Inheritors of the Ancients

Chapter 4 Pursuit

It had been several hours since Phenton began following Jauron into the Forest of Reverie. He’d stayed far enough away from him to remain out of sight but close enough to react if any danger presented itself. Not that it was truly necessary. He knew Jauron was a better tracker and was always aware of his presence. Even now, as engulfed as he was in getting to his destination, it was obvious he knew just where Phenton lurked. He simply didn’t care, his attention fixed. Fixed forward. If anything did manage to pull Jauron away from his trance, Phenton was confident that it would get blasted away before he could reach. Seeing him like this, Phenton knew. Nothing could deter him. Jauron was transfixed – moving swiftly through the trees. No stopping, no signs of slowing down. Phenton went back and forth from worry to fascination. Jauron may be in his element but going through the forest at this speed was still impressive. His pace almost too great for Phenton to maintain. Had he not been exceedingly curious to figure out what help Jauron’s focus so intently, he may have suffered from wounded pride. But this only encouraged him to keep moving, keep following. With every passing step, Phenton grew more and more anxious to discover what could be so compelling to Jauron. What could possibly make him so intent on reaching his destination? What could create such an intense reaction in him?

They had traveled in relative silence. Jauron in pursuit of something unknown. Phenton in pursuit of Jauron, taking extra care to remain focused. He wanted to be ready at any second. It seemed that Jauron was also unaware of his destination. He could stop without notice or veer off in a part of the forest unknown to him. Phenton would not allow himself to be left behind. He was invested. Completely. They had passed a few of Jauron’s regular and less secluded hiding spots. Ones that Jauron cared little if they were found.

Soon, Phenton could feel a familiar shift in the air. The hairs on the nape of his neck had begun to stand on end. It was a sign that they were approaching the Lake of Mist. He wasn’t afraid of the place; it would take more than swaying tree limbs and curling mist to frighten him. However, it did make him uncomfortable. This place was eerie, even with the small elemental spirits floating about. The fact that Jauron seemed so relaxed here furthered the gap of understanding between the two. It confused him that Jauron felt more at home here in the wild than with Phenton and his parents. They had lived together for ten years. But Jauron was no closer to opening himself up to Phenton than the day he arrived. However, the times he’d followed Jauron in the past, he witnessed how Jauron played and even smiled with the little spirits. A side of himself he showed no one in the village. Least of all, Phenton.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Phenton noticed Jauron’s reluctant wave to the elementals that proceeded to gather. This was not the place they would be stopping. The lake certainly had its own powerful and mysterious magic. Even Phenton could sense. But this was not the source of power that pulled Jauron to the forest. Phenton gave a small sigh, half relief and half impatience. Jauron continued, doggedly forward. And Phenton pursued.

A few more hours had passed. It was now around noon, by Phenton’s estimation. He could now visibly see the excitement in Jauron, the anticipation. For now, it was subtle…but his skin began emitting tiny sparks. He seemed to not notice them, he simply moved onward. Deeper into the forest. But Phenton knew, Jauron was losing what control he had over his magic. Thankfully they were in the forest, though they still need to be wary. Jauron could quite literally explode when overly stimulated. It was clear his need to find the answer to what called him to the forest was taking all of his focus. He had no more to spare for his magic. Phenton needed to be careful. For both of their sakes. He knew all too well how dangerous this could be. He prepared himself in case he needed to intervene. While he was invested in discovering the reason for this journey, he would not hesitate to try and stop it if it became too risky. For now, he would press on and not interrupt.

