Soul / Link

© 2015 J.R. Higgs. All rights reserved.

Cover Design by: Bart Ziegler

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/03/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2835-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2834-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015912809

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 KO

Chapter 2 Desert Tournament

Chapter 3 Three Heroes, Three Villains

Chapter 4 The Ruins Beneath the Lake

Chapter 5 Scarlet Snow

Chapter 6 Ossiran

Chapter 7 Malesius

Chapter 8 The Birth of Darkness

Chapter 9 Kasali Ossiran

Chapter 10 Drown in the Rain

Chapter 11 The ‘Alutian Forest’

Chapter 12 Before the Assault

Chapter 13 Assault on Baalrun

Chapter 14 The Dark Luos

Chapter 15 Tsavo’s Proposal

Epilogue

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to personally thank those who saw me through to this book’s completion; to those who read and offered comments; to my editor and those who helped bring the characters to life with art and designs.

I would like to thank Bart Ziegler for designing the cover for this novel. Thanks also goes out to Niina Holopainen and Valyce Negative for their help drawing early designs of the Luos, and Brian Gellerman and Ray Jaurique for their efforts in helping with specific character designs and concepts.

A special note of thanks to my parents, Dale and Nancy, who spent hours helping me finalize this book. And to Christopher Johnson and Jeanene S. Dunn, who helped with editing to make this book reach a higher standard of quality.

Finally, a thanks to those I did not mention by name, my friends and those who read the earliest drafts of this story and offered their opinions.

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www.soullinkseries.com

CHAPTER 1

KO

"Memories are fragile

Memories are meek

The truth is hostile

The truth you seek"

The darkness stretched on forever. Every which way one looked, there was no end to the blackness. Yet, at the same time, the strange creature could see. It wasn’t like he couldn’t see, but there was nothing to see. He was lost. How long had it been since he had been here? Hours? Days? Months? Years? He didn’t know. Time was all but lost to him.

Where am I? he asked himself over and over again. He looked at his hand, but he couldn’t even recognize it anymore. All he saw was a featureless hand. Who am I? How did I get here?

He walked. It was all he could do. Who he was, what he was, where he was? It was all lost to him. It had been so long since he started walking that the moment the faintest bit of light illuminated the horizon, he thought it was just a mirage. He headed toward it though, never stopping. The light filled more and more of the horizon until he was engulfed in the blinding white light. As the light faded, color slowly came back to the world.

The sky was blue. The grass was green. It felt… nice against and beneath his belly. He was lying down against the ground; his body was stiff. A slow-moving breeze washed over him, causing his nose to tingle. The breeze brought forth the scent of water, clear and fresh. It was close. He lifted his head, looking forward to see the water only a couple body-lengths away. The wind blew across him again, and with it he noticed something else. Although it was a cool breeze, he somehow still felt warm. It was almost as if there was a blanket draped over him. He lifted his arm and held his hand in front of his face.

This hand… he gasped, …is it mine? As he looked he discovered a pair of white bracers attached below his hands on his wrists. They were hard as the strongest steel, yet flexible like elastic. Each bracer had an empty socket that looked as if it could hold a gem of some kind. The bracers aren’t what caught his attention, though. What shocked the creature was the black fur beneath them. Was he an animal of some sort? He didn’t feel like an animal. As he tried to figure all of this out he had to stop thinking because he felt so weak and lethargic. He paused just enough from his overwhelming emotions of the moment and gathered himself. As soon as he regained the minimal amount of strength necessary to move, he scrambled over to a body of water. When he reached what appeared to be a lake, he noticed how the water was so crisp and blue. As a gentle breeze swept across his brow he could not help but be mesmerized as the water seemed completely unbothered by the breeze. The breeze did not even cause a ripple. The water was so clear you could see its contents at the bottom. The clearness of the water provided the creature with a flawless reflection of his body. As he gazed into the reflection it was as if he never met the person looking back. He stared to investigate his unique features. As he stared at himself, he noticed a pair of brown eyes staring back, waving at his reflection to see if it was really him. He reached up to feel a pair of pointed ears along his head. His face was wolf-like, but with a banded muzzle.

