Camden (Part II)

"Camden?" My eyes flew open and I jerked forwards, sitting in my bed. I was drenched with warm water and dripping on to the blankets. I shook my head, then set my head in my hands and cried.

Peelah wrapped her arms around me and I leaned in to her warmth. We sat in silence until I managed to calm down.

"Hey. What happened, Hun?" She asked quietly. I raised my head from my hands and Peelah released me from the embrace. I shook violently sitting in my bed. Peelah stood and ran out of the room in to the room next door, grabbing a blanket, coming back and draping it over my shoulder.

I sighed and nodded in thanks. I breathed in deeply and let all of the air out.

"It was my parents..." I choked, "They- I woke up on their boat and... I walked to the door where I heard screaming and cries for help... I walked outside and the boat was being attacked by dragons and-" I choked down a sob, "A big, green dragon..."

"A Scauldron..?" I nodded.

"It attacked the boat and.. It just... ate them. Just like that... and I watched them die again. I miss them so much, Peelah." I sobbed. I threw my arms around her shoulders and cried in to her shirt.

"I know, honey, I know." She whispered and drew little circles in my back as I sobbed. After a few minutes, I calmed down and lay back on my bed. "Will you be okay?" She asked.

I nodded and held out my arms. She leaned over and kissed my forehead, like my mom used to do. I choked down another sob and hugged her.

"After breakfast tomorrow, meet me in the training room. How is your side?" I nodded and lifted my shirt. The rock was lost somewhere in my blankets but my side looked as though it were clearing up. It wasn't as blue as it was the night before. "Good, good. Okay, I'm going to go back to sleep. You're welcome to come in there and sleep if it will make you feel better." She smiled, genuinely, and shut the door as she walked out.

I fell asleep a short while later but dreamt of nothing.

When I woke up, it still wasn't light out. I looked out the window to see the sun resting barely below the horizon, peeking out atop the waves by the Edge of the World.

I sat up, throwing my feet over the edge of my bed and rubbed my eyes. I stood and stretched my arms and snuck downstairs for a new set of clothing to wear. I'd found a grey shirt and a bronze strip of cloth that I could use as a belt. I went back up to my room, changed, threw the other set of dirty clothes beneath the desk next to my bed and looked on top where the notebook was. I furrowed my brow and reached for it.

Sticking out from one of the corners was a piece of folded paper. I gingerly plucked at it until finally, the books back cover ripped and let the contents of the secret packet fell out on to the desk top.

I started with the folded paper. I unfolded it carefully to find a map. In one of the corners was a compass rose and in another, a map of Outkast Island. They were drawn in dark black ink. Throughout the rest of the map were black, faded spots that must have been some other islands. There were also stains of some sort... Rum, maybe? I leaned a little closer to see if I could make out some of the smudged pictures, but I had no luck.

I set the map down and picked up a flat envelope. I opened it as well and pulled out its contents.

Inside was another folded piece of paper. It was a letter.

It read:

Dear you,

The key enclosed in this secret section of my notebook is the key to something big. It unlocks a chest of knowledge greater than you could ever imagine.

Guard it with your life.

P.H.

"That was a simple statement..." I said aloud, quietly. I set the letter down, unfolded atop its envelope. Placed on the table was a small key, rusted and dangling from a small rope to make it look like a necklace. I picked it up and rubbed it between my fingers, wiping some of the rust and grime away. It was a bronze key, but now its dirt.

I sighed and piled the contents of the compartment neatly at the center of my desk. I stood over it, putting my palms flat on the table and leaned over the map and letter. I took the key and struggled to put the rope over my head and around my neck.

It rested just below my mom's necklace, a Dragon tooth, from the legendary BoneKnapper dragon, a mythical Dragon that little was known about. I sighed again and opened a drawer, taking the papers and gingerly stuffing them in to the backmost part of the drawer.

The sun, slowly rising, was now over the horizon. I looked out the window and heard the calls of the market down the paths. People were waking up now.

I heard thumps from the room next door so I assumed that Peelah was awake. I stared out the window until I heard her door open. I grabbed my vest, threw it over my shoulders, and then I went to my door and proceeded to go downstairs.

