Kal-Stone II
The ink on the pages all eventually blur into one. Sitting on at the stone table, Kal looks at the pages but none of the words process into his mind. Day after day he spends hours with his tutor, Pol, but in the end, Kal is less interested than he was the day before.
“You aren’t leaving this room until you get it right.” Pol says firmly.
Bringing his gaze up from the writing he stares at Pol who has a deathly stare back at him. His short grey hair and long black robes, as dull as this tutoring is.
“Now tell me about the Goddess Ester.” Pol demands.
At least he’s picked the easiest. Kal thinks to himself.
“Ester is the Goddess of Light. One of the original eight. She was once married to Othlo before he became the Allfather where he had to renounce their marriage in order to control the realm.” Kal replies.
“And how do we celebrate Ester?” Pol asks.
“Every year we light a giant bonfire made of wood from the Helen’s forest.” Kal replies bored.
“And why do we do that?” Pol continues to ask meaningless questions.
“So that she can see our prayers and so she can use the heat from the bonfire to help the sun bring us better summers.” Kal tells him.
“Good job.” Pol replies, “Next..” But before Pol can continue Kal asks him a question.
“Pol, if we pray to Ester so much and have this bonfire every year. Why are our summers still met with blizzards? Why is it only a few days a year if we’re lucky that we can see the sun through the clouds?” Kal asks.
“The Southlands are being punished boy for their disbeliefs and their use of magic. Ester, being the kind Goddess that she is, does her best to help us grow what little crops we can. Without her we will surely live only in darkness.” Pol tells him.
“But the gods brought this endless winter hundreds of years ago, can’t they just take it away? It’s not as though anyone still practices magic any more.” Kal replies, the tutoring of the gods always confusing him.
Kal understands the reasons behind the gods; however he does not understand what they actually do.
“You are not to question the god’s methods boy. They work in their own way and we are grateful that they allow us to still walk on this earth.” Pol replies. “Now, tell me about Lethos.”
“Urgh,” Kal grunts, sitting up he replies, “Lethos is the god of life and death. He chooses who may live and who will die. When we die, Lethos arrives to carry us to Elysiam where we…”
“Kal, with me.” Suddenly his fathers voice appears from the doorway.
“My lord, we aren’t finishes with his tutoring for the day?” Pol says in a soft tone.
“This is more important,” His father replies, “Kal, come on.”
Although Kal is happy to get out of the tutoring lesson he is still anxious around his father after what he saw. Kal has not gone back into the secret holes he has found around the castle ever since he caught his father with the tattooed woman.
“Yes father.” The boy replies, standing up and following him out of the room.
His father is dressed in his noble clothes, which is strange given that he is usually his fur clothing or his armour. His noble clothes consist of leather tunics, leather trousers and a black fur pelt around his shoulders.
“Where are we going father?” Kal asks.
“We have a meeting with the lords and ladies of the realm.” His father tells him, although Kal doesn’t understand why he has to be there.
However, in silence he follows his father through the castle and into the large meeting hall. Stepping in, he can see the hall is filled with older men and women, walking through the crowd they make there way to the front of the hall and onto the podium that has seven seats. All of his brother’s being there, except for two. Kody, never being able to properly leave his room does not have a seat. Then, one empty chair.
Kris, I wonder where you are brother. Kal thinks.
Taking a seat on the right of the chairs, his father stands up and addresses the crowd.
“Thank you all for joining me today, we are to discuss the plans going forward with the rebels and what is best for the kingdom.”
One man in a big fur coat steps forward, he is old, long grey hair and wrinkled skin.
“My lord, I am here to represent my brother, Lord Putchworth of Valstad.” He says. “My brother wishes to be here but he has sent me in his place. They are receiving more and more sightings of rebels in their land, pillaging farms and killing our men.”
“Thank you for coming sir, I hope your brother is handling himself well.” Kal’s father tells him but before he can continue this man speaks again.
“We wish to know what the plan is to get rid of these rebels, less we are to turn into a city under siege such as Seahiem?” He asks.
