Legend Warrior

by Liara Woo

  Joran's eyes widened with disgust. "I'm sorry," he said immediately, "but I'm leaving."

  "What?" the man asked harshly, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Why?"

  "Because I'm not comfortable around people who drink and smoke," he answered firmly. Like all elves, he knew the health problems and addiction caused by smoking and drinking, and like all elves, he despised pipes, beer, wine, and all other forms of alcohol, and he stayed far from any substance with similar effects.

  The man's ruddy cheeks reddened even more. With a roar of outrage, he hoisted Joran high in the air by the neck of his tunic and flung him out the door, returning him to the cold, wet night. He landed hard on his ankle and twisted it painfully. The door slammed shut, but Joran could hear the laughter of the men inside. They're laughing at me. Wincing, he got to his feet. He was exhausted, sore, and miserable, and so far everyone he'd met had hated him. They didn't even get to know me first! Can't anyone in this town show a little bit of kindness?

  With his head drooping, he walked to the next inn. This one was smaller and shabbier than the rest, but it was worth a try. He knocked on the door, pleased to find it opened by a young man with a gentle face. He had a tiny wisp of a beard on his chin, and his warm, mud-colored eyes were large and expressive. He wore knee-high boots, a baggy brown shirt that was almost long enough to be a tunic, and dull green leggings. "Greetings to you, good lad. How may I assist you this evening?"

  "I would like to stay at your inn," Joran answered quietly, looking at the wood-paneled floor instead of the man's face. "The other three have turned me down. I'm tired, and I have travelled far tonight."

  "Come in," the man said, leading him inside to a snug dining hall with a roaring fire on one end. Joran looked towards it longingly—he could feel the warmth radiating from it all the way from where he stood by the door. "You do look like you've had a rough night. I'll see if there's an empty room left."

  "Thank you," Joran responded gratefully. Out of habit he reached up and tucked his hair behind one ear, and the innkeeper quickly grabbed his wrist. Joran's eyes widened at the sudden gesture and he jerked away.

  "No, don't worry, I won't hurt you… but you're an elf," the innkeeper said uneasily. "I'm sorry, lad, but you can't stay here."

  Joran's shoulders slumped. "But—why?" he asked desperately. "I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"

  The man let go of his wrist and gave him a sad look. "It's the law. Elves aren't allowed in Soor. The Mayor will do terrible things to men who offer them shelter, and their families will be imprisoned. I don't approve of the law, but I can't help you. Please leave. It's nothing against your kind; personally I'm fascinated with elves."

  "Of course," Joran murmured with a sigh.

  "Wait," the young man said suddenly. He went to a cupboard near the door and pulled out a thick wool blanket and a package of bread. Then he vanished into a side room and came back out, holding a steaming mug of hot chocolate. He held them out to Joran with a sympathetic smile. "There's no need to return the mug; I have plenty more. Please tell no one," he whispered. "I wish I could do more…"

  "Thanks," Joran sighed. Neither he nor the young innkeeper noticed one of the guests watching the entire exchange.

  Joran turned and walked out of the inn, feeling only somewhat better. He looked up at the dark sky, longing to see stars… to perhaps even see his father shining in the heavens. But the clouds were the only things he saw. He continued through the dark streets, cold, wet, and downhearted. He turned several corners until he found a partially sheltered corner to lie down in. Wrapping the blanket around himself and pulling his hood further over his eyes, he lay on his side, tears mixing with the rain on his face. Never had he felt so lost, so alone, and so rejected. What terrible world has Nashgor sent me to?

  Beginning of the Journey

  Beginning of the Journey

  Katie clung to one of the spines on the Loriina's back. The harsh, frigid wind numbed her face and blew her long flaming hair back. Loriina was sleek and swift, and riding her was more fun than a going on a rollercoaster. But as the flight continued, stretching on and on over the hours, Katie grew bored and began to dread the coming weeks of nothing but flight. After all, they'd been flying for two days and were just barely reaching the coast. Ahead of them the sky was dark—and not just because night was falling. The Ocean of Storms lay dead ahead.

  "Perhaps we ought to stop on the coast and wait until daybreak to begin crossing the ocean," Halthren shouted over the wind, his voice strangely high-pitched. "Dark creatures come out of the Storm at night."

  Katie remembered her own frightening experience with the sea serpent named Sharka and shuddered. "Good idea," she called back to Halthren. "Is that alright, Loriina?"

  "Of course," the dragon said, curving an arc through the air and landing gracefully on the pristine white beach. "Sand," she grumbled. "I hate sand." Gently she set Joran on the ground and Halthren swung his legs over the ridge of her spine, sliding down her smooth scales and landing in the soft sand, crouching protectively beside the prince. Katie followed him, landing with a soft thump that was masked by the rush of the waves nearby.

  She turned around, watching Relenthus anxiously as he turned and jumped halfheartedly to the ground, a sorrowful expression on his face. It's as if he's a completely different person now, she thought with a heavy heart, remembering how cheerful he'd been before the battle only days ago. A surge of fresh guilt washed over, as powerful as if she'd been hit by one of the waves forming in the ocean behind her, as she remembered the lives she'd taken that night. Bile rose up in her throat and she shuddered.

