Children of the Cursed

by A E Stanfill

  “Believe the puny man who blew off my finger? Believe the man who distracted me while the other puny humans took the blade right out from under my nose?” He stomped, shaking the ground beneath their feet. “Enough of your lies. I shall kill the lot of you, and rid the mountain of your evil stench.” Berenger lifted his giant-sized foot in the air, about to stomp the life out of them all when a huge blast of fire came raining down upon the giant, knocking him to the ground.

  “Did you do that, Sir Gawain?” Ellyn asked.

  “That wasn't me, Miss Ellyn,” Gawain replied.

  “Look up there.” Leon pointed.

  “A Dragon,” Ulrich gasped.

  Berenger had already gotten back to his feet, unbeknownst to the others, and was getting ready to try and stomp on them again. “Get down,” a voice called out in Leon's head.

  “Everyone down!” Leon shouted.

  The Dragon readied itself to blast the stone giant once more, and a red orb was forming inside its mouth that looked as bright as the morning sun. It let out a mighty roar, which was followed by a ball of fire falling from the sky. The fireball connected with Berenger's head. A loud explosion followed as the stone giant was hurled off the side of the mountain. The Dragon flew down and landed on the ground before Leon. The young man could hear the voice in his head yet again, “You must hurry child, the stone giant will not stay down for long.”

  Leon looked on confused, ‘Am I truly hearing the voice of the Dragon in my head?’ “Are you the one talking me?” he whispered.

  “Yes,” the Dragon responded.

  “How?”

  “We are connected, you can hear my thoughts and I can hear yours, that is how we can communicate. Now, though, is not the time for such discussions. Berenger will make his way back up the mountain, and I need to get you out of here before that happens.”

  “What of my friends?”

  “I will save all of you if they shall let me.”

  “How can I trust you?”

  “Trust me or not, that is up to you.”

  Gawain grabbed for Leon's arm and tried to pull him away from the Dragon, “We must flee, Leon, before this Dragon decides to eat us.”

  “Eat you?” The Dragon laughed. “You humans taste terrible, I would never do such a thing.”

  Leon pulled his arm out of Gawain's grip, “The Dragon is here to help us.”

  “Has Leon been talking to the Dragon this whole time?” Ulrich whispered to Ellyn.

  “It would seem so,” she whispered back.

  “How do you know the Dragon is here to help?” Gawain questioned. “It could have just spotted its next meal, that's why it stopped Berenger.”

  “We do not have time for this,” the Dragon roared. “Hurry, decide who will be coming with me, but you, on the other hand, do not have a choice, chosen one.” The Dragon lowered its head, “Climb on my back, I shall fly you and any other down from here.”

  Leon looked Gawain straight in the eyes, “I cannot answer that right now, you will just have to trust in me when I say we have no other choice.” He turned and made his way towards the Dragon, jumping on its back. “Hurry, Berenger will be back up the mountain soon.” He waved them on. They were hesitant at first to join Leon upon the back of the Dragon. But when the mountain shook, and a roar from Berenger could be heard, it did not take them long to change their minds.

  “This is amazing,” Ellyn squealed, as they soared through the air.

  “I would rather have my feet on the ground,” Ulrich shouted, holding onto the neck of the Dragon as tightly as he could.

  “I see Ulrich finally found something he's afraid of,” Gawain joked while holding on tight himself.

  “I'm not afraid, old man,” Ulrich stuttered.

  Being far enough away from the mountain Everard, the Dragon swooped down, making a swift landing on the ground below. “This is where we say goodbye, for now, chosen one.” While Ellyn, Gawain, and Ulrich had walked away from the Dragon, still a little wary that it might still wish to eat them, Leon stayed behind wanting some questions answered, hoping this new alley would at least oblige him that much.

  “Why did you help us?” Leon questioned.

  “As I said to you up atop the mountain, I was there to save the chosen one, nothing more,” the Dragon answered.

  “How did you know that I was in trouble?”

  “Do you not listen, child?”

