Chapter Nine

Elendir gazed into my eyes as the fire that burned within died down. "You know you don't..."

"I know I can't" I fumed. Noticing the hurt look spread across his face, I hung my head apologetically. "I may not know yet, but with some help..." I met my gaze with Elendir's,"I ask of you, Elendir, will you help me?"

"Of course my young friend." he placed a slender hand on my shoulder and kissed the top of my head reassuringly.

"Thank you" I smiled and walked over to my pack and started packing."

"What are you doing?" Elendir asked.

"I am packing."

"Why?"

"Well, because I think the best place for me to train is in my own homeland, Telessar."

Elendir thought about that for a short moment and then he answered me, "You know, that's not a bad idea." he smiled, "How long will it take to get there?"

"It will take about one week on horseback. Three weeks on foot." I smiled mischievously.

Elendir's silly grin immediately turned into a frown, "are you joking?"

"No."

"Your training will at least take a month, plus a week to get there, plus, another month to get where Lord Canashash dwells. So automatically it will be over two months and maybe even three!"

"Yes, I know it might take that long. I don't really care how long it takes as long as I meet Lord Canashash!"

"Alright then! Er... how long will it take for you to pack?"

"Ten minutes at the most, least is five minutes."

"Ok, I'll just go keep the horses company."

"O-k, well I'll see you in about five to ten minutes!"

"Ok! Bye!"

"Bye."

After Elendir stumbled awkwardly out of the room I shook my head and muttered to myself, "strange kid."

I immediately started packing all the things I thought I might need. Once I was finished I carried down my pack and out to the horses.

It appeared that Elendir had packed also and he already had it hitched on his horse.

"All right then, I'll just hook my pack to Sila and we'll be off!"

Elendir just smiled thoughtfully.

I carefully secured my pack into place behind the saddle on Sila. Sila didn't much like it, but I made her deal with it. We finally started off to Telessar, my own homeland.

Elendir and were sitting in our saddles quietly not talking at all, it was very awkward, but I was starting to like it because Elendir wasn't being all weird and such. I relaxed in my saddle and closed my eyes ready to doze off, and I was just getting into a deep sleep when I heard a little wheezing sound whisper, "Arien, Arien, are you alright?" I scrunched my forehead and thought, "what nerd would think I wouldn't be alright when I'm peacefully sitting here dozing off?" I annoyingly peeked one eye open to see Elendir's concerned face over mine. Over mine! What! How could his face be over mine? Then I realized, lots of little rocks were pricking at my back, and Sila and Midnight's face were hovering over mine too! I sat up and figured out I must have dropped out of my saddle when I started dozing off.

"You all right Arien?" Elendir repeated.

I looked up and him and thought, "Do I look like I'm hurt you dummie!" but I replied politely, "no."

"Good, cause you fell out of your saddle."

" Can see that, I'm not blind!" I thought. Man! He was a dummie! Of course I wasn't so rude that I would say something like that, I just said, "Duh! Why else would be on the ground!"

Elendir looked offended. "Sorry."

I rolled my eyes and got up brushing myself off. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elendir climb into his saddle. And I followed sequence and climbed into my own saddle.

And so we continued our journey to Telessar.

Once again I started dozing in my saddle, (this time I didn't count on falling out) and I heard Elendir start rambling on about training and what we would do.

I didn't know how long he had been rambling, when he suddenly stopped and asked me, "are you even listening?"

I gave him a fake snore. He stayed quiet till nightfall.

I was wide-awake when I noticed the sun was starting to set. "Elendir?"

"Yes?"

"I think we should stop for the night, don't you think?"

"Uh, sure."

I looked around at our surroundings and noticed a small-concealed spot that we could camp at for the night. I led Sila to that place and jumped down from her. Elendir followed cue. I untied my pack and took out my bedroll and placed it on the ground inside the enclosed place. Then I grabbed my pack and set it beside my bedroll, and then I climbed in.

Elendir set down his bedroll next to me but not too close that I felt uncomfortable. Of course, men can never decide those types of things so I directed him to exactly the right spot.

I laid down my head and closed my eyes ready for a deep sleep, when I remember to hold the small glass ball next to me while I sleep, so I know I would be safe. I took it out of my pack and lay down again with it in my hand.

