Novail

by skyler12321

see in story

Novail

Written by Kadin Brooksby

Prologue

There is a legend of a great city of Mages, covered by a magic veil to protect it and it's inhabitants. Only those destined to be Mages could enter through the veil. The city has been hidden by the veil for many centuries as the Mages train for their own legend to come to pass.
The legend stated to every good there has to be evil. This is what worried the people of the city the most. One day the legend of the city would come to pass, but as the years went by the people started to disbelieve. Overtime the Mages stopped training and became weak. Soon the veil that hid the city from mortals attacks, started to fade.

There were four master Mages that ruled over the city , keeping the veil up and the people safe, but the veil would soon fall after all the Mages died. They knew this and so they sent out the oldest of the four master Mages on a quest to find a new master mage for when the oldest fell. His name was Orcus. Orcus found himself looking over all the world for the new master mage, but failed. In his journeys he learned much of this world, and was wise within.

His pride overcame him, resulting that he lost control, and turned to using his powers for evil. Orcus soon learned how to make himself immortal. However, to accomplish this he would need the life of one of the master Mages.

Orcus returned to the great city to take the Mage at his weakest point. With his new powers, he destroyed the youngest master mage. After his task was completed, he went after the other two, but the two Mages overpowered him. He was rendered powerless and he fell. He was quickly banished from the city with magic.

The city's veil thinned and became weak, as there were only two masters left to watch over the city. The oldest master called a meeting while he was on his deathbed. With his last breath he prophesied of the new masters coming to the city, promising that they would soon be prosperous people were joyed and rejoiced. The master then fell to the ground and died, his last words whispered the to the last master left. "You must find them." The veil only now had only one power source, the last master mage. His name was Madern. Madern sent five of the best Mages out to find the next in line to rule the city. The names of the five Mages are: Yonga, a smart mage girl, Tranis, the leader, Gred, a builder, Heris, the nurse, and Mud, the wise one. All were sent to find the new rulers of the great city. This city's name? Novail, The City Of Mages.

Chapter 1

Grin & Lit-Silk

It is morning and I look out my small wood window. I can see our town from here. It is not a large town, and we live out of the way of main roads. It takes almost a day to get to on foot, so we don't get visitors often. I can see the blacksmith's shop, the baker's too; I can already smell the pies being baked. I get out of bed and pull on my shoes but don't change clothes because I only have two pairs, as that is all my family can afford. After I finish getting ready, I head down the stairs to the kitchen.

"What are you making for breakfast?" I ask, but my Mother doesn't respond. despite what you might imagine, there are no delicious smells wafting to my nose.

"What's wrong?" My inquiry is all for nothing, she doesn't reply. I am used to this by now, it is a sign that things aren't well. I sit down on the old chair and wait. We have run out of food again, but all I can think is how disappointed Lit and Grin, my little brother and sister, will be. They are not here right now, which means I must go find them. I start heading out the door to find Lit and Grin when my Mother stops me

"Get the hen's eggs from the back first Tylex, before you go to check on the little ones." Her pleading was small, and weak.

She didn't have the health or the energy to continue living on this way, and she knows that. Her lovely green eyes looked into mine and her gentle figure trembled as she reached and grasped my arm. "Alright Mother, I will."

I was worried about Grin and Lit so I hurried to get the eggs then started out the door on to the small dirt path to Sonin my home town. It's a long, lonely walk. I thought that the several eggs from the hen could feed Lit and Grin but I could wait to feed Mother and I. I could trade my pack for money to feed us for the next week, but that can wait. I have to find Lit and Grin. Normally they play in the big field by the baker's house. The baker is a good friend, but his wife won't let them play in the field let alone touch it, but since she is usually out on the farm in the next town, she never catches them.

It takes me an hour to reach the town, as we live quite far from it.

It is small but has everything we need, which isn't much. It has farms and a hospital and we don't have enough money to live in the larger towns or even the City. I knew when I got to the baker's shop by the smell of pie and fresh bread. I have always loved the smells that come from the shop, especially when I was little. The baker uses elmberries, a rare berry that groups next to trees on the West side when it grows, and only grows if it gets sap from the tree, to bake his pies. I only have ever tasted it on Grin's birthday when my mother had saved up enough money for a surprise party. The whole town had come to our house because of the smell, and my Father had to chase them all away.

My Father is a hard worker. He has to be to feed our family. He worked the hardest then so he could earn that pie because he loves Grin. He is probably working in the mill right now, as he is most of the time.

"Enough with my thoughts" I tell myself, walking around the corner of the baker's shop "Time to find Lit and Grin"

I see the field and can see Lit but I can't see Grin.

I start walking faster, but it quickly turns into running. Grin is on the ground "She is alright, she is alright," I keep telling myself, but as soon as got close I see that she is not. The blood running down her leg is enough for me to know. Her body is limp and her bloody leg is swelling. She is unconscious. Shock? She is breathing. She has been bitten by something, but it had to be big and fast or Lit would have grabbed it. The blood trickles from two small puncture wounds about half an inch apart, positioned on her right calf. It begins to swell blue and purple, the infectious wound is spreading up her leg like the veins of a leaf. Then the truth dawns on me. A snake, poisonous blue wheat snake to be exact, it kills an adult in 10 hours without medicine. I do not know how long it takes to kill kids, so I have to get her to a doctor fast, I grab her and start running before I say a word to Lit and he starts running with me. He is 12 years old and his mature little heart is that of a lion.

Then I could see the baker baking a cake, "He can help us" I say to myself. Maybe not his wife, but he can. As I start running toward the house I can see him spot us and by his kind, but surprised look, I know he can see Grin too. I can see him struggle to get out the door, but when he does he doesn't run to me, but to his cellar. I panic. "Where is he going? Can't he see we need help?"

As he comes back up the starts to run to me with something in his hand. When he gets to us he shoves a small white ball down Grin's throat and forced Grin to swallow. There is a plain abhorrence for the mysterious medicine evident in Grin's face. Silently, the baker, Muddy, got a bandage and fixed the wounds. We waited. I stared at Grins face, a simple, but beautiful face. She has pretty blonde hair, a smile like heaven, and misty blue eyes. Her cheeks had once been rosy, but now her frail, nine year old body shows the marks of poverty and starvation. How I wish I could give her everything she needed. I wish that we would never be in need of new boots, or hungry.

Grin is in a deep sleep. I turned to Muddy, who had sat down in a chair in his living room close to the one which was by the couch where Grin was peacefully resting.

"I can't thank you enough Muddy." I told him.

His face, which had been just seconds before deep in thought, brightened.

"I know. I'm glad to help." He graciously remarked.

"But I didn't do it just for you, you know. I'm a selfish man, Tylex." The deep thought returned to his face. Puzzled, I returned

"How so? You've only ever been kind to us. I don't know the last time I was able to do something for you."

"Time tells much, and time will open doors that were otherwise closed forever."

"Do you speak in riddles now, Muddy?"

"I always have young man."

"True. I still don't see how you are selfish though."

"Patience. All will come to light in the time for which it was designated. You best prepare yourself, a big change is coming, and you are going to need all the strength you have." With that, he handed me two loaves of bread. "One is for your family, and the other is for you. You must keep that bread for yourself, hide it! It's yours and I won't hear otherwise." Then, he hustled us out the door into the dusky air.

We started home. I carried Grin in my arms, then on my shoulders when I began to tire. We were on the dirt path when we saw Father and Mother at the front door. As soon as they saw us Father came running down the path, then Mother. Lit started running too. I keep walking so I do not wake Grin. Soon, Mother got to Lit, and Father got to me. He frantically brings Grin back to the house. And though he is big and in a hurry, he is gentle and kind. Mother started to help Lit when I noticed he had a cut. His arm was bleeding. How did I not notice? I speedily got to her side. Mother and I get Lit to the house. Father was already inside. He was washing Grin's leg. When he was done he applied a cloth, gently dabbing at the bite so that he does not reopen the wound. Then, he puts some bandaging on. I go to the kitchen to get food for Grin, but I had forgotten that there was none.

I had nothing to feed Grin, Lit, Mother, me, or Father, but Father can go awhile without food. Feeding five people is not easy for Father, or me. Father does most of the work, all I do is get the hens eggs and help Mother a bit, but that is all. I can work, but whom for? The baker? No, he does not need work he has his wife. How about the grocer then? No he has Tom, and Tom and I do not get along. What about the blacksmith? No, he has a one man job policy, so who? I didn't know. We have to feed Grin and Lit something. "the eggs and bread!" I realize. I get the eggs off of the counter and put them in the only pan we have. I light the little fire on our makeshift stove, and grab the bread the baker had given me and cut it into small pieces. Relief floods my plagued mind as I hear the popping of the yoke. I give them to Grin and Lit on the fresh bread.

"That's all we have," I say to Mother and Father as I hand them the last slices of bread.

I pick up Grin and put her in bed with Lit. We give each other our good nights and I leave the room. Mother asks me to talk to her and Father.

"Tylex, you know well now, that we have hardly enough food to feed five people. Your father and I have done our best to raise you with what we have. It's gotten too hard." Mother sighs as she relays what I know will result in me leaving our small home for good.

"We have done our best to raise you right, to know how to work hard, and to be a good man. You are old enough to be on your own now. We know it would be better for all of us if you left this house, went out into the world, and made your own living." Her whole frame trembles as she speaks.

Father puts his large hands on hers to comfort her. I am not in such a consoling mood.

"Where will I go?" I question boldly,

"I have no job, and no home besides this one! You can't just abandon me!" Mother opens her mouth as if to reply, but I cut her off, "You aren't parents!" I run to my room with salty tears running down my face.

I slam the door and sit on my bed, frustrated, and tired. Wrong. That's what I am. My parents have no choice and I know that. Looking out the small wood window for maybe the last time, I say under my breath "Where will I go?" The answer comes almost as soon as I utter the words, and I don't like it. The woods, that's where I will go, but now I need sleep, I lie down and slowly shut my eyes.

I wake up, groggily. At first, I think that what happened last night was just a dream, but cold reality laughs as it slaps me in the face. Getting up, my legs are weak and boneless. Slowly, I put my stuff in my pack: some money I had stashed under my bed, my blanket, my clothes and my knife just in case. The loaf of bread is sitting on the table, mocking me. Muddy knew what was going to happen. Why? As far as I knew he held no magic, and he knew no sorcerer. Still, that was nothing to be dwelling on. It was time to give my last farewells.

Lit and Grin were standing by the door, the innocent looks on their faces was enough to melt. The only words I managed to choke out to them before I left where: "You are going to be fine without me. Be good for Mother and Father." I mutter under my breath as I head for the door "Or the people who claim to be Mother and Father."

Mother and Father are at the door to see me off. Mother stops me; with wet eyes she gives me the two small, brown eggs that the hen had lain.

"Be careful." She whispers the words with hollow lips.

I start off on the small dirt path. It's a long walk, not only in distance, but in heart. The town has come into view now. I need to stop to buy water in a small metal canteen but that's all I can get now because I need to protect money. I remember the cloth wrapped bread the baker gave me in my pack. It's a treasure I must savor. Then again, there were so many other treasures in my life that I forgot to savor, like a home, or parents, or siblings.

That's all gone now though. I'm alone in this big, scary world. I've been set loose, to go who knows where with who knows what.

"Will I be able to get to Dontin?" I ask myself.

Dontin is a small town across the forest that is two days away from here, if you are walking. I do not know if there is a path, and if there isn't one, I'll just have to make one among loose rocks, and forest creatures. The monotonous sound my feet make as I plod along shows that I tire already. Still, I must walk on. I see a big dirt path, which branches off into several others as I go, but there is one that is constantly leading me toward the forest.

