by Riker Kane
A few moments later, the door opened. A woman with short white hair around her chin and an elegant green gown that hugged her figure stepped inside.
“Regent Magne. It’s good to see you again.”
The Regent walked with such poise and grace, it never failed to leave Clayton impressed.
She bowed her head, a sincere smile on her lips. “It is a pleasure to see you, Lord Clayton Brooks. How was your journey?”
“My party and I procured enough gold to secure a ship sturdy enough to make the trip back here across the Great Sea as uneventful as it could be.”
“I’m glad…” She looked at him curiously. “You look… different.”
“I suppose I haven’t shaved in a bit…” He ran his hands along his chin. “I could use a haircut, maybe. Then again, it’s kinda nice having longer hair…”
“It is not just your face. You seem to have grown in strength. Your armor is new. And…” Her eyes shifted toward his glistening axe. Even though it was on his back, the thing was so massive it could be seen from the front. “I did not think Zeal could take the form of anything else but the blade itself.”
“I didn’t think so either. Apparently, the Ferrum who came before me learned enough to change its properties.”
“It appears that way.”
Clayton walked over to one of the bookshelves and ran his finger along the old books resting inside of them. “This library is small but incredible when you really think about it. The history of every Ferrum who wielded Zeal is in here.”
“Considering the accomplishments of those recorded, I would say it is the greatest treasure Nalore possesses. It is a monument to our success.”
“Yeah… It’ll be an honor when I achieve everything I can and stand among the other Ferrum.”
“You possess the Zeal Axe. You conquered two Great Maledict. You traveled across Xeylon and made the deeds of the Ferrum known on the other side of the world. I would say you have achieved something greater than the others.”
“Maybe…” Clayton ran his fingers along the spines of one of the books. “But I think there’s still more out there left for me to achieve.”
“What else would there be? You are already a hero and a champion.”
“I read the story of the last Ferrum to wield Zeal before me. They say he was a great hero and sealed the Maledict away with minimal casualties. After that, he retired to a peaceful life. In Xeylon or back in my world, he didn’t say. His last deeds were finding lovers to do his part to breed the next generation of Ferrum destined to defeat the Maledict.”
“I would say you earned the right to retire to that same peace.”
“It’s tempting… When I first came to Xeylon, I thought it was just something to do. A chance to live the life of a hero like I did when I was sitting in my apartment at home.” He turned to the Regent, who was listening attentively. “But now it’s more than just living the life of a hero. The people of Xeylon are real. If I’m gonna go for a platinum achievement, I’ve gotta go all the way.”
He pulled the Zeal Axe off of his back and looked at it. “There was a time when I would have looked at this thing and be satisfied with just being able to wield it. I could retire and let the next Ferrum deal with the Maledict when they gather the strength to launch another assault. But as long as I have this weapon, I plan on using it.”
“The Maledict take decades, sometimes more than a century, to come through. There is no chance they will come in your lifetime.”
“There’s a chance of that. But that still doesn’t mean I can’t use this weapon to achieve something greater. I have to be more than a champion to Nalore. This world… It’s my world. Maledict or not, I have the strength to do a lot of good. That is my destiny and I intend on fulfilling it.”
Regent Magne bowed her head, her reserved smile growing even wider. “It is an honor to have you as the Ferrum during my reign. I wish you nothing but good fortune. Is there anything I can do to assist you?”
“I can get the supplies I need myself. If I have one thing to ask of you…”
“Name it.”
“Be strong. Be kind. Rule this kingdom with a kind heart but an iron shield to protect them.”
“You have my word, Lord Brooks. As long as I am Regent, no harm will ever come to Nalore or her people.”
They stood quietly in the library for a moment. Clayton knew Nalore was in good hands. He’d made sure of that even after traveling miles and miles away.
“What will you do now?” she asked.
“Nalore is safe but there are others who are not. I don’t know who they are. I don’t know where they are. But I must do what I can to help.”
“Go. Fulfill the destiny you have chosen for yourself, Ferrum.”
Chapter 47
Clayton stood on the pier and enjoyed the wind blowing against his face. He ran a hand through his hair and noticed how shaggy it had gotten.
“We should leave as soon as possible to get as much aid from the sun as we can.”
“Don’t worry, Rena. If the sun goes down, you’ll see just how romantic it is to be sailing at night.”
“I am not interested in romance. I am more interested in getting to our destination as soon as possible.”
“You gotta learn to relax a little. We’ll get to where we’re going eventually.” He smiled at the elf. Though Rena had no disdain for him, she wasn’t as enthusiastic as he was.
Her lips twitched into a smile, almost reluctantly, before it went away. “The others are waiting.” The elf boarded the ship and got to work raising the sails.
Clayton was holding his compass tight in his hands when he felt a meaty hand on his shoulder.
“That’s a fine barge you have there. Should be able to handle even the rockiest waves.”
