Well I guess I’m about five now, not really sure but gramps just says it’s been a few years since we started traveling together. There has been three winters since we started and it was autumn then and it is once again so I’m figuring three years on top of the two I started with makes me five but really what do I know I’m only five.
Today is the third week of ‘training’ gramps makes this little wooden doll about my size with magic and then it starts doing different positions with its arms and legs and I have to copy them, while gramps is repositioning me to more properly match the doll's movements. After an hour of this gramps says.
“Good. Now, spar.”
“huh?” and the wooden doll tried to punch me in the face, instinct from the forms kicks in and I deflect it and grapple the doll's arm twisting it behind it’s back and force it to the ground.
“Good. Again.”
Back and forth it went like that for a few more hours. I started to get beat up after a while once we had gone over all the forms and gramps picked up the pace.
“Ugh, that was rough. How often are we going to do that?” I throw the question at gramps guessing at the answer already.
“Everyday.” Yep right on point.
‘sigh’
“I was figuring that would be the case. When do you think I’ll be able to use magic?”
“hgrnm. Don’t know.” I had read that magic starts to manifest, or awaken as it’s called around here at pubescent age but it can come earlier for some. I already know all the spells from all the temples we have visited, at least I know the words and what they do I can’t think of how yet without knowing what it’s like to actually use magic. But I’ve grown patient traveling around with gramps, we keep pretty much the same schedule. Eat breakfast, walk, gather, hunt, camp, hunt, train, dinner, sleep. With slight differences here and there it’s mostly the same day in and day out.
We stop by towns now and then and gramps leaves me at the local temple and I scour their library, temples and schools (for nobles) are the only places that have books it seems. There’s even a couple different temples, the country east of Venden, Medertai worship the Goddess Aquina. She’s a goddess of water, all kinds, like lakes, rivers, most of all the ocean. The people of Medertai are called Beastfolk and they look it, like they are part animal and part human.
There’s a few temples to the Goddess Embra, she’s all about fire and passion. Her temples seem to be in every country we’ve been to, mostly Vordenhost to the north. That place was full of huge people taller than gramps by at least a foot or two. They call themselves Vikings and everyone of them is always carrying a weapon around. And it’s always winter there, we headed up there in the summer but as we went through the mountains there was snow coming down and then they opened up to the tundra plains as far as I could see it was all white.
The last few years we’ve walked all over the continent except for Eldloss to the west. Hunters aren't allowed to go there, their King Gendren outlawed them from working there after he killed the old king and queen. And gramps says Eldloss isn't a good place for us to go, everyone there wants to fight all the time, “Only the strong survive” was what he said is their motto. We don’t go the the South either, Ahke'mtal the home of the Orcs is down there. The Orcs used to be just like everyone else until a few hundred years ago they burned all their own cities and killed everyone that wasn’t an orc and they have been roaming around in tribes trying to set up in Venden since then.
After eating we went to sleep and another day started. We kept up this same pace for another year traveling through the winter in Medertai as it’s warmer during that season and they have more monster activity for gramps to hunt, I keep up my training and by the time spring comes around again I’m able to take on ten of gramps’ little dolls at the same time, and he taught me another set of forms that are pure offensive techniques.
One evening as we were at the foothills going back into Venden we set up camp looking out at the valley with its rivers, it was a really nice view. Gramps went out hunting as he always did and I gathered herbs like always, I’m still qurious how his little pouch is fitting years worth of herbs but whatever I’ll find out soon enough I guess. When gramps got back I was ready to do some training so I’d done some stretching to get prepared but he just shook his head
“Nope. Rest today” He motions for me to sit by the fire pit. Starts the fire up and getts all the food ready. But when he hands me mine it’s not a bowl of stew with some meat, it’s a solid slab of it with some sweet sauce on it and I scarf it all down. Delicious. I think gramps actually smiled when he looked over at me.
“Happy Birthday Kidd” He actually did smile this time, it wasn’t just the firelight twinkling in his eye.