"What a relief." I praise the heavens for a way to go. The forest is beautiful, the birds are singing, the sun is shining. Off to the sides I can see elm trees, where elmberries grow. As I go deeper into the forest it gets thicker, and after about an hour, the path ends. My only hope now is to keep going straight. The sky was getting darker, and thick, dark clouds slowly rolled in above my head and the birds stop singing. I watch as little droplets of water turn to torrents of gushing rain. With the rain pounding around me, and my sense of direction turns fuzzy. Frantically I call out:

"Help! Is anyone there? Would someone please help me?" There is no reply.

I look around through the rain for some sort of temporary shelter. The trees are in this case thick in one spot, so I squeeze into the crevice. Dry, I get out my bottle of water and sip a bit. I have to be conservative, so even though my cracked lips and dry throat scream at me, I return it to my bag. My hollow stomach demands relief, so I can spare a little bread. Peering through the downpour I see little forest creatures running around, trying to get to shelter. Slowly, the rain lets up. With damp legs, I stand and walk on.

Darkness begins to set in fast, so I search the ground for some somewhat sturdy sticks.

Before he kicked me out, father had taught me how to build a lean-to, a small shelter that has strong branches leaning against a tree, similar looking to a tee-pee, and bark covering the holes in between branches. My makeshift home should keep out most of the rain if it should happen to start up again. I make a small bed of twigs after I removed all the rocks, then I put my blanket on me and lay there as I realize how terrible I am at survival but I know I need my sleep so I close my eyes and go to sleep.

The only lullaby to my aching heart is the crickets chirping their piercing song.

I wake up to the sound of cracking branches. Someone, or something, is outside.

I quietly pull my blanket off me and look outside. Squinting, all I can see is the faint outline of the moon between the trees. There is the sound of more cracking. I jump at the sight of what seems to be a person in the trees. The dismal sound reverberates in my ears; A bow string cracks in the night. Unfortunately, I find that arrow was meant for me. Blood drains from my face as I try to grasp the shaft of wood protruding from my left shoulder. Screaming in pain, I fall back onto the wet ground. My vision begins to cloud as I lay in a blood stained shirt, my eyes roll back, and my consciousness drifts away.

When I wake up my shoulder is bound, two large leaves are hidden in the ropes that surround my shoulder. They smell like some sort of herb. I am in a bed of twigs and dried out leaves, my blanket has been loosely thrown over me and my pack is on the dirt next to me. It has a faint blood stain, like someone washed it. Dizzy, I begin to dwell on the events of the earlier night. "The person in the tree might have shot me thinking I was an animal." I pause, "No animal can build a lean-to! Wait, maybe they didn't see it." It is about noon, which is much too far into the day to be sleeping, so I start to get up when I feel pain shoot up my arm. Stubbornly, I fall back on the ground. It appears that the arrow had dislocated my arm. Somewhere above me, I hear twigs snap.

When I look up I see a girl in the tree. She has red eyes, black hair, a pretty teardrop shaped face. It is scarred with a small line, from her right cheekbone to her jawbone. She sits in the tree like a panther, ready to spring upon its prey. She has a slim, elegant figure that stills shows hints of strength and experience. She stares at me as if she thinks I can't see her. She jumps down through the tree branches and lands gracefully on the dirt next to me. She clears her throat.

"Sorry about the arrow, I thought you were a boar," She says

"A boar? I'm not that fat." I remark

She continues, "There are boars out here, tons of deer as well. Give me your hand." I sit back a bit and question, "Why?"

She scoffs, "So I can put your shoulder back in the right spot. Unless you prefer I just leave it like that?" Her spunk was clearly evident.

Reluctantly, I place my hand in hers. The preceding twenty seconds were the most painful ones of my entire life. As soon as my hand made contact with hers, with all her might, she had thrown my arm in a direction I thought much less than natural. Trying to stifle a scream was futile. Animals from all sides of the forest scattered and hid for fear of being eaten by some mystical Banshee with a blood curdling scream.

The girl let me finish before she questioned, "Why are you out here?"

I felt not that she was drilling me, but that she was genuinely curious, between my stifled tears I replied, "Because my parents kicked me out." I turned to her,

"Why are you out here?" I also was genuinely curious.

"I live out here." She said it with great pride.

"In the forest?" I was shocked. I could hardly stand being here for a day.

"Yes, in the forest." As we spoke she began to search the ground, looking for something it seemed.

"Why?" My curiosity was gaining in intensity now.

"Because I have no parents, and it's free to live in the forest. No one can tell me where to go, who to be, what to eat, and I'm not responsible for anyone." I thought about it. Not responsible for anyone. That's what I am. I'm free. Then again, I left the ones that were most important to me.

"How do you live?" It must have been hard to be in the forest alone.

"Well it's simple I get up, eat, go hunting for dinner, eat, drink, and go to bed."

It sounded pretty boring to me. "You hunt for food?"

She picked up a piece of silver that had been hidden among the leaves and pieces of moss and rolled her eyes at me. "Wow, you are just full of questions, but it's time for me to go."

She stood up and began to walk into the trees. I didn't want her to go, I didn't know where I was, or where I was going. "Wait!" I say as she vanishes through the trees.

She doesn't look back. Marking the end of a very short, strange encounter.

"Well, looks like I better get going" Reluctantly, I put my blanket into my pack and pull it over my healthy shoulder, and gingerly rise to my feet.

I don't know how to get to Dontin now. I'm lost and my sense of direction is fuzzy.

Dontin is to the East of Sonin. Wherever that is now. The only thing I know is that north is directly to the left of A person facing the rising sun. "So it's that way." I say smartly as I point East and start walking. As I stand and begin the attempt to continue on, but dizziness overcomes me and my sight blurs. I know I am suffering from dehydration. I pull my water out of my pack to take a few gulps and put it back empty.

"How will I get to Dontin without water?" The question is large and looming and the answer is not one that I am pleased with.

"Keep going" I tell myself.

Contrary to my plan, I stop at the site of a large river. I can't wade through it or the current will take me down for sure.

"Well I guess it is time to set up camp," I say to myself.

At first I go about trying to find sticks and wood for a fire, depressed at the blockage in my path when it finally dawns on me. A river! Water! Running down to the bank I quickly scoop up some in my bottle. New energy fills me as I run and gather sticks to start a fire. I start the fire by taking kindling and putting a large stick for the main prop, then grabbing a small straight stick and rubbing between my hands on the other stick until it turns from a small fire to a roaring. I then put my water full bottle in the fire to clean it. After the water has boiled a bit I take a big stick and push it out of the fire and put the water bottle in the river to cool it. After it cools I take it and drink it all. I fill and purify my water three more times. It is a long, painful process because my arm is a constant hindrance, but it is worth it.

The day is gone and there is no time for more work as my arm is in pain so I head into the lean-to I made, and slowly close my eyes on the soft leaves.

I wake to the sound of the birds singing and the river flowing. "The river I had almost forgotten about it and how to cross it, how to cross it, how to cross it?" I think as I put my blanket in my pack and pull it over my shoulder. I hear a crack behind me "Is it her?" I think as I start turning around then I hear a big snort and a hoof scraping the ground.

"No it's a boar!" I think as I start to run into a shallow part of the river. The oversized pig comes running toward me with it's tusks pointing for my knees. All I can think is what mom and dad will do without me. "Wow a bore is going to kill me the second day I leave from home." I think.

It starts to run into the river after me just as it hits the water an arrow hits the pig in the eye and sends it rolling down the river as it dies and its blood washes away. "That was too close" I say to myself.

I hear a voice "Well that's payback for your arm,"

I do not need her voice to know it was her all I needed was her arrow

"Ok so now we are even," I say

"Not quite,"

"What? Why?"

"Because a life for an arm it's not fair,"

"How is it not fair" I say but I know why

"I am not dumb and neither are you,"

"Ok you got me so what do you want,"

"Well you can take me to Dontin,"

"Why do you want to go to Dontin,"

"Why do you ask?" I did not Know what she meant but a life for a guide is a good deal

"Ok deal" I say as she jumps down from a tree

"Let's go" she says as she walks into the river, and starts wading through the river

"Stop!" I yell as she gets to the other side of the river.

"How did you do that" I say in a surprised voice.

"Do what?" she says as she looks at me with a puzzled face

"Never mind" I say as I start to go across the river, it is not as big of current as it looked last night but it's small one. The water swirls around me and goes off into the woods as I get to the other side she asks me "What took you so long?"

"Well I was looking at the river an-"

"Well no time to look we have to get going so we can get to Dontin!"

"Well I guess you are pretty mad so let's go," I say In a mad voice.

As we start walking into the forest the trees get thicker and the sky gets darker because of the clouds. My pants are soaking wet my bread is still ok but my two eggs are fine and my water is full so I take a gulp and put it back. Dontin. We need to get there soon or I will have eaten all the eggs and I have money to trade for food. Well real food I have eaten eggs all my life and I want to eat something good or I just might explode.

"Silk." she says.

"What?"

"Silk, that's my name."

"Tylex is my name."

"Let's eat." Silk says. She did seem to be hungry so I pulled out one egg and looked up and she was gone. For a moment I looked around and she was nowhere. "Where could she be" I thought. It's not that I am weird or anything but I do need to guide her to Dontin

"Well I guess I got rid of her" I say to myself as I put the egg in the small fire It sets for a while then I take it out and stuff it down with a hard gulp.

"I got lunch!" A voice says. I jump up looking around me as Silk jumps out of a tree and lands right in front of me with a raccoon in her hand. She is holding it by its tail

"It's big but I can see you got your lunch, so I guess I have all of it." She puts it directly on the fire and turns it slowly with a stick, cuts it up with a small knife, eats half of it, and puts the other half in her bag. "Well, let's keep going." Silk says as she starts to go on into the forest. As we go it starts to rain, but she keeps going and so do I. It's not for an hour that it really starts to pour. We start running until she vanishes. I stop and call out,

"Silk? Silk!" I hear her call from above

"Up here!" I look up and see a small tree wood box in the trees, with no windows or doors, and a small rope hanging from above my head. I quickly grab it and start climbing it. is a long climb, and hard to do, but when I get up through a small hole in the floor I know it was worth it. It is dry and warm. Well, warmer than outside that is. I see a small metal stove with a fire with Silk is keeping it going there is a bed and a small table with no chair. The tree house is just a house and it is a good one for Silk.

"Well how does it look. I built it all myself." She says

"it's the best tree house I have ever seen."

"Thanks." she says with a smile

"Well we have to wait the storm out and I do not know when it will end. So we have to wait until then." she says as she pulls a cooked bird out of the oven

"here have this" she says as she cuts it in half with her knife and gives half to me, "It's good. Thanks." I say as I eat the meat off the boney bird and swallow, it is good it tastes like the turkey in my old town, "Well we need to get some rest we will get up in a few hours to continue." she says as she gets in her bed. I wait until she is asleep I take off my clothes and put them above the stove with my blanket I put on my other somewhat dry close and lay down on the wood floor and put my blanket on me after it is dry. I slowly fall asleep on the hardwood floor while silk is in her makeshift bed.

I wake up to Silk sacking me "It's time to go." She says. The rain stopped but it is still cloudy "Well then let's go" I say as I get up pull on my shoes and get my dry close off the stove we start down the rope get down to the ground I sink up to my heels in mud the rain made. I can feel the cold air and see the outline of the moon its early night and I don't think it is smart to travel at night but I guess that Silk knows because she has been in the forest longer than me, and that means that she knows more. But it seems like she is guiding me to Dontin.

"Why would she need me for that?" I think we travel for about an hour by foot.

Silk stops "Ok it is time to set up camp I'll go hunt and you set up camp and start a fire" she says as she goes into the woods I set up a small lean-to for one and another one for Silk as I start to build a fire I see a light in between the trees it looks like a shining piece of metal reflecting from the moon light. As I stare at it I hear a crack and the shining stops and instead I see the outline of a person and I hear another crack and see the person in front of me standing with sword in hand shining in the moonlight directly above my head.

