A Gleaming Path

by Jeffrey Pawlak

  He seemed to be fitter and stronger from when Tauroc last saw him many weeks ago, and for that, the Rockclaw Chieftain was thankful. He watched his son work, even though Sarrek refused to look at him when they stood no more than twenty yards apart.

  Kamal eventually turned and began to walk off in the direction they came, leaving the father and son to themselves. “I trust that you two will resolve this calmly,” the elder said as he left, and soon he was well on his way back to the rest of their tribe.

  His departure did not immediately stir any conversation between Tauroc and Sarrek. As Sarrek continued to scrape away at one of the sturdy trunks that composed the Long Den, Tauroc glanced about their nearby surroundings. There were no other Baroso anywhere close by. In fact, if he did not look out to the far edge of Rockclaw Rise, where his returning warriors were still being greeted, he would have thought that the ridges were abandoned.

  Tauroc noticed several other tools—hammers, saws, chisels—lying about on the ground near the Long Den. It seemed as though they had been dropped in a hurry by whoever last used them.

  Sarrek surely must have known when Tauroc and his warriors arrived, but the young Baroso refused to join in welcoming them home.

  “I’m not angry with you, Sarrek, if that is your concern,” Tauroc began. “But I’m somewhat disappointed that you would hide your thoughts from me. Why didn’t you say anything before I left that you felt I should have acted differently?”

  “You wouldn’t have listened to me,” Sarrek answered in a coarse tone.

  “That is not true,” Tauroc argued. “You are my son, and I value anything you might say.”

  Sarrek finally faced his father. The young Baroso’s eyes were filled with bitterness. “Just like when you forced me to hide with the she-bears, elders, and other cubs when we were attacked? Even though I pleaded to fight by your side and defend our home?”

  Tauroc recalled that night when Baldaron and his forces attacked Rockclaw Rise. Sarrek was relentless in his demand to join the adult Baroso in battle, adamant to stand against the strange enemies that suddenly swept over their home. Tauroc had been equally adamant that his son would stay away from the chaos and defend those Baroso who were not warriors.

  “I never ordered you to hide,” Tauroc said, barely holding back a growl in his voice. “I ordered you to stay with the she-bears, the elders, and the other cubs so that you could protect them. They could not be left alone when we were being overwhelmed by such a powerful enemy. I wanted you to be with them because I trusted that you could keep them safe.”

  “You say that as if we are any other creatures of this land,” Sarrek replied. “Any Baroso, old or young, male or she-bear, can defend themselves. Many of them wanted to join the battle that night, and they only didn’t because warriors like yourself ordered them to stay away. They respect and fear you too much to question your words.”

  “We likely saved our tribe from complete destruction by that choice,” Tauroc said.

  “You can’t say that for certain,” Sarrek retorted. “Our tribe’s full might wasn’t there to challenge those marauders. With my help, with the rest of the tribe’s help, it might have been enough to fend them off.”

  “You saw how powerful our enemy was; even if all of you had joined the fight, it would not have stopped them,” Tauroc said. “All that we would have accomplished is that more Baroso would have died, maybe even you. I could never put you in a place so close to death.”

  A vague sneer appeared over Sarrek’s snout. “At least you would have been letting us act like Baroso, and not cowards.”

  “Is that what all of your anger is about?” Tauroc asked. “That I would not let you fight in a battle that we could not win?”

  Sarrek shook his head. His eyes narrowed before he answered. “No, it is that you let a likely outcome of a battle decide whether you let our tribe fight or not.”

  “So, you would rather I lead our tribe to death for the sake of fighting? All so that history would say that we challenged those stronger than us?”

  “I would rather do that than ever submit to someone’s will, just like mother always believed.”

