Wielder's Rising

by T. B. Christensen

  Traven stood at the edge of the grave in silence. He watched as Darian finished covering the grave with the rest of the dirt. Soon there was a small mound that served as the only memorial of the two guardians that lay buried at the base of the tree. Darian took a step back from the mound and made several smooth motions with his arms. He then ended by holding his palms upwards towards the sky and bowing his head.

  “It is done,” the elf said as he turned to face Traven. “Their bodies have returned to the earth and their spirits have returned to the sky.”

  Traven bowed his own head in respect to the deceased and thanked Darian for taking care of their bodies. He was still weak and didn’t think he would have had the strength to dig the grave.

  “You gave me your strength,” Darian replied. “You healed my leg and restored my hope. I can only repay you by doing all that I can in your service.”

  “You don’t owe me anything,” Traven said.

  “Yes I do,” the elf replied. “Master Wielder, I swore to serve you. Yet to this point you have done far more for me than I have done for you. Please forgive my weakness.”

  “You don’t have anything to apologize for,” he said. “If you hadn’t kept that creature at bay, there’s no way I could’ve stopped the assassin. I think the whole attack was my fault anyway. They were both sent to kill me. The deaths of the guardians are my fault.”

  “Don’t be foolish,” Darian replied. “You aren’t responsible for their deaths. They chose to be guardians, and they chose to guard you on this journey. It is unwise to carry around more burdens than you need to.”

  Traven followed as the elf left the grave behind and made his way back to the camp. He supposed that Darian was right, but he still felt partially responsible for the deaths of his two companions. They skirted the spot where the slain beast lay. It appeared that even though it was already dead, the wolves hadn’t come near it. He wondered where such a monster had come from. Upon returning to camp, they ate breakfast, loaded up their gear, and mounted their horses.

  “You’re right,” Darian said suddenly. “They were after you.”

  “Why do you say that?” he asked

  “I searched the assassin this morning and found this.”

  Darian pulled a dark red stone from his pocket and tossed it to Traven. It changed color to a brighter red as it got closer to him and landed in his hand. He stared at it. It was one of the seeker stones. It dawned on him that the first time he had seen a seeker stone it was also in the hands of an assassin. The kidnapper in Calyn had been sent for him before he even knew that he was a wielder. How many more assassins would be sent to kill him? How many others close to him would die?

  “We need to hurry,” Traven said. “It’s late, and we need to ride hard if we’re going to close the ground between us and the princess.”

  Darian nodded and snatched the stone from the air as Traven tossed it back to him. They were soon on their way at a quick pace. The large trees of the forest flew past them throughout the day. Occasionally a shaft of sunlight would flit over their bodies, illuminating them, before they were back in the perpetual twilight of the forest.

  The next few days passed in a blur of shadowy trees, patches of light, and silence. They didn’t talk much. Not because they were uncomfortable, but because they were lost in their own thoughts.

  Traven couldn’t stop thinking of the princess and his visions. He felt like he couldn’t reach her fast enough. Every morning when he woke he felt the urgency stronger than ever. He often wondered why out of all the people in the land, it was the Princess Kalista that his visions told him to protect. Why was it so important that he protect her?

  He also thought a lot about what he might do when he reached the princess and the battlefront. The recent attack had given him an opportunity to use the ambience in combat. He was beginning to realize how useful it would be but also how inept in using it he still was. He had almost been killed several times by the assassin’s arrows before he had remembered to create a shield. He hoped that by the time they arrived, he would be proficient enough to help the Royal Army defeat the Wielder Kadrak and his army.

  From screeing he knew that the battle would begin long before Darian and he reached the battlefront. The Balthan Army was getting close to where the Kalian Army had made camp at the mouth of the pass, and he supposed the battle would begin soon. He hoped that by traveling so hard, Darian and he would reach the frontlines in time to help. He also hoped that the princess would soon turn back to Candus. The reinforcements were closing in on the battlefront as well, and it looked as though they would reach it about the same time as the Balthan Army. Hopefully, someone would have enough sense to send her back to Candus soon.

  Traven wasn’t sure what Darian was thinking about. While the elf had at first seemed happier to be amongst the trees of the forest, he now seemed melancholy. He spent much of the day just staring north into the trees as they continued swiftly down the highway. On the morning of the fourth day since the attack, he decided to ask Darian what was wrong. The elf seemed to glance northward between every bite of food.

  “Why do you keep staring northward?” he asked.

  “You’ve noticed?” the elf said sheepishly.

  It had been so obvious that Traven almost laughed at the question. Instead he just nodded. Darian pointed northward and slightly to the west.

  “In that direction stands Mount Morian,” he said. “The forest at the base of the mount is where I am from. It is the ancient home of all elves. It is where my family lives and where I grew up.”