Chapter 2

The sword

I start to run but the Sword hits my left shoulder. Blood spews out of the gaping wound. I fall back. Then arrow hit the person in the side. He fell back and he screamed in pain and sent him crawling into the woods gasping for air. The sound slowly stopped. Silk starts to run to me from the woods. She grabs my arm and I blackout.

I wake up in the lean-to I made that night. My arm is cut up to my shoulder and there are no bandages on it. My pack is on my back still not taken off. I slowly get up not hurt my arm it's in bad shape. I get out of the lean-to to see Silk with the sword that cut my arm. It was a metal sword, with small engravings I could not read and it was clean and sharp to the point "Good morning." she says.

She puts the sword on the ground and gives me the bird from the tree house "You have it." she says "I didn't get food last night because of you and I had to save your life again so guess what that means." I did know what that meant and it was not good

"It means that you have to give me your work until I say" she says I do not want to be a slave but now I have to because it's the law. That if someone saves your life. You have to be a slave for however long they wish.

So I am now a slave for her "Ok fine but am not a good slave." I say trying to get let go

"Oh that is ok all I need is someone to do what I want," she says

"Ok but what do you want?" I say hopingly

"I want you to protect me,"

"Ok but I am not good-" I say but Silk cuts me off.

"Here have this slave." Silk says as she gives me the sword

"I am not slave I am Tylex and… and I don't know how to use this!"

"Don't you yell at me! It's your fault you stink!"

"What I do not stink I can-" I say but she cuts me off again

"This is fun!"

"What? Fun?"

"Yes fun I am not really going to enslave you I just want to go to Dontin," she says to my surprise

"But… but why?" I respond still surprised

"Well I am not into slavery because… because well I am not and it is not any of your business anyway! Let's go!" she says in a huff as she grabs her bag and walks into the forest. I quickly go after her "What was that about?" Thinking to myself.

I have the sword from the night before, in my good arm dragging behind me. It is heavier than I thought it would be, it's a good day not a cloud in the sky the trees are big and have tons of leaves but they slowly get thinner and are slowly turning into dead trees. After an hour or so of walking we get to Dontin "Finally we are here!" I say.

Dontin is small but not as small as Sonin my old town when we get in there the townspeople are staring at us and pointing at us. They look like they have not eaten in days and their homes are small, wood, old, some are missing doors and some windows, "Is the town not what you expected" Silk asks in a hushed voice so she does not offend anyone "Well it's-" I say but get cut off by an old woman she looks 89 but is so carved in bumps and cuts she could be 50 "Please a coin." she says in a voice like a crackling fire.

I want to respond but Silk keeps walking and so do I. We get to a small inn at the end of the dirt road in the middle of the town. It looks like it is not inhabited wood is covering the doors and windows. Silk walks behind it and it is not for a while when she yells "Come here!" from the side of the wood inn wall. I walk to the side of the old place. Silk's face is in a hole in the bottom of the wall.

I get down on my knees and crawl in I stand up and the floor creaks as I do. The inside is worse than the out. It looks like a war happened the wood walls cracked and smashed the floor too. Weeds grow up the walls and on the floor. It looks like an old inn the tables bent and stains of all the drinks are on them the stairs are wood and cracked

"Well this is where we will stay till your arm heels." Silk says

"Here? Why? This is a-" I say but get cut off

"You stay! I will go get food."

"But I can-" I say but get cut off

"Stay!" Silk says as she leaves out the hole. As I look around I can see that most of the people live this way in this town. "Old broken houses I know I can't stay so after I get well I will leave Silk in old town Dontin and head to the next town Eldin. It is more of a city then a town so it will do. But it's week's away four to be exact and I do not have supplies or money Silk could help but… wait she said we will stay until my arm heals. But that would mean she is coming with me?" I think "But how, she wants to stay right? She also said 'you will see,' but see what? So she is coming with me or not?" I think, "yes or no? What is here that she wants?" "Hm," I mutter. I grab pack and pull out my blanket and put it around my arm carefully not to reopen the wound and I prop it up on a chair. It is early in the day so we got to get going. I cannot even move my fingers. We will run out of food if we don't get going I sit for a while but slowly fall asleep.

"Get up" Silk says

"Get up lets go,"

"Go where?" I say in a sleepy voice

"Go!" she snaps as she pulls me up. We both go out the hole. The moon shines bright in the night "Your arm is in fine shape so we need to go." Silk says

"But you said you wanted to stay." I say

"Well not anymore." Silk spans.

We get to the forest at the end of the path and start walking through. The trees are tall, thin, dead and white. Dry leaves crunch under mime and Silks feet. The night is silent not a sound. We go on for a while, about an hour. Silk Whispers as she puts her arm out to stop me

"Stop." she holds me back

"Don't move." Silk says. The night is silent and the moon is out clearly visible through the trees. Silk grabs her bow, and arrow and lodes her bow I reach for my sword but Silk stops me "No." she whispers "Don't! The moon" I know what she means I could see the sword shine in the moon when it hit me the first time and whatever is here tonight will see it too. I put my hand over my mouth not to make a sound Silk pulls back the cord ready to shoot. A figure in the trees jumps down to the ground Silk's bow cord snap's forward the arrow hits the figure in the chest and sends it onto the ground. A boy's scream comes from the figure. Silk run's to a boy on the ground. The arrow is coming from his chest Silk pulls it out and shoves it back in but no blood comes just dark matter like gas or fog that disperses into the air. She pulls the arrow out it is clean like it never hit. She puts it back in her bag

"Well no more life for it," Silk says

"it? and… And what just happened why the boy? why shoot him wh-what the heck?" I yell in confusion

"Ugh you don't know anything… It is a lorg!"

"A what?"

"Yes a lorg is a small monster that can take the form of anything in bytes,"

"Time to go" Silk starts off into the forest as do I it is hard to imagine I will survive through the journey I know Silk will. "Uggghhhh why did I do this I should have stayed in Sonin" I think as me and Silk walk through the woods. Silk is ahead of me so I start walking faster to catch up. The air is getting cold and brisk, The stars shine so bright you would think they were made of gold. "Wait why did the lorg look like a boy?" I think. Then it hits me "A boy! The lorg had bitten a boy and he is probably hurt!" I think

"Silk! The boy!" I yell.

"what?" she replies

"The boy! The lorg had bitten a boy and that is why it looked like that!" The look of Realization hits her face "We need to find him! Follow me" She says as she runs off as I do the same following her. Running is hard because the condition with my arm. We soon stop as we find a small bag a few feet away from an odd looking bush. Silk gets on her knees and starts to feel the bush with her hands.

"He still has a pulse" Silk says

"What?" I ask

She pulls off one of the leaves showing a boys face. He has light brown hair with cuts and bruises on his face he is covered in dirt and leaves to camouflage himself into the ground. "Give me your water." She says as she clears the leaves to show a big swell in his right arm The bite mark is small but dark red. He are not visible as he covered in dirt and leaves.

I hurry to grab my water and hand it to Silk. She dampens the cloth then begins to clean the wound with the wet cloth. Then wraps the wound tightly with it. "there is a lot I could learn from her" I think.

He is unconscious and would have stayed that way if it weren't for Silk being here

as I would have been dead before I got to dontin.

"Well what should we do with him?" I ask

"The only thing we can do is take him to Elden with us. But not now it is too risky to leave at this time of night, of course not a least in his shape"

Silk explains.

"Ok then lets set up a fire and a shelter for now." I say as I start to gather rocks for the fire. Silk does the same until we have a roaring fire to warm us and the boy who is still unconscious. Me and Silk set him by the fire and put him on my blanket and we start to make two lean-twos. One for me and the boy and one for Silk in her own.

"Well that was lucky for him that you were here." I say after completing the first lean-to "Was that a compliment?" Silk asks in a questioning tone.

I pause for a bit then continue

"I guess it was." I hesitate to say

"Well thanks."

I head into my lean-to with the boy. Time to slowly close my eyes.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Whispers the boy. Groggy, tired and, sore I slowly wake "uh.. Silk?" I say as he looks at me with his light blue eyes as if I were dying

"Where am I?" he says in a confused voice

"Ummm...Huh… Ask silk…" I explain as I fall back onto the ground. The morning sun just rises as I wake and realize that the boy woke. I jump up and grab the blanket and my pack and throw it on my back. I run out to the dead fire, the boy is looking around to see where he is

"Hey who are you?" I ask him. He starts to come over to me as I put my pack down and grab my water and hand it to him

"Thanks." he says then drinks ten big gulps "Ahhh… My name is troy. You saved me didn't you?" he asks

"Well more like she saved you." I point to Silks lean-to and continue

"I just helped. Oh, my name is Tylex I am from sonin" I put out my hand and he shakes it with a weak grip

"Thank you but I can't stay I need to keep moving. I have a long trip ahead of me." "Where are you going?"

"well ummm I guess I should tell you because you are the one who saved me-" Silk falls in between me and troy "Nice to meet ya! I am Silk." she says as she grabs his hand and shakes it firmly. Troy looks as if he just been shot "Wha… Who. Where did you come from?"

"The trees. Well Nice to meet you. We will be on our way now." Silk says

"Wait! Where are you guys going anyway?" he asks, but is still confused.

"We are heading to Eldin"

"Me too. Since we are going the same way and I am in no shape to travel can I tag along?" he asks hopefully

"sure you c-" I start to say then silk cuts me off

"Fine! but you need to do your share to make meals and a fire every night!"

Silk yells

"o-ok." he stutters. Silk kicks the fire out then grabs her stuff

"Well?"

Me and troy grab everything and fallow silk as she starts

"so where are you from?" I ask troy.

"I'm from Rockwood" troy says.

"Rockwood?"

"Yeah a little South from Dontin about 20 miles from here." he explains.

"I've never heard of it. how big is it?" I ask

"Its pretty small actually." He says

"Well so is Sonin." I say jokingly. We walk for a bit more fallowing Silk.

"Can I ask you something?" Troy asks

"Sure."

"What's her problem?" he asks gesturing to Silk

"Who, Silk? I think she is mad all the time or something, but I don't know." I reply

"What are you two talking about?" Silk says from in front of us

"Nothing!" we hurry to say

"Well stop!" Silk yells

"Hurry up slowpokes! We don't have all… Well we do have all day, but hurry!" She yells "whoo." I think "that was too close. Don't want to mess with her. Well we need food, a water source, and a real doctor for mine and troys wounds. Or we are in trouble. Troy has a bag but no telling what he has if anything." I think. The forest starts to close in, and the trees thicken as we walk deeper in.

Dark wooded trees start to appear and drape over us with their leaves. The air thins and chills. Because of the shade we are in darkness in mid day.

"Silk are you sure you know where you are going?" I ask in a worried voice

"Umm yes I-" Silk gets cut off by something

"Tylex? Silk?" Troy calls out stuttering in a scared tone

"I am over Here-" I say but then a vine grabs my mouth and pulls me up onto the roof of the cabana of leaves. I can not see a thing. The vines have covered my body. I try reaching for my pack to loosen myself but my arm hurts too much to move. Silk screams out in anger then I hear the crumple of the leaves below her "She got out!" I think. But I am not so lucky. The vines start to slowly pull me into the tree leaves as I struggle for a breath of air.

"Tylex!" A voice yells out. Then the bow shot. The arrow hits the vines around my legs and breaks one of them loosening my legs. My lower body falls but the vines hang on to the upper half I grab my sword with all my strength and, with the sword in my good arm I hit the vine around my chest as hard as I could. With the snap of the vine, relief flows into me as I take a breath of air. The vine slip fast and I start to fall. The air runs out of me when I hit the ground on arm pain shoots up it. I Try to catch my breath while squeezing my arm in pain. Troy rushes up and throws his bag down and pulls out some odd tube of white powder. He grabs my arm and puts the powder on my arm wound that had reopened saying "Emaculo!" Immediately extreme pain shoots up my arm. The pain overcomes me and I black out.