Looking at his surroundings, Phenton could still recognize where they were. This was significantly deeper into the forest, but still along one of the paths Jauron had created. Shortly they came to a clearing. Phenton could see the starberry bushes forming a sort of fence around them. This was the place Jauron came to meet him! For a split second, he could sense himself getting angry. He would feel like a fool if he came all this way just for Jauron to have been in a hurry to see his elven boyfriend. Phenton guessed that’s what he was. He’d never believe it if he hadn’t seen it himself on one of his evenings following Jauron. It started innocently enough. Jauron had no friends. No friends that weren’t animals or elemental spirits. Phenton assumed it was excitement that caused Jauron to spend more and more time visiting this clearing. It wasn’t until one evening he’d come out of curiosity and witnessed Jauron and Gilead - that’s what he’d heard him introduce himself as. There they were, naked, under the light of the moon…locked in an embrace. One so tight that Jauron could barely tell where one began and the other ended. It felt wrong to watch, but he found himself unable to look away. Not out of interest, but shock and intrigue. He never thought he would see the day where Jauron would willingly get close, that close with another being. It was intimate, it was vulnerable. Phenton felt a small pang in his stomach when he thought about it. He had plenty of conquests in the village, but he didn’t feel close to any of them. He saw the look in Jauron’s eyes when he looked at Gilead and recognized that some of his comrades in Waylan looked at him the same. Whether they were aware of that or not didn’t concern him. He was flattered, but not interested. After he first discovered Jauron and Gilead, he’d stopped following him for a while. He didn’t want to be a voyeur, nor did he want to allow Jauron the satisfaction of knowing Phenton was watching. Phenton wouldn’t admit it, but part of him was indeed jealous. Jealous that Jauron, someone that he spent so much time with, could be so close with someone after just meeting him. It didn’t matter that they were fundamentally different. To Phenton, they were family. At least loosely. Therefore, there began the small seeds of resentment toward Gilead. A stranger, an outsider. Phenton, however, could neither speak nor do anything about it.

Phenton had half a mind to turn around when he saw Gilead approaching Jauron. But something was off. While he could tell that Jauron was genuinely happy to see him…he remained somewhat anxious. Gilead was running his fingers through Jauron’s long white silver hair. Phenton could feel his stomach tightening. The urge to return to the village increasing.

“What a waste of time.” He thought to himself.

That’s when he saw Jauron pull away from Gilead, a pained look on his face. Whatever had called him into the forest, it had nothing to do with Gilead. Phenton could see that he was struggling to make the moments last, but the call was too strong. Jauron was continuing. Phenton could hear them arguing. Gilead insisting to come along and Jauron refusing. He heard as they mentioned him, “the long shadow”. He supposed they thought it was cute. Phenton did not agree. Shadow though he may be, he decided he wasn’t going anywhere. It was after Jauron kissed Gilead that he heard the latter… “If anything happens to you, I’ll kill your shadow”. Phenton almost leapt from his hiding place to bludgeon Gilead. The elf was tall, handsome, and lean. Almost as tall as Phenton, but not quite. And Phenton reasoned that he could best him in a fight. But he doubted Jauron would sit by and let it happen. “Just this once” he said out loud to himself. Just this once he would let it be. He would make sure to keep up with Jauron and when they met next, give Gilead a solid punch. And remind him that he was the one to accompany Jauron to his goal – whether he wanted him there or not.

Jauron gave one last look at Gilead before he exited the clearing. This was as far as Phenton had ever followed. He was unsure if even Jauron had gone much further. Phenton took a deep sigh before trailing through the brush to follow. It was all new territory from now on. He was excited, anxious, but needed to remain vigilant. Gilead was right when he cautioned Jauron on the dangers of going further into the Forest of Reverie. If you were caught off guard, you were dead. And that was if you were lucky. This is what Penton had trained for, it was exhilarating, and only furthered his longing to leave Waylan behind to adventure on his own. He had half a mind to thank Jauron for leading him onward, a thought he quickly subdued.

From now on, Phenton needed to take extra care to not lose sight of Jauron. It was clear that he now intended on losing Phenton in the forest. That could not be allowed. While the pace was quick before, Phenton was more than equipped to handle the physical strain. Now, however, the terrain was unfamiliar…to both Phenton and Jauron. Phenton remained quite a ways behind, lingering. He wanted to lull Jauron into a sense of complacency and focus more on what was calling him and less on who was following him. He wasn’t convinced it would work, but he had to try. Jauron was set on slipping away and he was set on latching on. A dog feverishly clinging to his bone.

As he watched Jauron continue, even being forced to crawl on his hands and knees. He kept a keen eye. If he made a sudden turn, or dash, Phenton needed to react in an instant. Furthermore, they were in an uncharted area of the forest. He mustn’t ignore his surroundings lest he may end up the one being followed. He could feel his senses flowing outward. Hairs on end, ready for the hunt. What, he did not know. However, once Jauron found what he was looking for, Phenton would be right there.