  “Guess I don't, call it one of my many faults. Would you be so kind as to explain it to me again?”

  “We are connected, I could feel the fear welling up inside of you. So I knew something was amiss and came to save your life as asked of me.”

  “I do not understand how we are connected, and who would send you to aid me?”

  “Those are questions that I cannot answer at this time - when you have aged all will become clear.”

  “That's all you have to say?”

  “For now, yes.”

  “Then answer me one thing. Are you the same Dragon from the graveyard?”

  “The one and same.” The dragon bowed its head, “Farewell for now, young warrior. We shall meet again if you live long enough.” The mighty beast took to the air. The wind from its large wings almost knocked Leon to the ground as the Dragon flew away.

  18

  Time For Ellyn To Say Goodbye

  Over half of another year had now passed, and summer had come and gone again as winter was now taking its place. The leaves on the trees were a light brown instead of dark green and falling off the branches onto the ground below. Instead of bright rays of light warming bodies, dark gray clouds filled the skies and covered the sun. Gusts of bone-chilling winds swept through the air, causing Gawain and the others to put the furs they had carried with them from their experience on Everard back over their bodies to keep warm.

  Not only that, but the areas they had crossed before was covered with snow. Traveling back the way they had come started to be somewhat of a challenge. The rolling hills had become dangerous for the horses to climb, so they had to devise other means around those paths. Getting back to Drasal with the last piece of the Reaper Blade was going to be a very slow process.

  “We have been out in this dreary weather for months now,” Ulrich grumbled. “How much longer until we are home, old man?” Gawain was working hard on getting a fire going to keep them all from freezing to death from the coming night, and did not answer Ulrich right away, “I'm talking to you, old man.”

  “Back off, Ulrich,” Leon barked. “Can't you see he's busy?”

  “I wasn't talking to you, Leon.” Ulrich retorted.

  “Well, I'm talking to you,” Leon snapped back.

  “Why don't you both shut up!” Ellyn shouted.

  It seemed as though the cold weather was almost enough to make the young ones tear each other apart, until Gawain had enough of the bickering. “That is quite enough out of the three of you,” he shouted angrily. “Leon, go hunt some food for tonight. Ellyn, gather wood to keep the fire burning,” he commanded. “And Ulrich, we have three months of traveling left until we are home. Do those words make you happy?”

  “They don’t,” Ulrich grumbled. He stomped off in a different direction than Ellyn and Leon had gone in.

  Thirty minutes had gone by, and Ellyn was back with the firewood while Leon had returned with several rabbits that he had killed with his bow. Gawain nodded in approval and took the rabbits, then stacked the wood near the fire. “The two of you did well, this will last us through the night.”

  “Where's Ulrich?” Leon asked, looking around the campsite.

  “Not sure,” Gawain shrugged, before grabbing a rabbit. “Don't really care at the moment either.” He took out his knife and began to skin and gut the rabbit in hand.

  “I will go and find, Ulrich,” Ellyn sighed.

  “Then so shall I,” Leon insisted.

  “It's quite alright, I can handle myself,” Ellyn said. “Besides, Sir Gawain needs help preparing the rabbits for cookin
g.”

  “Do you even know these lands?” Leon questioned.

  “I do, but you do not,” Ellyn grumbled. “I'm not the one that was unconscious when we camped out here last.” She smiled and walked away.

  “She just wants some alone time with Ulrich,” he mumbled under his breath, walking over to join Gawain at the campfire.

  “Women are a mystery,” Gawain smiled briefly, grabbing another rabbit to skin.

  “Whatever,” Leon muttered, jamming his knife into the belly of one of the rabbits.

  “They have the power to make us do things we never thought possible.”

  “Like Ellyn does to Ulrich,” Leon snarled.

  “Exactly,” Gawain chuckled.

  “That won't happen to me,” Leon said, holding his head high.

  All Gawain could do was laugh at his young student, even if he didn't mean to do so, “We shall see Leon, we shall see.”

