by Aaron Thomas
“What is he going to talk to him about?” Kilen asked.
“Where to find a wizard to imbue your sword. You only have two imbuements,” Joahna said as if it was something he should’ve thought of.
Kilen forgot all about needing to have the third mark on his blade. Finding a wizard was going to be hard, but finding one that would be willing to imbue his sword so he could be king would be near impossible. He had all but pushed it from his mind in anticipation of his new duties as king.
“There is a low spot just beyond these trees. If you start a fire there, no one will be able to see it. We’ll have to put it out during the night so the soldiers cannot see the smoke trail in the morning,” Max said.
Kilen started to walk through the trees, feeling the water squish up between his toes. He hated being totally wet. Being cold and wet at night reminded him of the damp cell he stayed in while in Deuterium.
“Kilen, Jace is already out looking for any dangers nearby. I’m going to have a look around as well. We will let you know if something dangerous comes near,” Max said.
Kilen had heard it all before. He hoped that Joahna would return soon. Kilen closed his eyes and pulled the moisture from his clothes and used it to form a ball in the air. He laughed, remembering the first time he formed a ball of water. He used it to splash an unsuspecting Bowie. He laughed to himself, and Tokeye joined him in laughter as he projected the memory in his brain.
Finding firewood took longer than Kilen expected, then he realized he could just grow some wood and use water magic to pull the moisture from it. His small stack of firewood doubled in size after he realized that small skill born of magic.
He used his earth magic to slowly pull rocks to the surface of the ground for the fire pit. He remembered to take off his imbuements and move the rocks with his unaided muscles, just as Sergeant Wells had asked what seemed like a lifetime ago.
Kilen sat down near the fire and found enjoyment in the simpleness of the moment. At this very second there was nothing that needed his attention. He could simply enjoy the time of peace and quiet he had. The warmth of the fire kept him comfortable. He poked at the coals with a stick, watching them glow like tiny lanterns piled up on eachother. The lake water could be heard splashing on the shore a short distance away. The fire crackled and night animals joined in a serene chorus of nature.
Tokeye’s voice resounded in his head snapped him back into reality, “Best to not let yourself become too vulnerable. Max’s vision is limited, and Jace’s works best when things are moving.”
Kilen knew he was right, Jace had taught him that long ago. Brent even warned him to always stay alert using his water magic. Kilen tossed another log on the fire and strapped on his belt and chainger. Upon feeling the magic return the fatigue vanished, he had not realized just how tired he had become until it was gone. He pushed his vision as far out as he could. He saw nothing except the same trees as before.
Tokeye had been helpful the last couple of days by keeping him company and fighting off The Crying Man while he was poisoned. Since the moment he regained control of his body, Kilen had been maintaining a mental grip on The Crying Man, pushing him far from his conscious mind. Even though the experience had possibly caused him to almost lose control, it had taught him much. He could feel where the spirits lived. The darkness that they called home was always there and always loomed them. He hoped someday he could do something about it.
Tokeye, I want to try something. Can I trust you?
He could hear an inner voice reverberate in the darkness.
Tokeye spoke back, “You can, but can you do it a little quieter.”
His strength in his mind had increased exponentially since the experience.
Kilen tried to make his inner voice quieter, I want to pull back The Crying Man. I want to give him the opportunity to speak to us like men.
Tokeye’s spirit didn’t wince, so he thought he might have achieved using a softer voice. “I don’t want to hurt him, I just want to let him know we are real and give him the opportunity to speak and join us.”
A mental image of Tokeye clasping his fist to his chest entered Kilen’s mind.
“I will be a guardian at the gate,” Tokeye said.
With some effort, Kilen loosened his grip on The Crying Man while pulling him back into the darkness near Tokeye. The Crying Man was still living up to his name but Kilen was surprised that while pushed near the back of his mind, he could not hear the man. If he learned to control the voices in his head, taking more on would be considered a gift instead of a hinderance.
Kilen did his best to conjure an image of himself sitting in front of the fire. He spoke inside his mind, “I know you hear me. I know you’re scared and in pain. I want to help. I want you to be free from that place again.”
For a moment, the crying stopped. Kilen could sensefear in the man but also a feeling of disgust and anger. “I know what you are, wielder. Know that I am a Elementarian and will not be defiled by your temptings of magic.”
“Elementarian,” Kilen said out loud to himself. He felt something in the water vision move. He watched a bubble of emptiness approaching through the underbrush. The emptiness reminded him of when Twilix had used it in the garden to conceal herself. He watched, waiting for the bubble to move. Concentrating on where he had last felt it, a bush had extended to beyond his reach. A small movement showed him that the bush simply disappeared halfway to the end of its branches. He knew he had an approaching water wielder and pulled his blade free of its sheath. Anything that the wielder walked near now would seem to disappear as it entered a thin shield of water that other wielders couldn't see past.
The Crying Man cheered at Kilen’s fear jumping into his throat. Someone had snuck past his friends. Kilen needed to focus and The Crying Man was making that difficult. He mentally snatched the man again and bound him in the chain, which resulted in a squeal of surprise just before the spirit was thrust back into the darkness.