  Tauroc felt a sharp pang in his heart at the mention of his beloved mate, Sheba. She had perished several seasons ago on a day when she was foraging in the mountains with Sarrek and a few other cubs and she-bears. That day, one of the mountains’ great predators attacked their group. Sheba fearlessly threw herself at the monster and fended it off while the others escaped. With her fury and her unbreakable desire to protect her cub, she kept the beast from harming the other Baroso, but she could not save herself. She and the creature eventually tumbled off the edge of a steep cliff as they fought, and the fall claimed both of their lives.

  Tauroc swallowed back his sorrow before he spoke again. His voice was low and somber. “You’re right. Your mother would probably have never done what I’ve chosen. She was the bravest and strongest Baroso I ever knew. But I believe that she would understand why I’ve come to these decisions. If it had been me who died fighting that monster, she would do whatever it took to keep you alive, as well.”

  “I cannot agree with that. For all of my life, I’ve looked at her sacrifice as a testament to her belief that we Baroso fight to defend one another, and most importantly, our way of life, even with death screaming in our faces. That’s who we are, father—we are fearless no matter the danger, no matter the challenge.”

  “Your mother made that sacrifice to protect you and the other cubs. She would not have given her life out of a sense of pride as a Baroso, and I cannot do the same if it means endangering the lives our entire tribe. I am Chieftain, Sarrek. I am responsible for all of the Rockclaw Tribe.”

  Tauroc was not surprised, but still disappointed to see that his words had little effect on his son. Sarrek’s eyes fell away from his father as he shook his head. The young Baroso dropped the scraper he had been using before. “I’m sorry, father, but I see no purpose in throwing away our honor so that we can live in uncertainty the rest of our lives.”

  Sarrek did not allow his father another response. The young Baroso turned and walked off in another direction where the ridges were empty, leaving Tauroc to stand in silence.

  It was only broken a few moments later when Tauroc’s nostrils released a long, disconcerted breath. This was not the return that he had so greatly anticipated for many weeks, nor the reunion with his son that he desperately longed for. He had expected to return home and quickly put the shadow of Baldaron’s coming behind him. He had expected his mind to finally be at ease.

  There was obviously much healing left to be done, Tauroc realized. It would require time for the tension between him and Sarrek to settle. Much like the rebuilding of what was destroyed throughout Rockclaw Rise, the dispute with his son would eventually resolve, but it would not happen overnight. This would go on, and Tauroc knew that he had to stay the course and believe that all would one day turn out well.

  That was what he had told himself during those many weeks at Baldaron’s command, after all.

  Tauroc looked up into the sky. Somewhere beyond the clouds, he knew that he was being watched.

  I’ll keep our son and our tribe safe, Sheba. I promise.

  26

  The ground rose steadily beneath Raissa’s feet as she and the rest of her party hurried deeper into the Tower Mountains. The Arid Reaches’ flat, dusty floor was long behind them, taken over by the mountains’ rocky surface that seemed to climb just a little higher with every step. It had been a few hours since they left the Sandstone Mausoleum, but still they moved ahead with great haste. They did not feel safe, even when Baldaron’s army was trapped on the other side of the canyon that they had crossed. He would eventually find a path around it, and he would surely pursue them. They sought to create as much distance as possible from the wicked man while he and his troops stood idle, so they chose to run on into the mountains for as long as the day would last.

  It was only when twilight bega
n to fall over the land that they decided that they needed to stop for the night. The sun sank quickly into the depths of the horizon, bringing a murky sky that draped the mountain passes in shadow. Tiroku, and even the Aesur, did not see it safe to journey onward over the steep crags and narrow pathways during the night, especially with the party worn down from their long and strenuous trek. With darkness hiding the dangers around them, it would be easy to commit a misstep and tumble to a perilous fall. Just the same, the coming night would surely awaken many of the mountains’ most fearsome predators, and no one in their group had the energy to combat one of those.

