

Stories from the World of Mundial

Marc Van Pelt

https://www.facebook.com/catseye1979/

ISBN: 9780463321621

Smashwords Edition

Forest Spirit Copyright © 2011

Time Mage Copyright © 2018

The Merchant Ship Cree Copyright © 2017

Frost Wyrm Copyright © 2014

By Marc Van Pelt

All Rights Reserved

Dedications

Forest Spirit

For everyone that urged me to take a chance and give it a try.

Time Mage

For Bridger, Ezra, Tracyn, Trevor, Sara, and Michael. Inspirers of stories.

The Merchant Ship Cree

For my brother, Tommy, my first fan.

Frost Wyrm

For my nephews and nieces, who inspire me to be better.

Timeline of the World of Mundial

Year 1MA- First War of Destruction Yucaipan Kingdom and Village of the Shadow Hunters re-established on Elvish Continent.

44MA- Battle North of Aguerius Forest

118MA- Lich Lords attack the Vatan Province

119MA- Forest Spirit

123MA- Lich-El, Escape through the Sacred Forest,

Lich Lords begin invasion of Aguerius Province.

129MA- Time Mage

983MA- Necromian Kingdom established

1012MA- The Forjad Consortium is formed

1024MA-Formation of the Yucaipan Republic

1850MA- Mathen's Flight

1854MA- Human/Elvish War Begins, fall of the Necromian Kingdom and Yucaipan Republic. Establishment of Port Cutter.

1857MA- The Merchant Ship Cree

1904MA- Frost Wyrm

MA= Mortal Age

Italics= Published Works

# Forest Spirit

Big brothers must be the dumbest, most horrible, most evil creatures in the whole world of Mundial. Even the Lich Lords of the Eastern Wastes would shudder at the pains and torments older brothers inflict on younger brothers. Of course it would be Almas' luck to get the all-time worst.

Almas Aguerius was sure that his brother, Cree Tanis Aguerius (Almas just referred to him as Creetan), had spent his first four years of life torturing cats, learning the art of being mean, and dreaming of the day he'd have a little brother to make cry. It was probably best that Almas didn't remember anything before he turned 3 because if they were anything like the next five years then they were most likely filled with warfare just as intense as the battles their father was involved with during his wars with the Undead.

Sure, when he was a baby Almas probably didn't cut holes in the back of all of Creetan's pants to get back at him for breaking his favorite toy horse, but they couldn't have gotten along nearly as well as their mother always claimed. There was no getting along with Creetan, you could only endure him.

Almas blamed his brother for the trouble he was in now. All he had wanted was an apple from the apple tree, but he was too short to even reach the lowest branches. Then Creetan had the nerve to sneak up on him and scare him out of his wits. Then to make things worse, rather than help him get an apple, he decides to climb up the tree, eat some of the fruit, and call him a coward and a baby.

Now because of that, Almas was the most tired, cold, scared, and -- worst of all -- completely lost that he had ever been in the eight years of his life.

All he had wanted to do was spend some time in Aguerius Forest alone to prove to that 12-year-old pigheaded monster, who had somehow tricked his parents into thinking he was their first-born son, that he was not a coward.

He had gotten the idea when he had gone to the riverbank to brood. He had noticed a blue bird in a tree looking at him and had wondered if the Forest Spirit of Aguerius Forest ever had to deal with a stupid older brother. He had never been sure if there was a forest spirit – after all it was only a legend that the adults talked about, and adults had a bad habit of trying to trick children into believing absurd things. When he had asked his father, he had only said that many legends are based in truth so some of it might be true.

The legend was that the forest was cared for by a forest spirit who protected both man and beast that entered into it. Since there were no stories of anybody being attacked by wild animals in the woods, that's what gave Almas the idea to go spend the day in the forest. He had decided that it was his best chance to show Creetan how brave he really was. After all, even a safe forest could be scary when you're by yourself -- couldn't it? So after waking and eating breakfast the next day, he had told his mother that he was going to play outside. Then when no one was looking he went right into the green wood.

The day had started out great; the sun was sending bright light through the branches of the great and mighty trees. Birds were chirping happy songs while the bushes seemed to almost make way for him, almost inviting him into the forest. It was by far the most beautiful place he had ever seen. It was thick with green leaves and flowers on every surface. Also there were animals everywhere from chipmunks and insects to deer and elk. After a few hours Almas decided that he had been out long enough to show Creetan who was brave. Not to mention he needed to get home before it got dark -- for his mother's peace of mind, of course.

It was then he realized that he had no idea which way home was. Picking the direction he was sure would at least take him to the river that he could follow home, he had set off at what he meant to be a nice easy trot, but ended up more like one that resembled a deer being followed closely by a pack of wolves.

It was shortly after this that things began to go wrong for him. The friendly forest seemed to change with every step. First the friendly songs of the birds stopped, followed by the trees reaching out and blocking the light of the sun with their branches, while the bushes and shrubs began to grab and claw at him as he tried to find his way home. From time to time the forest seemed to play a game where it would start to brighten and give Almas hope, only to destroy it by suddenly becoming darker and more menacing.

It was just as the sun was beginning to set that Almas learned where he was. He stepped out into a clearing to find the site of an old battlefield. The clearing was mostly dead earth with clumps of tall, brown grass scattered about much the same as the instruments of war that littered the field. Everywhere he looked he could see armor and weapons of all sorts.

He realized as he looked among broken swords and shields that he was on the completely wrong side of the forest. His father had told him how 75 years ago his great grandfather had led the king's army against the Lich Lords and drove them to the eastern wastes, and that the battle had taken place on the other side of the forest.

First he hesitated. The place was spooky and Almas was scared enough as it was. But curiosity in the objects littering the ground overcame his fear and he entered the field. He began to wander around and study the relics of a battle long past. Why had no one claimed these treasures? As eerie as the place was, he had to take a look at some of these artifacts. Was that a real ruby in the hilt of that sword? The metal it was embedded in looked like gold! If he brought something expensive home maybe his mother wouldn't kill him for being late. At least he'd be able to make Creetan jealous.

For a moment he was so lost in his curiosity that he forgot about being lost and scared. But then as he was looking at a helmet in the tall grass that looked like it might have a diamond embedded in the front he felt something odd under his foot. Searching the ground where he had stood he saw a small, gold chain partially hidden in the ground. He pulled the chain from the ground and found a small pendant attached to it. The pendant was round and somewhat flat, and like the chain, was made of gold. There was also a green gem embedded in the center of it.

As Almas looked over the pendant, he wondered how much something like this would be worth. The last thing he expected was an answer to his unspoken question.

I am what you would call priceless.

"Who said that?" Almas yelped as he searched in all directions for the source of the voice.

I did you fool. You're holding me, came the reply.

Almas looked down at the pendant. Was the pendant speaking to him?

Idiot child, of course I'm speaking to you. Do you see anyone else around?

At that moment Almas realized that the voice he heard was only in his own head. Almas stared at the pendant and asked, "What are you?"

I am Lightbringer, a powerful fielis. Figures that I would be found by an ignorant, runny-nosed human child... An Aguerius at that, by the looks of the symbol on your crest.

Almas looked at his crest hanging on his neck that bore his family's symbols. How could this thing see it and what was a fielis? Almas thought he had heard that word before but couldn't remember where he heard it or what he had heard about it. He was about to ask more but the thing called Lightbringer spoke first.

You don't have to speak out loud; I can hear your thoughts just fine. But explaining these things to you probably doesn't matter since I don't expect for you to escape this place alive. Do me a favor and put me down. I really hate getting eaten along with fools -- even if the slime behind you doesn't get you then the forest dragon that claims this land will surely track you down. He hates intruders. Few grave robbers that have come here have escaped. If you do survive, send someone back worthy to hold my greatness.

Almas turned around and, sure enough, not far behind him was a big, slug-like blob about the size of a large cat. He had never seen a slime before but had heard that they were boneless creatures that could spray a stream of acid five feet away. The acid was used to dissolve its food before eating it and to defend itself from predators. They certainly didn't live in his family's forest; it was yet another reminder that he was far from where he was supposed to be.

This gray colored slime seemed to be eating an old shield, and Almas decided there was no point in sticking around and handing it an easier-to-eat dessert. If the pendant wanted to stay that was fine with him. He dropped Lightbringer, cutting off the pendant's maniacal laugh and ran back into the forest.

Almas wasn't sure how long he had been running. Ten minutes? Thirty? He just knew he needed to put as much space between himself and that field as he could, yet when he tripped as he passed through a dense grove of trees he knew he couldn't get up. His legs felt dead and his chest felt like it was on fire. By now it was completely dark and all Almas could do was focus on breathing.

Rolling on his back he cried and cried till he heard a strange sound. Looking up he saw in the tree a songbird singing to him. At least he was pretty sure it was to him. It seemed to look right at him. The song reminded him of a song his Uncle Marpel used to play on a harp to help him and his brothers and sister go to sleep. He had always accused his uncle of casting a music spell on him, as bards like his uncle were known to do, but tonight he would've welcomed the peace his uncle's music would have brought. Slowly the fire in his chest went away and he felt that he could breathe again. He knew he should get up and get moving again, but he just didn't have the strength. He quickly faded off to sleep.

As he slept he dreamed of home. He dreamed of his mother tucking him in for the night and singing gently to him. It was a nice dream and Almas slept peaceably and warm well into the morning.

Almas awoke with a start to the sound of the songbird chirping and fluttering its wings in obvious panic. He found himself under a blanket of tall grass which he didn't remember being there the night before. Searching for the cause of the bird's agitation he sat himself up to find the same gray slime from the evening before right next to his feet. At least he was fairly certain it was the same slime; part of the slime's body had expanded and shaped itself into a small tendril that was holding the magic pendant that had called itself Lightbringer.

Almas quickly began crawling backwards but only went a couple of feet before hitting his head hard on a tree. Before Almas could make any movements, a stream of acid shot right past him and the tree that his back was to.

Almost instantly a large roar filled the air behind him and Almas felt something big crash into the tree he was against. Rolling away from both the slime and whatever the slime had just attacked, Almas decided that if anyone wanted to question his courage they were welcomed to do it. He just prayed to whatever gods might be listening that he could get home alive; he didn't care what names his brother called him.

Looking to the tree he had rolled away from, he saw a forest dragon that was frantically dragging its head on the ground as it tried to scrape off the burning acid from its face.

Forest dragons were small for dragons and had no wings, but still twice the size of a large bear. They were colored green and brown to blend in better with the forest. Almas had seen many forest dragons before -- many warriors used them as war mounts, his own father included -- but this one was nothing like the tamed ones he knew. First, this was the biggest one he'd ever seen; second, this one was now looking at Almas with what seemed a mixture of hunger and anger.

Almas knew he should be running but his legs betrayed him and refused to move. The forest dragon took a step towards him but another stream of acid shot right in front of the beast. Almas glanced at the slime. Was it actually moving between him and the dragon?

The dragon eyed the slime, then Almas, then back to the slime. It seemed the dragon was deciding if Almas would make a meal worth the sting of the slime's acid. After a short eternity the dragon suddenly looked off to the left and emitted a low growl. Almas turned to discover, to his great shock, an older boy, perhaps just a little younger than his brother Creetan, standing between two trees. He had light brown hair and stood only a couple inches taller than Almas himself. He wore brown and green clothes and had nothing on his feet. While it was clear the boy was a child, it was also clear the boy wasn't human -- his ears were more pointed on top.

The blue-eyed boy stared at the dragon and the dragon stared back. Then suddenly the dragon charged him. The boy just continued to stare the charging beast in the eyes and at the last minute jumped and planted his bare feet on the trunk of the tree next to him, took two steps up the tree trunk and grabbed onto a branch. The dragon, unable to slow down, passed right under the boy who dropped onto the dragon's back, then did a front-flip off it and landed right next to the slime. As the dragon turned and once again charged, the boy quickly took Lightbringer from the slime and held it up to the charging dragon.

"Don't look directly at the pendant!" he yelled.

Almas wasn't sure why he needed to look away but decided to trust the boy. He turned his face away just as the pendant exploded with bright light. Even looking away from the light everything was so bright that Almas threw his arm over his eyes to protect them.

The light dimmed and, as Almas blinked the after-image of the light from his eyes, he heard the sound of the dragon crashing through the forest away from them. Soon the sound of roaring and trees being knocked over faded. The boy continued to stare in the direction the dragon went for a few moments longer, then walked over to Almas and collapsed against the tree next to him. Only now did Almas realize how out of breath the boy was.

"Do you...(gasp)...have any idea...(gasp)...how much trouble you've caused me...(gasp)...these last couple days? That dragon is a lunatic about protecting his territory, which includes the old battlefield. It picked up your scent and tracked you down. I had to sprint for the last 20 minutes and still almost didn't make it in time."

Almas just stared at the boy. "Are you a forest spirit?"

"No, I'm an elf."

"Why do they say there is a forest spirit here then?"

"There is what people believe and then there is the truth."

The boy stood up and walked over to the slime; he removed his shoulder bag and scooped the slime into it. Putting the shoulder bag back on he added, "We should get going before Grumpy gets his eyesight back and comes back for breakfast. I don't think he believed me when I said my father was nearby."

"I didn't hear you tell it anything."

"I don't need to talk out loud to speak to the animals and plants of the forest," the boy answered as he wrapped Lightbringer in a cloth and placed it in his pocket. "Now come on; I'll take you home."

