My NaNo Book--A

Chatterbox: Inkwell

My NaNo Book--A

My NaNo Book--A Darkness Rising (Tentative title, mind you.)

So, this is my book for NaNo. It's a WIP, obviously, (and unedited, so have a little grace on my mistakes) and I'm planning on just posting what I have so far and then posting chapter by chapter after that if y'all are interested. I'd much appreciate it if you'd read this. Feel free to guess about foreshadowing, scream at the cliff hangers, and yell at me when I forget to post new installments. Comments and critiques welcome. Without further ado, the Intro.

~A Kind of Introduction~

 

The world of Earvinst is a large, vast world, with two main continents divided by one large ocean. The larger continent, Thariss, is is the east, and the smaller continent, Fargon, in the West. 

When the world of Earvinst was young and pure and no evil had entered it as of yet, good, pure beings walked the earth. They were know as Ielisans, and they were the first beings to inhabit the land other than the many creatures. The Ielisans protected the world from all darkness and evil that might wish to take the land, and a wonderful peace lay over the land like a soft blanket. For one thousand years the Ielisans managed to ward off evils, chasing them to the corners of the earth. During this time of peace, more races entered Earvinst, such as elves and men. Kingdoms flourished. Cities rose up. Towns and villages were built. People were happy. But the world couldn't stay perfect forever. Evil came, as evil will. Darkness shrouded the land. And though it wasn't what it once was, the world still had much good in it. The Ielisans retreated to the land in the north from whence they once came. 

Now some evils weren't strong yet. They still lurked only in certain places, but it was apparent that there was a main evil building its forces. And it was building them quickly. 

The people of the land gathered together their armies and sent them all to fight as one. They knew they'd have no option but to unite their armies. But the enemy was clever and knew their plan. He caused them to turn against each other. The entire land was fighting. Cities which had once been allies raged battle against each other. Kingdoms were torn apart. Villagers fled. The people fighting for their land ended up fighting against it, doing half the work of the enemy for him, and leaving their land worse off than he could have. 

But yet, there was hope. An army arose, an alliance, a resistance. They fought hard, and were able to make the enemy retreat across the water separating the two mainlands. The enemy promised to return, stronger. 

 

The men of the Sornian mountains, however, had grown accustomed to the peace that followed. They didn't want to give it up, and they didn't want their children and their children’s children to have to give it up, either. So they moved down into the valley of Minildrith below, and built a huge fence around its border. The fence was neither large nor strong, and wasn't fit to keep anything out. In fact, it wasn't meant to. It was more to keep the people of Minildrith in, or, rather, to tell them where security ended and the danger of the wide world began. 

 

This is where our story begins. 

 

~

 

~Prologue~

 

Two figures stood at the bow of the ship, cloaks blowing in the light wind. One was slightly behind the other. The figure closest to the edge of the boat peered out over the sea. The water was calm, still. Still as it always was beside the cliffs of Ielis. The figure drew a spyglass from the folds of their cloak and held it to their eye. He seemed to be looking for something. Slowly, the first figure brought the spyglass down. 

The man turned, his brow furrowed and his face solemn, as if he had just seen what he had hoped not to see, but expected to see. And he had. He pulled off his hood. Turning to his companion, he spoke. 

“I have seen it.” His companion’s face grew dark. Concern clouded the younger man’s usually cheerful eyes. 

“Are you sure it wasn't just fog?” He said, as if trying to convince himself it could've been when he knew very well what it was. 

“I am sure.”

Both men stood in silence under the grey sky. 

“We must send word to Ielis and Thraenen.” The older man was the first to speak. “Turn the boat around. We must spread the word quickly.”

 

~

An elf-maiden stood in the deepest part of the forest, staring into a clear pool. It was dark. The moon was black, but the stars sparkled above the treetops and made the smooth pool below shine silver so that it looked like glass. She stood alone, in silence. The pool began to glow. It was dull at first, but soon grew into a bright light so that one could hardly bear to look into it. The elf-maiden kept her gaze fixed upon it. Soon, a hushed voice began to emanate from the pool along with the light. It was so soft you could barely hear it, like the whisper of a whisper, and yet it boomed and echoed inside your head like your own thoughts. It came from the pool, but it carried on the wind, and in the air, so that the sound seemed to be coming from all around you. Though the voice was soft and sweet, it had an eerie air to it. 

"There was once a prophecy.” It said. As the words floated up from the water, the image changed. The maiden’s reflection wavered in the pool, fading, showing something else. Something dark. No one was there with her, but if they had been, they would've seen the elf’s expression change from a calm, still, peace, to one of horror. Like the water, her sea-green eyes had once been still and cool, but they now swirled with emotion and turmoil, as the water now swirled with images. Images that no one else could've seen. Would ever see. 

She tore her eyes from the pool and ran. Ran away, deeper into the forest, her skirts blowing out behind her. 