I awake with my blanket over me. I can see Silk lying like she was knocked out. The pain had all left like my body was just remade. My arm was good as new. No wound, like it disappeared with only a scar left in its place. My bruises all gone and I felt refreshed and new. The soft and damp leaves felt like a nice cool bed to lay in all day. I could if I was not trying to get somewhere.

"I see you've woken up." Troy says as he sits in the leaves with his pack by his side. My sword had been put with my pack by him as well

"What happened?" I ask as I pull myself up.

"Well I was just walking with you and Silk, then Silk got pulled up by some vines or something and wrapped in them. The same happened to you behind me I tried to grab you but you got pulled up too fast. Silk yelled as she cut the vines with her arrow but then she fell and got knocked out. I tried to wake her up but she was out cold. I noticed her bow and an arrow so I grabbed it, it was my first time shooting a bow but I tried and aimed for your the vines holding you up. I pulled back the wire, shot, and fell back-"

I cut troy off "You saved me?" I question

"Well umm yeah I guess." Troy replies

"Wait I thought that was Silk. Never mind. Thanks troy you're a good friend."

"You think I am your friend? Thanks you too Tylex." Troy said with a smiling face

"Wait how did my arm heal and what was that powder?" I think

"Troy?"I say

"Yeah?" Troy says

"Did you heal me somehow?"

"Well... My mom gave me the powder that I put on your skin it is a healing powder from Novail."

"Wait. Novail? The legend? Fine don't tell me the truth!"

"It is the truth! If you don't believe then fine! You can be that way!"

"look no need to get mad. I just don't think it's true...look...Thanks for healing me."

"Well I could only do it once so you are lucky."

"Better get moving" I say as I pull myself up. I grab my pack and my sword.

"Silk looks cute asleep" I think. Troy grabs his bag and puts my blanket on Silk.

"We better let her-" Troy says but I cut him off

"Silk Wake up it is time to go!" I say nugging her with my foot

"Tylex!"

"What Troy? Get up silk" I nudge her again.

"Don't wake her-" he says but Silk cuts him off.

"Well let's go slowpokes!" Silk says as she jumps up off the ground letting my blanket fall and grabs her bag and starts to walk ahead of us.

"We better go." I say to Troy as I grab my blanket and, put it in my bag and start to follow Silk.

"Well ok you seem to know what you're doing." he says as he grabs his bag and starts to catch up. The trees look as if they are becoming thin like the trees in Dontin. Thin, tall, and dead. The other big and dark wooded trees are disappearing slowly until they all are gone.

"life outside of Sonin is a different world." I think "So much I did not know."

"Silk!" I yell at her up ahead.

"What do you want from me?!" Silk yells back. as I run up so we do not have to yell.

"So what were those vines called that grabbed us?" I ask. "she knows a ton about this stuff I mean she knew about a lorg she should know what those vines where." I think

"I don't know... I was thinking the same thing. That area of the forest I have never seen before." Silk says to my surprise.

"Magic..." Troy mumbles behind us.

"What Troy?" I ask

"Magic! There is a mage of nature around here. An evil one from Novail." Troy replies/

"Troy Novail is a myth. Will you get your head out of the clouds."

"Tylex you know nothing if you don't believe anything!"

"Silk can you please tell troy that Novail is a myth?" I ask Silk

"ummm... Novail? I don't know what you two are ranting about. So... No." Silk says

"Never mind." I say to Troy and Silk.

We walk for awhile The night is nearing and we need to set up a camp. Now that my arm is fine I should try to practice with this sword I am dragging we get to a small clearing in the trees to set up camp.

"Time to set up camp." Silk declares

"Okay but I don't know how to set up camp Silk." Troy says in a worried tone

"You can go or you can figure it out! So figure it out!" Silk yells at him.

"O..Okay!"

Troy watches as I start to make my lean-to confused because he does not know a thing.

"Troy." I whisper so Silk does not hear.

"Go build a ring or rocks for a fire" I continue.

"Did I say help him figure it out Tylex?" Silk says from behind me.

Troy walks away to get the rocks for the fire and to get out of a Silk yelling. Silk gives me a mean look and goes back to finishing her lean-to. Troy comes back with some rocks and Clears a spot where the fire will go and, puts rock around it in a circle.

"Move over let me make the fire slow poke." Silk says as she pushes troy out of the way and starts to make the fire. Soon the fire is up and roaring the night is soon set in and it is time to eat since I have not eaten in days. I pull the racoon Silk had given me and start to eat it. the meat is bony, thick and, hard to chew. Silk takes out a apple and starts to eat it as she goes into her lean-to. I can't stand the taste of the racoon so I throw it into the fire to burn and, pull out my last egg from home putting it on the fire to harden. I soon take it off the fire and crack it open to eat the yoke has not cooked but I drink in anyway. Troy is just sitting there taking small crackers out of his bag and slowly eating them. "He must not have much food to be eating crackers.'" I think.

"Troy do you have any other foods?" I ask

"Well I have been out here for awhile and I don't have much left to eat but I am fine." Troy replies.

"Here have this." I say as I hand him the rest of my bread.

"Thanks... You are a real friend Tylex!" Troy exclaims excitedly as he takes the bread and starts to eat it.

Troy finishes the bread as I take out the half bird and my water to make a small meal.

My small water bottle empties with the last gulp. That is the last of my food as well and, we need to find water or I might not make it to Eldin. I put my water bottle back into my pack and, stand up.

"Well we better get to bed." I say as I kick out the fire.

"Ok," Troy says as he gets up. We head into the lean-to and I put the blanket over myself.

"Novail." I think as I drift into sleep.

My vision is fuzzy and my peripheral vision is gone. "Interitio!" Yells a devilish looking man with death in his eyes standing in the middle of a tall wrecked tower in the middle of a broken city. A bolt of black matter much like the blood of the lorg shoots from his finger. The words pierce my ears. The bolt shoots at Silk standing beside me in a broken and, dirty city street.

I sit up rapidly sweating and breathing heavily. My blanket falls down onto the soft leaves The cold night chills me to the bone and, my sweat chills. The night is the darkest I've ever seen before as if the grim reaper is waiting to take me. "So much for getting sleep." I think. Troy is still fast asleep as if he were in a cloud. As for me I can't even stop thinking of that dream. The man was worse then the Grim Reaper and it was a dream. "must at least try to get sleep." I think as I fall back onto my back and pull my blanket back on and close my eyes.

It has been two long days of walking with nothing happening and, we have found no water source yet. Silk has supplied us with food every night but that is not even close to what we need to live. It is the middle of the day and, I have gone three days without food but water is the most important. the trees save us from the sun's heat but we are heading into winter so sometimes that is a bad thing. I can't stop thinking of that dream it might be just a nightmare to some but it was something else to me. I don't know what but it was something that struck fear into me. we seem to have entered an area where the trees start to liven up and slowly turn into a beautiful forest of thin tall and, live trees.

"Shh," Silk whispers to me and Troy.

Just then about ten men jump from the trees in front and, behind us with ropes tied to their wastes. Running Silk throws an arrow in her bow but is grabbed from above by another man and pulled up into the tree tops. Troy and me are next. Men grab us by the mouth and chest and pull us into the treetops as well. Then I realize that the men are holding cloths to mine Silks and, Troys mouth. I know what this means. It is a medicine to knock people out through inhalation. I know this because Lit was hit by a strong flu a while back in Sonin and started to go into spasms. My dad was the smartest of us all. He ran into his room and came out with a cloth and small bottle full of clear liquid damped the cloth with it and, put it on Lits mouth. It knocked him into a calm sleep so we had time to run to the small town hospital in Sonin.

But the path was long and it took about thirty minutes running for my dad and I to get there. This means that if the men with us have the same stuff he did we will be out about thirty minutes too. I hold my breath to not inhale the strong medicine then act as if I have been knocked out. I am pulled onto the tree tops by the man he throws me down onto a wood plank it feels like.

I can't open my eyes for even a second because I never know who could be looking at me, but I really want to peek to see where Silk and Troy are. I hear the footsteps on the wood coming toward me. Troy hits me first then Silk both knocked out and, thrown on top of me. We are obviously getting kidnapped but why? I see no reason that three people walking through the woods should be grabbed, knocked out and, thrown on a board waiting for who knows what. We are in a tree that is some how been made into a base hidden from the naked eye. Maybe it is a big robbery scheme to take all our stuff and, leave us out in the woods to find our way on our own.

The men come back and grab Silk or Troy I can't tell with my eyes closed. After about a munet the person comes back pulling the person on me off and, putting whoever got grabbed to the side of me. I slowly crack my eyes open for a second to see who it is. Troy. I get a peek of where we are. It seems as if we are in a small wood box on the top of the trees. There are holes in the wood on the floor with pulleys and ropes attached to them.

No windows or doors just boxes on top of trees with pulleys and, ropes. But that is only as far as I can tell because the men come back with Silk. My time is up. I quickly close my eyes and relax as if knocked out. Silk is thrown on top of Troy and I am pulled up and pulled over the man's shoulder. He walks for a few seconds and puts me down laid out on the ground. Hands of men and women search me taking my pack and sword and putting them in what sounds like a metal box. I know now we will be left in the forest with nothing. Mine Silks and Troy's+ packs and weapons are gone. Nothing left Silks bow for food must have been striped off of her as well like my sword from me. No water and, no food. What will we do? The same thing I asked myself when I was kicked out of my own home, robbed of my family and, left to fend for myself. The man grabs me and throws me on to Silk and Troy.

"Well this is it," I think "This is when we get left for dead on the forest ground."

But we are not left for dead. Instead the men grab me and put me, Silk and, Troy in a small box cart carriage of some type.

"They will make good workers!" Says a man from outside chuckling.

I want to jump up and strike but I stay still lying in the wood cart. One of them shuts the door and it clicks locked. I open my eyes. Silk and, troy are knocked out on the floor. The cart is small and the wood is thick. It is like a hostage cart ready to take us to jail. There is a large metal box at the front of the cart screwed to the wood wall and, to the wood floor. A big lock holds it shut as I try to pull it open with no luck. I sit against the wall waiting for Silk and troy to regain consciousness. What if they don't wake up in time to escape? I would be the only one able to break us free even if I don't know what to do. The cart starts to move as the man controlling it yells to the horses and, whips the rains.

It is a bumpy start but soon evens out like we are on a smooth road. I need to get out and fast but the wood is strong and thick so I must try a different approach. I start to knock around the cart to check for weak points in the wood. It's a hollow knock I will know where to hit. I knock around the whole box until I hear a hollow knock at the point of the axle holding the carts wheels. I need to break the wood without making too much sound or taking too much time or the man will hear me so I start to unscrew the metal box at the front of the cart with my hands.

My hands are sore and tender as the last screw comes loose. My idea is to drop this box on the weak wood to crack a hole in the ground and jump out with Silk and Troy. The box is hard to move but I soon unsettle it from the wood and push it to the middle of the cart.

I move Troy and Silk to the front of the cart where the metal box was so I can have a clear shot at the weak wood. It is the most strenuous thing I have ever done in my life but my adrenaline helps me pick the box up and I it above the weak wood. The box is heavy and cold. My hands are at the point of bleeding when I throw the box about an inch in front of my boots. It cracks and the wood splits toward end of the cart and below the box.

Two boards come loose and fly out the bottom of the cart and, onto the dirt road speeding below the cart.

The cart starts to shake vigorously as I can see the wood axle below the box cracking. The box had smashed the wood and is sitting on axle below then sent the cart out of control speeding down the path. The wheel is moving up and down with the bent axle cracking more and more each second. I hurry to grab Silk to throw her out the bottom of the cart.

But as I try to pick her up the axle makes a loud snap. The left wheel had broken off the axle. The box which was sitting only on the axle is now loose and flies out the bottom of the cart.

Sending the cart flying out of control turning on the wheeless side of the cart, snapping the horse's reins off with the pressure and speed and, flipping it over flinging me onto the wall. I tumble inside it as it flips over smashing it to bits.

