B006T5JMRC EBOK (17 page)

The moonlight leaked through the front windows of the inn and Kale blinked, regaining full focus on his surroundings as he scrunched the skin between his brows. The loud squawking of a black crow which sat perched upon one of the windowsills caused him to groan loudly. Kale rubbed his temples as the pain permeated his throbbing head.

“Drinking will do that to you.” Thomas spoke as he slung his red pack over a shoulder. “Maybe next time you’ll caution yourself to watch your pace.”

“Though I’m sure the drinking is at fault, this wretched bird is not helping the matter.” He growled in the direction of the crow.

“Is everything all right you two?” Mortimer spoke from the darkness, causing Kale to jump in surprise. “I apologize for startling you. However, I heard a lot of movement and wanted to ensure no mid-night guests had arrived.

“We are fine, Morty. It is we who should apologize for waking you,” Thomas replied.

Kale glanced over to the velvet pouch Alden had earlier left behind for Mortimer. “The travelers left earlier. They wanted you to take that as pay.” He looked down, feeling guilty that they too would soon leave Mortimer.

“My goodness.” Mortimer held the sack in his palm as if to weigh it. “This is far more than the cost of their stay. What kind gentlemen they were.” He glanced toward the window, “I need to purchase more tomatoes today.” The old man’s mind had begun to wander again.

Neither Kale nor Thomas wanted to deliver the news to Mortimer. They both knew he had truly enjoyed their company and would be incredibly lonely once they left. Though Mortimer portrayed a cheerful and content man, it was clear he anxiously awaited the arrival of travelers to keep him company.

Finally, Thomas spoke, “I’m sorry, Morty, but we too shall be leaving Braxle tonight. Our time has come to move on, as we do not wish to bring our burden upon this town. It would seem our luck has run thin.”

“Oh—this is sudden.” Behind Mortimer’s thick glasses, his enlarged eyes filled with sadness.

“There have been some unexpected occurrences and we both feel it is in the best interest of the people here for us to leave. We thank you for all you’ve done; your hospitality has been far too gracious.”

“Yes, thank you. The meals I’ve had while staying here are the best I have ever eaten in my life,” Kale added, grateful for Mortimer’s kindness.

“I understand, and do appreciate you are good to your word and will not bring your troubles upon us. However, I cannot say this doesn’t come as an unfortunate surprise.” He sighed. “I—I need to go clean out the storage area now then rest...” Mortimer’s voice trailed off as he turned, leaving the room.

Kale and Thomas stood in silence, knowing Mortimer was upset about their departure. Though unpleasant, they knew there was no other way to handle the situation. Kale rubbed his stomach as he realized just how much he was going to miss the comforts of the inn. Although Kale still wasn’t keen on the thought of humans, he had grown to care for and appreciate Mortimer.

Before leaving for Illadar’s home, Kale reached into his pocket, withdrawing the gold coin Alden had given to him. He smiled, hoping one day he would see Mortimer again as he set the coin onto the wooden table. “Goodbye, Morty,” he whispered. “I won’t forget you.”

As they exited the inn, Kale could see a mass of dark grey clouds rolling in from the west. They would need to move quickly in order to make camp before the storm.

“Please, wait a moment!” Mortimer hurriedly approached them, carrying a wrapped bundle within his arms. “Put this into your bag, Thomas. You’re going to need something to eat when you arrive at your next destination.” He glanced from Thomas to Kale. “Please take care, you two.” He forced a smile before quickly returning to the inn.

Kale sighed as they watched Mortimer disappear. “Let’s go, old man.” He rested a hand on Thomas’ shoulder as they walked toward the town square.

Upon arriving at the blacksmith’s, Kale briskly made his way through the forge and toward Illadar’s small room. He shoved the cloth to the side and pushed open the wooden door.

“Illadar, we—” Kale’s words stopped short as he glanced around the empty room.

He left already—I can’t believe it
. Kale turned to leave, his shoulders drooped as he began to sulk. He feared Illadar had left without him after their confrontation.

“It will be fine, Kale.” Thomas put a firm hand on his back.

Before any further assurances could be given, they heard sudden movement from outside a small, squared window.

Kale was certain he heard the sound of Illadar grunting. His blue eyes immediately lit up. Kale turned to follow the noise, without hesitation or second thought of the circumstances.

