“If he was an angel, how did he die?” he asked critically.
“Your father was living in Camsbury keeping an eye on Lord Malchus. During that time, he met and fell in love with a human woman. You were a result of that marriage. In doing so, he violated the angelic law and his punishment was death. Your mother’s death was a tragic accident.”
“How did she die?”
“A band of angels were sent to bring him to justice, but Catherine was unwilling for that to happen. She fought against them and was thrown to the ground in the scuffle. Jediael, filled with passion, drew his sword and rushed to her defense. That act alone gave the angels legal standing to use their own force to exact justice. They seized your father and put him to death, but not before your mother jumped in the way once again to stop them. She was too late and was killed in the process. Thus they both died together.”
“You make it sound as if these angels were the fallen ones. How could they be so cruel?!”
“Holiness means perfection, Landon. There cannot be any within the Heavenly realm that are marked with disobedience and passion. That was your father’s crime. Your mother made her own choice. Those that killed her were filled with grief from doing so.” Landon sat quietly for a long moment to absorb and process this knowledge.
“You could have told me sooner,” he said sadly.
“It would have been foolish of me to try. Only this journey could have opened your eyes and made you ready to accept this truth.”
Suddenly, Landon had an epiphany. “If my dad was an angel, then, that means I would have to be a . . .”
“Yes, Landon, you are a Nephil; half human, half angel. At the time of your birth Lord Malchus was aware of an angel watching him, and he had knowledge that this angel broke the laws and had a son. However, he does not know who this child was, which is most likely the reason he called you to see him. Jediael was one of only a handful of fathers in Camsbury who died that same year. I suspect Malchus has been looking into all of their sons.”
“You have revealed much about me, my father, and the Lord of my town, but you have remained silent on your origins.”
“That is a conversation for another day. What is important right now is that you retrieve your ring from Gavin. Afterward, we must endeavor to find the remaining four. Once we do we can see them destroyed. And we must do so quickly, for two of the Lords have already formed an alliance again, and I fear war will soon erupt in this realm.”
“Then you are to accompany me to Camsbury?”
“Nay, I must meet you in Ellington in one week. We will search for the daughter of Lord Dawson together. It is of the utmost importance that you defeat Gavin and keep the ring out of Malchus’ hands.”
“Leaving now is of the utmost importance. You should gather your affects but do not take too much time; we haven’t much to waste.” Landon left Godfrey to see to packing his belongings. He opened a cloth sack and inserted all the valuable items he owned along with a few pieces of bread. Then, he rolled up his cloth sack and slung it over his shoulder.
“My boy, you look ever the warrior your father was.” He smiled at Landon with a nostalgic look in his eye.
The rest of the night followed all too quickly for Landon. He had spent the entire night with Godfrey learning the truth about himself, and now he was preparing himself for the journey back to Camsbury to confront his enemy. The answers he received swam in his head.
Landon took his pack and slung it once again around Aquila’s saddle. It was during the night that Landon discovered she had been with him all along being taken care of by Godfrey. Aratus’ chamber doubled also as an exit to the outer world. The opposite end of her room contained a door that led upstairs to the forest and lake from which the waterfall came.
At first Landon felt misled. He had worried the past few months about what had become of his mare, and was angered to know she was no more than five hundred feet from him the whole time. But last night Godfrey explained the need to remove all ties to his former life. He needed to feel as though he truly had no option but to stay and train. Godfrey knew all too well that if there was an opportunity to leave without finishing his training, Landon might have taken it. Landon understood and forgave the deception.
Now, none of it mattered. Godfrey had departed at the end of their conversation claiming some new urgent errand before they met again in Ellington. But before he left, he gave Landon a shortcut to his hometown. The trip to Aratus had taken nearly a week through the Arden, down the pass and towards Rindland. Now, he could descend the opposite side of the mountain and race across the valley floor in only a day. It amazed Landon to realize how incredibly small his world really was.
This morning Landon had enjoyed himself to a large breakfast at the hand of his former master. They ate like kings in the early morning dew, and Landon couldn’t help but think that this could be one of his last breakfasts. He hated to acknowledge the possibility and instead turned his mind to other important errands left unfinished. He thought about the Mistress of Ellington lost somewhere in the world. Once he finished his task and retrieved his ring that was his next priority. He also considered the possibility of taking Malchus down with Gavin, but decided that was only a possibility if necessary. His cruelty would have to wait. It was in thinking about Malchus’ cruelty that he remembered Daxis.
The last time he had seen Daxis, he was chained in the dungeon of the Lord’s castle. Gavin assured him that he was to be tortured, and it pained Landon to know that he wasn’t there to help. He wished that he had discovered the power of his ring sooner. He knew that Malchus wanted to make the torture last as long as possible. He hoped beyond hope that Malchus had not finished with Daxis, yet. Though last they met he was unsure of the man, Landon had grown a fondness for him. He did not want his friend to suffer. But it might be the only thing that keeping him alive. Landon decided that if against all odds he defeated Gavin, and Daxis was still alive, he would do everything in his power to save him.
