Leviathan's King (The Search for the Brights Book 3)

by Aaron Thomas

  “Turn the sword as a key, stablemaster,” Ray said giving a chuckle.

  Ready to rid the feeling of being a giant amongst ants, Daniel twisted the sword. A loud click reverberated in the empty hall, like a massive lock clicking open. Daniel let go of the sword and felt his normal strength return and gave a sigh of relief. He watched where the sword was still sticking out of the floor as a small fountain of water began to spray out. He took a few steps back until he was against the stairs with his wife.

  Ray didn’t look to be in any hurry watching as the water crept up his legs. He slowly lifted himself onto the first steps, letting the ever increasing fountain of water wash over him. Daniel expected to feel the water seep into his boots any moment but felt nothing as it reached the height of his knee. Twilix made no effort to keep her dress out of the water like Ria or Jessica did by retreating up the stairs.

  Daniel went to join his wife and noticed that his pant leg and his boots were dry. He stepped back down with one foot and out again. The result was the same; he stood on the step with dry clothes. He scratched his head in confusion and watched as the bubbling stopped and the floor remained pooled with water.

  “You will need my sword to shut it, but until then can I have it back?” Ray asked.

  “How do we get inside?” Twilix asked, ignoring his question.

  He let out a grunt, “You walk down the stairs.”

  Twilix moved around to the only set of stairs that was descending into the water. The steps were positioned so that if a throne were in its place, the stairs would have been directly in front of it. Walking down the stairs and into the pool of water, she kept descending as if there was no floor where it once had been. Soon, her entire body was submerged below the surface. Leaving only her head sticking out.

  “Come with me?” Twilix asked looking at Ria, Daniel, and Jessica each in turn.

  Ria stepped forward, showing no fear as she sank into the water. Her dress did not float on the surface the way one would in a normal pond. Daniel looked down at his dry pants and knew it must have been more magic. He held out his hand to Jessica and slowly descended into the water.

  As his head went below the surface, he held his breath and closed his eyes. Daniel realized very quickly that it was unnecessary. The water was a thin line, it hung above their heads like smoke from a hearth clinging to a ceiling. Daniel could see Ray on the other side of the surface, his image shifting the way it would if he were submerged in the water. It didn’t take long, and Daniel saw Ray’s feet protruding from the oddly floating surface of the water.

  Jessica clung to Daniel's arm as if he would wash away any moment. The room was dark enough that Daniel could only make out shadows of chest-high shelves. He could see weapons protruding from the top of the racks and armor lined up against the glass-like brick wall. Ray finished his descent and brought a torch with him into the room.

  The light from the flame cast away the shadows to reveal a room full of dirty armor. Each piece was covered with a film of brown dirt and green algae-like growth. He watched the queen reach out for a piece, and Ria stopped her hand just short of a dagger.

  “If you hold magic it will renew the element in that weapon,” Ria warned.

  “Thank you, Ria. I am well aware of how to renew and imbuement,” Twilix said in a pleasant voice.

  The queen waved Ray over and held his torch in front of a few different weapons. She carefully wiped the muck off the blades until she found a half-knife. It would not do for a sword, but a man could defend himself with it and use it for work throughout the day. She held it in front of Daniel, and he reluctantly took the blade. His arm tensed at grabbing it, but nothing happened. He turned the blade over, and in the torchlight, he could see the emblem of the earth.

  “As stablemaster, I want you to have an imbuement to help you in your station. I will renew it’s earth imbuement when you have found a proper sheath. I am sure that you will appreciate that after the way you seemed to handle the strength a moment ago,” Twilix said smiling.

  “My Queen,” Ria interrupted. “You cannot just give these weapons and armor out to anyone. They need to be trained.”

  Twilix simply held up a hand, “He will be trained, and by you. It is more than a matter of training that concerns me. It is a matter of trust, and I can trust this man.”

  “Wait, I didn’t say that I wanted any part of magic or learning to fight,” Daniel said, putting the knife back on the rack.

  Twilix’s face went sour, “It is too late. You accepted the position, and this is what it entails. You will need to practice twice a day, once with Ray here and once with Ria. Ray will teach you the blade and Ria will teach you magic.”

  Twilix’s voice was commanding and confident that he would comply with orders but he knew that the way he was standing said he would not budge. He knew he wouldn’t move a muscle on the argument, so he said nothing. Instead, he turned his neck, so the bones let out a small crack that echoed in the armory chamber.

  A hand landed on his forearm, and he looked to see Jessica’s face looking at his, “The Earth Realm army is outside the gate,” His wife said. “I knew taking these jobs would mean we would be here during the battle. If you take this weapon, you will be able to protect us when that battle arrives. Besides, Kilen may need more friends he can trust.”

  Twilix nodded approval of his wife’s words. Daniel knew he would not hear the end of this argument if he refused. He let his body go lax and nodded his head. Reaching over, he took up the blade and tucked it in his belt.

  Twilix’s gaze was drawn up to the water’s surface, and she pointed. Ray went back up and brought the captain down into the chamber.

