“What was my dad like back then?” Luke asks, gladly pouncing on the opening to his father’s past. “I never knew he was a warrior until I came to this academy. Duggan has hinted at a few things, but I want to know more. Though, I guess now isn’t the best time to ask.”
“The only time not to ask things is when it is too late. You’d regret it if I was gone and you never asked your questions,” the grizzled, old warrior says. He looks to the sky and smiles at his fond memories. “Your father was the best friend a cocky jerk like me could ever ask for. Ilan was a great archer and he was the common sense that countered my recklessness. We were like brothers, which drove Selenia crazy since we would always be trying to one up each other. I wish I could go visit him one of these days, but . . . well you know why. The least I should have done was left on better terms with your old man. He left the group after we lost some good friends in an undead hunt gone wrong. He decided it was time for him to settle down and go back to smithwork. It didn’t sit well with me that he was throwing away the life of an adventurer for a woman and a life of safety. I guess my own pride and experiences had blinded me to his happiness.”
Kevin takes a handful of water and splashes his face before continuing, “Anyway, I remember lying in the infirmary after the ogre attack when I got a letter from your old man. The message told me about his successful business even though I had already come across his handiwork many times since we parted ways. He also told me about his newborn son and how he was worried about you following the Callindor wanderlust. I’m probably just prattling on right now and not giving you any real answers. The important part is that your father is a good man and a great hero in his own way. While the bards may never sing about his life, I believe he made an impact on this world.”
Luke sits quietly, letting Kevin’s words sink in. Eventually, Luke finds the courage to speak what is on his mind. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Just one, kid. I have some work to do,” he replies, lighting his pipe again.
“Is there anything that you regret missing because you became an adventurer?” Luke asks, his voice low enough, so that only Kevin can hear him.
Kevin stops smoking his pipe as his shoulders hunch over. An expression of sorrow passes over his face, slowly changing into one of somber thought. Luke realizes that Kevin suddenly looks his age. The old warrior empties his pipe and puts it back into its loop on his belt as he forlornly glances at the fountain. Minutes pass before he lets his distant thoughts return to the present.
“I regret quite a lot because of the baggage that comes with being a wandering warrior,” Kevin admits, his voice edge with sadness. “You spend your life concentrating on the adventure, so you forget about other things. Sharing my life with people and leaving more than a sword slash on the world is something I wish I had concentrated on. After being on the road for a long time I kept very few things close to my heart and my connections with people were superficial. It felt like one day I woke up and forgot what makes someone a true warrior.”
“A true warrior?” Luke inquires, unashamed of his open curiosity.
“A true warrior holds things to his heart like they were his spirit because that is what he draws strength from,” Kevin answers, gently patting his chest. “I regret not keeping my strength and cutting off the ones that I loved.”
“I hope I never have any regrets by the end of my path,” Luke childishly declares.
“Regrets are funny things. I believe that if you live your life with no regrets then you never truly lived your life,” Kevin says. He faces Luke and puts a strong hand on the half-elf’s shoulder. “Regrets are what come from making decisions. It’s best to try and live a life with only a few regrets, but don’t rack them up too quickly. I guess what I’m trying to say is that you should spend your youth finding reasons to fight. Learn by my example and don’t run into battle without thinking. There is always something to think about before running into the fray. It could be a loved one, an ideal, or even a city that you hold in your heart. Maybe even a type of mead that you want to drink again before you leave this world for the final adventure. You wouldn’t believe the courage and strength that you are capable of if you think of such things. Then again, you may know more about that than I ever did because of your father’s influence.”
“I can’t fight unless I think of what I’m fighting for, but I have trouble choosing which reason is the best one,” Luke replies, lowering his eyes to the ground.
Kevin gets to his feet and picks up his cane. He spits off to his left and coughs before turning back to Luke. “Fight for all of them, kid. Choosing one would end up with you failing someone who trusted you. I chose to fight for an innocent and I was crippled for the rest of my days. Because of that decision, I was unable to return to my wife and daughter. A month after my accident, my hometown was wiped out along with my family. I never even had a chance to hold my daughter, Luke. I don’t even know what my wife named her. It's just another regret in the end, but it’s the biggest one I have. Anyway, I’ll leave you two alone. I suggest you enjoy your life while it remains calm. Selenia and I will overlook your actions until this trouble over.”
