Chapter 24 Meeting the Ringbearers of the past
Orko was out in the woods with Yuka. He was going to show Yuka some tricks and help him with his magic studies. He wanted to help make sure Yuka kept up with his school work like Dree Elle. "Okay Yuka we better find a good place to start," Orko said.
"Okay," Yuka said.
Then a sound was heard. It was a growling sound. "Hello little Trollans," Beast man said.
"Beast Man," Orko said he got in front of Yuka to shield him.
"That's right," Beast Man said. "What do you think of my new pet?' he asked pointing at a monster.
"It a Linichar a very dangerous creature," Orko said. "Beast Man leave us be," he said. "Or do I have to get tough?" he asked.
"Oh yeah?" Beast Man asked. "Get him my pet!" he said.
The Linichar charged at them. Orko zapped the Linichar with magic and it shrieked. It continued it's attack and made it's way towards Yuka. "Yuka look out!" Orko said protecting him. Then suddenly just as Orko was about do one more spell to scare the monster off. Orko got whacked by it's tail and sent into river with a raging current.
"Now you are coming with me," Beast man said.
"No I am not!" Yuka said zipped off quickly and managed to get away.
Meanwhile Orko was being swept away by the river. Orko tried his best to keep his head above water. "Help somebody!" Orko cried trying swim out of it. But the current was too strong. Orko was being bumped into rocks and branches. He was swept down rapids too. Finally the river's current became calm and Orko managed to swim out of the river. He was very tired and weak right now. He was injured too and head towards the forest tired and in pain. Then Orko collapsed in the mud totally exhausted and in pain.
Then a five figures saw him and picked him up and took him with them.
Meanwhile Yuka made it back to the palace. "Help!" Yuka shouted coming up.
"Yuka what's going on? I thought Orko was going to being giving you some magic lessons in the forest," Man at arms said.
"Did something happen?" Adam asked.
"Beast Man! Monster! Orko! River! You got to help!" Yuka said.
"Whoa there Yuka, slow down and take a few deep breaths," Man at arms said.
Yuka took a few deep breaths to calm down. He was now calm. "Okay," Yuka said.
"Now tell us exactly what happened slowly," Adam said.
"Orko and I were headed to a part in the forest to practice, when Beast man attacked us with his new pet a Linichar," Yuka said. "Orko fought the beast to keep it away from me and to send Beast man way," he said. "Then it knocked Orko in a river with a very strong current, I saw Orko get carried away by it!" he said. "I got away before Beast man and his beast could get me," he said. "We got to help Orko," he said.
"That's not good," Adam said. "We need He man for this," he said.
"I agree we need to find Orko," Man at arms said.
"Poor Orko I hope he's okay," Teela said.
Meanwhile back in the woods in a old hut Orko was in a bed. He was hurt and he sat up wondering what had happened. "Ugh where am I?' Orko asked.
"I see you are awake now," someone said.
"Yes we found you passed out in the mud," another one said.
"Yes and you were all wet too, fall in the river did you?" a third one asked.
"Yes and a little beaten a bruised you are too, some rapids and rocks huh?" a fourth one asked.
"Yes and you seem to be very exhausted were you in some sort of fight?" a fifth one asked.
"Who are all of you?" Orko asked sitting up. "Do I know all of you?" he asked.
"You don't know us personally," the first one said. "But we all have the same Mage emblem," he said.
Then they all appeared in the light. It was Azron, Foosabella, Ero Dee, Vana and Masde. "I don't believe it the other ringbearers here on Eternia!" Orko said. "So this is where you all disappeared off too?" he asked. "I know Azron disappeared here sometime after he exiled himself from Trolla." he said. "But I had no idea this where you all where sent too," he said.
"I brought them here," Azron said.
Masde came up with something. "Here drink this it will help you feel better," Masde said handing him a cup. "Drink it all up," she said.
Orko proceeded to drink it and it was very bitter. Orko drank the whole thing down like he was told to do so. "Ugh! Very bitter," he said.
"It's bitter but it will help," Masde said.
"Oh yeah, I think these belong to all of you," Orko said pulling out the journals.
"I see you found our journals young Orko," Azron said. "I have a feeling that you read them," he said.
"I didn't sorry if I pried, I just wanted learn more about you all and to see how I can grow into my role," Orko said.
"Don't worry we had feeling someone would one day find our missing journals and read them," Ero Dee said. "So we are not bothered." he said.
"There is something I should tell all of you," Orko said. "In each of your journals the last page is missing and in Azron's part of the last past is missing," he said. "I discovered it while reading them." he said.
The ringbearers took a look. "Hmm you're right," Azron said. "No doubt this is unnamed one's doing, he wishes to keep the prophecy I foretold of from coming true," he said.
"I read about this great ringbearer but without the last page I have no idea who it is," Orko said.
"Orko this great ringbearer I foretold of is you," Azron said.
"Me?" Orko asked.
"Yes," Azron said. "I foretold sometime after I disappeared there would be others who would receive my mark, Foosabella was the one who would receive it first and the first of the emblems, Ero Dee was next, then after Ero Dee was Vana, and after her it was would be Masde," he said. "I foretold that after Masde one of the greatest ringbearers of all would come and not only do a lot of good for Trolla but for other worlds and help bring Trolla back to it's former glory and help us have good relations with rest of universe and help the master bring in an age of peace and help train and inspire future ringbearers," he said. "I knew of his name as soon as I saw the vision," he said. "I saw and heard the name Orko," he said. "I also know who he was going to be born to and win," he said. "But I couldn't have seen what happened next, the five days of wrath," he said. "I also couldn't have seen that the unnamed order would do anything to stop this young wizard," he said. "But I did for see the time you would come here to Eternia and when we would all met right on schedule," he said.