"Ay, Camden, how are ye'?" Peelah asked, holding a pot over the now steady fire. Her common accent was showing rather than her high and mighty one.

"I'm okay." I said, "How about you?"

"I'm okay." She sighed, "You ready for training today?" I nodded while she glanced up at me from the pot. "Today is all about fighting n' strategy to it! You boys love this kind of stuff, don't ye'?" She asked. I smiled and nodded again. Peelah smiled as well and looked back down at the pot. "Breakfast is almost done. Why don't you go set up the training room for me? We'll be able to get to the lessons faster if we don't have to waste time settin' up!" I nodded and turned to the door, making my way down the steps and past the greens.

I pushed the wall of plants out of the way of the secret door and opened it, walking in to dimly burning torches. Taking one that was fully lit, I circled around the room, lighting each torch as I went.

Something about the circular room felt off. I felt like someone was watching me.

I pushed the feeling aside and walked back to the place where I'd first gotten the torch to light the others, placing it back on the wall. Walking around to the wall of weapons, I felt the strange feeling of eyes on me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I knew something was up.

I crept towards the weapons rack, drawing my dagger out from its spot between my belt and vest, holding it with both hands in front of me. My boots making little noise on the rocky ground below, I figured that I had the upper hand, sneaking up on my opponent.

Gee, was I more wrong.

From my left, something jumped out at me from behind a panel of weapons, smothering my face and making me drop my weapon. I squirmed and figured, "its Pilgrit, I'm going to die!" I was too caught up in the moment, trying to free myself, that I didn't hear the laugh of Peelah or even see her walk in.

"Ay, Ev, that'll do." She said, laughing. The person who held me set me down and I dropped to my knees to get my dagger, spinning on my heels and thrusting the sharp end outwards, towards the menace.

Both Peelah and the man laughed. "Ay, son, calm down!" The man said. He put his hands up as Peelah walked towards us, setting her hand on his shoulder.

"Camden, this is Everett. He is one of my best friends, as he wishes though we were something more." She smirked at Everett and moved towards me. I lowered my weapon slowly and went ahead to put it back between my belt. Everett patted me on the back and laughed a haughty laugh.

"If only she'd give me the time of day!" He said. His voice was deep, but not gruff or threatening. Should he use a different tone, maybe he'd be scary, but right now, he was about as scary as that Terrible Terror I faced in the ring. "We've known each other for quite some time, haven't we, Peelah?"

"Ay, a long, long time." Peelah looked at the ground and smiled, then looked at me. "Story time, I think." She sat me down and Everett sat behind me, leaning forward like a toddler would, eager for a treat. Peelah laughed. "Camden, I'm going to tell you a bit more about myself and my friendship with Everett before we get to your training today." I nodded and leaned my back against the cold wall.

"When I was your age, no, I was about twelve; my parents and I were taken hostage by Alvin and his outkasts. I was too young to be in Dragon Training, so instead of me, they put in my parents. At the time, my mum was expecting. Fighting dragons was harder for her then it was for my father, who spent most of his life protecting our village, and my mum. Well..." She sighed, "Alvin had me stay by him during the test of their skills and.. Well, my father, burly and strong as he was, couldn't fight for the both of them..." Her smile had faded by now and her eyes looked sad. I couldn't help but feel sad too. "By the end of the match, the Dragon who'd taken my father's life stood triumphant over my mum. The outkasts went ahead and attacked the Dragon and forced him back in to his cage.

"My mum, she was hurt very badly. They took her to the infirmary where I stayed with her for three days before finally..." She swallowed, hard. "She died and so did my baby brother or sister." I could see tears welling in her eyes but Peelah was fighting hard for them not to fall. She looked away. "Both of my parents, killed right before my eyes. It's a terrible burden to carry on your shoulders. There's never anything you can do about it, except of course avenging them, but how can you do that when you're powerless?" I nodded and looked at the floor.

"I had to pick someone to raise me as well, just like you did, Camden. My new family was nice to me, and that's how I'll try to be to you. They gave me a home, food, and the boys I lived with trained me to be a fighter. I was the best fighter they had during those early years, even better than my teachers," she said proudly. She turned to me and whispered, "But don't tell them I told you that!" She winked and I smiled. The tears that had welled in her eyes just moments before had gone and were replaced by a light.