Soon, the pool seemed to realize it was alone. The images faltered, replaced by a reflection of scattered trees illuminated by what once was a glow; now mere starlight. 

 

~

Thanks sososo much for reading, and expect new parts soon! 

submitted by Leeli
(November 17, 2017 - 1:17 pm)

back to the Inkwell

I’m not very familiar with Nano, so does this mean you might stop? Please don’t! Lengthen it!!! 

submitted by Tuxedo Kitten
(November 24, 2017 - 9:18 pm)

No, don't worry, the story isn't over yet! It just means that I reached my set word count goal. I knew I couldn't finish my entire book in a month, so I set a lower word count. 

submitted by Leeli
(November 24, 2017 - 10:34 pm)
~Chapter Eight~
Eris woke at the break of dawn. She lay in her hammock for a moment, soaking in the daylight with her eyes closed, listening to the soft breathing of her sister. She heard voices, hushed, outside. Probably speaking of some important matter. 
Eris's eyes flew open. Important matters. It must've been Lord Oryn speaking with the other important rangers about…Eris actually wasn't entirely sure what about, only that it was important and had to do with the enemy across the water and the burning of Fynnesse. She wondered why she could hear them so well, and then realized that they must've been just above Tryss’s home in the tree. 
Eris lay still for a moment, listening. She caught a few snippets here and there, but nothing she could really understand. Then, the tones shifted a bit. The voices grew slightly louder, as they often do when you're talking about serious matters and forget to keep your voice down. 
Eris didn't mean to eavesdrop. She honestly just wanted hear what was happening and what was going to happen. She hadn't intended to really listen in on the conversation. The thought hardly crossed her mind as she padded from beneath the tree. The words had intrigued her. She had to know more. 
Softly, careful not to crunch the leaves on the ground, Eris made her way to the stair on the opposite side of the tree and began to climb. As she ascended the tree, the words became clearer. She stopped when she could see the group’s backs facing away from her. They couldn't see her from here; she was too low on the stair. Eris pressed her back to the trunk of the tree. 
“Only rumors have reached this far inland from the Farr Sea up until now.” She heard a low male voice say. “Rumors about the enemy gathering his forces. But it is only now that we realize the true extent of these rumors.”
“As I told everyone last night, I received word from two men I sent out to scout about a month ago just yesterday. Word had it that the enemy was about to reach us. And I didn't think that the burning of Fynnesse was a coincidence. Those men work for Him, and He plans to take more towns in time.” This was Lord Oryn. 
“We are the only ones who know of this evil as of yet.” A soft female voice, light and airy, this time. Probably Lady Etheryn  “He will take the other towns by surprise. We must warn them.”
A short silence. Then the first male voice spoke again.
“And the prisoners? What of them? Surely we can't just let them be taken and do nothing.”
“But what can we do?” A new voice, female, but sharper and deeper than Etheryn’s. 
Another moment of silence. Lord Oryn spoke again. 
“We will send men to ride to Ryland and Tirden to warn the men of the rivers.”
“And what of us?” The other woman, Eris guessed it was Arglith, said. 
Silence. Eris thought they must've been thinking about the question. 
“We can not sit this one out, Arglith.” Etheryn said finally. “We will be swept up whether we want to or not, like sand in the tide. But why wait to be brought into this? We can not wait and do nothing. We can't save ourselves. We have a place in this, and we must figure out what.”
Their voices grew quieter. Eris could barely make out the words. 
“I think an alliance would be wise.” Lord Oryn said. “An alliance with Endell, perhaps. We have been nothing but friends to them in times past, and they to us, though I haven't seen the men or the king for some time. Not since we went into hiding one hundred years ago.”
One hundred years! Eris hadn't realized how old Lord Oryn was!
Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her.
“What are you doing?” A sibilant voice hissed in her ear. Eris jumped and clapped her hand over her mouth to keep herself from gasping audibly. She whirled around to see the pale face of her sister, framed by messy brown bangs.
“Tryss! You startled me!” Eris whispered. 
Tryss looked at her sideways. “Are you eavesdropping?” She asked. 
Eris shook her head. “No, no! Of course not! I-I,” it was then that Eris realized she most certainly was eavesdropping, though she hadn't intended to. Though she felt guilty, especially since she admired the rangers, what she had heard seemed more important than what she had done. 
Before Eris could finish, she noticed that the elves had fallen silent. A hush was over them. 
“We're being watched.” Said the other male voice, Fainor. 
Eris looked up to see Lord Oryn crossing to the edge of the platform. 
“Or listened to,” he said suspiciously, intuitively, though he hadn't seen them yet. 
Eris heard footsteps. They were coming down! They would see her! But her feet remained glued to the stair. 
Arglith and Fainor came toward them, seemingly unsurprised. 