Almas eyed the pocket the boy had put Lightbringer in. "That thing is bad."

"Lightbringer is bitter, selfish, and annoying but like all of his kind, harmless to those who hold him. Now let's get going."

Almas stood up and followed the boy who started walking away. "My name is Almas Aguerius."

"I know."

"How?"

"Little happens in or near this forest that I don't know about, not to mention your family has been protecting my family since they settled this area. It was my father who gave this forest to your family."

"But my family has owned this forest for a hundred years! How old are you?"

"One hundred and nineteen."

"That's older than my father!"

The boy laughed, "Much older."

"What's your name?" Almas asked as they started walking.

"Just call me Ulec."

Ulec wasn't sure what to make of this small human creature. Maybe if he would close his mouth for longer than two seconds, then Ulec could decide.

"So how big is your family?" Almas asked.

"What's that?"

"Your family. You said my family has been protecting your family; how big is your family?"

"Just my parents, my little sister, and me," Ulec answered.

"I have an older brother, a younger brother and a younger sister along with my parents. Do you have a house here in the forest?"

"The forest is our house."

"Oh," Almas said thoughtfully, "don't you get wet when it rains?"

"The trees can keep us dry if I ask them to."

Realization came to Almas' eyes. "Was it you that made the forest scary yesterday?"

Ulec was glad the boy was following behind him and couldn't see his face turn red. "Well, I was trying to help you get back home. I... I thought if the forest was only scary when you were going the wrong way, you'd find the right way. It didn't work very well."

"Oh... sorry."

Ulec felt bad. He had tried to lead Almas back home, but all he had managed to do was scare the kid out of his wits and almost get him killed. If he had just been more open and gone personally to help, he could've lead the kid back home without him ending up in danger.

They walked for a minute in silence, and then Ulec turned and asked, "Would you like to see the best view of the forest, see it as I think of it?"

"Yes, please!"

"Follow me."

Ulec could normally move quickly through the forest but the boy moved slowly, even with Ulec's help. Eventually they came to a huge tree. Ulec didn't even slow down as he got to the tree; he took three steps up the trunk of the tree and effortlessly swung himself onto one of the lower branches. Almas stopped and stared.

"Hey! How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Run up the tree like that. I can't do that."

"I ask the tree to help me. It holds onto my feet so I don't slip as easy. Here let me help you up."

Ulec reached down and took Almas' hand and helped pull him up and the two boys began climbing up to the top of the tree. About halfway up Almas asked, "How come you don't have any shoes on?"

"You never take a break from the questions, do you?"

"Sorry, I was just wondering."

"I don't like shoes; I like the feel of the forest on my feet."

They soon arrived at the top of the tree, which was much taller than any of the other trees in the forest. Almas looked wide-eyed across the carpet of treetops. "You can see the whole forest from here."

"This is the oldest and tallest tree in the forest; I like to spend a lot of time here."

"Don't you get lonely?"

"Not really," Ulec lied. "I have the whole forest to keep me company. Plus I spend a lot of time with my father. He's been training me in weapon mastery."

"Why," Almas asked.

"My father says having skills to protect yourself and others is important."

Almas nodded. Almas was also the son of a weapons master and Ulec was sure his own father taught similar things. So he knew he didn't have to explain much more than that.

"What about your sister? Doesn't she play with you in the forest?" Almas asked after a moment.

Ulec shrugged his shoulders. "My mother and sister spend a lot of time up north on the other side of the Dividing Mountains. The magic most elves use is stronger up there."

"Why is it stronger there?"

"Elves use magic created by life. The forests up there are much denser and produce more magic than the ones here," Ulec explained.

Almas seemed to think of that for a few moments. The mention of Ulec's mother being gone much of the time must have reminded Almas of the situation with his own parents. Almas commented next, "My dad is away a lot too. He's the royal strategist, and there is a war against the Lich Lords right now. He's been gone longer than normal this time. Normally they just do small raids. But I've heard some of my father's men say this was the biggest attack in 40 years."

Almas nervously fingered the crest he wore around his neck. Ulec's parents had both fought in a war before he was born but never in his life had gone to war. Ulec responded, "Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine," then thought it best to change the subject. "So why did you come into the forest alone yesterday?"

Almas hesitated then answered, "I was playing with my younger brother and sister a few days ago by the old apple tree and Creetan snuck up behind me and scared me. He said I screamed like a girl and was the biggest coward he had ever seen. So I wanted to prove to him that I could be brave."

"Being scared doesn't mean you're not brave," Ulec said, "Being scared is what helps keep us alive when there is danger. Being brave is what helps us do things that need to be done. You can be scared and brave at the same time. It isn't one or the other."

Almas thought about that for a moment before responding, "I wish someone had told me that sooner. Trying to be brave almost got me eaten by a dragon."

"I'm glad you weren't. I haven't had anyone new to talk to in years."

"So you do get lonely," Almas exclaimed triumphantly.

"I guess I do," Ulec admitted.

A few moments of silence passed before Ulec spoke again and asked, "Can I see your crest?"

Almas took the crest from around his neck and handed it to Ulec. "How come you don't have one?"

"Only citizens of your kingdom wear them. I'm not part of your kingdom. I've seen them from a distance but never up close. How come your crest has two pictures on it?"

"They are pictures of my parents' crests; the one with the owl is my father's crest and the one with the anvil is my mother's crest. Children's crests always show both their parents' crests to show who they belong to. Then when we grow up we get our own."

"And the foxes around the edges of your crest?"

"Every kid has his own border around the crests. That way every child in the family has a crest that is a little different. My dad said that once only nobles had them but since everyone in the kingdom now are descended from those that fought in the War of Destruction, an old king declared everyone to be of noble blood."

"Oh," Ulec responded as he handed the crest back. "My parents also fought in that war."

"Really? My dad told me that very few who fought in that war survived. And it was about one hundred and twenty years ago. Are your parents old?"

"Elves live 10 times longer than humans. So for elves I guess they would be about middle aged," Ulec answered with a shrug.

After another moment of silence Almas spoke up, "I was wondering. That pendant, Lightbringer, said it was a fielis. Do you know what a fielis is?"

"It's a magic item made by a group of elves that died off long ago. They made the items by taking part of someone's soul and binding it to an item. That item gains the personality and abilities of that soul."

Almas asked something else but Ulec didn't hear. His attention was suddenly elsewhere in the forest. That forest dragon was heading their way again -- fast. The creature's eyes still hadn't recovered from the flash from Lightbringer, but the dragon was probably following their smell.

"What's wrong?"

Ulec turned back to Almas, "I should get you back home. Your family is worried about you."

"Uh, sure," Almas responded with a quizzical look.

The two boys began climbing down. It was slow at first as Ulec showed Almas how to grab hold of a branch and step off the limb which they were standing on. The branch they were holding on to would then slowly bend, lowering them to a lower branch. They then could repeat the process. Almas was scared at first but soon began enjoying it. When they got to the bottom Ulec reminded Almas not to try doing that without him, since the branch could break and he'd probably fall to his death. Almas nodded and the two boys started on their way.

Ulec tried to hurry Almas along as quickly as possible but the young human just wasn't fast enough.

"What's wrong? Why can't we rest a while? It's after noon and I haven't eaten in over a day."

"I'm sorry, Almas, but we had to move fast. The forest dragon is following us again. I thought I could get you some place safe before he caught up but he's moving too fast. I'll have to try something else."

"What?"

"No time to explain. Come on!"

Ulec led Almas to another large tree. "Up the tree, quickly. He's almost here."

He helped Almas get up to a large, high branch. Almas looked around then called down to Ulec, "I see him! Hurry and get up here!"

"No matter what, stay up there."

"Are you crazy?! What are you doing?"

"Trust me!"

Ulec ran over to another tree. As the dragon came into view he grabbed hold of a long, thick branch. He asked the tree for the branch and it immediately separated from the tree. Ulec decided he must have lost his mind as he held up his makeshift staff and watched the dragon sniff the air.

The dragon still couldn't see very well but it smelled Ulec and charged. At the last second Ulec sidestepped and hit the dragon's leg with the branch with all his strength. The dragon didn't even seem to notice. It simply turned towards Ulec and lunged at him. Ulec tried to move but he knew he wouldn't be able to move out of the way fast enough. He mentally sent a plea for help to the slime that was still sitting inside his shoulder bag hanging at his side. He lifted the flap of the bag and a steam of acid shot out and again hit the dragon in the face. With the dragon's lunge disrupted, Ulec took the opportunity to get out of the way and quickly climbed up a nearby tree

As the dragon once again used the dirt to scrape the burning acid from his face, Ulec took a moment to open his mind completely to the forest. Ulec had lived in the forest a long time. The plants and animals there knew him and he asked them all for help.

The dragon charged the tree Ulec was standing in. As it charged, branches from the surrounding trees began to fall like spears on it and the shrubbery grabbed and clawed at the dragon's legs. Most hit harmlessly on the dragon's hard scales. The dragon threw itself against the trunk of the tree Ulec was on and the tree fell over.

Ulec managed to jump and grab onto the branch of another tree as the one he'd just been on came crashing to the ground. The dragon only took a moment to sniff the air and find Ulec's new position and charged once again. As it came, a pack of wolves leapt from some surrounding bushes and onto the dragon. The dragon stopped its charge and tried to shake the wolves from its back, but they just sank their fangs in deeper till the dragon finally rolled onto its back. The wolves scattered to avoid being crushed but Ulec felt his mental connection to one of them suddenly disappear. The wolves grouped up again but the dragon went after them and they were forced to scatter in order to avoid the dragon's attack.

Ulec looked around in desperation. The wolves didn't stand a chance and he was out of ideas. The dragon stopped chasing the scattered wolves and once again came right at Ulec. He pulled Lightbringer from his pocket held it towards the dragon and channeled as much magic as he could into it and once again the pendant exploded into light. At the same time a dark voice entered into his mind.

That won't work. That beast is no longer using his eyes to hunt you.

Help me! Ulec thought back to the pendant.

Why should I do that?

If I get eaten, you go with me.

Hmm, as entertaining as your getting eaten would be, I really would prefer not to pass through the insides of that beast again. You don't want to be eaten? Then the answer is easy -- run. With your power over the forest you can move much quicker than that blind beast.

If I did that, Almas would be killed. I'm not leaving him.

Why would the son of Lady Alixia risk his life for a mere human? Have you no pride as an elf?

The Aguerius family protects this forest, protects my family. I have to try.

The tree Ulec was in began to fall over as the dragon crashed into it. This time there were no nearby branches to jump to, so all Ulec could do was jump clear of the falling tree. As he tried to get up Lightbringer's voice returned. Run, boy. Human lives are short anyway. Just run.

As he tried to stand, Ulec's ankle felt like it was on fire, and he collapsed back onto the ground. There was no way he'd be able to avoid the dragon with it.

No, it's too late for that now, he thought to the pendant.

The dragon came at Ulec, mouth open to consume him. Suddenly a rock struck the dragon's head and both the dragon and Ulec turned their heads to see the source.

"Leave him alone," Almas yelled. He had dropped down from the tree and was picking up another rock to throw while the dragon took a step in his direction.

Well, at least I'll be able to enjoy watching both you and that annoying human get eaten. With any luck the dragon will choke on your dead body and cough me up.

"Choke!" Ulec exclaimed aloud attracting the dragon's attention once more to him.

What? No! I can see your thoughts, you ca-

Ulec pushed himself onto one hand, the dragon over him, mouth open once again. With his other hand Ulec aimed quickly and threw the pendant down the air hole of the dragon's throat and rolled away as quickly as he could.

Almas had watched most of the fight from his tree too terrified to even speak. For a moment he was sure he was about to watch his new friend get eaten right before him. He then realized he couldn't let Ulec die because of him. So he had jumped down, picked up a rock and threw it as hard as his 8-year-old arm could throw it. Then suddenly it was over.

Now the dragon lay motionless on the ground and Ulec limped over to where the wolves had gathered around their pack member that had been crushed by the dragon. Ulec looked over to Almas and motioned him to come over. So he walked over to Ulec, keeping an eye on the motionless dragon.

"Are...are you alright?" Almas asked as he came near.

"My ankle hurts but I don't think it's bad. I just twisted it wrong when I fell from the tree. Thanks by the way. That is what being brave all is about. You saved my life there," Ulec responded, and then looking at the wolf said, "They came and saved us too. Even knowing that they were no match for a forest dragon, they came to protect me."

Almas turned to the lifeless wolf.

"I'm sorry. If I hadn't gotten lost..."

"I need you to do me a favor."

"What?"

Ulec picked up a branch from a fallen tree and began to bend it as if it was clay, and in a couple of moments he had fashioned a walking staff to help him with his hurt ankle.

"Follow me," Ulec said and limped away with the help of his new staff.

Almas followed him and the wolves to a small cave in the side of a hill. Ulec reached in and pulled out a wolf cub.

"He's still too young to survive without his mother. He needs a place to live and someone to take care of him. I can't take both the slime and the cub."

Ulec handed the small cub to Almas. The wolf cub was shivering, so he wrapped his shirt around it and answered, "I don't think my mother would let me."

"Just ask. Explain what his mother did for us. I think you might be surprised."

"Sure, I'll try."

Almas was silent the rest of the trip home. Ulec found him some berries to eat but he was still tired and drained from everything that had happened. Never again would he do something just to show his stupid brother he wasn't a coward.

