Chapter 1 I need a bed

Henry, a young man of 14 is finishing up his journey, only one more destination left before his story ends.

Thunder rang through the night as my steed carried me to the City of Stars and Royalty, Nuxilous. Lightning kept striking and illuminating the sky, showing the sky Islands and dragons in the sky.  It would seem that they drifted east for safety. This storm only seems to be calm before the madness that will hit tomorrow. I carefully guide my Steed, Migh’en, through the forest as the rain hits harder and the mud gets thicker. As I go up ahead, I hear what can only be described as a bubbling in the ground. Most likely, nymphs are hiding underground and enjoying the rain, but nonetheless, I must tread carefully in the night. Tomorrow will be a big day, my last day being a hero, and the beginning of my freedom to be me, to stay in one place and be expected to do nothing else. Dark lords and Crime bosses have teamed up, from what I have heard, and plan to attack the kingdom viciously, starting with the capital city, Nuxilous.

 I had sent a letter to the King before I started traveling about this information, but I am not sure he would listen to my information. Nonetheless, I hope the evacuation has begun in the kingdom for the final battle. No blood of civilians should be shed. This is a battle amongst the brave and the dark, not all evil. 

I wrapped my arms around the neck of Migh’en, comforting him through the storm, when suddenly, he turned his head.

“What is it boy? Is there something that way?”  I grabbed my lantern and pointed it in that direction, listening for something.  I focused, listening in the direction Migh’en listened to. I blocked out the rain, I blocked out the thunder, I blocked out my own breath…

…

…

Screams, A woman… alone… Human… Young…

“Lets go Migh’en” I raised the reins and we went to the screams as they got louder. Only more information for me, as we neared. 

I blocked out the galloping and the wind striking my back and ear

… Undead… glooping and muddy noises… A branch holding something back

Not enough information to work with, but I need to help nonetheless. I reached into my bag and grabbed an obsidian rock. “This should be enough if it's just ghouls,” I took the rock to my breath and whispered to it ”Sadiulf ee set reuf nea sau ay aval adre iep.” The stone hardened more as it glowed purple and turned fluid in my hands. I focused and grasped the  “Long Bow”. It shaped in my hands as a string went from tip to tip, perfect. As Migh’en arrived at the scene, I looked about. 

Zombies, as I expected, surrounded what looks like a pool of quicksand or mud, and a human, a blonde girl, held onto branches from above. She has a bag wrapped around her neck. She was probably collecting luminescent mushrooms as they grow and glow bright in this season and weather. I aimed the Bow at some zombies, “ZUL!” 3 arrows of light appeared on my bow and were released, hitting 2 of the zombies. 5 remained as the lady struggled. “Don't worry, dear maiden, I will assist you!” I jumped off of Migh’en as he stamped on another zombie. Now only 4 are left.  “Avele arreit!” The mud surrounding the young lady raised her up and placed her high up on a pedestal made of mud. “Are you okay!”  I drew my sword and defended myself from the zombies. 

The lady stood carefully from the pedestal and stayed as still as she could as the thunder roared “AAAHHHH.”

“Dont worry, the mud is made from my magic, you should be good for as long as my hand holds this sword.” I slice a zombie head and push the body into another zombie, drowning it in the mud. 2 left. “RALETSE EUQATA”  Stars flung from my sword as i slashed it, striking the last 2, and placing them in the mud where they belong. “Rest peacefully in your slumber.” I sheathed my sword and knelt down beside the mud. I placed my hand in it and drew a circle, then a symbol inside, and pressed my palm into it. The mud shook and returned to the form of grass with flowers blooming brightly, absorbing the magic bow, lights, and stars. I took the hand of the lady. The flowers had an obsidian color, purple and glowing from the dark magic that had raised the ghouls before, releasing the magic safely.

“Are you alright lady? What were you doing out here in the middle of the night?” I clenched my other hand and whispered “Zul” and a small ball of light arose.

“I… was *huff* trying to collect lumishrooms for… for madam ma… marie” She was still terrified and shivering. I grabbed the light and spoke to it “rolac” then shaped it into a thin but warm blanket and put it around her. I whistled for Migh’en who came silently at my side. The lady thanked me, still surprised by the blanket of light and warmth covering her. 

I jumped on Migh’en and reached out to the woman, but when she approached my hand she stepped back.

“What is that?” She drawled. She looked disturbed as she raised the blanket of light to Migh’en’s face as he snorted then warbled. He rubbed his head against my palm as I stroked his fur.

“This is my steed, a ‘hox’, a mix between a horse and a fox. It was a gift from a divine being after some… events.”  I clutched the fur of Migh’en and stroked his whinnying muzzle. I whispered to him, “its okay boy” repeatedly and held him tightly in my arms. I straightened my back and reached my hand back out to the lady. “May I take you back to this, Madam Marie I believe?” She nodded, took my hand, climbed on top of Migh’en and held onto my waist as I rode off from the mud.

