So this is the first chapter of what would be a prequel to the book I was working on and posted here in this thread. I started re-writing what I had posted here and was only a little ways in when I started working on an idea for a novel with Hana in July of last year. I liked the idea and adapted it to work for the characters I had in my original idea and this is what I came up with.

Maybe someday, I will begin writing something and actually finish it instead of just getting 1/4th of the way through and decided to re-write the whole thing...or write a prequel...or just write something else entirely.




AMBORN I



The sky was clear and Amborn couldn’t help but enjoy himself. The halls of Pintera were never anything if not perfect, but Amborn often found himself staring in bewilderment while taking in the sheer beauty that seemed to radiate through every room and hallway. This place is Heaven. Sometimes he would have to remind himself of that fact. Amborn had been dead for thirteen years but he still caught himself occasionally forgetting it all completely. The memories of his past life remained however, and it was those memories that would set him off into long periods of reflection and soul searching. My soul is all I have left. He thought.

“Amborn,” A voice called from down the hall. Amborn turned to see who it was and smiled gently upon recognition.

“BreShee, I was not expecting to see you until tomorrow.” He said. BreShee was a happy person who often laughed at things that others would have found droll. So when Amborn found her to be frowning, he knew something was wrong. “What is the matter?” He asked.

“They’ve called the council to a meeting, Amborn.” She began. “I’ve been asking around but nobody would tell me what is going on.” She paused. Amborn grinned.

“Well, we may have to attend this councils meeting ourselves then.” He said.

Something terrible has happened. Amborn knew very little of what normally went on behind the Councilors Doors but it was common knowledge among the dead that a meeting meant trouble. Has there been a tragedy? The last meeting had been to discuss a war that was taking place on Earth amongst a nation divided upon itself over slavery. What has happened now?

“Do you think the war could have started again anew, Amborn?” BreShee asked with a trembling voice. Bright and cheerful as she is, she breaks easily under pressure, thought Amborn.

“No,” he said. “The war was ended. This must be something else,” Hopefully something less detrimental.

"Have you heard anything?” She asked desperately as they walked down the bare granite hallways.

“BreShee, you know as well as I that the councilors do not speak to anyone who is not among their ranks. Even the Angels are often left without vital information.”

That should not be, thought Amborn. The Angels are a select group of souls pulled from the dead to keep peace among the lands and peoples of Earth. What is the purpose of the councilors? The question was often asked among the common souls, but never answered by anything more truthful than modern gossip.

The walls were growing less grey and more silver with every step now. A few flights of stairs and they shall turn to gold. It wasn’t true necessarily, just another rumor that floated around the hordes of souls with nothing to do. Truthfully, the walls were only ever silver or grey. Surely everyone should know this by now? By the time Amborn has spent that thought and its ramblings, they had reached the Councilors Door. Known for being twice as large as any other door in Pintera, they were also legendarily hard to get through. I will have to lie to them if BreShee and I are to get inside.

A small sliding panel on the door opened to reveal a mouth on the other side.

“Speak your business quickly Amborn or be gone! We are conducting a meeting.” Spoke the mouth.

“Someone has broken another hole through the clouds, sir. I must ask the councilors for aid, it will only take a moment.” It’s a logical lie. There had often been trouble making spirits who found it entertaining to break the clouds and watch others fall through.

“We are not taking visitors now, we are conducting a meeting!” The mouth was obviously twisting in anger.

“Please! I only need to ask them for a vile of rain.” He replied. “Only the councilors have such a thing!”

Amborn watched the mouth as it thought silently. This should be interesting…

“Very well then, you may pass.”

Immediately, the giant doors began to swing open to reveal the long stairway inside. The mouth was only a manifestation to welcome visitors, so BreShee and Amborn would be alone in the stairwell. Everything hinges on our being alone here. As long as no one else tried to get through the doors before it was time, Amborn would be able to sneak up the stairs and listen in on the meeting before introducing himself to ask for the rain water. It’s not fool proof, but it will have to do, he thought.

Slowly and somewhat awkwardly he began to ascend the steps on his hands and knees. He kept his head low and his body pressed against the granite walls as close as possible, but he was still a rather open target and his robes were making noise as well. I will have to go slower than I intended. After a long while and a lot of scrapes later, Amborn reached the point at which he would have to stop to keep from being seen. Here, he could easily hear the conversations going on in the room above and stay quiet enough to be unheard. BreShee had stayed at the bottom to keep watch on the door just as planned. Everything is going perfectly.

“Perhaps it is too early yet to be making hasty decisions.” A low voice said from above the stairs.

“Perhaps you would have us wait until disaster strikes us? Or would you rather pretend nothing has happened at all?” This voice was closer to Amborn than the other and the initial sound of it make him tense up.

“I would do no such thing Herlese, I only meant that there could have been an error in the assessment of the situation.” Both voices were speaking slowly and Amborn was struggling to make out every word.

“Litese, we both know that every caution is taken so that no errors can be made. Besides that, we have both seen the crisis for ourselves and know the severity of the situation.”

Are there only the two of them? Amborn had never known how many councilors there actually were, but he had always assumed that there would be several. Perhaps there are only two. But just as the thought crossed his mind, a third voice began speaking.

“Both of you will calm down until we hear from Ortanu. He will give us our orders as he always has.”

There were grumblings and whimpers but Litese and Herlese seemed to agree with the third voice. Who could this Ortanu be? Are the councilors sorted into ranks? Or maybe Ortanu is who they are counseling for… Amborn was trying to understand everything he was hearing but none of it made much sense. If I knew more about what went on behind these doors I would have figured something out by now. Suddenly, Amborn felt a strange sensation travel down his spine. His stomach jumped and he turned over on his back to look behind him. That was when he saw Him.

“Only the councilors are supposed to know what goes on beyond those doors Amborn. Yet here you are.”

The voice was powerful and seemed to be made up of many voices speaking as one. Amborn held his head as the words reverberated through his ears.

“Stand up, let us go and speak to our friends.”

Amborn nodded as he looked up into the man’s face. He has no face! Instead of the features

Amborn was expecting to see, he looked up to find that there was a white light pouring out through the slight hole in the man’s hood. Amborn grabbed at his eyes and nearly fell over but the man grabbed his hand and pulled him back to his feet.

“Careful now, we don’t want to keep our friends waiting.”

Amborn was still rubbing his eyes when he glanced around the man to see if BreShee was still at the bottom of the stairs. She was, but she seemed to be oblivious to the situation. BreShee was standing guard as if nothing was happening and no one else was in the room. Amborn took his gaze to the floor and turned around as the man nudged him to keep walking forward into the room above the stairs. What will happen to me? What have I done? He kept asking himself. The room above was rather smaller than Amborn expected and was only occupied by the three people whom he had been eavesdropping on just moments before. They looked at him with confused stares but blinked and turned away just as quickly. The man who had brought him in pointed to an empty chair and motioned for Amborn to sit down. After doing so Amborn watched the man go to the larger chair at the front of the room. Is this man Ortanu? Could this be who the other three were speaking of?

For a while Amborn expected the man to speak, but before long he realized that they were all content to just stare at him. Amborn took his gaze and matched each of them to make sure that he was correct and the sat back in his chair rather uncomfortably.

“I have to ask you, are you ever going to tell us what you are doing here?” Asked the man whom Amborn had marked as Litese.

“Oh,” Amborn was scared and confused but he tried to explain as best he could manage. “I had to come to ask for a vile of rain.” They won’t believe it.

Herlese, Litese, and the third man all smiled and looked towards the man who had brought Amborn in.

“Amborn, I would ask you to tell the truth please.” He said.

“But…” Amborn was at a loss. “Who are you?” He asked suddenly. I shouldn’t have spoken out of turn.

“My name is Ortanu here. I have had other names, but I believe Ortanu will do. I am the head of the council.”

Amborn tried to understand but found himself left with more questions instead.

“Amborn, you have been dead for thirteen years correct?”

Amborn nodded nervously.

“You know much more of…Heaven…than most of the others. Yet the mysteries of the Councilors have eluded you, and you found yourself curious as to our doings and purposes. Is that also correct?”

Amborn looked on in wonder, but nodded just the same.

“So when you’re trusted friend BreShee came to you worried about the fate of our universe and the meaning of our meeting today, you jumped at the opportunity to spy on us. Yes?”

Amborn nodded one final time before sitting up. Ortanu was smiling kindly he could sense, even if he could not see it visually. Litese and Herlese were grinning slightly while the third man grimaced.

“How did you know all this?” Amborn asked.

“I know much more than you might expect Amborn. We will get to this later on. For now, I have to ask you a question. Will you hear it?”

“Of course,” he replied.

“Do you really want to know why we are meeting today?” Ortanu asked simply.

Amborn had to think a while before answering, but finally decided to say…

“Yes.”

Ortanu smiled and the feeling of happiness seemed to fill the entire room.

“Then I will have to ask you to go and fetch your friend at the bottom of the stairs. No doubt she will want to share the moment with us.”

He waved Amborn back down the stairs and Amborn happily obeyed. Why am I not being punished? Can it possibly be this simple? He asked himself as he slowly slipped his foot down the first few steps. BreShee was still happily watching the door when he walked up behind her. She took no notice of the sounds of his footfalls or the sound of his voice when he called her name so he tapped her on the shoulder. Only then did she respond. She turned and jumped when she saw him.

“What are you doing down here? Did you hear anything?” She asked as she turned her head to peer up the stairs.

“I was caught,” he began slowly.

“What? How?” She interrupted.

