Alaron forced himself into a defensive position after hearing an strong rumble echo throughout the forest. On high alert, the squire stood fast and surveyed the trees for nearby goblin onlookers. Without any suspicious sounds or display of peril, he placed his finger to his lips and hushed his stomach before it caused him to get killed. Rubbing his stomach ravenously after its stunning snarl, he remembered packing a loaf of bread and some water before leaving for Oisin.
Deciding to take a quick rest, he removed his pack and rested against a tree. The thought of Abrecan sending guards to every door in Gwernia pierced his mind. He felt awful the city was stressing over his disappearance. Most of the citizens were his friends, to whom he would converse on a regular basis. He donated aid now and again to the lower class, whether it would be an advance for their expenses or providing shelter within the castle. A great deal of beggars, refugees or poor would appear in the city and Alaron, generous as he was, did everything he could for them. Now and then he would persuade Gabrion to provide meals for the hungry.
With Alaron's help, the beggars attempted to better themselves. One beggar in particular claimed to be an entrepreneur and said he would set up shop in Gwernia with Alaron's assistance. After a decent meal, the squire guided the man to an abandoned shack near the end of the marketplace. Within a few weeks of shop maintenance, the man set up his business and offered his services to other merchants and travelers. At first, the man lacked capital or inventory, but the demand for his services grew. Over time, he was able to fill his shop with pre-enchanted weapons, shields and items. As a thank you, the man enchanted Alaron's short sword. He taught the boy some charming spells as well. However, this brought a new scourge within the castle as the squire tried to enchant every weapon for practice. A considerable amount of the enchantments backfired on their owners. Bowden, the master wizard of Gwernia, prevented Alaron from performing any more enchantments inside the castle. As predicted by many, this never stopped Alaron as he continued in secret.
Alaron pulled some fresh bread out of his bag. Claudia handed him a loaf before he left for the forest. As he shoved some into his mouth, he thought about his friend Brenna. She shared the same fate as Alaron, only she was never adopted by the king. Amid their time on the streets, they used to stick together regardless of their hardships. As young as Alaron was, he promised he would ensure she would always have food and told her never to stress. He remained faithful to his promise, but they lived different lives. At the point when Abrecan transformed Alaron into his squire, he became more acquainted with the city folk and quit stealing. Despite the free meals Brenna received from Gabrion, it never stopped her lifestyle as a thief. The two children remained very good friends, but grew apart in their own way. Alaron gained a reputation with the folk as Brenna continued to steal from them and became infamous.
It wasn't long before the citizens of Gwernia grew tired of Brenna. She was brought before the king for the decision of punishment. It was insisted that one of her hands were to be chopped off, but the king refused for it was too harsh of a punishment. The king allowed Brenna to live within the castle walls but placed her on probation. If she were ever to steal again in city limits, she would have to live out a jail sentence scrubbing the halls of the castle as a maid. Since that day, she obeyed the king and never stole from the city. With her abundance of free time, Brenna used the resources within the castle in order to improve her stealth and combat skills.
Alaron took the last bite of his bread and stood up. He knew it wasn't wise to eat the entire loaf in one sitting, but he didn't expect to be in the forest much longer. Normally rationing would be on Alaron's mind, but the distance between Oisin and Gwernia never required such measures.
The moonlight faded into darkness as a series of clouds took over the night sky. Not even the stars paved a direction of light for the lowly squire. Alaron was left in complete darkness. I wasn't expecting this. What do I do? Pressing his back against the tree, he looked around the forest to make sure there were no other signs of light. If there are goblins nearby, that would mean they are in complete blackness as well. Although, they may be able to see in the dark. I guess I should have listened to Abrecan when he was teaching me about goblins.