“I see we have uninvited listeners.” Arglith said, with the smallest hint of a grin. 
She took Eris by the arm with her gloved hand and brought her up the stair, red hair glinting in the sun. Fainor did the same for Tryss. 
They were brought before the Lord and Lady. Eris hung her head. She felt bad now, for listening. 
Lady Etheryn spoke first. “Listeners in, have we?” Eris thought she saw betrayed amusement in her eyes. 
Eris didn't know what to say. “I-I-No, I, well, er—“ She stuttered. “I didn't mean to, I just—I just heard you speaking and wanted to know what you were talking about.”
Etheryn smiled. “No matter. You were to know later on anyway, when we told our plans to the rest of the Rangers. However, we'd appreciate it if you didn't listen in on such private conversations in the future.”
Eris nodded. “Yes your ladyship. And, to be fair, Tryss had no part in this. She simply came up for wonder of what I was doing.”
“Of course. Thank you Arglith, Fainor. You may release them.”
Eris approached Etheryn. 
“I have a few questions, if you wouldn't mind answering.” She said. 
The Lady smiled and nodded. 
“I heard Fainor say something about the prisoners. Is there any way you can help them?” Her blue eyes pleaded with Etheryn’s dark Amber ones. 
Lady Etheryn’s face became sober. “I am afraid there is nothing we can do. The enemy takes prisoners and turns them into his minions. They are in his hands now.”
Eris's heart sank. Etheryn must have noticed. She realized that Eris probably had family and friends that were taken captive, and she softened, adding, “We will, however, do what we can. But we must first reach Endell.”
Later that afternoon, the Lord and Lady and everyone gather in the courtyard, and announced that they were going to seek an alliance with Endell. Everything that Eris had heard that morning was repeated. 
“Some must stay here to watch Thraenen, but tomorrow at dawn two parties will leave. One will ride up the Arkino river to warn the men of Tirden and Ryland, and the other will ride up the forest and through the mountains to Endell. We will need a company of about twenty men for the ride to the rivers, and thirty or more for the trip to Endell. Anyone willing to go, stand and let it be known.” Lord Oryn announced. 
Soon, they had a party of twenty to ride up the river, and nearly thirty for the ride to Endell. 
Eris stood by Tryss, listening. Then, unexpectedly, Rowyn, who was sitting just in front of them, stood. “I'll go.” 
Eris wasn't all that surprised. Rowyn had proved an adventurous boy, and besides, his father was already going. What surprised Eris was that, on sudden impulse, she stood. 
“I will go also.”
She heard Tryss gasp beside her. 
“Eris!” She said under her breath. “It's a dangerous journey! Are you sure you want to make it? You could stay here!”
Eris shook her head. She was decided. 
“No, Tryss. I need to go.” She answered simply. 
Tryss sighed. Reluctantly, she stood beside her sister. 
“As will I.” She said. Eris looked over. It was her turn to argue. 
“Tryss, you don't have to. You said it was dangerous. You have a home here!”
Tryss gave her a sidelong glance. Eris heard herself and said no more. 
The next morning, Eris was up early again. She had hardly slept the night before with excitement and nervousness. 
She sat under a large tree on a comfortable silver bench, soaking in the early morning, having nothing else to do. 
Glancing over, Eris saw Rowyn emerging from the bushes. He reached her, leading two horses, one white with a black spot on her forehead and back, and one chestnut brown with a white blaze on her face. He patted the white horse’s nose. 
“These are two of Thraenen’s finest steeds.” He said. “This is Lùemine, she’s mine,” he said, gesturing to the white one. “And this is Smoke.” He patted her flank. 
Eris smiled. 
“Is this your first time?” He asked. “I mean, your first time on a journey like this.” 
She nodded. “This my first time being out of Minildrith.” 
“Don't worry,” Rowyn said. “It's not so bad as they make it sound.” He seemed to be able to tell she was nervous. “You may ride Lùemine, if you like, seeing as you don't have a horse of your own.” He offered kindly. 
Eris thought back to Ash, how she had ridden the beautiful grey mare over the fields, racing Finn on his own black stallion…
Finn. How she missed him. She wished she hadn't lost her temper at him the last time she'd seen him. 
Eris forced herself back to the present. 
“Thank you.” She looked at Rowyn gratefully and took the white horse by the bridle. 
She followed Rowyn to the stables where they saddled their horses and slung their packs across them and prepared for the trip. It wasn't long before Tryss found them, and began to ready her own earth-brown stallion. Before long, a horn was blown in the courtyard and Eris and her friends rode out to meet it. 
“That's the signal for us to gather with the other rangers who'll be riding to Endell.” Rowyn explained. 
Eris, Tryss, and Rowyn fell in line with the other elves, led by Gladir, and rode out into the forest. Away from the safety of the fortress Thraenen. She was, for the first time since the night the strange feelings began, content, riding beside her sister and her friend. Many times Eris regretted leaving, but many times she was also glad she did. For the adventures ahead were more than she could have ever imagined. 
submitted by Leeli
(November 25, 2017 - 12:22 pm)

