Chapter 8: The Hunt has Begun!
Cevlon - Below the surface:
Sonera set her cape on the back of a chair and slumped on to the cot. Exhausted, and suddenly...lonely.
Letholdus and Elowen had gone up to the surface to get more food in the market. She had been with them for some time, but she suddenly got hit with a wave of depression and wanted to be alone. So...here she was.
But this place wasn’t helping her mood. Suddenly it felt like the walls were closing in on her and she couldn’t get a full breath.
She couldn’t take it.
She jumped up and ran out of the cave and through the tunnel that led up to the surface.
Making it out, she was hit with the bright, afternoon sun that brought her spirits up a little bit. She began walking along the wall till she came to the commoner’s entrance. The commoner’s entrance had no guard, so she was able to slip by unnoticed.
Sonera headed to the one place she always went to when she was lonely and depressed. It wasn’t visited by many people, because hardly anyone wandered around the Lowlands enough to know it was there.
She walked blindly past women with baskets on their heads, men with tools in their hands, children chasing dogs, and babies crying. She held herself in a hug as despair crashed onto her.
People didn’t see her pain, and didn’t notice her sorrow. In a world that held countless people, Sonera felt alone.
Now she knew that was true. Elowen was a good friend, and usually the two were inseparable! Elowen had such a kind, innocent and gentle heart that she wore on her sleeve. Some of it rubbed off on Sonera, but there were still times when she felt alone. Like now.
She made her way through the crowds, and weaved in and out of the streets. Knowing the location by heart, her feet knew where to go.
The loud chatter of the city became white noise to her as she came closer and closer to her destination.
She walked into a deserted alleyway and came into a circular square. In the middle of the circle sat a lone tree. It’s branches covered in white blossoms that fell to the ground in the light breeze.
With no one watching her, her pain came out in hot tears, and the sobs of a broken heart were to be heard, even as quiet as they were.
“Eleyos...” She prayed. “I need your comfort...more then anything now...I need a friend. I need someone who will listen, but wont hurt me for it.” The tears dripped down her nose and chin, landing on the green grass that surrounded the tree.
“Please Eleyos....I don’t ask much. I have never needed much. Just someone to...to take care of me.” She ran her sleeve under her nose and tried to mop up some of the tears, but it did no good.
“I don’t want to be alone anymore. I don’t want to be on my own. If this is life, I don’t want it. I don’t want to go through it by myself. Please...”
She felt something warm behind her, and an arm wrapped around her. She didn’t need to look to see who it was. He was taller then she was, and he smelled of fresh crecip fruit.
It was Kade. He had found her. She knew he would eventually, but she wished it wasn’t when she looked weak.
But then she remembered her prayer that had just departed her lips. She had asked for a friend. Someone who would listen to her.
Upon realizing this, she turned around and wrapped her own arms around his waist. Crying into his shoulder.
Kade held her tight and made a silent vow to himself never to let her go again.
He didn’t actually know what had made him come here. Now of course the two of them knew of this place and come here often as kids, but he was in middle of drills when he felt a strong urge to come here. So he dropped everything he was doing, changed out of his armor and ran as fast as he could.
The last thing he expected was to see Sonera praying then bursting out into tears.
Sonera continued to cry for a good couple minutes. Kade wasn’t exactly sure what to do, other then to just be there. Which was enough.
And when she couldn’t cry anymore, she took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down.
She let go of Kade and took a step back, breaking their contact. She wiped her face off with her sleeve and tried to compose herself. She couldn’t believe she had just broken down in front of him!
“You know, you don’t always have to be so strong.” Kade said, seeing the struggle behind her eyes.
“It’s just me. I’ve known you sense we were kids.” He finished with a smile.
Sonera shrugged. But then things went down hill.
“Sonera? Are you here?”
Sonera’s eyes grew wide as she willed the small girl not to be there. Or for Kade to turn.
Elowen had been looking for Sonera for some time now, and was relieved to see she had found her new friend. She smiled and took a step towards her, but stalled when she saw the pleading in Sonera’s eyes. Then she noticed the man.
She would never forget his face, and when he turned she knew it was bad.
Ellie’s dark green eyes were met with the dark purple eyes of Kade. First they showed confusion, then disbelief. She was scared it would turn to rage and fury. And that he’d take it out on Sonera who wasn’t more then a pace away from him.
Elowen’s eyes flashed to Sonera for help. But she then prayed to Eleyos for protection.
“What in the name of Eleyos?” Kade whispered. He turned back to Sonera.
“Is this some kind of illusion? A trick?” He asked.
Sonera bit her bottom lip but didn’t answer. He turned back to Ellie.
“What are you?” He asked harshly.
“Flesh and bones sir.” She answered, not sure what else to tell him.
He shook his head.
“Impossible. You died a fortnight ago. I saw it with my own eyes. I killed you! I would have known if the poison didn’t work then.”
Elowen stepped forward and extended a hand.
“Then touch me. See for yourself! I’m not a phantom or a ghost. And I didn’t come back to life if that’s what your wondering.”