The only option Alaron could muster was to wait for the clouds to pass. In the meantime, he had to keep his eyes open for torches or beams of light coming from other parts of the forest. It could be a lead to finding Kendall or avoiding goblin patrols. As his eyes kept busy in the dark, he noticed his sword lighting up. Puzzled, he looked closely at the light as it shined into his eyes. Simeon, the beggar Alaron previously assisted, filled the sword with magic. However, it didn't make any sense for the enchantment to activate itself. Not only that, his brightly lit sword was an open target for nearby enemies. He tried his best to conceal the bright light, but it was no use.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed a dark gray fog approach from the woods. He didn't sense any magic. Normally he would notice a physical sensation or sense a magical essence if he was caught in another spell like before. Alaron couldn't help but observe in confusion as the fog met from both sides. Soon, the fog would engulf his feet and the lower part of his ankles. Breathing slowly, he rotated his head to look around. Edur and Yuli were long gone and this wasn't a trick from a goblin. The fog was something else, nothing he had ever seen. It climbed higher reaching his shins, and then his knees. Out of desperation, he was tempted to use his sword on the fog, but he knew it was a silly idea.
Trying to avoid panic, Alaron struggled to recall any of the wind spells Rheda shared with him. Her advice was easy to remember, yet not in such a frantic time. At any rate, Alaron chose to cast the spell. He could utilize it to have the wind blow the fog into a different direction. After shutting his eyes, he extended his arms in front of his body. The wind spell required a few words, but he was having trouble recollecting the syllables. "La...ka...no, that's not it. Ka...la...that can't be it either."
There was a small crackle in the distance. Alaron's arms fell to his side as his eyes opened. "Kendall, is that you?" he yelled into the fog. There was no response. He turned in several circles looking for his friend. Spinning in the fog made him feel dizzy. The sound of his breathing began to echo through the trees.
The sound of footsteps from behind alerted him. He froze and held his breath. Slowly, he moved his right hand to the hilt of his sword. Gripping it firmly, the cold steel made his skin quiver. In an instant, Alaron pulled the sword out of its sheath and directed it toward the sound of the footsteps. There was no one near him. The fog bit by bit ascended to his chest. As the footsteps continued, Alaron spontaneously swung his sword into the fog. After four defensive swings, the footsteps stopped and caused the temperature to drop. Alaron exhaled and watched his breath float away. There was only silence.
Another footstep could be heard directly behind him. He swung around, sword in hand. His eyes widened as he gazed at a transparent man colored gray. He wore garments, but it was hard for the squire to see any details. The only thing he could focus on was the bright white eyes staring his way from a dim dark head. It wasn't human, goblin or even Mirari. It was a spirit that seemed to find Alaron along his journey. The spirit didn't make any gestures, facial expressions or hand movements. It just stood there staring.
The fog began to die down after a minute of silent staring. As it reached Alaron's shins, the spirit ran back into the woods. His transparent body disappeared into the trees. Alaron was tempted to yell to it, but nothing would come out of his mouth. He closed his mouth as it began to dry. Reaching into his bag, he grabbed his leather waterskin for a drink. After a few sips, the illuminating light from his sword began to fade, and the clouds above allowed the moonlight to shine once again.
With his bag on his back and the fog gone, Alaron questioned himself and his own sanity. Was it a dream or was I hallucinating? It could be an aftereffect of Edur's star magic. No, Bowden never mentioned any aftereffect or any kind of side effect from star magic. The forest must be haunted, and I am being hunted. Perhaps that spirit was Kendall, and he was trying to warn me. He became discouraged again. Edur and Yuli told him to be cautious for goblins, not for ghosts. Looking down at the grass, he stood still for a few minutes. The air became cool and he focused his ears on the swaying trees. No! Kendall is still alive, and that was only a hallucination!
Stopping in his tracks, Alaron noticed a strange object on the ground far in the distance. Running for a moment, he picked it up and held it in front of his face. It was a farmer hat. Alaron checked the inscription inside. It read Kendall. The hat was dark orange and looked like something a farmer would wear. Putting it into his bag, Alaron placed his hand on his chest to slow his heartbeat. Kendall was definitely in danger. He would never leave his hat like this. I have to help him.