As evening approached Ulec turned again to Almas and asked, "Can I ask you another favor?"

"What?"

"My parents don't want other people to know about our being here in this forest. Your parents are the only ones who know about us, so will you promise that you won't talk about us with anyone except your parents?"

"Not even with any of my brothers or sister?"

"Not for now. Your younger brother and sister would have a hard time keeping the secret. I'm not sure if I trust your older brother. If any of them accidently told other people about us, we might have to leave. But maybe later; I'll have to discuss it with my parents."

"Why does your family need to hide?" Almas asked.

"After the War of Destruction there were only a few humans and elves left. Humans can increase their population faster than elves. So there are still very few of us compared to humans. We need time."

"Ok, I sort of understand \-- I promise."

"Thank you. I'm going to have to say goodbye now. I've brought you as far as I can."

"But....but I still don't know the way from here."

"Just follow the voices in the air."

"What voices?"

Then suddenly he heard it, his name being called out in the distance.

"That sounded like my Uncle Jarad," Almas said looking in the direction of the voice. "OVER HERE!" he yelled. "They are looking for me......Ulec?"

When Almas turned back towards Ulec, the young elf had completely vanished. He only had a moment to contemplate how someone with a hurt ankle could disappear so quickly and quietly when he heard his name called again. The voice was very close now and soon a large man with a hand axe strapped to his side appeared. It was his father's best friend, who also served as commander of his father's men when he was away.

"Uncle Jarad!" Almas ran to the man and gave him a sideways hug, being careful not to crush the wolf cub.

The man laughed, "Well, well. I was beginning to think the spirits of this forest had kidnapped you." Turning his head he spoke to someone behind him. "Would you take a look at what I found wandering the forest alone?"

"Now why'd you have to go and find him for? You have any idea what it costs to feed that kid?" said another familiar voice.

Almas peeked around Jarad to see his father standing there with a huge teasing grin.

"FATHER!"

This time Almas leapt into his father's arms. "You're home! You're home!"

Almas' father scooped him up and, laughing, swung him around and put him back on the ground. "Yes, I arrived home last night to find I was short one child. Now seeing I still had three out of four of my kids, I was all set to call it good enough and just write you off, go to bed and get some rest. But you know how your mother is. She started to fuss and fuss so I figured I might as well come out and find you."

"You were worried about me," Almas said, giving him a knowing smile.

"Me? Never. Now let's get you home and get you a bath. Then you can tell me why you smell like slime acid and have a wolf cub wrapped in your shirt. I've a feeling it's an interesting tale," Almas' father said with a grin and a wink as he put a hand on his son's shoulder and led him home.

Ulec sat in a tree long after Almas and his father were out of sight. He had opened his shoulder bag and let the slime out, which was munching on pinecones at the moment. Ulec decided to call the slime Metal since, while it appeared to be willing to eat just about anything, it seemed to have a special liking to metal, as Ulec had found out upon finding the remains of his small knife in the bag.

After watching Metal eating for a few minutes, Ulec spoke, "Are you mad?"

A voice answered from below him. "Mad about what? That you missed a lesson in order to save and help a boy lost in the forest, or that you seem to once again have adopted yet another pet?"

"I thought I could do it myself, without any help. I almost got us both killed."

"Yes. If you had left me a trail to follow I might have been in a place to help you when you finally called for it. There is no shame asking for help when lives are at stake. On the other hand, all your life I've been trying to teach you the importance of serving others. Today you have demonstrated that you have learned and understood the most important lesson I could ever teach you -- service. So no, I'm not angry. I'm very proud."

"Thank you, Father," Ulec looked down to where his father was leaning against the tree. "So... can I keep Metal?"

Ulec's father sighed and smiled. "Like I really have a choice with you and your pets."

# Time Mage

"This was your idea, your plan, now you want to back out? Does your cowardice know no limits?"

"Of course not, I just need to make a few alterations. I'm not like you, I can't simply sit back and watch what I know must happen come to pass."

"But to do this? To live among them, now as one of them? Not even know who you really are? How can you control anything in such a condition?"

"We aren't gods! It shouldn't be left to us to decide who lives and who dies!"

"All the gods have either fled this world or are dead, and neither of us are exactly human any more. Who else is there? It isn't too late, you can still join us. It would be nice to have someone who actually understands what I am doing."

"I'm sorry old friend, I can't be that person. First, I like having a heart that beats and blood that flows."

"I still have flowing blood."

"All that flows in you is decomposing filth. Second, as I said, I haven't abandoned the plan, I have to watch over the village, if they are wiped out, if we lose him, I don't know if we can save the future."

"That can be done without putting yourself in such danger; I still think you are putting the future at risk. Besides, how will you even be able to hide your memories, I didn't know that was in your list of talents."

"Remember, I've been there, I've seen many possible futures; you haven't. I know what must be done. As far as how to hide my memories? I borrowed a little trinket from Lady Alixia; it will do the job and will wake my memories if I'm in danger. It is the only way I can go through with this, and it might be fun, my first childhood was interrupted by a war, maybe this one will be better."

"Very well, I can't stop you. So how is Lady Alixia?"

"Still very much Lady Alixia, which reminds me, she asked me to let you know that the next time she sees you, she will kill you."

"She can try."

"Bettsam! Down!"

Bettsam dropped to the ground and rolled. He felt the air move as a war hammer passed just above him, right where his head had been a moment before!

What was Loid trying to do, kill him? This was just a stupid test. An important one yes, but still a test!

Bettsam finished his roll and sprang to his feet facing his attacker. Like him and everyone else in this test, Loid was ten-years-old. He had a bit more muscle on his arms than Bettsam did due to using that heavy war hammer all the time and he also wore a determined look on his face that said he wasn't holding back either--he was playing to win. He was also now laughing at him. Why was he laughing?

He tried to take a step back but one of his feet refused to move as if it was tied to the ground. He glanced down and saw an image of a rope attached to the ground at one end drawn on the ground with colored sand. At the other end was drawn a manacle with a lock on it. The foot he couldn't move was inside the image of the manacle--he had stepped into a magic trap.

Well, if Loid and his partner wanted to play rough, then Bettsam could give them rough. In his hands he held his chained scythe and threw the curved blade right at Loid who responded by holding out the handle of his hammer to block. If he expected Bettsam to stick to attacks he had mastered back when he was still seven, he would soon be disappointed.

He whipped his hand holding the handle connected to the scythe by a chain in a circle, creating a wave that traveled up the chain and caused the scythe to suddenly swing under the handle of the hammer and then back up wrapping around it several times; leaving a long cut in the front of Loid's shirt. Bettsam pulled hard on the chain and the war hammer flew out of Loid's hands and right into Bettsam's empty outstretched hand.

As hard as he could, he pounded the hammer down on the image of the lock and manacle and felt his foot come free, then he looked up at his now weaponless opponent.

Got him! He thought triumphantly. He was about to gloat about his victory when he suddenly felt a small blade push up against his neck.

It was Rose, Loid's partner and the only girl of their age! He had failed to notice the shadow of a tree right next to him and she had just stepped out of it! All she had to do with her weapon touching a vital area was declare him to be dead and he would be out! Taken out by the sharpened handle of a paintbrush at that.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak another form seemed to pop up between them, materializing seemingly out of nothing! A hand from the form shot up and pushed Rose's hand away and his other hand threw a powder into her face. The newcomer then quickly stepped away; backing up right into Bettsam and pushing him away also.

The newcomer then threw some powder into Loid's face who was in the act of charging at them. Bettsam and his rescuer fell backwards in a heap as both Rose and Loid collapsed to the ground. Rose immediately began to snore.

Bettsam rolled away several feet to make sure none of the powder used on his opponents put him down for a nap. He then stood up.

"Snipies Coleton, she almost had me! What took you so long? Where are Arroweye and Toolsomth?"

"Your welcome for saving your skin...twice," Coleton murmured and then answered, "They walked right into a trap Rose had drawn for them. She almost got me after I told you to duck but luckily she decided saving her partner was more important. That girl is scary, with Loid those two almost had us all."

As he finished speaking a sly grin came on Coleton's face mirrored by the one on Bettsam's.

"Does that mean we just wo-?"

Bettsam's question was interrupted by an adult voice yelling, "Ambush!"

What? Now? He thought, and then immediately recognized his fatal mistake as he saw Coleton drop to the ground without hesitation, roll into a shadow, and fade out of sight.

"I'm such an idiot," Bettsam said to himself in his head as he started to follow his friend, but he felt the sting he had been expecting strike his neck and his last thought was that he was going to get a nap after all. Then everything went dark.

Thunk!

A strange noise was the first thing Bettsam noticed as he began to wake up. He tried to open his eyes to see what the sound was but immediately regretted it as a huge headache attacked him. He left his eyes closed.

Thunk!

There it was again...he tried to remember what happened, he felt like he had been hit with one of his shadow arts teacher's sleep darts. Wait, he had been hit by one, he remembered now he had failed to duck in time after the call of ambush.

Thunk!

Ok, what was that sound, Bettsam forced his eyes open, the sound was starting to resemble the sound of--

The first thing he saw was an arrow fly right towards him and slam into the tree he had his back against with a loud thunk less than an inch from his left cheek. He jerked his head to the right only to bump it into several arrows imbedded in the tree on that side of his head. In fact there were arrows all around where his head had been resting.

"Finally; it's about time you woke up. It's your turn to cook supper, and we're starved."

It was Arroweye, he had been shooting arrows all around his head! He was sitting a good twenty feet back! If there had been even a small gust of wind one of those arrows might have hit him!

"Are you nuts, you could've killed...me," Bettsam trailed off at the end of his statement, there was something wrong with his voice. It didn't sound like him at all, in fact he sounded like...

He looked around and saw everyone was nearby, Coleton squatted nearby with his eyes cast down looking uncomfortable; everyone else were openly snickering, he finally spotted Rose drawing on a rock on the ground with the brush end of one of her daggers/paintbrushes trying hard, and failing, to keep a straight face.

He felt a stiffness on his face that told him it was coated in something, most likely some sort of paint. With a sigh he spoke in what was clearly Rose's voice.

"Rose painted a self-portrait of herself on my face, didn't she?"

Laughter was his only answer. Every student in his group were magically trained to use magic with their skills and talents, Rose was an artist and had obviously taken advantage of his face while he was asleep.

He was about to say something angry that he would most likely have regretted later when another voice spoke, an adult voice.

"You should keep the paint on, maybe Rose 2 will live longer than Bettsam did."

It was their teacher, Vali, and he didn't look happy; actually he never looked happy. He was always telling them exactly what a bad job they did, especially when they messed up an ambush drill.

He continued, "I should dig a grave and mark it, 'here lies Bettsam, who was too dumb to duck when warned of an ambush."

Rose snickered and Vali turned on her, "I wouldn't laugh Rose, at the time of the ambush not only were you asleep but your snoring would have insured both your and Loid's death. In fact Coleton was the only one to survive the test; the rest of you are dead!"

"Only because he hid in the bushes most of the test," Arroweye murmured, while Rose's face turned red with embarrassment over the snoring comment.

"We are warriors of the Village of the Shadow Hunters, at least you will be if you live long enough. Remember, the shadows are where we belong, our life is in the shadows. I wouldn't fault Coleton for doing what he was trained to do.

"Now, Rose 2, go wash your face so Bettsam can start on supper. Rest of you had best go practice more. And why do I see bags and weapons on the ground, you are to have your equipment with you at all times!"

The six children immediately got up, grabbed any loose equipment, and separated to their different tasks. Arroweye came over to the tree and started removing arrows. Bettsam glared at him which might have made more of an impact had his real face been visible.

"Don't worry, I only let him use normal arrows. I took away his ice and explosive arrows," Toolsomth, Arroweye's partner, said cheerfully as he passed by.

Arroweye's skill was with his bow, and looking at the arrows making a perfect outline of his head on the tree, Bettsam had to admit that he was good.

In contrast, Toolsomth's skill was in his tools; he made several kinds of arrows for his partner and several other gadgets.

Looking around their campsite a day's hike from their village spotted Loid watching Coleton as he worked on making a fire. Loid's specialty was with locks and sealing magic, while Coleton was their ranger and naturalist. Bettsam was supposed to be their shadow master. While they all had some skills with shadow magic, Bettsam was being trained in additional shadow spells and techniques.

Bettsam went to the stream and washed off the makeup and spell that Rose had put on him. Once he saw his own face reflected in the water he spoke a few words to himself just to be sure it was back to being his own voice.

He got up and headed towards the camp fire to start supper, but noticed Rose sitting with her colored sands out, making a sand painting. Most of the time she was nice enough but was a force to be reckoned with in combat, not to mention vengeful when she lost. When Bettsam had first heard her skill was with art he figured she would be easy to best. He had been wrong, not only did she like to show them all up, but she like to thoroughly embarrass them as she did it.

He headed over to her, painting his face like that had just made a humiliating situation even worse. He intended to make sure she understood exactly how he felt about it.

Just as he was opening his mouth to speak he saw what Rose was drawing. It was a map of the forest around the camp, her fingers moved at an astonishing speed. In an instant she erased a tiny squirrel from one tree and remade it on a nearby branch of another tree.

Rose's face was a mask of concentration; her fingers were magically tracking everything nearby. This was how she and Loid had done so well during the test, she had been tracking them all, using magic to guide her to change the drawing as things happened and people moved.

