Seeking the Vial to Life
I watched as the last dummy fell to the ground, white fluff flying everywhere. Standing back into a relaxed position I put my sword back into its sheath, letting out a long sigh I wipe the sweat from my forehead. This is one of my typical days train, train, train and train some more so one day I can become a knight. It's not only my fathers' wish but I think it would be pretty cool. Well my name is Lance and I am a 'Knight-in-training' you could say, my father is one of the wise men in the kingdom so I already live in the castle.
"Although..." I say to myself, sighting I look up at the cloudy sky. A time of crisis and horror has come upon us, a deadly illness has plagued Aran and I am quite lucky to have not gotten it. I remember hearing knights talking about it yesterday.
I peeked around the corner as I heard the voices of some knights, "Did you hear about how far the illness has spread? That new mine we found with gold, most of the workers got sick so mining had to stop." I heard one say.
"What a shame… we had just struck gold!" the other exclaimed laughing a bit after at the small joke he made by saying that.
"Yea well the illness is a serious thing I am surprised it hasn't reached the castle yet." The first guard said quite sadly yet proud.
"Haha! You better not jinx us!" The second guard joked nudging the other guard slightly, as they started to walk away.
"Hey! It is not that funny!" The first guard exclaimed angrily, I could hear the slightest 'OW' from the second guard as he was hit by the first.
Another sigh came out as I started to walk back inside the castle, the gloominess throughout my body at the thought of the illness. The illness appeared to be nothing but a cold but would progress into something bigger, you body would slowly crumble till your death and nothing could be done about it. Most people blame it on themselves thinking that our god, Babylon is punishing them for sins. Then again everything happens for a reason right? I heard a faint cry down the hallways as I entered through the lard doors. I looked down the hall to see the lean body of my father, with his medium length beard and slowly balding head.
"Boy!" he calls reaching me, slightly exhausted from the long walk.
"The king has called a meeting and requests that you be there" He says, my face was in pure shock 'He wants me? Why?" I thought.
"Yes now come along! The King is waiting" He tells me quite fiercely turning swiftly to walk down the hallway without another word, leaving me with no say in it. Breaking out of my thoughts I realize my father was already half way down the hallway.
"H-hey wait up!" I called running after him, after I caught up to him I remembered that I haven't been down this hallways in a while and found my self marvelling the artworks on the walls. Pictures of the previous kings of queens were on the walls, velvet hanged from the ceiling making frames for them. It almost felt like forever but soon enough we came to the large door leading to the meeting room. I quickly ran to the door before father opening the door muttering a small 'after you' as he entered making a small grunt. I step into the large room, it was even more elegant then the hallway. The King sat on a large chair by a long table with chairs by it. I couldn't help but laugh at the king, he was short and podgy. Ginger hair stuck out from the large crown resting on his head.
"Let us get this meeting started now!" bellowed the King, an impatient expression painted on his face. Quickly I followed my father and sat beside him, the King wasted no time in starting.
"As you all know the illness is getting more and more serious, spreading like a wild fire." The King started, everyone either nodded or made some kind of sound I nodded.
"And I do hope you all remember of our 'adventuring' wise man?" He said with a tone I could not see through, 'was he being sarcastic? Saying this man is stupid? A disgrace?' I thought. As questions whirled through my head, one of the wise men stood up.
"What does this have to do with the illness you majesty? The man is long since gone" The man was also old like father, but he was one of the older ones and had no hair left and a simple go-tee. What confused me more is the fact that apparently there was another wise man; it is not common for a man to become a wise man. You must be the wisest of the wise and be known by the king for your wisdom.
"Well to answer your question, we have found a riddle in which says that the he is still alive and is wiser then ever" He started slowly letting everyone grasp the idea; well that's what I think.
"And we have suspicions that he has made a remedy for the illness" The King said after a short silence, again he said it slowly as if he didn't believe it himself. It got very very silent in the room I felt so awkward, in a room with the highest of authority in this part of Aran but then again it made me feel special. My father then stood up letting out a sigh he took out a paper.
"The riddle consists of this 'Near a tree by a river there is a hole in the ground, where an old man of Aran goes around and around. His mind is a beacon in the veil of the night for a strange kind of fashion there is a wrong and a right.'" Everyone looked at each other in thought of what it means, the head of the knights stood up questioning every ones question.
"What does this mean exactly?" He says, now the head of the knights was dressed in full armour quite a man to look up to indeed. Sometimes when I thought about being a knight I could picture myself as THE Head of the Knights.
"We were thinking of sending someone to find him, see if he really made the remedy" The bald, go-tee wise man said and at that moment all eyes went to me… I instantly shrank in my chair 'M-me?' I thought, I was so tempted to yell it out loud but before I could react or say anything the head of the knights stood up.