"Growing up was hard. I didn't know many people, and everyone who did know me didn't talk to me much. I was awful shy. After Dragon Training class every day, I'd go to the other side of the island to the rock spires shooting from the ground and map the areas of the island few people had seen. I was a lonely kid." I leaned forward.

"This doesn't explain how you got to know Everett though... How did you two meet?" I interrupted.

"Ay, I was getting to that Camden." Everett pat me on the back again, only this time he left his hand there. I shrugged him off and scooted away slightly, clutching my shoulders with my hands. "Everett, He's a bit particular when it comes to contact," Peelah whispered. "Any who, Everett had been our neighbors. The boys were very fond of him, though, I was a bit scared to introduce myself. When I finally did, I was extremely glad I'd done so because we'd become close friends over the next year or so.

"This is the part you have to promise me you will never, ever, tell another soul, okay Camden?" I looked at her with wide eyes and nodded vigorously. She breathed deeply and sighed, like she were about to perform an act of pristine skill and accuracy. She then leaned forward, looked me straight in the eyes, and whispered, "Everett and I trained a Dragon." I furrowed my brow and looked at her in disbelief and confusion. Everett leaned over and waved his hand.

"Allow me to explain." I turned to him, put my elbows on my knees and rested my chin on my hands. "Peelah was showing me her maps and guided me through a few mazes, when a flock of Terrible Terrors appeared and blocked our path. At the time, we were both 15 years old and thought, 'Oh, hey, I can use the skills I learned in Dragon Training!' But Peelah stopped me. She kneeled to the ground and held out her hand for one of the Terrors to come and sniff it. A few took notice, and some hissed. One came right up to me and hissed, causing me to drop my axe. I reached for it but Peelah told me to stop, so I listened.

"A Terror slowly made his way from the middle of the flock to Peelah's hand and sniffed it. He must have thought she wasn't a threat because he decided to rub himself all over her hand!" They both chuckled and I smiled.

"Did he crawl up on your shoulders, Peelah?" I asked her. She nodded.

"In fact, yes, he did. It was quite a sight. The flock took off and so did our Terror until only a few years ago, did we see him again." I tilted my head slightly and furrowed my brow again.

"How?"

"Alvin. He captured him not long ago and stuck him in the Dragon cages with all the others. He's still there, and, if I'm not mistaken, you met him a few days ago didn't you?" I gasped and eagerly switched positions.

"That was your Terror? Maybe why he was so nice to me was because he could smell your scent on me? Or, maybe, he just knew that I was your friend?" Peelah smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. Her hand was very cold.

"I'll be getting to that part later today in your training. But for right now, I say we halt story time for a little bit and we get to your training." I sighed and crossed my arms.

"Fine."

"Everett will be helping you with hand to hand combat while I'll be working the weapons with you. But first, you have to show us what you know." I nodded. "How's your side?" I shrugged and took off my vest. I lifted up my shirt to look at the bruise. "Its nearly invisible! ViVi was right, Camden, that rock really does do wonders!" I let my shirt fall and I smiled at her. "Okay, kiddo, time to get down to business. Everett, you take care of him for the first half of the day, after lunch rolls around, I'll take him for weapons and then we'll see what you've learned, okay Cam?" I nodded and turned to Everett as Peelah stood and left the room.

"Alright kid. You still got that rock from ViVi?" I nodded, "Good. You're gonna need it."

We started with the basics. Simple maneuvers. Blocks, basic punches. All of which I was familiar. Back on the mainland, in my village, I was the top fighter next to my neighbor, Joht, who was also one of my best friends. Joht taught me most of what I know; aside from the little my dad was able to teach me.

"Hand here, set your foot forward, other hand right... here!" Everett punched my hands and I blocked it, feeling the sting of his hit in my palms. "You're a quick learner, kid. Now, here's how you put it in to action." Everett explained to me how to quickly put your hands up in case of an attack to your face, but he didn't tell me about blows to your stomach. "Should you ever encounter a time where you don't have enough time to throw your hands up, dive." He showed me how to avoid attacks with my hands, my feet and even my weapon which wasn't his job.