  Ellyn pressed on in her search for Ulrich, but she hardly knew what to say when she found him. Her search took her to a clearing, where off in the distance a hill could be seen. As she drew near, Ellyn could see a shadowy figure standing atop that snowy covered hill. When she walked closer, it was clear the figure that standing there was none other than Ulrich. “What are you doing this far away from camp, Ulrich?” Ellyn asked, cautiously approaching him.

  “Did the old man send you?” Ulrich snarled.

  “I came of my own free will. Gawain has the fire going, and Leon killed some rabbits for us to eat. You should come back with me, for the night will be upon us soon.”

  “I'm not worried, a good knight is always prepared.” Ulrich reached into his bag that he had carried with him at all times, pulling out a small torch and flint. He laid the torch on the ground and struck the flint, causing small sparks to fall, lighting the torch. He stood back up with the torch in hand and looked back at Ellyn with a smile on his face, “See.”

  “Are you always prepared for everything?” she chuckled lightly.

  “Not for everything.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “To be honest, I wasn't ready for all that has happened on this journey.” He turned away from her, looking off in the darkness. “Headmaster Caine wanted me to tag along for a reason. He claimed it would help me find my true self. It would help my heart decide what it truly wanted.”

  “What does your heart desire?”

  “Vengeance,” he answered.

  “Vengeance for what?”

  “Vengeance for my father, my mother, and my sister.”

  “What happened to them?”

  “Killed by knights from a neighboring kingdom, men of honor, doing the work of Kings and Queens. Or so they claimed when they slew my parents. I was only seven at the time, but I managed to attack one of them with a knife. In return, he ran me through the shoulder with a sword and that's when my sister stepped in, stopping the foul man from killing me.

  She was good with a blade but not as skilled as the knight. Attempting to save my life, she gave the man a nasty scar right between the eyes. But that wasn't enough; he kicked her over on top of me, running her through the back with his blade. The last words she spoke were “Do not move, pretend to be dead. And no matter what happens, remember that your family loves you, and I love you, little brother.”

  I found solace in spending several cold nights alone with nothing but the dead bodies of my family to keep me company. I couldn't even tell you what kept me alive for so long, luckily though Caine found me. He took me back to the Academy at Drasal Where those of noble blood was allowed there to train and study under their masters. He lied and said I was his distant cousin, nothing else was asked and the Academy took me in.

  Not even the old man knows of this, that is why I shall always be loyal to Caine, no matter what the others say of him. The only thing that keeps me going to this very day is the thought of one day killing the ones that had wronged me and my family.”

  “Do you still feel the same?” Ellyn asked, trying to hide her tears from him.

  “I don't know what to feel. I want vengeance for my family, and that rage feeds me, gives me a power that I cannot explain. But now-” He paused to take in a deep breath. “Since I have been on this journey, and met you, the feeling of rage is starting to calm within my heart.”

  Ulrich pounded on his chest, trying to fight the losing battle against his tears that flowed from his eyes. “These new feelings that I cannot explain are making me weak, just like I was the day my family was killed. If I let that rage die within me, I will no longer have the strength to protect the people I care for.”

  Ellyn cupped Ulrich's cheek in her hand, pulling his face towards her, “What happened to your family wasn't your fault,” she said, wiping the tears from his face. “You are not weak, Ulrich. You're the strongest person I know.” She smiled warmly, “But if you let the rage you feel towards the men that took your family from you take control, then you shall never have the vengeance you seek, it will blind you into doing evil that exceeds even the evil that was done upon you.” Even though she spoke the words, deep down they were lies. Ellyn knew of the rage and hatred that Ulrich spoke of. She battled with it on a day to day basis. One day she was going to have vengeance of her own against the ones who had wronged her, but not if her hate won - that much was the truth.

  “That rage, that hatred, the want and need for vengeance is what keeps me pushing myself to new heights. Keeps me craving the power to do what is necessary. If I fail in my task, then I will lose everyone that is dear to me all over again, and my heart could not bear that twice.”