“We should take caution.” Thomas gripped Kale’s arm. “You do not know if this is a trap.”

“I know it is him, Thomas.” Kale pulled his arm free.

As they rounded the corner to the side alley, Kale abruptly halted, causing Thomas to stumble into his back. Kale raised a finger to his lips as he pointed toward Illadar who held a large claymore up in the air—unaware of their presence. Even at a distance, they could hear his heavy panting and see the thick beads of sweat which rolled down his dark muscular arms. He maneuvered his body flawlessly within the limited space of the alley, thrusting and swiping the broad blade in clean, swift motions.

As Kale continued to watch in awe, Illadar paused, momentarily resting the blade upon his shoulder as he approached a barrel topped with a single apple. Without hesitation, he lifted the apple, tossing it into the air. He took a swift stride back before gripping the claymore with both hands, preparing his body to swing. As the apple descended to the level of Illadar’s chest, he swung at full force, slicing the fruit into two halves.

Though his back was turned to them, Kale could see Illadar’s cheek muscles flex and knew he smiled at his accomplishment. He then watched as Illadar knelt to retrieve one of the apple pieces. The loud crunching could be heard as he indulged in the reward from his victorious strike. Thunder roared loudly above as the night sky became covered in grey, distracting Illadar from his snack.

“You never told me you were so good,” Kale finally broke the silence. Time was of the essence.

Illadar started in surprise. “What are you doin’ here, kid? I figured you’d be long gone by now.” He glanced toward the dark clouds which were nearly above them. “I’d better get goin’ myself. I just needed to ensure that I’ve packed the proper weaponry—you’ve gotta’ be prepared in a world filled with chaos. I pity the man in black, should I meet him again.”

“I want you to come with us.” Kale didn’t waste any time getting to the point. “We both have the same goals—and, I’m sorry...” He glanced down. “I’m sorry for my behavior last night. I want to learn from you. Your skill is amazing.”

Illadar stared forward suspiciously, unsure why Kale could possibly have such a strong hatred for Jedah. He knew there must be a reason behind Kale’s passion to fight. Another rumble of thunder filled the sky and Illadar decided now was not the time to delay the situation with his stubborn pride. His priority was to leave Braxle and find a place to safely camp before the downpour.

“I suppose we can go together—for now, anyway. But run off like you did last night and next time I won’t be around when you come lookin’. Comrades stand together.” He smiled, as though relieved by the situation.

This was the first time Kale had ever seen Illadar smile, which in turn made his lips curl upward with satisfaction.

“Let’s go, kid.” Illadar continued, lowering his voice, “I know a place just outside of town where we can go. I’ve been there before and can assure you, we won’t be found tonight.” He slung a grey bag over his shoulder as he approached the two. “Nice to finally meet you—Kale talks about you often.”

Thomas bowed his head, “Likewise.”

Although Thomas and Illadar had worked so close in the town square, up until this point they had only exchanged a courteous wave in the morning and even that was a rarity.

A bright flash illuminated the sky, followed by a mighty boom of thunder.

“We need to leave,” Kale spoke as a strong gust of wind blew through his hair.

As they made their way to the opening entrance of the town wall, a light drizzle began to fall. A crow flew overhead, releasing abnormally irritating sounds. Kale couldn’t help but wonder if it was the same bird from the windowsill.

Good riddance,
Kale thought as the noisy bird soon became a black speck in the distance.

By the time they reached the exit, their clothes were damp and cold from the wind chill. Despite the need to press on, Kale paused, glancing over his shoulder toward the quaint town. The people of Braxle were so kind and caring. They had opened his heart to a whole new way of life and taught him not all humans were cruel. He would even miss Theresa, despite her persistent annoyance and clever sleight of hand. Throughout his time in Braxle, he learned to not judge others so hastily. Although, he still longed to return to being a dragon, he now held no regrets for his time spent as a human.

“Farewell, Braxle,” Kale whispered as he turned to join his friends, setting off toward their new destination.

Chapter 13: Broken Trust

T
hey arrived at the forest border, chilled from the intermittent rainfall steadily growing worse. Kale shook himself, which caused a copious amount of water to scatter in all directions. He was thankful for the momentary relief the sky offered.