The wood scraps my arms and chest. The same with Silk and Troy. The cart smashes on its side the cart has fallen apart facing the way we came from. Laying on my side I can see the metal box in front of me a few yards back. I am in shock from the crash I can't move. I can see the man who was controlling the cart a few yards behind the box and a little off the trail laying in the tall birch woods. My eyes start to close and fuzz out. I try to stay awake but the shock sends me into unconsciousness.

Chapter 3

Eldin

I awaken to the feeling of a hole in my stomach. I am hungry, but most of all thirsty, and need to find water soon. The night is just ending with dusk nearing. The wood form to wrecked cart is all over the small dirt road. Silk, and Troy are knocked out about two feet behind me. The metal box is still there, and the man who was driving seems to have left.

I stand up and it feels like I've gained one hundred pounds since I was knocked out.

I slowly but surely walk over to the box. It has been dented and smashed since the crash. The lid is still shut but the lock is broken. I hurry to pull the tattered lock off of the box.

I pull the lid up, and let it fall crashing against the side of the broken box.

Everything was here. My sword, knife, blanket, water bottle, 50 coins, and my pack.

I pull my pack out, and load everything into it. Next was Silks stuff. Her bow, knife, full water bottle, pack, 20 arrows, and 200 coins. "Why would Silk have more money then I have ever earned in my life?" I think. I put her stuff to the other side, and find Troys stuff next. He has a large book with a symbol of a red star, a journal, crackers, 20 coins, empty water bottle, small pack, and a small tube of orange powder much like the powder he used to heal me.

I grab the crackers and slowly eat half of them, then drink a few gulps of Silks water.

That will satisfy my stomach until I can find a better source of food, and water.

For now I need to find some for Troy and Silk. I pack everything into their packs except their water bottles, and put their packs by them. I put Troy and Silk on some leaves with more at their heads to hold them up. The water and crackers will give me enough energy to find more food, and water for Troy and Silk. They have small cuts and bruises but other then that they look in fine shape. I grab my pack and start off of the road and into the forest. The trees provide some shade from the hot sun so I don't get as hot as fast. The flow of water is far, but I can hear a river a little away from here.

I start in the direction of the sound and fall on my knees when I reach a deep yet small water hole with fresh water coming in through a small waterfall into the clear water.

I take my cloths and wash them in the water then set them all on a rock to dry.

I get in, the cold clean water is relaxing. I hurry to clean myself so I may get some water to Troy and Silk. I put on the somewhat dry clothes and put the other pair into my pack. I take mine, Silks, and Troys water bottles and fill them to the top from the small waterfall.

The water looks clean and clear, but I have to take the chance of life or sickness. I take three big gulps of water from my botte. The water tastes a lot better then it feels. It flows through my body like a river of light. I need more. I take my bottle and drink it all down, fill it, and drink more. I fill the last time and put all of the bottles in my pack. Now we have water.

All we need is food now. I did not see anything that I could eat on the way here. I might as well head back and see if Troy and Silk are awake. Silk and Troy come in to view by the broken box cart. I hurry over to see if they are up. No. Still knocked out maybe dead. I check their pulses. Still beating just slowly. I shake troy to wake him up. Nothing. For all I know it could be the stuff they inhaled, the hit from the crash, or they are dying from starvation and thirst. I prop a board up using wreckage from the wagon, and lean Troy and Silk on it. I pull out their water and clean their wounds. I might lose them if they don't wake up, and I might die as well if I don't find food. My stomach feels like a hole through me, and there is nothing that can fill it. I stand up to go find food in the woods. I may as well try it is my last hope. Even if I can't hunt. I walk into the woods with my knife ready in hand. But let's face it, I don't know how to hunt, even if I could I am too weak to do so, I think scared all of the animals away when I came here the first time anyway, and I don't have the heart to kill animals. It has always been that way, every time my Dad, Tim is his name, took me hunting I could not stand seeing him kill the bunnies or squirrels. So my only hope is to find a plant to eat. I look under rocks and logs for mushrooms, berries, or edible moss. A bunny jumps in front of me and looks at me for a bit the ruffles it nose to the left. Jumps to the left the stops and looks back at me. "Should I kill it?" I think "No I can't. It is too innocent. But why did it get so close to me and was not scared? Am I that unmanly? It is as if it wants me to follow it." I think

"Well I have nothing to lose." I think as it looks at me turns it's head and ruffles it's nose to the left. I stand up and start to follow it. It hops a little, stops and looks back, then hops some more. We do this for a bit more then the bunny hops around and looks at me ruffles it's nose and hurriedly hops away into the forest lost in the trees. I've noticed the trees are disappearing the same as when we got near Dontin. I keep walking the way the bunny was showing me, but the trees take a sudden stop. A fence to keep animals away stands in front of me barbs line the top of the fence. Stopping my path. A open range of farmlands. The one that surrounds Eldin. "How in the world did a bunny lead me here?" I think. I need to find help in Eldin to find Silk and Troy. I look for a area in the fence to get through as going over would result in much pain. There is a few small holes but none that could fit me through. I find the biggest hole and use a thick stick to pull it up as much as I can. I pull my pack off, push it under to the other side, and squeeze under the hole in the fence.

I grab my pack, stand up and sling it over my shoulder. The farm patch I am standing on has all sorts of melons, and pumpkins. Eldin is known for its produce. It gives sherken, the continent we live on, most of it's produce. Dontin used to be a great travel rest stop for most traveled routes. But now; well, I don't know why it is all run down. I walk to a path in the field so I don't ruin the crops. It is a big offence in sherken to trespass, punishable by two to one year in jail if you caused no damage to the land. If you did then it is worse. I walk/jog down the trail to get to Eldin. It takes about twenty minutes to get near. I try to not get seen as I enter.

The city is surrounded by walls because robbery is common in bigger cities.

Bandits attack from clans outside of the city to steal the produce and sell it to the other clans. My guess is that the people who attacked us were part of one of those clans. There are also tons of wars between other countries. To enter the city you need to get your bags and packs checked and then are allowed in. I walk in the gate and the guard stops me.

"I am going to need to check your pack young man." He says in a deep yet kind voice.

"Okay I have knife but that is all." I say and show him my pack. He looks through it for about a minute then hands it back.

"All good. Welcome to Eldin."

"Thanks but I need help it is an emergency. My friends and I were robbed on the way here. We don't have any food and they are dying. Please help." I say trying to keep my calm.

"I'm sorry kid I can't leave my post. Go into town and ask someone to help." He says in a fremer deep voice.

"Okay. Thanks for the help."

I hurry into the courtyard to look for help. It is a cobblestone yard, with mud tracks from all of the carts rolling around carrying food, crops and other supplies. There are people in stands selling goods, other rare items and supplies. "Maybe I should just buy food and bring it back to Silk and Troy. But if they don't wake up in time I can't help them. If only my mom were here she knows how to help people in their shape." I think.

"Help! I need help! A doctor, anyone who knows how to help! Please my friends are dying!" I say while holding back tears because I know it is hopeless. Everyone is just stopping for a bit to look then walking on, one women with blond hair and green eyes takes her two small children away into her small home, looking at me like I am crazy but she also looks worried. I have twenty coins for food, but that won't help unless they wake up. All I can do is try.

I go to a stand with fruit and fresh bread, not as good smelling as the ones back home baker muddy makes, but it is not the top thing on my list to worry about. I take my twenty coins and buy two loaves of bread for two coins each, a box of blueberries, four coins, and a small melon like the ones from the field, five coins. I break the the bread at one of the ridges and eat it slowly so I don't expand my stomach too much. I am tired from the walk/jog here so I pace myself, and start to walk towards the gate to leave, but a hand stops me. I turn around to see the women from before. Who put her kids away in her home.

"Need help?" She says as she raises her eyebrow. She is holding a bag of medicine and bandages in her left hand. She has blonde hair, and bluish green eyes. She does not look poor or deprived from food like Grin back home, and she has sort of a roundish face.

"Yes. Yes I do!" I say surprised by her act.

"My friends are about an two and a half miles that way." I say as I point the way I came from.

"Well then let's get going." She says.

We head out the gate and onto the path that leads to other cities. It branches off into three ways with a sign in the middle. It reads, Dontin, pointing ahead, South, lapidem, pointing to my left, West, and Candor, pointing to my right, East.

"Your friends are this way." The woman says as she starts off on the trail to dontin.

"Thanks for the help. My name is Tylex." I say.

"Odd name for this day and age. Well, my name is Elena. What brings a young boy like you to Eldin? You don't look like you are fit enough to make the trip." She says with a grin. I should defend myself, but it is true.

"I am from Sonin trying to find a place to start. I picked up some people on the way to Eldin Silk and Troy, and they ended up becoming my friends. But we got grabbed from the trees and knocked out on the way here. We have not had water for a long time and my friends are knocked out from the crash when we escaped." I say explaining what happened.

"Wait. They grabbed you from the trees? What did they knock you out with?" Elena says in a frantic tone.

"They took us from the trees and grabbed us around the mouth with rags that knocked Silk and Troy out. I held my breath, but they didn't. Why?" I explain.

"Those people who took you are on our side. Well sort of. They are the rebellion against the dark mages. They are the group that is taking over and raiding cities for slaves. They must have thought you were part of the dark mages 's group, and grabbed you to take you prisoners. The rebellions name is Lianto. The stuff they used to knock your friends out will kill them if we don't give them this medicine" She explains as she lifts the bag and throws it over her shoulder.

"Let's hurry." She says as she leads off the trail into the woods the way toward the road the lianto's took us on. I run after her into the woods. We take a steady pace of running/jogging and it takes about forty minutes to near the trail where Silk and Troy are laying on we are to far up the trail to see them yet so we switch course and follow the trail where we crashed. It is about five minutes of jogging/walking before we are near. I can tell by the wood chips on the trail.

"Well you made quite a mess with that escape." Elena says.

"I am just glad I did escape." I say

I see the broken metal box come into view.

"let's hurry." I say to Elena. She starts to run, as do I. The broken cart comes into view. my pace quickens as now I can see Silk and Troy. They look almost dead, and are barely breathing. I hurry and fall on my knees next to Silk. Elena sits down to the side of me, and puts down the basket we brought. She pulls out a jar of weird greenish looking brew that smelled awful, and dampens a cloth from the basket with it. She then brings the cloth to Silks nose, and holds it there for about three seconds. Silks face becomes loose and her eyes open just a slit. Elena does the same with Troy as she did with Silk. His face loosens likewise to Silks but his eyes stay closed.

"We need to get Troy to wake up or he might very well die... Tylex make the worst smelling brew you can, and put it by Troy's nose, and hurry!" Elena says as she pours some blue stuff into Silks mouth, and tells her to swallow.

"Okay I will try!" I reply worried about Troy, but for some reason more worried about Silk.

I hurry into the woods to look for bad smelling things. I have a jar from the basket that Elena gave me to use for the brew. I grab some mushrooms, scat, some dead bugs, and dirt.

It needs some water so I put some in from my bottle. I stir it together in the jar and run it back to Troy. It smells awful, but just to top it off I pour some of the greenish brew into it too. Elena is still helping clean, and bandage them both. I run my brew over to Troy and put it on a cloth. When I raise it to his nose his face tightens, crinkles his nose, and he opens his eyes a slit. I move the cloth away from his nose, and put it in the basket.

"Good job Tylex. You really know how to make something smell bad." Elena says.

It is hard to take that compliment so I just smile, and help her clean the wounds on Troy, and Silk.

About an hours passes as me and Elena clean, and bandage Silk and Troy.

Silk had fallen asleep again but she has now opened her eyes and just looked at me as I put a bandage around a cut on her arm.

"So you saved my life? Never thought that would happen." She says with a small grin.

