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The Glyphs yeild both salvation and destruction |
| I'm hoping to get this published the way I write it; a series of short stories. It gives the sense of them being memoires rather than a journal. So far, I've taken the time to devote two hours of my day to just writing and editing these stories. With the completion of each part, I look back and try to revise the previous. I can only hope it creates something worth reading. Leave your comments, no matter how harsh or benevolent. I take the feedback from this community seriously. |
| As I felt the castle shaking from the combat above me, I wandered the dimly lit corridors that led to the dungeon. I had yet to figure out Keld’s intentions for the girl, but I didn’t have time to argue. The walls were close around me and conformed to nothing but right angles. I wound around one more corner and found myself in the prison block. There were no guards; they were probably concerned with the fighting overhead. It made it easy for me to search the cells. With no interruptions, I found who I was looking for. She was dressed as she was before, but had a large bruise on her arm now, probably where the guard caught her. “Hey.” I called in. She rolled over and seemed to have been asleep. I took a seed from my pocket and pushed it into the lock. I raised my arm to the key hole and soon, the lock was forced apart by a massive pumpkin. As the door swung open, the fighting seemed to stop. Everything was quiet again. I didn’t like it. I scooped up the child and ran down the hall I had just come from, hoping to find a quick exit without being seen by Gideon. It didn’t work out that way. As I pushed back into the main hall, the girl now on her feet and right behind me, a guard caught sight of me and gave chase. I ran through the still open front door and through the still quiet town. The guard was quick to lose, but I still wasn’t out of trouble. Being seen meant being known. With the king dead and no heirs left, chaos was sure to follow. All I could do now was find a reason to Keld’s orders. We fled from the capital and didn’t look back. The night was quiet, as were we. The running didn’t stop until we made it to an outer village. There, we took a room at the inn for the night. The innkeeper had a look of peculiarity when we walked in. We looked like we had been through a great deal. Once up in the room, we cleaned up and sat to talk. She fit into my extra pair of traveling clothes loosely. It was for the best that she dressed this way to dilute suspicion. With a moment to breath, I watched inquisitively. She observed me in a similar fashion. I was the first to speak. “What’s your name?” I asked, skipping any idle banter. “Legna. Yours?” She asked shrewdly. I was surprised with the forward nature of this girl. “Rosh.” I replied. “Aren’t you going to thank me for breaking you out?” I asked. “Why? Now I’m running from them again. I had a bed and three meals a day there. "Now what?” She replied, obviously agitated. I couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I see.” I answered. “Well, then I am sorry. But, you are going to be very important in the near future. Unless you think it would be better otherwise, I want you to come with me.” I suggested. “Where?” She asked. I stopped and realized I did not know where to go from here. I couldn’t return to the castle with the guards after us and I no longer had a lead as to where Gideon could be. “For now, we can stay here. In the morning, we can figure out where to go and what to do.” I explained. “So, you broke me out and you have no idea why?” She asked. “You sound hopeless.” “For your information,” I began. “Save it.” She interrupted. “Let’s just get some sleep.” Before I could add a last word, she rolled over and fell asleep. She was proving to be more trouble than I had asked for. However, I still found it best to listen to Keld’s wishes. With that, my thoughts turned back to the throne room. The king had vanished in an instant. With such a power, did Keld even stand a chance? Likely, he died shortly after we parted. My doubt drove me from my sleep and soon, I was back on the road towards Evvrét. The night was still thick, and the town was now alive with activity. Guards and Reavers were running across the streets. I followed a path close to the shadows and scaled the castle walls with a few grapevines. The inside wasn’t much different from the outside. Guards still ran about. A group was gathered around where the throne and Phalen’s charred remains sat. Another was examining a pile of ashes nearer to the portcullis. That was all I needed to see. Everything was gone again, and my world was destroyed by Gideon again. I was on the verge of leaping down and driving them away from Keld’s remains. However, a sudden conversation caught my attention. Another Reaver entered, decorated with a dark brown armband. It was obvious he was an officer. “Report ensign.” He stated curtly to the nearest other Reaver. “Two victims. One is a former knight that his majesty recently reinstated. The other we believe to be the king himself.” He answered with a swift salute. “Who’s the killer?” The officer inquired. “He’s the renegade we sighted a few days ago at the son and daughter’s