should I trust you or travel with you to see this, Daefindel? His men have tried to kill me before and further members of this cult have been less than useful in providing me with information in the past.¡±

    The messenger took a step back and slowly kept both hands out to show no acts of aggression were to follow the announcements. ¡°You know that all the friends that you have made seek to use you. You know that you have to make choices for yourself to survive in this world. My master would like nothing more than to give you the greatest path to choose from. You could be one of the cult, one who saves this world from the future perils that shall doom it. Sacrifices must be made, but these necessary actions will bring about a golden age. I am unarmed and you may bring what you wish.¡±

    Max could not believe that Phaedra was planning on betraying him. Of all the concepts that faced him now, that was the one that he understood the least. The cult aside, would she follow the orders in this letter over the bond that had formed between them. Was that all just an act? He didn¡¯t think so. Enchoron gave him such free will and taught him anything he wished to learn. His childhood friend, Mathew, would not hurt him. Pater may have sacrificed his life for them to escape the Spire. Pelos did not seem to have a harmful agenda; his was more of a curious one.

    He was sure that Pelos would want to follow on if he chose to join the Daefindel cult. He did not seem to have an interest in the political maneuvering of any of the sides. His interest was also not in Max himself but in his power of emotion. That lack of connection could sometimes bother Max, but in this case, it might help for what he might have to do.

    The idea of this cult and its grandiose plans did intrigue him. How better could he learn of the ways in which the world might change than from those that wished to do the changing? They would not harm him. It was obvious from the beginning that what they wanted from him was his aid, not his demise. He was not a hindrance to their plans but an aid. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you. I think that one of my friends will insist on coming along. The man from the capital, Atras, will accompany us.¡±

    ¡°That is acceptable to Daefindel. I will wait for you and your friend on the cul-de-sac just before the bridge out of the city. I suggest you don¡¯t spread word of your travels to loudly.¡± The messenger folded his hands into his cloak just after opening the door and slinking down the hallway like a grudging messenger readying himself for a long day of work.

    Max pulled out a bracelet that was given to him by Phaedra and fondled it gently in one hand. ¡°You couldn¡¯t betray me and give me over as a simple bargaining chip. I know you better than Lord Candreale,¡± as he uttered the name, he was in the process of setting down the knife and glancing one last time at the scroll before rolling it up. ¡°Candreale... where have I heard that name before?¡±

    He then touched the ray gun lightly with his hand and briefly stroked it after brushing some debris off of it. ¡°Enchoron, you have been a good teacher. What you taught me most of all is to make my own decision, so that is just what I am going to do.¡±

    He scrounged around his room to prepare himself. He took a quick break from that to go find Pelos. He was sitting by the fire in the tavern, his back to the wall, viewing all the other inhabitants as they came and went. A brief exchange of words with the capital raised gentleman and a near instantaneous agreement to arrangements and Max was back to his quiet, intense packing.

    He set a large back pack by the side of the door, ready and triple checked. He walked to Phaedra¡¯s chamber carrying a case and a flower with him. Upon opening the door, Enchoron saw the flower and made it to his feet with no hesitation. He motioned for Mathew to stand. The three men nodded at each other as the two of them left the room. He put the container down on the end of the bed and the flower was laid in her open hand, petals towards her face.

    ¡°I believe in you. I need to take my own path now. I know not when you will awaken, but I leave this for you to know one of the reasons I must travel. Your superiors are not kind to me. I think you are not like them.¡± He leaned over and kissed her forehead. It was drenched with cold sweat. Some color at least was showing on her cheeks again.

    He walked out of the room and addressed his two friends that courteously waited in the hall outside Phaedra¡¯s room. ¡°I have a few things I need to take care of just outside of town. I will be back before long to check on her and speak with you more, my friends.¡± He did his best to focus on the waves of emotion he was emitting. With his intense knowledge, he hoped he was doing a convincing job of making his words believable through his displayed feelings.

    It was a hop over to his room to throw on the bag and arm himself. He was outside the tavern and meeting up with Pelos. He was down the path leading towards the city exit. He wondered how long it would be before his friends looked in the case and read the contents on the scroll. Surely, then they would realize that it was not a short jaunt that Max was taking outside of the city. They might never see him again.

 Friends or Enemies

    They made their encounter with the messenger. There was no exchange of words and barely more than a glance and a wave of the arm to denote direction of travel. The messenger made his way to a ledge that was lower down from the bridge. He looked over the side, looked back at the two men that followed him and hopped over the side and into the fog.

    Pelos groaned, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. These cultists are so primitive. Can¡¯t we at least take the stairs?¡±

    ¡°Shut up and let¡¯s go. You either follow or you get left behind.¡± Max led the way in leaping over the side. The hot and cold feeling of transition hit him quickly. The tingling was over once he hit the ground with a bit of force. He fell forward, catching himself with his hands. The messenger was already on his feet when Pelos finally fell through the fog and regained his composure.

    The messenger was motioning with an arm almost violently in a come hither movement. ¡°We¡¯ve got to hurry. There are spies everywhere.¡± He started to jog by the time Max and Pelos started to follow him. They both became confused as they headed right up one of the stair cases that led up and off of the War Plane. They moved through the fog and stood back in Rotheburg in the basement of one of the towers.

    At first, the basement room looked empty, but as their eyes started to adjust to the darkness, that thought was far from the truth. In fact, it would have been difficult for them to have moved much farther into the room without bumping in to someone or something.

    A figure stepped forward with an air of authority. ¡°You will come with us. You will both be safe, just trust us.¡±

    She turned and the others all started to fall in line around Max and Pelos. Two men took point as they headed into some other chambers in this tower. It must have been one of the larger towers as they saw few steps going up and down and they took none of them. The lead men both held out a hand towards the formation to halt. They disappeared around the corner that was actually lit from somewhere out of sight. A few seconds later, there were two distinct sets of rustling sounds and then thumps.