  Relenthus noticed her watching him and sighed, shaking his head, his sky-blue eyes full of sadness. "I know; I'm being a fool…"

  "No, you're not," Katie insisted, grateful for the distraction. "Feeling sad for the loss of someone you love isn't foolish." But I really miss the way you were before.

  She was distracted for a moment by a solid thump as something heavy sank into the sand; looking to her side, she saw that Loriina had sunk to the ground and curled her wings around her, gazing fearlessly towards the ocean. The fading sunset lit her powerful figure from behind, giving her silvery-blue scales a pink tint.

  "The stars can visit us in our dreams," Halthren told Relenthus, walking over to the two of them. Instantly Katie's attention switched to him. "Your friendship was powerful. I'm certain that he will come to you." A faraway look came into his silver-blue eyes.

  Relenthus looked at the sky, alight with fiery orange and rosy pink. "I believe you," he murmured, his voice rough. "You always know the right thing to say, don't you."

  Katie didn't notice the bitter tone in his voice as she smiled at Halthren. "See? Aspeniel was wrong. Your knowledge is useful."

  The tall, handsome elf offered her a hesitant smile. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead he turned and knelt beside Joran.

  "Is he alright?" Relenthus asked, worried.

  Halthren brushed his long, slender fingers over the sleeping prince's cheek. "He's still as cold as ice, but otherwise completely fine as far as I can tell."

  Katie gazed at Joran, biting her lip. She'd been through so much with him…she'd even shared her first kiss with him… it was frightening to see him so utterly motionless. And it's my fault. If I hadn't wanted the Forest of Mist protected, then this never would've…

  A lump came to her throat and her eyes burned as she put her hand on Halthren's upper arm, just as much to comfort herself as to comfort him. She wanted to lean her head against his shoulder but decided not to.

  Loriina looked at them, rolling to her feet and shaking sand off of her scales the same way a dog shakes off water. "I just remembered. There's a small problem. You see, we might take a few weeks in crossing the ocean, since the wind's blowing from the east instead of from the west. Unless the direction changes, I'll be flying against a headwind the whole way. We'll also be flying under the clouds, because if I fly above them we'll all lose
consciousness. Trust me; I know from experience."

  Katie narrowed her eyes, thinking. A headwind could make this take more time than we can afford. It won't be long before Nashgor attacks again. "There's not a time limit on this Dream Kingdom, is there?" she asked. "He's not going to die if we leave him in there for too long, right?"

  Halthren shook his head. "No, but if he dies in the Realm, then he will die here as well, and vice versa. If only Nashgor had trapped two elves in there… they could look out for each other."

  "There's no use complaining about it now," Loriina protested. "Let's just get some good rest tonight, and hopefully we'll cover a lot of distance tomorrow."

  But Katie couldn't sleep. She paced the beach long after the sun had gone down, her mind racing and unwilling to be soothed by the calming rasp of the waves against the sand.

  The Forest of Mist had been destroyed, along with her only way to Earth. But either Halthren or Aspeniel (she couldn't remember which) had said that the unicorns might be able to conjure another way for her to get home. How, though? What powers do they have that no one else on Allagandria has?

  "Are you alright?" Halthren asked. Turning, she saw him walking towards her. His skin didn't glow in the dark, but from the silver light of the stars and moon she could see the concern on his youthful face.

  "You can't sleep either?" Katie inquired, rather than answering his question.

  "No," Halthren admitted, briefly looking away from her. "Ever since Vernisgard my dreams have been dark and full of evil intent. I fear to lose myself in sleep, for then I would risk having those dreams again. Would you like to sit down?"

  Katie's legs were tired from pacing, so she sat down on the soft sand, silver in the moonlight, and the elf knelt beside her. He looked at her closely. "If…if you don't mind my asking, why couldn't you sleep?"

  Katie paused for a moment, debating on how she could put her worries into words. "Well, the Forest of Mist is gone, but I think you said that the unicorns could send me back home. If it turns out that they can't, I don't know what I'll do," she answered, unable to keep the longing ache from her voice.

  Halthren looked thoughtful, tilting his head to the side and pursing his lips. "We don't know exactly what powers the unicorns have. The Great Elves tried to learn of them while exploring Allagandria, but they never did find out. A unicorn by the name of Rune killed them all with a single stroke of his sword."

  Katie felt a shiver run down her spine and she forced images of herself doing the same thing (only to demons, not elves) from her mind. "So…unicorns have swords? How does that work, since they have hooves? Or are unicorns from Allagandria different from what humans think of as unicorns?"

  Halthren smiled grimly. "Unicorns are white horses with horns on their foreheads. When they transform into humans, their horn becomes a massive weapon that differs for each individual. For some the weapon is a sword; others have spears, or longbows…you get the idea. And unfortunately, they're rumored to be disdainful towards Allagandrians. But you're from Earth, and so if the Light wills it you can convince them to help us. But you don't have to do that if you wouldn't like to; it is your choice. No one will force you."