An hour passed as Alaron turned from disoriented to lost. After a series of forks, he questioned his direction and decided he was progressing in circles. Regardless of being lost, Alaron knew he needed to keep his eyes open for signs of torchlight or suppressed goblin voices. The decision to stay on the path made him paranoid, but it was the best option for finding the lost farmer.
The starry sky caught his eye as he walked. His mind reached for the stars as he tried to forget his troubles. Why was I never taught star magic? I seem to be doing pretty well with elemental magic. Bowden seems to think so, but Rheda always puts me down. Then again, Rheda is only beginning to understand star magic. Maybe she...Alaron accidentally walked into something on the path causing it let out a lively cry. Shaking his head out of his fantasy, he stepped backwards to see two female Mirari frozen with fear. A small patch of fresh herbs were growing on the ground and the ladies were gathering them.
Unlike Edur and Yuli, these Mirari had extremely beautiful eyes, both sweet and sincere. The squire quickly recognized the two Mirari ladies. He spotted them yesterday speaking to the castle's head alchemist, Gechina. They were fulfilling an order from King Txomin of Erromon, the Mirari capital of Aidyn. After their visit to the castle, they must have been returning to their king.
"Sister, that boy from the castle," said the female Mirari on the left. "He is a bold one to be wondering alone in the night, especially with his head in the stars."
"Good day to you, Mirari," said Alaron. "I'm happy to see friendly faces here."
The Mirari glanced at each other and smiled. "Gotzone and Zurene being happy to see you here," she replied. "And we are surprised to see you here, pup. Alaron, is it not?" The squire nodded with a grin. "Why so far from the castle? You are aware of the troubles these woods pose. Is this another one of your impulsive adventures or are you lost?"
"Lost? I know this forest like a book," Alaron lied.
"Then you know there are goblins and strange creatures here. You might be startled at any moment. We Mirari are protected by our magic, but not you."
Alaron looked at his hands as he was listening to the words of Rheda come out of Gotzone's mouth. "I know some magic."
"It has been many years since Chaos reached Aidyn, indeed. But the forces against us now grow stronger every day. More and more we hear reports of monsters and the goblins. It will take more than a few spells to match them nowadays."
Alaron shook his head. "Don't worry, Gotzone. I also know how to fight. After all, I am the kingdom's finest squire."
Gotzone and Zurene crossed their arms in disbelief. Each one of their movements coincided with the other. "Not according to Sir Abrecan. He tells me you are learning well, but not as quickly as he would like."
The grin disappeared from Alaron's face. Both of his hands made fists. "With all due respect, Sir Abrecan is never happy with anyone."
"Sir Abrecan rarely misjudges any of the king's squires," said Zurene. "If he finds you lacking, there must be a cause."
"He just does not like orphans," Alaron said with his fists close to his side.
"You are as brash as they say you are," replied Gotzone.
"Well, it is the truth!"
"You must learn from him, Alaron," said Zurene. "Think twice before you choose to fight anything in these woods."
Alaron clenched and released his fists trying to calm down. "Abrecan is in for a surprise today. One of our farmers is missing. I have come to find and bring him home."
The colorful eyes on Gotzone and Zurene widened. A soft chill of discomfort ran down Alaron's spine. Gotzone ran forward and took his left hand. "A rescue, how exciting!" she yelled. "Sister, why are the youngest squires always the most ambitious?"
Zurene stepped towards Alaron and grabbed his other hand. "It's a mystery to me," she answered. "You'll never find this farmer on your own. The forest is enormous and you will need assistance!"
Alaron quickly regretted boasting his mission to find Kendall and slowly removed his hands from the Mirari. "I prefer to work by myself, sisters. I'm sorry if there was a misunderstanding."
"I see," said Gotzone with a sad tone. "Is there any way we can help?"
"Well, if you see Kendall, ask him to try to call my name, but to be cautious not to attract attention from any patrols. If he doesn't hear from me, tell him to return to Gwernia and let Sir Abrecan know I am still in the forest."
"Be careful, pup. These woods are no place for a half trained squire. So, whatever you are doing, bests to finish it as soon as possible or even sooner. I'm sure the entire castle awaits your return."