Bettsam quickly found himself and Rose on the map along with the other students. He also spotted their teacher moving slowly around the camp.

"What's Vali doing?" He asked her

Rose answered without breaking her concentration, "Patrolling."

"Wait, I thought he had just got back from a patrol right after I woke up."

"He had," Rose said, "I was wondering about it myself, that's why I decided to track him. He must have noticed something that bothered him.

Bettsam watched a few more moments and deciding not to start a fight after all, was about to leave when something strange happened. Rose placed her finger in the forest near where their teacher was patrolling and slid it quickly to the pile of sand that showed where Vali was. When Rose lifted her finger the sand representing their teacher had turned red.

Rose gasped.

"What? What happened? What does red mean?"

Rose's voice trembled as she answered, "It means he's dead."

"What?! How?!"

This had to be a trick, she had to be playing a sick trick on him. The stricken look on her face however told him she wasn't. Rose's fingers suddenly made three new forms in the forest that approached their fallen teacher.

"Where did they come from, who are they?"

"I don't know, they must have been magically hidden. They're shadow elves."

Rose drew a line from the three new figures to the outside of the map and drew a circle. Before he could ask what she was doing her fingers began writing words in the circle, in elvish.

Shoot the healer first, then the archer, kill the rest at your pleasure. On three.

"Bettsam! You going to start supper anytime soon? We're starving and the sun just set."

One

It was Coleton that spoke as he was walking up to them.

Two

Healer? Coleton, as part of his ranger training, was the only one of them with healing skills.

Three

Bettsam didn't hesitate this time, he turned to face Coleton as his friend stepped next to him, shouted "Ambush" as loud as he could and pushed him away as hard as he could.

Bettsam felt a sting in his outstretched arm as he dropped to the ground. He saw Coleton let himself fall backwards and roll into a shadow where he vanished. Bettsam rolled into the shadow of a nearby bush. He immediately felt his connection to the shadow and pulled himself into it. He felt intense cold as he pictured the shadow where he wanted to come to and mentally pulled himself there.

He came out of the shadow of a tree at their assembly point.

"Rose!" Bettsam called out as he stood up.

"I'm on it," she answered and Bettsam saw her already drawing a new map on the ground.

"Bettsam, what are you thinking, only Vali can do an ambush drill. He's going to break your -- oh Snipies!"

Toolsomth had spoken but Bettsam hardly heard him as he said quickly, "Vali is dead, shadow elves."

"Bettsam! Your arm!" Loid stepped up to him to get his attention.

Bettsam looked at his arm and was surprised to find an arrow that had passed halfway through it. Only now did he remember the sting right before he had dropped to the ground. Now he was starting to feel the pain which he immediately tried to push to the side of his mind -- he didn't have time for it

"Wait," Coleton exclaimed, "Was that aimed at me?"

"Found them," Rose interrupted, "They are heading right for us. They must be tracking us, they will be on us in about three minutes."

Bettsam immediately turned to Toolsomth, "Decoys!"

Toolsomth dug into his shoulder bag and brought out six small metal objects and passed them out, "Prick your finger and put a drop of blood on it, wind it up and throw it in the air."

When he got to Bettsam he hesitated a moment staring at the arrow before putting the object against the arrow head, smearing some blood on it, turned the small crank, and tossed it into the air where a pair of metal wings sprung out and the device flapped away.

"Thanks," Bettsam said realizing he couldn't have done that with one hand, "Okay, everyone, to the next assembly point, go!"

Everyone scattered each to a different shadow and vanished -- well, nearly everyone. Colton was still standing, just staring at the arrow sticking through Bettsam's arm.

"Coleton, go now, they will be here any second!"

Coleton didn't move, so using his good arm and grabbed his nonresponsive friend and pulled him into a shadow and after a flash of cold pulled him out at the next assembly place. By now he was breathing hard, moving between shadows took a lot a magic and he was being drained fast. He saw Rose already making a new map to track the elves so he did a quick head count.

There were only five of them and Arroweye was looking around with increasing panic. "Where is Toolsomth?"

No one answered him. Bettsam thought back, he had seen Toolsomth go into the shadow. Where had he gone if not to the next assembly point?

Then they heard a rumble in the near distance and immediately afterwards Toolsomth rolled out from the shadow of a bush his cloak and tunic both on fire. He rolled on the ground to extinguish the flames while both Arroweye and Loid helped by using their own cloaks to smother the flames.

"You idiot," Arroweye said as the last flames were put out, "What did you do?"

He held up a bag that Bettsam recognized as Vali's shoulder bag and said with a cough, "Thought we might need some of Vali's weapons and other stuff. Didn't realize they set traps till I had already set one off."

"Stupid idiot," Arroweye murmured looking over his partner's burns, and then looking at Coleton said, "Hey ranger boy, you going to snap out of it and help our two injured or are you going to let your partner bleed out?"

Coleton blinked and seemed to come out of the trance he was in and said, "Oh, sorry." Bettsam was amazed on how shaken up Coleton seemed.

Bettsam glanced at Rose who said, "They're chasing one of the decoys; it's okay for now."

Coleton turned and moved to get hold of the arrow that was still in Bettsam's arm when Arroweye told him to wait and stomped over to them.

"Just get your bandage ready, if you try to remove the arrow with those hands shaking like that, you will do more damage to Bettsam than the arrow did."

Arroweye took hold of the arrow and broke the side of the shaft with the arrowhead as close to his arm as possible, then looking at Coleton asked, "Ready?"

Coleton finished putting a healing paste on a strip of cloth and nodded to Arroweye who didn't even warn Bettsam; he just yanked the remaining part of the arrow out. Blood began flowing heavily from the wound but Coleton quickly pressed the bandage on both sides of the wound.

Bettsam felt a tingle from the healing paste and also traces of magic, along with a horrible itch.

"Just get his arm usable and then see to Toolsomth," Arroweye said.

"So what are we going to do now?" asked Loid.

"Try to get back to the village?" Suggested Toolsomth.

"Doubt we could make it, it's too far and they killed Vali without him even knowing they were there," Rose said

"Actually I think he did know something wasn't right, why else would he have gone on another patrol right after finishing one," Bettsam said, "But Rose is right about us never making it; these guys have been doing this since before our great grandparents were born, soon enough they will take us seriously and catch up to us. Only reason we're still alive now is Vali's ambush drills."

It hit Bettsam, he had hated Vali for always being so hard on them, but the very reason they were alive now was because he had pushed them so hard, he had saved their lives and now he was gone and they would never get to thank him. Well unless they joined him in the next few minutes or hours.

"Toolsomth, do you have any more decoys?" Bettsam asked.

"Just one, it would have been Vali's."

"Can it fly all the way to the village?"

"Maybe, if I wind it enough and add some magic to it."

"Attach a short message, explain we were ambushed, and need assistance."

"What are we going to do?" Asked Rose

"They will track us down, Vali taught us that we can either meet the enemy on their terms or on ours, if we want to survive the night we better make it on ours. Time to show these shadow elves that while they may live in the shadows, we own them."

It was completely dark now, Bettsam concentrated to use the shadow magic needed to hide him and his friends as the three elves slowly came in to view. It was a skill from his shadow mastery, he used magic to pull a shadow over them all making them appear to be invisible. He heard one of the elves speak, most likely the tracker of the group.

"I can smell them, they are here. They must be hiding in one of these shadows," one said.

"Ready to flee again no doubt."

"Let them flee, it will use up what shadow magic they have left, soon it will be gone and they won't be able to run anymore. Search the shadows!"

The last one to speak sounded like their leader.

Bettsam tensed as the elvish archer began shooting arrows in the shadows around him as the other elves separated to search others. Their leader was right, his magic was almost completely drained; and using what little he had left to conceal all of them insured he couldn't save himself by passing through the shadows.

When the archer looked right where he and his friends hid and started pulling an arrow back on his string Bettsam knew it was time. So did Arroweye who released an arrow of his own a moment before Bettsam dropped their magic camouflage.

The elvish archer released his arrow before he had aimed it at them and it flew harmlessly into the woods. Meanwhile Arroweye's arrow flew straight and true and would have hit the elf in the face if he hadn't used his now free hand to snatch the arrow out of the air.

The elf began to say "Nice try" but was cut off from saying mire as the arrow exploded in his hand, forcing him back engulfed in flames. At the same time Bettsam ordered everyone to attack with just one word, "Move!"

Each team moved to attack one of the elves. He caught a glimpse of Loid and Rose heading toward one elf who was fighting a tree branch painted to look like a fire breathing dragon, which was in fact breathing fire. Rose's work.

As he fought, the elf had to try to free his foot from snares Rose had drawn but instead of a picture of a lock on the image of the manacle, this time Loid had put real locks on the snares making it all the more difficult to break the magic.

Meanwhile Arroweye and Toolsomth headed to try to finish off the injured archer who was now moving sluggishly from pain and from one of Vali's sleep darts he had been hit with after setting off one of Toolsomth's traps. The fact the elf wasn't sleeping and out of the fight worried Bettsam.

He lost sight of the other battles as he found himself face to face with the apparent leader of the shadow elf group. The elf had drawn a sword and looked at Bettsam with icy fury. He hadn't expected such a desperate attack from a group of human children.

Bettsam threw his chained scythe at the elf and gave several tugs on the rod in his left hand to try to maneuver the scythe around the elf. With one of the tugs he felt pain shoot up his injured arm, his earlier injury not liking the sudden movements and resulting in the elf knocking the scythe away effortlessly.

He had expected his attack to fail but was disappointed on how badly it had, he only hoped Coleton had had a chance to get into position.

A quick glance told him he hadn't. Where was he? Risking a look behind him he saw his best friend still sitting where he had been hiding a moment ago hugging his knees and shaking badly with his eyes closed. He had frozen up again and Bettsam realized he had been left to fight an elvish warrior by himself.

He turned back to his opponent just in time to see the sword coming at him. He dropped and rolled away but felt the sword cut through his tunic and a few layers of skin on his back. He felt blood starting to run down his back as he quickly returned to his feet in a defensive position.

Bettsam desperately looked to see if any of his friends might come to help but he could see even though they had surprised the elves with their attacks, the elves were quickly turning the tables. Even the injured and drugged archer was now easily holding off Arroweye and Toolsomth's attacks. Bettsam managed to dodge another sword strike from his enemy but received a deep cut to one of his legs. That would slow him down, and Bettsam realized they had failed, they were all about to die and he was going to be the first, well, second after Vali.

He looked past the elf raising the sword to end his life and saw Coleton still sitting the shadow, paralyzed with fear while his friends were about to die. Bettsam forgave his friend, it wasn't like he really would have made any difference; they were too out classed.

Then suddenly things got weird. He heard a voice suddenly come to his mind.

"Order Coleton to wake up, now!"

He did as he was told, and saw the strangest thing he had ever seen. Coleton's eyes flew open in a shocked expression and then he was gone! He didn't fade into a shadow, he just blinked out and blinked in between the Bettsam and the elf. Somehow he did it without using any shadows.

Moving faster than any speed burst Bettsam had ever seen, Coleton inserted his dagger into the surprised elf's heart and at the same time pulled the sword out of his hand and flung it at the elf who was a moment away from killing Rose, impaling him.

He then stepped aside of the collapsing elf next to him and raised a hand towards the remaining elf and softly spoke the word "slow".

The shadow elf began moving very slowly, allowing Arroweye to finally take the archer down with an arrow.

Suddenly the forest was quiet, everyone was now staring at Coleton who stood there looking...embarrassed? That, and something else...there was a look about him; a deepness to his eyes that Bettsam had never seen in all of their lives.

After a moment Coleton spoke, "Look, I know you guys want to know what happened, but you're all hurt, let me see to your wounds and then I promise to explain everything."

"Okay Coleton, we're healed, now start talking," Rose demanded.

Bettsam had watched Coleton work silently, trying to put together what had happened. He had heard a voice and had felt magic pulled from him when he had commanded Coleton to wake up. What had he awoken?

"Are you Coleton?" Bettsam asked.

The hurt look that crossed his friend's face was pure Coleton, so he waited for an answer.

"Yes, it's me," Coleton finally answered, "But thanks to you I remembered some things that I had forgotten a long time ago."

"How long ago?"

"A little over ten years."

"You were born a little over ten years ago! What could I have made you remember? Your own b-"

"No!" Coleton interrupted with a sudden look of panic, "Not that, and please be careful about what you tell people to remember while holding your chained scythe, some memories are best left forgotten."

His chained scythe? It was his scythe that had changed his friend? The voice he had heard...He had heard of magic items that could speak to the person holding them and give them their power. They were called fieles. Had his chained scythe been a fieles all these years?

Coleton continued explaining, "I wasn't born ten years ago; I was born about a hundred and seventy years ago, although I am quite a bit older than that."

"That's impossible, we been growing up together, we were toddlers together."

"Yes, that is true, I have been growing up with you, but this isn't the first time I've grown up. Wait! Just listen, hold your questions till I finish, please.

"I grew up the first time in an orphanage in the old Yucaipan Empire, before the War of Destruction. I had a friend, he was my only friend and I was his only friend. You see he was really good at making stories but was often confused. There was something wrong with his mind so that his stories seemed real to him.

