Eranithia: Prophecies: Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Twenty five years ago, twins were born to the King and Queen of Eranithia.Their names; Seth and Serina. Garandol came to bless them a week after their birth, which began the traditional feast for the children of the kingdom. The whole land would come together and celebrate their birth. His blessing was that they would be great leaders of Eranithia. Together as brother and sister they would rule together.They would be King and Queen themselves, and of course each would oneday take a spouse for themselves to support them in their rule. So lalone knew the identity of their spouses and they grew up knowing Sol would reveal to them who it was they were to marry.

About the time of Seth and Serina's eleventh birthday, they started to notice something special about themselves. They had abilities that most humans didn't have. Seth discovered he had great strength and abilities to give and take life at his own will. This was where his ability to heal came from. Seth's power wasn't so much healing as it was giving life to something that was either dead or dying.

Serina had special abilities of her own. However, hers were more of the mental capability. She could move objects with her mind, read people's thoughts and communicate with her mind. Serina was also quicker and stronger than most humans, but not like her brother. Seth learned to communicate with her through their minds, but that was the extent of his mental communication. He couldn't extend his thoughts to anyone but Serina unless she connected them.

The children had a very close relationship as they grew up. They were nearly inseparable. Even to the point where if any boy showed any interest in Serina or a girl showed interest in Seth, the other would intervene. It would frustrate them at times, but their love for each other superseded any attraction that they may have for any other child their age in the kingdom. They would always remind each other that it was when they were older and were ruling Eranithia that Sol would bring them their proper spouses.

One day, when they were fifteen, Serina disappeared from Eranithia. Seth went to his father to ask permission to take a few men with him to search for her but when he couldn't find them in the Throne Room, or any other room they would be in at that time of day, he checked their room to see if they were still sleeping. When he entered their sleeping chamber Seth found his mother's body was still in bed with a large pool of blood soaking the mattress. His father had a dagger still lodged in his chest; lying on the floor face up. When Seth reached his father he pulled the dagger out and his father gasped.

"Father!" he pleaded, tears filling his eyes. "Who did this so I may avenge you?"

"Ar-Ar-n," he struggled to say before breathing his last.

Seth never understood what his father tried to say, but he heard someone come to the doorway of the room. There stood his uncle, an identical twin of his father. The only difference was the angry look that his uncle seemed to always have. This time he had an evil grin.

"You are going to take the fall for this. You're holding the weapon, and you are at the scene of the murder. No one will believe other wise." Arnath turned to walk away, but Seth made a move to attack him. His uncle caught him by surprise; turning around he held out his hand as if he was grasping Seth by the throat and squeezed.

Seth was stopped in his tracks, his legs kicking out in front of him. He grabbed his throat as he began to choke. He was then lifted into the air and thrown into the wall ten feet away, knocked unconscious by the blow.

When Seth woke up later he was in shackles, being transported in a barred cage meant for criminals. He was being taken to the square of the capital city of Eranithia. Vita Veritas. Later the city was nicknamed, Vita Fidelis, by a small rebel group that formed once Arnath had full reign of the kingdom.

"He's awake!" a horse mounted guard said.

Seth sensed a bit of fear within him so he knew he had a chance to escape. Grabbing the chains on his shackles, he yanked them right out of the floorboards of the carriage then grabbed two of the bars and pulled them apart so he could slip through.

The guard on that side of the carriage stabbed at him with his sword but Seth clapped his hands on the blade. The sword slipped easily out of the guard's hand when Seth pulled back on it by the blade. Seth flipped the sword around then lunged it out of the bars, slicing the strap to the guards' saddle. He fell off of the horse causing the horse to run away.

Seth whispered something in the Elf language, calming the horse down and bringing it back trotting along side the carriage. Seth stepped out to jump onto the horse's back but a bullet from a crossbow caught his arm. Seth yelled out in pain and looked at the guard murderously. Using his good arm, he held out his hand and the guard fell back off of his horse. Seth then jumped onto the horse that was now bareback and pressed his knees into the horses flanks to hold himself up. He leaned to the left and the horse obeyed his command. They darted intothe woods.