He flexed two small, dragon-like wings behind him. He flapped them several times and noticed that they were not strong enough for him to take flight. They were much too small to properly fly. His body looked like that of a young dragon’s, only it was covered in black fur like he had a furry coat. Not to be distracted from all of his fur he noticed from his neck down to his torso, were a row of greyish scales. Although his animalistic features were prevalent, he donned a pair of tan frayed shorts. The clothing looked as if they had been ripped apart in battle.

As his sense of being came about he started to laugh. The muzzle made it difficult for his lips to part and allow the laughter through. As the faint laugh began to escape, his left eye twitched. The joy inside him, that produced the laughter suddenly stopped, and the shock of discovery made him realize how lost and confused he really was. He let out a loud scream in frustration. When he screamed fire catapulted from his muzzle! He was exhaling fire, albeit fire that was not ordinary. IT WAS BLACK? The more he thought, the more confused he became. He reached out to touch the strange black fire, yet realized it did not burn him to the touch. Fascinated by what just transpired, he did it again!

Some time elapsed while he examined himself at the lake. He gradually became aware that night had fallen upon the land. The creature, having calmed himself down, sat gathered around a small campfire he had prepared. He continued gazing at his hands. Connected to his right bracer was a long chain, at the end of which was a mysterious glowing stone. It was beautiful, mesmerizing even. The blue light was warm, but a different kind of warmth from what the fire gave off. It was comforting warmth.

The warmth allowed his blood to flow which was a good thing because his brain started to function enough for him to go deeper into this rediscovering of himself. He fixed his eyes on his wrist. This stone… what is it? Why can’t I remember? he asked himself. He heaved a heavy sigh in yet another frustrating moment as he turned his attention to the fire in front of him. When he looked at the fire he thought to himself I am glad I found out I could do this. His mind recalled the events that transpired earlier in the day when he discovered he could produce fire. He thought at least in the malaise of confusion there is one good thing that happened. As he relished the moment he looked up toward the night sky. A full moon illuminated the lake brilliantly, providing an eerie beauty to the scene.

He did not get to enjoy the beautiful sky a minute before more questions started to flood his consciousness. Just what is going on here? he wondered aloud in a somber voice. His voice sounded almost like he was crying, but the creature produced not a single tear. He was more confused than ever. He pulled his legs up to his chest and hugged them close. As he engulfed himself in the fetal position he rolled from side to side, keeping himself huddled up until he finally fell asleep.

When the creature finally came to after a night of slumber the morning provided a welcomed feeling. As mystical as the moonlight had been on the lakefront, the true beauty of the land was brought out in the daylight. The land was lush and full of life, despite the persistent chill in the air. Flowers of various color surrounded the lake bed, and there enough trees spread out that it wasn’t barren.

The wolf/dragon hybrid took his time thinking about his next move. He had nowhere specific to go, though that was mostly due to him having no idea where he was. He realized he was no where near any kind of village or town. His appetite was suppressed during the rediscovery of himself last night. At first he thought to himself that he hadn’t eaten anything since he woke up, and although his stomach wasn’t growling the idea that he was hungry struck him strongly. At that moment, he felt like he hadn’t eaten in weeks. Immediately he started to search for nourishment. The trees nearby harbored no fruit, and he had yet to see something small that he felt he could eat. In search for something to remove his hunger pains he noticed off in the distance what appeared to be a mountain range. He questioned whether or not he should head that way. After much thought, he decided to head toward it. Maybe there would be a town at the base.

It didn’t take too long for the creature to find a road. Dirt had carved its way through making a path that was mostly straight. There weren’t too many footsteps from times long past embedded into the road, suggesting that it wasn’t a widely traveled route. The feel of the dirt on the pads of his feet was quite different from the feel of the grass, but he became used to it after walking for only a couple minutes.