    They rounded the corner and found two royal house guards collapsed and contorted in ways that meant death. The woman that had previously spoken with the two outsiders stepped up between the two that were leading the way. A thick door was set into the wall. It was armed with a massive lock mechanism and two insets in the walls held lamps. He made a few quick motions to move around some of the parts that were on display with the door. Apparently some sort of puzzle that the woman knew quite well. She then pulled out a long, thin key, unlike any standard key. It was actually more of a rod than a key. She turned it and a loud clicking sound dominated all others. The two men stepped forward with a motion from her. The door easily slid out of the way.

    The next room was larger than any that they saw up until this point. There were several strange podiums with archaic markings placed in a few locations throughout the room. Each of them was immediately manned by a member of the formation. They each pressed a few buttons and moved a few dials on each of the podiums. Dim light shed into the room from the far wall from the door. Pelos and Max maneuvered around the men and women that meandered while waiting for something.

    Pelos¡¯s breathing was calm, ¡°It¡¯s a seasonal portal. Dependent on the season, it takes you to whatever Plane or planetary fragment, as I would say, happens to be dominant in the sky. Right now that would be the Wild Plane.¡±

    ¡°What would you say? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?¡± Max asked with some level of knowledge but was assuming he could not compete with the man from Atras.

    ¡°It is too early to tell right now. It doesn¡¯t say much for the moment as to what their plans are or what is going on. Surely, they would not give away such details so early with us still in Rotheburg.¡± Pelos said with curiosity and analysis. ¡°I do wonder if which ever noble¡¯s tower this is in support of this.¡±

    Max shrugged, maybe he should care more about the politics of nobility, but from all the tales he heard, they really seemed more like something he wished to avoid entirely. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for me to experience my fourth plane. Best make the most of it.¡±

    The first few people near the portal walked through. It was like the two places were connected, quite literally via a doorway. For the briefest of moments, the distance between here and that other place was the same as the distance from Max¡¯s favorite tree to the start of the wheat field back home.

    Finally, the time for the two of them to go through came up. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Max was overwhelmed with heat and humidity. It was an unpleasant level that he could not imagine any being enjoying. Some of the first people through the gate were stripping down to be comfortable and throwing clothes in their small back packs.

    The temperature was not the only thing that made this place extreme. The vegetation was everywhere. It was difficult to get an idea what the landscape was like since only a few meters in any direction were open to view. The first few members of the expedition pulled out large knives and started to hack away some of the brush. Max actually witnessed it recoil as if it was alive. He almost swore that it even made a squealing sound of pain as it did so.

    After a few minutes of making their way through the dense foliage and listening to the sounds of many distant animals, they headed up an incline. This incline was still covered in tall trees, but as they got higher upon it, it became easier to see past the underbrush out into the distance of this place.

    It was more and more of the same everywhere he looked out there. He saw one area that was completely devoid of brush and trees, but it was interesting to see that all of the greenness was growing with enough speed that he could actually see it moving. The other object that caught his eye was on the distant horizon. It looked almost like some sort of swirling vortex. It was dark and foreboding, making him feel like life could never be forever long.

    Before he could look on the vortex for much longer, he was being prodded by the long caravan of people that were stopped behind him from his lack of movement forward. There were grumbles and a few hushes.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Ahead, slowly coming into view was a huge opening in the green forest canopy. Lying in the middle of the area, surrounded even above by massive tree branches, was an archaic looking stone temple. It looked wholly different from the Rotheburg city walls and towers. It was made out of a white stone and it looked to be much older than the other city must have been. The temple stood tall, so that at the top, it was probably quite possible to peer out from the trees and so all the landscape around. You could practically walk out on to the tops of the tree canopy. The temples design was like stepping stones, with various walkways on some levels wrapping around. Multiple doorways peppered the tall temple. The doors were made of thick stone and almost all of them were open. If they closed, he was sure it would take some effort to get them open again.

    The female leader of this little escort party from Rotheburg approached them. The woman that spoke before was a little overweight. Her hair was knotted and filled with debris. She looked tough and she didn¡¯t look like any of these other men could take her down in a wrestling match.

    ¡°Garinda is my name. When you get rested and good and ready, I¡¯ll send for you to meet Daefindel. You won¡¯t demand it. I will offer it. For now, you will both be given a meager room, some changes of clothes and a chance to wash up.¡± She motioned up towards the temple and also reached out with her other hand and forcefully grabbed a man that was standing within reach. ¡°Take these boys to their bed chambers!¡±

    ¡°Yes, lady.¡± The man said to her with timid fear.

    Standing at the main entrance on the bottom level were two men, perhaps guards, wearing golden robes. They looked cryptic with such outfits on, their faces completely concealed.

    As the followed the timid man who was now their guide, Pelos leaned over to Max, not slowing his pace to speak with him, ¡°That woman back there is the largest dwarf I have ever seen.¡± He went back to upright walking position, then quickly leaned back over to Max, ¡°They find that term an insult, by the way, don¡¯t follow my lead on using it around here. The females are always pissed off, it¡¯s best to do as they say and move along.¡±

    Max whispered an affirmative as they started up the steps that were not on the ground level. They walked around the main entrance and up to near the top of the temple. Then around on the walkway there to an open door. The man motioned inside and stood next to the door, out of the way. They both glanced in and saw that the place was lit with strange looking torches that did not flicker. It must be ¡°magic¡±, Max thought.

    The accommodations were sparse, and the amount of room they had was small. There were four nooks that each held a small bed that appeared to be stuffed with leaves and other dead plant stuffs. The far wall from the entrance had another door that was made of stone not quite as thick. The walls also closed in up by their heads because of the temples shape. It was also almost as if whoever built this temple long ago were shaped differently from them. There were also a couple of stools and a very small table that almost took up too much room, pressed against one wall. There was a rack forced awkwardly into the wall between two corner stones. It held two sets of cloaks like the golden ones they saw before and some very simple garments that were made of various furs from animals probably native to the area. A small wash basin was around the corner from the beds in another small nook.

    They took turns washing up. Pelos refused to change out of his usual suit. It was still a strange article that Max so far couldn¡¯t find a match for in their travels. Max thought that wearing the cloak at this point would be too hot and a little pretentious. He did change into some of the local furs. They were quite light and soft actually, matching the heat of this place.

