by Drew Smith
“It would seem someone is telling them what to do, and that someone could be that guy at the gate.
A man covered by a ragged cape blowing in the wind stood at the North Gate; his black hood covering his eyes and his sword as red as the night moon.
“I don’t recognize this guy. Maybe a new Lord of Lears?” Zelkem began to worry.
“Lears has been building his army while I’ve been gone. I have no idea who this guy is either. I don’t intend to start a fight with someone I don’t know, we need to find out more about this guy.” Orson sheathed his sword and made his way back to the river. Zelkem followed behind Orson. They made their way back to the river as the small quakes started up again.
“They’re coming, hurry Zelkem.” Orson ordered. Orson ran right to the edge of the river. As he did, he noticed the river was still. To his left he noticed a blockade of boulders forming a dam.
“Zelkem we can make our way across the river. Look, it’s still. Hurry.” Orson jumped into the still water and began to swim across. Zelkem looked behind him for a moment to see trees falling and wildlife fleeing.
(“Damn you Krotins, I shouldn’t be running from beasts this weak.”) Zelkem turned to Orson and jumped into the river. As he surfaced he noticed Krotins running along the dam by the waterfall. Slowly the beasts removed rock after rock. Orson turned to notice them too.
“Zelkem come on we need to hurry!”
The mysterious new Lord came walking slowly down the river path. The Krotins broke the dam free, and as they did many of them flew over the falls yelling in fear of death. Orson and Zelkem began to be sucked down toward the falls.
“Orson!” Zelkem screamed out.
“Zelkem, hold on!” Orson yelled back. Their heads bobbed up and down under the water as they were forced down to the falls. As they flew over the violent falls with the Krotins and the boulders that began to give away, the man in the black cape reached the riverbanks. He looked up for a moment.
“He’s not here, carry on after them. The rest of you follow me up the mountain path.” He ordered to the Krotins.
Frostear stopped for a moment as the others passed him by. Zephry stopped as well and turned back to Frostear.
“What is it? Are you ok?” Zephry seemed worried.
“I feel something. Something I haven’t felt in a while. I think my son is here…” Frostear looked at Zephry then back over his shoulder to Taurald.
“Your son? Well that’s good right? Shouldn’t we go help him if he is in Taurald?” Zephry seemed happy.
“No, he is more dangerous then you know, my son has went down the wrong path. He has seen the power the darkness offers, and has embraced it into his heart. If we want to live, we need to press on.” Frostear turned from Zephry and hurried to the others.
“Can he really be stronger than you? Are you saying your son is so strong that he can beat you, or even Lumus?” Zephry asked, unconvinced. Frostear turned to Zephry.
“Zephry, there are many things you’re forgetting - we are all still very fatigued from the battle at the Twilight prison. We would fall if we faced him now. I’m sure he knows that we are not at full strength, and he intends to kill us in our weakened condition.” Zephry realized he was right.
“I see. Okay Frostear. Maybe next time we meet him we can talk some sense into him and maybe he’ll join us.” Zephry walked past Frostear with a smile of hope on her face as if it was possible.
(“She doesn’t’ seem to hear what I say, or maybe she is too optimistic to see the real danger in others.”) Frostear thought.
“Come on you two, we can’t slow down now. Let’s get going; the Krotin could catch up.” Lumus called back.
Scarlette seemed more concerned about Lumus getting hurt then the actual safety of the others. She held him tightly, almost hurting him more than helping him, but Lumus could tell from her eyes that she was scared, and that she would do anything to protect him. Lumus began to think hard about his life, and the reasons that Twilight has fallen into such ruin.
The red moon began to set as the group made haste through the mountain path. They scurried through rough terrain and climbed over many obstacles as Krotins followed close behind. There was no sign of the hooded Lord. Lumus could feel Scarlette’s grip on him weakening as they made it farther up the mountain. Brinx lead in front followed by Scarlette and Lumus. Zephry was right behind them but would check often to see if Frostear was still with them. He didn’t seem to notice her odd interest in him. His mind was clouded by thoughts of his son in his head. Time seemed to slow down and the night was worse for visibility. With Brinx in front, they had only him to rely on as they traveled blindly. Brinx looked back frequently to make sure everyone kept pace. In his mind he knew they were getting tired, and he knew that after the Twilight prison no one really had a decent rest, but he pushed on anyway, leading them through the pitch black mountains.