  Staring northward into the thick forest, Traven could see why no one ever stumbled upon the elves. He couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to search through the forest. It was strange to think of how many people had traveled this highway without the slightest idea of what these woods truly hid.

  “How many elves live there?” he asked.

  “Tens of thousands,” Darian replied. “There are multiple elf havens throughout the forest. I grew up in the Morian Haven, the largest and the capitol haven of the elves.”

  “How far into the woods is it?”

  “About a two day journey. During my time at the keep, I often looked forward to returning. I dreamt of marrying an elvish maiden and perhaps even raising an elfling. Now I suppose those dreams have gone away. I now follow a different dream.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Traven asked.

  “I am devoted to you,” the elf replied. “I no longer have my own dreams. My life is to serve you.”

  Traven was reminded once again of their strange arrangement. He often forgot that Darian was technically his servant. The elf was noble, independent, and wise. It made it difficult to view him as a servant. He hadn’t realized before that the elf had been willing to give up his future dreams in order to serve him. Perhaps he would one day be able to convince the elf that he could honorably leave his service and fulfill his own dreams.

  “Maybe we’ll have to visit your haven once the battle is over,” Traven suggested. Darian instantly turned pale. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know if that would be a good idea,” the elf said. “Elves are very private and wouldn’t necessarily welcome a human in their midst, even if he were a wielder.”

  “Well perhaps you can visit by yourself once the battle is over,” he suggested.

  “I can’t do that,” Darian said shaking his head. “My devotion to you prevents me from leaving you.”

  “What if I commanded you to visit your haven?” Traven asked. He was curious to hear the elf’s response.

  “I would have to go if it was a direct command,” Darian replied with a wry smile. “However, I would be unwelcome. By tattooing your markings on my honor tattoo, I have sealed my fate to that of yours. The elves would scorn me and cast me out for either deserting you or failing to protect you.”

  Traven now understood just how much Darian had given up when he swore his devotion to him. He hoped that he would be able to repa
y the elf. He didn’t feel right having the elf’s fate determined by what he did or didn’t do. However, he had to admit that it was comforting to know that Darian would stand by him no matter what.

  They finished breakfast and headed east once again. They kept up their quick pace, only stopping to rest the horses periodically. They had also found that by switching between their mounts and the mounts of the two deceased guardians, the horses were able to keep up a much faster pace. By nightfall they were getting close to the edge of the forest. From there it would only be a half day’s ride to Candus.

  When they stopped for the night, Traven pulled out his dish to scree while Darian started a fire and made dinner. He not only wanted to check on their progress, but more than anything he wanted to check on the safety of the princess. He set the dish filled with water on the ground behind a large trunk, knelt down in front of it, and gathered the ambience around him.

  First he pulled up an image of their current position. He was happy to see they were indeed close to the edge of the forest and would be able to reach Candus the following day. He then moved the image towards the pass and saw that the reinforcements had arrived there to join the main body of the army. Further to the east he could see the campfires of the invading army not far into the pass. The battle would most likely commence the next day.

  He quickly pulled up an image of the princess. He frowned. She was still with the army. What was she doing? He could see that she was talking to Commander General Gavin. Looking around her, he saw that there was a contingent of royal guards mounted and waiting. He suddenly realized what was going on as the princess wrapped her arms around the commander general and kissed him. They were saying their goodbyes. He let the image disappear as he blushed.

  The battle would start in the morning, and he was still a good five days away. At least the princess would be gone before the battle commenced. He dumped out the water and walked over to the fire. Hopefully they would meet up with the princess in a few days and easily be able to keep her safe until the battle was over. With the princess heading away from the battle accompanied by twenty royal guards, he hoped his nightly dreams would be more peaceful.

  27

  Kalista sadly stepped away from Gavin’s arms. She had known this moment would eventually come, but she had hoped that it wouldn’t come so soon. When they had set out from Candus, they had thought that the troops would have plenty of time to reach the opening of the pass and spend several days preparing for the attack. The march from Candus had taken five days, and the weather had been pleasant. She had not only enjoyed the extra time with Gavin, but had also enjoyed the time to get to know her future father-in-law better.

  She had known that they would reach the main camp of the Royal Army the night of the fifth day, but she had planned on staying for a day while the troops were integrated and finished preparing for the upcoming attack. However, plans had dramatically changed earlier in the day. The scouts had appeared early that morning with the surprising news that the Balthan Army had somehow gotten past the avalanche and would be within striking range as early as that night.

  Gavin had tried to send her back to Candus once again, but she had refused. She saw no reason not to accompany him to the camp. After another argument like the previous one they had in Candus, her fiancé had given in. She had convinced him that she would stay far from any danger. However, he had made her promise that she would turn back to Candus as soon as they reached the encampment. The army had marched in double time and reached the main body of the army that evening.