Whispering in the horse's ear he encouraged it to run faster and get him to safety. Once he'd escaped Arnath's men he pulled the bullet out of his shoulder and placed his hand over the wound. Then closing his eyes, he prayed to Sol. With the wound now sealed, he grabbed the horse's mane, leaning forward so they could move faster. He knew of a place he could go that was hidden within the woods two miles west of Vita Veritas.

When he arrived at the stone tower, he locked the door behind him then went to the food stores and found some dry bread and a wineskin. He ate and drank a little then took up a new sword and shield. With his newly acquired weapons, he went back outside and led the horse to the trough around the back and pumped some water into it. The horse drank as Seth kept an eye out. He thought he sensed someone near but whoever the visitor was didn't seem to have any malicious intent.

"Hello!" Seth called out but his call was never returned and the presence of that person vanished as well.

Seth slept restlessly that first night. Dreams of his sister trying to call out to him kept him tossing and turning. There were times he would sit up thinking she was in the room but she never was. So with tears in his eyes he would lay back down to sleep. He vowed that night that he would not rest until he found his sister and rescued her.

The next morning he made his way west and stayed with the Dwarfs until Arnath took complete control of the kingdom. They soon packed up their things and went on their way. Seth stayed in different towns and villages until someone recognized him, then he would leave before anyone could arrest him. He usually wouldn't last more than a couple of weeks. The last town he stayed in was Serpa, on the shores of Snake Head Lake.

Snake Head Lake was at the base of the Serpentine Valley, fed by the Serpentine River. From an aerial view, the valley, river and lake looked like a snake; hence the names.

Serpa was a rough village full of criminals. Ignored by the kingdom for the most part, the criminals ruled that part of the land. As long as they didn't come into any other town they were left to their own vices. It was there Seth was able to stay the longest, until the news of his reward was out and someone recognized him. He had to take the lives of three men to escape. That's when he entered the one place no one in Eranithia was brave enough to venture into. The Blood Mountains.

Having nowhere to live, he found an abandoned cave. In the middle of his first night he heard the call of a small animal. It sounded hurt and scared so he went looking for it.

Seth followed the voice of the animal until finally, in a ditch in the middle of the forest, he saw a cougar cub trying to climb out. Its front paw looked broken. Seth climbed down into the ditch and picked up the cougar. It tried to claw at him and bite him but he spoke to it in the Elf language, like he had with the horse in his daring escape, calming the wild cat down.

He carried the cub to his cave and mended its broken paw. When he let it go to search for its family, it curled up next to him instead. The cougar's body was warm, and the night was getting colder, so Seth didn't try and shoo it away. He welcomed the cubs comfort and warmth. After that night they were inseparable. Seth named him Serva, which was the male version of the name Serina, his sister.

That same night Seth dreamt of Serina. She was calling out to him in the middle of the woods they'd grown up in. There was a meadow they used to visit with their mother every summer. Serina was calling out to Seth to meet her there. In his dream she was tied to a tree, begging to be rescued. But he would tell her he didn't know where she was and that he wasn't strong enough. He hadn't had a dream like that in about three years.

Jennifer jumped slightly as Mark interrupted the story, saying, "I've had the same dream!"

Seth stared at him emotionless, causing Mark to shift uncomfortably. So he continued on, "Before we were brought into Eranithia from our world, I had a dream that I was in a meadow and this beautiful girl appeared to me."

"What did she look like?" Seth asked as if seeking proof that his sister was really reaching out to Mark.

"She's about fifteen or sixteen. Beautiful with dark wavy hair, bright bluish gray eyes. Tall with long hair that extended the length of her back."

"You have described my sister perfectly. Except her eyes."

"What color are her eyes?" Mark asked confused.

"Dark brown, like mine," he said sadly but with a sincere smile.

Once again Jennifer saw the sadness come over Seth. She could only imagine how he felt as he stared at the floor as if he could see Serina's face in the wood. Longing to see his sister again; to hug her tight. She knew she would feel the same way if Mark had been kept from her for ten years.