  "Are you kidding? I want to help Joran!"

  Halthren smiled at her. "So do I. I'm glad you're on this journey. Of all of us you're the most competent." He started to stand, but before she could stop herself Katie reached up and took his hand. He looked down at her in surprise and again felt that strange fluttering of something like bird wings beneath his sternum.

  "Would you sit with me for a little longer?" Katie asked softly.

  "Of course," Halthren relented, sitting back down. They remained in silence for several minutes, listening to the gentle and simultaneously roaring sounds of the waves crashing upon the sand while gazing at the stars twinkling like gems in the dark blue sky. Then Halthren whispered, "Those are another reason I could not sleep. The stars. Each one of them is an elf who has been killed. Katie, elves cannot die from age, poison, or illness. Many things can cause us pain, but they cannot destroy us. Our lives can be taken only by a solid weapon. My parents and everyone I cared about when I was a child…they live up there now. Because of that, I always have trouble sleeping under the sky."

  Katie stared at him. "I can't even imagine that. I thought I was sad when my best friend left for the summer." She paused, and for a moment she was silent, and then she couldn't help but ask, "How did your parents die?"

  For a moment she thought she'd asked yet another uncomfortable question of him. And she was right, but for whatever reason, Halthren decided to answer this one. Maybe it was because she filled him with a desire to tell her everything there was to know about him, until he was left vulnerable, with no more secrets, every aspect of his character on display for her to see. I want her to know who I am.

  He turned his gaze away from the sky and picked at a loose thread in his leggings. "I told Relenthus that the stars could visit us. That was no legend that I'd read; that was fact, and I know because it happened to me.

  "The demons were raiding the tiny village where I grew up. They broke into my home. My parents had hidden me, minutes before they arrived, in a small space underneath a floorboard. Then the demons killed them, and I had to hear them die, since I couldn't get my hands to my ears in that cramped space.

  "When I could no longer here a noise of any kind, I was terrified. I didn't want to leave my shelter out of fear for what I would find, so I stayed under the floorboard until I was half-dead from starvation and thirst. Then, driven by a need for sustenance and for the light of day, I left and found the beaten, broken bodies of my parents in the remains of the house. They needed some of my own Light in order to become stars, and so I gave them some, and they went into the sky. I can easily find them now at night; they are the only two stars so close together that they appear to be one.

  "Then I had to go throughout the rest of the village, sending light into all those I had known and loved for my entire life. When that was done, I left, tormented by the images in my mind of the bodies of my companions. I felt like I would go insane from the horror and violence of it all.

  "After that I wandered for weeks in the wilderness, looking for water, a fruit tree, or anything. It was near the dead of winter, and the sun and stars were hidden most of the time behind thick storm clouds bearing snow. I thought I was going to die, and I probably would have, if my parents had not come to me as stars. They showed me the way to the castle; King Treemoon took me in and raised me as if I were his own son. Joran grew up alongside me. We are more like brothers than friends."

  Katie looked up at the stars again. "You really would do anything for Joran."

  Halthren nodded. "I would die a hundred times over for him. I would challenge Nashgor to single combat. I would give him all of the Light I have left. He is my brother. My family. The only family I have left."

  Katie was silent for several moments, pondering the strength of his devotion. Would he ever love someone… not in his family?

  * * *

  The next thing she knew, she was waking up on the beach. Everything was gray; clouds had moved in during the night. Halthren lay sprawled on his back a few feet away, sound asleep. Relenthus was also still sleeping, leaning his back against a large boulder with his head lolled to the side. Loriina yawned, baring her long, curved teeth. Her lengthy pink tongue rolled out. She shifted her position and then settled back down with a content sigh.

  Katie looked at Halthren's sleeping figure with some alarm. Loriina had effectively closed the deepest of his wounds from the Battle of Velana, but the shallower cuts and bruise remained. Katie stood up and walked over to the two satchels on the sand beside Relenthus. She picked up the one with the potions and returned to Halthren. Then she sat down beside him and gently tilted his head back, pouring some of the potion into his mouth. His injuries closed and faded, and Halthren sighed contentedly in his sleep.

  He is so cute, Katie thought, feeling a flutter in her stomac
h.

  Loriina woke up first, and she stretched and yawned, flexing her muscles. Then she straightened and winked mischievously at Katie. "Not a word," she warned before opening her jaws as wide as she could above Relenthus's head. Her tongue tickled his nose. Katie rolled her eyes.

  "That's mean," she criticized.

  Loriina only shrugged. It wasn't very long before Relenthus woke up, and when he saw a cavernous and very carnivorous mouth open just above his face, he let out a terrible scream of fear, and instantly Loriina sat back on her haunches, laughing. Trembling, Relenthus shot to his feet, his eyes wide, while Halthren, awakened by the scream, pushed himself into a sitting position. "What happened? Are you alright? You're as white as a sheet!"

  Relenthus saw Loriina laughing and scowled. "Dragons," he complained grouchily. "Even the good ones have a bad streak."