"He made this whole play world and let me be part of it and he eventually learned how to use magic to let me see it also. Then one day the city was attacked, I was seven at the time and ran back to the orphanage to hide. My friend used his magic to make the invaders see his delusions and then confused them long enough to save the king and many of the nobles.

"The chaos he created in the enemy army attracted the attention of Snipies, the God of Chaos, who decided to reward him by giving him a large vial of his blood. As you know the blood of the gods is a powerful source of magic. My friend unleashed this magic and used it to bring his own fantasies to life. Which included giving me powers that we had always pretended I had when we played. He gave me the powers of the time mage."

"Wait," Loid cut in, "Wasn't there a time mage that helped our ancestors move this village to this continent."

"Yes that was me, I've been visiting possible futures, and I knew this village would be important so I helped Belenoor bring it here during the War of Destruction. Then ten years ago I needed to disappear, so I used my time magic to alter my age back to a newborn and used the magic weapon, Memory, to block my memories."

"This must be Memory?" Bettsam asked holding up his scythe.

"Yes, Belenoor must have given it to you in order to spite me yet make sure it was always near me. Our resident elf was the only one in the village that knows who I am."

"Wait," Toolsomth said, " What about your parents? They have to know."

Bettsam saw a pained expression cross Coleton's face before he answered speaking with a quiet voice, "They did know. They agreed to be my parents after their real son died in child birth, they asked to have their memories changed so they would think I was the child they lost. So right now they don't know, neither did I till Bettsam woke my memory. I had always wondered what it would have been like to grow up with parents."

Tears were beginning to form in Coleton's eyes when suddenly a look of terror came across his face."

"Wait, that was a scouting party that attacked us, if they were only spying, then they never would have revealed themselves to us. Their orders were to eliminate us. They would only do that if they were hiding something."

"Like what?" Toolsomth asked.

"Rose," Coleton called out as he stepped over to where she was tracking everything nearby with her sand drawing, "Can you track further east?"

Rose began to expand her drawing eastward. At first there was nothing, only trees and animals appeared, then some shadow elves appeared, and more, and then more still.

"It's an army!" Arroweye exclaimed!

"Heading right for us and the village!" Loid added.

"This isn't right, Thodien you idiot, what did you do? They weren't supposed to attack for several more years," Coleton murmured to himself."

"Who's Thodien?" Bettsam asked.

"He was my partner in making sure we have a future. That stupid Lich Lord War; he was supposed to have stopped it. With the New Yucaipan kingdom so weakened now, the shadow elves are feeling brave. We have to turn them away or the plan will be ruined completely."

"What plan?" Asked Rose.

At the beginning of the War of Destruction, when I started visiting possible futures to find one where humans weren't completely wiped out. I found one but it's a difficult future to bring about.

"If I fail then the human race is doomed, but as part of this plan I lost the source of most of my power at the end of the war. So I need your help to turn back this army. We have to do it."

"We?" Bettsam asked, "We can't turn back an army, we couldn't even take out three of them without you."

"The village can't fight off an army of that size even if we had more decoys to send them a warning with; and for the record we did beat those scouts--we beat them together. There was a reason I choose to be the same age as all of you. You all have no idea what you can do together. It's time I show you how."

Bettsam watched as the shadow elf army entered the meadow. It felt like he and his friends had been working and preparing for much longer than a single night, yet a glance at the stars showed the night was still young.

He suspected that Coleton must have been affecting time for them. There was no way they could've set up what they did in just an hour.

They had picked the meadow because it would be the last big one the elvish army would have to cross before getting to the village. The rest of the path would keep them under a thick canopy of trees.

Just as Coleton had predicted they crossed where the meadow was narrowest. Bettsam watched in anticipation as the army approached the point where they would spring their trap.

Once the army arrived in the right spot Arroweye shot an arrow in a high arch. It was too dark to see it fly but after a moment there was an explosion in front of the army which immediately stopped and pulled out their weapons. Then everyone watched a small series of explosions move around the army followed by sections of a fifteen foot wall flipping up out of the grass to form a wall around the army.

The wall was just made of sticks with leaves attached to one side to make a flat surface. But that surface was painted to look just like thick stone; Rose's magic giving it that effect. Also Loid's remaining locks with his sealing magic gave the wall added strength. Hopefully Loid and the others got the gate in the back shut and locked trapping the entire army inside their improvised prison.

Still he knew those walls wouldn't hold those elves long, but Coleton had said it only needed to hold them long enough. Bettsam saw his friend walk up to the wall and then stand there with his head lowered in concentration. Looking up he was amazed to see the stars begin to move above him as time outside the meadow began to speed up.

Bettsam and his friends gathered from their various positions around Coleton with their weapons drawn, ready to do what they could to buy him the needed time. Already the wall was starting to fail. The horizon was beginning to brighten when they heard the crash as a section of wall to the rear fell.

He could see elves coming around the side towards them with weapons out, but before they could reach them the section right in front of them collapsed spilling out a horde of elves. Bettsam and the other all tensed and raised their weapons but just before the fighting started, Coleton shouted, "STOP!"

At his command all the elves doubled over in pain as a ray from the rising sun hit them. Shadow elves were called so because they were banned from sunlight. Miraculously the point of sunlight immediately went back down below the horizon.

What was Coleton doing? All he had to do was finish speeding up time and the sun would wipe the whole army out. But now he was holding the sun back an instant before sun rise.

Coleton began speaking with a loud voice that he must have been using magic to make loud enough for the whole army to hear.

"If anyone moves toward us or the forest the sun will rise immediately. I want to speak to your leader, I assume that would be Kelcion."

"Coleton!" An angry, elvish accented voice spoke as an older elf approached.

"Kelcion! Good to see you again! Your aging well."

"And you seem to be aging the wrong way once again," the elf responded coldly.

"You know me, I do so dislike being predictable. So what is your intention towards my village?"

"This village is in elvish lands, we intend to remove it."

"This is Belenoor's land, and we are here with his permission; you can ask him if you ever get to the village, but it won't be today, he sent us to tell you to go home."

Bettsam noticed expressions of fear cross the faces of some of the shadow elves. Belenoor might be ancient even by elvish standards, but he was feared. Kelcion however didn't even blink.

"Belenoor sent a group of children to stop my army?"

Coleton smiled, "Just call us the Nosepicker Brigade, and you may have missed the fact that we did stop you."

"Hey-" Arroweye started to protest Coleton's name for them but Bettsam cut it short with a quick elbow to his ribs.

"So," Coleton continued, "Here is the plan, you leave and don't ever comeback, we let your army live."

"We can leave but we both know the time will come that neither you nor Belenoor will be here to protect the village."

"No problem," Coleton said, "That's what the Nosepicker Brigade is for."

Bettsam landed another elbow to Arroweye's ribs before the boy could start another protest.

"He's making us look like little kids," Arroweye quietly protested.

"He's doing it on purpose, he's making them underestimate us and attacking their pride so he can manipulate them easier."

"How's this," Coleton continued, "A dual, single combat, winner takes all, if you win you can go burn the village down, if Bettsam wins you leave and never come back."

"Wait...What?" Bettsam asked in panic.

Coleton ignored him and stretched out his hand and in a flash of light a sword appeared in it.

"If you agree, swear it by The Sword Honor, then we can get started."

The elvish leader stared at Bettsam, he felt absolute terror under his gaze. What was Coleton thinking? He was betting the lives of everyone on him beating an elvish general?

"Come on, you're not going to let a 10-year-old human kid, whose voice hasn't even started to change yet, keep you from your date with mass murder are you?"

Kelcion stepped forward and wrapped his hand around the blade and said, "I agree."

"Great, you have one minute to prepare," Coleton said and walked back to his friends

"Are you crazy?" Bettsam asked as soon as Coleton was back with him.

"Don't worry, you got this, just make sure he yields, don't kill him."

"Don't kill him? How do I keep him from killing me?"

Coleton put his hand on Bettsam's scythe and he heard his friend speak to the magic entity called Memory. "Just the training memories and reflexes."

He also heard the fieles respond, "Very well."

Before he could ask what they were talking about, Bettsam felt a wave of magic come over him. With it came memories he was certain weren't his; memories of weapons practice in woods with an elf he didn't recognize.

"What did you do?" He asked Coleton.

"Gave you about a hundred and fifty years of weapons mastery training and reflexes from the best weapons master I ever met. Now you best get out there, and remember; I would never put the lives of everyone I love in your hands if I had the slightest doubt in you. Just remember not to kill him."

"Why not?"

"Because the day will come that you will fight alongside Kelcion and save us all."

"Why me, why not you?"

"You saw me earlier, who I am deep down, a scared boy hiding under a bush while my friends were about to die."

"You saved us."

"You saw what time, experience and growth did for me. It took me decades and powers beyond reason for me to tame those weaknesses. You have gained more bravery and leadership skill in your first ten years of life than I did in my first hundred. It was you that really saved us, and it is you that will continue to do so. Now go, he's waiting, and listen to Memory, she'll give you what help she can."

Bettsam looked to where Kelcion waited. The elf just stared at him. He began walking towards the elf. He stopped a few paces away and assumed a defensive position.

After staring at him for a few moments Kelcion spoke, "First I kill you, then your friends and then every last person in your village."

Bettsam didn't even have time to get angry at the statement; Kelcion was on him suddenly with a drawn sword bringing it down on him. He just had time to half dodge half deflect the attack with his scythe. He tried to take a swipe at the back of the elf's legs but he was too quick and stepped away.

At first Kelcion tried to use his strength to overpower the young boy but Bettsam used his small size and speed to deflect and avoid every blow.

Bettsam knew he was fighting beyond his abilities but the skills that Memory had given him seemed as much a part of him as his own skills did.

"Dodge left!" A voice in his head said. He had been about to dodge to the right but followed Memory's advice and just barely dodged the faint Kelcion had almost tricked him with.

How was he going to win this with both of them alive? How would he ever get a four-hundred-year-old elf to yield to a ten-year-old boy?

"You are skilled," the elf finally admitted, "How did a human so young gain such skills?"

Bettsam thought hard, what could he say to end this fight without either one of them dying? The elves had shown fear at the names of both Belenoor, and Coleton, maybe he could use that.

"We've all been taught to fight since we were old enough to hold a weapon, with Belenoor's teachings and Coleton's powers over time are you really surprised? Do you really attack villages you know so little about?"

Beginning to feel more confident in his new skills Bettsam began attacking instead of just defending. The shadow elf began to look worried. The elf seemed to be slowing down and he realized the elf was running out of magic, he on the other hand had built up quite a bit as he had been fighting.

Using a speed burst he got his chain wrapped around the elf's sword and pulled it free from his hands, then with another pull he wrapped his chain around his opponent's legs with the point if the scythe planted deep in the leg muscle. Snatching up the elf's sword he stepped up, used the last bit of his chain to bind his arms, and put the sword to Kelcion's throat.

"With this sword at your throat I declare you to be dead! Can you deny my victory?"

Kelcion stared at him for a long moment, possibly hoping Bettsam would kill him rather than force him to admit defeat to a boy so young.

Finally his face filled with resignation and he said "I concede. I have lost."

"And you will honor your oath?" Bettsam asked.

"He has to, we swore the oaths on the Sword of Honor. We both must keep our side."

It was Coleton, he and the others had come up. Bettsam began to free Kelcion from the chains.

"Where did that sword come from and where did it go?" He just noticed Coleton was no longer holding the sword.

"I called it, its current owner gave me permission to summon it when I need it. Now give me a moment to return us to the proper time."

Bettsam looked up and saw the sky darken and the stars move backwards. He couldn't help but ask, "Couldn't you take us back further, you know, before Vali died?"

Coleton looked pained as he shook his head, "I can only go back to the point I pulled this meadow from regular time. To go back any further would mean there would be two of us existing in the same time. That is beyond my abilities to do."

In moments they were back to the time when they had sprung the trap. Kelcion ordered the shadow elves to withdraw.

As they watched them withdraw Rose asked, "What do we do now?"

"Go back to the village and tell them what happened?"

"Yes about that," Coleton said reluctantly, "Nobody can know about me, the plan requires it."

"You mean we have to keep it a secret?" Toolsomth asked incredulously.

"No, I mean no one can know; not even me," he said as he threw a handful of his sleep powder into the faces of Loid, Rose, Arroweye, and Toolsomth.

"What are you doing?" Bettsam exclaimed as his friends collapsed to the ground, a familiar snore starting at once.

"Another War of Destruction is coming, if it comes at the wrong time we will lose it. The only way to make sure it happens as it should, is for no one, especially me, to know about it."

"Why?"

"Because he is weak, as you saw earlier," a voice boomed.

Bettsam spun around to see a monster right out of his childhood nightmares. It was a large older man with long bone spikes growing out of his arms, and lifeless yellow eyes. He had only heard descriptions of the undead Lich Lords but knew this was one of them.

Coleton didn't even flinch, he just looked over and said, "Hi Thodien."

The monster looked Bettsam up and down and said, "You know I prefer Lich-El now. So this is the boy you chose to save the world, not much to look at is he?"

"Neither was your Almas Aguerius but I'm sure that changed once you got your bony claws on him; nearly destroying the plan in the process it seems."

"I had to improvise a little."

"You're an idiot, if I didn't need you I'd feed you to Lady Alixia."

This was Lich-El? The leader of the Lich Lords, said to be one of the most powerful beings on all Mundial and his best friend just called him and idiot and threatened him.

"What are you going to do and why is he here?" Bettsam asked timidly.