Mark cautiously went on saying, "And when she's tied to the tree, she looks beat up. Cuts and bruises on her face, and she's always scared and crying."

Seth looked like he would barely be able to control his anger. The look he gave Garandol terrified Jennifer. He looked like he would lash out at anyone in the room at any second.

"Would you excuse us, I think Seth and I need to speak privately," Garandol said.

The rest of them got up silently and went outside. Mark and Jennifer took a seat on a large boulder a few yards from the cabin. A couple minutes later, Garandol came out of the door, walked up to Broc, untied him, then took him into the cabin. They all exchanged looks of  confusion, but not a word was said while they waited outside.

By early evening, Serva had returned from his afternoon prowl of the woods and laid at Jennifer's feet. Dropping down from the boulder, she pet the large cat. He rolled onto his back to let her rub his belly. She giggled as she pet the cougar; fascinated at how much it acted like a house cat in that moment.

The sky grew dark before Garandol reappeared with Broc, binding him to the tree once again. But this time he was allowed more freedom. The rope around the tree was tied around ropes binding his wrists. He was bound more like a dog on a leash; he would be able to walk and stretch his legs if he needed to, or relieve himself behind the tree.

"Come in for dinner," Garandol said waving them inside.

When they entered, a feast was set out before them: a variety of breads; assorted meets of bear, deer, rabbit and wild turkey; jugs of sweet wine and water; many different fruits and vegetables. Mark and Jennifer both stared hungrily at the display.

"Go ahead, fill your plates and bellies," Garandol encouraged them.

Without any more hesitation they took a seat next to each other at the table and began filling their plates with as much as they could grab.

Afterthe meal, Seth brought them all mugs of hot cider beer.

"Where did you get all of this?" Jennifer asked, feeling warm all over.

"I brew the cider beer myself," he said proudly. "I've also scavenged many things from my travels of Eranithia. Nobody knows this land better than I. Not even Arnath, and he's much, much older than me. He's grown so lazy he never leaves his castle anymore."

"So how do we change that?" Mark asked.

Seth looked at him and asked, "Why would we want to? I still knowthat castle. I grew up there for fifteen years. There's nowhere in Eranithia he can best me. I would prefer his undoing to be in the very castle he hides in."

"Then we have to get in some how," Mark said.

Grinning, Seth said, "Now you're thinking. There is no greater feat than to defeat a foe on his own grounds, but considering they are my grounds as well it will be even more rewarding because I will have won back my home."

"Not to mention the freedom of Eranithia as well," Garandol said piping in.

Raising his mug of cider beer, Seth said, "Aye."

"So, is Serva so big because of the mountains?" Mark asked.

"Aye," Seth said. "He was just a few days old when I found him and already the size of a large Tabby. He's done growing now, but he's abig cat. He takes care of himself just fine."

Seth was beginning to speak much louder than before and seemed to have a similar accent as Arland. Mark thought he sounded like he had been taken straight out of Ireland. Before he'd sounded British, like Garandol.

"So, what's the plan Seth?" Mark asked, taking another gulp of cider beer.

"He is full of questions isn't he now?" Seth said nearly shouting; laughing as he looked across the table at Garandol.

"You haven't had the pleasure of traveling with him the past week or so. You wouldn't believe how many questions this boy can ask," Garandol teased, giving Mark a wink.

Mark's cheeks burned with embarrassment. He knew they were making fun ofhim, but he didn't care. He had mysteriously been pulled into a strange and wonderful land so it was only natural to want to know everything about Eranithia. Jennifer grabbed his shoulder, squeezing tightly. Her gesture told him not to be embarrassed, that their teasing didn't matter. He smiled at her his thanks.

Seth grabbed Mark's opposite shoulder, saying, "A curious mind is good. It means you're thirsty for knowledge and nobody is ever looked down upon for that."

"Maybe not in your world," he said with bitter sarcasm.

"Knowledge is scoffed at in your world?" Seth asked appalled.