Awesome!

submitted by MJ, age 12, Californa
(November 27, 2017 - 9:15 pm)

Thanks!

submitted by Leeli
(November 28, 2017 - 9:48 am)
~Chapter Nine~
It was a fair day, the sky was blue and the sun bright above the heads of the group moving through the forest. Eris had been asleep when she was brought through to Thraenen, and while inside the safety of the bushes she hadn't realized how different Darkest Forest was from the forests back home in Minildrith. The trees here were all different sizes, most large, but also many small ones scattered about, the kind that are skinny and not too tall, but that get in your way and have long thin branches that always seem to scratch your face. There were lists of shrubs and bushes and underbrush, all so tangled up that sometimes one wasn't sure whether or not it was possible to get through. And the thorns. Oh, the bothersome thorns. They stuck up everywhere, scratching ones legs, poking you, and cutting your ankles. They got caught on Eris’s leggings and snagged on her tunic, and as soon as she untangled herself from one patch, she seemed to be caught by another. The forest was so thick and hard to maneuver and dark, so very dark, that Eris could finally see where it got its name. 
The rangers seemed to move along effortlessly, barely noticing the thorns and brush. They were accustomed to riding through the forest, and ducked their heads here and there or turned their horses and inch or two when Eris didn't know to. They'd avoid a large briar bush or spiky branch that Eris would run into and have to be helped out of. Lùemine was an intelligent mare and would often avoid the worst bits herself, carrying Eris as safely as she knew, but, despite doing all she could, Eris still had trouble. The horse knew Eris wasn't used to this sort of thing, and was patient. 
Once, Eris was so wrapped up in looking ahead and attempting to find the sky, that she didn't see a very large knotted thorn bush. Lùemine, however, saw, and tried subtly hinting to Eris to go around it, but when Eris didn't notice and continued to steer the horse toward it, Lùemine decided she wasn't about to be run in with a bunch of briars, and attempted the best jump she could without a running start, accidentally throwing Eris off in the process. Eris flew into the air and landed partially in the thorn bush. She cried out, and Rowyn, who had been riding beside her, stopped his horse and dismounted. He couldn't hold in his laughter, and began to chuckle. Eris glared at him. 
“So you this is funny?” She raised an eyebrow. 
He reached down and took her hand, helping her to feet. 
“No. What I find funny was the expression on your face when you fell.” He grinned. “It reminded me of myself when I was younger.”
Rowyn helped her untangle herself from the bush, and Tryss (who had ridden ahead to fetch Lùemine) returned with the horse. Eris remounted and they rode on.
“When I was younger, I thought riding through these woods would be the death of me.” He chuckled. “I stumbled and got caught in briars and often was bleeding and dirty by the time I reached my destination.”
Eris wasn't encouraged. “And what did you do?” 
“I kept going.”
Eris looked down at her bleeding arms. Through the roughage of the forest, through the densest parts, and through she was quite dirty, bloody, and sore by the time all was said and done, that's what she was going to do, she made up her mind. 
All that day the group trekked on. They stopped at sunset under a nice grove of large trees. Everyone tied up their horses and began to prepare for the night. Eris, in her lack, and brought a bedroll. When Tryss saw her bring it out, she laughed. 
“You won't be needing that here!” She said. Eris was confused. 
“Why not? We sleep on the ground?” 
Tryss laughed again. “We sleep in the trees. If we slept on the ground we could be eaten whole!” She explained. 
Eris was taken aback. 
“Excuse me, I thought you said eaten.” She replied.
Tryss became serious. “I did. There are monsters in these woods.”
“I thought that was just a myth!”
Rowyn heard the conversation and made his way to the girls. 
“It's true.” He joined in. “They say the farther north you go the more you'll see. There usually aren't many at all, if any, this far south, but we sleep in the branches to be safe.”
“Then what of the horses? They can't get up into trees. Will they be eaten in the night?” Eris asked, concerned. 
“No. They thirst for the blood and flesh of men and elves.” Rowyn explained. 
Eris shuddered. 
Tryss ambled up the low branches of the tree and showed Eris how to string her hammock so that it wouldn't fall in the night. 
Still, when Eris lied in hammock, swaying in the slight breeze, she wasn't at ease. The thought of monsters and of falling kept her awake most of the night, and she was careful not to twist and turn to much in her hammock for fear of falling, though she should've known that anything crafted by elves would take much more than the weight of a single girl to break. She drited in and out of sleep, woken by one noise or another, until the sun began to rise, and then her heart rose with it. 
They ate a short breakfast of cold dried meat and a warm, bittersweet Elven drink called Hivla. Then they were off, riding at full speed. That day passed faster than the day before, and Eris stumbled less. She was often lost in thought riding beside Rowyn and Tryss, lost in another world, like she was in a daze. She was aware of one thing, though; that the air was getting thicker and colder. They were entering the northern region of the forest. As they went northward, Eris also noticed that the forest seemed to get darker. 
As dusk fell, Eris began to feel uneasy. Then the noises started. Horrible noises. Wailing, screaming, howling. Awful noises. Eris almost recognized them but couldn't place where she'd heard them before. Then she remembered. It had been that night just a few days ago when she'd heard them and couldn't sleep. But that time they were far, far away. This time Eris could hear them loud and clear. And they were getting nearer each second. 