crime scenes. All information on him is currently being kept at HQ.” He answered. “What about the other incident? Same person?” The officer continued. I leaned closer to try and catch the conversation better. “Nothing but a jail break sir. The perpetrator is unknown, but we do have a witness giving us a description.” He began, indicating across the room to where a guard was speaking with another Reaver. “The former prisoner was only the peasant girl we caught yesterday. We don’t currently know why she was broken out, but we aren’t taking any chances considering the recent happenings.” “Keep up the investigation and report everything to HQ. I’ll be there as soon as I can to look up more on this renegade.” The officer commanded. The Reaver he addressed saluted and turned to continue the investigation. I retreated from the city quickly, not wanting to get caught. The night was growing short and I needed to get back to the inn before Legna woke up. This trip was becoming something much more than I had expected. I only hoped, or prayed, that I could see it through to the end. |
| Keld explained what happened all those years ago to the king. Not once before then had I seen Keld address someone with so much respect. He bowed before the man that set his bounty. It was a strange relationship they had. I would never forgive someone who was out to kill me. Then again, no one has ever been out to kill me. The king revoked the mark on Keld and we all felt a bit more at ease. It was strange how we collectively felt safe when Gideon was out there somewhere, ready to strike the king. I knew as well as anyone that this wasn’t a safe place. Then again, the king could not rule his kingdom unless he was here. Fleeing was the same as dying for a man in his position. Perhaps this is why Keld had such esteem for him. We were given roam of the castle as long as the king was under guard. I stayed in the throne room and examined my surroundings a bit better. There were no pictures on the walls, just tapestries. As I recognized that, I began to wonder what happened to the king before this one. After all, the kingdom had spanned more than a lifetime. It would be impossible for a single ruler to have lived this long. As I looked up along a marvelous tapestry with many intricate designs, king Phalen approached me and spoke. “You are an extraordinary child. How is it you came about running with Keld?” He asked me. “Keld and I met only about a month ago. He trained me. Up until last night, I didn’t even know he was a wanted man.” I answered politely. “What kind of training? Why would someone your age have needed to fight?” He responded. “The assassin out to kill you is my former best friend, as well as my father’s murderer.” I responded a bit colder this time. I didn’t like remembering that night. “Ah, so this is your motive.” The king answered, not pressing further. “You must be very gifted for Keld to offer you help. He was the best of my knights and refused to train nearly all of his allies. I never did know why.” “He is a great person.” I replied, lacking anything to add. The king shifted his weight and the sleeve of his robe fell back, exposing his Glyph to me again. He must have caught me staring. “Are you curious about this?” He asked, lifting his arm and exposing more of the intricate drawing. “The power it has is still a mystery to me.” I admitted. “It is like that for me sometimes.” He began. “You see, my bloodline shares this common Glyph. It is the only one known to have two gifts attached to it.” He continued, approaching one of the columns he moved earlier. “If you look around, the kingdom’s insignia is etched into every brick along these walls and every layer of this pillar. My Glyph has the power to move objects that have this insignia on them. This is why many doors in this castle have the markings they do. It is the best kind of security available.” He stated, turning towards me again. “But, what is the other gift then?” I pursued. “You are quick.” He replied with a smile. “The other gift is less apparent to those who do not have it. You see, it is also a healing Glyph. Though it cannot seal up a mortal wound, it closes scratches and blanches bruises with easy. It has also preserved my relative youth for many years now.” He explained, giving me an answer to my unasked question. “It is a very strong Glyph.” I commented. Then, I remembered something. “Tell me though, how is it that small peasant girl from before was able to lift your front gate then?” I asked. He sighed. “Many of my ancestors were not as noble as the population believes. We were a marauding band who seized control of this land through many generations of war and sacrifice. In the constant raids and attacks, it seems my distant uncles and fathers may have spread the lineage beyond the gate of our land. Every few decades, someone is born with this Glyph outside of the royal line. Usually, they do not cause this much trouble though.” “I’m sure petty theft isn’t that much trouble.” I concluded. “Not just her, Rosh. Your friend that killed my children could not have entered the castle without a Glyph of this nature.” I froze. “That can’t be.” I concluded. “His strength is fire, not telepathy.” “That is a mystery to me as well, but it cannot argue with