“BreShee, they want us to attend the meeting. Come on, we have to get back.” Amborn took control of the conversation and then grabbed her by the elbow to lead her up the stairs.

“Why do they want us to attend the meeting?” She asked quickly before reaching the room.

“I…” Amborn paused. “I don’t know.” He said.

The Councilors were all beaming with smiles spare the third man. Amborn looked at him as they entered and their eyes met. For a second Amborn thought he had recognized the look in his eyes but he didn’t get the chance to think about it. Ortanu grabbed BreShee by the shoulder and sat her down with another room filling smile.

“Well, we are all here then.” He said. “Now let us introduce ourselves…I am Ortanu. This man to the left of me is Litese,”

Litese was an older man with dirty blonde hair and a mid length beard that was shaggy around his chin. He wore a white cloak and golden wrist bands, but his feet bore only plain sandals.

“To my right is Herlese,” continued Ortanu.

Dressed in a grey cloak worn thin and dusty, Herlese hardly looked the part of a Councilor.
But he wore the same warm smile as Litese and Ortanu. His hair was brown and dirty, but his beard was black and thin.

“And this solemn fellow is Zaleth.”

Clothed all in black and bathing in the shadows, Zaleth’s appearance matched his scowl. The only thing about him that wasn’t dark was his hair and beard which were both as white as snow. His hair had been cut short while his beard was long and wild.

Ortanu looked towards BreShee and stared at her a while before continuing.

“Well?” He asked.

BreShee was noticeably confused and hid it much worse than Amborn had.

“What?” She asked.

Amborn hung his head to hide his fear.

“Well, nothing I suppose.” Ortanu finished. “I guess we should just get on with the business at hand.”

Ortanu held out a hand and the stone table they were sitting at turned to glass. He then stood and scraped his finger down the length of it before sitting back down. Amborn looked on in amazement as the glass displayed an image of a hole the size of which he had never seen before. The hole was dark and vast with no foreseeable bottom. Slowly, the view through the glass traveled down the hole as the colors within changed from black to grey and finally again to white. With that, the table returned to its original stone form. The Councilors sat back calmly while BreShee looked towards Amborn with her mouth open and her eyes wide. Ortanu leaned back in his chair.

“That my friends, is the reason we have all gathered here today.” He said.

“What exactly is it?” BreShee dared to ask.

“It is The Inforrest.” Spoke Zaleth for the first time since BreShee had arrived.

“Indeed,” Said Ortanu in a much more grave tone than he had used moments before. “The image that you have seen is known as The Inforrest. It is not just a hole as you may have perceived it to be however…it is a passageway.” He turned his head to Amborn. “Most of all, it is a mistake.”

Amborn gulped quietly and the sounds in the room all became silent at once.

“What sort of passageway? Where does it go?” He asked.

“To Hell; To Heaven, and all that lies between,” replied Zaleth as he stepped out from the shadows. His black cloak shuffled across the floor as he sat down across from Amborn.

“What does lie between them?” Asked BreShee naively.

“Darkness,” said Zaleth. “How was it opened Ortanu?”

“I…” Ortanu sounded worried and the emotion rang throughout the room, shaking the very walls.
“I cannot see.”

Zaleth looked deeply into Amborn’s eyes and then shortly at BreShee.

“Why are they here?” He asked sharply.

“They were curious…I have chosen them to close the passage.”

Litese and Herlese smiled at them both but Zaleth balked.

“You should punish them for breaking into this place. How did they even get in without detection?”

“I knew they were coming Zaleth. The door was arranged to allow their entry. Watch your tone.” Ortanu replied and anger filled the air.

“I apologize,” Zaleth sat back. “How are they supposed to close the passage and why not choose one of us?”

“The Inforrest was designed to only be accessible by me. No other soul may approach it. However, one who harbors my light and will may enter easily if they enter for truth. With you three, I cannot be sure of your motives and intensions. The Inforrest is a vast source of power and the wrong person could end the worlds.”

“I would never do such a thing!” Said Litese nervously while Herlese nodded and Zaleth shook his head.

“What makes you so certain that these two are well intentioned?” Asked Zaleth spitefully.
“I know because I created them. I know their hearts.”

Amborn looked on as the four Councilors exchanged varying expressions. They were all staring at each other but they all seemed to understand each other’s thoughts. Their silence lasted for several minutes before being broken suddenly.

“I’m sorry my friends,” Said Ortanu as he stood to lead BreShee and Amborn down the steps.
“We will have to finish this meeting amongst ourselves. I will send for you when the time comes.”

“But what are we supposed to do?” asked BreShee urgently as they stepped through the doorway at the bottom of the stairs.

“Prepare yourselves. The road to The Inforrest is hard and dark and no soul can expect to make it through and come out the same as they entered.”
The door shut and Amborn looked to BreShee who was rubbing her eyes.

“What did you get me into?” He asked.

“Trouble.” She replied.


EDIT: When copying and pasting from Word, the italics on Amborn's "thoughts" was removed so I have to apologize if it's hard to read and understand.

Edited by user 25 May 2012 23:05:04(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Chapter One


Amborn glanced around as many different images flashed around him. It seemed as if he had been falling for ages, yet he had still not reached the ground. His thoughts were racing, and he continued to go over Ortanu’s orders hoping that he would come to more clearly understand them. The land he was heading towards was completely foreign to him, and he had no clear idea what he was supposed to do upon arrival. What of Zaleth, who had been Amborn’s best friend and strongest ally during dark times? Zaleth had been the head of his order, the strongest of the Angels. How was Amborn supposed to stop him? And what did this all mean for Pintera, dwelling place of the Angels? Surely there is some bit of information that I am still lacking. Something I must have missed. He thought.

Finally, he could see blue skies before him. White clouds were below him, waiting to be passed by. He continued to fall through them until he began to see the land of the area. There were mountains, valleys, lakes and rivers. Amborn could not help but to wonder if he had been sent to Earth by some mistake. Everything about the world below him reminded him of his former home. It almost hurt to remember Earth and his life there. But before Amborn could trouble himself with old memories, he was nearing the ground. With a quick thud he came crashing into the dirt and grass and with pain pulsing through him he laid there. He wanted to move, but for a while his body wouldn’t obey. Finally, he sat up enough to massage his aching knees.

Upon standing, Amborn could see a little more of the world around him. From this view point it looked even more like the Earth he had known. In the back of his mind he remembered that this wasn’t Earth, it was Serapnoir. But that thought was small. From what he could tell, he was on the highest mountain in the region and possibly the entire country. Through the cracks between the trees he could see other mountain ranges stretching out around him and far below he could see villages and cities. It was then that it dawned on him. This world is young! The villages that he could see were made of mud and wood, while the cities were made of stone and of a strange architecture. Even from so far off in the horizon he could tell that the country that he found himself in was not very advanced.

He felt as if he were looking at a painting of the ancient cities of Earth from a history book. By the time he had died, Earth had advanced to the point of steam locomotives and brick buildings the size of palaces. Seeing a world in such a primitive state would have shocked him to the point of awe, if not for the fact that he was suddenly made aware of how far of a climb it was to the valley floor. Even then, he would have a long walk ahead of him before arriving at any village. Looking around to plan his route, Amborn decided that he would follow the river at the base of the North end of the mountain into the village that he could see further up it. From there, he would hopefully procure himself a map.

Judging by the Sun’s position in the sky, Amborn figured that it was around mid-day in Serapnoir. It was hot too, and he was sweating just standing there. Due to this, he figured that he had a long climb ahead of him. Searching for a place to make his start, he found a vine hanging from a tree that luckily hung out from the rock ledge he was standing on. Carefully, he swung himself out from the ledge and dangled above ground before touching his feet back down on the steep cliff face. Nervously he let his hands loosen and he lowered himself down a few inches. His courage began to rise and it wasn’t long before he was swinging down the mountain a few feet at a time. He found himself smiling each time he pushed off and lowered down, until he realized that his vine was at its end before he was at the bottom of the cliff. Gulping and clinging to the end of the vine, he jerked his head from left to right searching for another one. He found nothing.

He thought he could see a good place to get a footing though, so after building himself up for it, he reached out and grabbed at the mountain. With a shocked breath he missed his footing and began falling once again. This time however, the distance was relatively short. Still, the landing would hurt tremendously, so he tensed up his back in preparation of the impact. But just before he collided with the ground, he stopped falling. Amborn found himself hovering just above the ground as if waiting for the fall to continue. He opened his eyes and released the tension in his back, and then turned over so that his stomach was facing the ground instead. He continued to stare at the dirt below him for around a minute before finally gracefully lowering to the ground. Brushing himself off first, he stood up and turned his eyes to the top of the cliff that he had just defeated. Amazed at the course of events, he turned to face the rest of the hill.

He couldn’t come up with any logical reason why his fall had been so mysteriously broken, so he tried to just push that wonder to the back of his mind. He had much larger things to worry about, and the largest worry was still the mountain he was standing on. He was lucky enough to have a fairly smooth slope ahead of him but further down there was another cliff face. He could see the ground drop off from the place where he stood. Deciding that there wasn’t anything he could do about it, he began walking, crossing between trees and boulders as he went. Slowly the drop-off grew closer and before he even found the crazy thought of his actions crossing his mind, he was leaping off into the air and over the edge.

His hair blew in the wind and he fixed his eyes straight at the ground for the entire course of his fall. As he got closer, Amborn began to fear that he wouldn’t stop falling this time. But again, just before the dreadful impact, his fall was halted and he remained floating just inches above the dirt. Smiling widely, he slowly lowered to the ground once again. Does this place have resistant gravity? He asked himself as his grin stretched wider. Perhaps getting down from this mountain will not be so hard after all. Indeed, he found himself leaping off of every cliff face he came too, and repeating the same process for every fall. After about an hour of doing this, he was at the roots of the mountain, and ready to go about the rest of his journey.