Clayton creaked his head up at the large man. Iolas was one of the biggest men he’d ever met even though he was a simple fisherman. Clayton thought he was an odd combination of friendly and imposing, and that hadn’t change since the few weeks he’d last seen him.
“It’s enough to get the job done,” Clayton sighed. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to being on the sea, especially after what happened.”
“It sounds like you’ve had quite the adventure.”
“It’s something remarkable, that’s for sure…” Clayton looked down at the compass in his hand. “I suppose I should thank you.”
“Thank me? What could I have possibly done for you?”
“When I was lost, this compass and Zeal were the only thing I had. There was a time when I thought about giving up and returning to my world. But I didn’t. I found myself out there. I owe that to you.”
Iolas squeezed his paw around Clayton’s shoulder and shook him gently. “It was an honor to bring the Ferrum who wielded the Zeal Blade back to Xeylon. It was an honor to help you defeat the Maledict. But more than that, it is an honor to be your friend.”
“The honor is mine.”
“I can see it in you. Your body. Your eyes. Even your weapon. You are greater than what you were first brought here for. Go out there. Continue to do what you want to do. And come back so that I may tell the people the story of the greatest Ferrum who ever lived.”
Clayton smirked at the thought then stepped onto his ship. Rena was already waiting, raising the anchor as soon as he was aboard. As the ship moved away from the pier, Clayton watched as Iolas waved in the distance.
“The others would like to speak to you,” she said. “I will take a moment to set our course.”
Mirella stood along the railing of the ship, staring out into the crystal blue waters rocking back and forth gently in front of her.
“How are you feeling?” Clayton asked.
“I feel well. Strong.”
“Do you know what your plans are?”
“I will go to Azure. I will speak with Izumi. Perhaps there is something she can do to assist us.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Rest assured, in Azu
re or on this ship, I will always be by your side, Clayton.”
The Azurean turned toward him. He never failed to be amazed at how striking she was. Just standing next to her was enough for him to be grateful.
“Thank you, Mirella.”
“Yo, BB! Check me out!”
He turned toward Kailani, who was balancing on the railing on the other side of the ship. “You keep that up and you’re gonna fall in the ocean.”
“Eh, no big deal. You act like I’ve never gotten wet before.”
“Getting wet is one thing. Dealing with whatever’s in that water is another. I won’t jump in the water to save you, you know.”
“Oh, I think you will.” She hopped off the railing in front of him.
“Have you made your decision?” he asked.
It wasn’t often Kailani looked sheepish. She shifted her eyes to the side and looked out into the distance. “My father is Great Elder in the islands. Right now, I’m sure all of Hilamau is living a joyful peace they’ve never had before. No more surpluses to meet. No more worrying about going to war. Just some real relaxation.”
“That sounds like a good time.”
“Maybe. But I’m pretty comfortable by your side, BB.”
“BB… I thought you said you were gonna stop calling me that.”
“It was the heat of the moment.”
“Still, it doesn’t make much sense these days.”
“Hmm… Gotta call you something though.”
“How about Clayton?”
“How about… CB?”
“…Close enough,” he sighed.
She hopped back up on the railing and balanced while he moved to the front of the ship where Jalise and Rena were waiting.
“Everything is set,” Rena said. “Our equipment and supplies are stocked. Our rooms are comfortable. We can sail on the Great Sea for as long as we need to.”
“I don’t think we’ll be sailing for very long.”
“Did you have a destination set?”
Clayton looked out toward the open sea. “Grady said Green Terra was the largest landmass in all of Xeylon. I’m sure there are tons of people we haven’t met we can still help.”
“That’s one option,” Jalise said. “Might I suggest another? There are other locations that could prove beneficial in improving your essence.”
“In what way?”
“The ancients speak in riddles. But if power is what you seek, perhaps we should explore.”
“That’s not a bad idea either. We’ll do one then the other. Maybe something completely different. We’ll have time for it all.”
Clayton moved toward the edge of the ship. Jalise and Rena stood by his side as he looked out toward the endless blue sea. Mirella and Kailani joined them.
“If I were back home, I would be going on an adventure… but I’d be looking at it through a monitor. I always finished the games I started. It seems like I’ve finished this already. But I know there’s something more out there. I can feel it.”
“What if there’s nothing to find?” Jalise asked. “What if what you’re looking for is to simply lay your head down and retire after a job well done?”
“What if there’s nothing more for me out there?” Clayton considered her question. He’d accomplished a lot already. More than any Ferrum ever had. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he hadn’t achieved everything.
“There is something out there. If not, I’ll still have a great time exploring. War or peace, I know what I’m looking for is in Xeylon.”
Perhaps there was nothing left for him. Another Maledict was defeated and they were sealed away once again. The journey ahead could prove to be uneventful. But even if this were the end, he smiled knowing he’d accomplished something no one ever has before.
More by Riker Kane
Thanks for reading! I appreciate you taking the time to check out Zeal Legacy 2. Writing about Clayton’s continued exploits in Xeylon was enjoyable and I hope you enjoyed reading it.
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