"I was here in case you failed, and to loan my friend a sword," Lich-El said gesturing to the Sword of Honor strapped to his side.

"Killing those elves wouldn't have been as bad as losing the village but it worked out," Coleton said.

"He could have stopped that whole army by himself?"

Lich-El smiled and evil smile and responded, "With a wave of my hand."

Coleton continued, "And we then would have been short one army later when we needed it most. With people like Lich-El and Lady Alixia, larger armies only mean more deaths. While my undead friend might disagree, I think the few deaths the better. So as far as what we are going to do now; Lich-El here is going to leave, then I need to alter some memories, lastly my own. I hope you will let me do yours, too.

"I get a choice?"

"This is why I can't know who I am or what's coming; even though I know what I should do, I can't always bring myself to do it. You are my best friend and even though I shouldn't give you a choice, I can't tolerate the thought of forcing you. As my undead friend here said, I'm weak. Although I hope it's in a good way."

Lich-El added, "If you keep your memories as they are you will have to do so alone. But if you give them up then the time will come when they will be restored."

Bettsam looked at the lich; just to forget ever seeing this creature would make it worth agreeing.

Bettsam thought long and hard. Despite all he had seen this night he realized he still trusted Coleton. He had saved them and the emotions he had seen from him had been real. Then a thought came to him and he directed his thoughts to the fieles in his hands.

"Who controls altering memories, you or Coleton?" Bettsam asked.

The answer came to his mind, "The ability is mine but it is the person who holds me who controls it and supplies the magic. That is why Coleton had to touch me when he had me give you those memories of weapons training and those skills. And yes to your next question as long as you hold me and he doesn't, you have complete control of my powers."

"Can I trust him?" Bettsam asked.

"His desire to save the future and his friendship to you and the others is real. I agree that the future would be safer if none knew his real identity."

Bettsam thought on this a moment, then he asked, "The memories you gave me are real memories from someone. How could you give me someone else's memories?"

"When someone touches me their mind is opened to me. So I can give those memories to another or create false memories and hide real ones," Memory answered.

"Give me Coleton's memories, all of them," Bettsam answered putting magic into the fieles.

He regretted it immediately; Coleton was right, some memories really are best left forgotten. Luckily he still held Memory and was able to banish those unwanted memories.

Then he came to understand. He saw his friend as Coleton saw himself. He understood what he was doing and saw how much he cared. He saw the future and what was coming. He felt like screaming and perhaps he did. At some point he must have collapsed because he returned to his senses laying on the ground with Coleton kneeling next to him calling his name with a tone of concern.

"Please tell me you didn't just do what I think you did."

Bettsam looked up at his friend who he now knew far better than he ever wanted to know anyone. Even though he knew the answer he still had to ask, "So you're my great grandfather?"

Coleton sighed and responded, "Yep, you did exactly what I was afraid you had done. Yes, part of the reason I helped this village during the War of Destruction was I had fallen in love. I made my home here and raised a family. So now what?"

Bettsam could see all the possible futures that Coleton had investigated and tears came to his eyes when he realized the choices that had to be made.

Finally he answered, "Your right, we both would mess things up if we keep our memories of you being the time mage. But I get to be the one that changes them."

"What memories do you intend to give yourself and your friends?" Lich-El asked.

"As close to the truth as I can, I will just transfer the reason for our survival to Memory and leave Coleton's abilities and identity out of it. I can make it seem that Kelcion had the Sword of Honor. I'm sure Belenoor will know different but he will go along with it. Now if the undead monster will leave us I can get started before the help we sent for arrives."

"You are sounding disturbingly like your great grandfather" Lich-El murmured as he turned and began walking away.

"You just want to keep the fieles and your new fighting skills," Coleton said with a mischievous grin once the two boys were alone.

"Darn right, I do. Maybe I'll save a few lives along the way with them.

# The Merchant Ship Cree

Candiee Praeclas watched as the rich boy boarded the ship. He looked to be about fifteen, maybe even her own age of sixteen. He had already shocked her when she realized his only luggage was one trunk and the shoulder bag he carried. Okay, there was the large cat following him up the gangplank also.

He was to be the only passenger this trip from Port Cutter, named for the boy's family, on the south eastern corner of the continent, to Forjad on the southwestern corner where he would be attending school.

It made sense, the Forjad Consortium (normally just referred to as the Consortium) was the last major center of humanity on the eastern continent and while the new colony of Mathen's Refuge and the surrounding settlements were growing quickly, Forjad was the only place left for a higher education.

Unless you count the sea. The sea was all the education Candiee needed. Well, that and what the tutor her father had hired for her had taught her. Her father was the captain of this merchant ship and Candiee had finally been made first mate.

Their ship, the Cree, was owned by Cutter Stoneworks, which meant this boy was an owner even if he was adopted into the family.

Jas Cutter was his name, and he wasn't at all what she had expected from such a privileged family. He stopped and cheerily talked a few moments to every person he passed, every single member of the crew and in return each crew member seemed to brighten up and speak back. Only when he was on the ship and she could overhear him did she realize that he was learning where each crew member was from and then talking about their homes in whatever language was spoken in their home.

The boy had to be fluent in at least six languages! Was he going to attend school or teach it? She continued to watch him as he made his way up to the helm where she and her father were waiting.

"Hello, I'm Jas Cutter! Are you the captain?" He asked enthusiastically extending his hand.

He was speaking Forjen now, the language of the Consortium where her father was from.

"Yes," her father answered in Necromian, the official ship language, "Welcome aboard Mr. Cutter."

"Thank you for the passage," the boy returned with a bright smile, "Oh, and this is Misty," he added indicating the large cat that had just flopped down and curled up on the boy's feet.

The boy continued speaking, "This is my first time traveling by sea, is there anything I need to know about the trip? How have the shipping lanes been since our treaty with the Elves?

"They have been much better. The Elvish navy has kept the pirates and slave traders away and now we only have to deal with an occasional inspection from the elves. The shipping lanes have been the safest they have been for a hundred years. Even as it is we still have 16 long range cannons and the best gunners on all the high seas just in case."

Jas nodded his satisfaction and finally looked over to Candiee.

"This is my daughter and first mate, Candiee." They exchanged quick how-do-you-dos and her father continued, "Candiee will show you to your bunk."

Taking the boy to his bunk proved to be a time consuming chore as Jas had to stop and introduce himself to everyone they passed. She had to admit though, he seemed sincere in his desire to befriend the crew. It was as he was introducing himself to the ship's quartermaster that Candiee noticed an odd object on the boy's hand; it looked like a bracelet connected to a webbing of leather strips and beads, and the other side of the webbing to 4 rings. The beads made the shape of a wolf.

"What is that you're wearing on your hand?" She asked as soon as they had a moment to speak alone.

Jas glanced down at his hand and answered, "It's a rusica. An old elvish fashion statement."

"And you're trying to revive it?" Candiee asked grinning.

"You could say that," Jas answered, "So you were named for the city you were born in?"

"Excuse me?" Candiee asked raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't mean anything, but your father's accent sounded like he was from the City of Candiee in the Forjad Consortium; as does yours."

"You could tell that even when we speak Necromian?"

"Accents often carry over to secondary languages. I've always been good at hearing them," Jas said with a shrug as they reached his bunk.

"That is amazing, if not a little strange; this is your bunk here, the captain would like to invite you to eat with him tonight. We will be shoving off soon and I will be needed on deck."

With that Candiee turned around and headed back up.

While she found the new boy kind of strange, the crew seemed to fall immediately in love with him. She had to admit he was extremely charming, but often when she found him alone he often had a withdrawn expression, almost brooding that would disappear the moment he realized he was being watched; which brought up the other weird thing about Jas Cutter--the boy not only seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, he also had the eyesight of a hawk.

He always knew immediately when someone was looking at him. It was as if he could feel people's gaze on him; and if he was on deck he saw things before the lookout in the crow's nest noticed every time. On the third week out he was the first to see the elvish ships.

There were four of them, three smaller corsairs and a larger frigate. The three corsairs spread out around the Cree as the frigate moved to intercept.

"Order gunners to make cannons ready but leave the gun ports closed," Captain Praeclas ordered.

"Do you expect trouble?" Jas asked.

"No, but always best to be prepared. While the elves have never been more than an inconvenience with their blockades, they have always honored the treaty. They will inspect us to insure we are not smuggling weapons and will then let us pass."

It took the elvish ship little time to dock with the Cree and quickly a small group of elves were onboard and their leader addressed the Captain, "What is your cargo?"

"Our normal cargo of stone works and one passenger, young Mr. Cutter here," The Captain responded indicating to Jas.

A surprised look came over the elf's face and he asked, "Jas Cutter?"

Jas answered him, at least Candiee thought he did, Jas spoke a quick word in elvish that she assumed was the answer and then spoke some more.

Candiee was wondering if there was a language Jas wasn't fluent in when the elf responded to whatever Jas had said with a smile and laughter, in fact all the elves were chuckling. Candiee didn't even know elves could laugh, at least she had never seen one do so.

How did he do it? Two sentences and even the not so friendly elves adored him!

The inspection took half the time they normally took. Whatever Jas had said put them in a good mood and after giving a quick glance at the Cree's hold they left the ship after having one more pleasant conversation with Jas.

"What did you guys talk about?" Candiee asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"He told us there was one more squadron of ships we might run into in another week or so. But it shouldn't be a problem since he saw no issues here."

"No, what did you say to put them in such a good mood?" Candiee clarified.

"Oh, that...I just asked him about his family. His brother is a merchant who has had some dealings with us before. He was like his brother, loves to talk about his family," Jas answered with a smile.

It was early in the morning nine days later that they came in sight of the second group of elvish ships. Once again there were three corsairs and the frigate and as before the corsairs began to fan out to encircle the Cree as soon as they saw them.

"Just as before, gunners make your cannons ready but leave gun ports closed," The Captain ordered before turning to Candiee, "Go ask Mr. Cutter if he would like to join us up here."

Candiee hoped that Jas would make this inspection go as well as the last. She knocked and when Jas asked who it was she answered, "It's Candiee, we are approaching another elvish blockade and the captain would like you on deck."

The cabin door opened and Jas came out with his customary smile, "Well we shouldn't keep them waiting; let's go."

As they walked Candiee noticed his feline shadow was nowhere to be seen, "No kitty today?"

"Misty is down in the holds looking for something to stalk."

"Good luck to her, she solved our rat problem our first week out," Candiee said.

As they came out on deck Jas started to say, "She does have a thing for-" but suddenly stopped and she saw him tense up out of the corner of her eye.

Before she could even begin to ask him what was wrong Jas grabbed her wrist and yelled, "Look out!"

There was a tremendous sound she recognized as an explosion and in the same instant she was surrounded by flames. Oddly her very first thought was to wonder why she couldn't feel any heat.

Before she could even began to process what was happening the flames suddenly began to rush by her and in a moment were gone. She found herself standing on a now blackened deck with Jas still standing next to her holding her wrist with one hand, and with his other hand, the one with the rusica on it, there was a small ball of flames hovering just above the palm of his hand which was extended in front of him. He raised his hand above his head and several small balls of flame sped off in different directions and immediately large explosions filled the air around the Cree.

"What's going-" Candiee started to ask but Jas interrupted.

"I blocked the rest of their opening volley; they are reloading all their ballista now! The captain!"

She saw her father on the ground near the helm of the ship. Her heart sank when she saw him, he had bad burns all over and was bleeding badly from the neck.

Candiee stepped up to the helm and yelled down the pipe used to communicate to the lower decks, "Ship's doctor to the helm!"

Meanwhile Jas knelt next to the captain, looked him up and down and stuck his thumb into the bleeding hole in her father's neck.

"What are you doing?" Candiee cried out.

"Keeping him from bleeding to death before the doctor arrives," Jas answered in a calm voice that startled her; then looking up at her he continued, "I'll keep him alive, you need to command this ship before they finish reloading...now!"

He was right, with her father down she was in charge and the elvish ships would be ready to fire again in moments.

She glanced at the positions of the attacking ships, the three corsairs were surrounding the Cree as the frigate kept back.

As if sensing the question she was about to ask, Jas called out loud, "They aren't elves, they're human pirates, they must have hijacked the elvish ships somehow!"

So that's what happened, pirates captured the elvish ships and were using them to lure in unsuspecting ships. Well not for any longer if Candiee had any say.

She grabbed the helm and lined up towards the ship off her port bow. A glance at the sails told her while they were burned on the edges a little they had been spared any serious damage. She piped down to the gunnery deck, "Portside cannons ready to fire on my command!"

The corsairs began to fire another volley but Candiee had anticipated it and had already turned the helm to take evasive action. One of the enemy ships behind them was already out of range and their shots landed in the water just behind them. The ones from the ship they were heading towards were better aimed but exploded in the air as if they had hit an invisible wall. She noticed Jas had his free hand extended towards them. Candiee hadn't seen any fireballs this time however; and she heard Jas grunt from pain as if he had felt the blow that time. She just couldn't figure out this boy, she had never known a human able to use so much magic without a lot of preparation.

Jas turned towards the third ship but was too late, one of its shots hit the Cree low on the starboard side but immediately the ensuing ball of flame seemed to be sucked in a flaming stream right into Jas's hand. She didn't know how he was controlling those flames but was glad he was. Those fires on her wooden ship would have been the end for them.