The river that he had seen from the top of the mountain was not far off, and he could see the pond to which it emptied into. From there he would follow it northwards. Happy to be on fairly flat terrain, Amborn felt his footsteps come easy to him at last. But he had a long way to go, so he stopped to drink from the river after a short time. Tasting the water was strange, and he realized that he had not actually eaten or drunk anything in many years. The thirst came with being human again. Amborn was also nervous about whether or not the water was safe to drink, but upon inspecting it he decided to take the risk. It was sweeter than he remembered water to taste, but good. It was only after quenching his thirst that he realized that he was getting hungry as well. Finding food would prove much more problematic.

He had nothing with him that would enable him to hunt for food, but he figured that he could probably get a fish or two out of the river if he tried. Amborn walked to the waters and looked into the clear blue liquid. There were fish, he could see. But catching them would be complicated; the river was deep and the fish were fast and trying to grab the fish as they swam by and leapt out of the water proved unsuccessful, so Amborn next tried to find a stick to stab them with. The only stick he could find split in two after plunging it into a rock accidentally. So, that idea was out too. With his stomach growling and his mood brought down, he continued plodding along the river hoping for something to come his way.

That was when he saw it. In front of Amborn stood a creature which seemed to be also fishing in the river, and it was unlike any other living thing that he had ever seen before. From the creature’s head to its waist, he was like that of a gorilla. But from its waist and onward its body transitioned into a second section with four legs and the body of a horse. Amborn found that his feet had quit moving and he slowly knelt down behind a plant in order to obscure himself from view. The creature was doing well with its fishing. The long gorilla-like arms were quick and snatched its prey from the water with relative ease. Amborn watched intently as the strange creature went about his business and wondered if it would be safe to approach. Gorillas were known to be aggressive at times he knew, but horses were generally calm if not spooked. In fact, if this creature were more like a horse in nature, it would be most likely that it would simply run away. Deciding that to be true, Amborn stepped out from behind the bush.

The creature took notice of Amborn immediately, and turned to face him just as quickly. The two continued to stare each other down for a while and Amborn scrambled to determine if the creature was aggressive or not. As he glanced from the creatures eyes to its body language, the creature seemed to do the same. As if two intelligent beings were weighing each others respect, they stared. But then, the creature did something that Amborn could have never imagined possible. It spoke to him.

“Are you from the East or the West human?” it yelled across the divide.

Amborn thought a moment before responding.

“Neither. I’ve come from the top of that mountain.” Amborn pointed behind him at the behemoth of a mountain that arose from the base of the world.

“Mount Bluecular?” it questioned lightly, as if to itself. “How is it you found yourself at the top of such a mountain?”

Again, Amborn thought hard before answering.

“I climbed.” He said simply.

“Impossible!” The creature seemed to laugh, but still appeared to be angry. “No man has ever been able to summit that mountain; the cliff faces are far too steep.”

Amborn could see now that the creature was more interested in his story than angry at him, so he took a few steps to get closer.

“I come from a far off land. I’m a visitor here, and I’m looking for a place to stay. From the top of the mountain I could see a village further north from here. I’ve been following the river to find it.”

Now, the creature sat down. With his gorilla arms he reached into a sack that was lying next to him and pulled out a pan. He then began to build a fire.

“There is a village along this river, traveler. Whether or not you’ve seen it from the top of Mount Bluecular is unclear to me, but your knowledge is true.” As he finished speaking, he struck a rock with some flint and his fire took off.

“Yes I know.” Amborn replied as he continued walking towards the creature and his fire.
“Along the way I’ve been searching for food, but had no luck thus far. I tried catching a fish from the river but they all seem to have eluded me.” Amborn grinned as the creature looked up at him.

“You are trying to find a polite way to ask me for food. If you would have looked at the pan above the fire you would see that I’m already preparing some for both of us.”

Amborn looked down and felt a rush of happiness as he breathed in the aroma of the frying fish.

“Ah…yes. May I sit down then?” asked Amborn.

“Of course,” the creature replied. “What is your name, traveler?”

“In my previous homes I’ve been known as Amborn. I see it fit to keep the name.” Amborn sat down on a conveniently placed log and smiled at his chef.

“Hello Amborn. My name is Derek.”

For a while they were silent, and Amborn watched the meat sizzle. Eating was something else that he had not had to do for a very long time. But the smell of the fish was enough to remind him of how pleasant it was to eat when hungry. Derek had thrown in some added spices and salts earlier as well, and the scents were only becoming more appetizing.

“This land that you have come from, where is it?” Derek asked suddenly.

“Oh…well…” Amborn stammered. “I do not rightly know.”
Derek looked at him suspiciously. Amborn hurriedly formed a story to give as explanation.

“You see, along my travels I slipped and fell. I seem to have hit my head, and my memory is only just beginning to return to me.” Amborn grinned, fully realizing the strengths and the weaknesses of his tale.

“So, you do not even really know why it is you left your home?”

“No I do not. I couldn’t even tell you what direction I’ve come from…other than coming north from the mountain of course.”

The two shared a silent moment, seemingly giving thought to each others words. Truthfully, Amborn hadn’t many words from Derek to think over. It was Amborn himself who had done most of the explaining, so he decided to ask a question.

“Forgive me Derek, but from what my memory serves, I do not believe I have ever come upon a being such as you. Could you tell me, what exactly it is you are?”

Derek seemed to find the question funny, as he laughed rather loudly and for quite some time before answering it.

“Your memory must have really been affected by your fall Amborn if you cannot even remember what breed of creature I am. But if you truly need reminding, I am a gargil.”

Amborn nodded his head in understanding, though he had little of it.

“A gargil you say…are there many of your kind?”

Again, Derek laughed.

“Of course there are Amborn! We generally all live in the White Forest beyond The Fields, but there are hundreds of us. How hard was your fall?”

“The White Forest, is that North or South from here?”

“This must have been a large rock you fell on, Amborn. It’s North from here, as is the city of Palamoore. The city of humans, some call that place. I was worried you were from Palamoore when we first met, as I thought you might have been hostile towards my kind.”

Now Amborn was really getting confused. But he tried to respond as intelligently as possible.

“The gargils of the White Forest, they do not get along with this city of humans?” He asked.

“No they do not. Not since the war, anyway. The War of The Fields was fought almost forty-one years ago. Surely you must remember that? It’s one of the most important battles in Lamerith history!”

Amborn smiled and looked up at Derek who hung his head when he realized that Amborn had no such knowledge of the events.

“Well, since the war things have been a bit hostile between men from Palamoore and gargils from the White Forest.”

“What was this war over?” Amborn asked carefully.

“The humans of Palamoore believed that the gargils were unworthy of sharing equality with them, and wanted to send us into slavery so that we could be used as horses and soldiers. The gargils naturally refused such a notion. As you can tell by mu current freedom, the gargils came out of the war successful.”

“I see, and why are you so very far from your home Derek?”

“I was sent to gather water from the Bluecular River; the very river that we sit next to now. The waters here are powerful in property and are the sole reason that gargils are able to think and speak as humans do.”

“Really?” Amborn asked in amazement.

“Yes. Hundreds of years ago, the gargil clan came to the river and drank from it. Since that day, we have continued to send out members of our tribe to gather water to bring home so that our future generations may be blessed the same as our forefathers.”

“Amazing,” exclaimed Amborn. “This land is very different from my home.”
Derek eyed Amborn thoughtfully.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

They both shared a laugh, and finished eating. Afterwards, Derek extended an invitation for Amborn to stay with him and follow him up stream in the morning. Amborn agreed. Upon falling asleep on his first night in Lamerith, he recounted his journey so far and prayed for answers on what to do in the morning. His prayers were answered.

Upon falling asleep, Amborn began to dream almost immediately. It was not long before a blinding light rushed through his dream-scape and he found himself back within the Halls of Pintera and in the presence of Ortanu. Amborn could feel the blood pulsing through his head as he lifted it to look into the blinding face of light that was Ortanu.

“Amborn,” He said in greeting.

“I’ve returned?” Amborn asked as he turned to view the towering walls around him.

“Only in essence, for your body is simply sleeping. I’ve called your thoughts here to speak with you.”

Amborn smiled and sat down at the table that was placed between Ortanu and himself. Suddenly a mirror appeared on the table in front of him and in its glass he could see himself sleeping beside the river on Serapnoir.

“Does this mirror always show where I am?” asked Amborn.

“Not always. This mirror can show you many things if you know what to look for. It can show you the future, the past, and the present. It is a very powerful tool that I believe will become very helpful to you and your journey.”

Amborn pulled the mirror closer to his face to see if he could see anything else. Slowly the view of his body and the river turned to smoke and reformed to show him a vision of Derek and him walking along the river with a city wall beside them and a glowing white forest lying in front of them.

“Is this the future?” he asked. “Will I truly follow Derek all the way to his homeland?”

Ortanu smiled and took the mirror in his hands.

“You will follow Derek for as far as he is willing to take you. This shows one possible future. The mirror is not always truthful Amborn. It gives us…options.” Ortanu put the mirror into his white robe and turned back to Amborn. “Derek may very well be the most important person you meet in Lamerith.”

“Why?” asked Amborn.
“
Above many other reasons…he is good…he has the best intentions placed in his heart for everyone. He would seek peace beside you.”