evidence. My son and daughter do not yet have their Glyphs, and I was asleep until the Reavers drove him from here.” He bowed his head in grieving. “I can’t believe it.” I stated, dumbfounded at the possibility that my best friend was a descendent of royalty. “Can’t believe it?” He questioned, raising his tone. “This world is filled with amazing powers, thousands of people, and you cannot believe that your best friend is related to me?” He asked. I saw his point. We parted until evening. After the guards changed out, Keld and I waited for something to happen in the throne room. The king did not wish to leave for his chambers until the matter was resolved. I believe he knew what was coming. We crouched in the rafters above the king, looking down at an empty hall. The tapers were all lit and we could see shadows dancing with the flames. Every movement made me jump. Keld however was perfectly still. The moon passed behind a cloud and for a second, the room was darker. It came then. We heard the front gate open and looked down at the king. He was asleep in his chair. It could only be Gideon. “Sire!” Keld yelled down. The king woke and saw what was coming towards him. Keld let lose his water and poured it down in front of Phalen. It didn’t help however. A massive column of flames rushed the throne, flash-boiling the water. In no more than a second, the throne was no more. Keld winced and turned to me. “Listen, Rosh. We’re in more trouble than you may think. Now is not the time to face off with Gideon. I want you to go to the dungeon and free the girl we met yesterday. Bring her somewhere safe. She may be the key to saving this crumbling kingdom.” With that, he jumped down and gathered the fog. I turned away from the fight, obeying orders. Part of me wanted to stay, to witness Keld’s last moments. However, part of me didn’t want to see him killed like my father. I had a feeling that if I stayed, I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from fighting to. |
| With the Reavers gone, we sat back down at the campfire. The night was still waxing, but we knew we had to leave. As Keld put out the fire and packed up the food, I took down the shelters and made it look as if no one had been here. We worked and spoke at the same time. “Who are they?” I inquired. “The Reavers? They took the place of the Knights after my betrayal.” He said, trailing off near the end. “Betrayal?” I questioned. “So you are a traitor.” I stated in response, questioning myself as to why I followed his lead in the first place. “There is something you need to know about this kingdom, me, and your friend.” He began, setting down his now filled sack. “I suspect your friend is working with the Eastern Coalition, a rebellion setting about the means to restore power to the west. They are still fairly bitter about losing the war.” “How do you know all this?” I interrupted. “I fought in that war and witnessed the end of it. Our king, Phalen, fears another war. He took the officers and united them as a band he called the Knights of Renferis. However, he neglected to tell us what his intentions were.” I sat, awed by this tale he spoke of. We got up and began our trip over the hills again. He continued his story as we moved, passing the body of the Reaver Keld slew. “Soon, our ranks thinned as our comrades left on ‘covert missions.’ Soon, I was called to go on one. It turns out, the king had nothing to do with it. His associate, doctor Velter, was using a strange Glyph to send the knights to their doom. I didn’t have a chance to warn the king of his treason before Velter convinced the other knights that I was the one who was killing my comrades.” He paused as we descended the next hill. “What did you do?” I asked, wishing for more of the story. “I fled with my former friends at my heels. I lost them and hid in the mountains for nearly two years, training. When I came down, the knights had become the Reavers and Velter ‘retired’ to the east. The king gave orders to this new fellowship and still saw me as a threat. They exist now as an elite police force, given writs to assassinate anyone suspected of greater crimes. My bounty is more than I was ever worth as a knight.” His story was bleak and depressing. It haunted me. The kingdom was not as it appeared. Up until he told me this story, I always thought we were good and the east was bad. It was how I was taught; how everyone in my village was taught. This small trip to avenge my father’s death was turning into something more than I could ever imagine. We crossed the plains that evening and arrived at the capital, Evvrét. The city stood as tall as ever. A large curtain wall surrounded all of the structures. As we passed into the city, I marveled at its construction. The inside was dramatically different than the bleak outside. Viaducts criss-crossed the skies, carrying water across the city. Small falls fell into channels periodically placed at street intersections. The streets were paved of high quality stones, and carriages traveled across the intersections. The buildings stood tall, covered in plaster with a lamp at every door. The viaducts dropped water down onto the roofs of every building, where a trough would catch it and carry it inside. The sun reflected brilliantly against the