“Look,” Brinx pointed to the peak, as the others used all of their strength to get over the last rocks to the top. The blue moon shot up over the distance once again the sky above turned pink. Noises of the Krotin faded as the blue moon became full. The group made it to the top of the mountain after a full night of traveling. The view was beautiful. Peridot Lake glimmered from the moon’s light. Wildlife could be spotted around the shorelines. What Scarlette loved the most about it all was Leodot village, and it was just a short distance across the river to the lake. She remembered as a kid her father told her that Leodot was known for the Zufore, a flightless bird known for high intelligence and fast running speed, with feathers that were always different shades of blue. The darker the blue, the older they were.
Brinx shot a few vines from his palm and wrapped it securely around a heavy rock.
“I can scale down the mountain face with my vines. I can take two at a time. This would be the fastest was down,” Brinx offered. He looked at Scarlette and Lumus first.
“Okay, let’s go.” Lumus agreed. He held on to Brinx’ back and Scarlette wrapped her arms around them both.
“I will be back shortly,” Brinx reassured the others as he started to descend.
To Scarlette’s surprise, Brinx’s vines had many uses as either a weapon against his foes, but also a very useful survival tool. Within a few moments they had reached the ground. Brinx let them off and without a word began to pull the vine back through his palm pulling him slowly upwards, but before Brinx started to rise, Frostear landed a few feet away with a huge crash. A cloud of smoke rose from the ground, and as it cleared Zephry shouted out.
“Again, again!” like a small child.
“I would have to say my way is faster, Brinx,” Frostear shot him a smile as Zephry climbed off of his back.
“Piscyst is just across the river,” Scarlette said with a weak voice. Frostear approached Brinx.
“You wouldn’t happen to be able to make a boat with your vines would you Brinx?” Frostear made Brinx smile this time.
“Maybe you can jump over it?” Brinx’ smile faded as he walked toward the Shore of Peridot Lake.
“Scarlette, the current is too fast, we can’t swim this,” Lumus said as he regained balance on his own two feet.
“There’s a bridge farther north. My hometown is up there, and it is about half day hike from here,” Zephry started to glow thinking about home.
“No, I passed by there before I met you all at that tower. Piscyst is under Lears’ control. I’m sure we’d run into trouble there.”
“I agree,” said Brinx, but back to square one then. How do we cross a fast-paced river?
“Zur Zur Zur…”
“What the heck is that noise?” Zephry looked behind her to see a Zufore walking up the river from downstream.
“A wild Zufore, what luck?” Scarlette seemed relieved.
“Just one won’t help us. We would need two more if we were to use them,” Just as Brinx finished his sentence, a herd of Zufore crept over the hill downstream.
“Seems I was wrong, we are lucky
.”
“I can ask them to help us!” Zephry hurried over to the herd almost skipping in joy.
Zephry took a while with the herd of Zufore, but as she did the others rested along the mountain wall that they descended. Lumus closed his eyes; Scarlette looked over to spark a conversation but before she could Lumus had fallen asleep.
“So how far can those vines of yours reach?” Frostear asked.
“Hmm, a spark of interest in me all the sudden Frostear?” Brinx seemed insulted.
“Well it’s not every day you see a six-foot tall plant that can talk. This world is strange and I’ve seen more than you can imagine, but nothing like you.” He replied.
“Yes well, my vines reach only three times my height. Maybe you can tell me about this sword you carry. I have never seen red steel. Where did you get it?” Frostear put his hand on his back to reassure his sword was still on his back.