Kevin walks away before Luke can ask what he is talking about. Luke quickly turns around to grab his gear and run after Kevin when he bumps into someone standing directly behind him. He is fast enough to grab the person by the wrist before they fall. A few seconds of confusion pass before he registers that he is holding Kira by her arm.
“What are you doing here? Do I have to say that every time we run into each other?” Luke asks before he lets go. Kira gently rubs at her wrist as she nervously glances everywhere, except at Luke.
“Again with the wrist grabbing,” she mutters. She takes a deep breath and looks Luke in the eyes. “It’s later, so I think we should talk, but not in the academy.”
Luke looks a little confused as he retrieves his gear and grabs his shirt off the branch. Kira looks away from him as he wets a cloth in the fountain and cleans himself up as best as he can. She returns her gaze to him when she feels him take her by the hand. Adjusting his shirt, Luke leads her through a side door and they disappear into Visindor Forest.
*****
Nimby can feel cold swamp water seep into his boots, having long since given up trying to keep his legs out of the water. The halfling is hanging off the limb of a dead tree, his hands bound by rusty chains. He quietly watches a swarm of leeches fighting to find a way through his pant legs. A simple lock dangles in front of his face, but his tools have been put in a knothole, mere inches out of his fingers’ reach.
“This is such an amusing sight. A thief without his tools and pride,” the Lich says, laughing gleefully. “I will admit that this was much better than my idea of using hot coals and demonic leeches. I commend you on your ingenuity, my servant.”
“Thank you, master,” growls the Hellfire Elf. The demon kicks Nimby hard enough to send him spiraling around the tree until he slams against the rotting trunk. The impact sends the halfling spinning back around the tree until he clears his head enough to stop his momentum.
“Let’s see you try that when I’m not tied up!” Nimby stubbornly shouts. “I’ll give your shins and knees the stabbing of a lifetime!”
“I shall finish our business with our mouth friend, demon. You may go and hunt or do whatever it is you do,” the Lich says, waving the assassin away. The Hellfire Elf nods and slowly changes into the form of a large snake. It takes a final, hungry look at Nimby before disappearing into the murky waters.
“My castle used to stand a mile north of here. It was a cold and dangerous house of death,” the Lich whispers menacingly, bending down to stare into Nimby’s eyes. “Then, Selenia came and destroyed it after being paid to stop whatever scheme I was cooking. It took me years to regain my physical form and rebuild my castle only for her to destroy everything again. Now, that is all behind me and your friend is my new adversary. I want to know everything there is to know about him. Be as
detailed as you can.”
Nimby doesn’t look directly at the Lich while he sticks his tongue out at the monster. A small muttering from the necrocaster causes the water around Nimby’s legs to become solid ice. The halfling gasps through clenched teeth as he feels the numbing, stabbing cold gnaw at his legs. Another quick spell and the ice becomes slimy water once more. Dead leeches float to the surface of the water as Nimby starts to feel warmth flow back into his legs.
“I can hurt you for many years before I get bored,” the Lich warns him. “Long life has improved my patience. Torture is one of the few joys I can still indulge in. Now, tell me what I need to know.”
“He is a member of the Callindor family and a skilled forest tracker,” Nimby casually says, grinning wickedly. “I mean he’s really skilled. He has killed trolls, ogres, and he even defeated a Sword Dragon in its own lair. Nobody in that academy is tougher than Luke, except for Selenia. Now that your pet has really pissed him off, Luke is going to destroy both of you.”
“The lies of a thief cannot fool me,” the Lich hisses, grabbing Nimby by the face. “He had trouble with my Hellfire Elf even when he had the element of surprise. How do you expect me to believe that he is a threat? Your friend is weak and you are nothing but a pawn for me to use against him.”