flowing water. Plants grew near every downspout. They circled the massive fountain in the town square. In the fountain stood a statue of what could only be our king. His likeness was detailed. A small beard covered his chin. His eyes were soft, pressed under his overhanging brows. His face bore the marks of youth, but the statue itself had to be very old. His hair hung behind the crown on his head, tied back in a knot. His entire body was covered in armor, save for his right arm. On his arm, a strange Glyph was replicated. The lines on it were smooth and gentle. It flowed in a fairly straight pattern. We did not wait long in the town square. We still needed a way into the castle without getting Keld caught. This would be the most difficult part. The castle had only one gate. A massive river, fed by the viaducts, flowed beneath the draw bridge. Two guards were waiting at the gate to meet us. The gate itself was tall and made entirely of stone. What stood as strange was the stone had similar smooth lines as the Glyph on the statue. Keld failed to stop at the bridge. He crossed and caught the attention of the two on-duty guards. They stopped us and asked why we had come. Apparently, they did not recognize Keld. He was about to speak when something strange happened. The door behind the guards began to move. The lines that resembled the Glyph began to glow a bright red. In little more than a few seconds, the door was just high enough for a little girl to squeeze through. That she did. She was small, dressed in beggar’s clothes. Her sack-cloth shirt failed to cover the Glyph on her arm. It was similar to, but not exactly like the ones on the statue. She had a small bag in her hand and was busy running from the castle. The door dropped back down behind her. The two guards that were questioning us quickly chased after her instead of staying to question us. We took this distraction and ran with it. Keld used his Glyph to raise the water beneath us up to a window on the second floor. We climbed the spout like stairs and snuck into the compound. He knew his way around from here. We ducked behind corners and wove around patrols. Soon enough, we found the entrance hall and sprinted towards the throne room. Two guards stood at the portcullis, spears at the ready to intercept us. Keld lifted his arm and the water from his canteen flew towards them, binding their weapon-hands to the wall behind them. The king had no choice to see us now. As we entered, he called for the guards. None came. I shut the hall doors and let Keld speak to him. “Sire, I’ve returned. If you want me imprisoned, you’ll have to wait until I’m done speaking with you.” He stated. The king sat back down, knowing he had no choice. “Speak then, Sir Havenguard.” He stated. His tone was gentle, not at all as I thought it would be. “Sire, we are here only to protect you. The one who slew your children will not finish until he has slain you as well.” Keld stated. The king’s eyes snapped with anger. He didn’t take well to Keld’s tone. He raised his arm and the Glyph turned red. The columns around us began to shift. A small section came out of each and flew right towards Keld. They surrounded him and pinned him to his place. “What do you know about him?” The king pressured. “He is with the eastern coalition, under command of Velter.” Keld answered. The King seemed a bit calmer now. The stones returned to their place beneath the pillars and everything went silent for a moment. The tension was thick and what was only a few seconds felt like hours. Shortly enough, the king sighed. “What is it you propose we do then?” |
| Though I spent nearly a month under the tutelage of Keld, I never even bothered asking him why. He seemed like the kind of person that did every thing for a reason. It never crossed my mind that he had a reason for me. I wouldn’t find the answer to my question until it was too late. But, plenty happened before then to make Keld want to answer my question. Upon receiving the news about the slaying of king Phalen’s heirs, I planned to leave to the capital, Evvrét. One more day of training passed and I quickly found myself preparing a travel bag for my two-day trek. I didn’t notice Keld had entered until he spoke to me. “I take it you plan on leaving for the capital then?” He inquired in his same grandfatherly tone. “Is that really a question?” I threw back sarcastically, without even turning away from my bag on the bed. I began filling the side pouch with pumpkin seeds when a second bag landed next to mine, already filled with enough provisions for a trip of this sort. With that, I turned and faced Keld with an inquiring eye. “I’m coming with you.” He stated. Though I wanted to believe that he was coming to help me, his eyes told me something else. “I’m not asking you to come.” I stated. “Don’t worry about that. I have my own business in Evvrét.” He replied, sitting next to his bag and waiting for me to finish. “Does dawn work for you?” That morning, we left the town behind. For the last time, we crossed the grounds we sparred on and looked down at the torn soil and stone, the dying grass, and the leaking rocks. The memories of all that time seemed distant for some reason. It was as if I was back on my journey towards Gideon, and I had never