  “Captain Wells, welcome to the armory. You now have access to imbuements of every sort. As of right now we only have two wizards in the castle grounds, so I need you to start arming men with water and earth imbuements,” Twilix said, pointing around the room.

  “Excuse me, your highness,” Ray interrupted. “The Elder Wizards sent me here to do a job. I believe I can teach these soldiers how to use any form of magic. I have used all four types for years and know how to use them in battle. Please, let me help you.”

  There was a moment of silence when Daniel had a second to gather his thoughts. Finally figuring out why this Ray fellow wouldn’t trust just anyone to open the armory or hold his sword, Daniel felt proud. He felt as if he was in the room watching history being made. Decisions made about imbuements and trainers would set a course for this city and kingdom by what was being done here and now. He tried to soak it all in as he would be able to tell his children and his children’s children about this special moment.

  He saw the queen reluctantly give her approval, allowing the bearded man to teach her soldiers.

  “I will not let you down,” Ray said, giving a bow.

  The weapon bearer moved about the armory pulling various weapons off the shelves. He started with four swords and four shields. He waved over the captain to assist him in carrying them out. The two men were struggling, and Daniel went to help when he noticed Twilix pulling his wife back upstairs. When the men emerged from the water, he saw Jessica tuck something into her pocket and give the queen a nod.

  Ray re-sealed the armory and watched as the water level sunk back into the floor. “If you don’t mind Captain, I would like to help you pick out the men to use these imbuements. Can I meet you at the barracks?”

  “As soon as I show the stable master and his wife to their home,” Wells said.

  The two clasped their fists to their chests, and Ray departed leaving his armor on the stairs behind him. Wells held out a hand indicating it was time to leave. Twilix and Jessica had exchanged another smile before they headed up the staircase and out of the throne room.

  “What did she give you?” Daniel asked.

  “A pendant with a water imbuement,” She said as if still shocked. “She said it was for healing you and possibly her.”

  Daniel grunted he didn’t like the idea of ne
eding healing.

  Chapter 11 - Skill of a King

  Ray walked out of the castle and took a deep breath, happy not being stuck sitting under the gaze of a new queen and an over-zealous wizard. Now, he finally had his chance to do something in his old home. He stood in the courtyard and took in the details of the statues and fountains. He loved this town and the smells that came with it. He had grown up here, been trained here, and had met and lost his wife in this city. He was glad for the chance to redeem himself and convincing Twilix, that redemption was his only purpose.

  Some of the servants came and went. Most saw him and tried to avoid eye contact; unsure how to handle him, they did their best to keep away. Even though it had been years since he’d been in the city, he still had a hard time not wandering about as if it were his. Being outside gave him the freedom to wander.

  Ray knew it would take a while for Captain Wells to complete the tasks he was given. While he had a moment, Ray practiced sword forms he had been taught so long ago in this very courtyard. He recently found a new love for the blade and the calming effect it had while wielding it. Swinging a sword around in the courtyard drew a lot more attention than Ray was expecting. Kilen had given him a reason to love using the blade again.

  The leather glove he wore kept him from using the magic his blade contained. It didn’t take long for the sweat to begin trickling down his back beneath his leather vest. He swung the sword for nearly an hour before soldiers started meandering in. Some stood and laughed at the old man swinging the sword. Some of them could be seen waving their hands around as if they were practicing in their mind. The men that practiced showed the most heart, but he knew even having heart could be a downfall with the wrong elemental detriment.

  One of the men pulled out a blade and did his best to follow the forms that Ray danced. His moves were sloppy but Ray knew a few lessons with him and they would improve. The men that were laughing leaned against a wall trying to shy away from attention. Ray smiled in the back of his mind, he knew they felt foolish now that another had joined him.

  By the sun’s light, over an hour had passed since the captain had left to take the stable master and his wife to their new home. Ray stopped practicing and went to get a drink from the fountain. He heard the footsteps from behind, one man approached him and stopped.

  “Sire?” The man said.

  Ray did not turn from the fountain, “That is a name I no longer answer too. If you wish to call me something, call me Ray.”

  He stood and turned to see the rest of the men gathering behind the one who spoke. Ray approached the man slowly so that he had time to gather his thoughts.

  “Thinking of me anything other than a man will take power away from your king and queen. I am a weapon bearer, sent by the Elder Wizards to help protect this city,” Ray said, loud enough so everyone could hear him.

  At a half-run, the captain approached him and stopped in front of him, “A little over three hundred new recruits just entered the castle. Master Crescent has had some success recruiting from the southwest.”

  “It’s time to start training. With your permission may I train these men here to be your first wielders?” Ray asked while gesturing to the men that had stepped forward.

  “Do you think these are the men for the job?” Wells asked.

  “We need to start somewhere,” Ray said still searching the new crowd of soldiers. “We need to train them, so every imbuement in that armory has someone to wield it. If we spread the imbuements around, we will have a greater chance at winning this battle.”

  “They won’t stand a chance against Atmos,” Wells said pointing at the men that gathered.

  Ray smiled and a bit proud at the small amount of backbone the Captain had finally grown.