"A tour age it is. Or at least it seems like it. The smart ones are seenas weak. Just because most of us don't care about sports as much as the rest of the school."

"Are you against sport then?" Seth asked.

"No, I just don't go out for any sports teams."

"Sports teams? What is that?" he asked with a slight chuckle.

Seth's question caught Mark off guard, but then he realized that they probably didn't have any organized sports like football and baseball in this world. The sport here was typically what you would read about in history books during the medieval period: Jousting, fencing and possibly boxing. Knights from all over would come to these competitions for prize money or for the pride of his region.

"Well, there are games that are played with teams for competition. Schools from all over have their own teams that compete against each other."

"For what prize?"

"Usually just recognition of being the best in the state or nation."

"So the competition is for pride. Not a very lasting prize, but understandable."

"Some athletes get scholarships to colleges because they were on a good team, or they were the best in their school or city too."

"College?"

"Uh, it's a school after high school," Mark said unsure of how he should have responded.

"High school?" Seth asked. He was looking at Mark as if he were speaking another language.

Laughing to himself, Mark realized he would have to start from the beginning. He did his best to explain the school system to them, how at the age of five or six you would start and each grade was a step closer to graduation, then you would go to college for further education before getting a job to work in the rest of the world.

"So you are taught for how long?" Seth asked, forehead wrinkled, mouth open slightly.

"Some people get out of college around twenty one or twenty two. Others, like doctors and lawyers, go to college for ten or more years. Some are close to thirty before they start in their careers as doctor or lawyers."

Seth looked amazed and said, "You would waste that much of your life before living?"

Mark liked Seth. He saw high school and college as much of a pointless part of life as he did.

"Education in Eranithia ends at fifteen, and it is only for the noble families. By then you should know what you are going to do with your life and you begin your apprenticeship either under your father or someone else willing to take you on if your father's line of work doesn't appeal to you. For me, I had no choice but to learn politics andother important subjects a king should know, because being the only son in the family, I was expected to take the throne when he passed. Of course, Garandol's blessing said that both Serina and I would rule together.

"However, the common people become laborers unless their family has a business in a craft. Those fortunate enough to belong to such a family continue on in their trade and craft. If they so choose they can take on someone from outside of their family to learn their craft and possibly help their family with it.

"Now don't think we do not take care of the common people. I can see the look on your face, Jennifer, that you don't like our ways. We are not so uncivilized that we allow our common people to go hungry or homeless."

He took a swig of cider beer then continued, "There is no such thing as poverty in Eranithia, not in our eyes. Everyone has their place and their own job. Some may be more glamorous than others, but none are more important. A king has as much importance in Eranithia as the one who cleans the streets of garbage and horse dung.

"If the one who cleaned the streets didn't do his job, the king would have dirty streets to walk down. If the king didn't rule over the land and make sure everyone had a job, he wouldn't be doing his job! And if the king didn't protect his kingdom, those who might be perceived as a lower class would become slaves to an unruly king."

"Which is what has slowly been happening in Eranithia," Garandol said pointedly. "And someone has to step up and put an end to it."

Seth nodded again, saying, "The old man is right."

"So you will fight your uncle?" Mark asked.

Seth grinned and said, "I was stubborn and I hope you all can forgive my negative attitude. But I recognized my lack of faith in Sol and I realize my duty and my part in this. You two are the ones who will help me over throw my uncle."

Mark had never felt more important in his life. He loved this place and never wanted to leave. Glancing at Jennifer he could see she was accepting her role in this as well. She had a smile on her face that matched his own.

"There is something so familiar about you two. I just can't place it," Seth said studying them for a minute. Then dismissing the thought with a wave of his hand he said, "Now, tomorrow we send word to Arnath that we have Broc, the leader of his forces. We will tell him if he wants his General back to come and get him."

"He won't leave the castle will he?" Mark asked.

"Most likely not, but he will send troops to recover him and kill us."

"He wants Mark and Jennifer to kill with his own hand," Garandol reminded him.