Amborn looked up at Ortanu in wonder, trying to find the best question to ask.

“Is the option of following him home the best option available to me?”

“It may be. Amborn…I cannot help you with everything. Zaleth’s control in Lamerith has clouded my view. My ability to aid you in the event of danger or peril will be small. The challenge I’ve set upon you is great, and you will bare it alone. You are to do what even I cannot. I will speak with you again soon.”

With those words Amborn found his view of Pintera fading quickly and slowing disappearing. Finally, he was opening his eyes beside the Bluecular River.

CHAPTER THREE



The walls of Palamoore were upon them and Amborn found himself craning his neck trying to view as much of every stone as he could. The guard posts along the wall all had two highly armored soldiers stationed within them and Amborn was nervous as Derek and he slowly approached and journeyed around the city. The guards were not moving and it would have almost seemed that they would be allowed to pass unquestioned and uninterrupted if not for the gates opening when they reached the northern end.

“What do we do?” asked Amborn despairingly.

But Derek only raised a finger to his mouth and watched over Amborn’s shoulder as thirteen guards marched out through the gate to meet them. Derek’s facial expression gave Amborn no sign of what to do or how to act, so Amborn just turned and watched intently as the guards assembled themselves in a line around them. Finally, a guard broke the silence.

“State your name and your business or be killed.”

Amborn looked back at Derek and then back at the guard. Only then did he realize that he was supposed to be the one to answer.

“My name is Amborn. As it happens, I do not have any business here in Palamoore. I am only passing by on my travels.”

He kept his face stern and his eyes set on the guard who had spoken.

“You are found here traveling with a gargil. Is it not so?”

Turning to look at Derek once more, Amborn nodded in agreement with the guard’s statement.

“It is illegal to associate with gargils within the realm of Palamoore, as I am sure you know. State your reasoning or face trial and jail time.”

Amborn found himself at a loss as to what to say. Carefully and with his face still scowling, he turned to Derek.

“Tell these men why you are with me.”

Derek looked at Amborn and scowled a frown graver than Amborn could have ever mustered.

“This man has taken me as his own personal slave.”

The guards looked at one another and then back at Amborn and started laughing. They continued giggling and muttering offences towards Derek for a few minutes before one finally patted Amborn on the shoulder and smiled.

“I don’t know how you did it but I must congratulate you. Only a true warrior could beat a gargil into submission. Be on your way, then.”

The guards all turned and marched back through the gate just as they had came out. The bars slowly closed and Amborn found himself alone with Derek again, only the guards on the posts able to see them.

“Will we be alright now?” he asked.

“Maybe, though it’s doubtful. They will be watching us for as long as they can see us. We will need to be careful to not make our destination obvious for a while. If the know we are heading towards the White Oak Forest they will hunt us down. We will cross the Ivory River and head north-west from there.”

“So we will have to go a bit out of our way?”

Derek looked up at the wall and the posts above it.

“Only for a while; we may not reach the forest for another two days. I will be late to the ceremony.”

“The ceremony?” asked Amborn

“My people hold celebrations whenever the ones sent out to gather water arrive back home. They expected me tomorrow, but we will not make it.”

Derek smiled and turned his gaze north through the endless wheat fields.

“We had better get going.” Amborn spoke softly and started ahead of Derek.

After crossing the river they were able to travel north for a short while before having to turn westward to keep the guards from suspecting them. As often as possible they would continue to turn slightly north until Palamoore was out of sight. From the city their journey was downhill and Amborn found that Palamoore disappeared much faster than it had appeared. After his brief time there he doubted he was all that disappointed by that. He had hoped that a city so beautiful would be a bit kinder than it had been made out to be, but he had found no such luck. Has the place always been so terrible to passers-by?

“After that mess I have to wonder whether or not your people will be any kinder to receiving a human at their gates than Palamoore was to seeing a gargil at theirs…”

Derek hung his head but continued walking.

“As I said Amborn…my people’s history with humans has not been a very rewarding one. The reaction you receive could easily be just as hostile as what you just experienced. All we can do is hope.”

“So…you believe that I’m here to help you?”

Derek pursed his lips and looked at the sun above them.

“I believe that we need someone to help us…and I hope that it will be you.”

Amborn turned his eyes to the sun as well and then back at the road ahead of them.

“That means a lot to me Derek. I hope I can pull through for you and your people.”

“Not just my people Amborn,” Derek said quickly. “But all of Lamerith; the entire nation is in peril and the entire population needs a hero to defend them.”

That thought had not occurred to Amborn until that moment. The entire country was waiting for someone to rise up and defend them.

“So you wish for everyone in Lamerith to prosper? Even the humans of Palamoore?”

Derek thought a moment before answering. His face wrinkled up when he spoke, but his words came out true.

“Yes. We will all need to find peace among each other to bring Zaleth down.”

“Is that even possible?” asked Amborn.

“Maybe not, but it’s hard to say. It could be possible if the right circumstances were agreed upon by everybody. Maybe that will be your purpose here Amborn. I don’t know. It’s all grown much larger than we could have anticipated.”

Derek was walking faster now so Amborn stepped up his pace and decided to keep his mouth shut for a while. The landscape was beginning to change again and Amborn found he could more than fill his time just by keeping his eyes wandering. The wheat fields were gone now, replaced by smooth grasslands and the occasional tree. The trees here were unlike anything Amborn had seen before both in his past lives and during his time on Serapnoir. The barks of the wood were as white a snow and the leaves seemed to be plated with gold that glistened even brighter than the tower of Palamoore.

“These trees are amazing.” Amborn said at last after managing to pull his eyes away.

“They are the trees of my homeland. The forest is full of them. The leaves of the trees have been used for many things…including the tower of Palamoore. The humans thought it would be a mocking gesture to plate their tower in the leaves of our homeland, and they would have been right if not for the fact that when the leaves are taken from the trees their shimmer becomes dim and pale.”

Derek stopped to pick a leaf from the top of the tree he was passing and handed it to Amborn. As he held it, the gold slowly sank away to a far less brilliant shade. Amborn let it fall to the ground and eyed the tree once more before continuing onward.

“Did you ever have contact with Zaleth while he was staying with your people, Derek?”

The thought had crossed Amborn’s mind more than a few times, but he had held back for as long as he could handle it. He knew that Derek would not like it, but Amborn had to know the answer to fully comprehend what had happened during that time period.

“I did,” Derek began slowly. “I befriended him…or so I was led to believe. I helped him with learning the history of my people and the other cultures and lands of Lamerith. He listened to what I told him and thanked me for it, and before I knew it he was using that same knowledge against us all.”

Amborn hung his head and closed his eyes. These people have been through terrible times. When they see me approaching they will want to kill me at first sight.

“I’m sorry that things turned out like they did for you Derek.” It was all Amborn could think to say.

“It was not your fault Amborn. Zaleth fooled us all and we were too blind to see.”

“I just…feel like I should be apologizing for him. The idea that I knew him in the past gives me an ill feeling. He was different then, I’m sure of it.”

Derek smiled faintly and pressed forward. Amborn then turned to watch behind him as the sun set behind the Bluecular Mountain. The rays that were still breaking through lit up the scenery that he had passed and let them stand out as beautiful silhouettes. When he turned back around he finally saw the White Oak Forest far in front of them like a great golden city of trees and wild life. It was enough to take his breath away and even Derek seemed to pause to breathe in the sight for a while. It was there that they set up their final camp sight.

“The river is far behind us so I’m afraid we won’t be eating tonight. I hope that’s alright with you.” said Derek as he threw down his things and sat down.

“That’s fine. I’ve had my fair share of fish for the year I think.”

The laugh they shared was strained; as if they were both thinking about tomorrow and the imminent danger it held. The night sky was lit up with a brilliant array of stars and for the first time Amborn noticed the moon above him. Like a large purple rock just floating in a haze of black, it seemed to be watching them as they both lay there in the silence. Amborn closed his eyes and thought about sleep, and before long it found him.

Again the area around him fell away in a haze of smoke and he found himself seated before Ortanu. This time the room around him felt different; as if the happiness that had sustained it was becoming worried. Ortanu put his hands on the table and leaned in to face Amborn.

“You are becoming close to a time of great trial Amborn. I warn you of this now, so that you might be able to prepare yourself.”

“What is going to happen to me tomorrow?” Amborn spat out. “Will they accept me into their home?”

“They may, if you play the situation cautiously and keep track of your position among them. Otherwise, they might not.”

“I have questions.” Amborn put his hand onto the table almost defiantly, but his face betrayed his bravery.

“Then you may ask them.”

Amborn sat back down feeling foolish. Ortanu had never been entirely open with him, but when a time of need arose he would always give Amborn answers.

“I have abilities on Serapnoir…abilities like I have only experienced once before. Is this something you’re controlling?”

Ortanu sat back into his chair and raised a hand to his head. He sat there for what seemed an eternity before raising the hand into the air.

“These abilities of yours are indeed because of your relationship with me and the nature of your journey. However, I am not controlling them.

Suddenly the hand that Ortanu had left in the air began to bleed and blacken. Amborn jumped back startled at the sight of it, but Ortanu kept his eyes locked on Amborn.

“You are not invincible on Serapnoir, Amborn. Just as I am not invincible here, we all have our weaknesses and our limitations. Should you be challenged in ways unforeseen by me…well…you should remain careful.”

“Couldn’t you make me invincible? You created this place and can control it…what prevents it?”

Amborn was becoming confused and a little distraught at the idea of an Ortanu that was only mortal.