Nimby holds his breath, desperately trying not to inhale the stench of decay. Gooey flesh sticks to his cheeks as the Lich lets go and takes a seat on a mushroom-covered tree stump. They stare at each other with only the sounds of the swamp invading their thoughts. After several minutes, a silver frog surfaces in the water near Nimby, but it is cruelly lanced by a magical arrow from the Lich.
“There is something that I have overlooked. I should have wondered about this earlier. My foolishness might lead me down another faulty path if I am not careful,” the Lich declares, getting to his feet. “Why did you awaken me, halfling?”
“It was an accident!” Nimby defensively exclaims. “I was bored and found your crypt. I cut my hand while I was looting!”
“I think not. The blood ritual used to revive a Lich is very specific. You would have needed to know exactly what you were doing,” the Lich claims, leaning over to inspect Nimby again. “Now, while your people are curious, I doubt they are that stupid. No race can survive the ages without having some level of intelligence. So, I wonder if there is something about you that I am missing.”
“Make me swallow my pride, you troll flea,” Nimby begrudgingly says as the Lich’s fingers glide over his bare arms. “I was tricked into doing it. I was told that I could control you if I brought you back to life. I could almost taste the riches that I would steal with a Lich to do the hard work. You would have continually taken the blame for all of my crimes, which would keep me out of the public eye. Now I realize that I should have ignored my desires and let you stay destroyed. You are useless to your own cause and I will be happy to help set up your defeat.”
Nimby lashes out and swiftly bites off one of the Lich’s fingers. He spits the moldy digit out with a gurgling cough and swears under his breath. The finger worms its way through the water, eventually climbing the Lich’s robes. It reattaches itself leaving no sign that it was ever missing from the necrocaster’s hand.
The Lich cackles and flexes the repaired hand. “You know nothing of the world that we will create. Windemere will never be the same after we are done.”
Nimby is about to respond when a flash of light blinds him and causes the Lich to stumble backwards. Before he can regain his sight, Nimby feels someone pulling him out of the water and unhooking the chain from the tree branch. With enough rapid blinking, he clears the spots from his eyes and stares into the big-nosed face of Fritz. Aedyn is standing between them and the Lich with his staff glowing hot white like a star.
“I never thought I’d be so happy to see your greasy face!” Nimby exclaims.
“Thank me when we get out of here and back to the academy,” Fritz mentions, pulling out a pair of teleportation stones. “Are you going to be able to handle that monster without our help, Aedyn?”
“I will show this monster the sun’s fury. Now, get away while he is distracted,” Aedyn demands. He chants at the top of his lungs and releases a web of sunlight that binds the Lich. The unnatural creature writhes in pain as Aedyn takes a cautious step toward him.
“Good luck. Hamilton Military Academy!” Fritz shouts after he tosses a stone at Nimby and throws another straight up into the air. Once the stones make contact, Fritz and Nimby disappear in a quick blink of light.
The Lich turns into sulfuric smoke, slipping out of the sunlight net. A small incantation creates a thick sphere of green energy around him, protecting him as he reforms. Aedyn takes a few steps away from the undead caster as the sphere pulsates and the Lich mutters another incantation.
Aedyn is caught off-guard by the spell reflection sphere, but he quickly regains enough of his senses to start chanting his own defense spell. The Lich releases a spiraling beam from his mouth just as Aedyn plunges his staff into the soft ground. The priest braces himself as the beam races toward him, leaving a steaming trench in its wake. The spell hits with enough shrieking force to push the priest to the edge of a pool of water. A small change of the staff’s angle allows Aedyn to redirect the beam into the sky.
“You are a force caster and a necrocaster?” Aedyn whispers, angrily rubbing his sore wrists. “You are definitely not an average Lich. It will be a great deed when you are destroyed.”
“I have feasted on the flesh of many Durag followers, foolish priest. You are nothing but fodder,” the Lich claims as the sphere around him vanishes.