stopped. The day was spent walking; crossing fields and hills. When the darkness overcame us, we set camp at the base of our next climb. I grew two large shelters and matted the grass down for somewhere to lie. Keld built a fire up and began cooking a light meal for us. We ended up leaving before morning. Before the meal finished, the wind picked up rapidly and abruptly, blowing the fire out. With no light in our camp, the glowing of a distant Glyph was more than obvious. It vanished as quickly as it came. Keld and I were on our feet in an instant, ready for whatever was ambushing us. We ran from the site up the hill a bit to expose the ground to moonlight. It didn’t take long for our predator to approach us. He stood upon a large leaf that was carried upward by a massive gust of wind. His Glyph was aglow, indicating his skill as a wind manipulator. At the same time, part of the hill we stood upon gave way. A tall stone tower rose in its place, lifting another individual with a glowing Glyph. The two were garbed identically, in long coats with loose pants. A kerchief covered their mouths, making their identities hard to place. I doubted these two had anything to do with Gideon. “Keld Havenguard, you’re under arrest by order of the Reavers.” The one upon the leaf asserted. “On what charges!” I shouted back. The one upon the stone spoke. “Treason, of the highest stature.” His words pierced the night air and left everything silent, save for the wind beneath our other opponent. “I will resist and test you two myself.” Keld announced, stepping into a ready stance. The fight began without any further provocation. The one on the leaf soared straight at us, sending small needles of wind towards us, buffering our skin and exposing many weak points in our fighting gear. As he threw a punch, I grabbed his fist and the leaf. The plant curled up around him, causing him to fall to the side of the hill. At the same time as that assault, Keld held off the other one. He tore at the pillar with his water, but not before the other man leapt forward and struck at Keld. Keld jumped back in time to see the ground he was just standing upon break apart with the force of his blow. I followed my opponent down the hill, knowing the leaf wouldn’t hold for long. Before we even reached the bottom, he broke free and threw more gusts at me, this time flatter and stronger. I crossed my arms in front of my face, but it did little to hold me. I was lifted right into the air and left to fall. As I did, I watched Keld engage the other one. His opponent seemed to have the ability to turn what he touched into stone. At this point, his fist was solid rock and ready to pummel Keld. Keld’s water couldn’t do anything to a dry hand. He saw me fall and caught me with a cushion of water. I caught his eye and nodded towards the stone man. He nodded back, knowing what I asked. With that, we switched opponents. I faced off against the hard-handed pursuer while Keld dealt with the wind manipulator. As I landed back on sold ground, I gripped the dirt beneath me. He advanced quickly, ready to throw his hand at me. However, it was far to slow to ever make contact with me. I used this, ducking and diving to evade his predictable strikes. Soon, he knew he would not catch me. He touched his hand again, relieving it of the stone and came at me, reaching out to try and touch me. Meanwhile, Keld worked well fending off the wind manipulator. His water could easily diffuse the needle-like wind. However, he was still at a distance, occasionally pushed back by the strong gusts. I turned towards them on one of my dives from the cursed hand of my opponent and saw Keld pull a new trick. His canteen emptied out in front of him and the water seemed to shoot out in every direction. Soon, a thick fog enveloped the two and I couldn’t make out what was happening. It mattered little, I had my own problems to deal with. The stone hand lunged forward once again. This time though, he gripped his arm in the process, letting his now solid fist carry his momentum towards my chest. I saw my opening. With both hands open, crossed in front of my chest, I caught his fist and spread the shock of his blow evenly. With that, I closed my fingers around his hand. He looked down and caught his mistake too late. A blade of grass I tore from the hill when I landed from my fall had now found hold in the end of his hand. The roots were quickly expanding, burrowing deep into his Glyph’s arm. He tried to reverse the stone, but it was too late. The roots took hold and broke apart the previously solid structure. His arm crumbled and fell from him, rendering him useless. He retreated. I calmly walked back towards the other fight. Keld had already finished off his fight. The wind manipulator lay on the ground in front of him, a single thin hole through his throat. We caught our breath and returned to our campsite. “What did you do to him back there?” I asked when our fire was lit again. “I thinned my water out into fog and saturated the air. He couldn’t move enough of it to do anything. Then, as we wandered around lost, trying to find a way out, I pierced his larynx with a single water droplet.” He explained. His power frightened me. I was glad to be at his back rather than at the end of his hand. “I think you owe me a different explanation as well.” I concluded, eager to know why we were attacked. |