Kade’s eyes flashed from her hand to her gaze before he reached out and grasped her small hand.
“You didn’t die?” He asked. Ellie shook her head. Kade’s eyes became cold, and she had a gut feeling she knew what he was going to do next.
There was a flash of steel, as the sun glinted off it and then just as soon as Elowen saw his, another blocked it’s path to her neck.
“Sorry Kade. I can’t let you do that.”
Sonera was standing in front of Ellie in a protective stance. Keeping his sword from reaching the small girl.
Kade’s eyes flashed at her in anger, but gently softened as he lowered his sword. The tip digging into the ground.
“Somehow, I’m not surprised. I knew you didn’t want me to do it, but I never thought you’d go so far to keep her safe.” He pointed out.
Sonera lowered her own sword slowly.
“It’s not just her I’m protecting. Its the fate of the worlds. If she dies, they die too.”
“What?”
Sonera glanced at Ellie as she stepped away from her.
“Come. We’ll tell you everything Lieutenant Kade.” She said respectfully, then she turned and led the way back to the wall, and out the gate.
.:+:.
Kade didn’t like it. He didn’t like any of it.
A girl who didn’t stay dead. A mission which seemed down right impossible. A bounty hunter who supposedly was suppose to save the two worlds.
Which told him, undoubtedly, this mission was going to be a total failure.
But, he did sit an listen to the two girls retell what little they knew.
Even though he didn’t believe any of it, he could see that Sonera did. Same with that phantom girl that was suppose to be dead.
“So you two actually expect me to believe this far fetched fairy tale?” He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
The girls nodded in unison. The two of them were sitting on a rock just outside Haven’s walls, while he stood on his feet.
“And we have to find Dreyden! Soon! Before anything else happens. Other wise I might never find him again.” Elowen cried desperately.
Kade turned a hard gaze to her.
“Why? He’s not going to do anything. He’s a free lancer! As soon as someone pays a fancy price, he’ll turn around and stab you in the back.”
Elowen’s own gaze hardened to ice. Kade was taken by surprise, he figured that the girl was more the submissive type. More the type to back down then to stand up. She was almost too nice to stand up for herself.
“Do you know him?”
Kade’s eyes grew.
“No. But I don’t -”
“Then you couldn’t possibly know what he would do, could you?”
“Why are you defending him?”
“Well because, apparently, this world doesn’t like outcasts. So someone’s got to stand up for him!”
Sonera laid a hand on Elowen’s shoulder, their eyes met and Elowen calmed down.
“Our minds are made up Kade.” Sonera spoke up.
“Well I simply wont have it. I’m not about to let you meander through Falion -”
“Kade! -”
He held up a hand that cut off Sonera’s flow of words.
“- unaccompanied.”
Her eyes flew open in surprise and excitement.
“Really?!” She asked, letting her excitement get a hold of her for the moment.
“Yeah...but some how I think I’ll regret this.” He let out a sigh and shook his head.
It was all Sonera could do not to jump up and give him a big hug, but she knew that would freak him out, so she contained herself.
“So...do either of you know where this bounty hunter is?” He asked.
“Well that’s just it. I have no clue. He could be anywhere by now.” Elowen said with a disappointed face.
“Hmm...” Kade was silent for a moment, trying to think of something. “Wait, did you say his name was Dreyden?”
Ellie nodded.
“Then he really is gone. Him and his band of outcasts. Just the other day I overheard a group of Palace guards, they said that they had tried to arrest him and his band, but instead they dove off the side of Cevlon. They’re probably down there somewhere.”
“Wait...what? Why were they going to arrest him?”
Kade let out a sigh.
“Because he helped me out of a situation and because they couldn’t get me thrown in jail, they went after him instead.”
“You? Needed help? From a bounty hunter?” Sonera asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Oh shut up.”
She laughed, and took his response as a ‘yes’.
“Well can’t Gravin smell out their yertos?” She asked. Trying to figure out what to do.
“Yes, but -”
“Who’s Gravin?” Ellie jumped in. Utterly confused.
“My yerto.”
“Oh! Well...at least it’s more original then Swift.” She muttered.
“Huh?” Sonera asked, not sure what she was talking about.
“Oh never mind. Anyways, you were saying?” She motioned to Kade.
“Uh...right. Well I suppose Gravin can smell them out, but I’m not sure that’ll work to well...”
Elowen had been gazing up at the bright blue sky when the thought dawned on her. And when it did, she gasped.
“What?” Kade asked, startled by her sudden shock on her face.
She shook her head in marvel at herself.
“I can’t believe I was so stupid!” She whispered. “I know how to find them.” She said, addressing the other two. She then took off running back towards the tunnel that lead to Letholdus’ home.
She shoved past the curtain, all out of breath, but still, the excitement was an obvious twinkle in her eye.
“Letholdus!”
The man had been sipping on a bowl of soup peacefully, until she burst in and then suddenly his hot soup went from the bowl, to his lap.
He muttered something under his breath and waved his hand over his lap while mouthing words.
“Elowen, you should know better then to scare me like that.”