"Okay back up there," Orko said. "I know I am ringbearer but I never imagined that I would be the one you foretold of," he said. "I even thought the star tree made a mistake in giving me the oracle ring when I first got it because I felt like I was just plain and ordinary Trollan not like the ringbearers I heard of in the stories," he said. "But I guess I now know you shouldn't sell yourself short and think we are too average, but this is still a lot to take in," he said.
"I understand it is a lot to take in Orko," Vana said. "But we are here now to help starting teaching you and guiding you," she said.
"Yes we are here to help you become the ringbearer you are meant to be," Foosabella said.
"You will learn sometimes from all of us at once," Masde said. "Or a few of us or a couple of us at a time," she said.
"You will also sometimes learn from us one on one," Ero Dee said.
"Trust us and we will help in your journey to complete your destiny," Azron said. "We know you can do it," he said.
Orko knows this is his destiny and he remembers how Adam felt when he became He man at first. He knew Adam didn't feel ready for the intense responsibility of that destiny. But Adam soon accepted it. So now Orko was ready to accept it. "Thank you I will be ready to start when you say so," Orko said.
"Very good," Azron said. "But for now you must rest, you are still hurt after all," he said.
Meanwhile He Man and the others were looking for Orko. They followed the river. Battle cat sniffed around. "Orko came out of the river right here," Battle cat said.
"Battle cat can you follow the trail?" He Man asked.
"I sure can." Battle cat said.
"Good the sooner we find Orko the better," Man at arm said. "I sure hope he's okay," he said. "I know he gets on my last nerve sometimes, but if anything would happen to him and I wasn't there to help I would never forgive myself," he said.
"This way," Battle cat said and lead them to the spot where Orko had collapsed. "He was right here," he said. Then sniffed again. "There were five others here, their scent seems Trollan but I don't recognize them at all," he said with a growl.
"You don't think it was that unnamed order Orko told us about?" Teela said as she was helping.
"I sure hope not, if it was they might be torturing poor Orko," Dree Elle said.
"The scent trail leads this way," Battle cat said.
"Okay lead the way Battle cat," He man said.
Meanwhile at the hut Orko was resting in the bed. He was wondering about his friends and if they were looking for him. He was also wondering if Yuka managed to get away from Beast Man and his pet.
Others were still looking for Orko. Yuka was coming along. "I can't help feel like it was my fault, I could've helped Orko but I didn't I was too scared," Yuka said.
"It's okay Yuka, it's not your fault," Dree Elle said. "Anyone would've been frightened," she said.
"Your sister is right being attacked without warning can be scary for anyone," Teela said. "But just remember you can still do brave things although you are scared," she said.
"Okay," Yuka said.
Orko felt much better now. "I feel much better now," Orko said.
"Yes that healing potion did the trick," Masde said.
Orko heard something from outside. "That sounds like," Orko said coming out. Then Battle cat appeared with He Man. "He Man, Battle cat!" he said.
"Orko," He Man said.
Then Man at arms and Teela came up, along with Dree Elle and Yuka. "Man at arms! Teela! Dree Elle! Yuka!" Orko said. "You guys found me," he said.
"Are you okay Orko?" Teela asked.
"Yes he is fine, I gave him medicine before you came so he is fine now," Masde said.
"Yes we found him collapsed in the mud," Vana said.
"Yes and we brought him here to help him," Ero Dee said.
"He should be fine now," Foosabella said.
"You must be Orko's friends," Azron said.
"I don't believe I recognize these Trollans from the time we were able to, go to Trolla and saw that museum," Teela said. "These are the other ringbearers alive and well," she said.
"Well Orko did tell us Trollans can live a very long time," Man at arms said. "It is good to see you are alright little friend," he said.
"I am glad to be alright," Orko said.
"Come we have much to talk about," Azron said. Then proceed to explain to them about how Orko was the great oracle he foretold of that would help the champion of Eternia and the masters bring an age peace to the universe for centuries to come. "He will also restore Trolla's honor and reputation too," he said.
"I knew I had a bad feeling why that unnamed order seemed intent on spying on Orko and doing him harm, it's not just because he is another ringbearer, because the unnamed one sensed he was the one who would be his undoing," Man at arms said. "So he will stop at nothing to keep Orko from completely his destiny." he said.
"Yes but we will help Orko in his quest to complete his destiny because he is our friend," Teela said.
"Not to mention his destiny is intertwined with ours so we have to do all we can to help," He Man said.
"Orko will have some times where he will have to be here where we will live on Eternia to train for a while," Azron said. "It will help him hone his skills and grow in to the ringbearer he is meant to be," he said. "It will be a lot of hard work, but he can do it," he said.
"I am ready for it too," Orko said. "I am ready to accept the responsibility." he said.
Soon the headed back to the palace. Orko was wondering when he was going to go and get his first lesson.
"Hi in today's story you read how Orko at first for long time was unsure of the responsibility and worthiness of the responsibility of his mage emblem," He Man said. "But once meeting and talking to the others who had the same emblem helped him understand," he said. "Sometimes if you need to learn more about how to take responsibility or need help with a responsibility sometimes it takes accepting it and talking it over with someone you trust." he said. "A parent, a teacher, someone in your place of worship, or even a good friend," he said. "Sometimes doing that will help you take the steps to having responsibility and taking responsibility to handle it better," he said. "Until next time," he said.