| “Though most people will disagree, the element of your Glyph has little influence over the fight. But, you have to know how to manipulate your situation.” Keld instructed. We were outside of town now, on the edge of a forest. We stood ready to face each other; his cloak was off, leaving a thick leather suit as a battle armor. His clothes were worn and had a layer of dirt I doubted could be washed off; indicative of traveling. “I can’t do much if every plant I grow, he burns down.” I argued. “But you can.” He rebuked, rolling up the sleeve that covered his Glyph. “I guess I have to show you. My Glyph uses water as a weapon. Your plants have the advantage.” He explained, opening a canteen on his waist. His Glyph glowed and the water emptied onto the ground. I played it off and put my arm to the ground. He advanced quickly. With nothing but a twitch, the grass on our field grew up and sharp instantly. Before he could think, he was surrounded by razor-sharp blades of grass. Before I could think, he sliced them down near the roots with a blade of water. I watched as he grasped the liquid like a weapon; a saber crafted of nothing but drinking water. Once more, we were on even ground. I decided it was only fair to make my advance. I tore some blades of grass from the ground and evoked my Glyph again. The limp tendrils quickly grew to several times their normal size and took a sharper, sturdier shape. I quickly broke into a run towards him, meeting his water with my grass. We traded blows, getting nowhere. I was ambitious and kept the strikes quick. He, however, knew what I was doing. As a strike came down upon his weapon, he blocked and pushed, breaking my balance. Drawing his hand back to strike, the water blade came at my feet. I saw it coming. With another evocation, my weapon extended through the bottom of my fist and parried his strike. Now with a staff instead of a saber, I threw my arm back and leaned on the pole to regain balance. With a fluid motion, I threw my knee up, trying to hit my recovering opponent. He instantly jumped back towards the edge he began at, dropping his weapon in the process. Once more, he advanced. I rethought my strategy as he came closer. In a stroke of genius, I thought I had him beat. I grew my plants up and up, and it was evident that the water he left in his retreat was disappearing into their roots. His advance stopped instantly, now unarmed. I stood up again, victory at my feet. Before I could get my Glyph back to the ground, he raised his hand and turned my plants against me. The grass tossed and turned, before turning on me. My arm was held in the air and my feet were off the ground. I struggled, but it was apparent that I lost. He came to me and let me lose before bending down to me to see if I was injured. “Do you know how I did that?” He asked. “It’s obvious.” I stated, a little disappointed at my mistake. “You used the water in the grass to manipulate it the same way I did. Chances are, since you can use your Glyph at a distance from your target, this fight was over before it started. I have water in me that you could have used against me.” “You’re sharp, Rosh.” He complimented. “But I still think we have a lot of work to do.” With that exhibition, Keld took me in. He made me forget about revenge, about death, about all that went wrong. For that month, all that mattered was the next day and what I could learn. In the back of my head, I knew that Gideon was still out there. But, I knew that this came first. The next day couldn’t arrive until this one was finished. We went at it every day, but I was never able to best him when it all came to an end. I remember though that he taught me quite a bit. I worked more without my Glyph, depending on what I could use and find, even if it meant using nothing but my own fists. My doubt now focused on finding Gideon rather than besting him. However, that soon was no problem either. We had just finished another session and were on our way back to the inn when we heard two people discussing an attack. Keld always said that passionate curiosity leads to the best discoveries. We stood near and listened in, flies on a wall. “It’s true, both his son and his daughter are dead. Now, it’s become so important to keep him alive that he’s looking to hire extra guards.” They spoke of the king. With passionate curiosity, Keld and I left to the nearest news source and found the whole story. The king’s heirs were burned to death in their own beds, barely recognizable. We knew who it had to be. |