The world he walked in felt so familiar to him, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember anything about it. No names, places, or familiar faces popped into his head it was as if his memory had been erased completely.

As he walked and walked his hunger pains grew more and more intense. This allowed him to not get lost in thought of his missing memory but allowed him to focus on the mission at hand which was food! All of a sudden his ears twitched. As he turned his head, he saw a peach-colored rabbit hopping around. It was refreshing to see another life form however his hunger got the better of him. He had to eat something, and the rabbit looked edible. Like a wild child, he ran after it. The hare quickly raised its head and made a mad dash for its burrow. It was fast, faster than the wolf/dragon thought it could be. At his speed, he didn’t think he could catch it. He then remembered his fire. Perhaps he could use it to stop the rabbit before it made it to its home. He inhaled deeply, filling his maw full of black flames. He began to exhale, but quickly closed his maw as another sound was picked up by his canine-like ears, cutting the flames off entirely.

The sound that the hybrid creature heard was heavy footsteps moving in rapid succession. They were the footsteps of a Behemoth, a large feral animal whose body was covered in a thick plated shell. It had a ravenous maw large enough to easily take in the wolf/dragon creature’s whole form. It had small, but sharp eyes that could send a chill down the spine of the most confident of individuals. Two long horns spread out from its head sideways. Its feet were large and had three large toes that seemed to do nothing more than prevent the Behemoth from falling forward onto its face. Time seemed to stand still for him as he watched the Behemoth pass, though in reality, the analysis lasted only seconds. As he looked in the direction of its head, he came to the realization that it was chasing someone or something.

Upon closer examination, he discovered that the Behemoth was chasing a creature that was similar to him, though much younger-looking. The youngling lacked the wings that he had and was covered entirely in fur. At the same time, the tail was identical to his own, looking like that of a furry lizard’s. In fact, the child as a whole looked like a furred anthropomorphic lizard. His fur was brown with black spots, and unlike himself the child was wearing a lightweight blue t-shirt as well as blue shorts. Hanging around his neck was a stone identical to his own, which was enough to tell him that he and the child were alike.

That child… He’s got one too! He reflected on the stone as it bounced around his neck while being chased.

The creature didn’t know what the strong impulse coming over him was, but he felt like he had to do something to save the child. He ran toward the two as fast as his legs could carry him. Had he had the same kind of impulse when he was chasing the rabbit, that made him think he could have caught it with ease. He darted in the direction the two were moving; it was evidently clear by the child’s expression that he was quickly losing his energy and wouldn’t last much longer. In haste he lunged at the child just as the gaining Behemoth snapped its teeth at the boy. He barely managed to succeed in getting the child out of the way.

Are you okay? he asked the child.

The boy nodded in response.

The Behemoth roared angrily as the creature separated him from its meal. It wasn’t about to let some intruder take its prey away from it. The creature stared down the Behemoth in the eyes. He couldn’t explain it, but the very core of his being was telling him that he could take the Behemoth. Placing the child behind him to put his body in between the child and this beast he was ready for a fight! He clinched his fist and took on the most aggressive posture he could. This posture must have had an effect because the Behemoth did not attack. He just stood there in a panting state. Staring at what was his prey hiding behind this angry looking opponent. Although it desired to take back its prey, it didn’t charge immediately at him. It was hesitating. Something told it that the thing it was facing was dangerous.

Whoa… gasped the child, amazed that the Behemoth was hesitating. Who are you, Mister? I didn’t know there were any other Luos out here besides me and my dad.

Luos? the wolf-like, dragon-like creature responded. As if that term was a magical key to unlock the box in his head that he had tried to access since he woke up, finally realizing what he was. The term struck him. It was something that sounded familiar. He was happy to at least know what he was.