“Thanks gramps, is it really my birthday?” we’d never celebrated my birthday before so wasn’t sure he even knew it. I didn’t
“Mhm. Been four years today we travlin’,” He started coughing after his (for him) lengthy speech
“Are you okay gramps?” all my questions about how we started our journey were forgotten.
“Aye I’ll be fine. Just old. Gotta few more years in me” he smiles and winks at me. Now I’m actually really worried, in the last few minutes he’s expressed more emotions than in the last few years, but I just grin back at him.
“Alright old goat, well if we’re not doing any training I think I’ll just watch the sunset and do some practicing on the forms to burn off some more energy before I go to bed.” Gramps went to sleep right away, After the sun set I spent a few hours on more forms and then I also went to sleep.
The following morning I woke up before gramps as the sun was coming up, I decided I’d do something to help him, all I knew how to do that could was alchemy and of that I actually knew a lot. So I went and gathered what herbs I could, some sap from a Thither tree, and a few flowers that all had restorative properties. I added a few other herbs that would help with respritory troubles and carefully mixed them making sure the right amounts went in with just the right amount of water, the mixture poured into a small vial with no problems and I put away the alchemy kit.
It must have taken me a while to mix up everything because when I was done Gramps was up and prepping breakfast, so I walked over and held it out for him.
“This should help your cough a little bit, might make you feel better” I smiled a bit when I saw him grin.
“hmm. what’s in it?” He asked as he took the vial from me. I listed off the ingredients and what they did and how they would react when combined together. He nodded along as he started cooking.
“Good.Good. Whats’ missing though?” I wasn’t sure what he meant since the potion I made didn’t have an official recipee so I just shrugged.
“Magic hehe” and then he downed the potion in one go and then lit up one of his smoke sticks.
“I don’t have magic though. I’m sorry gramps I was hoping it would help.”
“S’okay Kiddo. Don’t need to use the magic. Just have t’have the potential. You’ve got plenty of that.”
He grinned as he handed me my breakfast and I grinned back. We ate in silence and packed up the camp and headed out. Instead of going along the foothills skirting the mountains like normal, we went out into the valley right toward a huge lake in the distance. I didnt bother asking where we were heading, though gramps was talking more lately I had a good idea we were going to a settlement of some sort so we kept going in silence. We camped that evening near a large river that flowed down from the mountains and gramps set to finding some wood and made his little dolls. 15 of them this time.
“G’head, last for and hour. We’ll call it good for the night.” So I got to it. Had to restart the timer twice but eventually I lasted and hour without going down. I went over to the cookfire and plopped down and gramps handed me my food. We ate in silence until when I was almost done, he handed me a small leather pouch. The one he has kept his herbs in.
“For you Kidd. You’ll make better use of it than me. If you could make some more of that brew? Been breathin’ mighty well all day.” He gave me a big smile that krinkled his whole face
“Yeah! the herbs I need are in here?” I smiled back and asked
“Mhm, even the sap from the Thither tree. That pouch is special, made from magic that’s been lost for ages now. Spacial magic that is. Never been able to fill up that little thing, had it for almost my whole life too.” I looked over the small bag not much more than both my little hands put together.
“Hows it work?”
“Just have to think of what you want to be done for somethin’ when you put it in. Then just think of what you want when you put your hand in. It’ll hold just bout anything that’ll fit in the opening there not just herbs.”
“Okay! I’ll get right on it.” So I did, and by the time the sun fully set I was done with the potion and handed it to gramps, who downed it right away and again lit one of his smoke sticks.
“Thanks Kidd, I think if you can manage to get me one of these every few days from now on might just give me a few extra years hehe” I grinned broadly at that.
“Gramps why do you smoke those things? I’ve seen people in towns that do and they never really look to healthy.”