As he surveyed around him, keeping an eye on Jauron, he noticed something odd. The trees were now further apart, allowing openings that were filled with large rocks. Remnants of some long-forgotten town, or kingdom. It mattered not. Something else caught Phenton’s attention. Had he not heeded his mother’s training and focused his senses outward, he would have missed it. Some of the rocks moved, at least what he thought were rocks. It was almost imperceptible. But he noticed it out of the corner of his eye. Strangely enough, it was only him that these rock-like figures pursued. Jauron was left to wander. Phenton surmised that they either saw Jauron as a greater threat or were there to help him continue undeterred. And Phenton was set on disappointing them all.

As Jauron’s pace quickened, so did Phenton’s. This helped him get a better idea of what was now surrounding him, and how many. He could just make out four creatures. Though still blending in with the rocks, their quickened movements began to give them away. There were two very large ones behind him, far enough away to not be immediately alarmed but certainly too close for comfort. The one on his left seemed to be the leader, quickly supported by the one on the right. The left would set the advance and the others would respond accordingly. If Phenton was going to successfully trail Jauron, he’d have to dispatch of these creatures swiftly.

Without drawing more attention to himself from the creatures, or Jauron, he repositioned his long sword and shield. It was necessary that they be easily drawn when necessary. Though it was imperative he give off the impression that he was unaware of any threat. At the moment, they weren’t a threat at all. They remained the same distance. However, he would be a fool to believe it would stay that way. And he was no fool. He was at the ready, without seemingly being at the ready.

That’s when he saw it. Jauron had suddenly lurched to the right. It confused Phenton because there only thing in that direction was a vine covered rock face. No sooner had he turned to track Jauron when the beasts launched their assault. The leader pounced and in so doing, dissolved what could only have been camouflage. With the creature fully in view, Phenton had to swerve and lunge with his shield to avoid his shoulder from being separated from his body. The creature was testing his strength. The remaining three stood behind still slightly hidden, ready to strike when given the opportunity; one Phenton was determined not to give.

The creatures were about the size of a well-tended horse. Their heads had two bulging eyes that swiveled independently. From the neck down was covered in a thick black fur that glistened in the light. Black scales adorned their heads to their necks, black as tar. Green eyes swiveling, with black slits. Their feet boasted of long claws. Phenton could tell they were durable and dangerous even from where he stood. There was no smell to them, which Phenton assumed helped them stalk their prey without being noticed – on top of their camouflage.

Now staring fixedly at Phenton, surveying every move. Any wasted step would have been their cue to attack. Phenton staring back, bracing himself at his fullest height. He would not show any signs of weakness. He had to end this; he’d lost sight of Jauron for a mere instant. That instant was all he needed to disappear.

Phenton spat – half out of frustration, half to intimidate the creatures. They were all muscle and all too intent on using them on him. Phenton wondered what exactly they could be, not lizard or mammal, but both. And able to hide themselves in their surroundings. They were also heavy. The leader’s charge was more than enough to knock any man in Waylan back several feet, while breaking bones. Thankfully Phenton was no ordinary man from his village. He took the blow, thanks in part to his shield, but took it nonetheless.

Phenton drew his sword. It made no sense to sit and wait to be attacked. It was four against one. They needed to be cut down as soon as possible. The leader made a sort of hissing growl that set Phenton’s hair on end. The second in command had received its order. It let go of its camouflage and leapt at Phenton. But he was prepared for this. It wasn’t as strong as the leader, nearly so, but not quite. Phenton pivoted and made to chop its head clean…but as soon as his sword hit it bounced back. These creatures not only blended in with the stone, but their hide was as strong as stone. It was no superficial swing either. Phenton had put in enough force to not only take an opponent’s weapon, but slice through their arm as well. These were no normal beasts. As soon as his sword bounced, he used his large shield to strike the creature. It stumbled backwards a few steps, clearly dazed. His aim was to stun while attempting to gain some distance. While shocked by the strength of their hide, his reaction time was not dull. He was a fighter and a thinker. To survive, it required both.