    Just then, they heard footsteps, several pairs, approaching the outer door. A large plate of food was pushed in on the floor and before either of them could react, those people and the guard at the door all put their backs into slamming the stone door to the outside shut.

    Pelos reached a hand out and exclaimed, ¡°Wait a minute. We aren¡¯t prisoners! You can¡¯t just...¡±

    The last bit of light from outside disappeared as the stone slab closed. Max almost laughed, ¡°Well apparently they can.¡±

    They feasted on strange fruits, hunks of fresh meat, cooked rare, and a few roasted vegetables which Max was unable to identify. There was a range of flavors that he could not have even imagined before. ¡°At least the food is good.¡± He said, and Pelos grudgingly agreed.

    The two finally gave up and got some sleep when no one came to them for some time. It wasn¡¯t that they were overly tired, but there wasn¡¯t much to do in there.

    After what must have been a full night¡¯s sleep, the inner door started to slide open, waking Pelos and stirring Max from bed. As usual, his sleep was interrupted throughout the night by disturbing dreams and his attempts at analyzing them after waking throughout the night.

    A gold hooded figure stood at the door with two burly guards wearing little more than the weapons strapped to their sides. He spoke, ¡°I am one of our master¡¯s attendants, Sirodin. You will come with me and prepare yourself to meet the great.¡±

    The two stretched and put on the garments that they removed for sleeping. For Pelos, that was just his jacket, the rest he only took off to wash himself. They followed into the hallway. It was not well lit. There was a third guard standing farther ahead than the others that held a flaming torch. The light flicked off the hallways with irregularity, revealing that the walls were not smooth. Many grooves and symbols were carved here, some of which were split with vines and mosses. Pelos ran his hand over the walls as he walked, almost reminiscing.

    Several sets of claustrophobic stair cases later and another thick stone door led the group into a wide open area in the middle of the temple. It was lit by natural sunlight that seeped in through four skylights near the top of the temple. The openings were small, so the light shot into the place like beams, making the corners dark. There were grooves in the floor under each of those, probably for catching rain water.

    There was an altar present on a higher part of the room near where two of the beams of light crossed. Right in front of this position is the location they were led to. Once they were in place, several sets of stone doors were opened. As they did so, large numbers of people started to file into the room through each of those openings. At this time, nearly all of them were wearing the golden cloaks. Max also noticed in the brighter light here, that the cloak worn by the master¡¯s attendant was lined with silver inscriptions.

    Once the place was standing room only, another door opened somewhere out of sight. Several sets of footsteps and a muffled scream turned into four figures up by the altar. There were two more burly guards, these looked strange with thick leathery skin and almost hideous to the eyes. The third figure was a naked woman with a few scars on her body. She walked freely of the others and moved to lie down on the altar. The fourth figure was wearing a gold cloak that was surrounded by black and gold inscriptions for trim. His hood was deep and long, completely concealing his face.

    ¡°My friends and companions. My fellow believers. The time for the reckoning is almost upon us. The time for the grand sacrifice and the awakening is nearly here. And now, before you, a man who we have waited for. A man whose path was pre-ordained to align with our own. Maximillian!¡± He motioned toward Max with a grand gesture and the people, other than Pelos, directly around him took a step back. Everyone looked upon him.

 Meeting Daefindel

    The naked woman looked somehow comfortable on the altar, displayed for all the cultists. The gold cloaked figure that stood above with the altar must have been Daefindel. His face was still totally concealed from view, but quickly that is not where Max ¡®s eyes were drawn. The cloaked man¡¯s hands raised up above the altar, holding forth a wicked looking black and red dagger with a blade that curved back and forth like a winding path. The hilt was adorned with a black gem and two red gems. Max had never before seen such a valuable looking item, nor one that was so figuratively twisted as this blade.

    All of the cultists in the pit with Max held their collective breath. Max swore that the man would stab the woman brutally the next moment. Instead, his hands descended at a slow and dramatic speed. The dagger was held out, handle first to the woman. Some of it was coming together now. The marks all over the woman¡¯s body must have been mutilation caused by situations such as this one. She accepted the dagger and started to slide it along her skin with the blade. No blood spilled and no flesh was penetrated with the soft pressure she applied to her skin.

    The crowd began to hum quietly at first, but then the volume slowly increased, making Max¡¯s head feel like it was vibrating. The woman continued to drag the blade across her skin now up by her ample breasts. When the humming started to become not a single tone, but a double ¡°hum hum¡± deep within the diaphragms of the cultists, the blade dug in. It was a slow building pressure so that first the long line carved into the woman¡¯s skin was almost just a scratch of irritation. A red line formed down the side of her body to her hips. Then with the continued humming, her hand curved up with the blade and moved around the lower curve of her breast. Now it was truly digging in. Streams of blood trailed down her body and pooled upon her.

    Moments later, the chanting slowed and then stopped. The blade slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor, bouncing and splashing blood from the creases all across the floor directly in front of the altar. It was a cordoned off area that Max thought was strange before. Now he perhaps knew why. The gold cloaked man quickly jumped down from behind the raised altar and started to examine the floor where the blood landed. He started muttering to himself and looked as if perhaps he was doing math.

    All the cultists leaned forward to try to view the blood and to listen to the mumbling of the cloaked figure. Finally, he threw his head back, which caused a majority of the crowd to jump back from surprise.

    ¡°There is one among us that can finally help us to achieve the goal that we have so long sought. The world shall be reunited. We shall bring about a new Age. An Age that will see the people of the Old World survives the terrible things that come for us from the great beyond.¡± He leaped forward to the edge of the opening.

    Max was bracing himself for the man to point him out. He paced towards Max with a staring intensity that in any other setting would have been seen as quite creepy. His eyebrows were furrowed in extreme concentration.

    He stopped directly in front of Max, and then something unexpected surprised Max and almost disappointed him. The man did not point him out, but pointed to his companion, Pelos. ¡°This man! The key to our plans. The one that we need to carry out our immediate goal towards...¡± he paused for dramatic affect and raised his voice, ¡°Salvation!¡±

    The whole crowd looked at Pelos now as they had to Max just a few moments before. They all repeated, ¡°Salvation!¡± in a loud droning voice.