| With my quick and unexplained leave, I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. I abandoned my home in its time of need. However, there was little I could do for it. That kind of reasoning gave me the will to push forward in the direction Gideon fled. The night was coarse and cold as I went further north. When it came time to stop and wait for morning, I found a grassy knoll and lifted the plants around me. There, I slept until the sun pierced the thin leaves. When the light returned, I found myself not far from a town. It was beyond a thicket of trees further ahead and was invisible the night before. Having seen no sign of Gideon yet, I was skeptical. The town seemed untouched; un-scorched. Considering what I knew of him, he had not been through here. However, I had not eaten since the day before and needed to stop. The town seemed benevolent enough; streets of cobblestone and short buildings that could barely cast shadows. A wide fountain even stood in the plaza where the streets converged. The businesses were all along a single street, making navigation as simple as it was at home. I was quick to find a restaurant and sit at the counter. This became one more path-altering moment in my journey to the end. As I sat, surrounded by strangers, I quickly realized the err in my coming here. It was not a place a sixteen year-old frequented. I found myself being watched from every corner of the room. A hazy smoke hung in the air and the tables were all bare, save for the occasional drink or deck of cards. When my food came, I bent forward to taste it. The scent drifted lazily through my head, distracting me from the room around me. A loud crash sounded out, instantly causing me to turn and find the source of the disturbance. I turned and found two men on the floor, unconscious. Beyond them stood a loosely-garbed stranger in tall leather greaves and cloak-covered torso, his arm raised and glyph fading from bright blue to its normal color. “It would be best for everyone to leave the child alone.” He stated firmly. His voice was commanding. His age gave him the appearance of a strong willed person; solid gaze, graying beard, and a bright shock of pale hair as a crown. His hand lowered, trembling. He may have been powerful, but age was taking its toll. Everyone turned away as he spoke. The stranger took a seat next to me and ordered a glass of water. I couldn’t help but look back to his arm. “Thank you.” I stated simply. He smiled lightly, meeting my gaze. “It wasn’t any trouble. But do tell me, what are you doing in a place like this?” “I didn’t know it had a reputation.” I explained. “So, you aren’t from around here?” He pursued. “I’m from Benton.” I stated. His expression changed to that of concern. “Was it not attacked two days ago?” “It was, and I plan on finding out why.” I returned. “But, you are leaving that town, correct?” “Why are you interested?” I pressured, changing the direction of the conversation. “Pardon my frankness, I forgot. My name is Keld. I’m interested in finding out exactly what happened there.” He answered. “I am Rosh. The reason, thought no one can tell you, is because of my former best friend. His Glyph razed my home and killed my father. I’m searching for him.” “Ah, so you know Glyphs?” He changed the topic. I lifted my sleeve. “He has me at an advantage, but I’m hoping to overpower him. “You’d lose.” He asserted, taking a sip of his drink. “Glyphs aren’t about power; they’re about how you use it. No matter how many leaves you throw at him, he can burn them away at ease.” I stopped and thought about his words. In truth, he was right. I stood no chance against Gideon as long as he had that flame Glyph. “However,” He continued, “I know a trick or two that may be useful to you if this is really your goal.” “This is all I have.” I replied, realizing this myself. He took his mouth away from the glass just long enough to smirk. “That was the answer I needed.” He replied, finishing off his drink. |
| It had been nearly an hour since we started, leaving nothing to do but sit and catch out breath. The sun was up entirely now, illuminating the circle we had just finished sparring in. The ground was scarred more than usual and the grass along the fringe was slightly scorched. It was a good session overall. I sat still, wiping some sweat from my forehead with the back of my arm. I tossed my hair back away from my eyes. I always wanted to keep it short, but it grew too fast for me to keep track of. The sun made it look almost golden, but it was really a shade of darker brown. Though I never thought of myself as anything but average, I have gotten compliments on my dark hazel eyes and soft facial features. I threw my gaze and my thoughts at my partner, a boy my age with a similar build and much darker hair. He had unmistakably blue eyes that stared back intently at me as he caught his breath. He stood taller than me though, but not by much. People around here were surprised tall, skinny guys like us could fight so fiercely. “Good bout.” I commented. “Are you as spent as I am?” I asked, breathing at a normal pace again. “You always want to hold on to something, in case you need it.” He replied. I had always admired his vigor. He knew everything when it came to fighting and glyphs. “I’m also at a natural advantage. Your strength is based on nature while mine is with fire. Everything you can grow, I can burn down.” He added, raising his arm to show the symbols tattooed on his forearm. I glanced down at mine and had to agree. His were more smooth and flowing. Mine were jagged and coarse, further identifying us as opposing. These glyphs had always proved interesting. Without them, I don’t think he and I would have met. It was fall when we encountered each other. We must have been enchanted at nearly the same time. Neither of us had full understanding of the power our arms had. My father had done the markings on my arm while