The leader repeated his hissing growl and withdrew his second in command. His eyes focused on Phenton, seemed to read as if he had some intelligence as well. Seemed to be satisfied, and sure of his victory. Phenton would have to put in every ounce of muscle and intellect to deny them their meal. With his sword and shield drawn, Phenton lunged at the leader. Go for the head, always. The head of the body, and the head of any army. Leave the rest to crumble and scatter. With a shout so loud it surprised himself, he made to slice the creature’s head clean, or plunge his sword down the beast’s throat – that should be soft enough for his blade to cause considerable damage. Reacting as if it read his mind, the creature reared on its hind legs, preparing to counter. It was a feint, it opened its jaws, exposing teeth as long as daggers. But what was truly menacing was its tongue. It was bulbous and long…stretching out to cling to Phenton’s sword. It was trying to take away his weapon. Make him defenseless and then strike without fear of injury. Phenton had to think fast. The tongue was covered in a mucus that stuck to his sword so tight, he wasn’t confident he could release it. Both he and the creature lifted a leg, hitting one another in the chest simultaneously. Both being knocked back. The creature was definitely surprised at Phenton’s strength. It shook its head and with a sharp jerk, retracted its tongue while glaring at him. Thankfully, the sword was still in his hand as he caught himself. The instant he fell would be the moment he died.

Phenton could tell that his kick had made the creature more cautious. The intensity in its eyes changed ever so slightly. It knew it could not be reckless, as did Phenton. Now began a game of strength and wit, as well as survival. The beast reared its head back in the direction of the two smaller ones lying in wait. The alpha was changing tactics. Ambush! They were going to overwhelm him with numbers until he was tired out. Phenton assumed once that happened, the alpha and second largest would make their final assault. He couldn’t let that happen. He needed to end this quickly but save as much energy as possible. He wasn’t going to win on strength alone, these beast’s tough hides proved that point already. They seemed to be impervious to physical attacks. Given Phenton’s natural strength, weapons were now deemed useless altogether. He did notice, however, that the alpha was sure to not let Phenton attack its face. Only opening its maw to expose its tongue to relieve Phenton of his weapon. This gave him an idea.

He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. The two smaller creatures were about to rush him. Now was not the time for doubt. Choose a course of action and follow through completely. He had to use everything, including his instincts.

They charged from both sides, attempting to trap his movement and overwhelm him. Phenton was confident he could block the left one with his shield and throw him back. The problem was then how to counter the one on the right. He could feel the alpha’s eyes on him, studying him...almost triumphantly. By now, the beast was aware that Phenton’s strength, although great, was no match for their hides. It hissed in sharp quick spurts, what Phenton could only guess was laughter.

“Laugh all you want” Phenton spat – anger fueling his movements. He could not lose focus otherwise they would all strike. This required definitive action. Shifting his weight, he readied himself for the oncoming onslaught. It struck like lightning. The beast to his left crashed into his shield headfirst. Its objective was to knock it from him and leave him open. Confident in their hide’s protection, it used its body as a battering ram. This would allow its companion a chance to make a decisive blow.

Or so they thought. Phenton used his strength to slam the creature back. Mustering everything, he had in him, he managed to knock the beast back several feet and it crashed against a section of fallen rock. It flailed as it tried to regain its stance and continue the attack. Now was Phenton’s chance. As he regained composure to focus on the creature coming from the right, it snarled. Sure of its victory, it lunged. It fully expected to bite into Phenton with its razor-sharp fangs. But Phenton had been ready. He leapt, mounting the beast. It bucked frantically trying to throw him, but Phenton’s grip was too strong. Its black hair was oily and took great effort to keep from sliding. Still, he was determined. The time was now! Making sure to keep the other beasts in view, he raised his sword high.

The alpha, confident in the pack’s resilience, looked on but there was a hint of alarm in its eyes. It was signaling to the second, preparing them to act. The smaller one that he had bashed with his shield was regaining its footing, but it was too late. With a mighty cry, Phenton plunged his sword deep into the beast’s eye; and with a twist he released a stream of thick green ooze and black blood. It screamed, a horrid blood-curdling sound. To Phenton it sounded like the dying wail of a woman mixed with a wild animal. It scared him, nothing else up to this moment had. He’d been cautious, even nervous. But this scream rattled him. What were these things? He’d have to live to figure that out. And to do that, he had three more he needed to kill or escape. Somehow. With a heavy thud the beast fell, Phenton dismounted and then it thrashed behind him on the ground, still wailing. He stood facing his back against a high group of rocks. “I have to keep them all in view” he said to himself. “I need to relocate somewhere I have the advantage…or a chance to flee.”