“For any world to survive there must be a balance of power. To upset the balance would be doom to everything and everyone. You have been given the same tools as Zaleth was given when he was sent to Serapnoir. Hopefully, the balance between light and dark will be maintained this way.”

For the first time in quite a while, Amborn could sense fear in the booming voice of Ortanu. Hearing it only gave rise to the fear that had been building within Amborn as well. As ever, Ortanu seemed to notice the thought as soon as it crossed Amborn’s mind and sat his hand on his shoulder.

“Do not fear. We do not have the time nor the luxury to give in to fear.”

With that statement Ortanu waved a hand and Amborn returned to his campsite to awaken. Opening his eyes, he felt remarkably refreshed and his mind was at ease. Derek was already awake and sitting next to him staring off towards the White Oak Forest.

“Good morning.” Amborn said with a smile. But Derek returned it with a bite of his lips and a frown.

“They’ve come to ask me questions. They left only moments ago.”

Amborn jumped up to but his boots on looked over Derek’s shoulder in an attempt to see the others.

“What sort of questions? I’m alive so…is everything alright?”

“Well, it’s not horrible. They’ve instructed me to remain here with you while they hold a meeting. They are going to send riders at mid-day to inform us of their decision. If they agree to let you into the forest, the riders will serve as escorts; if not…executioners.”

The saliva in Amborn’s mouth evaporated and he seemed to swallow his throat. While he had been sleeping the world around him had changed completely. Now he viewed it as a far less colorful and much more bleak of a place.

“I will not even be allowed to defend myself?” He asked urgently.

“I gave them all of the information you have told me. They seemed to think it was enough. Even when I offered to wake you up they shook their heads. I’m sorry Amborn.”

Amborn nodded and looked at his hands. His skin was pale but dirty, and he was shaking.

“What are we supposed to do until mid-day?”

But Derek only shook his head and turned away.

Amborn passed his time staring at his hands and breathing deeply. Derek seemed just as content to spend his time watching the horizon for the mid-day riders to come. Several hours passed and Amborn found his fear slowly leave him as the sun rose over them. He could feel a peace within himself and the constant worry would only serve to worsen his experience. Making the best of it he finally turned to Derek once more.

“Is there any hope for me?”

Derek looked back at Amborn with concerned eyes but stood up when he turned back away.

“They are coming.”

A heart flutter and a stumble later, Amborn was standing as well. With his hand cupped around his eyes he could just barely see the figures approaching them in the distance. There were four of them and all were carrying their swords raised above their heads.

“They will let me know if they’re going to kill me before doing it I assume?”

Derek shrugged.

“It’s best to let me do the talking here Amborn.”

The four riders were upon them and Derek stepped forward to face them and hear the decision.

“What is this human’s fate? Will the council allow him entrance?”

At first the four riders stood in silence as if measuring each and every word. Amborn looked them over and sank back a few steps as they looked down at him. Finally, the rider in the center of the formation nodded his head and they all turned away. Slowly, Amborn made his way to Derek’s ear.

“What does that mean?” he asked.

“It means that we are going to follow them and you will face the council of the forest. They will hear your defense and your story.”

Amborn nodded and relaxed.

“You got all of that out of a nod?”

Derek gave him a quick piercing glance and they continued following on behind the riders. Derek was first and Amborn stumbled on behind them at a much slower pace. His feet were aching before they reached the gates and his knees were close to giving in. The gargils all seemed to be taking it in strides though, so he gave no sign of reluctance. When they arrived at the gates, Amborn could see that even the White Oak Forest had its armed defenders. Three gargils were stationed on each side of the single gate on the road through the woods. At once Amborn could see that an armed gargil was more intimidating than a human guard, though he wondered if that was due to his own life being at risk now. Still, the way that the steel reflected the golden leaves was enough to send his knees trembling once more.

The walk through the woods went on for a while before finally they reached what seemed to be the oldest tree in the wood. It was only then that Amborn noted that many of the trees had been hollowed out to serve as homes and housing. The large one to which they were entering, seemed to be the forests main dwelling place for royalty. It looked to have been at least a thousand years old when it was hollowed out, by Amborn’s count, and could have held three or four of the others within its shell. The huge cut-out doors opened with a whine and they all entered at once to a room filled with a table and several aged gargils sitting around it. The one at the end of the room spoke first.

“Bring the human here so that he may sit close to me. I shall want to question him myself.”

The leader’s voice was deep and powerful and even reminded Amborn of the way Ortanu’s voice could penetrate a person’s soul just by the emotion held within. It made him nervous and he hesitated several times on his way to the chair saved for him.

“What is your name, human?” asked the leader.

“My name is Amborn, sir.”

With that they all sat back and stared at each other.

“You call me sir?” The leader asked as if it intrigued him. “You aren’t from around here are you?”

“No sir, I’m not.”

First, thanks again for taking the time! It means a lot. :)

Why didn't the gargils chain Amborn up? Well, most of them would have like to do that very much. The King isn't completely sure. He's aware of something that the others don't know. But that won't be revealed until later.

I agree, it probably would have made more sense for more Gargils to be with Derek. I slipped up there. However, Derek's ability to trust Amborn when the others cannot will be explained later. It goes back to his father and the nature of his death. It also ties in with why the King trusts Amborn enough to allow him to walk free. It's a bit of a conspiracy. ;)

Falling from heaven and coming into the world is a bit different than falling form a cliff. I imagine the fall from heaven to have seemed like falling to Amborn, but really he just sort of materialized in a bit of an explosion. I should have explained that in some way. I might do that later on.

- It's still a first draft. What I'm really focusing on now is just getting the story all down in writing before I go back and fix things. There are problems, but I can't let the story be left in my head any longer. As long as people are awesome like you and point out the mistakes, I can go back and fix them later. :)

Definately. Really, your the only person who's really shown much interest in it at all. I can't even get my family to sit down to read what I write. If it's over 1 page long, they don't read it. So its really cool that you take the time, man. Thanks.


Good point. I've got it set up that Zaleth has built his army of living inanimate objects using the water from the Bluecular. Not to mention his fortress is just on the other side of the base of the mountain. So that would be my reason for that. It's something else I have to add in later. I hate to use the "It's simply too dangerous" angle, but it's the best I've got. lol

Well it's not a hill, its the largest mountain in the entire world. Plus, there's a lake at it's base that the river feeds. It's not a simple matter of Zaleth sending some guys out the gates to have a talk with them. I would say that it's a days ride from Zaleths place to where Amborn meets Derek. Anyone he sent would have to cross a giant lake too. I've drawn a map and it would probably answer a lot of questions, I just haven't figured out how to put it down in writing that doesn't sound forced and obviously explanatory.

i still think that if i was in the possition of the evil dude, i would have a fort or something blocking access to the magical river, protecting my access to it and preventing other peoples... And that if i were the commander of the said fort, i would send out patrols to find out what was happening in the area.

Thanks, man. :)

CHAPTER FIVE



The guards were already there. Amborn could hear their voices echoing through the doorway. Derek was speaking as well in a hushed manner and they seemed to be criticizing him for his actions. Amborn stood up and gathered his things, making sure not to leave anything behind. The mirror was placed firmly in his bag and the sunlight was glimmering in its reflection. Stepping from his room Amborn could count three guards but after turning the corner he realized that there were actually five. Derek was standing to the left of them all with a defeated expression hanging from his face. Amborn greeted them all as politely as he could manage and the largest guard turned to speak.

“You will come with us, human. We are taking you to the hall to speak to the King. You will remain silent and still until the King had addressed you. If you do not abide by these stipulations…death will befall upon you.” The guard spoke uneasily and avoided eye contact with Amborn. Deciding it was best not to speak, Amborn nodded silently and continued onward with the guards. Derek followed behind them.

The world seemed to have fallen into an unbearably quiet state. The gargils that had gone about their business in the days before were nowhere to be seen and the very sounds of the forest seemed hushed. Amborn wondered if his imagination was playing tricks on him. The guards were as statues in in their armor and their march was slow and stiff. Derek however was almost stumbling along behind them and mumbling under his breath about something. Amborn was afraid that someone would scorn him for it but everything remained silent until they reached the council hall.

The wind behind his back and a dark looming door in front of him, Amborn stepped through the gaping hole into a room full of aging gargils and a very serious looking King Rallake. Amborn was allotted the seat closest to the King once again and took it uneasily. The chair was hard and uncomfortable and the grave stare that everyone was giving him rattled his mind. Derek wasn’t allowed to come into the tree with him and he once again could see that Derek had taken his place standing just outside the window. Rallake sat forward and raised his left hand.

“We have gathered here, The Council of the Forrest, to decide on the fate of the one called Amborn the Mysterious. Amborn, the human who is seated before you has come to us from unknown origins with Derek, son of Olak. He claims to have had some association with Zaleth…who has betrayed us. However, he has told us that he intends to fight alongside us to bring Zaleth down. We must now hear his story and make our decision.”

The crowd looked at Amborn as if they were waiting to hear something. But he was not sure what he was supposed to be saying. The King had left him in an awkward position and Amborn knew he couldn’t start his story without giving some explanation of who he is first.

“Good morning.” He said unexpectedly. The circle of gargils looked shocked and the King held his head in his hands. Rallake was sweating a bit and Amborn could see that his hands were trembling almost as much as his own.

“Yes…good morning. Amborn, could you please tell us how you came to be here in my forest?” The Kind spoke harshly and it put Amborn off for a moment.

“Well, it’s quite a story actually.” Amborn spoke slowly. “It begins as far as I remember, at the highest point of Mount Bluecular. I found myself waking there with no recollection of how I had gotten there or where it is I’m from.”