We moved on in the training to throwing the punches and initiating front, side, back, roundhouse, stomp and fly kicks. By the end of the four hour session, I was nearly able to beat up Everett.

"You'll need lots of practice and of course, you have to build up that muscle if you want it to hurt. Keep those moves in mind, but now, I want you to drop it all. You're small, skinny, quick. Most of the other kids on this island, if any at all, are bigger than you, thicker, bigger boned. Use your size to your advantage. When going after someone like me or like those kids, you want to get at their torso, like this." He demonstrated attacking someone bigger on a dummy we had made out of wheat sacks, a pole and an extra helmet. He stood in his attack stance and rushed the dummy, at its stomach, the torso, and knocked the dummy over. "You try."

I stood the dummy back up and stood before it, ready to attack. Everett counted down from three.

"Three..." I clenched my fists, "Two... One.. Go!" I lunged at the dummy's torso and barely made it move. I angrily punched it and sharply in took a breath through my clenched teeth. "It takes time and practice, kid. Give it another go." I stood, waited, then ran at it again, throwing myself with a little more force this time. The dummy wobbled, but didn't fall. I angrily furrowed my brow and bit my lower lip. Everett patted my back and I shrugged away. "It's okay... You'll get him one of these days."

Peelah sauntered in carrying a shield covered with sticks stuck through cooked fish. She was humming a pretty little tune that seemed out of place with how I was feeling. I impatiently tapped my foot and crossing my arms.

"Calm down, Cam, You're overreacting, kiddo. Not everybody gets it right the first time!" Everett said, walking over to Peelah and taking one of the sticks off the shield.

"Ay, Camden, why don't you simmer down some and join us for some eats?" Peelah said, I sighed and nodded.

She was right, I probably was overreacting. I walked to them, picked up a fish on a stick and sat next to Peelah. "So Camden, what have you learned from Everett? Can you show me some moves?" Peelah asked as I took a bite out of my fish. I nodded, set my fish down and stood.

"Everett," I said, between swallows, "Would you fight me please?" Everett laughed and nodded.

"Of course."

"Don't be too easy on me, but not so hard either, okay?"

"Okay, Cam."

We moved to the middle of the floor and took a few steps away from each other. I turned to face him, sidestepping slowly in order to find the right entry point. Everett made the first attack, drawing a punch near my face. I threw my hands up and foot out like he'd taught me then in turn, I quickly ducked, sweeping my leg out from beneath me, knocking Everett off balance.

He stood quickly and I dove out of the way, avoiding a roundhouse kick. He dove after me and I rolled, him smashing in to the ground. I jumped and landed on top of him. "Time!" I shouted. Everett shrugged me off his back and stood. I stood and walked back to Peelah but was grabbed from behind by Everett. I gasped and without thinking, elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to drop me and clutch his side. I proceeded to throw myself at him just as he told me to at the dummy.

Everett and I fell hard to the ground. "Time!" He shouted. I scrambled off of him and ran back to my fish, not giving him the opportunity to grab me from behind like he'd done before. "I never taught you that..." He said, holding his ribs with one hand. "Where did you...?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, I just kind of... felt it." I responded, taking a huge chunk out of my fish. Everett chuckled and came back to sit with us. I looked at the ground as I ate, listening to Peelah and Everett catch up. "Peelah?" I asked. She looked over at me and set her stick of fish down. All that was left of it was stick and fish bones. "What time is it?"

"It was about one or two after noon, last I checked." I nodded and finished my fish. Everett stood, thanked Peelah for lunch and turned to me.

"I'll be back in a week. I know you have your test in a few days but I want to see your improvement. Sound good?" He asked, holding his hand out for me to shake. I nodded, taking his hand and shaking it up and down awkwardly. Everett left and I finished my fish, then took the shield with the sticks back up to the hearth and dumped them there, watching them light fire and burn in the center on the hearth.

"Camden, you ready to start weapons training?" Peelah called from down in the green room.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a sec, let me grab my dagger." I shouted. I ran up the stairs in to my room to grab my dagger when I realized I had it in my belt the whole time. I huffed and turned, facing the window. Outside were two girls cowering outside a house across the way in the shadow of a burly man. The man raised his hand to the girls and I drew in a sharp breath.