"Yes, but we won't let that happen, will we?" Seth asked slapping Mark on the back, causing him to choke on the cider beer he'd just taken a sip of.

Mark and Jennifer gave each other a quick glance. It was the only aspect of their adventure that scared them. Someone they'd never met wanted them dead.

"Mark, I will train you myself how to use your sword correctly. Let me see your sword."

Mark was too ashamed to speak. He hung his head in silence.

"What's wrong, Mark?" Seth asked.

"My sword was lost in the Palina River when I dove in to save Jennifer."

"You lost your sword?" Seth asked, almost scolding Mark.

"There is a strong undercurrent," Arland quickly explained. "In the rescue, his belt must have come undone. It's more than likely buried beneath the rocks."

Mark looked at Arland, who nodded back at him. Mark smiled his gratitude for defending him.

"That is unfortunate. No matter. Before using an actual blade, I will start you with a wooden sword, and I will use one as well."

"You can use mine," Jennifer offered. "They were both the same."

Seth smiled at her and said, "May I see your sword then?"

Jennifer left the table to retrieve her sword from among her things. When she returned, she handed the sword to Seth, still in its scabbard. Pulling the sword out, Seth studied it.

"Dwarf made," he noted. "Very strong indeed. Nimblefist I'm assuming?" he asked looking up at Garandol.

Garandol nodded then said, "She made these a couple weeks before the Dwarfs left for Kushen."

"I wondered what she was working on all those years ago," he said more to himself than any of them. "Nimblefist is a very goodsword-smith," Seth said turning the sword in his hand. "Only the elves can out do her in this craft. This is a very good sword, but we will see if it is the proper sword for you in the morning."

"What about my training?" Jennifer asked.

"Arland will train you in how to use your sword, but Garandol will train youin how to use your mental powers. You seem to have control over them, but you have much more to learn than making objects fly across the room and hit people in the head," he teased.

Looking at her, Mark saw her amused smile. She wasn't embarrassed like he'd been, but her cheeks did turn slightly pinker.

"You will learn to communicate with your mind and to make others think what you want them to. You will also be able to use your powers to strengthen your blows with your sword. Mark, your powers seem to be just within the physical, but know that together your powers are stronger than when you're apart. But you must learn to strengthen your shared powers when you are apart so you have less of a weakness.

"Arnath shows no mercy to his victims. He will not rest at merely killing you, especially now that you have met up with me. He will destroy you to the point of begging for death. Then he won't give it to you. He will make you watch each other die, and if you have a love for each other like Serina and I do, that will kill you before he has the chance. He would rather break your hearts to the point of death than kill you with his hand."

Mark and Jennifer stared in silent shock at his words. It wasn't everyday that someone they'd never met wanted them dead. Mark wondered if Seth noticed his fear. He must not have because the look Mark got from Seth seemed to tell him to always protect his sister. As if he didn't have enough pressure as it was! Mark hoped the trembling he felt inside wasn't visible on the outside.

Then suddenly Seth went on saying, "Not to worry though, right? We will train you up and look out for you so that never happens."

Mark and Jennifer looked at each other feeling a little uneasy. They didn't have any choice but to take their training seriously now. Not only so they can fulfill the prophecy, but to keep each other alive as well.

They all slept easily that night. All but Mark and Jennifer that is. Mark went outside to clear his head from the dinner conversation. He sat on the front porch watching the woods. In Mark's mind every shadow hid an unseen enemy; behind every tree one of the king's men were waiting for him to venture into the woods so they could kill him. The silence of the forest made him uneasy. He wished there would be a sound of some kind. Nocturnal creatures should be out hunting for food. Like Serva; he'd been gone for a couple hours now.

The door creaked behind him. Startled, Mark turned to see who had joined him. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that it was Jennifer. He gave a smile to say hello then looked back at the trees. Broc was now inside. Garandol said he wouldn't be able to escape. If he tried he would wander the woods until he came back to the cabin.

"Can't sleep?" he asked her as she sat next to him.

"No. Seth's words keep ringing in my head. What a sick and twisted mind Arnath has," she said folding her hands into her lap.