I just simile big and before I could think I give her a big hug. I'm embarrassed, but Silk just acts like she fell back asleep to save me from the embarrassment.

I just need to wait until they are awake enough to eat, so I just lay on the ground and look at the sky. Elena leans up against a bored on the road and closes her eyes. I guess she is tired. I would not blame her. She did not need to help me but she did, and I thank her for that.

I have been so worried about Silk and Troy I did not think about how hungry I am.

I pull the small wood box, holding the blueberries, out of my pack. I put it to the side of me and just snack on them as I look at the sky. The first barry brakes open on my mouth and the flavor is better then I have ever tasted before. I guess it is because I have not had any food in a long time.

"Are you going to share some with me Tylex?" Says Troy's voice from behind me.

I sit up and turn around to see Troy sitting up with his arm over his leg. He looks at me and smiles a small smile. He is weak from not having food or water along with the crash. I smile back and pull his water out of his pack.

"Here you need water first." I say as I hand him the water. He opens it and drinks about one fourth of his water.

"Thanks." Troy says with a smile. This time the smile is real.

Now that I think about it If we were not kidnapped and brought here, we would have never lived.

"I think I will just wait for the water to settle before I eat or drink anymore."

"Okay, tell me if you need anything."

I stand up and walk over to Silk still fast asleep. Elena has already fallen asleep. She must be tired raising two kids. I need to wake Silk up or she might stay asleep forever.

"Silk" I whisper as I shake her arm "Silk wake up."

Her eyes open slowly. She is shaking from thirst and hunger, so I need to get her to drink.

"Here Silk you need to drink." I say as I hand Silk her water from her pack. She just smiles and drinks a few sips, then tries to hand it back.

"I know you don't feel like you can, but you need to drink some more." I say as I push it back. She takes it back and drinks about fourth, and hands it back.

"Okay well just tell me if you need anything." I say.

It is a long night of helping Silk and Troy slowly getting back to strength. I Get some more water for Troy then some food for Silk and go on until the sun rises. I am tired from the long night's work. I only fell asleep a few times, not enough though. I lay down on the road, and close me eyes.

"Well let's go then." Says Elena. I open my eyes to see her just staring at me.

"Well? Get up." She nudges me with her foot.

"Okay, okay! I am up." I say as I sit up and rub my eyes. I stand up and put all of my things away in my pack. I am still groggy, but I feel better than yesterday. Silk and Troy are awake and standing. I guess it is a good sign, but I am still worried. Eldin is not far away, but we are all still weak.

"Elena before we go we are going to eat." I say sternly.

"Is that so? Well then you better share." She replies. I smile and grab the bread from my bag. It is wrapped in a clean white cloth. I put the cloth in my bag and break the bread into four pieces and hand them to Elena, Silk, and Troy. They all bite into the bread, as do I.

"Thanks." Silk says.

"Yeah thanks Tylex." Troy says also. Elena just smiles with her mouth full of bread.

"You guys are welcome to stay at my home in Eldin until you need." Elena says after she swallows her bread.

"Thank you. You've been very kind." I say with a smile. Elena is rude sometimes, but I think it is only because she cares. Without her Silk and Troy would be dead.

"I don't except that any of you sleepy heads know the way to Eldin." Elena says then pauses. "Well then I'll show ya! Follow me." she says as she starts off in the direction we came from. I follow Elena and so does Troy and Silk. We walk a while until we can all see the path that leads to Eldin.

"I suppose you have met Elena then?" I ask Troy and Silk. Silk has slowly moved to the front of me, but Troy is still behind.

"Yep, she helped us while you were sleeping." Silk says with a smirk

"Hey without me Elena would not have been here to save you."

"And I would be home not almost dying." Silk says looking back at me with a big grin and raised eyebrows.

"Well without the both of you I would have been dead." says Troy from behind us.

I just smile and keep walking. I have never really had true friends before. It gives me a warm feeling thinking about them.

"Here we are" Elena says from the front "Eldin."

The walls are like a small castle, wrapped around the city, they are made from large stone bricks. I never really got a good look at it until now. The sun hit's the city in a way that looks panting perfect. Guards are on the walls looking over the city and it's surroundings. We enter the city passing the guard that was there the day before.

"I'll need to check your bags." He said, as if he did not recognize me from before.

He looked through our bags, and we continued on. We enter into the courtyard, I have time to get a closer look than when I was rushing in.

There are cottages in rows all leading to the court yard. The courtyard is in the middle of the city. Most of the houses are big, but some small. I look up, it is bigger than I've ever seen in my life, it looks like a mini-castle, where the sheriff lives. I suppose there are dungeons in there too, but there is nothing that big in Sonin or Dontin. I can't help but smile. I feel like the journey is over, like this is the last place we need to go, but a pit in my stomach is telling me I have not even started.

"Come along with you now." Elena says, as she leads us to one of the smaller cottages.

When we get inside I can only be grateful. The smells of the house are homemade biscuits, soups, and the smell of home. The door has a small window, the floor is clean wood with signs of wear, there are stairs going down, just from where I am standing I can see the kitchen, which is connected to the dining room with a small wood table. It is not huge but it is bigger than my house already. Well, my former home. Elena tells me and Troy to stay here, while she leads Silk to where she will sleep. Elena comes back and shows us down a small hall to three doors.

"This is your room." she says as she points to the first door on the left.

"We have four rooms in this house because I heal wounded travelers much like you. You are welcome to stay for as long as you need." Elena smiles and walks away.

The Room is small with two beds. Nothing else but a side table in between them. There is a small window above both beds. Light flows into the room, from the windows, and onto the beds.

"Feeling any better, Troy?" I ask

"Yeah, I could use some sleep, and time to recover though." He replies.

I put my stuff down to the side of the bed, and drink some water.

"Ah!" I feel refreshed.

I lay down and close my eyes. Time seemed to have disappeared, because when I open my eyes the sun is setting and the room is dim. I turn my head to see Troy fast asleep on his bed. He's tired. I can't blame him, because so am I. I rub my eyes and stretch.

When I stand my legs are sore, and feel like jelly. I walk to the door and open it.

Smells of the best soup I've ever smelt, and biscuits fill my nose again.

"Up so soon?" Silk says yelling down the hall from the kitchen and she's wearing an apron.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Long enough for me and Elena to make dinner." Silk says with a smile.

"Really? You made-?" I say but stop myself. "Smells good!"

"I hope so. Now go get Troy and tell him to come eat. Oh and to meet Elena's kids."

"Okay." I say as I turn around to go back in the room. I shake Troys shoulder.

"Get up! Time to eat."

Troys jumps, and opens his eyes a crack.

"Wha? Ummm, okay" Troy says in a groggy voice. I laugh as he almost falls back asleep and catches himself.

"Come on." I say with a big smile.

Troy gets out of bed and stretches.

"Okay, okay I'm coming."

We walk into the kitchen. There is a big pot of soup in the middle of the table, with two baskets of biscuits, and a small bowl of butter. Two kids sit on either side of the table, on the bench seats. A little girl with, strawberry blonde hair, and cute little green eyes. She looks almost like Grin but not as riddled with signs of poverty,and a boy on the other side who looked about eleven or twelve maybe, black hair, hazel blue eyes, round face, not much bigger than most boys his age. He did not look at all like Elena.

"This is Tyson and Licie." Elena says. "They're my kids. Tyson is twelve and Licie is six. My husband is still out working, as a guard, he works through the night."

"Nice to meet you Licie and Tyson, I am Tylex." I say with a smile.

"Hey. I am Troy." Troy says.

"Hi." Licie says "I'm not going to wait for you guys to eat." Licie says boldly. I laugh a little, but Licies cute and bold expression stays the same.

"Okay then, let's eat." I say as I sit down next to Tyson.

The dinner is the best I've had in years, I practically eat it like a pig though.

"Elena, this is really good! Thanks." I say wiping the soup from my chin,

"Don't thank me, thank Silk. She cooked the soup."

"Silk cooked the-" I stop myself because that sounded surprised. Even though I was, I never thought Silk was good at cooking. She always seemed more of a tom-boy to me.

"It is really good. Thanks, Silk" I say actually sounding grateful.

"So where are you three going?" Elena asks

"Well... Um... I was going to... Uh." I stutter. I don't know where Troy and Silk are going. I don't even know where I am going.

"I am looking for a place to settle down and get a job." Silk says confidently.

"I am looking for a myth, but you will laugh if I tell you-" Troy says but I cut him off,

"He is looking for 'Novail' That one city from the stories." I say sarcastically

"Who's to say it's not real?" Tyson says, "I mean there is no proof that is is not real and most people tell stories about it."

"Sorry" Elena says, "his father tells him stories."

"Yeah he told us about when the evil-" Licie says but Elena cuts her off

"Licie!"

"What?"

"I need to have a talk with your father. Now hop to bed you two." Elena tells them.

"Mom I am twelve. I don't think now is the time to go to-"

"Bed, Tyson." Elena says pointing down the hall.

Tyson walks down the hall and goes into his room, as does Licie.

"Well now that is done with. Tylex where are you heading to?" Elena asks

"Same as Silk. Looking for a place to work and stay."

"Sounds like a plan." Elena smiles.

"You guys must be tired. I will clean up you three go to bed." Elena says.

We thank her and all go into our rooms. Me and Troy get in our beds.

Troy almost instantly falls asleep, I can tell because of the obnoxious snoring, but I can't seem to sleep. I just lay looking at the ceiling think about all the events of my journey.

The rainstorms, getting shot, meeting Silk, getting sliced, muddy, the lady from Dontin, the lorg, saving Troy, getting kidnapped, vines attacking us and all to get to Eldin. Why did all of that happen to us? I mean most people trip on some rocks or get really hungry, but we had full on bad luck, or maybe something else.

I shake my head to clear my mind.

"Tomorrow is a big day! I better get my sleep." I think. I turn on my side and put my arm behind my head. Just staring at the wall, but I somehow manage to close my eyes.

Chapter 4

The DarkMages

Light hits my eyes. I open my eyes to find out I had moved onto the ground. The weirdest part was, my bed was made. My vision is hazy. I shake my head and clear my eyes. Yawn!

"Oh, Good morning Tylex." Troy says from above me.

"I made your bed because it seemed you wanted to rest."

"Wh... What time is it?" I say in a groggy voice, still stretching.

"Oh, about noon."

"Noon... Noon! Why didn't you wake me up?" I exclaim as I hurry to stand up.

"Because I just woke up as well." Troy says with a big smile and I laugh.

"Well let's go wake up Silk then!"

Breakfast is already made, fresh bread, eggs, even some bacon.

"Wow Elena! Thanks." I say as I pull out the bench and sit down.

I reach to grab a role but Elena slaps my hand.

"Little ones first." She scolds.

Tyson and Licie both look at me across the table with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah little ones first!" Licie says as she slaps my hand as well.

For a kid she hits hard because there is a small hand shaped red mark on my hand. I thought Troy was going to reach across the table and hit me too, but he just laughs. We all dig in, it had to be the best breakfast I've had in years. The most filling too.

"Thank you Elena." I complement. She smiles as she helps Licie clean her sticky hands. I go into my room to take inventory of my stuff. I grab my pack and lay out all of my things, getting rid of any dirt or bugs that might have gotten into my pack. I have a knife, my blanket, full water bottle, 30 coins, my sword, some blueberries that have gone bad over time, one pair of cloths (Not including the clothes and boots I am wearing) some clean cloth, and a melon. I throw the moldy blueberries out of the window and put my things back into my pack. I head into the area with the table, Elena is cleaning off the table and putting away the food.

"Thanks again Elena." I say,

"Your welcome. You be safe." She says with a smile. I go out the door into the noon air. It's not humid, but not hot either. People with carts, children, fruit, and all sorts of things hussle through the city street . All of the shops are busy, probably the busy they've been in awhile. Before I knew it I had bought a pair of new cloths, a new pack, and new boots all for 26 coins. That should be all until we need to leave. I walk back to Elena's house and see a man with reddish hair and green eyes as I get in. He has a kind smile and is standing by the table.