“No one here wishes for what is happening at Seahiem to happen to anyone else. I have sent a scouting party to assess the situation there and report back to me where we will make an informed decision.” Kal’s father tells him.
“That is all well and good my lord but it does not help Valstad.” This man argues back.
“The duchy of Valstad has one of the largest armies in the Southlands, for the time being they should be able to handle the few rebels they have.” Kal’s father replies.
These men moan more Kit waiting for dinner, when will this end! Kal thinks to himself, sitting in silence as he listens to the men argue.
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“I am sorry my Lord but that is not good enough for the people of Valsad. We demand our leader takes action and rids us of these rebels!” The man in the big fur coat shouts, his face turning red with anger.
“These rebels have my sons!” Kals father bellows out, raising from his seat in a rushed fashion that makes Kale sit back in fear. The entire room falls deadly silent as Kal’s father steps forward.
“They have my sons! They were taken in my own land, Valstad is most likely where they are now, but do you see me changing battle plans? No!” He shouts out, “This war is not a war for personal battles, it is for the soul of the Southlands. If these rebels prevail then all hope is lost. They will reinstate the worship of Edia and the Southlands will fall to even more despair and ruin.”
He steps forward and into the crowd that disburse around him.
“We will defeat these rebels and rebuild our kingdom. But for now, we must put our personal gains aside and fight for the greater good. For should we fall, should we fail, then we all fail. The Southlands will fail and all will be lost. So I tell you this to repeat to your brother.” Kal’s father walks over to the man in the big fur coat, standing just a foot away.
“You must persevere, you will do what you can to fight these rebels as the army has greater battles to take. But I promise you this, when this was is over, when we win, the Southlands will grow back into the great kingdom it once was. I promise you that.”
The room is silent, Kal looks around and sees the lords and lady’s looking at his father with straight face.
“My Lord, I apologise.” The man in the big fur coat says back, “I should not have questioned your plans.” He turns around and shouts out to the rest of the room, “We will win this war and we will stand behind our mighty Lord. These rebels will fall and we will rejoice!”
The room starts to cheer.
Shouting, cheering, waring, it’s all so confusing. I don’t know how father keeps track of it all. Kal thinks to himself.
“You do not need to apologise.” Kal’s father says, placing his hand onto the man’s shoulder before returning to his chair.
“My Lord?” A woman says stepping forward.
“Continue.” Kal’s father says, picking up his goblet and drinking from it.
“My name is Lady Shiv, from the county Julstad.” She says stepping closer.
Julstad, that is close to the boarder. Kal tests himself with his geography knowledge.
“Please, continue.” Kal’s father says again.
“There have been sighting of shadows in the dark forest. My people’s cattle and horses have gone missing, only blood and bones to be found. We are afraid that the beasts within are growing braver and remerging into the daylight?” She asks.
Kal has heard of fairy tale monsters in the dark forest, however he never though that adults took it seriously.
“My Lady, I am sorry to hear you have these fears. But the monsters in the dark forest are of legend, there hasn’t been a sighting for centuries.” Kal’s father tells her.
“If I may my Lord.” Another man shouts out, “I have had tales of people using magic in my land, death witches and Gorgian’s being seen. Since these rebels and their King Ulster have been around, magic users and beasts have grown braver.”
The room breaks into rambling, looking at his father, Kal can see his father’s patience wearing thin.
“That’s enough!” He shouts out, once again making the room silent and giving him their attention, “Until we have solid proof of any of this, they are not our priority.” The room turns into rambling once again until Kal’s father continues. “However, I want you to know that I take this seriously. I will send out word for the Brotherhood of the Purge, I will request they send men to search our lands and see if there is any truth through these fears.”
The Brotherhood of the Purge? Kal thinks to himself, curious as everyone in the room seems to understand this apart from him.
“My Lord,” One man says stepping forward, “My son Jeremy was out scouting the other week when he returned he told me he has seen an army of these rebels near the coast by Sheatham. Nothing too large, maybe even just a scouting group themselves.”