"No!" I shouted. The man stopped, looked around and glowered at his surroundings. I sat on the window sill and slid down to the rocky ground and ran out in to the open. The man had turned back to the girls and was about to hit them. Right then, I realized who the man was.

Pilgrit.

I laughed out loud and he turned to meet my gaze with the same crazed smile.

"What business do you have tormenting all these kids?" I asked him. He took a swig of alcohol from his hand-mug. I waved at the kids, shooing them away. I mouthed the word help to them. The taller one nodded and dragged her little sister away at a run. "Go on, I'm waiting." I tapped my foot to emphasize my statement. He rolled his eyes and took another swig.

"What are ye' going to do about it, eh kid?" He laughed, "Fight me? We already know what I can do to ye! There ain't nothin' you can do to me.

I stepped closer to him, cautiously. "We'll just see about that." I did just as Everett taught me. I ran at him, catching him off guard, and threw myself at his torso, knocking him over.

He fell, catching himself with his mug on the ground, the contents spilling everywhere. I scrambled off of him before he could hit me. I ran around behind him and side kicked him. He grunted and stood up, swaying slightly. He wiped some sweat off his lip and turned towards me again. He rushed at me and swung his now broken and splintery mug at me. I sidestepped to avoid the hit and mostly succeeded, only, the mug hit my shoulder, flinging me back. I cried out in pain and clutched my shoulder. When I withdrew my hand, it was covered with blood. I ignored the pain and rushed at him, jumping to the side at the last second and landing a punch on his jaw. He spun around, rubbing on his jaw with his good hand. I ran at him again, only this time, he caught me by the collar of my shirt. He lifted me up and held me with his good hand, shaking the mug off the hilt for his hand, revealing a sharp blade. He held it up to my neck.

"Hey. Hey! Put him down!" Someone called. "Hey!" It was Everett. I didn't dare turn my head to see him. Pilgrit never dropped his gaze on me. It was almost as if he didn't hear Everett calling. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply.

"I should just kill you right now," He pushed the sharp side closer to my neck, fiercely. "Shouldn't I?" He barked. I blinked and swallowed. Without thinking, I kicked him hard in the gut. He dropped me and fell to his knees. I kicked his face hard, stepping on his throat only enough to restrict his breathing slightly.

"Do not touch those kids, ever. Any other kids you dare try and hurt, I will find you, and I will kill you, Pilgrit." He struggled slightly and I pressed my foot down on his throat a little harder. "You are a disgrace. You deserved that banishment. You deserve to fall off the edge of this world."

"Weird," He choked, "That's exactly- what Stoick said," He coughed, "When he tied me to the mast." He coughed again. I removed my foot and walked briskly over to Everett. He had the girls by his side, one in his arms, the other hiding behind his leg. We turned to walk back to Peelah's house and when I glanced behind me, Pilgrit had rolled over on to all fours and was hacking up a storm behind us.

"When I said practice, I didn't mean pick fights. Especially not with Pilgrit." I looked at the ground and walked quietly. "But thank you for saving my girls."

"Your girls?" I asked.

"Well, they're my sisters' girls, but we're really close, right girls?" The girls nodded. We reached Peelah's house and I thanked Everett for walking me home. Just as I was about to open the door, one of the girls spoke.

"Wait!" She hollered. She ran up to me and hugged me. "Thank you for saving my sister and me." I hesitated, then wrapped my arms around her.

She withdrew and looked at me. "Your eyes are so cool!" She exclaimed. "Maia! Come look at his eyes."

The littler girl, I assumed her name was Maia, pushed away from Everett and slowly walked up to me, her thumb her her mouth. She looked up at me and I kneeled down. She took a step behind her sister, peeking out from behind her side. I held out my hand for one of them to shake.

"Hi Maia. I'm Camden." Her sister took my hand and shook it wildly.

"Hi Camden! I'm Pennebelle. People here call me Post sometimes, but you can call me Pennie." I chuckled.

"Why do people call you Post?"

"Because I can stand as still as a post! Wanna see?" Before I could answer, she was standing straight, fingers pointed and face still. I laughed along with Everett. "See?" She said, breaking her pose. I nodded.