Aedyn casts a quick spell and another beam of light erupts from his staff. The Lich puts out his hand and the beam disperses in the Lich’s palm. An evil grin appears below the ruby eyes that have grown larger since Aedyn first stared into them. It takes a precious second for Aedyn to realize that the Lich is slowly growing in size.
“Is that an illusion or a growth spell? I have no idea what it is,” Aedyn says, pulling out the teleportation stone and rolling it in his hand. “This creature is too strong for me to fight alone. I am sorry, Durag, but I must destroy this fiend another night.”
“I will not let you escape from me like your friends, priest!” the Lich bellows as he finishes growing to twenty feet tall.
“Escape was not my plan. Lacarsis!” Aedyn shouts, tossing the stone at the approaching Lich. The stone hits the Lich in the chest and Aedyn can hear the monster screech in rage before it blinks away.
Aedyn leans against his staff, feeling the adrenaline drain from his limbs. His body is still shaking from the impact of the Lich’s attack and he is positive that the Lich will return within a few minutes. It will take a day for him to walk back to the academy, in which time the Lich would easily find him. A signal spell would only notify the monsters of the Caster Swamp that a helpless meal is nearby. It could even get the attention of the Hellfire Elf, which could lead to Luke’s plan failing.
“The city of evil will not contain him for long. I must say that it was a nice attempt on my part. My god will see me soon,” Aedyn whispers, sinking to his knees and beginning to meditate. He is so lost in thought that he fails to notice the pop of sound above his head.
“Home time!” exclaims Fizzle, landing on his shoulder.
“Fizzle? Bless Fritz and Nimby for their thoughts. Take me home,” Aedyn excitedly requests. He hugs Fizzle as the spell is cast and they disappear from the Caster Swamp. Aedyn finds himself standing on top of the academy walls and lets out a long held breath.
“Thank Durag that I am safe and alive,” the priest declares, leaning on the wall. “That Lich would have killed me if I didn’t get out of there, Fizzle. Thankfully, besides us will ever know what happened.”
“You’re a fool, Aedyn Karwyn. I’m sending a letter to your temple,” says a woman’s voice from next to him. He turns his head to see Selenia standing on the wall with a sparkling longsword in her hand. A group of archer
y students are standing behind her as they go over how to defend the academy in case of an attack. Selenia nods at the priest and turns on her heel, going back to reviewing emergency procedures.
“Now I know how Luke feels. Nice aim, Fizzle,” Aedyn mutters.
“Sorry. Fizzle put back in swamp?”
“No! Thank you for the rescue. May Durag light your way. I must be going to get some sleep,” Aedyn replies. He shakes Fizzle’s outstretched tail and makes his way to his room.
It is a short and silent trip as he climbs down the wall ladder and silently walks to the teachers’ living quarters. Students are busy running around in preparation for the worst scenario that Selenia can imagine. Aedyn lets his body start to succumb to fatigue as he reaches his door and enters the only place he can find peace. He puts his staff in the corner and loosens his robe as he closes the door behind him. As soon as he is close enough to the book-covered bed, Aedyn collapses and falls asleep.
*****
Fireflies dance with pixies in the moonlit clearing where Luke leans against a slender birch tree. Standing in silence, Luke can feel his body relax and his mind finally gets a chance to stop dwelling on Stiletto, the Hellfire Elf, and Kellia. He listens as his heartbeat slows and his breath starts to mimic the sound of a distant owl. Luke reaches a hand out to let a tiny bat land on his pointer finger. The little beast shrieks at Kira and rocks on his finger for a few seconds before flying back into the darkness.
“I don’t think the bat liked you,” Luke laughs.
“Uh-huh. We don’t have nights like this where I come from,” Kira softly says, standing in the middle of the clearing with her arms out and her palms up. “Don’t get me wrong. I miss the warmth of the desert and the four moons shining among the stars with nothing to block the view. Still, the large open spaces prevented me from seeing the moonlight like you see it here. It’s very beautiful when passing through trees. It’s like I’m standing in the middle of a dream.”
Beginning of a Hero (Legends of Windemere) Page 32