Bedic and Emret were knocked down by the impact. But they weren’t hit. They’d managed to get far enough away to avoid falling directly under the blow.
Emret rolled over. The beast’s other dark purple hand was coming down at them. He got up and pulled at Bedic. “We’re there!”
The lighted path continued into the forest ten feet in front of them. Bedic scrambled to his feet and hobbled towards the edge of the trees as Emret continued to pull him. As they reached the threshold, the thick tangle of trees parted to allow them through and then closed back into tangled behind them.
The vast skeletal frame of the monster moved slowly towards the tree line where they disappeared. Once there it dropped its massive claws down and swatted at the clump of trees.
Emret ran through the tangled underbrush. It continued to open in front of him as fast as he was running. Something crashed into the forest behind him. He turned towards the noise and saw pockets of sky where the thick trees had been.
The lighted path extending out in front of them suddenly turned and veered off to the left. They followed, with as much speed as their bodies would give them.
He heard another crash behind him. This time a little further away. He turned to see the thick trunks of trees breaking and a large swath of the forest being scooped up and lifted into the air. The attack repeated over and over. But with each hit it was further and further away.
Emret looked up above him. The trees were so thick, he couldn’t see the sky at all. That must mean the creature couldn’t see them either. If he couldn’t see them, he had no way of following them.
Emret allowed himself to feel a little glimmer of hope. Maybe they would make it out of this after all. He smiled.
Emret sat in the center of a large meadow holding the tightly bundled plant on his lap. The forested hills rolled down below him, eventually flattening out into a wide valley. A city began where the hills ended, filling most of the valley. Emret studied with amazement the complex pattern of Shishkameen’s tiny streets and buildings that sprawled out from a central hub in a criss-crossing maze. It looked more like a spider web than a city, he thought.
Bedic rested a hand on Emret’s shoulder. “I’ll go back and look for your father as soon as it’s safe,” he said.
Emret turned and looked up at him. He noticed the sky above him was blue with a few strands of clouds, a welcome and reassuring site.
“As soon as the storm has moved on.” Bedic said, then glanced back over his shoulder.
Emret twisted around further to follow his gaze. The sky far in the distance behind them was that same sickening shade of dark purple he’d become familiar with.
“Is it following us?” Emret asked.
“No. He doesn’t know where we are... For now.” Bedic answered.
Emret turned back to the city, took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Feelings of guilt weighed heavily on him, pushing out almost every other thought. If he hadn’t have left, his father wouldn't have come looking for him, wouldn’t have gotten hurt.
To make matters worse, after all his dad had done for him, after he got what he needed, how did he show his gratitude? He ran away, leaving his dad there to die.
Bedic sat down beside him interrupting his thoughts.
“Everything will work out, son.” Bedic said.
How could he say that, Emret thought.
“It may not seem possible now. But trust me, it will.” He continued.
“How?” Emret pleaded.
"You have a new responsibility now. And with that responsibility comes the promise that you will be looked after. As long as you do everything you can to fulfill that responsibility, you will be prepared for whatever comes against you.”
“What responsibility?” Emret asked.
Bedic pointed to the small red bundle sitting in Emret’s lap. “It’s like an infant, helpless until it grows large enough to take care of itself. Until it does, you’re responsible to keep it safe.”
“I don’t understand. Why me?”
“Because you picked it up. Because it let you pick it up.” Bedic answered. “It chose you, and you chose it.”
-
Raj moaned in pain as he regained consciousness. He tried his legs and arms but was still unable to move. He could hear the storm still raging above so not too much time had passed.
A foot clanked down beside him, followed by a knee that was covered in clean polished armor. A hand gently lifted Raj’s head. He found himself looking up into a bright light. A figure was silhouetted. He squinted. Slowly, his eyes adjusted allowing him to see more detail.
The face above him was smooth, no fur. Shaped like a Botan but not green. Nor was it stone. It looked like the creatures he saw carved into the pillars in the temple. Not Zo. Not Petra. Not Botan. Who was this person? He remembered the temple guards. The faces hidden under masks.
“Be at ease my friend.” The figure spoke with a deep but quiet voice.
Raj felt a warm, calm wash over his body. The intense pain from his injuries subsided. The swelling in his black arm receded. Its constant throbbing stopped. Was he dying, he thought. Was this his escort to a new place?
“Great is the responsibility the boy carries. He will need his father to succeed.” The deep, melodic voice continued.
Questions raced through his mind. Great responsibility? What responsibility? Where was Emret? He had to get up, he had to get out of here. He had to find him.
He strained to move, but nothing responded.
Then something moved behind the man in armor. It was a woman in a red rob standing just beyond them, watching. She saw that Raj took notice of her and smiled back at him. Then the man holding him returned his head to rest on the ground, and he lost consciousness.
Table of Contents
Title Page
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Red Leaves and the Living Token Page 27