After a long morning, Landon was finally packed and ready to go. Aratus had remained with him the entire time refusing to miss his departure. She had become the only true friend Landon really had in this lonely world, and he was going to miss her terribly. He promised to visit when he was finished with his tasks. Aratus knew the slim possibility of this for she as well had many great adventures and tasks left to tend to, but she too had grown fond of him. Their short time together had created a trust and a bond only a master and an apprentice could appreciate. They embraced one last time before Landon saddled up.
As he mounted Aquila, his eyes welled up. He was going to miss this place and his master. Though she had taught him everything in the style of the Eagle, he knew that there was so much more he didn’t know. He wished he could stay and learn the rest of his life. But it wasn’t just leaving Aratus that Landon had a problem with. It was leaving this place. He had never seen anything like it before, and to him, it was the realm’s only state of perfection. He knew divinity rested there, and it pained him to leave that behind. There was no use lingering when such an important task lay ahead of him. Landon said goodbye to Aratus and turned into the rising sun to set out on quite possibly his final journey.
He set his heels into his horse, and she bolted from the mountaintop with the enormous lake on his right. As he rode through the light forest and past the high mountain lake, he noticed a difference in Aquila. She seemed stronger, faster, more confident. It seemed as though he was not the only one who acquired training. He leaned forward and spurred her on.
Within an hour the two of them had left the oasis behind and were speeding down the side of the mountain. The terrain was steep, but Aquila followed a path which had been newly dug. It ran straight down the embankment and Landon knew that if it hadn’t been for the training she received from Godfrey, she would not have been able to control herself at this speed and angle. Being what it was, they bolted down the hill.
Landon had a difficult time seeing from the speed at which
they were flying, but on their way down the mountain, he gazed out over the valley below and saw an incredible sight. Shadows from the eastern mountains flooded the plain. Slowly, they receded as the sun climbed higher into the sky. The shine from it made all the dew sparkle like gems in the valley floor creating a mirror of the night sky in this early morning hour. Landon was apprehensive to return to his home. It had been so long since he last saw it that part of him desired to head to the farm first before venturing to Camsbury. But it was a nagging thought that Landon speedily dismissed. He knew that should he return to the farm, he would become caught up in the desolation of the place. He had left it in a state of disrepair following the fire storm and unless Mordecai had returned to mend things, it was not a sight he wanted to see. In addition, he had become such a different person since his training that he no longer knew if the life of a farmer suited him. After his conversation with Godfrey, Landon believed his future was steeped in something much greater, and it all began with his confrontation with Gavin.
Eventually, the rider and his horse descended so far that Landon could not see the plains anymore. They were nearing the ground level of the valley and trees settling along the baseline of the mountains blocked his view. According to Godfrey, they were to follow the path until they hit a fork. The path they needed to take ran north and it would only take them a few more hours ride to make it to the gates of Camsbury. Branches and leaves swept by and Landon was certain he would hit his head. But after a few minutes of speeding through the trees, the fork appeared. They came to the fork and turned north to follow the new road towards the city.
Landon marveled at the new endurance of Aquila. She had not slowed down the entire descent of the mountain, and he was sure she was going to need a break or water soon. There seemed to be no end in sight for her as the landscape changed. Instead of hills and trees, they were speeding through thick fields of amber. The drought definitely had taken its toll and though there were beautiful, new growths of green, most of the landscape remained dead. The tall grass made it difficult for Landon to see, but Aquila seemed to know the way herself. Landon was no longer leading, but enjoying the ride. He sensed it would take some time to get to know the new horse beneath him.
Landon thought ahead to the coming battle between him and Gavin. He wasn’t sure Gavin was even going to be in Camsbury, but he assumed his place would be beside Malchus until he unlocked the ring. It seemed the most logical place to begin. If Gavin was there, he was going to challenge him. If not, he knew Gavin was using the ring to gain power. Either way, his journey began in his hometown.
The training Landon received had taught him nothing of the ways of either the Ox or the Lion and it was the one fear that remained in the back of his mind. Though he was confident in his skill, he was afraid that he would not be quick enough for the Lion. He also began to doubt his confidence in whether that was the only fighting style Gavin knew. If he had learned defense, this battle would be even harder than he imagined, if not impossible.
In his mind, Landon recalled the past few months of training. He recalled the lesson learned in the necessity to cling to his sword. He recalled the focus and determination he gained when climbing the mountain that was the beginning of his transformation. He recalled the few weeks it took him to complete his next challenge with the logs. He became so adept at standing on those rolling beams that to remember a time when he wasn’t able to do so almost made him laugh. He remembered the subsequent challenge Aratus gave him to fight while hanging upside down. He still never understood the importance of that one. He recalled the various other small tasks his master had given him that seemed menial but always proved to be worthwhile. With finality he recalled his many nights practicing the movements.