    Pelos looked around and instantly seemed to feel surrounded. His eyes bugged out of his skull and a look of dread and anger was shot at the speaker. He grabbed Max¡¯s arm. ¡°We need to... we¡¯ve got to go. Make our way out of here.¡± Max was still confused and conflicted. What could this be about?

    Then, the speaker, as if sensing Max¡¯s hesitation spoke a revelation that made for Max to break his confusion, ¡°You see. This man is no man at all. He is...¡± another long pause and intense glare with a turned head and a single staring eye, ¡°A Scion!¡±

    Max¡¯s jaw dropped. The crowd groaned and cheered collectively, again they sent out a droning response, ¡°A Scion.¡±

    Max looked at Pelos who now seemed frantic. He started to look around for the clearest path to an exit, and the crowd could sense his desperation. They all started to close in around him. Many of the cultists that came from behind Max simply brushed past him as if he was of no concern to them.

    He thought back to the trip to the Spire. To his loyal compatriot, Pater, who was now lost or dead in that gods forsaken place. The woman who he grew to adore now lay far away from him in a bed, grievously wounded, hopefully to survive. These things could have been prevented. All Pelos needed to do was admit his secret, a secret that no one even knew he was keeping. This, Daefindel seemed to have a good idea he was keeping a secret though. And a secret it was no longer!

    Pelos pulled out a handheld device as he became surrounded with the cultists, quite literally crowding his space. He moved to hold the egg looking device in the air, but before he would have the chance to use this ¡°magic¡± from another age that Scion¡¯s were rumored to possess, the cultists knocked him down and the egg rolled out of sight.

    Some things were starting to make sense now. How did Pelos so intimately understand the operations of the train? What was that energy field that protected him from the alien device that sought to vaporize him? Now the answer seemed trivial, he was a Scion.

    Max was brought out of his thoughts by an unfamiliar hand on his shoulder. It was the speaker who continued to hide his face. Daefindel? ¡°Come with me. We have much to discuss. We must also owe you a great boon for bringing this man to our presence. The final hurdle that was in our path is now cleared, and we have only you to thank.¡±

    He turned and nearly floated away from the scene where the mob of cultists descended upon Pelos, stripping him of all possessions and restraining him. Max grimaced. He felt betrayed, as it seemed to become commonplace for him to be. Still, the perverse sight of Pelos being stripped and abused in this way was disturbing to him. He shook the painful thoughts out of his head and turned on the balls of his feet quickly to follow the man and his guards as they left through a far exit from the vast temple chamber.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    The thick stone door to the temple chamber was closed as soon as Max was through by two of the big guards. Their pace slowed as the leader turned into a nearby room. It was decorated with many cloaks, articles of clothes, long and slow burning candles that were gold in color, and a desk with all the instruments for writing. The man motioned for the guards to stand at the door, leaving them alone in the open room.

    The speaker gazed upon Max, ¡°I am...¡± he pulled his hood back and Max gasped. ¡°Daefindel.¡±

    Max was lost for words. His mouth opened and the will to speak did not come. What was this, Daefindel?

    ¡°Your journey here leads me to believe that you have embraced that you have a destiny.¡± He paused again and waited for a moment that Max¡¯s expression might change. ¡°You have forsaken the foolish words of the Wizard¡¯s Council and the other forces that sought to use you as a pawn rather than let you become who and what you are.¡± When Max still stared and did not speak back, the man with the very tiny mouth, inhumanly tiny spoke again, ¡°Surely I am not that strange after all the things you have witnessed in this world. Either way, are you ready to discuss our immediate plans for absolution?¡±

    Finally, the itch to learn could not be forced silent as he audibly cleared his throat to speak, ¡°My curiosity must know before we continue with plans. Where do you come from? Not to be rude, but what are you?¡±

    Daefindel seemed used to this question, but he seemed equally used to not answering it at all. Still he spoke of it, ¡°I come from the great beyond of the cosmos your people know of. I am Plaenitorm. My world, far away from here, but no long ago was ravaged and destroyed by the beings you yourself have fought during your travels. The servants of Krakulath. The beings you encountered on the Spire are simply a vanguard for the coming of the god-being himself.¡±

    The brief descriptions Max heard in the past now did sound like how this man looked. His mouth was so thin and his lips were almost invisible. There was no nose to speak of, but there were nostrils. His eyes were compound in a way that Max could only dream of how he viewed the world. They were large black, segmented orbs that dominated his head. He had a thin bit of hair on top of his head that hung about the sides in strands, like a crazy old man¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Alright. Now, what are we doing to stop this?¡±

    ¡°There is an ancient device, developed by one generation of the Scions, located here on this fragment. It is a counterpoint to the one currently operating so far away that you saw on the horizon. The vortex is what I¡¯m referring to. The common people who know only magic see it as a world eating curse, one that slowly pulls the Wild into destruction and then some day, the Old World and all the fragments. It is also an ancient device, much like the one that we will use to save the cosmos.¡± He grabbed a parchment and a writing device and started to jot down diagrams and details to more easily explain the situation.

    ¡°Where is the other ancient device? And what does it do?¡± There was a convenient map of the cosmos sitting on the desk. Max pointed a finger on to it rather randomly. This was more to indicate to Daefindel to show him on the map.

    Daefindel paused his fast paced scribbling and dropped the writing device. He looked up into Max¡¯s eyes. ¡°Amazing. Do that again?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Max pointed down at the map.

    ¡°Strange. The first time, you dropped your finger right near the location of it. Your instincts are strong.¡±

    ¡°What does it do?¡± It felt to Max like Daefindel was slowly revealing little bits just to drive up the suspense, and he was starting to get impatient.

    Daefindel nodded slowly, ¡°That device is called a gravity controller. What it all means is that, with the help of a Scion, we will have the ability to reunite the fragments of the Wild with the Old World. We will heal the Nobilis, start to unite the Shardborn, and perhaps resurrect the Creator along with Sevaliki.¡±

    Max was delighted to hear this news. There was no darkness to what these cultists were doing. He never witnessed them do anything too horrible. Sure, they believed in destiny, why couldn¡¯t he do the same? Why were his friends and the Prophetic Cult so antagonistic to each other? There only issue seemed to be differing points of view. He did not have much experience with it in such a small place as the hamlet, but out here in the world, he had learned just how different views could be.