The audience let out a few chuckles and scoffed at Amborn’s story. Already, he had insulted them unwittingly.

“You mean to tell us that you have come from somewhere that no creature is known to have ever gone? You expect us to believe that?” An old gargil yelled from down the long table.

“I mean to tell you the truth, just as you have asked me too.” Amborn said quickly. He was becoming upset and though he knew he should, he found it hard to contain his anger. Rallake sat back and stared out the window.

“How did you get down from the mountain?” He asked.

“I leapt from the cliff-face.”

“Yet you still live?” Rallake was looking angry as well.

“I do. Before reaching the ground and colliding to what would have been my death, I found myself hovering over the dirt. I was unharmed.” Amborn said stiffly.

There was a thoughtful silence and a bit of muttering and arguing between the gargils now. But Rallake continued to look out the window at the forest. He was holding his head with his right hand and his left lay on the table. Amborn sat forward.

“You’ve heard similar stories, I know. Your people have seen similar things in the past performed by a man who betrayed you. Yes, I knew Zaleth in a past life. I know this. But I am no friend of his if what I hear about him is true. Darkness has taken him…I am the bringer of light.” Rallake turned his head quickly and looked to the others who were grimly staring at him.

“Your very words echo the lies of Zaleth.” He said to Amborn with a quick glance over his shoulder back out the window. Amborn turned to face the others and frowned softly.

“For every dark part of the world there is one that is alight. Zaleth and I are like that of brothers. One is not the other and they should not be judged for the others sins.” Amborn reached for his bag and took the mirror out. Rallake looked down at it and strained his eyes as the light reflected into them.

“What is this?” he asked.

“Look into it and you will see everything you must.” Amborn was unsure of himself and his timing, but it was too late to turn back now. Rallake took the mirror from his hand and held it up to look deeper into its image.

Amborn could see as well and his eyes widened at the sight of it. The mirror was showing the view of the White Oak Forest as it could be seen from the window in the council tree. But it was different. The forest was dark and veiled in shadow. The trees appeared to be burnt and some were obviously cut down. In the center of the view stood Zaleth with his crooked smile stretched across his face. Hanging from the only tree left standing was Amborn.

“What is this devilry?” Rallake asked suddenly before slamming the mirror facing down onto the table.

Amborn searched his brain before responding with the first good thought that came to him.

“What you have just seen is the future of this land if you do not accept my aid. I can stop everything from taking place. But only if you let me live.”

The entire room was stunned and frightened. Rallake looked at the mirror with contempt and fear shining in his eyes. A gargil at the other end of the table however, was not as moved.

“How can we believe what this human says? This man is a sorcerer! He could have easily bewitched the mirror and told us what he wanted us to hear. I say he is lying.”

Rallake and the others seemed to agree with the idea to some extent or the other. Amborn could see how it looked from their perspective as well and knew that his explanation would not be strong enough on its own to save his life.

“Please. Look into the mirror once more.” Amborn was hoping against all logic that some other image would sway the council’s opinion. Rallake carefully took the mirror once more and looked into it deeply.

The new image was almost as shocking as the last one but in a completely different way. It showed the view of the forest through the window lit up by sunlight and with gargils and men alike happily passing through the paths and trees together. Rallake could be seen merrily speaking with a rather extravagant man in beautiful golden armor and shaking hands with him. The council room fell silent one again.

“What would have me think of this?” Rallake questioned thoughtfully.

“It shows you what must happen if we are to defeat Zaleth and how things could be after his evil is defeated. The lands of Lamerith have been divided for far too long. It is time to unite the peoples of the country and bring justice to the common enemy.”

To this the council seemed to agree with. There were some who turned their faces away at the idea, but most were nodding and biting their lips nervously. Rallake shook his head and sat the mirror back down.

“You would have us unite with Palamoore.”

“I would have the Forest unite with Palamoore. Yes. I would have anyone who is left alive that has suffered Zaleth’s presence here fight as one army. I would have peace among friends. War should be reserved for those who are truly your enemy.”

Rallake began rubbing his eyes and holding his long black hair back from his face.

“And you believe that you can do all of this, alone?”

“No.” Amborn said immediately. “I will need everyone who can help me to do so.”

Rallake looked doubtful but his eyes were alive and moving quickly back and forth as he thought about the possibilities.

“I need you to leave for a moment Amborn. The guards will stay with you outside. We will ask you to return after we’ve talked it over.”

Amborn lowered his head and stood up to follow the guards who were already leaving the room. Outside Derek was ready to meet him.

“It doesn’t look like they’re leading you to the rope just yet.” He said happily. But Amborn knew that he was not safe yet.

“They are going to speak amongst themselves before deciding. I’m not certain that I’ve said enough to prove myself true.” Amborn said.

Derek opened his mouth as if to speak but stopped in his tracks to look over Amborn’s shoulder at the council tree. He shook his head suddenly and smiled.

“Amborn, you’re safe. Trust me. I’ve seen other meetings and they never let someone walk outside if they are going to judge him to be guilty. Only those who are judged innocent are allowed to leave the tree during the meeting.” Derek was almost laughing as he spoke.

“Are you certain?” Amborn asked desperately.

“I’m nearly positive!” He said.

“Almost isn’t enough.” Amborn was unsure of how he should feel now. Something told him that he would be allowed to live but his doubt still plagued his mind.

“How long could they be before they make their decision?” He asked.

“Not very long…” Derek said properly with his eyes turned back over Amborn’s shoulder. Turning to see what was going on, Amborn found that Rallake was standing directly behind him.

“Have you made your decision?” asked Amborn quietly.

“Yes.” Rallake said with a tilt of his head. “For now, you shall live. But you will not leave the forest.”

Joy rushed through Amborn’s veins and his heart skipped a beat as Derek let out a breath. Rallake looked at Amborn with his eyes squinting in the sunlight.

“I hope you have not lied to me Amborn. I have put my reputation and everything I have on the line to keep you alive. Do not make me regret it.” He said. “Watch over him, Derek.”

With those parting words, the King left Derek and Amborn alone in the woods. The adrenaline was still coursing through Amborn and he turned to Derek with a smile plastered across his face. To his dismay however, Derek was still looking discontented.

“What’s wrong? I thought this was good news?” He asked.

“It is. But it could still be dangerous for you here in the forest. Despite the King’s decision, there are others who would rather see you dead. We need to get back to my tree and stay there.” Derek was speaking urgently and hurried Amborn along his way as soon as he finished.

The light of the sun was going and the forest was growing dark. Derek’s tree was visible in the distance when Amborn noticed the faces. Through every window they passed along their way, faces of other gargils were peering through curtains at them. Derek had noticed as well and it only served to quicken his pace. Slamming the door behind him when they stepped into his home he turned to face Amborn with his face twisted in anger.

“My people will not suffer your presence here. We can sleep easy tonight perhaps, but tomorrow we will need to think of new arrangements.”

“Will I need to leave the forest?” Amborn asked.

“Perhaps, we will discuss it further tomorrow. Let us rest.”

The night was cold and Amborn could hardly sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes he could see the faces in the mirrors and the hatred in their eyes. His mind was busy planning his next course of action. If he had to leave The White Oak Forest, he figured the next likely place to go would be to Narsik; the broken city of men. Broken it may be, but if they are friendly enough I may be able to sway them to help me.

Derek woke him with a yell and a shove. He was standing over Amborn with a bag full of things and strange sort of clothing hanging on his back.

“What is going on Derek?” Amborn asked.

“We must leave.”

“Why now?” he asked. None of this was making sense, but Amborn was already up and packing anyway.

“Some of the rebels who have argued against the King have let it be known that they intend to kill you if you are not out of the forest by mid-day. We can’t let you stay here.”

Everything was in its place but Amborn still wasn’t sure what the actual plans were or what he was going to do once he left the confines of the forest. His entire journey had been based on getting to the forest and working with the gargils. Derek had been his one and only constant ally and now he was likely going to be facing Lamerith alone. His thoughts were quickly turning to panic.

“Derek? Where am I supposed to go?”

He received no answer. Derek was rushing around his tree gather things and pushing them into his pack. It wasn’t until they had left the tree that it dawned on Amborn just what was happening.

“Derek, they aren’t forcing you to leave as well?” He asked.

“No.” Derek said simply.

“Then why are you packing your things too?”

“I’ve deciding to go with you. My people may not understand…maybe I don’t either. But I made my decision and I plan to see it through. Wherever that choice may lead you, it shall lead me also.”

Amborn looked deeply into Derek’s eyes just before he turned to continue walking. It was that moment that Amborn fully realized just how important this moment was too Derek. He was giving up his livelihood and everything he had in the forest to risk it all on Amborn.

“Derek…” He said softly.

“Yes?”

“Thank you.” Derek turned to look back at Amborn at this, but they only smiled and continued towards the gates. The guards that had led them into the forest where standing there waiting to lead them out. One of them cursed Derek and the other turned his head away from the both of them. Amborn felt terrible but kept his feet moving on. As the gate closed behind them Derek turned to look back one last time.

“It will be quite some time before I see this place again. They might never let me back inside.” He said.

“They will. After they hear about the good we will do and your part in it. They will welcome you back as royalty.” Amborn was trying to be encouraging, but his voice shook and he knew that Derek was anything but certain.

“You could be right. Either way, we need to get as far away from this place as possible. Are you feeling like walking?”

“I don’t have a choice.”