“Mhm, most of em aren’t. These things are called cigarrettes and normal ones are deadly. Makes the lungs go bad. Mine are made from special herbs mixed in though. The herbs come from Everloss, where the elves live see. Their Islands off to the south are covered in whats called rainforests. Their Forests are special in that they have more natural mana everywhere and the plants just drink it up. Makes the special plants that grow there even more so. The herbs that go into my smokes are meant to do just what your potion here does but I’ve been smoking these things for a long time so my body just got used to em and they don’t work as well anymore. See Kidd I’m old, really old, even them elves would think I’m old, most do actually. Means, I’m dying slow but sure, got a f-” I interupted his long speech, the most I’ve ever heard him talk I think in all these year with a hug.
“I don’t want you to die gramps, I’d be all alone. I don’t want you to die!” I sobbed into his shoulder. He returned the hug a bit awkwardly.
“Ah don’t worry Kiddo I’ll make sure your big and strong before I leave this world, I made a promise to someone I would, and I’m fond of being round you too kay?” I stepped back trying to keep the tears in check.
“O-okay gramps I’ll-I’ll hold you to that.”
“Alright Kiddo get to sleep now we’ll be head’n out early in the mornin.”
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“Kay.” With that we went to bed.
Like gramps had said we got up early, before even the sun came up. Ate a quick breakfast and were on our way further west. A few hours later we crested a small hill and were looking down on a fairly large town sitting by a very large lake.
Another half hour or so and we came upon the town and instead of heading to the local temple like we usually did we went straight to a small castle like building. When they spotted gramps the guards stood more attentive and waved us through without word or question.
At the door a small man in a fancy servant outfit greeted us.
“Master Hunter.” He turned to me “Young miss. Follow me please the Lady of the house has been expecting you.” We followed him on through the castle which was decorated very sparsely but with class, an elegant painting or potted plant or a suit of armor or weapons on the walls here and there.
Soon we came to a set of double doors, and the man opened them for us.
“The Lady of the House awaits.” he walked in behind us, and the room was some sort of sitting area and library in one, three of the walls were covered in bookshelves and the fourth was solid glass window, overlooking the whole yard. At the center of the room was a long table with plush looking chairs around it and in one facing the window was sitting an older lady who turned to us as we came in.
“Lady Iteran may I present the Master Hunter and his companion the young miss.” upon my introduction I gave my best curtsy I could given that I had no skirt and only learned how to do it a couple years ago from one of the Arch Priestesses that insisted I know how to greet a noble properly.
“Eledora you are looking well, It has been some time. I am sorry about your husband, he was a good friend.” gramps greets the woman with the most articulate speech I’ve heard from him yet, full of surprises lately.
“Why thank you Ed-” She glances at me “You old goat, It has been a while. Metelai went as he wanted to, with a blade in hand and a curse on his lips. Now is this the young lady I’ve heard so much about?” She turns to me and I introduce myself as best I can.
“Greetings Lady Iteran, my name is simply Kidd.”
“Well that was quite good Kidd, I know you don’t often greet nobility. But here were friends so no needs for formality.” She smiles and gestures for us to take a seat.
“Those the children there?” Gramps asks looking out the window to the yard, where three kids around 10 or so I’d guess were sparing with wooden swords and shields, one had a staff.
“Yes, they are quite lively. Since Metelai’s passing they have not had anyone willing to train them, they are far beyond their years, already better than the captain of the House guard. They are already ranked between Master and Arch all across the board. That’s why I called on you Hunter there’s no one else Metelai would have trusted with this.” Gramps didn’t even take a moment to think it over he just glanced at me.
“Very well, have they been informed that I will be coming?”
“Yes I told them that the Master Hunter would be training them now that Metelai is gone.”
“Good, Now Kidd” he turns to me “I want you to go out there and introduce yourself to the children and let them know that you are my disciple. Okay?” Sounds simple. Rather not have to be around other kids but this does seem important.
“Okay gramps.” Eledora grabs my arm before I can leave out the door to the back yard and looks to gramps.
“Are you sure that's a good idea? They know who you are they will want to test her, she’s just a small child.” gramps just smiles and nods saying.