Elowen tried to calm down a little bit.
“Letholdus, is it possible to create a tracking spell, on say....This map?” She pulled a map from one of the shelves. Quickly checking, and nodded when she saw that it was of both Cevlon and Falion.
Letholdus knew who she had in mind of tracking, but his thin lipped mouth turned into a frown as he rubbed his chin.
“Hmm...it is possible, but that spell is very tricky, and takes a lot out of you. I’m afraid that I am too old for it, and you are too weak for it.” He pointed out.
She nodded in agreement.
“But together I think we could do it. Yes?”
The old man rubbed his chin some more and finally gave a curt nod.
“Yes, but you are still too weak miss.”
She shook her head in a determined fashion.
“No I’m not. I feel much better, honestly, and I know I can do this. I have to.”
Letholdus could see that she wasn’t going to be persuaded any different. He sighed and nodded as he rose to retrieve his staff from the wall.
“Very well.”
“Um...but Letholdus....Uh, I don’t have my staff anymore. So...” Elowen could do small spells with out her staff, but she hadn’t mastered that fully yet, and was scared of trying something so big.
Letholdus smiled and opened up a small closet.
“I took the liberty of relieving a certain Palace guard of this.”
Ellie gasped and shrieked in surprise as he produced her own staff.
“My staff!” She took it eagerly and ran her hands along the white wood. “Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” She rushed forward and gave Letholdus a big hug. His deep laughter rumbled through him as he gave her a squeeze.
“You are quiet welcome, but I do believe this belongs with it, yes?”
He produced a recently washed white robe with a deep cowl and the purple insignia of a Magi on the left cuff.
It was more then Elowen could ask for. She needed her staff, yes, but she also felt slightly naked with out her robe as well. So when he gave it back to her and she slipped it on, she felt more herself, then before.
“Oh Letholdus! I don’t think you know how much this means to me.” She cried, tears of joy springing up.
“Actually, I believe I do.” He said with an understanding smile. “Now, dry your tears and lets get to work.”
Ellie nodded and they walked to the map that was rolled out on the table.
At that moment, Sonera came in with Kade right behind her.
Sonera was chewing out her bottom lip and she shot a ‘sorry’ look to both Ellie and Letholdus.
Letholdus sighed.
“Hello Lieutenant. I see you have decided to help them. I approve of this. So, you will now witness a rarely used spell that has almost killed anyone who’s foolish enough to try it. So please. Don’t. Talk. We’d like to die in peace.”
Kade was thrown into speechlessness by Letholdus’ comment.
“Wait, you’re a Magi too? What in Eleyos’ name is going on here?! And where did you come from?!” He cried.
Letholdus rolled his eyes upward, as if to say ‘Eleyos please excuse this boy that doesn’t listen to plain stated rules.’
“And there goes the peace. I’ve always been here. You just never took notice of me. Now hush!
Ellie are you ready?”
Ellie nodded and tried to hide the smile. The two turned to the map.
“Kest’rivik delado.” They chanted the same spell over and over, the longer they did, the stronger the spell became when they gave their energy away slowly.
Sonera watched in awe as silver-blue and white magic swirled over the map on the table.
She glanced over at Kade, who had a dumbfounded and befuddled look on his face. She smiled when she remembered that that was her not too long ago. Utterly confused, not sure what to think of what was going on before her very eyes.
Sonera slipped her hand into his, and he squeezed tight, needing an anchor to reality.
The swirls of magic contracted closer and closer, till they were a single dot on the map.
When it became that small, the two Magi stopped chanting.
Both were breathing heavily and Kade rushed forward to keep Elowen from collapsing.
She smiled at him in thank you as he led her to the cot.
“Did it work?” She asked Letholdus. Who was leaning over and examining their handiwork.
He picked up the map and handed it to Ellie. She ran her hand over the swirling mix of blue and white that was now just a speck on the map.
“The Illumination Forest? He’s in the Illumination Forest?” She asked Letholdus.
“So it would seem.”
“What’s the Illumination Forest?” Sonera asked. Elowen opened her mouth to explain, but she couldn’t.
“It’s beauty is beyond words Sonera. You’ll just have to see it for yourself.” She said finally.
“Indeed. And that should be as soon as possible. Lieutenant, I suggest you change into something more durable, as for you my dear Elowen...you shall need a new change of clothes as well.”
Elowen nodded and glanced down at her tattered and dirty purple dress.
“I’ll take you shopping. Alright?” Sonera suggested. “And I’m in need of a new jacket so, we’ll find one as well.” She added behind her hand. Ellie smiled and nodded.
Kade sighed, he couldn’t believe he was doing this. This was insane and he was sure they’d all end up dead before night fell.
“I suggest you all pray in the temple before we leave. Pray for safety,...and sanity.” He muttered before he rose and left.
“Strange fellow...” Letholdus decided as the curtain swung shut.
Sonera chuckled.
“Always has been, probably always will. Come on then Ellie. We have shopping to get to!”
.:+:.
As soon as Kade had stepped inside the walls of Haven, he knew he was in huge trouble.