The forest began to clear of the muck and dirt as we reached the edge of it and there resided a logging camp at rest for the night. Not a worker in sight, which makes sense knowing there are monsters that frequent here at this time as well as it being nighttime. Overthinking again. I head towards the city of lights, Nuxilous.

The lady clutched tighter to me as she shivered in the cold, her voice hoarse from the screaming and crying. “So… what are you doing out so late, young man?”

“Traveling”, I told a false truth. The people can't learn about tomorrow's tragedies and our triumphs, or else the future will change. Since the lights in the city are still on, I assume that my message to the king has not read or just ignored my letter. Typical. Just because I am a kid, they assume they are greater than me. I don't say this stuff because I am some brat, no. I say it because there is real damning danger out there in the world. They think they could just stay up in their tall castles and be safe forever… No, that's not how the world works… 

The  tapped my shoulder, her breath quiet, and her face concerned, “Are you alright, you look disturbed, did something happen in your travels to this city”

“Im just frustrated, well a lot of emotions actually” I take a deep breath and looks to the starry night as the clouds of thunder and rain stay by the forest.  “A lot has happened for me to be here, Ive lost friends, been outcasted in some places and am unable to…” I hold back my words. “Nonetheless, I cant return home right now, so I must spend a few days at Nuxilous to do one final job, then I could return.” The thought of going home was foreign to me, I never really had one. 

She looked at me thoughtfully, stroking the mane of Mighen and pressing against me uncomfortably to reach “Is it a matter of money? If so, I could help fund you money for saving me”

“No need, I already have a job to do tomorrow, now the only thing I need is a place to stay”

Her face brightened with an idea. “Stay at the Tavern I work for, I bet I could get you a discount for saving me, Madam” She picked up her bag and looked through her pickings of mushrooms, sighed thankfully, and closed the bag. “I think this should be good enough to appease the madam for my request”. She stayed silent behind me and suddenly jumped, now flustered, “Oh my, I forgot to Introduce myself, I am Trilla frill, I don't even think I thanked you yet, so let me..”  I stopped her with my hand raised and shook my head.

“No need to thank me Trilla, I wont just pass someone in danger, its inhumane”

She sighs and looks outward with a smile, then to a small frown. ”Too bad there are people like that, who won't even lift a finger if a child cries in front of them”. The silence remained as memories filled both of our minds, of cruel people. Its inevitable that people become corrupt, anyone can be, even me. To be a being of mind and thought has its own flaws, even gods make mistakes, hell, thats why I even have my quest anyway. Nothing is perfect, but maybe one day, we could shape the world into something better for everyone, something equitable. She spoke again “ What is your name young man? I dont think I asked that yet on our ride”

“Call me Henry. Im just a boy trying to live in this world”

She chuckles and pats my shoulder, "aren't we all?” We both laugh together lightly as we look to the sky, where the other dreamers look. “So where did you learn to fight like you did, or that magic?”

 I freeze for a moment and look at the reigns, then my sword. How much should I tell her, should I even be considering it? “I had a mentor, though he claims to be my father figure, I know that's false nonetheless. He was drunk a lot, but that just meant his attacks were relentless and pure. His intentions were mostly in the right place to… to teach me how to survive in this world while traveling… To be a ‘man’ … to… well thats most of it.”

She grasped my side tighter, concern showing in her breath as she leans in on me. 

“I am sorry you have had to endure that abuse… I am familiar with it”

“Eh, its common, but I was more fortunate, as I was to fight back and dodge. I know most… kids, were not strong enough” I awkwardly get out of her grasp and continue riding on. “On my travels, I have seen plenty of hate on children. Abusive, absent, negligent, or controlling parents… Still I do nothing as its not my place.”

She sits back and looks off into the distance, contemplating. “If your so strong why do nothing? As a child yourself, shouldn't you be fighting back? Surely you have seen the children working at a young age, the slave like work, the…” she shivers and stops herself.

“I do not determine the law, nor do I start battles that may mean nothing in the end.”

“How could you say that? That fighting for the children like you or I, that it means nothing?" Her voice raised, her grip on me, tighter. I can feel that I may have hurt her in a sensitive way.

“I cant change people, and whats the point of ending violence with more violence. Yes, I may have magic, I may have weapons and knowledge. I may be strong enough to venture on my own… but what about other kids… what do I do if  I ‘save’ them, free them from their terrible parents. We are at war with dark magic and arts unspeakable, I have more important things to worry about…” Did I say too much?  Did she catch the words? I look to her and see her eyes, seeing nothing but words in her mind. She didn't catch it. She instead continues forming words and breaking them in her mind, and slowly, she is defeated and sighs.