“It will be fine, Kidd take it easy on them for today. You can have tea with Eledora and I when your done”
“Kay!” and I run out the door, not before taking in the shocked expression from Eledora.
I quickly come to the small training circle of packed dirt, obviously just for this purpose, and greet the other children.
“HI! I’m Kidd, gramps told me to introduce myself to you guys as his disciple.” They all stopped what they were doing to look at me and the one Boy out of the group walked closer to me.
“Who?”
“Oh right, Lady Iteran called him Master Hunter.”
“hahaha. You're the Master Hunters disciple? you’re just a little girl.” Hmm this guy is irritating me. I’ve met a few people like him at the temples we’ve been to. Never been able to do anything about it, though gramps is here to train them, and he said to go easy on them hehe.
“Well yes that’s obvious, I am younger than you and smaller, and I’m a girl. Though you didn’t elaborate I take it you were trying to insult me, but I’m not going around waving a little stick like I’m some fancy soldier now am I?” the two girls snicker behind the boy whose face went a few shades of red.
“I’m not waving around anything, I’m training, already I’m Grandmaster physical rank don’t taunt me little girl!”
“Oh so high and mighty doesn’t even introduce himself before throwing around his rank, is that supposed to impress me?” seriously, I’ve heard of the ranks before but I have no idea what they mean. the boy just starts sputtering and the girls keep snickering in the background. So I figure it’s best to get this over with then, never had tea before but if it’s served in a noble's house I bet it’s good.
“Alright you want to show off physical boy, how bout all three of you show me what you can do kay?”
they all look at each-other and then at me and shrug and the boy says.
“Well you look like some low-born commoner so I doubt we can get into trouble if we beat you bloody. Don’t worry though we won’t hurt you to bad.” And with that they came at me. First the boy with a high angled slash, the girl with the sword right behind with a horizontal slash across the torso and the one with the staff going for the legs, good well co-ordinated. But I’ve been going against even more enemies all acting on one person's will.
I slide in close to the boy, right past his guard and while his momentum is strong I grab his wrist and twist around sliding behind him, putting him between me and sword girl, then give him a swift shove right on his ass and send him head first into her shield, they both go down. Staff girl tries to change her angle of approach but I step in and grab the end of the staff she meant to strike me with and simply bop her in the face with it while she’s still holding it.
I give them a moment to collect themselves.
“Again? or are you done fooling around and want to really learn?” They gave some animal like growls as response. Again it is.
A bit less than an hour later they three children are unconscious on the training yard and I’m skipping back into the sitting room. Gramps is drinking what I assume is tea grinning like crazy.
“Good thing I told you to go easy on them, They need to do that again tomorrow haha”
I laugh with him and return to my seat, Eledora Places a cup in front of me and pours some me some tea.
“That was amazing Kidd, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so young move like that, you must already be very high ranked.”
“Hmm don’t know really. Actually I don't know what ranks really are.”
She shares a look with gramps while I take my first sip of tea.
“Right, that’s okay, ranks aren’t that important right now. Hunter was telling me that you are quite the reader, and I have invited you both to say for as long as you would like so you can go ahead and read anything you find that meets your fancy.” she smiles at me.
“Oh yes I’ll have to take you up on that offer if gramps already said we’ll be staying.” I quickly jumped up and started scanning the book titles on the shelves.
Not even a half hour later and I looked over every book title and found two I had yet to read, they were newer than the ones I’d found in the temples these had just come out in the last few years. I found something in the second one that actually made me pause and re-read not just once but twice as it made me feel like I was forgetting something really important.
The Reign of King Valdus Zixrua and his wife Queen Mirila Zixrua
was one wrought with strife from beginning to end.
They had attained the throne shortly after their marriage
at a very young age. They challenged the King of that time,
Gurilious Heltus and his Wife Hitilisis to a duel during court. As
Gurilious was never one to back down, he accepted and subsequently lost
Valdus and Mirilia were the two strongest people known at the time in Eldloss
save for perhaps Mirilias Great Grandfather, also the oldest known man in Eldloss,
Ederon Emzira, the Bastion of Southhold.