"Yeah, that was keeping me up too," he admitted.

She put her head on his shoulder then locked her fingers together around his arm. He put a hand on hers in response.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he promised her as they stared at the woods.

"I know," she said. "And I won't let anything happen to you either."

Mark imagined them fighting side by side. Although he didn't like the idea of his sister being in any kind of battle, Mark knew she wouldn't just sit by and watch her friends fight for their lives. She would want to be in the mix with them doing her best to keep them safe. Mark had never imagined his sister as the heroic type before this moment. The thought made him chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

Grinning, he said, "Nothing funny, more ironic than anything."

Mark could tell she was confused with her forehead scrunched the way it was.

"I was just thinking about us fighting side by side and how before now I never would have imagined you in a fight of any kind. Everybody has always loved you and wanted to be around you."

"Not everybody likes me that much," she said sadly.

"Believe me, there aren't enough who don't like you for it to matter," Mark said patting her knee.

"There are plenty of people who don't like me merely because I'm popular. I'm not so naive to think I'm not popular. I never asked for it. All I've ever tried to do was be kind to everyone I encounter. But there are some who hate you just because of the status you're put into."

"They're just jealous people who hate everyone," Mark said brushing it off.

"That may be true, but it doesn't make it any more enjoyable."

Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "Do they matter though?"

"Of course they matter!" she said scoffing his bitter attitude. "If there's one thing mom and dad taught us it's that everyone matters. They always taught us to treat everyone equally and to love everyone. It's just the way they are and it's the way we ought to be."

Mark didn't respond to the lesson Jennifer recited to him. He thought it was a good way to approach life, but he also didn't think it was very practical. No matter how you treated people some were bound to hateyou for no other reason than they are just full of hate deep inside.

"Even those jerks who pick on you. They expect us to love them as much as our own friends."

"That's ridiculous."

"It may sound like it, but think about it. What would you do if there was someone who you picked on all the time who told you they cared about you? Or they did something to show it?"

A slight breeze blew a few strands of her blond hair in her face.

"I have never picked on someone as maliciously as they have with me."

"I know that, but you've given someone a hard time before."

"Yeah, my friends, but that doesn't count because we all pick on each other. It's just the way we show our friendship."

"Well, is there anyone who has wanted to join your group that you never let in?"

"No," he said quickly.

He felt her stare burn into his skull like fire. She knew it was a lie and he couldn't hide that from her.

"Okay, maybe one time, but that wasn't my decision. Everyone else said they didn't want him around, and what was I supposed to do? Just ignore the friends I've had for practically my entire life and take in this one new kid?"

Shrugging her shoulders, she said, "Why not?"

"That's ridiculous. Betray my friends for one person?"

"Look, I've seen you with your friends. They all look up to you like a leader. And you are but you just don't see it. If you would have accepted the new kid, they would have come around." Jennifer was right; he'd never seen himself as a leader in his group. He was beginning to realize how much he and his sister were alike. She always reached out to others when the rest of her group didn't. She had the guts to ruin her reputation for a single person so they wouldn't feel left out. If he'd followed her example then Josh wouldn't have joined up with Rene's gang.

"I guess I just never saw myself as a leader like that," he admitted.

"The best leaders usually don't," she said.

"What about you?" he asked looking at her.

"I just try to do what is right. I don't care if anyone follows or not."

"Also a great quality of a leader."

"I guess we're a lot more alike than we thought," she said putting her head back on his shoulder.

"Iguess so," he said softly.

They sat, staring at the woods around them in silence for a while. Mark didn't know when it happened but Jennifer fell asleep on his shoulder. Carefully picking her up, he carried her inside and laid her back in Seth's bed. Seth had given it up to her before they were all heading to bed after dinner. He pulled the blanket up to about her shoulders then kissed her on the her forehead. She turned toward him, laying on her side.

"I love you sis," he said.

"I love you too," she whispered.

He smiled then took his place on the floor next to the fireplace and stared into the flames until he finally drifted off to sleep.