The Behemoth sensed the distraction occurring in the Luos’ mind. If it was going to get its meal back without putting up too much of a fight, now was its chance. The Behemoth lunged at him, bashing his head against KO knocking him aside. The creature was quick to expand his wings, drawing in the wind so that his body wasn’t hurled nearly as far. He spat out a stream of black fire from his maw, but the effects of it were blocked mostly by the Behemoth’s thick shell. It was widely known that Behemoths were among the most dangerous of creatures because their shells protected them against most forms of weapons and magic. When matched with their raw physical power and ravenous appetite, they were something most didn’t want to mess with. Ignoring the flames, it charged at the child.

As he landed on the ground, he flapped his wings as hard as he could to lunge at the child, who was frozen in fear. The black-furred Luos rescued the child in the nick of time, though the Behemoth’s tooth managed to nick his tail. A small bit of red blood dripped from the wound, but it was nothing crippling. Fortunately, Behemoths weren’t poisonous.

What the hell is this thing?! the Luos shouted as they crouched beside a tree while he tried to regain his bearings. He wondered how it was able to defend itself against his black flames.

Magic doesn’t work against Behemoths so well, Mister, the child answered upon hearing his words. Their shells are like armor!

Then how do we kill it? he yelled again.

I don’t know! admitted the child. The bounty on them is so high that only the strongest of Luos ever go after them!

The Behemoth shook its head once again as the Luos yet again stole his meal away. But the Behemoth was getting wise to the amnesia-stricken Luos. Even if the Luos were strong enough to take it, he clearly didn’t know how to use his strength. If the Behemoth was careful and quick, it could score a 2-for-1 meal.

The black Luos scoffed as he realized that the Behemoth had caught on to his amnesia and picked the child up under his arm. Moving his feet in just the right way, he ran, prompting the Behemoth to give chase.

Why are you running, Mister? the child asked the Luos. That Behemoth was truly scared of you earlier! Shouldn’t you be able to kill it?

When I think of a way to kill it, I’ll let you know! he replied with a panting breath, doing his best to outrun the Behemoth. He was faster than the monstrous creature, but the Behemoth had the stamina and the persistence to chase them as long as it had to.

As the older Luos ran with the child in tow, the younger Luos noticed that his bracers each had an empty socket on them. He eyed the chain hanging from the right bracer and the glowing stone at the end of it. Hey, Mister! Can you perform a Soul Link?

A what link? the black-furred Luos questioned as he zigzagged to the side to try and confuse the Behemoth.

I mean, your equipment has sockets on them. Why else would it have sockets unless you can link your soul?

What are you talking about?

The child blinked in confusion. He thought everyone knew about the Soul Link. Your Soul Stone! he pointed out. Once again the Luos suffering from memory-loss wondered what the child was talking about. He looked at the stone hanging around the child’s neck. That had to be it.

He had gained enough distance between him and the still charging Behemoth that he was able to skid to a stop and set the child down. Trying to put two and two together, he grabbed hold of the stone hanging from his bracer. I hope you know what you’re talking about, kid! he said, placing the stone into his right bracer.

Faster than he could blink, a double-edge sword materialized from thin air directly in his hand. Not counting the hilt, the blade was two-thirds the length of his body. The hilt had the faintest blue coloring to it, while the blade itself seemed to be made from the finest steel. The light of the sun reflected off the metal, blinding all who looked at it for less than half a second.

I… did this? the Luos gasped, looking at his own sword. This was his Soul Weapon. It didn’t look all that special, but by holding it he knew it was. He gripped the hilt with both hands as the Behemoth encroached on the two. If they were to run again, they’d have to take off now or else they’d be completely overtaken by the tank of a beast. He braced himself as the Behemoth moved like a juggernaut, unable to stop itself immediately no matter how hard it tried.