"Well, Pennie, Maia, it was nice meeting you." I turned to go inside and looked back. "Thanks Everett." He nodded and I went inside to find an angry Peelah standing, arms crossed, foot tapping. "Hey... Sorry..." I came in, feeling guilt.

"We did not teach you how to defend yourself so you could just go and.. and pick fights Camden! I am very disappointed in you, boy!" She lectured me for another 15 minutes or so before sighing and massaging her temples. "Go down to the training room, we're going to train for the rest of the day."

I nodded and proceeded to walk to the training room, Peelah close in tow. For the rest of the day, Peelah taught me how to use all different kinds of weapons. She taught me the history of some, special techniques of others and of course, basic handling. While screwing around with a dragon skin, hilted sword, I hit Everett and I's homemade dummy and cut it straight through the middle, leaving a huge gash in the bag while its contents spilled all over the floor. I immediately put the sword down and threw my hands behind my back, feeling my face grow warm and uncomfortable.

Peelah laughed and gestured for me to sit in front of her. "Take out your dagger," She instructed. I pulled out my dagger from my vest and handed it to her, sitting down in the process. She took it from me and laid it flat across her palm. "This here dagger is very special," She stated, running her hand over the hilt. "These markings are in an ancient language, only known to the Dragons. Very few people have the ability to speak the ancient language. Those people are almost unheard of nowadays. Alvin had them all killed off, as he didn't want them to side with the Dragons in this dangerous war.

"Dragonese, the name of the language, is hard to grasp. The words are jumbled up and you have to figure out what the markings say. Speaking it is a whole other story though. There is a lot to learn before someone can speak Dragonese, even in the slightest bit. Others are born speaking the language. Though, the language cannot be learned by just anyone," She looked at me to find a very confused boy in her midst, "It's a very hard concept to grasp, but it gets easier to understand the more often its explained." I nodded.

"This dagger has an almost magical spark to it. A blessing from the Gods, even. It adapts to your situation. Say you were in battle with a Monstrous Nightmare, like you were, and when you hold it in position so the Dragon can see the markings, he or she will back down or help you. It all depends on the surroundings, the situation, or just how you're feeling towards the Dragon. It makes them much easier to train." She handed me back the dagger and I put it back in my vest where it was hidden.

"You are never to lose that dagger, understood, Camden?" I nodded vigorously and set my hands in my lap. "Good. I'll explain more to you about the dagger later, but for now, lets go get some dinner. It's around time for the market to be getting in fresh shipments." We stood and went up out of the training room, closed the green wall and went upstairs.

"Would you like to come with me Camden?"

"Sure."

We left the house and made our way through town to the dull marketplace. It was full of people and carts full of everything. For such a dull and scary island, they sure have a lot to offer. Peelah sped up and I hurried to keep up, but every turn made, person bumped in to, I would lose her for a split second.

I bumped in to another person and lost Peelah for sure. I stood, looking around wildly, my anxiety levels raising. I was lost in a town I barely knew. I walked forward to be greeted with a rush of wind and a hard body slamming in to me.

"Help, I have to go, help me please!" She called, desperately. Our legs were tangled and her hair was in my face. I held her shoulders and lifted her with the little strength I had. She was absolutely stunning.

Her hair was lighter than the sun, her face, pinkish. Her eyes were the color of her shirt, violet. In her hair was a headband, pulling back only part of her hair out of her face. Around her torso was a sash of some sort, with only one weapon, a dagger similar to mine.

"Oh, please, hang on, let me-" She pushed up off me and cried out, terrified. I stood up, pulling her along with me. She jumped behind me and shook violently.

"I told you not to run!" Someone shouted. The marketplace grew quieter, but not silent. I stood in front of her, confused. "Girl, get back here!" They shouted again. I recognized the gruff voice. Pilgrit. He was still drunk. I readied my stance, defensive, to protect. He will not lay a finger on her.

"You again?" He said, running in to someone and looking to me. We made eye contact and he groaned, loudly.

"I thought I took care of you earlier today when I beat your backside." I called out to him. "Go home Pilgrit, I won."

"I demand a rematch. Winner takes the girl home." She smiled drunkenly, devilishly. The girl behind me squeaked in panic.

"I won't let him take you." I whispered to her.

And the brawl began.