  “No, they won’t, not one of them anyways. Atmos has a flaw in that he is greedy. He controls most of his imbuements in his own armor, making him strong but his army weak. If we spread out these imbuements, we will be able to defeat his army and take him on from all sides. If you want to win this battle,that is the only way.”

  A woman’s voice from the castle’s doorway spoke, “Well said, Ray.”

  Twilix stepped out, and Wells shouted for the soldiers to kneel. She walked amongst the men in the courtyard, slowly looking them over. When she saw whatever she wanted to see she stopped in front of Ray. He had remained standing with his chin up so she could look at him. He needed to look strong in the eyes of the new queen. If he didn’t remain firm, she might think the Elders were hers to command.

  “Can you train them, Weapon Bearer?” Twilix asked.

  She did not call him by his name, but instead by a very basic title. A title that stood for justice and honor. He knew what the woman meant when she called him by it.

  He finally kneeled, “It would be my honor, your grace.”

  “Good, then they will not call you Ray anymore. Instead, we will call you by your new title, one that I hope you can fulfill; Commander,” She said as she disappeared back into the castle.

  Ray looked at Wells who was smiling, he gave the captain a small grin in return and turned to face the soldiers.

  “You heard the queen, I am your commander! Form ranks!” Ray shouted.

  The men stumbled over each other to be the man in the front of the formation. Ray walked before the small contingent of men and finally stopped to face the man who had done his best to mimic Ray’s sword forms.

  “You, out front,” He commanded. Stopping and calling out each one, he picked seven more men. Two men that laughed at the wall; two men who watched intently as they made no move to practice with him; the man that waved his hand around in an attempt to learn the sword by watching him. Finally, he sought out some that looked as though they had been taught the blade by the way they stood. Ray positioned them in two rows, one in front of the other.

  “Congratulations,” Ray said, smiling. “You are now wielders. Four of you will be weapon bearers and four armor bearers. Each of you will be assigned a complimentary wielder, a partner so to speak. You will practice with each other, eat, stand watch, and sleep in the same room as your partners.”

  “I need you to learn fast so that I may assign and teach the men behind you to do the same as you. There is an army amassing in the Heathmos Pass, and if you do not learn quickly, they could attack and kill us at any moment. The only thing holding them back is that they fear your new king.”

  Ray gave a small chuckle, “They think he is sitting on his throne and planning their deaths. We know the truth: he isn’t even in Leviathan, so we must be ready to fight.”

  The captain nodded along until he saw Ray looking at him.

  “I need the imbued armor, Captain,” Ray said. “You may take some of the men in the back to retrieve them.”

  The captain shouted orders and led four men into the castle’s main arched doorway where there should have been a door. Ray watched the men disappear, trying to think about where to start training. When he looked back, all the men were staring at him.

  He cleared his throat and approached the man that had practiced the forms along with him and the man that waved his hand stood behind. “You two will receive imbuements of earth. I watched you two paying attention to the sword forms, which means you are passionate about learning. If I assigned you the fire element, you would burn us all to a crisp. You will need to use the elemental determent to focus on becoming warriors,” Ray said to the men.

  They both clasped their fist to their chest, the one in the back a little slower than the front. Ray nodded and moved on to the second set.

  “You two were laughing and lazily leaning against the wall. You could use a bit more passion in your lives. Be passionate about learning all that you can, or I will kill you and give your imbuements to the next lazy git,” Ray growled.

  They both had wide eyes as he left them to go to the next set of men. He hoped that when he gave the men a speech, it would help set their minds right for receiving their imbuements. The next four men were give
n a small speech, but it was not like the earth or fire wielders. Ray had received the wind and water imbuements last and still didn’t understand their determinants, as his previous ones counteracted their effects.

  He picked men that looked to be confident, but not stubborn. It was his best guess of the men. Ray really hoped that the sooner he could begin training, he would find men talented enough to train the others while they spared.

  By the time Captain Wells returned Ray had completed his speeches and quickly handed out the imbued weapons and armor.

  Wizard Ria had followed and stood, waiting with her arms crossed on her chest. “One slip Commander and I will end the lot of you,” Ria warned him.

  She walked amongst the soldiers and gave them advice before touching their weapons with magic. They looked fearful as she approached them and spoke with an icy tongue. He wasn’t afraid of her, he knew how to handle a wizard. He once was afraid of wizards, but that fear vanished when his wife was killed by an ordinary man. After that, he knew that men were the real things to fear. He hoped he wouldn’t have to kill anyone he was going to start training today.

  The wizard touched the imbued items in the order of the least dangerous to the most. First water, then earth, to make sure someone could stop the fire. The wind was third, followed by fire wielders. Ray stepped in and held a hand up to the wizard.

  “Before she touches your imbuements you need to remember: learn to control your magic, or I will kill you,” Ray whispered to them.

  The rogue wizard arched an eyebrow at him.

  “I know how to handle imbuements. Do your business so I can begin their training,” He commanded her.

  Laying a single dirt-covered finger nail on the first man’s shield, she took a deep breath. Soon, it was the soldier holding his breath. Ray quickly stepped in and batted the shield down, and held his sword to the young man’s throat. The man’s face turned red, and Ray could feel his skin start to heat up.