The Luos motioned for the child to back up. He wasn’t sure what would happen next, and the last thing he wanted was to endanger the child further. The Behemoth eyed him as he held his ground, suddenly overcome by a strange feeling. It had defeated countless opponents in the past who stood in his same position, but this Luos was something else. Still, it was hungry. It was going to get its prey. Even if it could stop, it wasn’t about to.

With the Behemoth right on top of him, the Luos stepped forward and swung his sword. While the Luos was unaware of it, the younger boy observed a strange dark purple glow that enveloped the blade. It lasted for only a second, but that was more than enough time. The magic-infused steel made contact with the Behemoth. The monstrous beast leapt right over the Luos, slowing down as it did. It stopped only a short distance after passing over the Luos, stopping completely. It flinched as a line formed to bisect the beast vertically. The Behemoth’s body split in twain, each half falling away from the center. Blood spurted from the still working organs as the beast’s body failed to recognize exactly what had happened. The Luos stood triumphant, his facial expression one of an experienced fighter. The fur on his face dripped with a few drops of the Behemoth’s blood.

As the last bit of blood dripped off, the Luos snapped back to his senses.

He brought his gaze down to his hands, which began to shake violently. What had he done? In one slash, he had taken out one of the most feared wild creatures in the land. While he was horrified at his own actions and his own strength, the child was shouting cheers of joy.

Woo-hoo! he jumped with joy. That was awesome! You KO-ed that monster with one shot! You were amazing!

K… O… thought the wolf/dragon hybrid. Those letters spoken in that matter sparked a memory, a voice in his head. It was the voice of a female, a beautiful voice that brought him comfort. He couldn’t see anything, in the memory itself but the voice he could hear. My little K… I won’t let anything happen to you! The name… it was completely inaudible. He couldn’t make it out at all. Was it his mother? As he dredged on this thought, a second voice poked its way into his head. This one belonged to another female, a different one.

Unlike the first memory, he could actually make out the source of this voice in his memories. It was another Luos, one with yellow fur. She more closely resembled the child he had rescued than himself. She had long brown hair tied back into a ponytail. She also had ears similar to his. He couldn’t make out any other overly distinct features about this Luos because her body was encompassed in a suit of electricity. O… she cried out. Once again, he couldn’t hear the name she was calling out, but it seemed to be directed at him. I know you don’t mean that! You can stop this!

Before he could hear any more of what she was saying, he felt a tug at his shorts, returning his attention to the real world. It was the child he had saved.

Mister, are you okay? he asked the Luos. You’ve been standing still for a couple minutes. Is everything all right?

Y-Yeah… he replied to the boy. The child smiled and laughed, bringing a smile to the Luos’ face. Even if he couldn’t remember anything about his past, seeing that the child was safe allowed him to smile.

The Luos escorted the child back to his home. He had learned that the child lived on a farm with his father about half an hour from where he had first found the boy. He was out running around when he accidentally stumbled upon the roaming Behemoth. Normally the farm had a special repellent that kept wild animals away, but he had wandered beyond the reaches of the repellent and was forced by the beast to run the other way.

By the way, Mister, you never told me your name, the child bounced. I’m Laeron!

The Luos wasn’t sure how to respond. He couldn’t remember his own name, and the smallest bit he could remember didn’t tell him who he was. Remembering the two letters that sparked those memories, he answered with the only name that came to mind.

I guess you can call me KO.

KO? Laeron giggled. That’s a silly name.

And Laeron’s better? the black-furred Luos remarked. Although he was hardly one to talk. He couldn’t remember his own name, and he had no idea what kind of name was normal.

I guess it is kind of silly, replied Laeron.

KO smirked. Laeron was just a kid after all. Laeron spent most of the trip asking KO all sorts of questions that the Luos couldn’t answer, so he just changed the subject at every instance he could. He was thankful that they reached the farm when they did. The two were greeted almost instantly by another Luos. He was much larger than both KO and Laeron, though his fur pattern was identical to Laeron’s. He had large hands and a longer, more muscular tail. Unlike Laeron, he also had ears that resembled those of a marsupial, more notably a kangaroo.