The pirates were reloading again, but she didn't plan to give them any more shots. She held her course and her port guns were now lining up with the nearest corsair. She knew her gunners and when the time was right she shouted the order to fire!

Eight cannons sounded and she watched as one ballista exploded along with its ammunition splashing the explosive oil they used in their shots across the deck which immediately caught fire! The ships masts were also cut down by the Cree's cannons and the sails dropped into the growing flames. In moments the entire deck of the ship was one huge bonfire, and these flames were not sucked away.

As she ordered her gunners to reload the port guns, Candiee kept the Cree in as sharp of a turn around the doomed ship as she could, quickly putting the burning corsair between her and the other two ships.

She glanced over to her father and saw the ship's doctor was now working on him as Jas had moved to help other injured crew. The fear and anxiety she felt for her father's well-being almost made her leave her post but she knew everyone on the ship including her father were counting on her.

A crew member ran up to her and reported, "That last hit was below the water line! We're taking on water quickly; I don't think we can out run them as we are!"

Candiee scowled at the young seaman and retorted, "Who said we were running?"

Instead of turning the ship to open water she continued to circle the flaming wreck. The flames were so high that it was impossible to see over them, so much the better for the Cree.

Candiee straightened out as soon as she spotted a corsair coming around in the opposite direction. Her plan had worked, they had positioned themselves to chase down a fleeing victim and didn't realize their mistake till the Cree was already beginning to cross right in front of them in a perfect crossing the T maneuver.

"Port guns fire as you have a shot!" Candiee called out.

The Cree's gunners opened fired with the same expert and deadly aim that had destroyed the first corsair; and with equal results.

Leaving two bonfires on the ocean Candiee now turned to ship on a wide arch to starboard and ordered her gunners to load and man the starboard guns. Already the third corsair was coming into view retracing the Cree's path around the first burning ship. They also seemed to have been expecting that they would be chasing a fleeing ship and now found itself watching as the Cree made a slow arc around them with its eight starboard cannons aimed right at them.

They immediately turned to take evasive action and fired its forward ballista but they were not in range--the Cree's cannons however were.

Candiee ordered her guns to fire but due to the range her guns didn't have quite as good aim as the first two times. Instead of one broadside, it took three to set her ablaze.

"You would think they would keep their ammunition secured better," Candiee wondered to herself as she continued her starboard arc back towards the pirate's frigate that had so far avoided the fighting.

"Had they been elvish sailors they would have," Jas said stepping up beside her, and quickly added, "Your father will be fine, miraculously it seems none of the crew were killed, just burns and lacerations."

Relief flooded through Candiee and her voice cracked a little as she said, "I think the miracle's name is Jas Cutter, how did you do all that, and how come we weren't burned like the rest?"

Jas just shrugged at the compliment and then raised his hand and said, "This rusica isn't a fashion statement, it is magic, it protects me and anyone I'm touching from fire and heat."

"And power to control fire?" Candiee asked remembering how he sucked the flames to his hand and sent out fireballs to stop the first wave of ballista shots.

"Yes. Are you going after the frigate?" Jas asked, before Candiee could question him about the magic wall he had somehow put up.

"Yes," She answered, her eyes narrowing as the ship came into view.

"You can't destroy it like you did the others," Jas stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Why not?"

"Because the Cree is sinking and that frigate is now the only ship nearby that isn't."

It was true, the controls were sluggish and the ship was listing to starboard, the hole that had been reported to her was worse than she had first suspected.

"Also," Jas continued, "these pirates are slave traders, that frigate stayed away from the fighting because they didn't want to risk losing their cargo."

"Slaves? It's a slave ship?" Candiee asked and then before he could answer also asked, "How do you know."

"I recognize their captain, he was part of the slave trade in Aguares where I was an orphan. He was a tracker who marked us to make sure we couldn't escape. He tracked me nearly all the way to Valen once."

That was right, she remembered hearing he had been adopted into the Cutter Family after it had been found out his orphanage was ran by slave traders.

"All marines on deck and anyone that can fire a gun!" Candiee ordered.

Taking out her spyglass she saw the frigate's captain also ordering armed men into a firing line meanwhile their ballista were ready to fire at them as soon as they came into range, which would be in a few moments. If they did manage to get close enough to board they were highly outnumbered. Suddenly the frigate's captain turned and seemed to be staring right at her with a look of shock on his face.

"Well that took him by surprise," Jas chuckled.

"What? What did you do?"

"The magic mark he put on me is still there, I learned to block it years ago. I just unblocked it and he just realized I'm here. Wait...no you don't...he is trying to cancel his mark but it's too late, the connection is mine now. Listen we have to hurry, I'll go secure their deck and once I do I'll open a magic gate next to Misty, get all your crew through it, marines first."

Candiee turned to face Jas to ask him what in Mundial's green world he was talking about but she only got a glimpse of him vanishing in a bright light. Sitting on the ground next to where he had been was his cat, soaked from head to tail and looking highly annoyed by it.

Murmurs of astonishment swept through the crew members that had been watching but were cut short by the sound of gun fire from the frigate. Quickly bringing her spyglass back to her eye Candiee looked in amazement at what was happening on the deck of the frigate.

Jas was on the deck of the frigate near its captain, and the crew were firing their firearms at him, some from only a few feet away. Jas didn't even appear to care and with reason, he seemed to be completely untouched by the hail of bullets. After a few seconds the gunfire stopped and Jas extended his arms out and raised them a little. Suddenly every crewmember on the frigates deck seemed to levitate a couple of feet into the air. Then a pillar of light appeared next to Jas and looking back to Misty, after seeing a light out of the corner of her eye, saw an identical pillar next to her.

At this point she was done being surprised, she called out, "Marines with me first, then able bodied crew help the injured through, doctor be sure everyone gets off." Then without hesitation she stepped into the light.

She stepped out of the light on the pirate's frigate. The crew were all suspended above the ground in what she now could see was a sphere of dim light. Jas stood there with sweat pouring down his face with a look of deep concentration on his face. Candiee wasn't surprised that the boy's magic use was showing so heavily on him, just the magic for the gate was supposed to take more magic than humans could channel, for a magic gate and to magically imprison the whole crew of the frigate at the same time?

"I'll start releasing them one at a time, please disarm and secure them. Also send men to secure their prisoners below, there might be a few crew hiding down there," Jas said with some difficulty.

Candiee sent half her marines below decks to secure the rest of the ship. Then Jas released the pirate's captain, who, when the sphere of light vanished fell hard to the ground giving a loud groan of pain. Was that a grin that flashed across Jas' face?

The marines hauled him to his feet and the man glared at Jas. As the men secured more crew members Candiee addressed the captain of the slave traders, "You attack my ship and nearly killed my father! Why shouldn't I have you shot right now?"

Never taking his glare off Jas the man said, "If you had any wisdom you would shoot that boy now! You don't know what he is but I do. If you don't kill him now he will destroy everything, he will destroy you all!"

He was becoming hysterical and Candiee ordered him to be taken away. She glanced at Jas and wondered, just what was she dealing with?

The doctor came through with the last of the crew as the marines continued to secure the pirates. Misty was the last one though the gate and it vanished as the cat ran down the nearest hatch.

"Where is she going?" One of the crew asked.

Jas answered, obviously under far less strain now, "She finally has something real to hunt again; she went to stalk some prey."

"Is that safe?" Candiee asked.

Jas shrugged, "She knows better than to kill anyone."

Candiee shook her head and walked to the doctor; she could finally see to the one thing that had been on her mind since the first shot was fired.

"How is my father?" She asked.

"Impossibly well," that doctor responded.

Candiee stopped confused, "What? What do you mean?"

"Come look." He ordered.

He led her to the unconscious captain and where she expected to see the horribly burned man she had seen before, she instead saw a man with no burns and only a few bandaged cuts, even his terrible neck wound had been left unbandaged and only had a small scab on it.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing," replied the doctor, "Aside from the few bandages I put on him this is how I found him. I looked on the other injured crew and found them in similar if not better conditions."

Candiee started to ask how but stopped, the answer was obvious. She looked around for Jas but didn't see him. He had finished releasing the pirates to marine custody and had left.

She found him below decks, she passed the marines securing one last pirate, this one covered with deep claw and teeth marks, and approached Jas watching as the crew began releasing some very grateful prisoners.

"You healed my father," she stated.

"And the crew," Jas nodded never even glancing her way.

"You could've handled the pirates all by yourself, you didn't even need us."

"Correct, I didn't need you, but your crew needed you. It's true, I could have taken out the pirates all by myself, and as I did your father would have bled to death and most of your crew would have burned alive," Jas answered and then finally looking her way and staring right into her eyes continued, "You saved your crew, you took command and those corsairs never knew what hit them."

Before Candiee could respond to that Jas faced the prisoners being released and said, "We have a problem."

Candiee turned red in fury, he was changing the subject!

"What do you notice about these prisoners?" Jas asked.

Candiee grudgingly looked; she saw elvish sailors, original crew for certain, also merchants from several human nations of the western continent and even some sailors she recognized being from Cutter's Stoneworks.

"Who isn't represented here?" Jas asked.

Candiee thought for a moment and then it hit her!

"There isn't anyone from the Forjad Consortium here!"

"Here they are on the Consortium's very doorstep and didn't take a single Consortium ship. They weren't pirates, they were privateers."

"You think Forjad is funding them?"

"No, not Forjad itself but I think someone on the council is profiting from the loss of ships from competing merchants. How else could they have taken an elvish blockade? But that doesn't matter now."

Candiee finished his thought, "Because once the elves figure it out the cease fire will be over."

"Well, so much for school."

Candiee raised her eyebrow and Jas continued, "I'd rather not be going to school in Forjad when the elves burn it to the ground like they did Valen. Next few years should be interesting."

"Jas, what are you?" Candiee finally asked.

The boy shrugged and said, "Not sure yet, either something really good for this world or something really bad."

He turned to face Candiee again...and winked.

# Frost Wyrm

Nethe was already cold and tired; not being able to breath very well just made it all the worst. Why the Major thought the elves were doing something up here was beyond him. The elves had kept the peace for years and even they couldn't operate at this high altitude. The rumblings that had been reported up here had to be natural.

It would seem that he had carried his heavy pack all the way up here for nothing; but Nethe had learned long ago to always be prepared, and his pack, with all its custom weaponry and gadgets he had engineered himself, was his idea of being prepared.

Resting against a rock he tapped the snow from his snowshoes and looked at the towering mountains. Even being just about as high as a human could go and still breath, the peaks of the Dividing Mountains Range still seemed to rise forever; making an impossible to cross barrier between human and elvish lands. Alixia Valley behind and below him being one of the few passable paths through the mountains connecting the two halves of the continent. Which was why both humans and elves kept a strong military presence in the valley.

It was most likely because of rumors of a new elvish commander that the Major had sent him up here to investigate those sounds. Of course it was his luck that the Major picked him to lead a patrol up here to look around. Between the cold and altitude, bringing a bunch of people up here was just asking for someone to get killed, so Nethe decided it would be best just to come alone.

Turning to continue his search he only took a couple of steps when he heard a change in the wind. He stopped and clapped his hands together and then hugging himself he put both hands under his armpits as if trying to warm them. He grabbed the handle of the firearm he had poking out if his pack and then in one fluid motion turned around and raised his gun at the person that had snuck up behind him just as an arrow was pointed at his face. Knowing that only elves still used bows and arrows he started to pull the trigger and duck his head when suddenly he realized he recognized the elf.

"Regneps?"

The elf looked him up and down and replied, "You are too young for me to know you but you do seem familiar. Who are you?"

"Lt. Praeclass."

"Praeclass? The admiral's son?"

"Yes, now, can we put our weapons down, your fingers are looking tired."

Nethe lowered his gun and the elf did the same with his bow.

I would've thought the son of Admiral Praeclass would be working for Cutter Enterprises," Regneps stated.

"You guys haven't heard? Cutter Enterprises bought the Crafter's Guild and therefore the Forjad Consortium," Nethe responded.

"That I had not heard. So now the two largest privately owned militaries are now owned exclusively by President Cutter?"

"Yep," Nethe responded as Regneps grew silent and thoughtful. After a moment of silence Nethe spoke again, "So... How have you been? My parents haven't heard from you since that incident with the super strong, ancient, rampaging, evil god."

"I'm commander of the garrison here at the north entrance to the valley. I came up here to investigate noises coming from the area," Regneps responded.

"You're the new commander? And you came up here yourself? Dang why couldn't the major have thought of that? Would've saved me a lot of trouble," Nethe mumbled.

Regneps raised his eyebrows in a questioning look. So Nethe explained.

"I'm up here for the same reason. The major thought maybe you guys were up to something."

"No, I'm afraid we don't know what's happening up here either," the elf responded.

Nethe sighed, "That's a real shame because I really don't want to be up here any longer."

To emphasize his point he gave the rock next to him a quick, hard kick. That's when he heard what sounded like a deep low growl from under them.

"Please tell me elves have loud stomachs."

"Get back!"

The snow all around them exploded as something large rose from the ground. Both Nethe and Regneps took several hurried steps back and watched as two large wings shook the snow off themselves and a large dragon arose.

"A frost wyrm!" Regneps said with awe.

The huge dragon was a blueish white color and it had the typical reptilian like head except for the beast's whiskers coming from an unusually flat snout giving it an almost feline look.