    ¡°What can I do to help?¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, this stage of things has already benefited from your help quite a bit. Making Pelos cooperate in the very end with activating the device is what we need you for now. Only after that will my visions tell us what comes next,¡± he looked up and out towards a blank wall as if he was looking upon the face of a being of great beauty. A smile came over his face. It was very much a blank expression of childish happiness that showed on his face.

    One of the guards grunted some words from the doorway. It was obvious to Max that his moment of visitation was over. He left the room and the guards gave him an escort back to his room, where he was now the only resident. The rest of that day and the following, he was given free roam of the temple, more or less. He spoke to many of the cultists.

    He went to the top of the temple and climbed to the very peak. From there, he was above the ever moving and shifting tree canopy. He could see the distant vortex and when he turned his vision to the opposite horizon, he saw a massive thing. It must have been the Old World. It was beautiful from up here. The colors that showed on its surface were varied. There were swirling clouds and dark storms moving across it. If anything was truly memorable from this place, it was the view of the Old World and the counterpoint of the sucking vortex on the opposite side of the Wild Plane, constantly pulling it farther and farther away ever so slowly.

    The following morning, he woke to sounds of screaming organizers, many sets of footsteps, bags being packed, and the begging and pleading of a solitary man who saw his life as he knew it coming to an end, Pelos. Max stepped out into the morning sun. A pleased looking guard stood near his stone door that had been cracked open just enough to allow him to enter and leave.

    ¡°Good morning. What is all the chaos about,¡± Max asked.

    ¡°The majority of us are moving. It¡¯s time to go activated the device. They¡¯ve got the prisoner chained up and ready to move. Our master is leaving behind a small contingent to keep an eye on the temple. Otherwise, the rest of us get to go witness the fruition of our labors and sacrifices.¡± The guard was quite smug. His expressions gave away that he was not one of the cultists volunteered to stay behind at the temple.

    Max must have slept through the majority of the preparations. He quickly gathered his gear and was in line with the caravan before long. The trip was tedious and slow going, but several of the cultists took charge and pushed the group forward as quickly as they could cut through the dense foliage and find a way. A few skirmishing engagements with predators of this place were the most terrifying and exciting events that occurred. A few of their lives were lost, but even when friend would lose close friend, none of them seemed overly hurt or concerned. Utter focus was in the eyes of all these men and women as they traveled to the location of this ancient device. Max tried to engage some of them in conversation during the trip. Their mentalities seemed completely changed from when he talked to them at the temple.

 Rituals Begin

    Night after night, Max felt as though he was not the enemy of these people as he would have guessed before he learned more about them. He fought a huge internal struggle within himself. ¡®If Daefindel can read me like I can read others, by just the slightest chance? No.¡¯ Max shook his head and dismissed even thinking about the conflict that boiled within him. He needed to maintain a strong front as the ally to this cult. He needed to become one of them. He thoughts drifted back to Pelos, in all his quirks and wisdom, he hadn¡¯t known Max for a great amount of time. He certainly can¡¯t share all his secrets. No, Max couldn¡¯t show sympathy. He needed to control his emotions. He needed to be strong and to appear as though he forged his own path here.

    He was not one of them. Seeing the way that they moved around now with purpose, almost emotionless, like drones made him glad that he was who he was.

    He took his freedom amongst the cultists to wonder the ancient ziggurats and their winding hallways. He took time to stand next to many of the followers here to observe them. He even had the freedom and time to look into and investigate all of the consoles in the command chamber and throughout the openly accessible parts of the temple.

    Without the knowledge that he gained from Enchoron, looking at these consoles would have been like looking at a painting or an old text of a foreign language. Instead, he sat and studied for minutes, whenever he could. He memorized what he could and continued his researches later, careful never to give away just what detail he poured over the contents of everything that he looked at.

    He started reaching out with his empathy towards them to try to understand what they were feeling. It was strange. He never tried to read this many different people in such rapid succession, so he was not sure if this was truly an anomaly. They all read identically with their emotions. The same feelings and the same intensity of feeling. If only he knew more about his gift. As it was, he knew what he was seeing and reading, but he did not know what it actually meant.

    Maybe Max was needed to combat this drone nature that the cultists gained? There were certainly lots of ways he could see a talent of empathy would be useful in a large, organized group like this. He could root out spies. He could connect them to communicate on a wholly different level, he believed. With those thoughts, he would drift into sleep.

    They were awoken quite early on the fourth day of travels, long before rays of light showed their way. After they started traveling, the curious thing was that there was a source of light. It did not light everything equally, it was almost like a path across the ground. They were heading down the side of a ridge now. Things here seemed more artificial. The ridge itself felt manmade. Vines covered the ground, but the light that shown through to light the path must be embedded in the ground here. They were close.

    As the rays of the sun started to give them light, the lights on the path dimmed and went out. The cultists must have needed to follow this light on the path to find the rest of the way. That must be why they were forced up so early.

    Max then heard a familiar Whoosh! Sound nearby. Just then, disappearing from immediate sight was something very much like the device that protected his hamlet and the crops. Something like the beast of the goddess. The area ahead was completely clear of vegetation. There was a fairly defined line of where all the vegetation started and where it stopped. Beyond that line, there were piles of dead vegetation in various stages of rot.

    Max made his way to near the front of the caravan where Daefindel rode on horseback and Pelos was riding along, chained in a cage that was pulled by two beasts of burden. There was also another large riding animal that Max did not recognize. On its back was a shaded canopy that was closed on all sides. He could just barely see that there was a figure inside.

    The facility was directly ahead now. It looked like something out of another time and place. It was sleek and shiny, probably made of the same materials as armor and weapons was, some kind of metal. The first of the cultists approached the door and it opened as he walked up to it without even being touched.

    The cultists spread out as soon as they entered the place. It was like everyone except for Max knew the exact layout of this giant structure. It was larger than anything that Max had ever been in, except for the Spire. The place was well lit, with small glowing dots all along the ceiling and floor corners. Everything on the inside was stark white. There was no way to hide in a place like this. The halls were an eight sided shape. They came across more of the doors that automatically opened as someone approached the door itself. Walking past a door in the hallways somehow did not trigger the doors to open.