"You must be Tylex." He says as he stands up and shakes my hand with a strong grip,

"I am Devan. Elena's husband. I met Troy and Silk already." He continues,

"Nice to meet you." I say still shaking his hand.

"Not how people usually greet me. Seeing as most of the time they are trying to kill me."

"That's right. Your a guard?" I confirm

"That would be what they call me. Do you need help with anything? I don't mean to be rude but I've been up all night and-" He stops and yawns, "and I'm tired." He says trying to hold a smile but is drifting off into sleep. Elena is standing next to us just laughing at her fading husband.

"You go get some sleep. Thanks."

"I agree," Elena says, "you need your sleep."

"Okay, I can take a hint." Devan stands up and winks at me then continues downstairs to his room.

"I am sorry. He really doesn't get much sleep, not with all the attacks from the Dark mages, that is. He is working double shifts at night now."

"Yeah can you remind me... Dark mages?" The name sounds familiar, but I don't know anything about them.

"You don't know? You never listen do you? The dark mages are people who have been raiding towns and cities with dark magic. Taking some people for slaves and killing others. I don't know that much about them or what they want, but..." She stops and looks down almost like she is crying, then continues, "but they have been only attack big cities like Dontin. I shouldn't be worried though, because this city has the best defences you could ask for."

"Well if anything happens I promise I will do my best to help." I say softly, Elena smiles,

"Thanks Tylex. You and your friends are good people. Speaking of witch."

The door opens behind me and hits me in the back of the head.

"Ow!" I exclaim, and turn around to see Silk.

"Well you shouldn't be standing where the door is opening." Silk says, I can't help but grin, while rubbing the back of my head.

"Thanks." I say sarcastically

A week has past in Eldin staying in Elena's home. It has been fun though, playing games with their family, helping with chores, and just spending time together like one big family. It's like I was back home playing with Grin and Lit, or doing the chores for Mom. Most of the time was spent working.

I open my eyes to the warm morning sun. Troy is awake already and so is Silk. I put on new clothes and go out into the hallway but something is different in the air, it smells fresh, like fruit and veggies, one of my favorites. I walk into the kitchen and instead of a big breakfast like the others, it's big bowls of fruits and vegetables. Corn, melons, strawberries, apples, zucchini or cucumber I can't tell, watermelons, peas, carrots, and all sorts of stuff, some I could not put a name on.

"What is all of this?" I ask Elena who is standing by the table sorting the fruits,

"It's in preparation of the harvest festival. That is when we harvest all of the crop and have a parade through the town, and a festival with games and food. You're staying for it tonight, right?"

"I think I have too! It sounds like more fun than I've ever had." I say excitedly. The funnest thing I've done had to be my birthday, when Mom made me a cloth pinata shaped like our hen.

"Where are Silk and Troy?" I ask.

"They went out on the roof to watch the cops get harvested." I go out into the People filled square. Carts of crop of all types come bustling in. People from all over Sherkin must've come for this because the all the streets are filled with people. I walk to an ally Elena showed me and go up a ladder onto the roof. Troy and Silk are sitting, looking over the huge fields with people and wagons all over them.

"Hey guys." I say walking onto the roof and sitting in between them.

"Good morning Tylex. You could have slept longer, it's only almost noon." Silk says in a sarcastic tone.

"Yeah." Troy says laughing a little. Then someone leaps onto my neck from behind almost sending me down the roof of the house. I throw them off and turn around.

"Got you!" Says Licie sitting up and scooting in between me and Silk.

"Good morning Licie." I say laughing.

"Good morning. Did you know you drool when you sleep Tylex?" She says without warning. Troy and Silk laugh hysterically slowly stopping to catch their breath.

"W-Wow. I like you Licie." Silk says wiping away a tear. Tyson silently sits on the other side of me.

"What are you guys up to?" Tyson asks.

"Just watching the crops get harvested." I say.

"I guess I will join you then." He says with a smile. I smile back and look behind me to make sure no one else is coim to jump on the back of my head.

"All clear!" Devan says climbing up the ladder behind me.

"Sorry I let the kids get away from me." He says with a big smile as he walks over and sits on the roof with us, and puts his arm around Tyson. The farmers are all starting to leave their fields with their large carts, and wagons pulled by horses, and oxen. They all come to the gate but stop and make a big line. It looks like a guy is checking the crop to see if it is harvest-festival-worthey.

"He is checking for bandits." Devan says, "last year there was a whole gang in two of the carts and I was called of my break to help." It surprised me that people would try to steal food during the time of a festival.

"Come on," Devan says "I want to show you something." We all follow Devan down the ladder and walk in between the houses and the wall. We reach a cart full of hay that looks as if it had not moved in a whole year. Devan reached for the handle of the cart and pulled it up, opening a section of the wall with stairs leading up.

"Woah." I say.

"Come on, keep up." Devan says as he goes up the stairs into the wall. We reach a trap door above us with a ladder leading up.

"Well don't let me have all the fun!" Devan says, "you go on Tylex." I walk ahead of everyone and climb up the cold metal ladder. I open the trapdoor onto the the top off the wall. light floods into the damp tunnel. No one is on the wall though. Not even the guards. I climb up out of the trap door.

"This is awesome." Troy says from behind me as his head pops out of the hole, and he climbs onto the wall with me.

"You think that's awesome? Check out the view." Devan says from below as Silk comes out as well. I look out over the entire city. All of Eldin can be seen from the high wall. People racing around the streets, carts bustling in through the gates, houses and shops big and small line the city, and in the middle it all is the huge stone safehouse or as I see it, a mini-castle. The sheriff's house. Sonin is about an eighth of Eldin, but I think I like Sonin better. It's calm, kind, nice, and most of all, where my family is.

"It's amazing..." Silk say staring into the streets of Eldin.

"Truly." Devan replies.

"And you did not invite me?" Elena says from behind us, making Devan leap into the air.

"You scared me. I mean. Not really..." Devan stutters, and we all just laugh as Elena, Licie and Tyson sit down on the side of the wall with us.

"I just came up to join you, and to tell you it's starting now." Elena says

"What's starting now?" I ask

"Oh, you'll see." It kinda worried me to hear that, but I am sure it's fine. The Carts lineup with covered crops, and trumpets sound. Music starts to play, and the carts parade in, one by one unveiling the huge crops that lie under. First a pumpkin the size of Tyson, is unveiled. The crowds on the side of the streets cheer and throw colored seeds around the streets. Watermelon's, cabbages, peppers, apples, and all sorts of crops the biggest I've ever seen, come next. Music plays loud and the streets are filled with colored seeds of all types. I look to the side to see everyone with smiles on their face's.

I try to smile, but I get a huge pit in my throat. My stomach rumbles and my hands shake. Somethings not right. Clouds start to form around the city. The cheers stop and some people look around. Loud bells start to ring but the sound is smashed out like the bells were broken as soon as they started. Silence.

"We need to go." Devan says.

"Dad, what's going on?" Licie asks in a scared tone.

"It's going to be okay." Tyson says, but the look in Devans face says it's not.

"Follow me." Devan says. A loud crash rings in my ears. Men wearing black cloaks and masks jump up the walls from all around, as the bell tower falls. It smashes onto the ground, crushing three houses. Sounds of children crying and men yelling ring in my ears as the men jump down grabbing some and killing others with the dark matter that I saw in my dream.

"Run!" Devan yells as he throws open the door. We all jump down the hole not worrying about the ladder, I jump down last and shut the door behind me, but I get a glimpse of one of the men getting up on the wall we were just sitting on. I hook the latch to lock the trap door.

"Those are the dark mages," Devan says "we need to get to the house before they do." Devan runs down the stairs. We all follow him through the door as he swings it open. The alley behind the houses is covered in dust from the bell tower. The dark mages are in the streets all over, searching houses. We run behind Elena and Devans house. The widow is locked, but that does not stop Devan. He kicks the window in and picks up the kids and puts them inside.

"Elena show them to the tunnel! And hurry!" Devan yells as he helps Tyson into the window.

"I won't leave you!" Elena shouts.

"Don't worry. I'll be okay." He says as he kisses her and helps her in.

"You three go and follow Elena." Devan says, "I'll hold them off."

"Okay." Silk says as she takes the lead into the house. I follow in after Troy. I run into my room and grab my pack. So do Silk and Troy.

"Hurry and follow me." Elena says by the stairs that lead down. We all follow her down the stairs into a small room. Her and Devans room. She goes over to the bed and pushes it to the side. Under is a covered in dust wooden door. I hurry over and swing it open. I leads to small wood steps that go into a lamp lit tunnel. Devan runs into the room. He's cut up badly. Probably from jumping in the broken window.

"They're coming! Go!" He says as he gets grabbed around the neck by one of the dark mages. Devan Flips him over with is arm onto the ground, then breaks his neck, but no blood, just black matter.

"Come on!" Elena yells to Devan as Licie and Tyson go into the tunnel.

"I'll-" Devan gets cut off when a black beam o' matter comes out of his chest.

"No!" Elena yells as Silk loses an arrow into the mage's head and he falls to the ground. Elena runs to Devan and grabs his hand.

"There are more... You need to go..." Devan says

"I won't leave you!"

"I love you. We had some good times. Don't have too much fun without me." Devan says as he smiles up at Elena, and closes his eyes. I hold back tears, but Elena does not.

"I won't let him die in vain!" Tyson says as he Runs up behind me taking my knife and running up to the dark mages that are now flooding into the basement.

"Me neither!" Licie say as she runs past me. I try to stop her, but she runs past too fast. The dark mages grab them both and send a bolt of dark matter flying at Elena. Another arrow goes into the dark mage's head.

"We need to go! There are too many!" Troy yells from behind us. Elena stands up in anger, about to charge at the mages, but I hit her over the head with a piece of wood and drag her into the tunnel with us. I close and lock the trapdoor.

"I don't think anyone saw us come in here," I say to Troy and Silk "but we need to go."

"Why did you do that to Elena?" Troy asks in anger and confusion.

"You mean why did he save her life? Without him she'd be dead." Silk says.

"Thanks, but we don't have time. Troy, help me carry her." I say. Troy helps me as we carry knocked out Elena down the tunnel. It's a dark long tunnel that has not been used in decades, but someone lit these lanterns. We walk maybe two hours before we reach a big lit up room with tunnels from all sides leading in. There is a small group of people sitting around. Some half dead, some injured, and some helping those who are.

"More survivors." A lady helping others says.

"What happened?" I ask her.

"Dark mages. They are attacking all of the towns and cities. I don't know why. They take what they want, Including people, then leave. killing anyone in their way." She says.

"And we're the lucky few who knew about the tunnels and were able to escape." A boy the age of me, maybe older with long black hair and dark eyes, says.

"Why are the tunnels here?" I ask

"They were an escape route in the time of war. They all come together here and that big tunnel," He says as he points, "leads to the Lianto's base."

"They can help! They hate the dark mages. We need to go before the dark mages take everyone." I try, but everyone looks at me like I am insane.

"Look... What's your name?" The boy asks

"Tylex" I reply

"Look, Tylex, the Liantos don't take lightly to visitors. They are not on our side nor against us. It's a gamble."

"Okay, well, if we stay then what? No food, no water, and the dark mages are bound to find the tunnels soon." I explain, but not everyone seems convinced.

"I agree with Tylex. We need to take action." Silk says

"No way I am sitting around and waiting here." Troy says, "I'm in."

The boy smirks, "You might have a point there, Tylex." he says, "I'm in." More and more people join in, even some of the hurt ones, until everyone agrees to come along.

"Great! We don't have much time. Everyone follow me." I say, taking the lead. We walk for about three hours down the large tunnel. It could have been done in one, but the elderly and injured needed help walking, and Elena came to about 30 minutes in and threw a fit then started to sob.