A smooth voice called out from the trees, “Elementarians are those that believe in the old religion.” A blonde woman stepped out from behind the trees, wearing an embroidered blue dress and matching riding cloak.
“Who are you?” Kilen asked.
He flourished his sword, which caused the woman to tilt her head slightly. The woman smiled and briefly glanced down to her soft slippered shoes, “Do you not recognize me?”
He was not in the mood for games, and frankly the response from The Crying Man had frightened him. “If I did, I would not be asking the question.” Normally meeting a new person was not done with such hostility, but this one was a danger.
She took a step forward and held out her hands to the fire, “I am glad to see you well. It took great effort to find you, even with a certain wind wizard searching the skies.”
Kilen searched his memories. He did not remember seeing this woman before. The only wielders that he was in contact with would have been in Deuterium, or with the Elder Wizards.
Kilen wanted to try and fish out some more information without insulting the woman. “I am not exactly a person that needs to go around announcing himself. Doing that could result in a lot of lives lost.” Kilen bent over and with his off hand, picked up the satchel containing items from the Elder Wizards.
“Yes, I suppose if it were easy you would have quite a bit of trouble. I just didn’t want you to be startled when we approached.” She squatted down to one side of the fire. The flames danced off of her deep, blue, magic enhanced eyes. “It seems I was not successful.” The woman looked back and forth between Kilen and the fire. She had an air of familiarity to her that he couldn’t quite place. “I do miss our conversations, Kilen.”
He was more than confused by the woman. He knew there was no way that he’d had a conversation with her. He would have probably never forgotten a woman with as much beauty as hers. “I think I would remember a conversation with you.”
She stood again and took a step around the fire the opposite of him, “Le
t me remind you of a conversation we once had.”
Kilen tried to stay on the opposite side of the small fire to keep some distance.
“I once explained to you that I would not always look as I did then. I told you that when my body had aged enough, after being delayed by magic, that I would take on the natural age of my body.” She held out her open hands and waited.
Kilen searched his memory. He knew the only person he had ever talked to about a wizards aging was Twilix. He looked at the woman and could not believe his eyes. She truly looked like what would pass as Twilix’s older sister. He was still weary that King Atmos might have found a woman for just this moment to deceive him.
“You said there were others?” He asked.
“Yes, Bowie is here. Along with Brent, Ria, your sister-” She said pointing back into the trees.
He moved around the fire and pointed the tip his blade to her chest at mention of his sister. “If my sister is here, you should have sent her to greet me.”
The woman looked down at the blade and back at Kilen. Oh, how those eyes did look familiar. She showed no fear as she continued to warm herself.
“Your sister does not look as she once did either. Of course, she had aged farther along when she had her awakening. She helped keep me alive during the aging process. While she did that, it took a large part of her magic, triggering her to age. She looks the same age as me, and when you understand that, I will bring her forward. For now, friends of ours that do look the same will come forward.” She turned back the way she had come, “I found him. Bowie, Brent, Ria, you can come.”
Max grew himself out of the ground to stand at Kilen’s side. Kilen was shouting in his head. He really wished that Max could understand how frustrated he was that the former member of The Crimson had let a group of people past, and apparently not a small group. Bowie pushed through the brush first and crossed the distance, capturing Kilen in a hug. Brent gave a wave of a hand as he pulled horses to a tree nearby. Auburn and Ria joined the group around the fire.
“You see, I am who I say I am. The little girl wizard you couldn’t seem to show any respect to. Now you have no choice to respect me when I teach you.”
“Yes, well you do look different,” Kilen said glancing down at his sword.
She smiled and opened her hands for a hug.
He sheathed his sword and welcomed the her embrace, “If you don’t mind, I really would like to see my sister.”
She backed away and nodded her head, “Kara, bring your friends please.”
He noticed her wipe away a tear that had graced her cheek.
Kilen watched anxiously as four men of various sizes stepped out, pulling horses. Three were wearing linen shirts and wool pants, much like he would see on a farmer. One wore the leather strap clothing of the Fire Realm. Tokeye’s spirits seemed to brighten when he saw the man. A woman stepped forward and had a crooked nose with short brown hair tied into a braid. She looked at Kilen anxiously looking back with confusion before tying a horse with the others.
Finally, a woman stepped forward with pale skin and hair blacker than a moonless sky. She smiled and tears filled what seemed to be their mother's eyes. He recognized right away his mother’s soft cheekbone and the same smile that greeted him every morning. Although Kara always had their father's prominent chin, he saw it even more so now how she resembled their mother.
Kilen and Kara crossed the distance between them in an instant. Kilen whispering over and over, “I’m sorry.”
Apologies and excuses were made by both as Kilen looked at his grown sister, still astonished at the change. “You look so much like mom, it’s like I am going mad.”
No one said anything to separate the siblings reunification.
When the two could bring themselves from separating, Kara spun in a dress that matched Twilix’s. It was a dress so fine that no one in Humbridge would be able to afford.