“This? It isn’t much of a secret. My homeland has a special rock called dragon steel. It’s more of a plant that grows to a certain state, then during the red moon it changes into crystallized rock and continues to grow until day. During the night the steel becomes unbreakable, but during the day it’s just like any other sword. The Twilight Army use to send recruits ready for promotion alone to my homeland as a first mission. They’d take some of the red steel and have it forged to their swords when they returned. It is how they were promoted to knights.”
“Your people never tried to stop them from stealing your dragon steel?” Brinx seemed confused that a man his size would allow others to get away with stealing from him.
“You really are from another world, I don’t know how you live, but on Twilight we all share the planet. Just because my clan lived near the red steel didn’t make it ours to claim. We took what we needed, as did everyone else that came to Scorpial.” Frostear explained.
“Fascinating, I have never known such humanity, let alone hear of an entire planet that does so.” Brinx almost seemed shocked to hear his story.
“Frostear, Zephry seemed to know who you were when you showed up at Twilight prison. Have you two met before?” Scarlette mustered enough energy to ask.
“I use to pass through Piscyst often for supplies. I met Zephry on the streets trying to train a Zufore. After a few visits we somehow became friends. I guess we started to become close the day I found her just outside of her hometown. She was being attacked by some low level demon. I saved her, and ever since she waited for me to show up for supplies. After a while I became use to it. As you know, recently she was at the Twilight prison. When I went for supplies I ran into a friend of hers that told me she had been taken. That is why I was at Twilight prison.”
Brinx didn’t respond, instead he gave Frostear a simple nod of respect.
Zephry finally returned to the others but with a long rest needed by everyone, no one really noticed how long she was gone.
“Okay, I worked out a deal with the Zufore. They can help us cross the river in exchange for Mush-ati.” Brinx didn’t even bother to ask how she and the Zufore came to their terms.
“Mush-ati is very common. It is everywhere.” Scarlette pointed out.
“Yes, but they want Frostear to give it to them. He needs to pick some and feed it to their leader.” Frostear opened his eyes wide.
“What?” Frostear gasped.
“You need to feed him, so come on, hop to it,” Zephry said with a smile.
“You have to be kidding me Zephry; do you know how ridiculous that sounds?” Frostear couldn’t believe his ears.
“Hey, are you making fun of me?” Zephry raised her voice to Frostear.
“No… no way, I mean I’ll do it yeah sure it’s just… feeding a bird,” Frostear almost seemed scared of Zephry.
(“She seems so gentle, what the heck was that about, she just freaked out. What a woman.”)
Frostear walked over to a Mush-ati plant and picked a few cloves, and looked over his shoulder to see Zephry with her hands on her hips and a stare that would scare anybody out of their shoes.
“I can’t believe my eyes. I barely know Frostear but he’s just not the type to be bossed around by, well…. Anybody,” Scarlette had a very confused look on her face.
“I’m not sure I understand the people of Twilight at all....” Brinx had his eyes open wide. Everyone could tell he was shocked.
“I can’t believe this stupid bird; it can get its own food why does it want me to do it?” Frostear mumbled to himself with a sad looking confused face.
“Alright little buddy take the food and lets both get on with our lives. Come on, take it!” “You need to bow your head and put the food forward in your arms!” Zephry shouted over to him.
“Of course I do.” Frostear began to bow; he put his arms out and displayed the food for the Zufore. The Zufore rushed forward with its head and gave Frostear a head butt throwing him backwards to the ground.
“Zur! Zur!”
“Good work Frostear you did it! He accepted your offer.” Zephry shouted over once again.
“Damn bird.” Frostear sat on the ground holding his head with both hands, “If my dragon was here I’d have him eat you, you stupid bird.”
“Lumus! Lumus get up!” Scarlette shook Lumus awake. Lumus slowly opened his eyes to see Zephry running over to Frostear sitting on the ground by the Zufore and Brinx with his arms crossed facing Lumus.
“I must have dozed off, what did I miss?” Lumus replied.
Brinx turned back to Frostear and Zephry.
“I don’t think I will ever understand your human race.” Brinx continued toward Zephry and Frostear. Lumus looked up at Scarlette, but before he could even ask she interrupted him.