“Thank you for letting me know, I will send a group of men when you return home to scout it out further.” Kal’s father says.
For the next hour, Kal has to sit in silence and listen to the people talking. His mind gets lost along the way and finds himself daydreaming.
“Okay, if that is all. I wish you all stay here for the night before heading back home. If anyone wants to talk to me in private, come and see me after.” Kal’s father says loudly that jolts Kal back into the present.
We’re leaving? Finally! Kal thinks, jumping up from his seat.
“Easy there son.” Kal’s father says, staring at Kal, “You and Kit are going with Linda for tutoring.”
Why have the gods cursed me so! Kal moans in his head, but nods and agrees with his father.
Kal and Kit leave the room to see Linda stood waiting for them both. Dressed in a black gown, battered, as usual and looking as white as the blizzards.
“Boys, come with me.” She croaks out.
Kal hates his tutoring sessions with Linda, not just because of the actually tutoring, but Linda scares him. Her rotten teeth only made to look worse to her aged, wrinkled skin. Kal has no idea how old Linda is but she could pass for one hundred.
They follow her into an empty room where Kal and Kit sit down at a table.
“Now then boys, today we learn about the history of the Southlands.” She says sitting down and opening a book.
“Linda?” Kal says, hoping to change to subject to something more interesting.
“Yes Kal.” She replies.
“In the meeting then, someone mentioned shadow monsters in the dark forest and something called Gorgian’s? And the Brotherhood of the Purge?” Kal asks.
“Those are not the best tales for younger children such as yourselves.” She says with a slight smile.
“I don’t mind a scary story,” Kal says, his interest growing, “You don’t either do you Kit?”
“Erm, no.” Kit replies, although his face shows that he is afraid.
“Well, maybe I can tell you about them quickly.” Linda says closing her book and leaning in. “When the people from the Isle-Of-Erst first stepped foot onto the continent of Oswen, the land was filled with different races, species and monsters.” She tells them.
“Gorgian is a general term for monsters, they once roamed this land in complete freedom as the species that ruled the land before humans could not fight them. As the people from Erst settled and spread throughout the continent they made weapons to fight these beasts. It is believed that they originated from the dark forest and that the trees use magic to protect the beasts.”
“That can’t be true!” Kal says back, not believing her.
“You wanted me to teach you about it, I am simply telling you the tales.” Linda replies, “Shadow monsters are another general term for blackened beasts. They live in darkness and it’s said they don’t have a physical being. They impregnate into a human’s body and feasts from the inside until the person withers away.
They were never large in number, it’s thought that they can’t repopulate, this just simply exist. Roaming from darkness to darkness and feasting upon the living. It’s said that if you see the shadows move, you are already dead.”
Kal starts to grow a little fearful from this story, looking at the shadows in the room he panics in case one of them move.
“Now, the Brotherhood of the Purge are not such an ancient tale.” Linda says, “As I am sure you already know, back when the Emperor Kilstein Kultcher run the continent, magic was his weapon. When he was finally overthrown and the Southlands was left in blizzard, the Brotherhood were created to make sure that magic never took over again.
They were thousands strong at first, they recruiting children just old enough to walk to be trained in a life of a warrior. Ready to fight any magical or any beasts throughout the continent.”
“Why have we never heard of them before?” Kit asks, a stutter in his voice.
“They are nearly all but gone, it’s been hundreds of years since Kilstein was killed and with him magic slowly died. There has been no need for a magic fighting army. Sure, there are rumours of death witches or magic users, however they usually turn out to be tall tales.” Linda tells them.
Kal find the Brotherhood interesting, magic fighters that are raised simply to fight. Something he has never thought of before.
“Anyway, back to your tutoring.” Linda says.
It isn’t until Kal is in his bedroom later that night when he starts to think about what Linda told him. All of the candles have been blown out and his room is filled with darkness. Each slight movement or sound he jumps. His hairs stand on edge and he panics that these shadow monsters are going to get him.
When the first bird chirps, Kal looks and see the sun slowly coming in through the blizzards and he realises he has not slept a wink.