"Are you sure you can let this child go alone to find the old man? One of my knights would be better then Lance! He is not even a Knight!" He slightly yelled in rage to the King and the rest of the table.
"I think he will have no problem, he has had the same training as any of your knights he is just not of age yet." My father calmly stated, this only made the Head of the knights angrier.
"You can't be serio-"
"SILENCE!" The King Roared across the table, making the Head of the knights sit down right away almost fearfully. 'I didn't know such a short person could be so lethal!' I thought making a note in my head not to make the King angry.
"We have already discuss this, Lance you will get ready and leave by tomorrow understood?" The King calmly said, like he never yelled; snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Y-yes your majesty!" I quickly said trying to sound not too nervous 'Tomorrow! Aww man...' I thought.
Morning creped above the hills making the light shine in my room, I didn't sleep at all. Slowly I get out of bet not knowing the feelings going through me; I get dressed and head down to the dinning room. After a quick breakfast I went down to the armoury to get my supplies like a sword and armour. It felt so awkward to be wearing chucks of metal on you and carry around a sword and other supplies! So here I was standing at the main gate of the castle ready to start my journey, okay maybe not that ready. With a quick look back I started off on my horse going out into the world, not knowing if I will come back alive but all I know is that of the riddle and the saying my father always told me. 'Every journey starts with a single step' He told me, well I was taking my first steps alright.
From what I could see it was a forest, I had traveled for some time and stumbled upon a forest just a normal forest. After getting off my horse I started to go through the forest, who knows what I'll find on the other side?
This is certainly NOT a normal forest; I should have read the sign more carefully because now I was being attacked by wild bears. My horse had ran in a random direction, I could get her back right? Taking out my sword I prepared for combat.
"Hah!" I said out loud, 'Those bears stood no chance against me!' I though proudly to my self as I looked upon the dead corpses of the bears, 'I know what I am having for food tonight!' I thought very proud of myself.
Food should last longer…I find myself lost with no food or water, I couldn't find my horse after the bear incident, it has been days after that so she might be dead… poor thing. I still had lots of confidence in me nothing could bring my spirit down! *RUMBLE* My stomach just made a sound, which means I am really that hungry if only I could find a rabbit or something.
In the end I did find a small creature, but it didn't last long I soon became more hungry and thirsty after. Soon I found a large tree 'Well I do deserve a short rest' I though taking a seat back facing the tree. Closing my eyes I rested taking in everything I could hear; the bird chirping, animals moving around, the rushing of water and the wind that came and went…My eyes shot open 'Wait rushing water?' I immediately stood up and followed the sound, finding a river a grin spread across my face. Taking in as much water as I could I look up to see an odd shaped hill, being curios I went over to realize that is was a pretty large hole. 'Tree… River… Hole… No way!' I thought this was it! Where the supposed old man lived! Looking into the hole I called,
"Anyone in there!" yelling so that someone could hear me. With a quick flash was all I saw, leaning in more to see if I did see something some of the rock broke. Yelling out a small yelp I went tumbling in the hole.
"OW" I said as I landed hard on the rock floor, I sat up and almost had no time to react as an arrow came whizzing by me almost hitting me square in the forehead 'HOLY! What is up with this place!' I thought.
"I am surprised you dodged that." An old voice came from the darkness, out stood an old man that looked like any other old man.
"So what brings you here? I normally don't get company" he says in a tone that seems happy? I was just shocked after almost getting my head blown off and seeing that an old man was the one to launch it.
"W-well I… " I said really quickly, I really wanted to get this over with now.
"Oh ho ho! So they finally found the riddle now did they?" He said laughing "Come now I won't bite" with a raised finger motioning for me to come closer, he started to walk away; quickly I got up and followed him still slightly scared. We came to a large room with a lamp at the top, papers and other materials could be seen scattered on wooded tables that were set around the room. The old man slowly walked over to one of the tables that had a bunch of containers on it, bringing a hand down he grabs a small vial.
"Here it is the remedy to that illness" He said proudly as he marvelled over the small thing.
"Um sir? May I ask how you didn't get the illness?" I asked choosing my words carefully.
"I did, boy but this thing saved my life" Staring into the vial seriously, while my face was of pure shock.
"Now you need this right? To save the country?" He asks, I nod and he puts the vial into my hands also putting a slip of paper on top.
"Here is the recipe for the remedy and the remedy its self, now go save people" He says turning back around to clean a random stack of papers. As I looked into the vial it dawned to be as I remeberd how I came in.
"Um sir?" I asked.
"Yes boy?" he awnserd back questionably
"Uh… How do I get out of here?" It was the first question that came to mind after fall in.
"Oh Dear…" Sighed the old man.
THE END