Elendir laid down and immediately fell asleep not even remembering to ask who was going to keep the first watch. So I took advantage of that and asked the small glass ball to protect us, and make it so no one could see us while we sleep. Surprisingly it agreed. I can't explain how it agreed but I knew it did. I laid my head down and fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, I felt Elendir prodding me to get me to wake up. I sat up and said," What?"

Elendir put his fingers to his lips to get me to be quiet, and then he pointed towards the road.

I looked where his finger was pointing and I gasped silently for I saw five black-hooded figures looking towards us, or that what I figured they were doing because I couldn't see their faces.

Elendir motioned for me to start packing quietly.

I crawled out of my bedroll and started rolling it up. While I was rolling it up I kept an eye on the black-hooded figures. I then noticed that I didn't have the small glass ball with me! I started to panic and I unrolled what I had rolled up of my bedroll and dived into it. I couldn't find it anywhere! I then had a feeling that I should look up. I looked up and saw it. I then saw the force field it was producing. It had kept its word of protecting us! I quickly rolled up my bedroll and stuffed it inside my pack.

I tied the pack securely onto Sila and waited while Elendir finished.

Elendir and I went to the forest next to our small camp, and once we were safely inside, I told Elendir quietly, "I'll be right back but I have to go back right now!"

Elendir looked puzzled but he nodded and let me go.

I ran back to our camp and looked up and saw the small glass ball hovering right over my head. So I quickly snatched it and I quickly fell to the ground.

The black-hooded figures immediately stepped into the clearing looking around.

I quietly crawled to one of the bushes to hide so they wouldn't see my glowing body.

One of the black-hooded figures stepped right next to my bush and stopped. It turned and what I thought, looked right at me! I was terrified. So terrified that I dropped the small glass ball! I searched in the darkness to find it but I couldn't find it! Right as I looked back at the black-hooded figure I saw its scaly slimy hand reach into the bush and grab my throat! It dragged me out and held me up! Immediately darkness crept over me and I felt colder than I had ever felt before!

The black-hooded figure dropped me to the ground and all five circled me. I could barely see their outline. I looked past the circle to see Elendir's glowing body climb up on Midnight with his bow out and an arrow set upon it. He then bellowed out his war cry and charged!

The black-hooded figures all turned around to face Elendir and the last thing I saw was Elendir coming upon one of the figures, then I blacked out.

Now this is Elendir speaking.

I watched as Arien ran back to where we had camped and grab something in the air above her then she fell to the ground.

I was just about ready to jump up on Midnight's back and go rescue her.

Arien crawled into some bushes right as the black-hooded figures walked into the clearing.

One of them walked right overto the bushes where Arien was hiding. It reached in and pulled Arien out by the throat! It dropped her on the ground and the five black-hooded figures circled her. I finally had enough! I climbed on Midnight took out my bow and screamed my war cry as loud as I could and charged into the midst of the black-hooded figures.

As I was charging I saw Arien's glowing body stop glowing and she fell to the ground motionless.

At that point I was furious! I sliced right through the first black-hooded figure and it fell to the ground. I did not notice it get up again after I left it. I went to work on the others.

After a while, I figured out that it wasn't working and they wouldn't die! I headed back toward the forest as fast as I could, and jumped down from Midnight. I immediately remembered Arien throwing a torch at one of the black-hooded figures and it ran away screaming.

I quickly took out my flint and gathered some sticks. I bashed the flint together to get some sparks. The black-hooded figures were closer than ever now! They were only about a yard away! Yes! I got the fire going!

I picked up one of the flaming sticks and swiped it at the air in front of the black-hooded figures. They stopped. One of them dared to move a little closer so I jumped up to it and stuck my stick into his robe. It's robe burst into flames!

I backed away and waited for the others to step forward. I soon had only one left all the others had run off in flames. Whenever I tried to swipe my stick at it, it just dodged me.

I grew frustrated and picked up another flaming stick. I had on in both hands now!

I did a little move that Anakin Skywalker would do, and finally caught its robe on fire but not before the black-hooded figure's blade cut deep into my arm!

I watched it run away screaming. Then I crawled over to where Arien was laying down and collapsed then fainted.