The two shared another smile before turning and heading off towards the south without really knowing where it was they were heading too. Like a distant thought in the back of his mind Amborn could hear the name of the city Narsik repeating over and over again. Finally he decided to ask Derek his opinion.

“Derek, do you think that the city of Narsik would welcome me?” He said.

Derek nodded and looked to the east.

“It’s possible. Actually, it’s very likely. However, I don’t know what help they could provide to you now. Their city is destroyed and few people are left there. It’s also a very long way to get to Narsik.” Derek said thoughtfully.

“The people who are left there would be friendly towards you and your people though? The gargils and Narsik get along?”

“Well, better than the gargils and Palamoore. It’s been a long time since any official business has taken place between Narsik and us. It could still be gamble in these changing times.”

Amborn had to think a while. Despite everything he was hearing; Amborn felt very strongly that Narsik would be the key he needed to open the door to the gargils. Derek had pulled out a map and was looking at it intently. Turing back around, Amborn could still see The White Oak Forest looming behind him.

“How long would it take us to get to Narsik?” He asked.

“If we face no problems…it could take us a nearly a week. That would be without much rest or time to hunt for food. The road is not easy.” Derek put his map back into his bag.

“Would you still come with me if I told you I mean to follow that road?” asked Amborn.

Derek chuckled and shook his head.

“I don’t have a choice.” He said.

CHAPTER SEVEN


For the next several hours the two travelers found themselves being washed over by a wave of perpetual silence. It was unnerving and Amborn found his hands were shaking gently underneath the sleeves of his cloak. He was keeping his eyes fixed so that he could see just over Derek’s left shoulder. He had spent the first few hours glancing behind him every few seconds but decided that if they were attacked, he would know about it either way. So now he continued on with his head fixed forward and only his thoughts were moving with his legs.

If it was daylight or nightfall they could never know. Derek would mention that every few minutes but other than that he remained silent. Darkness shone around them. Amborn wondered how it was possible for there to utter blackness pouring through the cracks between the forest canopies in place of sunlight. There is no glimmer of hope in this place. He thought.

Suddenly Derek stopped walking. Amborn nearly collided into him before noticing and quickly trying to find what had caught Derek’s attention. Far ahead there stood a shadow. The beings eyes were glowing white through the pitch. Amborn felt his heart skip a beat as more creatures began appearing in a circle around Derek and him. Derek turned and screamed to run and Amborn obeyed as best he could.

Lightning began cracking down on them and several trees combusted into flames. Rocks were flying at them from all directions and they had to leap over fallen trees and vines, but Amborn kept his feet moving. Like fleeing from a cloud of shrapnel and death they ran until finally a tunnel of light could be seen ahead of them. Derek screamed in joy and waved for Amborn to go first. Doing what came to him first; Amborn leapt towards the light and erupted outwards into daylight. There was a field around him and blue skies above him. Softly and without sound, there were clouds floating through the open air. Then, turning to look back at the forest Amborn could see Derek come flying out and rolling across the ground.

The wave of shrapnel and darkness hit the edge of the forest and seemed to be blocked by some invisible force. The sound alone nearly made Amborn’s ears bleed. As the low rumble of the collision came to a halt he rolled over on his back to look at the sky again. All was quiet. Derek lent him a hand and pulled Amborn back to his feet. Glancing around Amborn could see a small village off to the south of their location.

“Where are we?”

Derek smiled. “We are near Ailforth. That’s it, there to the south of us. We’ll rest there. Don’t worry Amborn…we’re safe for now.”

They shared a quick smile as they looked back at the towering mass of trees behind them and continued walking in peace. Amborn caught his left leg trembling beneath his cloak a couple times but tried to shake it off and kept walking. Derek on the other hand seemed to be lengthening the distance between his strides and was leaving Amborn a bit behind.

The village of Ailforth was simple and smaller than Amborn had anticipated. After the marvels that were The White Oak Forest and Palamoore, Ailforth was a humble town with plainspoken people. The circle of buildings consisted mostly of houses with few shops laid out between them. In the center there was a market of vendors who were proudly displaying their wares and smiling to everyone who passed by. It reminded Amborn of home in some small way. A home he had left long ago perhaps, but home nonetheless.

“Welcome to Ailforth.” said Derek, slightly grinning. “We’ll only stay here a few days. Then we can continue on to Narsik. Besides, I’m sure a bit of rest could do us both some good.”

Amborn nodded in agreement and pointed towards a stand in the market that was selling soup.

“A bit of food would do me some good.” He said, and Derek laughed.

The man who was working the stand smiled and greeted them kindly before asking how he could help them. Derek ordered two bowls of soup and Amborn watched with his eyes glazed over as the soup poured from the ladle into the deep black bowls.

“Will that be all for the travelers?” asked the stand keeper.

“I believe so.” Said Derek, “Unless you know where we can find a nice place to sleep for the next few days?”

The man’s lips pulled tighter as his smile grew wider and he waved them over to a building across the road. With a roof made of straw and a large blue door at its entrance, but building was something of an anomaly in Ailforth. It was not the humble, quiet, nor reserved building that Amborn had expected to see. Derek led the way and held the door open as they stepped inside.

Within, the building was even more surprising. There was no lobby. Instead the clerk’s desk was positioned just a few feet away from the door and the walls were close and tight. There was a lady with a large nose standing there to greet them.

“May I help you?” She asked in a loud and overbearing tone.

Amborn had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. The lady was wearing the most outlandish dress he had ever laid eyes on. It appeared that the woman had merely sewed various fabrics together without any attention being paid to material or color. There were various places where the threads were barely holding together and holes in the most inconvenient of places. Her voice and facial features seemed to match the nature of the dress.

Glancing over at Derek, Amborn was surprised to find him standing and smiling casually.

“Hello, miss. My friend and I were wondering if you could give us a place to stay for the next several days.”

The lady stood up and grabbed a key from a hanger next to her desk. The key was marked to be number seven, and looked ancient. She grimaced as she held it up to her cheek.

“I can’t give you one, but I could rent you one I suppose. If you have any money, that is.” Her voice echoed for a moment before Derek turned to Amborn and shook his shoulders.

“Oh…” Amborn stammered witlessly. “Well, we don’t have much of anything on us at the moment.”

The lady laughed and Amborn felt his eardrums rattle within his head. She put the key back on the rack and sat back down into her large yellow chair.

“Wait!” Amborn said suddenly. “Could we…could we work for it?”

She gave him a look that told Amborn she was cooking up some sort of scheme in her large bulbous head.

“I suppose you could.” She said finally. “But it won’t be pretty. You’ll be doing the rough work. Stuff nobody in their right mind would want to do.” She suddenly pursed her lips and spat into a jar on the floor.

“Right…” Amborn turned to Derek who was looking back at him without any indication of his opinion spread on his face. “Luckily madam, we are most certainly not….in our right mind I mean.”

Derek suddenly dropped his head and stared at the floor. The woman threw the key at Amborn who barely managed to catch it before it went flying over his shoulder. She cackled once more and opened a door that Amborn would never have guessed even existed. Through the doorway Amborn could see the longest hallway he had ever seen. There were doors on either side and one last door at the end. It was marked to be door number seven. The lady pointed down towards it.

“That’s where you can stay. Don’t mess it up too badly or I’ll have your heads. You’ll meet me here tomorrow morning to work, or I’ll have your heads. If you skip town or any other foolishness I’ll have…”

“Our heads…” Amborn finished for her. She grimaced and nodded her head before slamming the door behind them. Derek smiled.

“What…have you just gotten us into?” he asked with a chuckle.

Their room was cramped and only one bed was waiting for them within. Luckily, Derek was accustomed to sleeping on the floor and volunteered to do so over the course of their stay in Ailforth. There were three paintings on the walls, one for each of the walls that didn’t have a door on it. They were just as tacky as Amborn could have expected and they seemed to be telling a singular story. The first was a painting of a ship lost at sea rolling over a wave in the midst of a storm. The second was of a sailor in the water grasping onto a large piece of wood that had apparently been ripped from the ship. The last painting portrayed the ship as it might look after sinking, sitting underneath the waters of some far off sea.

“At least we’ll have something cheerful to look at when we’re trying to sleep.” said Amborn as he pointed towards the skull of the sailor in the third painting. Derek shook his head in disgust as he sat carefully down in the corner.

“Amborn, what is it you expect to find in Narsik? What do you think is pulling you there?”

“I wish I knew.” Amborn spoke truthfully. The story of Narsik intrigued him. But other than that aspect there was nothing else that told Amborn that his destiny should carry him across the country to Narsik.

“I’ve only ever been there once before.” Derek said. “It was quite a few years ago now. I’m worried about what’s happened there since Zaleth came this way. I’ve heard devastating things, all of which I’ve told you. But there are always things you don’t hear about. I worry that a people that have been tortured may not welcome us as kindly as we’ve been hoping this past week. We’re risking a lot on this assumption of yours.”

“I know.” Amborn let his breath fall short as he spoke and he looked at the painting on the wall; the first one of the ship on the sea. “This is where we stand Derek. I don’t know if our ship will sink. But if it does, I am perfectly ready to say that it must sink in Narsik. Something is pulling me there and I have to find out what that something is.”

Derek hung his head and raised it again to look at the third painting. This ship was sitting at the bottom of the ocean with nothing to show for its battles but some missing bits of wood and timber.

“Maybe sinking wouldn’t be so bad. I’ll see you in the morning Amborn. I’m tired.”

Derek rolled over and was soon snoring. Amborn found himself staring at the paintings for hours before he finally drifted off into his own sleep. His bed was comfortable, at least.