"It's okay Elena," I say trying to console her, "We won't let him die in vain, and we will save Tyson and Licie." I promise. And I hope I can keep it, but I'm not that sure. "Thanks." Elena replies softly.

We reach another large room with a ladder leading up to a trapdoor. I'm the first one to go up the ladder. It's cold and full of cobwebs. The Trapdoor hangs overhead looking as if it were sealed tight. I reach up and push up on the door. Light streams into the dark tunnel and shows the rocky walls and scared faces of the people. The door seems to have opened into the larder under the lianto's base.

"All clear. Come on up!" I whisper down to the people still in the tunnel. Silk is first to come up after then Troy. I Stand up and really look around for a bit. The walls are rocky like the tunnels and they look like they are kept up better. Still there are cobwebs crowding the corners of the dim lit up larder. Barrels of grain line the walls and bags of who know what are on shelves of wood all throughout the room.

"Woah!" Troy gasps as he looks around the large room. "That's a lot of food." "Let's eat some." Silk suggests and everyone who is now into room starts to agree. "Wait. We can't just take it. Have you forgotten we want to leonato's to like us?" I say and give Silk a sarcastic look.

"Okay, okay. Fine." Silk says putting the sack of dried apples back.

"Follow me everyone." I say and they do. I open the wood door that is at the end of the room. It opens on to a dirt tunnel leading up. We start to walk and light gets brighter and brighter as we do.

"Daylight!" Troy says and runs up the tunnel. "Hold on Troy! Wait for- "

"Hey!" A voice yells from ahead. "Ah! Wait no I'm-" Troy's voice starts but is stopped by something. I start to run and notice Silk is by my side. Three men come into view. One is holding a cloth to Troys mouth and the other two just noticed we were running at them. "Hey two more!" One of them yells. "Where are they coming from?"

"Hey! Wait! We're not Dark mages! We're from Eldin. And You got me friend there!" I yell as I start to slow down. "Eldin? You're a long way from home huh? And how did you get in here? Doesn't sound like you're on our si-" He started to pull out his sword, but Silk cut him off. "Here!" She said as she threw down her bow and knife. She turned to look at me and made a face. I looked over at my hand noticing I was holding my sword. I threw it down and put my hands up.

"We come in need of help. We are not here to attack you. Look. Eldin was attacked by Dark mages and we escaped through the tunnels. Many of us are injured and need help. We've lost friends. Good friends. Look what I'm saying is. We need your help." Silk said starting to tear up, but she kept on a strong expression. "Okay, okay. I'll talk to Pax. See what he thinks." The man said as he put his sword back. "You stay here with your friends." He said and he gave the guy holding Troy a nod. He put another cloth over his mouth and he woke up coughing. "Troy!" I yelled and ran up to him. "You okay?"

"Yeah... I think." He smiled "Thanks." I Smiled and helped him back up on his feet.

"Stay." The men said and they walked off glancing back and giving me looks.

I walked back and grabbed my sword. The people were all caught up with us now. Some looked happy, and some looked really worried. Now that it was light and I could see all the people. I'd say there was about seven hundred people that made it out. A lot more then I thought. But a lot less then people that lived in Eldin.

"How many people live. Um. Lived in Eldin?" I asked the boy who I was talking to earlier. "Oh about ten thousand." He replied casually. That would mean ten thousand people minus the seven hundred about that made it out alive and safe... Ninety three thousand people killed or put into slavery. I started to feel angry like I needed to kill whoever did this. I'd never been this angry before and I didn't like it. I balled up my fists. Then I looked at the sad faces of the people now realizing what I had. Some started to cry, others just concealed those who lost loved ones.

"Yeah." I felt a hand on my shoulder, jumped and turned around. Elena was standing there. "Oh sorry." I said. "It's fine. I know you wanted to help. And you did. See all these people that are safe and okay because of you? Now at least some made it out. And at least my kids are not dead. Tylex." She paused, "Thank you." I smile and put my hand on her shoulder. Let's find your kids.

Chapter 5

The Lianto's

A man came back in a fast walk heading straight for me.

"You! Come with me." He said as he pointed at me. I walked a reasonable distance away from him just in case. We walked through the base. There were posts with horses tied to them, a blacksmith, bakers, gardens growing food and other gardens growing weird herbs they must use for positions and the stuff to know you out, and it was all made by wood and surrounded by a large wooden wall with tall wooden towers on each corner.

The perfect base in my opinion. We walked into a wooden house and go through a room with bunk beds. It smelled nasty in there. We finally end up in a room with a large table with a map of all of our country, Terra, with red and blue pins in some of the cities. On one end of the table was man who looked a lot like my dad. Blue eyes, brown hair, large and strong, and a squared off face.

"Pax? Is it?" I ask.

"Yeah. And... You are? Wait even better. How the heck did you get in here?" He asks standing up but not in an angry way, but more in a surprised and impressed way.

"The tunnels under the city of Eldin. They lead here. Into your food storage." I say, almost surprised at how confident I am.

"Really? I could use those... But why are you here then?" He sits back down

"Well I was just passing by and staying with a new friend then the city was attacked by Dark Mages. We escaped through the tunnels and ended up here."

"You escaped the Dark Mages? Then come here? YOU COULD KILL US ALL BOY!" He yells.

"Yes, but they didn't find the tunnels. And they only captured the city about three hours ago. Maybe. If you helped. we could take back the city, or, at least help the people who were captured."

"Look I don't have an army. you think I could fight magic with swords and shields and win? That's more then crazy. It's insane!" He paused for a bit.

"And you know what I love about insane? They'd never expect it! HA! Gordon! Get this boy's friends a place to sleep and some food. We're going to war." He gave a big grin to me and punched me in the arm and walked out chuckling.

Gordon, the guy who took me here, lead me back to a big tent they set up where people were helping the wounded. The base had doubled in people maybe tripled. I found my way through the people back to Silk and Troy. They looked happy to see me, but Silk also look a little mad.

"Where have you been!" She said as she stood up and punched me in the arm which was now bruised. I told them about what happened.

"Do you really think we could win? I mean you saw what they did to Devan. That was some powerful magic." Troy said concerned.

"Tylex maybe it's not the best idea. I mean look at all the people that did live. that's a good thing right?" Silk says, but I can tell she doesn't believe what she's saying.

"Look if we stay here the Dark Mages will find the tunnels and kill them all. I promised I would do what I could if anything happened and I said I would find Tyson and Licie. You can help me or you can stay, but I'm not giving up." I say boldly. Silk looks as if to protest, but someone interrupts us before she can.

"Boy! What's your name?" Gordon says as he grabs my shoulder

"Tylex." I reply

"Okay Tylex," Pax says he thinks you have a good 'tactical mind'. He wants you to help." I follow him back to the same room that I talked to Pax in. There are about ten more guys in here, not including Pax and me, surrounding the table all talking about plans and mapping out the tunnels and the city.

"Ah! Boy! Sit, sit. Let's talk strategy." Pax said and everyone went quiet. They all looked at me and I felt like I shrunk. I think they expected me to say something, but then they all went back to talking. Some of them arguing some putting pins in the map and rubbing their chins.

"Um. Well I know they haven't found the tunnels yet and we could-" I tried but everyone continued over me. They talked about how there were no trees to hide in or any cover to hide in, and about how most of us were weak and not the best at fighting.

"Well thanks.." I mumbled under my breath. I didn't think anyone heard me because when I was talking out loud before no one seemed to care. But apparently I was wrong.

"Objections, Tylex?" Pax says with eyebrow raised. I felt a sinking pit in my stomach like I had just broken the law or something and I was now being caught. I almost immediately say no, but I stop myself. I should tell him what I think.

"Well," I gulp, clear my throat, and continue. "most of us are not in good shape, but some of us are. You gotta remember, these are farmers, they aren't weak. They can sure help a lot more if they get a little bit a training, but we need to train fast." I say the whole time getting more confident. "If we train hard and keep the weak and hurt people here to prepare food and make armor and such, we should be able to retake the city through the tunnels." Everyone looked a little surprised, then they all started thinking, then for the first time in ever, everyone started whispering about something. Pax stood up and hit the table.

"Tylex! You're excused." I thought we was kicking me out, but then he continued. "Tell the people all eligible men should be ready to train in the morning!" I was pretty surprised myself, although I don't quite know the plan, I know what I need to say. I head out and give the word to the people. It's not really what I expect, but when I told everyone my plan they all started cheering and pumping their fists. Silk must've given them a pep talk before I came or something. I wouldn't put it past her. I head into the crowd to find Troy and Silk. They're setting up some tents for people to sleep in.

"Hey guys!" I say and a run up excitedly.

"Tylex!" Silk says as she drops what she was doing.

"Have you done this before?" Troy asks sarcastically. We laugh a little then walk into one of the tents and set up beds. I pull off my bag and take a gulp of water. You can never be too hydrated.

"I think we can take this city back." I say confidently,

"Tylex..." Silk starts "I don't know much about magic, but it's strong. I'm not sure if we can-" I didn't like opposing Silk, but I hated the doubt so I cut her off.

"No. We can do this! Just because they have magic doesn't mean we can't do anything. They abuse the power they have just like evil warlocks of old. Did they win in the end? No! Because of the people who were willing to stand up against them. Silk. I made a promise to Elena and I don't intend to break it. I'm going to help. I... I think it's what I'm meant to do." I relay to them with conviction. I look at Silks face. She looks sad, but hopeful. I really hope I don't let her down.

Silk looks down "Tylex it's... It's not like that. I know what you mean about Elena it's just..." She looks up with a face I'd never seen before. I thought Silk was scared of little to nothing, and that she was always willing to do the right thing, but, the look on her face scares me. She looks pale and scared I can see awful memories inside her eyes. Like... Like she was lost in a dream, running and crying, trying to find a way back to the home she had lost.

"Silk." I say softly and look into her eyes, "Silk, what's wrong? What happened with those guys?" I ask trying to help her. She looks to the side and puts her hand on her chin covering her mouth.

"Tylex, I've never told anyone... I don't know.." She started but she seems unsure. I reach and touch her hand and look in her eyes with a supportive compassionate look. Silk sighs and looks at me, smiles and continues. "A long time ago I had a family. People I loved. People I cared about. We lived in Dontin. It was a really large trading town back then, because everyone passed through it. People stopped and stayed at the inn my parents owned and it was always an adventure meeting new people, seeing new faces, hearing new stories." She started to cheer up when she talked about it, but then her face turned dark.

"But... One day, like in Eldin, the Dark Mages attacked our town. I was only 5 and didn't know what was going on, I ran back to the inn where my Mom and Dad were helping people who were hurt. They attacked the inn and starting killing young children and capturing adults. I wanted to stay. I wanted to help them, but my Father rushed me to the back of the inn, and told me to run into the woods through the small hole I'd come in and out of. I didn't want to leave them. I don't know why I did. He didn't have time to say goodbye before he hid the hole with wood and went on to try and help. I ran as far as I could and tried to ignore the screaming, and crying. I didn't know what was going to happen so I just kept running. I found myself two days later a dying little girl in the woods, alone. I was almost dead when someone came to my aid. She had red hair like a fox and hazel eyes. She saved me, nursed me back to health, and taught me how to survive in the woods. she helped me for about a year before she left. Her name was Pulchra. But... That's why I came with you. I wanted to find my parents and... I guess I was too scared to go alone." She had gone through a whole batch of emotions but just ended up crying in the end. I look at her and give her a big hug.

"That's really hard. I'm sorry..."

I try and make her feel better. I'm not that good with emotions, I always try and fix the problem, but I learned a little bit ago that sometimes the best thing to do is to just listen.

"Look, we're going to find your parents, I promise."

Silk looks up with red eyes and wipes a tear, I never knew she had such strong emotions, but I'm glad I know now. I really want to understand her better.

"Thanks, Tylex." Silk says with a faint smile. I sigh and look into the

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