The Journey and Recover
"Come back soon, Will," Alyss said. Will grinned.
"I will."
"And make sure Valor's back, too," Bella smiled. The boy nodded. They glanced over at Horace and Valor. Horace was trying to teach Valor some tricks. He placed his hand on the ground and Valor rolled over.
"Good, Valor!" Horace said excitedly.
"Horace, please stop treating Valor like he's an animal," Will laughed. Valor, pleased with himself, howled to the trees.
…
"Will, Horace, would you please stop whispering?" Valor glared at the two boys. They turned in surprise.
"Valor! You're all right!" Horace said.
"What are you talking about?" Valor looked confused.
"You drank the potion," Will explained. "Then you started to act really weird."
Valor cocked his head, "What potion?" Will almost fell off his horse.
"You don't remember?" Horace asked. Valor shook his head. Ram neighed, obviously concerned with his master.
"Where are we going?"
"To Malcolm," Will answered. Valor's eyes widened.
"Why?"
"Because you're a Kalkara."
"What's that?" Will knew there was something wrong with his brother. This seemed to be the effects of the third drinking of the potion. Valor sniffed the air.
"What are you doing?" Horace asked curiously.
"Deer. South of us. Wait here," Valor dismounted. "I'm going to get us some dinner." He ran off.
"Valor!" Will and Horace yelled. No answer.
"We better find him," Will said. He urged Tug to the direction Valor went. Horace followed with Kicker and Ram. They heard snarling ahead and shrieks of a deer. They soon came into a clearing. Valor was standing over a dead deer. His hands were bloody.
"Valor?" Horace asked. The ranger turned to his friends.
"What are you doing here?" he frowned.
"Looking for you," Will said.
"Tech! Why are you so worried?" he glared. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Aren't you going to take Valor to Malcolm?"
"You're Valor!" Horace claimed. He gave a short bark of laughter.
"You must be mistaken. But if you want, I'll come with you," he took out his saxe and skinned the deer.
…
"Malcolm!" Will said. The healer came out of his cabin.
"Will! Horace! Eh? Who's that?" he looked at Valor. Valor was staring back.
"My brother," Will explained.
"You had a brother?" Malcolm asked in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"We just found out ourselves," Horace said.
"What's the problem with him?" Will opened his mouth to speak.
"Nothing," Valor said angrily. He turned to his brother. "Why did you bring me here?"
"You drank the potion, Valor," Horace answered.
"You think I'm not strong enough to handle that?"
"He seems very much like Halt," Malcolm whispered to Will. Valor whipped his head to them.
"I heard that!" he said angrily. Malcolm simply grunted and went back into his cabin to get his satchel.
…
They sat in the Healer's Clearing. Malcolm looked through his medicine.
"Is there something you can heal Valor with?" Horace asked. Malcolm looked at the ranger. He was shooting arrows at a nearby tree.
"I may have something, but it could kill him."
"What do you mean?" Will asked.
"The potion he drank was a form of ancient medicine. Granted I don't have the ancient antidote, but I can give him something more modern. The problem is I'm afraid that his body won't be able to handle it."
"How?"
"From what I heard from you two, he gained a lot of wounds from the potion, some of them, killing wounds. This antidote could just bring those wounds back."
"What are we going to do?" Will asked. Malcolm shook his head.
"You decide," he said. Will thought for a bit. Should Will leave him like this? Or should he let him take the medicine?
"Do it." Malcolm nodded. He thought so.
"Valor!" Horace called. "Come over here and take this medicine." Suddenly an arrow whipped centimeters past his ear. It ended with a thud at the tree behind him.
"I'm not taking any medicine," Valor growled.
"It could make you turn back to normal!" Will yelled.
"I'm normal enough!" he yelled back. He stomped away. A silver chain fell from his person, but he didn't notice. Horace picked it up.
"Valor! Is this yours?" Horace held up the chain. Valor glanced back and saw the chain. He started to feel around his cloak. He stomped over to Horace.
"Give me that!" he snapped. He took the chain and stomped away. Will started after him, but Horace shook his head.
"What are we going to do?" he asked.
"We have to trick him into drinking it," Malcolm said.
…
Valor was sleeping outside. He sat up suddenly. Thirst. He got up and walked over to the cabin where Will and the others were. He opened the door. It was really quiet. He thought he heard a mouse scampering. He glanced around and saw Malcolm's satchel. He opened it. Inside was just a vial of blue liquid. He took it out. It seemed very much like the red one he drank. Who cares?
"Come on, drink it," Horace whispered.
"Shh!" Will whispered. They were wide awake, watching Valor. The ranger opened the vial. He sniffed it and was about to drink it. Something made him change his mind though. Valor closed the vial and placed it back in. he walked silently back outside. Will cursed.
"Will!" Horace never heard his friend curse before.
…
"Nothing seems to work," Horace said.
"We have to use force then," Will said. They watched Valor practice his swordsmanship. He whipped his wave swords back and forth, jump this way, block, jump the other way.
"Valor!" Horace called. He turned. Valor's eyes were covered.
"What?"
"You should take the medicine," Will got out the vial.
"Why?"
"It'll make you better," Will held out the vial. A hand knocked it away.
"What if I don't want to be better?" Valor snarled. The vial was about to fall into the grass, but Horace caught it in time. The grass was soft, but Malcolm had warned that the vial was fragile.
"Valor, just drink it," Horace placed the vial firmly into the ranger's hand. Valor seemed to look at the vial. He opened it. The two held their breath. Then Valor turned the vial over, spilling the contents into the grass!
"What are you doing?" Will yelled. He tried to stop the flow, but it had soaked into the grass.
"I told you," Valor smirked. "I don't want to be better." He sheathed his wave swords and walked away. He was about to disappear into the forest when an arrow stopped him.
"One more step," Will's voice quavered, "the next arrow's in your heart."
"You don't have the courage," Valor taunted. He continued to walk. Will released the tension on his bow string. Valor was right. He couldn't kill his brother. He watched his brother continue before disappearing.
…
"At least you had extra," Horace said. Malcolm nodded.
"Be careful. That's my last one."
"Sorry," Will mounted Tug. "Thanks, Malcolm."
"Valor's transformation should be completed on the full moon."
"Bye, Malcolm," Horace waved. Malcolm waved back. The two friends rode into the night, worrying about Valor.