the back of the
opposing group.
Darius stopped short. “Kelln?” He strode to the back of the men.
“What are you doing here?”
Before Kelln could answer, Darius turned his attention to the men
holding his friend. “Release him!”
“And him too,” said Kelln, pointing at Alastair.
“They are our prisoners.” One of the opposing soldiers pointed out
to Darius.
“And you are ours now. So release them.”
“I wouldn’t want to make him angry,” Kelln said with a huge smile.
Slow, but in compliance, the man untied the ropes binding Kelln
and Alastair’s wrists.
Behind the two, a girl stepped forward.
“Who is she?” asked Darius.
Kelln sneered at Alessandra. “A traitor. She turned me in after
helping me escape.”
“Escape from where?” Darius was so surprised to find his old
friend out in the middle of the Black Forest that for a minute he forgot about
the others.
Kelln looked around. “It’s a long story, Darius. Maybe later.”
Alastair turned to Kelln and put a hand on his shoulder. “Do not
be angry with her, my new friend. Remember who her father is. The Preacher has
had much longer to manipulate his own daughter than he has with the rest of the
people.”
Kelln growled in his throat but didn’t say anything more to
Alastair or Alessandra. After an uncomfortable moment of silence he motioned to
Alastair. “Darius, this is a friend of mine.”
Alastair looked at Darius and took a few steps so he was standing
directly in front of him. Darius took a step back when he saw the old man’s
eyes. Alastair smiled and whispered softly. “You must be Kelln’s friend. He was
right. I can feel the power in you. You will have many decisions to make about
this power, young man. You will have to make many decisions that will influence
the destiny of many. Make sure your influence is good.”
Darius furrowed his eyebrows at the old man. He was sure the other
soldiers hadn’t heard the soft speaking, but he didn’t want to let on his
discomfort at the man’s words. So he turned back to Kelln, who stood grinning
from ear to ear.
“It really is nice to see a friendly face, Kelln.” Darius slapped
his old friend on the back.
“This is fantastic!” Kelln still smiled. “Really fantastic. I was
going to walk all the way to Anikari to find you, but here you are in the
middle of the forest finding me.” He grabbed Darius in a big hug, his head only
reaching to Darius’s chin. “Nice armor by the way.”
Darius didn’t know how fantastic it was or wasn’t, but he could
see that he had a lot to learn. He didn’t like the things that Alastair had
said to him. “I can see I don't understand what is going on here. We will make
camp here and wait for my other men to rejoin us. They should be here within
the hour.”
The Belorians were gathered and guards set to watch them.
Alessandra stood with Alastair, her grandfather, off to the side. They talked
in whispered voices. Her eyes kept darting around, looking for Kelln.
Darius walked off with Kelln out of earshot of the other men. On
their way to distance themselves, Leandra met them.
“Is this your friend, Darius?” asked Leandra.
“This is Kelln. We grew up together in the academy in Anikari.” He
introduced them.
Leandra drew closer and put her hands around Darius’s arm. “Darius
is a famous commander now.”
Kelln raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
Darius leaned down and gave Leandra a kiss on the forehead. “Why
don’t you go and keep Mezar company, Leandra? Kelln and I need to catch up on
some things.”
Leandra pushed out her bottom lip in a mock pout. Squeezing his
arm tightly once more before letting go, she said her goodbyes.
Darius didn’t know where to start. The last time he had seen his
old friend was in Anikari the night before Kelln had left with some mysterious
girl to go to Belor and see what had happened to his father. It had only been a
short time afterward that Darius himself had been scripted
opposing group.
Darius stopped short. “Kelln?” He strode to the back of the men.
“What are you doing here?”
Before Kelln could answer, Darius turned his attention to the men
holding his friend. “Release him!”
“And him too,” said Kelln, pointing at Alastair.
“They are our prisoners.” One of the opposing soldiers pointed out
to Darius.
“And you are ours now. So release them.”
“I wouldn’t want to make him angry,” Kelln said with a huge smile.
Slow, but in compliance, the man untied the ropes binding Kelln
and Alastair’s wrists.
Behind the two, a girl stepped forward.
“Who is she?” asked Darius.
Kelln sneered at Alessandra. “A traitor. She turned me in after
helping me escape.”
“Escape from where?” Darius was so surprised to find his old
friend out in the middle of the Black Forest that for a minute he forgot about
the others.
Kelln looked around. “It’s a long story, Darius. Maybe later.”
Alastair turned to Kelln and put a hand on his shoulder. “Do not
be angry with her, my new friend. Remember who her father is. The Preacher has
had much longer to manipulate his own daughter than he has with the rest of the
people.”
Kelln growled in his throat but didn’t say anything more to
Alastair or Alessandra. After an uncomfortable moment of silence he motioned to
Alastair. “Darius, this is a friend of mine.”
Alastair looked at Darius and took a few steps so he was standing
directly in front of him. Darius took a step back when he saw the old man’s
eyes. Alastair smiled and whispered softly. “You must be Kelln’s friend. He was
right. I can feel the power in you. You will have many decisions to make about
this power, young man. You will have to make many decisions that will influence
the destiny of many. Make sure your influence is good.”
Darius furrowed his eyebrows at the old man. He was sure the other
soldiers hadn’t heard the soft speaking, but he didn’t want to let on his
discomfort at the man’s words. So he turned back to Kelln, who stood grinning
from ear to ear.
“It really is nice to see a friendly face, Kelln.” Darius slapped
his old friend on the back.
“This is fantastic!” Kelln still smiled. “Really fantastic. I was
going to walk all the way to Anikari to find you, but here you are in the
middle of the forest finding me.” He grabbed Darius in a big hug, his head only
reaching to Darius’s chin. “Nice armor by the way.”
Darius didn’t know how fantastic it was or wasn’t, but he could
see that he had a lot to learn. He didn’t like the things that Alastair had
said to him. “I can see I don't understand what is going on here. We will make
camp here and wait for my other men to rejoin us. They should be here within
the hour.”
The Belorians were gathered and guards set to watch them.
Alessandra stood with Alastair, her grandfather, off to the side. They talked
in whispered voices. Her eyes kept darting around, looking for Kelln.
Darius walked off with Kelln out of earshot of the other men. On
their way to distance themselves, Leandra met them.
“Is this your friend, Darius?” asked Leandra.
“This is Kelln. We grew up together in the academy in Anikari.” He
introduced them.
Leandra drew closer and put her hands around Darius’s arm. “Darius
is a famous commander now.”
Kelln raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
Darius leaned down and gave Leandra a kiss on the forehead. “Why
don’t you go and keep Mezar company, Leandra? Kelln and I need to catch up on
some things.”
Leandra pushed out her bottom lip in a mock pout. Squeezing his
arm tightly once more before letting go, she said her goodbyes.
Darius didn’t know where to start. The last time he had seen his
old friend was in Anikari the night before Kelln had left with some mysterious
girl to go to Belor and see what had happened to his father. It had only been a
short time afterward that Darius himself had been scripted
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