Before long, Eris could see them. Awful looking creatures, like bears mixed with wildcats and wolves. They had course mottled-brown fur, long, sharp claws, small black eyes, jagged fangs jutting out from their mouths, and tiny, stubby ears. They were between the size of a large wolf and a bear. Like nothing Eris had seen before. 
“What are they?” Eris yelled over the noise. 
“They're called burrwints. Live in the northern part of the forest and hung at night.” Tryss replied quickly. 
The burrwints were gaining on them, getting closer, and were soon at their heels. Eris sped her horse on, but the burrwints were fast and their pack was large. As they rode on, the group reached a large gully. If they weren't careful, they could be hurt in the steep slope down. Eris didn't dare slow her horse though, for fear the burrwints would catch up. But just as she approached the top of the gully, one of the burrwints jumped up behind her and dug its claws and teeth into Lùemine’s hide. Lùemine whinnied and reared, charging forward, and in charging down the steep slope, Eris tried to hold on, but couldn't. She felt herself flying through the air, and then hit a pile of boulders with a terrible crunch. 
Eris felt searing pain rip through her body. For a moment everything was white. She had hit her head hard on a rock. She waited for the whiteness to subside. Everything seemed to slow down and the voices and sounds she heard were so far away. Her ears were ringing. Slowly, the white faded and then everything came rushing back and hit her full force. Eris attempted to stand, but her leg was badly hurt, and she crumpled to the ground with a cry. She didn't know where the others were or what had become of Lùemine. Even worse, she didn't know where the burrwints were, either. Tears threatened behind her eyes, and her leg gave a dull ache. 
Suddenly, hooves thundered behind her. She twisted to look over her shoulder, but pain hit her like a wave and she grimaced, clutching at her leg. 
“Eris!” 
She heard her sister’s familiar voice. Tryss dismounted and was at her side in an instant. 
“Are you okay?” Tryss started to look Eris up and down. 
“I think so,” Eris glanced down. “My leg...”
More hoofbeats, and then Rowyn was there too. He had turned around after getting his horse back. 
“I saw the whole thing. That was quite the fall. Can you stand?”
Eris shook her head. “Where are the burrwints?” 
“I'm not sure, but we should get out of here as soon as possible.” He bent down and he and Tryss started dislodging Eris’s foot from the rocks. She sucked in a breath, trying not to show her pain. 
Tryss bent down. “Give me your arm. I'll support your weight so your bad leg doesn't have to work.” 
Eris slung her arm over Tryss’s shoulders, and Tryss tried to help her stand, but she was weak, and was barely able to stand. Eris hung her head. 
“I can't walk at all.” She sighed. 
“Here,” Rowyn said. “You won't weigh much. I can carry you to the horse.” 
He lifted her while she clung to his neck, and eased her into Smoke’s saddle. He mounted behind her, and Tryss mounted her horse, leading Lùemine behind her. 
“They're too far ahead now. We'd have to ride at speed to catch up, and we can't risk Eris falling again. And besides that there's the monsters.” Rowyn said decidedly. 
“Let's make for that cluster of rocks. It looks like there might be a cave we could shelter in.” Tryss said, pointing to a clearing not far off.
It wasn't long until they reached the clearing, and there proved to be a cave in a wall of rock large enough for the three of them and the horses to fit comfortably. When they were inside, Rowyn tried to start a fire and Tryss insisted on looking at Eris's leg. She rolled her leggings up, revealing a large, ugly green bruise on her ankle. When Tryss pressed on it, Eris yelped. 
“I'm afraid it's broken.” Tryss said sullenly. “Or at least badly sprained.”
Tryss used a strong stick and used it like a splint, binding Eris's leg. 
“Maybe this way you'll at least be able to stand and walk a little.”
Rowyn was finally able to get a fire started, and they sat and ate as it began to rain. Suddenly, Eris heard crunching outside the cave. She frowned. 
“What's that noise?” She said. 
Rowyn and Tryss looked up from their food. 
“What noise?” Tryss asked. 
Eris paused. It had stopped. 
Then, suddenly, she heard a sharp voice cry out. 
“‘Ey! Who’s there? What are you doing?” 
Eris turned to see a boy, maybe a year or two older than her, with scruffy dirty-blonde hair, holding a bow in front of his face, and arrow trained on her chest. Eris sucked in a breath. Tryss was the first to speak. 
“Who are we? Who are you? What are you doing?” She snapped. 
“What am I doing? I live here.” He scowled. 
“Easy, everyone,” Rowyn soothed. “We aren't causing any harm. Our friend here is hurt. She was bucked off a horse who was spooked by a burrwint. She can't walk by herself and we just needed a little shelter for the night.” 
Eris didn't see the boy soften at all, though he lowered his bow. 
“Well, I'm sorry, you'll have to find somewhere else.” He didn't sound sorry. 
“What do you mean, somewhere else? Can't you see my sister is injured?” Tryss flared up again, gesturing to Eris’s splint. 
“Not my fault.” He made his way into the cave. “What business do you have in this part of the woods anyway?” 
Eris spoke for the first time. 
“We were riding through this area with the elves.” She explained. 
A look of disgust crossed the boy’s face. 
“You're elves, eh? I don't like elves. Nasty and wily, think they're better than everyone else. Look, if you'll just be on your way we can all forget this ever happened.” 
Eris stiffened. 
“I'm not sure what kind of elves you speak of, but I can assure you we are not like that.” Said Rowyn calmly. “We only needed a bit of shelter for the night and some time to figure out what to do next, and we'll be out of here.” He looked the boy in the eye. “Soon.”
The boy sighed reluctantly. “Fine. You can stay one night. That's it. In the morning you're gone. Deal?”
They had no other option. But they'd need more than a night. The boy was impatient. 
“Deal?” 
Where else could they go? It was their best hope of survival. 
“Deal.” Rowyn grumbled. 
submitted by Leeli-new part!
(November 28, 2017 - 9:51 am)