  They spotted a lonely hill in the distance that was ringed by old hawthorn trees and boulders atop its crown. They deemed it to be a suitable place for them to make their camp for the night. As most of their party hurried in the direction of the hill, though, Raissa stopped to reclaim her breath. She did not want to slow the rest of her companions down, so she did not alert them while they moved on. Only Tiroku noticed her.

  “Your Highness, we only have a little further to go,” he said. “Please, let’s hurry ahead, and then you can rest for as long as you need.”

  In between deep breaths, Raissa nodded. She straightened, and although she tried to hold back her fatigue, she apparently did not disguise it very well.

  “Are you all right, your Highness?” Tiroku asked.

  Raissa did not answer him for a few moments. When she finally did, she spoke in a weak, defeated whisper. “No, Tiroku, I’m not…”

  Tiroku seemed to understand that she referred to something far more profound than her physical exhaustion—the shocking, and grisly secret of her father’s campaign in the Arid Reaches that Baldaron revealed to them. His features tightened as a strained silence fell between. He appeared reluctant to speak again.

  Raissa eventually lifted her eyes to the Champion of Light. She offered him a desperate, pleading look. “Tiroku…how could any of this be? How could my father’s mission have brought so much death and destruction, when it was supposed to bring peace?”

  The pained look in Tiroku’s face suggested that he did not have a confident answer for her. “I understand that the revelation must be incredibly difficult for you to bear, especially with how it came to you, but you must also realize that what Baldaron said was only his perspective on what actually happened all those years ago. He did not tell you every last detail of what occurred in the Arid Reaches, and why it occurred.”

  “But it still happened, didn’t it?” Raissa replied.

  Tiroku had no response. His eyes fell to the mountain floor, as if in concession to Raissa’s grim words.

  “My whole life, I have always believed that everything my father worked for as King was to preserve the peace of this kingdom,” Raissa went on, “but if this is true, then in a sense, my father’s decisions eventually created this chaos that has swept over Tordale. His mission in the Arid Reaches is the reason why Baldaron and his armies threaten us.”

  “You cannot think that way, your Highness,” Tiroku said, trying to be stern. “You are assuming things that you cannot be certain of. There is no telling if this threat or another would have emerged even if your father never ordered our armies into the Arid Reaches. You must not question his decisions when he was seeking a noble goal.”

  Tiroku’s words could not pull Raissa from her swelling distress. “But so many innocent people were killed by our own!” she exclaimed. “You have not denied it; you have confirmed it!” She turned from Tiroku and stepped away, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. “My father always told my brother and I that the purpose of our family, the reason for our rule over Tordale was to ensure that peace and prosperity existed in all corners of the kingdom. From what it appears, he never brought that to the Arid Reaches; he brought more ruin than peace and prosperity! And he hid that secret from us, even into his own death!”

  Raissa spun around and faced Tiroku again. Her body trembled as she struggled to find her words. “What if it is true that all of this has happened because of the slaughters done by our army years ago? What if the reason why Caldeya was overtaken, and so many people there were killed, is because of my family’s mistakes? What if the reason why Rawner is dead is because of us?”

  “Do not speak so rashly, your Highness,” Tiroku said. “Rawner willingly and valiantly offered up his own life to protect us. He would tell you himself that it is not yours, your father’s, nor your family’s fault for his death.” The Champion of Light looked away from her and aimed his eyes at the rest of their party as they made for the hill in the near distance. “Alamor would also never want to hear you say that. He is more upset than anyone among us that Rawner is gone, but he must know that—”

  Tiroku stopped mid-sentence. As he watched their fellow companions just ahead, Raissa noticed rising concern take over his eyes.

  She, too, glanced at the others, and it was not long before she made the same startling discovery that Tiroku must have made.

  Alamor was not among any of their companions who ran on ahead.

  She and Tiroku spun about, eyes darting in all directions, searching frantically for some sign of Alamor. But no matter where they looked, he was nowhere to be seen.