"I can't argue with that, as much as I want to. Not all kids are able to be independent as you or I, nor as reliable." She swallows, she has never really accepted this till now. "But what if there was something we could do, what if there was something I could create?" Passion lit the gloomy roads as we rode along the road. Her murmurs were then interrupted by her own enthusiasm “WILL YOU START AN ORPHANAGE WITH ME”

Surprise was all I felt “That was straightforward… and quite blunt” I didnt really understand how I should respond. How does one even continue a conversation with a sentence like that? I try to speak but nothing makes sense to her statement. 

While I was processing her words she turned red “oh, well you mentioned that you know the pain of abuse from parents… ” she goes quieter as she speaks “I thought, maybe we could save kids from their parents, and take them to, an orphanage. *sigh*, no, saying it outloud sounds dumb, how could I even afford to run one, let alone manage one”

“Its not that bad of an Idea, however you… may have to consider a different partner and strategy…” 

“Oh… okay then…” 

The growing chorus of the ghouls and insects grew louder through our silence. Migh’en was keeping his pace, no guiding needed. It gives me a lot less to do, thanks Migh’en. I dig through my bag and take out my small notebook. It contains my spells and incantations, but also doubles as a journal for me, to document my quests, finances, and thoughts. It has helped me get through many difficult times when I just need to breathe and think. I look at some of the many missions I had crossed off, 

• 

  End the Orc War

• 

  Unite the elven tribes

• 

  Rediscover the forgotten Castle

• 

  Retrieve strings of life 

• 

  Destroy the FInlit SkyStone in Niela

• 

  Gather the lost weapons of Dwarven history

• 

  Trick The Fae of inla into helping

• 

  Return to Nux 

• 

  Prepare for war

I just need rest now. A long rest in an inn would be preferable. The king wouldn't like my arrival at his castle. I turned to the last page at the back of my journal.

Anthems roar from ancient sites

only a child could make it right

one born from cloth and linen

and he'll see it to end

magic shall surge his veins

without waste or magic pains

a pool of magic shall reside

from within his heart in which it lies

reshape and remake

the world at his wake

it gives the realm one last chance

from  death and life's final dance

when the sky turns dark

the evils will hark

the words of wrong

as death shall sing song

a ballad of pain and suffering

A young boy will endure without bluffing

a final spell

a final slash

a grand and daring dash

all at once

beautiful in gods eyes

and now safe in the palm

The Prophecy that dragged me from my home. From my life.

“HEy… Trella.” I uttered quietly with weakness. I relaxed as we got closer to the gates of Nuxulius. The debts of sleep caught up to me. My world seemed to get smaller, my body number, and my shoulders heavy. A yawn let out. “Do you have anywhere I could spend a night? Maybe I know where I could be vacant?” 

“Take me to work” She smiled “... I could get you a room at the Inn I work at. I am sure you could get a discount.” 

“Thank you very much Trella, that means a lot…” I yawned. Just a few more minutes. A few moments. Till I am safe. Till I could sleep. My luxury. 

We ventured through the gates, a simple search. I had dispelled Trella's warm blanket of light as it might attract too much attention to us in the late night. Then again the city is busting with merchants of magic and trinkets of shine. Bustling businesses and endless night above being filled with various adverts from the magic. It was amazing, I thought, but I couldn't give enough energy to look up. I followed the gentle directions of Trella. We headed further up the dirty roads, more cobbled.  We eventually reached a dimly lit Inn and tavern. Drunks laid at the doorway and conversing could be heard in the inn. 

“Go ahead and to the left, you could tie up Mighen in the shed. You may have to put a muzzle on him” she said as she got off of Mighen and walked inside the tavern.

“Fine” I took Mighen to the shed beside the inn and put him within. I tied him up, put a muzzle on him gently as I combed his mane. “Behave, alright.“ I took off my equipment and approached the entrance of the shed to wait outside. “Trella.. Are you *Yawn* outside.”

“Im right here… follow me so I could take you to your…” her voice faded. My eyes closed.

Author's Note

I believe my continuity is right, however I had some problems writing on this site and part of my story got deleted. I recovered what I had part of what I had written down and changed the story slightly towards the end. Review of characters details and writing format are appreciated

Reviews

[lauren]

Hi!
I just read your story, and I’m obsessed! Your writing is incredible, and I kept imagining how cool it would be as a comic.
I’m a professional commissioned artist, and I’d love to work with you to turn it into one, if you’re into the idea, of course! I think it would look absolutely stunning.
Feel free to message me on Discord (laurendoesitall) if you’re interested. Can’t wait to hear from you!
Best,
Lauren