AMAZING as usual

submitted by unsuspectingstrytllr
(November 29, 2017 - 5:14 pm)

Aaaaaaaaaa Leeli HOW!!! You need to, like, publish this when it's finished! 

submitted by Aspen, age 12.5-ish, Not here XD
(November 30, 2017 - 3:27 pm)

Aw, thank you guys! <3 @Aspen, I do plan to self-publish this on Amazon when it's finished, and I'll give all of you guys a discount if you ever wanna buy it in print! :D

Here's the next part.

~Chapter Ten~

 

Finn had been walking for days. Nearly a week since the festival, Finn guessed. Finally, they were here. They had made it to Angyth on the eastern side of Thariss. 

That wasn't a good thing. Though he didn't yet know why they were here, he knew it couldn't be. 

“Ahem. If I could have everyone's attention.” Finn heard a voice from the front of the crowd. It was Nark. The man cleared his throat again. 

“Listen all o’ ya!” All traces of politeness vanished. “We stand at the entrance to the Angyth Fortress. Here you will all be transformed from the ugly, lowly, purposeless creatures that you are, into great, intelligent beings, working for a common purpose for the Master across the sea.” Finn wrinkled his nose at these words. He didn't like the sound of them. 

After Nark had explained this, he took the prisoners into the fortress. It was a large dark building, partially underground. Not a pretty sight, with ugly spikes and statues jutting out of its obsidian walls. They went down into it and came into a long chamber. At the end of the room hung a thick, velvety-black curtain. Finn wondered what was on the other side. 

He thought he didn't want to know. 

Nark grabbed a random prisoner by the wrist. 

“You, my friend, will be the first to undergo the transformation.” He smiled. It was a wicked smile. 

The prisoner he had selected happened to be a woman, looking several years older than Finn, maybe in her twenties. She had dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and brave green eyes. She was guided behind the curtain, where she disappeared. 

Finn never saw her again. 

Then the next prisoner was put behind the curtain. It was really a fast process, and the line almost sped by. Before he knew it, it was almost Finn’s turn. He didn't want to undergo the ‘transformation’. If he was an ‘ugly, lowly, purposeless creature’ he would prefer to remain one. All of the prisoners seemed like they would. They were all reluctant, and it broke Finn’s heart when he saw children being put behind the curtain, a hopeless, blank look on their faces. He wished he could do something. But there was nothing he could do. He couldn't fight back. All of a sudden he felt restrained, held back, like something was suffocating him. Another child was pushed behind the curtain. Finn chose not to look. 

As the line grew shorter, Finn felt more and more like panicking. He couldn't--he wouldn't--become a servant of the enemy. He tried to think of something to do; a way to escape. But he had always been one to act in the middle of a fray, when everything was a blur. He wasn't good at planning ahead, at thinking through things and making plans. That was Eris's area of expertise. He wished she was here. 

No. Finn was glad that Eris wasn't where he was. He hoped she would be spared this fate. 