“It’s just ahead.” Illadar pointed forward. “Hopefully everything is as it was when I first prepared the site in case of an emergency.” He glanced toward the threatening sky. “Either way, we’d better get movin’; it looks like things are about to get much worse.” Illadar took the first steps into the dreary forest, weaving through the sagging foliage weighted down by water droplets.

Kale had anticipated that they would travel along another trail; not shove their way through wet vegetation in the darkness of night. He grunted, miserably pressing forward as mud seeped into his shoes. It was amazing how many puddles were hidden beneath the leaves, and soon his feet squished loudly with every step.

After what felt like hours of discomfort, they finally arrived at a clearing where Kale saw a small, wooden structure consisting of four short posts and a log rooftop coated in dead leaves. It obviously had been created for no more than sitting and sleeping purposes.

Illadar chuckled. “I can’t believe the thing is still standin’. It’s no castle, but at least we’ll be dry when it rains.”

Kale exhaled, knowing time was going to drag on slowly as they huddled under the low roof, awaiting dawn’s first light. The rain, as expected, increased and the thought of a warm fire pressed upon their minds as the chilling wind slapped against their flesh. They were grateful for the barrier of trees which surrounded them, aiding to block some of the rain that poured in at an angle.

“We owe great thanks to Mortimer; had it not been for his kind parting gift, we would not have a delicious meal in such weather.” Thomas reached into the red sack, retrieving the thoughtfully wrapped bundle.

The three enjoyed the feast of roasted pulled pork, cheese, and bread. The late-night meal was incredibly satisfying and left each fully content. They laid back, listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops against the rooftop.

Kale rolled onto his side, admiring the hilt of the claymore Illadar had secured snugly in a hilt which only covered the tip of the blade. “Will you teach me?” Kale questioned hopefully to Illadar. “I’m never going to stand a chance in battle, let alone against Jedah, if I don’t learn the proper techniques.”

“Are you hardheaded, or just plain stupid?” Illadar replied as he lowered his eyebrows. “Do you honestly assume you’ll be able to master swordsmanship, and then stroll up to General Jedah for a one-on-one confrontation?” He laughed in amusement at Kale’s ignorance. “It’s apparent you don’t know that sly cur after all. You won’t find him without his pawns around, so if you think you’re gonna’ have safe passage past a hundred knights—you’ve got another think comin’.”

“I’m no fool, I’ve already thought of such things.” Kale replied hastily. In all reality, he had not given much attention to the details of the situation. He hadn’t a clue of how he would handle fighting against such a powerful adversary. “I’d still like to learn.” He finally continued, “Things are not going to fall into place all at once; I cannot begin to plan my next steps if I can’t even swing a weapon properly. Besides,
you
can’t expect to fight against him alone either—you need me.” Kale smirked, knowing by the expression upon Illadar’s face, he had won the argument.

“Fine, kid.” Illadar grunted, annoyed by Kale’s persistence, yet equally flattered someone would desire his guidance. “We begin first thing in the morning after we eat. I suggest you get some rest now. You won’t be sleepin’ for long.”

The morning air was warm and humid. Each gentle breeze sent water droplets trickling from foliage after the night’s rain. A few scattered clouds lingered across the sky, but the day appeared to be pleasant and filled with sunshine.

Kale awoke after an uncomfortable and brief amount of broken sleep. He stretched his limbs as he opened his mouth to release a loud yawn. His eyes shot open, filled with sudden excitement—this was the day he was going to train. He shoveled down a filling portion of leftovers before emerging from the small covering.

“You have got to be joking.” Kale ran a hand through his hair, frustrated by the sight before him.

The black crow caught sight of Kale as it began squawking loudly before swiftly flying away.

“Stupid bird,” Kale muttered.

Illadar, already awake, was gathering wood to lay out for drying so they could later enjoy a fire. “Mornin’, kid.”

“Good morning.” Kale rubbed his eyes. “I’m ready to learn.”

Illadar laughed, smiling at Kale’s eager attitude. “All right, kid, come stand here.” He motioned his hand toward the location.

Kale hustled obediently.
This is it
, he thought,
I’m finally going to be a warrior. I’m going to avenge those who have fallen to Jedah’s wrath
.