  Ellyn pulled Ulrich into a warm embrace, “Keep on the path that you feel is right. And you will always have the power to protect the ones you care for.” She had always seen Ulrich as nothing more than a spoiled kid who thought he could treat anyone any way that he wanted.

  Since she had spent more time around him, she realized that Ulrich was like her, a lost soul looking for a purpose in life. But he pushed others away so as not to feel the pain of loss again, afraid of not being strong enough to protect them. She refused to admit to herself that her feelings for Ulrich were growing stronger with each passing day that she spent with him.

  That night came and went, and the morning sun was slowly making its way over the hillside. The campfire that was burning hot from the previous night was nothing more than cold ash, put out by the morning snow.

  Gawain had already been up for a good hour getting everything put back into the saddlebags and feeding and watering the horses. He poured salt over the leftover meat, and wrapped it in cloth to keep it fresh for the next time they made camp. Like the mornings before, when all was done they spurred their horses on leaving another part of their journey behind them.

  Another two months had gone by, and the end of their journey together drew near. Ulrich's demeanor had somewhat calmed, and his looks had changed. His hair was slightly longer and peach fuzz formed around his lips. Not just his looks had changed mind you; the lot of them had changed. Gawain's hair was like Ulrich's but longer, and more gray showed through now. His goatee had turned into a full-blown beard, and his new look let his age show through which Ulrich made sure to let him know that every chance he got.

  As for Ellyn, the length of her hair was down to her lower back, and her chest was more prominent. She was becoming quite an attractive woman. Leon's appearance had changed drastically too, his hair was longer, yes. Not only that but he had a full goatee, not just peach fuzz like Ulrich. And he seemed to have grown at least a foot taller, along with having a more muscular frame. It was almost as if he had aged rather quickly, which seemed to draw the ire of his friend.

  “Just how old are you, Leon?” Ulrich mockingly asked.

  “To be honest with you, I don't really know,” Leon's voice went from deep to squeaky with every word he spoke. “My father was never one to celebrate the years passing. My mother tried but it never went as planned.”

  “So you don't know your age?”
>
  “Pretty much,” Leon laughed.

  “What do years matter anyway?” Ellyn giggled.

  “You're a girl, of course, you don't want to think about that sort of thing,” Ulrich joked.

  Gawain stayed far behind the bickering kids, just trying to keep his sanity. ‘I'm getting too old for babysitting, if not for the promise to keep Leon safe, I would have left the Academy eons ago.’ His thoughts were soon interrupted by the sounds of horses galloping their way. On ahead he had seen there were three men riding towards them. Gawain spurred his horse on ahead past Ellyn, Leon, and Ulrich, “Riders are coming this way.”

  “How many are there?” Leon asked.

  “Three,” Gawain shouted back.

  “That's it?” Ulrich laughed. “Doesn't sound like anything to be afraid of to me.”

  “They wear the color of the Elite Guard,” Gawain explained. “Just three of them could take down a whole garrison of soldiers.”

  “Did you say the Elite Guard?” Ellyn nervously asked.

  “I did,” Gawain answered, not even bothering to look back. Ellyn pulled the reins of her horse until it came to a stop. Gawain then pulled the reins to make his horse stop and turn back, “Are you mad, child?” he said, riding up to her. “Those men will kill us without so much a question.”

  “They wouldn't do such a heartless thing.”

  “What is going on?” Ulrich and Leon asked as they rode up.

  “Miss Ellyn refuses to run from the Elite Guard,” Gawain told them. “Why? I do not know.”

  Leon threw his hands up in the air, “The Elite Guard is full of trained killers, we will not stand a chance if they catch us here.”

  “What are you talking about?” Ellyn frowned. “The Elite Guard is not a band of trained killers, they protect the Church Of Light. Those men also protect the innocent, save the weak, and they give mercy where there is none. What kind of rubbish does your so-called Academy teach?” It would do no good to argue or attempt to flee at that point, as the three men were already upon them.