The frost wyrm opened its mouth and started to lunge at the pair but in a flash Nethe had guns in both hands and let loose several shots into its mouth causing the beast to turn its head away and shake it from the sting of the bullets. Nethe fired a few more shots to no apparent effect except for the creature to emit a low growl.

"Snipies, even its eyes are bullet proof!" Nethe exclaimed as he quickly pushed one gun back into its holster in his pack just behind and under his armpit. He then quickly disassembled part of his other gun.

"It's frost breath!" Regneps warned.

The frost wyrm had turned back towards them and its throat bulged in preparation for its frost breath that Nethe knew would flash freeze both of them.

"I know! I got this!" Nethe responded as he reached his free hand behind him and pulled a hose from the side of his pack and clicked it right into the back of his newly modified gun.

"What are you-"

Regneps was interrupted by the dragon opening its mouth and expelling a mist that headed right for them. Nethe pointed his gun and upon pulling the trigger a stream of extremely hot flames shot out to meet the oncoming mist.

The mist and flames met and Nethe felt the shockwave of the two opposites meeting pick him up off the ground and throw him several yards away right to the edge of the mountain slope. For the first time that day he was glad the snow was deep and soft.

Two hundred years as a soldier allowed Regneps to recover from being thrown by the shockwave quickly and he was to Nethe's side as the human was still working to dislodge himself from the snowbank he landed in.

"If you tell me you landed on your feet after that blast I swear I'll shoot you here and now."

Regneps ignored him and said, "The beast was only stunned. It will be on us in seconds."

Having pulled himself up out of the snow, Nethe responded, "That's fine. I plan on being gone in seconds."

Regneps watched as Nethe raised one foot and the snowshoe coming out the sides of his boot retracted into the sole of the boot and a flat stick telescoped out of the front and back creating a ski. Putting his foot down he lifted the other foot which also changed from snowshoe to ski.

"Hop on," Nethe said as pulled out two long devices from his pack from openings on either side of his hips and hooked them onto his belt.

Regneps hesitated as he had only heard rumors about human attaching sticks called skis to their feet to move quickly down snowy mountainsides, but once the sound of heavy footsteps in the snow could be heard approaching he stepped onto the skies.

Nethe clipped a cord onto Regneps' belt and shifted his weight so that they started sliding down the hill; Nethe backwards and Regneps forward.

"I hope this will speed up faster," Regneps said.

"It'll pick up in a moment," responded Nethe as he clipped both guns onto the devices on either hip and then continued, "You might want to step closer if you don't want powder burns."

Regneps had never seen guns that could be taken apart, altered and reassembled so quickly but he had learned to not be surprised at the ingenuity of human crafters.

So feeling it was best to trust the man he stepped right up to Nethe as the human pulled two long muzzles out of each hip device and aimed them up just as the dragon's head appeared over the snow bank. Pulling the triggers at either side of him both devices began to rapidly fire bullets at the dragon.

The bullets still just bounced off the dragon's scales but they still stung enough to cause the beast to stop and turn its head away. Meanwhile the force of the rapid shots pushed the human and elf even faster down the mountain.

Just as they started to arrive at a steep part of the slope Nethe told Regneps to hold on and shifting his weight he managed to turn them around just as they began to really pick up speed.

"Here we go," Nethe shouted.

After a few moments Nethe yelled over the sound of rushing wind asking, "Is it following?"

"Yes," Regneps responded and continued, "but we are pulling away...wait it just took off. Now it's flying after us."

"Snipies!" Nethe exclaimed and disconnected one of the gun assemblies from his hip and pulled yet another attachment from yet another side pocket of his pack and added it to the now very large gun.

Once assembled the human lifted the weapon up and leaning it upside down on his shoulder pointed it behind him at the dragon. As the beast swooped down at them, Nethe fired off three large objects at the beast which all hit the dragon and all exploded in rapid succession. The dragon veered off and after taking a quick glance, Nethe shouted, "Really? Not even my grenades pierced its scales?"

The dragon started to loop around for another pass and Nethe shouted to Regneps, "You still able to control the wind?"

He could, and in other places he would be formable, but not here.

"Yes, but there is very little life here so my magic is limited," Regneps responded.

"Okay, when I ask for it I'll need the best down draft you can give me right under the dragon," Nethe said as he quickly reloaded.

"I won't be able to pull it to the ground."

"You may not be able to but I think we can," Nethe replied as he finished reloading his weapon and again aimed it behind him resting it on his shoulder. "Get ready!"

Regneps put his hand on the staff strapped to his back and nodded that he was ready. The staff was a magic item that controlled the winds but he had to both touch it and supply the magic to it for it to work.

The frost wyrm was again swooping down behind them. Nethe fired four more rapid shots which arched high before dropping on the pursuing dragon. Just as the grenades were about to hit he shouted, "Now!"

The grenades exploded over the wings and body as Regneps used what magic he could channel to pull the air beneath the dragon down. Between the force of the explosion above it and the wind pulling from below the frost wyrm dropped hard out of the sky and into the snow below.

The dragon instantly started rolling behind them and brought an avalanche of snow with it.

Regneps felt Nethe shift seeming to be trying to position them for more speed as he yelled, "It's going to be close but I think we can make it,"

Nethe then hooked a couple more cords to the Regneps' belt and added, "If you can make any more wind then I'll need you to push us as far forward as you can once we go off the cliff!"

"Cliff? What cliff?" Regneps asked a moment before the ground disappeared.

The cliff wasn't a short drop. In fact the ground was the valley floor which was several thousand feet below. At first Regneps was panicked but he quickly recovered enough to follow his instructions and use the wind to push them further from the side of the cliff.

After a few moments Nethe reached back and pulled a cord on his pack and the top flap flipped open and a piece of cloth came out and opened up into a large piece of cloth with strings connecting it to the pack.

They instantly began to fall more slowly but before either could speak a massive amount of snow passed right by them with the dragon falling with it.

As Regneps watched it fall towards the ground Nethe said, "Thanks for the push. I couldn't open the parachute as long as the dragon and snow was falling right above us."

"You could have warned me about the cliff and parachute earlier you know," Regneps complained.

"Sorry, I was preoccupied with staying alive," Nethe answered.

Down below as the mass of dragon and snow approached the ground the frost wyrm suddenly spread its wings and pulled up right before it was about to crash and began climbing back up towards the descending man and elf.

"Well...That's discouraging," Nethe said as he watched the dragon rising up towards them.

"I'm not sure there is any way to escape this creature," Regneps stated.

Nethe loaded his last grenade into his weapon and said, "I'll give up when that thing is suffering from indigestion, not before. I'm going to cut us loose and use the backup chute when we are near the ground. It will be a hard landing so an air cushion would be nice; unless you have a better idea."

The dragon was getting close and Regneps quickly said, "Not at the moment."

The dragon rose to meet them and the human watched it. Regneps knew what he was planning would take perfect timing or both of them would end up as lunch.

Just as the dragon began opening its mouth Nethe pulled a cord and suddenly they were in free fall again. The dragon started to adjust itself to catch them but Nethe fired his last grenade which exploded on the beast's chest and it flew right over them as it tried to get control of its flight again.

Firing the grenade sent them spinning as they fell. They were only seconds away from the ground before Nethe finally released his second parachute. Regneps felt the pull of the chute as they stopped spinning and was pulled upright. He immediately used what magic that was left to make an air cushion under them. They still hit the snow hard.

Regneps found himself on top of Nethe who was already unhooking himself from the elf. Nethe said as he finished, "And that my friend is the quick way down the mountain. Thanks for coming but the ride ends here."

He had just finished speaking when he heard a loud thud in the snow. The frost wyrm had landed a couple of hundred yards away and was staring them down.

"Okay, I am done with this," Nethe muttered as he pulled himself to his feet and pulled one last attachment from his pack and then dropped the pack to the ground.

"You still have bullets?" Regneps asked.

"None, but I've been working up and saving magic for this."

Regneps could feel magic suddenly emanating from Nethe and it seemed to be pouring into his rifle which he aimed at the dragon as the creature started to charge.

"That's right, here kitty, kitty," he said as he prepared to pull the trigger.

The frost wyrm suddenly stopped and raised its head. Which was odd—it seemed to have responded to what Nethe had said. A thought came to Regneps as Nethe started to pull the trigger.

"Wait stop," Regneps cried and pushed the human's rifle to the side as he pulled the trigger. A glowing ball of magic shot from the rifle, past the dragons head and into the side of the cliff several hundred yards further past the beast. The explosion from the shot blew a huge cavern into the cliff and both Nethe and Regneps had to turn their head and brace themselves as the shockwave hit.

As the dust cloud began to settle, both Regneps and Nethe stood there both breathing hard looking at the unharmed frost wyrm that seemed to be studying them.

"Regneps...that was my only shot. I can't do that again. Tell me you know what you're doing," Nethe asked quietly.

Regneps didn't answer him but instead began speaking to the dragon in another language. It wasn't elvish, in-fact Regneps was sure Nethe would be able to make out some of what he was saying if he listened closely.

"What language is that?" he asked.

Regneps responded quickly, "Ancient Yucaipan."

Nethe blinked. "And the dragon understands Ancient Yucaipan?"

"Don't you know your own history, Forest Dragons were used by the Yucaipan Kingdom as war mounts. The royal war mount was first tamed by High Lord Gidon Aguarius and used by kings for two hundred years was named Kitty because it had a feline appearance. I think it grew into the frost wyrm standing before us."

"They named a forest dragon war mount Kitty?"

"They say Lord Gidon had an unusual sense of humor. When it grew into a mountain dragon it was the first of the elvish flying war mounts. He hasn't been seen or heard of in a thousand years," Regneps explained in awe.

"Soooo, it's not going to eat us now?" Nethe asked.

Regneps began speaking again to the frost wyrm which cocked its head as it listened. After a few moments Regneps stopped speaking and the frost wyrm with a low groan turned and stepped away and after a few steps extended its wings and began to fly away.

Regneps explained, "I apologized for disturbing it and begged its forgiveness. I think it accepted."

"You apologized? You know how long it took me to make all those bullets and grenades? He's the one that tried to eat us," Nethe complained.

"Would you like me to call it back and tell it you want an apology?"

"That's okay. I'm fine," Nethe answered quickly with a smile, "So, you walking back to your base or are you going to wait to get a ride from my men who no doubt are in their way to investigate the explosion and hole I just put in the mountainside?"

"I think I'm done taking rides from you for a while, no offence," Regneps replied.
Also by Marc Van Pelt

Excerpt from _Lich-El: The Lich Lord Wars Book 1_

Almas sat up and looked in the direction from which the arrow had come. Coming out of the woods was a man armed with a bow and the Aguerius crest on his tunic. It was one of his father's scouts, but something was wrong. Even from this distance he could tell his skin was pale and dry. He could also see running up both arms what looked like spikes. The most eerie thing was his face. It was completely emotionless, blank, like there weren't any thoughts or feelings behind eyes that appeared devoid of life.

All those years of his father telling stories of battles against the Undead could never have prepared Almas for meeting his first revenant.

Revenants were completely lifeless, which meant there was a Lich Lord in the forest controlling it, and most likely more of them. This one was reloading his bow and Almas was just sitting there, completely unable to will his body to move from fear. The revenant pulled back the arrow and Almas was hit hard with the realization that he was about to die.
Mathen's Flight

Fate's Foe Series Book 1

Mathen is a successful business-man thanks in no small part to a magical crest he wears around his neck that gives him glimpses into the future. His life is turned upside down when one of these glimpses shows him someone destined to become the worst and most evil tyrant the world will ever know, and shows him this person in the form of a small 8-year-old boy who just attempted to pick his pocket.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Forest Spirit

I'd just like to give a quick thanks to all my family and friends who have helped me and supported me. I'd like to single out my cousin Megan who edited for me to fix some pretty crummy spelling and grammar, my brother Tommy for listening to my story ideas and helping me with the creative process. Most of all, thanks to my wife Tara for her support and for putting up with me.

Time Mage

Not only is this the longest short story I've written, but I set a personal speed record in writing it. For that I have to give thanks to the awesome kids in the Sunday school class I teach who helped me define characters, helped my polish up my early drafts and helped pick the ending.

It was Tracyn Peterson who first put the idea of a time mage in my head. That idea wasted no time on invading and nearly taking over my entire fictional universe until Tracyn helped me define the character until we came up with the character Coleton you saw in the story. Additional help with the story and characters came from his classmates; Trevor Webb, Sara Kuchinski, Ezra Shimazaki, Michael England, and Bridger Beeton. This Story is for you guys

The Merchant Ship Cree

This was a story I had going on in my head for a while. When a friend my brother and I played online games with agreed to let my use her screen name for my main character I decided to go ahead and write it. Thanks Candiee!

Frost Wyrm

This short story hit me while playing Legos a some years back with my Nephew Ethan Perry. It hit when the figure I had was skiing down the mountain (my leg) and suddenly the dragon Ethan had was chasing him and the thought hit me, "I can write this story". So I did. Thanks Ethan!

# About the Author

Growing up in Bay Point, California Marc spent much of his time creating and exploring worlds and stories. He finally realized that once he got the stories written down they stopped haunting his sleeping and waking dreams. So he started writing them down.

He writes the kind of stories that he enjoys which are stories about families written for families.

Marc currently lives in northern Utah with his wife, and kids. He can be contacted through his Author's Facebook page at facebook.com/catseye1979