“Don’t ask Lumus; here let me help you up.”
Lumus and Scarlette made their way to the herd of Zufore’s.
The blue moon high above was as beautiful as it could be. No cloud cover, and no sign of the Krotins. The group had boarded the Zufore and crossed the harsh river, and now they headed for Capaz, stopping at Piscyst first. Brinx thought it would be dangerous to make a stop with the Krotin and a Lord so close. The best plan of action was to head straight for Capaz.
Scarlette was excited for a change; she grew up in Capaz after all, and it is where she first met Orson. He was given the job of Scarlette’s protector because of his relationship with her father, and the two of them once fought together against a dragon that was wreaking terror on the northern cities of Twilight. Scarlette was young but for her age she was thought to be the most intelligent person with her pinpoint accuracy in detailed reports of the core and how it functions. Orson was even shocked to listen to her speak; she was an impressive girl and had accomplished so much for Twilight. Now she returns to her hometown and palace of Capaz with all of her memories intact.
Chapter Six- Scarlette’s Welcome
Orson woke up to find himself in a warm bed and freshly washed blankets. To his amazement he had survived the waterfall and the rocks that followed after him. He immediately thought of Zelkem, and shot out of bed. The bright light from day’s moon shone beautifully as he hurried to get his armour back on. Suddenly the wooden door crept open.
“Excuse me sir - Oh I see you’re awake, and already dressed too. Well, would you be kind enough to follow me then sir?” The man exited as fast as he entered, giving Orson no chance to say a word. He picked up his sword and fastened it across his chest. He grabbed the door handle, but he stopped for a moment and turned back to the window, he took this chance to take a view of where he was. He pushed open the windows and as they flew open the wind struck his face gently. Before he could get a good look, a few Golden Thorn Feathers flew by above him. He remembered them being his mother’s favourite bird. It had feather’s as bright as gold and little green spots shaped like vine thorns. He looked downward to see he was not in any house, but a palace. As he peered out the window he saw the Twilight Lake to the West, and the Aster Mountains to the North. Instantly he knew he had somehow made it to Capa
z. He turned around to find the castle servant that entered earlier but to his surprise Zelkem was in the doorway leaning on the doorframe.
“Zelkem, you’re alive!” Like lightning he raced over and hugged him tightly.
“Hey, hey now, c’mon. Yeah we survived, no need for this.” Zelkem didn’t act happy to see his brother but in his heart he was glad they both made it.
“We got lucky this time, a fisherman from right here in Capaz hooked us in his net. He brought us to Capaz and someone from the palace recognized you. If it wasn’t for that fisherman, we’d probably be dead by now. Oh and I was told you were awake so I came to get you and bring you to the meeting room. It’s across from the throne room. Let’s get going,” Zelkem spoke quickly, and he led the way to the meeting room.
“Ah I came back for you two,” the servant mentioned, “Please, the council are eager to hear your report. Follow me this way please.”
Orson and Zelkem followed the servant down a flight of stairs and just past the throne room Orson didn’t seem to take in the sights but Zelkem’s head was turning from all of the decorations and artwork.
“You know, I’ve never been in a palace before. It’s a lot nicer than I thought. I’m kind of shocked that Lears hasn’t demolished this place yet.” Zelkem was still looking around franticly.
“Okay Sir Orson, the Councillor Gerald Manaki will see you now. We would like you to wait outside,” The servant said to Zelkem with a demanding tone.
“What, I can’t come in? Well that’s not fair.” Zelkem turned with his head down.
“I am terribly sorry sir but you are not of the Twilight Knights order, so you are not permitted an audience with the council at this time.”
Zelkem started to get angry.
“Zelkem, wait for me in town. I’ll look for you when I’m done here. Keep an eye out for the others. If they followed the plan, they should be here soon, if not already.” Orson had his back to Zelkem as he spoke.
“Yeah fine, this is too much glamour for me anyway. Later.” Zelkem responded.
He walked off with his arms crossed above his head. Orson turned to make sure he left. When he saw him head down the main entrance he turned back to the council door and entered.