Then, Finn felt a cold hand against his back, shoving him behind the curtain. His turn hadn't come yet, however. He was there so he could be hurried in right after the person before him was done with (the men were in a rush to get the transformations finished). Finn stood just a few feet from a cage. The person before him, a boy who looked about his age, was pushed into the cage, struggling, by one of Nark’s assistants. The cage door was slammed shut and locked. The men stepped away and closed the curtain around the cage, leaving Finn to watch. The boy struggled and cried out, shaking the bars and trembling. Finn watched helplessly, wishing he could do something. Then there was a flash as a bright white fire started climbing the cage starting at the bottom. 

Cold fire. Finn had heard of it, but didn't know what it was or what it did. 

The boy shrieked and cried, trying to escape the fire. Strangely, as much as the boy wanted away from the flame, it didn't seem to be burning him when it touched his skin. The fire grew quickly, until Finn couldn't see him for the white flame surrounding him. The boy let out a final groan of defeat, and was silenced. 

When the fire subsided, Finn gasped. The boy was gone. In his place was a large black stone almost the shape and size of a person. The boy had been turned to stone! But what use would the enemy have for an army of stones? Then it dawned on Finn. The boy wasn't a stone, the boy was inside the stone. 

Then, a trap door beneath the cage flipped open, and the stone-boy dropped into darkness. 

Finn was shoved roughly into the cage, and the men began to pump the bellows until the cold fires started up again and began to climb the cage bars. Finn's mind began to work out what he was going to do. He wouldn't be turned into a black statue. He knew that. As he looked around, trying to find a way to escape, a white flame nicked his hand. He drew it back. The flame had left a hot black mark where it touched him. It didn't burn as regular fire did. No, this fire seemed to be both cold and hot at once. Instead of burning with heat, it burned with cool. The fires were bigger now. Soon he'd be blackened rock. Then Finn remembered the trapdoor. He started jumping up and down, pounding on it, hoping it would break. But it didn't. As white smoke obscured his vision, Finn gave one last hopeless shove. 

The floor fell through. 

Finn felt himself falling, and hit the floor with a thud. He was in a large, dark, cool room, full of human stones. He could tell he was underground. Finn weaved through the stone emcasements slowly, studying them. They were obsidian black, full of cracks and crevices, roughly (very roughly) the shape of a person. Finn wondered if the people improsined inside the rock casings were even alive. Then he thought he saw one shift. But what use did the enemy have for rocks? Finn couldn't guess. 

Then he heard a sound. Shouting. 

“The trap’s broken!” The voice came from above the hole Finn had dropped out of. 

“Hmph. Musta not reset when the last rock was sent to the chamber.” A second voice replied. 

“No, it's obviously been broken by someone on purpose!” The first voice. “That boy...” It growled, furious. 

Finn sucked in a breath. It was Nark and Laryn. They were onto him. He ran quickly between the rocks, making for a stone door on the opposite side of the chamber. He ran as silently as possible. 

He heard a crunch behind him as Nark landed hard and cursed under his breath. Finn ducked behind a stone, shuddering. He waited until the man stood and began walking around, searching, before he slid to the next stone and pressed his back to it. He darted behind another stone a few feet away, but slipped. His boots squeaked on the stone floor. Nark whipped around.Finn scrambled behind the stone.

“Come on, boy. I know where you are. I'll find you.” Nark said in his oily, slippery voice. 

Finn made up his mind and dashed to the stone door. Nark saw him immediately and came running behind him. Finn slammed into the door, catching himself with his hands. He tried to push the door open, but it was heavy. Nark approached fast behind him. Finn slammed himself into the door, shoving with all his might. It groaned open, and Finn stumbled out into daylight.

He ran. He ran as fast as he could and didn't look back. When he was coming up to where they'd stopped to go into the Angyth Fortress, he untied one of the ponies, a little brown and white fellow, and mounted him. The pony wasn't stubborn and gladly obliged to Finn. He seemed happy to get away from those men, and galloped as fast as his short, sturdy legs would allow. 

 

A day or two (though more likely three or four) later, Finn and the pony arrived at the edge of Darkest Forest, hungry, exhausted, and with no idea of where they were going. The pony (whom Finn had taken to calling Apples), despite camping at night, was fatigued, and Finn didn't have the heart to make him carry such a weight any longer. So there they were, a boy dragging a pony on a rope behind him, both with their heads down, trudging into the treeline. 

Finn tied Apples up to a thick tree and collapsed on the ground at its roots. He was tired, dirty, and hungry. Suddenly everything that had happened caught up with him and he out his head in his hands. He didn't know what he was going to do. His home had been set on fire. It was probably nothing more than a pile of ashes now. He had been so focused on escaping and getting away, that he never thought about where he was going to get away to. Where he was going to go. He had no home. For all he knew, everyone he knew and loved was dead or imprisoned. Finn felt hot tears prick in the corners of his eyes. He fought them back at first. He hadn't cried in a long time. He had decided it was unmanly. But all that seemed silly now, and he let the tears fall. 