The sisters began walking in the other direction leaving Alaron to himself. His newfound motivation allowed him to tread the path happily. What if I find Kendall very soon and we return to Gwernia. I will be the new hero of the city. After that thought, he shook his head in disdain knowing he must not let these fantasies affect his judgment. Kendall is all that mattered to him.
Another hour passed as Alaron felt his motivation drift away and his eyes droop. Not keeping track of time, he knew his search for the farmer had been carried out nearly all day and night. The squire stood fast as he spotted something white poking out of the darkness. It wasn't Mirari, human, or goblin. Quickly, he sprinted towards the white object and it became more clear with every step. Alaron recalled Abrecan and some of the guards mentioning a white obelisk in Oisin. Its presence made Alaron feel warm-hearted, and made him smirk a bit. Even though this was the first time he laid eyes on it, it seemed so familiar.
Alaron sighed and looked the other way. He never noticed a green body step from behind the obelisk. It stood ready for battle with a hatchet ready to strike. The squire rubbed his head and finally admitted to himself he was lost. Not only would he have to try to find a lost farmer in the forest, but he would have to guide himself out as well.
"Yahlooooooooo!" the green body yelled. Alaron shifted his head instantly and placed his hand on his short sword. It was a goblin scout. The squire jumped backwards, readied his battle stance and pointed his sword. Their eyes met as the roar of the goblin echoed throughout the forest. Alaron knew the call would attract more unwanted company, so he would have to finish this quickly. It wasn't heavily armored, only a light cuirass and a small helmet. "Fight now, human boy!" it yelled again pointing its hatchet at the squire.
They speak English? I thought they only spoke to each other in grunts and groans. Alaron took a quick step back. He was a little nervous as his body swung left to right. "Where is Kendall?" Alaron asked gripping his sword tighter.
"Kendall go gone, human," replied the goblin taking a step towards him.
With panic on his mind, the squire continued waving left and right. I need to end this now and hide! But he may know Kendall! With every passing second, he became more and more anxious. "Go where? What was his hat doing on the ground?"
"Hat here! Him gone! Fight now!"
Alaron caught the scent of the goblin's breath. It was very foul. A second goblin approached the squire from the rear without him noticing. It was dressed the same with a hatchet ready in hand.
"What are you doing here in the forest?" Alaron asked.
"Forest goblin country! No more farmer! No more trader! No more you! Now fight!"
"Get out of my way!" Alaron calmed down a bit and took a step toward the scout. He was ready to unleash his attack any moment.
"You go by?" The scout started to grin as another goblin approached the squire.
Alaron smiled back. "All right, if you insist." He stepped forward ready to strike.
The scout put his hand out to stop the incoming attack. "You go by after fight us. She sent us!"
Alaron froze. Us? He heard the trampled grass behind him. He swung around and saw the two goblins side by side. One of them held a few darts and the other clutched his hatchet by his side. An ambush!
He attempted to run but was stopped by a shooting pain in his neck. What is this pain? He moved his fingers around his neck and felt a dart dug deep into the side. Quickly removing the dart, he continued his pace. Another hit his shoulder and then his back. Slowing down for a moment, he yanked the darts out and attempted to run again. Before he could make it very far, he tripped over a root and fell on his face. His shoulder fell on a sharp rock and filled his mind with nothing but pain. Taking a quick glance in front of him and all he could see were blurred trees. He started to feel sleepy. This is no time to go to sleep, you're being attacked! Shaking his head, he tried to wake himself, but it was useless as he felt his body ran numb.
…I can't see…that's not right…it's only a scratch but it burns…
Alaron turned onto his back and saw the three goblins standing over him. A loud screech came from his stomach causing him to vomit on the ground to his right. His heart rate slowed as the trees around him faded. He felt his eyes become very heavy and was tempted to shut them. After all this time of searching for Kendall, I feel very tired. Maybe he is already safe and it is time to call it quits. He saw death but was unsure if it wanted to take him. Unable to think anymore, Alaron's eyes closed and silently fell into the effects of the poison.