He remembered the direction that Jauron had turned in order to leave him behind. With slow but steady steps, he backed up. Keeping the rocks at his back, he watched carefully as the remaining beasts gathered themselves and followed. Phenton and the beasts all watching for the perfect opportunity to strike. One lay lifeless now, its comrades leaving it behind. “Their hides may be impervious, but they still have soft spots that I can target” thought Phenton. Now the beasts needed to be just as careful as he did. And they knew it. One mistake on either end would result in the other pouncing and gaining the victory.

Paces slowed and eyes trained on their prey, the creatures were no longer just hunting. It became “personal”. It was clear to Phenton that they were indeed intelligent. At least intelligent enough to hold a grudge. But he cared little, they were hunting him, so they needed to be prepared to pay the price. If he could manage, that is. It seemed like forever, having his eyes locked with the beasts while retreating to where Jauron disappeared. The rock face was now in view, and Phenton’s heart sank as he realized that this route would offer him no chance of escape. There was an opening, but too small for him to fit. It was only just large enough for Jauron. He was left with no alternative but to fight. He prayed that nothing else came along while he was dealing with the immense threat these three beasts posed.

With a heavy sigh, he braced himself to push on. He had to fight his way through the beasts and either kill them all or find another way to flee. But the beasts were at the ready as well. It was as if they could smell the disappointment emanating from Phenton’s body. They were closing in fangs bared, eyes fixed, and claws exposed. Phenton knew he wouldn’t get another lucky shot at their eyes or mouths. Like him, they were on guard. If he had any chance of survival, it would be piercing their hides…but not by standard methods.

Phenton tossed his shield against the rock face at his back – making the alpha give an inquisitive glance before continuing its advance. It may have looked careless to them, but Phenton had a plan.

He’d been saving this tactic to use against his mother, to finally have a go at besting her. But if he lost here, that opportunity would be lost forever. He had to use it and use it now. And it required using his sword with both hands, hence his discarding the shield. High risk, high reward. Phenton glared at the beasts surrounding him, and as he did, he focused with all his might. He focused on the frustration of his current predicament, as well as the excitement, and fear. He focused on the anger, and determination. He focused on his annoyance with Jauron leading him here in the first place. All of these thoughts and feelings gave him power, fueled him with the energy he needed to push through.

And something began to happen…his hands. His hands began to glow. A soft blue at first but intensifying rapidly. The glow started at his hands and moved to his forearms, up to the elbow…but more importantly, it extended to the length of his sword. Phenton was using magic! A chilling breeze began to blow, almost as if responding to the concentration of magic. Phenton’s eye, stern and full of purpose now glowed the same shade of blue as his sword. Not nearly on the same level of Jauron, or even his father, Declin. It was his last resort. The beasts had incredible resistance to physical attack. All that was left, was magic.

Sparring with Jauron all these years helped Phenton a great deal with combat against mages, and magic in general. However, he’d never admit it, so he practiced in secret. Testing to see if he possessed any skill in that area. It started off extremely small, infuriatingly slow. But the more he practiced, it eventually began to grow stronger. It did not come easy to him like physical combat, but he was nothing if not determined. This was the result. He could not cast it outwardly like a normal mage. This was enhancement magic. Reinforcement. Over the years, as he improved, he began to notice it was what his mother used to maintain the gap in their skills. He’d finally gotten to the point where he was confident he could use it properly. Now, he needed to rely on it to survive. Some luck. It required an immense amount of concentration and energy. He was using his body to gather ambient magic in the environment to enhance his physical abilities. This magic would gather in whatever area of his body he wanted to reinforce. He could transfer this energy to anything he touched, reinforcing it as well. In this case, his sword. He was not yet skilled enough to reinforce more than one object at a time, thus discarding his shield was necessary for this to work.

Now the real fight began!