  * * * * *

  In their hurry to retreat into the Tower Mountains, Raissa, Tiroku, and the others had not even noticed when Alamor separated from the group. He did so deliberately, quietly slipping away at one point while the others continued their escape through the mountain passes. He knew in the back of his mind that it was risky to wander off alone, and that his friends would worry for him when they realized that he was not among their numbers, but neither concern could keep him from the solitude he so desperately craved.

  Alamor stopped when he came to a precipice. It overlooked a wide valley nestled between several peaks. The view was spectacular. Most of the valley was densely forested with pines. It looked like a carpet of malachite-green that rested comfortably at the bases of the mountains. The natural spires of pure rock rose imposingly in the distance, clouds of mist and fog gathering near their pinnacles as they reached high above the earth. The sky morphed into a ceiling of cobalt and indigo shades, while long, fading rays of light from the sinking sun stretched beyond the mountains and draped their frames in shadow.

  Alamor hardly saw any of the wondrous scene. He stared blankly into the horizon, his eyes wide open, but seeing none of the beauty.

  All that he continued to see was Rawner’s lifeless form as it fell into the canyon.

  Why?

  Why did Rawner have to die?

  The questions repeated themselves in Alamor’s head as he tried to make sense of the harrowing event he witnessed earlier that day. He could not understand why fate continued to be so cruel to him. He had already lost his parents, he had already spent years haunted by his mistakes and failures in trying to become a Champion of Light, he had nearly lost his bond with Raissa.

  Why did life itself seem so intent to torment him that it now tore away Rawner—a man who had been watching over him since he was just a child?

  Amid those questions and many others, a pang of regret festered in Alamor’s mind. He questioned whether he should have hurried across that bridge when he did. Perhaps if he had ignored Joth’s orders and ran to join Rawner in combat, his lifelong friend would be walking alongside him through the mountains right now.

  The mountains.

  At that moment, it dawned on Alamor just how far he had come in his quest to fulfill the Legend of Light. After weeks of perilous journeying across the kingdom, he and his comrades were in possession of both Xogun’s and Ralu’s Radia. They had crossed into the last leg of their trek—a march throughout the Tower Mountains that would eventually take them to the mysterious realm known as Skyscape, where they would find the portal to Ralu and Xogun. In the corner of the Hallowed Plane where the legendary Sages rested, watching over all of Tordale, Ralu and Xogun would hopefully empower Alamor and Raissa to use the Radia as weapons against Baldaron’s
Scourge.

  They had accomplished something magnificent—something that was thought by many to be impossible. There was real hope for their quest to save Tordale from destruction.

  But Alamor felt little joy from it. That hope only existed because Rawner had given up his life.

  What else would this journey take from Alamor before it was over?

  HERE ENDS BOOK TWO IN THE LEGEND OF LIGHT

  THE STORY WILL CONCLUDE IN BOOK THREE,

  RADIANT FATE

  Radiant Fate

  Book Three in

  The Legend of Light

  Set to release Summer 2019

  Until then, read on for an exclusive excerpt

  Radiant Fate

  Alamor ran his hands over the violet feathers that were woven together to make the bulk of the sail. The plumage was so thick that it felt like he held a heavy fur coat. He knew that he had seen this remarkable item somewhere before.

  “These are the same sails of Zephawk feathers like what I showed you in Geldiar when we were planning our mission,” Dayneth said, jogging Alamor’s memory from several weeks ago, before their journey even began. “We’ll use these to get up to Skyscape. As long as you hold on tight, one of these can take you all the way up the mountains until you reach my homeland.”

  Alamor looked to where the wind currents came together and rose high above the earth. He could feel his insides practically sink at the thought of such a harrowing experience. “Have you seen these work, for yourself?” he asked, silently praying that Dayneth could personally attest to their functionality.

  “I’ve never required their assistance, but it’s been recorded in my people’s history more than once of creatures from the surface world using them successfully. In fact, it’s said that Ralu and Xogun ascended to Skyscape using these.”