    Now that Max got a cursory look inside, he waited just inside the main door. After a few minutes, Daefindel, two guards, and chained Pelos came in and turned to the right. Sirodin followed them and he motioned for Max to follow that group. He quickly caught up to Sirodin and walked side by side with him, trailing the group. Max did not want to be within eyesight of Pelos. He shot daggers at Max a couple of times; it was an unsettling feeling, Pelos being a Scion and former friend after all.

    They all moved into a set of double sliding doors. As the doors closed, suddenly Max felt uncomfortable as the room was moving. His breakfast almost made a fast exit, but he regained control. The room abruptly stopped moving again and the doors opened. He was the first one out the doors and onto the unmoving floor followed by a deep breath.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Here we are! Guards, set the Scion down over at those controls. Don¡¯t leave his side for anything. Sirodin, keep an eye on things from the consoles here.¡± He walked over and motioned with a grandiose gesture where there were a few swiveling seats and windows that seemed to be looking at many different places around the area at once. It was like they were looking through different dimensions. ¡°Max, make yourself comfortable. Enjoy the victory that you have brought us.¡±

    Max watched as, at first as Pelos even refused to put his hands on the controls in front of him. Daefindel leaned over the chained man and was holding a conversation with him at very low volume. Max observed and attempted to glean something of the conversation. He concentrated on viewing their emotional energies. They almost looked as though they were doing battle in that emotional realm, their energies were mixing back and forth. Pelos was stubborn and Daefindel was insistent and intense. As the emotional levels of both of them increased, Max could see this was not going to end well.

    Daefindel stood back up straight and took a step back. He nodded to one of the guards. Just then, everyone in the control room was jolted up to attention and looked over as a large resounding thump came from the guard smashing Pelos¡¯s head into the front part of the control console.

    His head came up quickly and turned to look at the cult leader, ¡°That was totally unnecessary. You don¡¯t know what you are doing? You will regret this. If I am what you say then you have to know just how big a hole you are burying for...¡± the guard smacked him to shut him up after another slight head nod.

    Max got up out of his seat and looked like he wanted to get into the middle of this. He did in fact, seeing a man beaten and abused like this was painful to him. The cult leader motioned with a hand for him to hold back and then leaned back in to Pelos and whispered a few more phrases.

    Pelos looked over his shoulder towards Max. His head was covered in blood from a gash on his forehead by his hairline. ¡°You do know what they intend to do don¡¯t you? Do you think such a catastrophic change to the cosmos is going to be smooth and easy in transition? Max, they are going to kill thousands and thousands of people. Thousands to what? Bring back some long dead god? Those damned gods are just old beings, very old and powerful indeed, but is one of their lives worth all that?¡±

    Max glared at Daefindel, who shrugged and back at the helpful Scion. He could not bear to watch this any longer. He walked out of the room, but just before leaving, spoke over his shoulder, ¡°Pelos, why should I even trust you? You are desperately reaching out to me when you have no other hope.¡±

    Max noticed that a guard followed him from the control room. The guard kept his distance and did not bother him. He was not fully trusted yet. He would prove them wrong. He wondered this place, trying to lose his thoughts in the adventure of exploring a new and unique place. It worked a few times as he peered into rooms that were filled with unique items that he could not even attempt to give names or functions to. This was such a ¡°magical¡± place that surely common people would have no way to grasp their surroundings in their mind. They might even go mad from the confusion or just destroy the place out of fear of the unknown.

    Suddenly, Max got a surge of claustrophobia. He felt trapped in a maze of a place that felt alien to him. His mind was trapped with conflicted feelings about many of the people that he befriended and lost over his journeys since the time when life was so normal back home. He glanced briefly over his shoulder at the guard. If we were to truly get out of this feeling, he would need to be alone for a bit and get a chance to relax and think. During his continued explorations, he formulated a plan. He started investigating the automatic doors. He found ways to manipulate their functions and then he found a few doors on his next circuit of the lowest floors of the facility that were connected.

    Just after rounding a corner so that he was out of sight of the guard, he walked into the nearest room. The door was equipped with a small window in which he watched the guard walk back at a brisk pace and glance around the next hallway. Before the guard could fully react, he walked back through the door and back around the corner that they both came from. The next door was his target which he made with little effort. He heard rapid footsteps from inside the door. He pressed a button on the wall next to the door and saw a green light go red. He looked across the room to another door. He made his way across rapidly and just before going through that door, he could hear banging on the door which he now knew was locked. Deduction is such a great skill, he thought to himself. As soon as his door was open, he cleared it at great speed and headed for a secondary exit from the building.

    He burst through the freely opening door and took in a vast breath. The air outside was just so fresh and inside it seemed so stale. He immediately looked around for somewhere that he could hide from the sight of the view screens he remembered in the control room. Ah! Up the side of the ridge opposite of the path they came in on were some great rocks. He followed the rocks with his eyes and saw that they led to the heavy foliage that was starting to encroach across the dead zone he saw on the way in. There were a number of cultists on guard out here, most of them watched the path in rather than the other side of the valley.

    He moved with haste, but with footsteps as quiet as he could make them, almost hopping gingerly rather than jogging. He made the rocks and leaned back behind a large one to calm the fast beating of his heart.

    It is at that moment that Max¡¯s heart skipped a beat and nearly jumped out of his skin. As he opened his eyes while his head lay against the side of the huge rock, he saw another figure standing behind the next nearest rock in the direction of the foliage. He nearly blew his cover then from the shock. The figure moved with slender grace and speed to cover the distance between their rocks. He got only a split second view of the figure in the light between the rocks and saw long hair flowing several feet long and the figure it belonged to moved to encompass Max. He should have known the Cult of Daefindel would not leave these rocks unguarded. This must be their assassin.

    The figure grabbed hold of Max, especially his mouth was covered with a slender, pleasant smelling hand. Then a familiar voice spoke in a quiet, soft tone, ¡°It¡¯s alright Max. We¡¯re here to help.¡± The hand went to relax off his mouth for a moment and then tensed, ¡°you are calmed down now aren¡¯t you?¡± He nodded his head with just the slightest of tilts.