“I have three new dresses with me and more back at the castle,” Kara said.
“Yes, well I don’t think we are going back there again,” Kilen said.
Kara nodded her agreement. Brent cleared his throat from the other side of the fire, “Kilen, I hate to interrupt, but where are the Elders?”
Kilen turned to him, still holding his sister's hand. “I don’t know. They said they were headed to the Wind Realm. They didn’t give me specifics on where they were going.”
“Why are you out here then, instead of with them stopping this soul wizard?” Brent’s voice was stern and urgent.
Kilen knew him to be always forward and to the point. Everything seemed to be a world-ending crisis in Brent’s mind. In this case, Kilen happened to agree with him.
“I have chosen my own way. I am seeking a new king for the Water Realm,” Kilen said, taking a seat beside Brent.
Bowie unstrung his bow and almost everyone at the camp found a place around the fire. The man in the leather straps started eating a piece of bread before sitting on a rock nearby.
Ria nodded her head, “A bold move. Did the Elders tell you to do this?”
“No, we came to the conclusion together,” He said.
She smiled at him and he gave a half smile back. She was probably the only other one at the fire who understood how the Elders may try and manipulate people into doing as they wish.
“If a new king is raised, he can raise an army to fight the soul wizard if the Elders fail. It is a backup plan for now,” Kilen explained.
“I think most of us will be going to aid the Elders,” Brent said, casting looks around the campfire.
Kilen shook his head, “I need your help here for a little while. I have had a few problems with obtaining a new Water Realm king.”
“You found one to take up the throne already?” Ria asked as she grew a plant out of the ground.
“More like I was convinced. I spoke with Master Bradley in Keepers-” Kilen stopped as Brent cut him off.
“That old fool has contacted every noble and noble’s spawn to try and find a new king. All have refused one after the other. Each of them afraid of Atmos’ power. Whomever he sent you to see will most likely be nothing more than a waste of time.”Brent said in a frustrated voice.
Kilen stood, “He said it should be me.” He held up a hand as the others stood, “I did not like the idea at first. I almost insulted all those in Keepers as they kneeled before me to sway my decision. But in the end it was the words of a friend in Humbridge that convinced me. I know the Water Realm. I know its people’s struggles and their lives. I was born and raised there. My family is well known and I am already a target of King Atmos.”
Bowie stood, “It’s about time you give him something worthy of being his target.” He turned to Auburn, “Best friends with a king. I should be able to expand my business a bit.”
Brent and Ria exchanged whispers and then stared at Kilen standing there amongst the group of fugitives.
“You don’t have what it takes to be crowned a new king. There’s a book you will need to raise Leviathan from under the lake’s surface,” Brent said.
Kilen looked down at the satchel slung over his shoulder. “Perhaps that is what this is. The Elders gave it to me to give to the next king. They said not to open it until I found him. I thought I would wait to open it until I had my third imbuement.”
Kilen pulled open the flap and pulled out the leather package using a knife to break the wax seal. Its contents were a leather bound book with the emblem of water on its front, and two crowns, one smaller than the other. The large crown was smooth and heavy like a wagons wheel without any spokes. It had no adornments or markings of any kind. The smaller was smooth and came to a triangular point in the front where a large, blue gem reflected the light. Kilen handed the book to Brent who immediately started carefully turning its pages. Pulling the large crown from the bag Kilen could feel magic surging through his body; it was imbued.
Ria waved Kilen away from the others long enough to whisper in his ear. “Before you decide to be
come this king, I want you to consider one thing.” She checked to see if the others were listening before she continued, “Did the Elders perhaps mean for you to be the next king when they gave you the package?” She said nothing else and did not wait for an answer. She simply patted him on the shoulder before returning to her place at the fire.
He smiled knowing she knew all too well the plots of the Elders. Kilen took a moment before he walked away towards the shore hoping to speak with Joahna. The flighty elemental friend was nowhere he could see, but Max formed himself out of sand.
“Do you think that the Elders meant for me to be the next king?” Kilen asked.
“Wizard’s schemes are not for me to determine. I simply go where my sword leads me,” Max said. “Kilen, doesn’t matter if they meant for you to become the king. Become the king and nobles and those having the birthright will come from all around to meet you. If you are king and find that you aren’t up to the task, appoint another. My brother Elric was not always so keen on being a king. He found his strength by appointing those with talents to perform tasks. For what it’s worth, I think you will do great things for the Water and Fire Realm.”
Finally something Max had to say made sense and gave Kilen the last bit of confidence he needed. He marched back to the fire saying nothing as others looked over the book the Elders had sent. He grabbed his satchel and pulled out the blue cloak he had hidden in his bag for the last week and put it on.
Moving back to where he left the crown next to Brent, he bent over and picked up the large crown. “This is mine. I will do the best I can while I wear it, until I die, or find someone better.”
The party around the campfire went silent in his awkward proclamation. Silent, except for Bowie who started talking about the new jackets he would need and gaining the seal of the royal fletcher.
Brent finally looked back at the book and then at Kilen, “There are a couple problems.”