Landon knew that everything Aratus had taught him was to make him a master swordsman, but he couldn’t help but wonder if she was implanting skills he would need to fight Gavin, or something else. He knew nothing of the style in which Gavin fought except that he had seen him kill a number of people. The man was quick, powerful, and slow to regret. He seemed to kill without any remorse, and it was this difference that separated them. He hoped never to become that callous to killing though he had grown to learn that there were times when it became necessary to take a life. He would never enjoy it, however. It was also the one thing that Landon feared would be his undoing. Gavin was unpredictable and he had no limits. Landon knew his boundaries and they fell far short of his enemy’s. He only hoped that there would be no need to extend himself as far as Gavin had. He felt prepared for the coming battle. He knew his skill and trusted in it. There was no more need to make preparations.
It was about this time, that the changing scenery shook Landon from his thoughts. One giant mound in the midst of the yellow grass grew from the earth. It was at least five times the height of him and his horse. It lay directly in front of the two and the road ran over it. Landon assumed that it would be too steep to take at this pace and that Aquila would either slow or go around. He was incorrect on both counts. The horse below him continued at the steady pace. As the hill drew closer, Landon felt anxiety grow in his stomach. He was not sure he would remain mounted if Aquila took the road. She did not falter on her path. Landon pulled back on the reins but he could not sway her. He pulled even harder, but the horse seemed stuck in a trance. She took the road and as the two of them reach the edge of the hill they moved into a steep climb. Landon felt the weight of himself fall backwards on the horse and he clung to Aquila’s reins tightly to remain seated. Soon they were on top and he had to adjust his grip and his seat. But it did not remain for long because the horse sped over the edge of the hill running nearly perpendicular to the ground. Landon felt his stomach fly into his throat as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her neck. In a few minutes that were past the mound and Landon released his grip. He had never experienced anything like it before. Adrenaline rushed through his body and he wanted another turn. He knew he had no time, however, and only looked back at the hill as it slowly disappeared behind them.
Looking ahead, the amber waves of grass had thinned and turned into rolling hills of shorter, greener pasture. Ahead in the distance he could see where their road connected with the main road. To his right far in the distance lay the towers of Bodam, and to his left in the distance lay the spike of the city cathedral. He could not believe that they had arrived so quickly. Looking overhead Landon noticed the sun was well past its midpoint and beginning its descent into the west. He had been lost in his thoughts for so long the day had passed without him knowing it. Aquila had not needed to stop the entire trip. Landon could only guess what Godfrey had done to prepare his horse for this ride, or what spell he had cast.
The path finally dead-ended into the road to the city and the two lone travelers turned left to follow it. Aquila slowed in her pace only slightly knowing they were near the end of their journey. Ahead the gates could be seen with the two guards standing in front. Though Landon could not hear them, he could see that they were still arguing about something. It was quixotic to think that he had changed so much and yet others had stayed the same. Within a few minutes he rode up to them. He could hear their argument by now, but he tried to ignore it.
“I’m telling you, the alliance is falling apart,” the first guard was explaining. “Strange things are stirring in Anselm’s county – .”
“Good evening, gentlemen. Would either of you happen to know if the Lord is in the city?” Landon cut him off.
“Of course he his!” the second guard retorted obviously upset they were interrupted. “Where else would he be? Move along.”
Landon graciously accepted the invitation into the city and entered the city walls. He was certain he would not be recognized but just to be sure he pulled a cloak from his sack which Godfrey had given him and covered up with it. He made sure to pull the hood over his head. No sooner than had he made his way past the desolate merchant street did the bells toll the signal to close the gate. They had made it just in
time. Landon figured that his best bet was to wait until the morrow to challenge Gavin. This would give him time to find rest for himself and Aquila and prepare a strategy.
He maneuvered his way into the center square pulling the hood down tight to avoid recognition. He noticed two sights immediately. The first was the sight of Godfrey’s shop. Boards had been kicked in and a window was broken. He had obviously not returned since his letter and ruffians had done damage to his home. The second was that Archer’s sign for his store no longer existed. In its place was tacked a wood plank. The windows were covered in dust and inside Landon could barely make out empty shelves. These two sights saddened him and were just a few reminders that this adventure he had been on was not without its negatives.
Across from the center still stood Rowan’s tavern. The last time he had been inside was as a young boy beginning his search. Now he was a grown man returning. He trotted is horse over and tied her up to the post outside. He gently entered into the tavern expecting a ruckus. Instead, he saw empty tables and chairs. A single person sat in a corner on the far side of the room. Rowan was standing at the bar looking melancholy.
“Good evening,” Landon whispered to the owner.
“Evening, stranger, what can I do for you?”
“I am in need of a bed and a stable. I have heard you have the best prices in town,” Landon said trying to flatter Rowan.
“I used to. These days I am lucky to find anyone who wants to venture into this place. But for a stranger with a kind word I can offer both for twenty crowns.”
Landon knew that was a steep price, but he could see the obvious hardship Rowan was in. Before he paid, he wanted to know the reasons behind it.
“Sounds fair, say, what makes this place so hands-off?”
The Awakening (The Stones of Revenge) Page 23