Finn sat there for a long time, even after he had finished crying. He sat wondering what to do. The thought had crossed his mind that, of course, he could always make his way over to Tirden, which wasn't all that far from Darkest Forest, and see if he could find a family to take him in, or at least a good paying job that would let him earn enough for a small cottage to stay in. Finn sighed and laughed bitterly. He had always wanted to escape his little town and go somewhere else; somewhere bigger. Now he finally had the chance but didn't want it. 

No. He wouldn't just settle down somewhere and try to live a fairly normal life. He couldn't. Finn didn't know exactly why, but it just didn't seem...right. He knew what he would do. What he had to do. 

The only thing he could do. 

He would find Eris. He knew she was out there somewhere. She would've escaped the fires. She was clever enough. And he hadn't seen her amongst the other prisoners, so he knew she must've fled. 

But where to?

Suddenly, there was a crunch. Finn tensed. The pony stopped munching grass and looked up. Another crunch of the leaves. Finn stood. 

“Who's there?” He called warily. Instinctively, he reached behind him for his bow, but his hand found air. He sighed as he remembered the night some soldiers had taken it from him. It hadn't taken them long to find all the prisoners’ weapons. Finn had cringed when they tossed his finely crafted bow in amongst the clumsy knives, pitchforks, and sticks. 

“Show yourself!” Finn called into the trees. 

In a moment, a man emerged. He was a tall, broad man, and had a dark woody-brown beard and hair that was graying. His eyes were warm and green, but his face was gruff. He looked around forty or fifty. 

“Easy, lad. I mean no harm.” The man said in a thick accent. “Just passing through the forest.”

He came and stood beside Finn. 

“Who are you?” Finn questioned. 

The man chuckled. It was a low, rough sound, and for a moment Finn thought the man had gone into a coughing fit. 

“My name is not known by most, though many know me. I am called Forest Rider by many, and that is what you may call me.” 

Finn tilted his head. “Forest Rider?” 

The man nodded. “I ride through the forest, and often survey these borders. I protect this place and its creatures from awful monsters, though I live farther north where the wood is colder and the danger more present. I don't have much business with...” Forest seemed to be searching for words. “people these days. Now, who are you and what is your business, if I may return the question?” 

Finn shifted. He didn't like sharing much information with people he didn't know at least fairly well. But he felt, in a strange, uncanny way, that he could trust this man. 

“I-I'm Finn. Finn Oresk. I live in the village of Fynnesse, in Minildrith. Or--I used to, at least. Before...” Finn trailed off. 

Forest took the hint. “Before it was burned?” He asked. 

Finn nodded and continued, “I was taken with all of the other prisoners from Fynnesse and the other towns of Minildrith. We were taken down to Angyth and were going to be transformed into...actually, I don't know what we were going to be, only that we were to work for Him and that I was the only escapee. I've been riding for a few days now and I stopped to rest and figure out what do here, at the edge of the forest.”

Forest surveyed him quietly. “I see. And I suppose this is your way of asking me for help without actually saying those words?” 

Finn swallowed. “N-no, no, not at all. You asked, after all.”

“Well,” Forest started. “Did you?”

Finn frowned, confused. “Did I what?”

“Did you figure out what you are going to do?” 

“I had a friend,” Finn started. “her name was Eris Glidel. She wasn't taken with us prisoners. I think she escaped, but I don't know what happened to her after that. I'd like to find her.”

Forest looked a bit skeptical. “And if she didn't survive the fires and the soldiers and the wild?”

Finn swallowed again. “Then--then I'd like to know.” 

Forest nodded. “I think I can help you then. Would you like to come with me back to my home? It isn't far from here, a day’s journey on horseback. I live in a cave with my grandson. He's about your age, and expecting me back by tomorrow night at latest. We can talk more there.”

Finn didn't know what to say. It wasn't like he had anything else to do, so he accepted. Forest whistled and a large black stallion with fluffy white feet came trotted out of the trees. Forest mounted and Finn got on his pony, and they were off. 

 

 

submitted by Leeli
(December 1, 2017 - 1:24 pm)
submitted by TopForTheFans!, age Toptoptop!, To the top!
(January 1, 2018 - 12:43 pm)
submitted by Toooooooooooooooooop
(January 1, 2018 - 12:44 pm)
submitted by To the toptoptop!
(January 1, 2018 - 12:44 pm)

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submitted by Leeli
(January 1, 2018 - 12:45 pm)

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submitted by Leeli
(January 1, 2018 - 12:46 pm)

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submitted by LeeliTOP
(January 1, 2018 - 12:49 pm)
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