 Breakdown

    The hand left his mouth and he turned around to see Phaedra. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯re here to help. That¡¯s what I just said.¡± She moved to embrace him in a compassionate embrace, but Max pushed her away. ¡°We got your message. Leaving the scroll that was addressed to me.¡±

    ¡°So, are you planning on grabbing me now and trying to sell me to these people now? I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be interested, there are enough cultists here that they have the upper hand.¡± He looked upon her and had not realized before the betrayal he and heart break that the message gave him.

    ¡°Do you think I knew that is what my employers wanted from me?¡± She pleaded with her eyes more than her words.

    ¡°Whether that is the case or not, I cannot know.¡± After saying that Max remembered that he should try to concentrate more on her emotions. As he tried to do so, he realized just how strong his own emotions were and how they totally clouded his ability to read anyone else.

    ¡°Look, I let you go once before to gain your trust, right? Why don¡¯t I just do that again? I, I can¡¯t bear to see that look in your eyes as you stare at me. It¡¯s, it¡¯s just...¡± she looked away and then Max could tell that she also looked up at the edge of the foliage nearest this ridge.

    ¡°Then that is just what you will have to do to regain my trust. It is no guarantee. First Pater, then you, and now Pelos. Enchoron must be next right? And he is probably with you. I am taking my own route. I am not going to follow anybody and be their pawn.¡± With one final long, intense glare, Max let go of Phaedra and turned back towards the facility.

    Max came out of the obscuring view of the rocks open palmed and without any need for concealment. The guard was standing there, at the exit he took to get out here, looking just dumbfounded until finally his eyes came upon Max. As Max walked by him and headed back into the facility he spoke to the guard, ¡°I don¡¯t much like being followed. How about you just ask to come along next time? Don¡¯t treat me like a child.¡±

    The guard looked embarrassed and turned at least a couple shades of red as they walked back into the ancient building together. Just before the door slid closed automatically behind them, Max took a final glance over his shoulder up towards the foliage line.

    As they walked into the control room after taking the moving room again, or as it was referred to by others, the elevator, the ground started to tremble. At first it was just a slight rumble, maybe just someone pushing something heavy nearby. Then, a flash of light burst through the sky. Several pieces of rock and foliage flew at high speed about the room and some even impacted the roof, making loud clanging noises.

    With that a shockwave of intense power hit their location. Everyone standing that was fast enough on the reflexes immediately dived for cover. Those that were not so ready to prepare for the worst were knocked to their butts by the massive shaking that followed the immediate shockwave. Loose items jostled around and fell to the ground, some shattering, others bouncing around uncontrollably. Curses from the no longer stunned men and women were hurled about the room. Max was unprepared for this event. He was one of the folks who had taken a rapid tumble out of his control. Someone¡¯s cup shattered nearby and peppered Max with its remains.

    When the shaking finally stopped, several of the people in the know got to their feet quickly. Others stayed hunched over and concealed for fear of more such incidents. Still a couple of others raced for the doors to exit the building, claustrophobia instantly setting in. Max gathered the courage to step up and followed the gaze of the others that previously stood

    In the far distance, where the vortex... had been! The debris no longer flowed to that distant point. The swirling was still evident, but only as an afterthought. The pattern dissipated over the next few seconds. Max stood there in disbelief, this could not be a coincidence. The things that the Daefindel Cult was doing were bringing about extreme change. It was hard to wrap his head around.

    Max used the train of thought that he could make his own decisions. That he was a man. That was the biggest determinant into why he now chose not to believe in destiny. All this time, he was learning to grow up. He was learning to know what it meant to make choices and to deal with the consequences himself. The idea destiny and following it removed all that. It really did turn someone back into a pawn, just a pawn of no individual being or group. Someone became a pawn of the wills of reality itself.

    Max started to focus on the energies of those around him. He started with a couple of the cultists that still concealed themselves under tables and consoles. He pushed himself in to their energies. He worked hard to change his own state of mind. Even if he did not feel fear right now, he pushed what little fear he did have out of himself and into those energies.

    Each of the people under the tables now started to react. Most of them got up and ran out of the room in a panic. That panic started to feed into some of the people that stood now who were not afraid before. They felt confusion, and they felt that there was some hidden terror that they could not see at the moment. Nervousness started to set in. The reaction of the others in the initial group he manipulated stood up in an aggressive fashion. Some of them drew daggers or grabbed nearby solid objects.

    These aggressors looked to some of the leaders of the cult. With their eyes filled with terror, several of them started to shout demands. Some of them called the master, Daefindel a liar, some of them started to threaten him and his guards.

    The reaction was nonsensical to a man filled with calm and logic, but these people had been driven mad with fear and it turned into rage and panic.

    With the distraction of this commotion, Max made his way over to all of the display consoles where Sirodin sat. He barely moved from his chair through all of the shockwave. He was a determined man, but he needed to be dealt with. If anyone was watching the screens, the inevitable entry of Max¡¯s friends would be noticed.

    He drew his ray gun while moving swiftly across the room, trying to keep it out of sight at his side facing the wall. He continued to listen to the arguments of the crazed cultists and Daefindel, as he tried to calm them.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Another Plane wide rumbling started to occur just in time to rile up the panicking cultists. This time momentum followed and the rumbling was constant. The sky on the side of the facility opposite of the old vortex lit up. The ancient device must now be functional.

    Max adjusted a few of the controls on his ray gun and now stood at Sirodin¡¯s back. At first, the man looked up over his shoulder with relief. He shook his head in disgust at the cultists that could not hold it together in the moment of their greatest triumph. The smile on his face was telling as to how steel his reserve was and how strongly he felt to see this mission to completion.

    All of that changed when the ray gun was jabbed into his arm pit. The man¡¯s confidence instantly disappeared and Max observed his emotional state flip. This man was one of those people that used an air of confidence to make people think they were superior. As soon as you showed them that they were not superior, their mask of falsehood slipped.