his uncle did the ones on his. Having just gotten this great gift, I was cocky and eager to find a reason to use it. He was the only one around I thought I could beat. In the park, we crossed paths and saw the markings on our right arms. The same thought must have crossed our minds at the same moment, because we both uttered out “I challenge you!” at the same time. With that set, we found an empty space and went at it like arrogant eight year olds. He took the victory in the end, but it didn’t stop. We grew a friendly rivalry in an effort to get stronger. It was no surprise that we soon grew into close friends. He became the brother I never had; older brother of course. I was never really able to beat him. “Up for another go?” He called over, standing up once more. “Sorry, but I think I’m spent.” I said, standing too. We were even dressed alike, garbed for the fight. We had long-shorts to keep mobility but coverage in the brisk, spring air and pair of shirts both long and short sleeve. We had our right sleeves rolled up to expose the glyphs we used so frequently. “Always did finish second, Rosh.” He said with a laugh, approaching me. “Good match.” He said, extending his hand. “Same to you.” I replied, shaking his hand. Life seemed good at this point. Our village had evaded the effects of the last war. We were far enough away from the front that we didn’t even need to send our own into the fray. However, we were also neglected after the war. We were part of the winning territory, but saw none of the effects. It was like before the war; fending for ourselves without help from the king’s guard when bandits would come. But, we did manage to survive. It has been twenty years since the Glyph War, and eight years since I met Gideon. He never knew his parents, as they left him with his uncle. I grew up in a farming family. My father studied Glyphs as a hobby and instilled his passion for them in me. Glyphs are a wonder in themselves. Some years before the kingdom of Renferis was established, humanity discovered that a hidden well of magnificent powers within ourselves could be tapped with the help of special markings. The easiest way to channel this power was through the arm. Glyphs themselves are only streaks of ink. They respond and change depending on the power in the person. Each person has a unique gift. The glyph does nothing but expose that gift for use. Of course, such power couldn’t end peaceably. The powers collided in what became known as the Glyph War. Our kingdom fell divided between the East and West. This division lasted several decades and came to an end when the west overtook the east and seized control. That became our standing today. After the sparring match, we parted ways and left for our respective homes. The night was going to be calmer. I arrived home to see my father bringing in the last of the planting equipment. I helped with the last bit and followed him in for dinner. It was a quiet supper and a quiet evening. I left for bed at a normal time. That night though was much worse than I could have feared. I woke up, hot and annoyed. It wasn’t normal for it to be so hot this early in the year. I tossed the blanket aside and felt no relief. As I sat up to try and find the latch on my window, I found something else was responsible for this heat; the house was burning down around me. I got up quickly and burst into the hall to see my father coming towards my room and my mother running out. Seeing me, he waited and helped me catch up. We pushed out of the house just before it collapsed inward. Before we could panic about the loss of our house, we looked around and saw the entire village was befalling the same fate. Row after row of houses burned. Our field was on fire as well. My father and I left to help put out the fires. He had no distinct power in his glyph, leaving him to help with conventional methods. I, on the other hand, turned to my gift to help out. I placed my hand on the ground and focused on my arm. The glyph began to glow green and soon, the un-burnt grass grew rapidly. It was quick to cover the house and suffocate the flames. I went to repeat the process. There weren’t many houses left, but the last one proved deadly. I was about to grow another cover when someone called out “There’s someone inside!” I looked up to see my father coming out with another man over his arm. As he got close to the door, a thunderous noise overshadowed the sounds of the roaring fire. A massive path of flames rose from the ground and cut right through the front of the house. Everything that was there had been reduced to smoldering cinders. This was no ordinary trick. I looked over to where the flames had shot from and watched in disbelief as Gideon took his hand from the ground and stood. Before I could shake the answers I wanted out of him, he ran off into the night, leaving a burnt village and many orphans. My father died that night. That night, I decided to leave and find Gideon. Only I had seen him, leaving only me with a reason to find him. The village was all but dead now, with barely a handful of survivors to its name. My mother stayed behind with the rebuilding effort. I left to find my answers and, at the time, kill my best friend. |
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