Slowly the paintings around him seemed to turn to smoke and fade away. Soon they were followed by the rest of the room and Derek as well. Amborn was left in a room like a void. It resembled an open plain with fog covering everything for as far as the eye could see. As the fog pulled back his eyes adjusted and he could see the massive columns standing around him. There in the middle of everything stood Ortanu. Clothed all in white as usual he looked like the sun incarnate. He held out a hand and motioned for Amborn to come closer.

“You have finally found yourself in Ailforth I see.” He said.

“I have.”

Ortanu seemed to be delighted. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Amborn’s shoulder. Where his fingers touched the fabric of Amborn’s gown the material turned from the faded blue that it had been and transformed into the glorious white that Ortanu’s own cloak was.

“You were wise to head for Narsik. Did I tell you that?”

“I don’t believe so…” Amborn said unsure of what to say.

“Yes. Narsik is desperate for help and not one other group of people in Lamerith is reaching their hand out to aid them. They need you. They are a fallen people, Amborn. They were once mighty and proud…but now they have been gravely beaten down by Zaleth and his armies. They have grown untrusting and silent.”

“How can I help such a people?” Amborn pleaded.

“The answer is simple. You must first show them that you are capable. I believe that the opportunity to do so may come upon you rather quickly, but I have faith in you Amborn. The next step is for you to prove to them that they themselves are also still capable. That will be much more complicated.”

Amborn sighed and watched as Ortanu removed his hand and his cloak turned back to faded blue.

“How can I do this?”

“We shall discuss that at another time. I need to speak with you about Derek.” Ortanu said firmly.

“What about him?” asked Amborn heatedly.

Ortanu raised his eyebrows but continued kindly, “Do you believe that he and you alone can manage to complete the heavy task that has been laid upon your shoulders?”

“I thought you said he was going to be my greatest companion. What’s changed your mind?” asked Amborn.

“Nothing has changed my mind. Surely, he is indeed your greatest ally in this task. But I wonder if you could use more help. You will have some of the most powerful leaders in Lamerith arguing with you in the middle of the war. Do you not wonder if you can bare it alone with only Derek at your side?” Ortanu was speaking strangely and it made Amborn nervous.

“What is it you know? Why won’t you tell me?” Amborn caught himself screaming and quickly changed his tone but it was too late. Angry at himself he took a few steps back and bit his tongue.

“Well, it hardly matters just yet. All will come to you in time. Just know that you will soon be taking on more than you have ever dealt with before. I believe that you can make it through, but I hope that you believe in yourself.”

“It would be easier to believe in myself if I knew just what my limits were. But you won’t seem to tell me.” Amborn was speaking softly now, but his words still cut a little more than he had intended.

“Did you ever think that maybe I don’t know what your limits are either? It’s a funny thing Amborn, but the world of Serapnoir is confusing even me in these later days. I’ve revealed this to you. I promise that I am working my hardest to figure it out Amborn. These things take time.” Ortanu put his hand up and it burst into blood and bone, making a mess of his beautiful white robes. “Zaleth has poisoned the creation. The creator suffers in the loss of his artwork, Amborn. I do not have the answers you seek. Not yet.”

Amborn found his feet carrying himself further backwards. But Ortanu took several steps forward to match the distance between them. Finally Amborn found his words.

“Send me back now; I have a lot of work to do.” He said.

“Indeed you do. Go now. Good luck.”

The fog that had been pulled away slowly crept back around Amborn and he found the smoky remains of the room at the inn returning to their respective places until the room was fully restored and he found himself awake again. Derek was still happily asleep and snoring quietly in the corner. The paintings of the ship and the sailor were hanging in the places they always had been. But Amborn felt differently now.

He wondered if the story could work out differently if one looked at the sunken ship first and followed through with the first painting of the ship on the sea being a rescue envoy sent out to save the sailor floating in the ocean. He smiled as his own mind continued to amuse him and carefully put his back down on the pillow until Derek finally awoke.

“I guess I was tired.” He said softly.

Sitting up Derek winced slightly and held a hand to his side. Amborn took note of it and realized how grueling the journey had already been and the energy that had been vacuumed out of them. He felt sorry for Derek, the only friend he had found since arriving in Lamerith. He had been unlucky enough to meet Amborn at the very beginning and now there was still no end in sight.

“I suppose we should go and meet the inn keep. That woman’s crazy enough to come in here kill us both if we don’t get out there to see what she’s going to use us for.” Amborn was trying to sound airy and energized. But his words fell a bit flat. They both continued to sit around and moan for quite some time before pulling the door open and heading down the long and narrow hall way.

The woman was sitting in her chair waiting for them. Upon their arrival she quickly sat up and pulled out a bucket from under her desk.

“You’re late.” She said, tossing the bucket into Amborn’s hands. “You’ll find water in the well outside. The rags are in the bucket.”

“But what is it we’re supposed to do with all this?” asked Amborn.

“What else?” She spat. “You’re going to clean the guest’s chamber pots.

Derek nearly fell over. Amborn felt his stomach lurch. The woman just twisted her mouth into a snarl.

“After you’re done you can report back to Yelain”. With that, she sat back down into her seat.

“But…who is Yelain?” asked Derek rather harshly.

“I am.” She said.

Amborn hung his head to hide his smile. Derek just shook his back and forth. They both left the inn with their moral even more blown apart than it had been before. But the sight of the cheerful and busy Ailforth brought Amborn’s mood back up a bit. The town was bustling and people were everywhere. The well wasn’t far from the inn and Amborn was anxious to get the bucket full. There were a few people ahead of them in the line, but it went quick and painlessly and before they knew it, the boy working the ropes lowered their bucket down into the water.

“You must be new here.” He said kindly. He was wearing tatty clothes and looked dirty and tired, but his smile was wide and bright.

“That’s right. My friend and I just arrived in Ailforth yesterday.”

“That’s nice. We don’t get too many new people around here anymore. We keep to ourselves more often than not.” Just then the bucket came rising out from the ground with water dripping from the sides. “My names James, I’ll see you around if you need more water.”

Amborn smiled faintly and turned back to Derek who was eyeing the crowd intently.

“Recognize anyone or are you just feeling suspicious?” asked Amborn jokingly.

“You can never be too careful. I don’t know Amborn; we’re getting closer to Talay-Sul. Zaleth could have watchmen based in any of these places. I wouldn’t doubt that some of these smiles and well-wishers are a bit less than honest with us.”

“The well worker seemed nice enough. He’s just a young boy, but…he said they don’t get many new people here. Maybe that means Zaleth hasn’t sent anyone here.” Amborn was confident in his idea but Derek still looked unsure of everyone.

“Zaleth is cunning…and powerful. These people could easily miss someone completely if they were working for him. Zaleth could even make them believe they know someone they’ve never met before.”

Amborn laughed. “You’re over thinking all of this. Let’s go, we’ve got chamber pots to scrub.” Derek rolled his eyes and turned around.

The work was filthy and arduous. Amborn hadn’t seen any of the guests that were staying at the inn with them, but he guessed that they weren’t the sort of people who took pride in their cleanliness and hygiene. Several times he would look to Derek and see that he was holding his mouth trying not to vomit. But by mid-day they had completed their task and found themselves standing in front of Yelain waiting for her to judge their performance.

“The two of you did better than I thought you would. I’ll give you that. I expected one of you at least to hurl. But I guess you figured that would just be more work, huh?” She laughed. Amborn forced a smile in return. “Anyway, just come back tomorrow morning and we’ll figure something else for you to do. Now get out of here.”

Amborn and Derek were eager to obey that order and rushed to the door to step back outside. It was nearly nightfall now, but the town was still busy. From afar, Amborn could see that James the well-worker was still pulling the rope and bringing up buckets full of water for everyone.

“I don’t think I could do that all day like that.” Amborn said with a tilt of his head in James’s direction. Derek matches his eyes to the well.

“Me neither. The boy had a lot of heart I’d say. He’s still smiling too.”

Amborn thought for a moment and took off towards the well. After waiting in an even shorter line than before, he met with James and said hello.

“I can’t believe they’ve got you working this thing all day.” He said, but James only giggled.

“They don’t. The well is usually left for everyone to do this themselves. But for the last few weeks I’ve been doing it for everyone. It’s hard work, but I wanted to put my part in.”

“You’ve got to be joking. You’re not being paid to do this?”

“No, sir. Some people do leave me tips now and again. But for the most part I’m just here to lend a hand. The town hit some rough times after the tower of Narsik fell. But we’ve really banded together to try and make things right again. I just wanted to do what I could.”

“I would have picked something easier.” Amborn said honestly.

“Some people can’t use the well themselves though; the younger kids and the older folks who are weak. It seemed the right thing to do.” James was still grinning but his hands were bloody and he looked tired.

“Here…” Amborn said reaching for the rope. James gave him a curious look but stepped aside. “Wave the line on, I’ll pull the ropes.”

“You don’t have to do this. I do it every day.” James said.

Amborn waved his hand and James accepted that he wasn’t going to get Amborn to change his mind. The line continued on for several hours until finally very few people were turning up and Amborn found himself doing less and less. Finally James told him that the day of well-working was probably done.

“Thank you.” He said. “It looks like you’ve got yourself some tips laying there.”

Amborn hadn’t noticed that several people had left small silver coins on the bricks of the well. He took them and held his hand out to James.

“Nah, you earned this. I don’t need it anyway.”

James took the coins hesitantly but smiled and thanked Amborn before leaving for his home. Derek soon turned up at the well and put his hand on Amborn’s shoulder.

“Your hands are bleeding.” He said.

“I know.”