    Sirodin looked up at Max with wide eyes of shock and surprise from betrayal. Max spoke up quietly, ¡°don¡¯t touch a thing unless I tell you to. Bring up a view of the far ridge line on one of these small screens.¡±

    The man nodded, he had already given in. There was no look about him or emotional charge that said he was going to risk his life to help the cult. The view screen down on the console showed the rocks.

    Max continued his commands just as he heard vocal commotion change into physical commotion, ¡°I want to you send some sort of signal that is visible from those rocks.¡±

    ¡°What kind of signal... sir?¡± It sounded like both parts of that statement were a question. He wanted to be sure not to piss Max off.

    Max just couldn¡¯t believe what a push over this guy actually was. ¡°Can you send a vocal message through writing?¡±

    The man simply nodded and slid open a segment of the console that was equipped with a keyboard. Max instructed each letter he wanted sent. The physical commotion behind them was quickly resolving. There were several dead and wounded back there.

    Max commanded with no hesitation, ¡°Send it. And unlock and open all the doors in that area.¡±

    Daefindel¡¯s voice dominated the air, ¡°now that the silly uprising of the fools is over. Time to get back to business. Max, let us watch together as we fulfill our goals and realize our potential.¡± His tone changed to confusion, ¡°Max?¡±

    One of the guards that was involved in the scuffle against the panicked cultists was approaching Max and Sirodin. Max tensed as he was probably in for trouble now. He reached over and changed the settings on his ray gun subtly.

    ¡°Max? Don¡¯t tell me you have foolishly fallen to the panic that these others did. They were weak willed and unable to carry out our momentous task.¡± Daefindel also started to approach the consoles. Max noticed as several figures moved out from the rocks and headed towards the nearest door to the facility.

    ¡°I know what I am doing. Unfortunately for you, I¡¯ve known for some time,¡± at the end of that statement, without any hesitation, Max spun around with the ray gun at waist level. The guard paused for a moment and gave Max just the opening he needed for his plan. He leaped in the air with great force towards the guard. She was thin and built differently from the burly guards he mostly had encountered. His leap became a kick that knocked her back and started to knock her down. He used her as a spring board to leap over into a clumsy roll that Phaedra would have carried out easily.

    Max slammed his side into a thick chair that then hit a console with some force. He got to his feet with about as much grace, but hopefully with enough speed. ¡°Pelos, hold up your chains.¡± Max screamed as he lunged towards the secret Scion that controlled the gravity device.

    The man listened and held up his arms. The guard that was watching over Pelos was not prepared to be part of the engagement. Max pushed the ray gun right up against the chains and blasted them apart instantly.

    He immediately took cover behind the next nearest console as one of the thinner guards fired at him with a ray gun of their own.

    Daefindel screamed, ¡°no ranged weapons! If you hit that console, we are lost! We must control the descent.¡±

    Pelos got to his feet after giving a barely useful elbow to the side of his guard. He made a break for the other side of the console that Max took cover behind. Thanks to Daefindel¡¯s commands, he made it without harassment.

    Max quickly worked to adjust the settings on his ray gun. Half a dozen guards were starting to descend on their position.

    Pelos spoke, ¡°If only I had my clothes and my other belongings, this would certainly be easier. It¡¯s just too bad I was stripped of all that I owned. Just too bad.¡± He glared over at Max.

    Pelos just laughed at that statement. That is, until he saw what came next. The ray gun did not just shoot a concentrated beam like when it so recently blew apart the chains. As Max¡¯s finger depressed on the trigger, a bright beam of energy fired out covering an entire ninety degree arc, encompassing all half a dozen of the guards that approached them. He held the trigger down for a good two to three seconds. When the light faded, all the guards were on the ground, groaning in pain. They were red with burns.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Max grabbed Pelos and rushed for the exit. Daefindel did nothing to stop them as he looked on in stunned silence.

    Once out in the hallway and around a couple of corners, the two stopped to get a breath. Pelos was staring at Max. Max looked back at him and gave him a wink.

    Pelos just shook his head, ¡°You are one I cannot predict, Max.¡±

    ¡°We can talk about that later. Right now is the important part. They must have shut down the other vortex. How can we reverse the damage that they have done?¡± Max insisted on keeping to the task.

    ¡°We are still in a semi-regular descent. I slowed it to a crawl just before standing up, but it is still headed for impact with the Old World,¡± Pelos was revealing obvious waves of regret that he could not have done more.

    ¡°Right now, it is best that we meet up with our friends and then we can formulate a plan of action, maybe even take back the control room,¡± Max said and Pelos nodded in agreement.

    They started done the hallway and found a set of stairs in short order. Their journey did not take them very far when they came across an unavoidable figure standing in the bright light of the hall between them and the next set of doors and escape routes.

    The garish woman, Garinda, stood there. Her dominating size and sneering face were all that Max could think about. He was almost frozen with nervous fear.

    She spoke and knocked him out of his stupor, ¡°I can¡¯t just let you be runnin¡¯ off. I¡¯ve been having my eye on you, something fishy I says. Now here you are runnin¡¯ off with the one you brought us to reunite this place with itself.¡± Garinda cracked the knuckles on her substantial fists against each other. She started walking with slow and heavy footsteps.

    Max looked towards his friend, Pelos, and looked around the hallway to try to eke out any sort of advantage that he could from the terrain. Nothing came to mind.

    Pelos took a step back and looked towards Max. ¡°Without my suit, I¡¯m not of much use in this. She¡¯d break me in half.¡±

    Max pulled out his ray gun from the holster. It was heavy in his hand as it came up, like the gravity locally to it was increasing tenfold. It was more the pressure to perform than anything else. He was looking down at it as he brought it up to prepare for adjusting the settings to the current fight.

    Pelos shrieked and dipped backward. Max looked up at just the last moment to see...

    ¡°Never let your eyes take leave of your opponent!¡± Garinda slammed into him. She made the distant in no time, probably accelerating once she saw the ray gun coming into action. The ray gun flew across the room beyond Garinda and Max was now puddled on the floor against the doors that led back to the stairs they just finished descending. The bowling ball of a woman did not keep her footing from the head long charge. She did not seem to mind her position on the ground near Max.