Less than a year after their coronation the orcs of Ahke’mtal began the largest
campaign began by there time. Nearly half a million rampaging orc stormed from the
mountains led by one that became known as simple the Mad One as he wielded powerful blood magic and would cut himself to fuel his spells as other orc shaman healed him.
The war lasted for just over a year and concluded after in a final attempt at pushing through
the human defenses King Valdus summoned a massive barrier to hold back the remaining
two hundred odd thousand orc berserkers as his wife did battle with The Mad One.
As she slayed him The King's shield began to falter and all those that had assisted in the spell
collapsed leaving him holding it on his own with only a few hundred regular soldiers to
protect him if so. The Queen Cast the largest fire spell ever to have been witnessed in recorded
history, it scoured the orc forces exciting terror in even the mindless berserkers, they simply spread it to their comrades and all the remaining orc warriors died on the field that day.
Ten years later, with small skermishes from both the orcs and Vorden a constant.
The King and Queens first Child Crowned Princess Alita Zixrua was traveling home after visiting her mothers family at Southold when her party was ambushed by orcs. 250 of the Eldloss’s best including Ederon Emzira The Queens great grandfather and the young princess died. There were no survivors.
Continued pressure from the north and south led to more small scale battles and even a few siege attempts on the northern and southern fortresses, did not hold the royal couple from trying to continue their line. Twenty years after the death of their first daughter, Crowned prince Edern Zixrua was born. He was on his was to Eldloss academy only one hundred miles north of Alderwood when an entire army that was escorting him, including his parents, were attacked. The attackers went straight for the young prince and in a suicidal explosion the mage, a mercenary from the free tribes of Vordenhost burned his own soul to create a blast that very nearly took the lives of the king and queen, but did succeed in killing their son.
Thirty years after the death of their son they tried once again and Valara Zixrua was born, her life was the shortest and in every way the most brutal end. A Band of mercenaries from unknown origins begane to slaughter those loyal to the King and Queen while the King's younger brother Gendren Zixrua and his men assaulted the Emzira Capital home where the royal couple were raising their daughter. The home was burned to the ground after a massive explosion, Valara was inside sleeping,The young princess died on her birthday, she was only two. The King and Queen were captured and had inhibiting collars placed on them. They were both tortured to death over the course of days in a public display. The things that Gendren did the Queen will earn him a place in the darkest most vile pit of whatever hells might exist out there.
The constant skirmishes that had been a norm for nearly seven decades of Valdus and Mirilas’ rule, ended as soon as Gendren slaughtered his own family.
It may be my own opinion, and I am fortunate that I am protected my home country but it becomes obvious after looking at all the facts that Gendren Zixrua assassinated his nieces and nephew and then his own brother and sister in law, and doing the most inhuman things to them. They were my friends and I miss them dearly, I pray to Terran, Aquina, and Embra everyday that someone will inflict the same pain on the traitor King Gendren Zixrua.
By Eledora Iteran
By the time I was done barely an hour had gone by from when I had started looking through all the books. Now my head hurt and I was confused and angry and felt so strongly that I was forgetting something important. I put the books away and walked outside, the other kids were heading in and steered clear of me still battered and bruised not looking for more punishment. Gramps followed me out and made twenty of his little dolls and got them ready for the training session.
“Ready” he asked me. No. I just nodded.
At first I was fine dodging and deflecting without issue but I couldn't stop thinking about what I had read when a punch landed on my face, then a kick to the ribs, once it started it wouldn't stop and I couldn't stop thinking. I just wanted it to stop, all of it, my insides felt like they were on fire, like they were going to explode so I just let it. I screamed and everything went away all the dolls turned to dust, the ground cracked and shook, the trees shattered and blew away. Then I saw standing in front of the large window was gramps and Eledora with their hands out and projecting a shimmering barrier covering the castle.
Then darkness took me.