  The scouts had updated them that the Balthan Army was indeed almost all the way through the pass. They had stopped not far from the opening and were setting up their camp for the night. The scouts expected that the battle would begin the next morning. After a quick dinner, Gavin had insisted that she keep her promise and leave for Candus immediately. She knew that it was time for her to go, but it didn’t make leaving her future husband any easier. She gave him one last smile of encouragement and mounted her horse. From the top of her horse, she blew him a kiss and turned and rode away.

  As she started back down the highway towards Candus, she began to worry for his safety. She couldn’t believe that it was already the eve of the battle. She kept telling herself that he would be safe at the back of the army, directing its movements and tactics from the command area. She would have to believe that, or else she knew she would go crazy with worry.

  Kalista stared forward as her horse carried her away from her beloved and towards safety. She was accompanied by her servants and twenty royal guards, yet she felt all alone without Gavin nearby. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her feelings of worry. He would be fine, and she would be fine. She tried to imagine the not far off day when Gavin would ride triumphant into the city, and they could move forward with their wedding plans.

  * * * * *

  Gavin watched as his beautiful future bride rode away from the army camp. He was sad to be apart from her but glad that she would be safely on her way to Candus before the battle commenced. He hadn’t realized how stubborn she could be and was glad that she had kept her promise to leave as soon as they reached the camp. He watched her ride away until she eventually disappeared from view in the distance.

  He then took a deep breath and headed towards the command tent. The battle would most likely begin in the morning and much needed to be discussed. His long strides soon brought him to the entrance of the large tent. It sat on a slight rise that offered an unobstructed view of the large area that sloped slightly down towards the mouth of the pass. The two guards at the entrance saluted and moved to the side.

  He ducked inside the tent and looked around. It appeared that he was the last one to arrive. He took the last available chair at the base of the table. His two generals, Blaize and Kelt, were already seated at his right. His father sat at the head of the table with his two generals to his right. All five had been studying the map when he entered.

  The huge table in the center of the room was almost completely covered by the large map. It accurately depicted in detail the area where the battle would occur. The map covered from just west of the camp all the way to a day’s journey into the pass. The map was covered with small figurines that represented the different units within the Royal Army. There were also figurines of a different color to represent the rogue Balthan Army.

  “Now that we are all here,” his father began, “let’s discuss the current position of the Balthan Army. Our scouts report that the army has set up camp for the night here,” he said as he pointed to a spot just inside the entrance of the mountain pass. “It appears they have no intention of attacking until tomorrow. We’ll keep a sharp eye on them in case they try any trickery, but I believe they will wait for tomorrow. They have been marching hard for the last five days and most likely want to rest before the battle begins.

  “This is the current position of our troops,” he said, bringing everyone’s focus back to the figurines representing the Royal Army. “General Handel will explain how we will position ourselves in the morning to prepare for the attack.”

  Gavin watched intently as General Handel explained how the troops would form up at the first sign of the enemy approaching. He detailed which groups would be positioned where, and which groups would most likely take the brunt of the initial attack. Gavin carefully made mental notes of everything the general was saying. He could see that his two generals were paying close attention as well.

  The defensive strategy was sound. If the Balthan Army thought that the Kalian Army would crumple when attacked by the Balthan wielder, they were mistaken. The troops all knew what to expect from the wielder Kadrak. If he attacked first, as had been the case in the previous battles, the Kalian troops had been commanded to remain completely still. When the Balthan Army’s soldiers attacked, the Kalian troops would not be scattered or disorganized. They would remain firm in their positions and be ready to repel the attacking soldiers.

  When all of the positions and
strategies had been explained thoroughly, General Handel stopped speaking and answered the other generals’ questions. When everyone confirmed that they understood what was to happen in the morning, Baron Mikel once again took over. He rose from his chair and pounded his fist against the map.

  “We will be immovable,” he said loudly. “With the arrival of our reinforcements today, we have half again as many troops as the opposing army. There is no reason for us to budge one inch. We will stand firm in the face of the wielder Kadrak. If he thinks he can defeat us by himself, he is greatly mistaken. We will not wilt when faced with death. We will show this wielder that there is no place for him in our grand country!”

  As soon as his father was done with his speech, all of the generals reaffirmed their commitment and left to finish making the necessary preparations for the morning. Gavin remained in the tent with his father, looking at the map once again. While all of the generals had seen battle before, this was a first for him. His stomach was in knots at the thought of what the morning would bring.

  “How are you feeling?” his father asked with a smile.

  “Honestly?” Gavin said. “I feel a little sick.”

  “That’s normal,” the baron said with a smile. “There is always a certain amount of excitement and nerves on the eve of a battle.” He walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “A battle is never something one looks forward to. However, you are intelligent, brave, and disciplined. You will do just fine, and your troops will respect and follow your commands. We will show the Balthan Army tomorrow that we cannot be defeated.”