Laeron! he called out in a panicked voice, rushing to the child’s side. He quickly plucked the child form the ground and cradled him in his arms. Thank the gods you’re okay! What have I told you about running off on your own beyond the border?

Dad… I’m fine… said Laeron with an innocent smile, as if having completely forgotten about the Behemoth attack.

I take it you got into some trouble… the father replied in an unconvinced tone, noticing KO.

Well… Laeron admitted, dragging out his response as long as he could. There maaaaaaay have been a Behemoth that—

A BEHEMOTH?! exclaimed the father. There was a Behemoth?! You could have been KILLED!!! Laeron, what the hell were you thinking out there! I don’t know what to say! I… I… The Luos hugged his son close to his body, nearly crushing the child with his raw physical strength and size. I’m glad you’re safe… He licked his son’s head gently and turned to KO. You saved my son from a Behemoth?

Yeah, I guess I did, replied KO, scratching the back of his head.

Thank you… for saving my son! said the adult Luos, kneeling before KO while still holding Laeron against him. The action left KO at a loss for words. The way that Laeron’s dad was thanking him was just so odd to him. He felt he was hardly worthy of such praise.

The father of Laeron invited KO into their home. While Laeron ran off to take a bath at his father’s request, the large Luos introduced himself as Terris. Both he and his son were Luos of the earth-like element. Laeron’s mother had passed away two years prior. Since her passing, Terris has been rather overprotective of Laeron.

I can’t protect him from everything, nor can I force him to stay put all his life, Terris went on. He’s always been full of energy. I don’t think farm life suits him all that well. If he wants to live in one of the towns or cities when he gets older, who am I to stop him? Terris was the very description of a gentle giant. He offered KO a mug full of cider that he had produced himself on his farm. KO graciously accepted the mug and took a sip.

It’s good! he commented.

I’m glad you like it, Terris smiled with a small wag of his tail. I wasn’t sure if you’d like it. Most Luos of the fire element prefer hot drinks. He was going off the story that Laeron had recounted while they were heading inside. Laeron said that KO looked really cool when he was breathing fire, and even cooler when he attacked the Behemoth with his sword. KO feigned a smile. It was true he breathed fire, but it wasn’t an ordinary fire.

"KO felt he could confide in this gentle giant.

He told Terris about his amnesia, how he couldn’t seem to remember a thing. He didn’t know where he came from, what he was, or if KO was even his real name. Terris gave an understanding nod, feeling sorry for the lad. I think I was in a fight with somebody, he continued. After fighting that Behemoth, I could just vaguely remember a voice telling me to stop.

Hmm… mumbled Terris. I’ve never heard of a Luos losing their memory in a fight before. We’re natural born fighters, even if some of us don’t like to. Unless… Terris’ ears perked up high as he thought of something. KO, can I see your Soul Stone for a moment?

My Soul Stone? It took KO a moment to realize he was talking about the stone dangling from his bracer. Laeron called it a Soul Stone earlier too. KO grabbed it and handed it to Terris, but kept his bracers on. Terris handled it gently and with great care, giving KO a sense of just how important it was. As Terris rolled it along his fingers and touched it, KO noticed, he could feel everything the stone felt.

As I thought, Terris announced, his voice hardly enthusiastic about the news. There’s a small crack in your Soul Stone. Terris held the stone close to KO, pointing out a small, but deep crack near where the chain connected to the precious orb.

Can it be fixed? KO tilted his head. He wasn’t sure how a crack in the stone could affect his memory.

I’m afraid it’s not that simple, Terris told him, removing his own stone from around his neck. Since you can’t seem to remember, I’ll explain. This is a Soul Stone, a very special jewel. As the name implies, a Soul Stone is our very soul, what gives our bodies their life. KO’s eyes widened as he listened. He didn’t realize just how precious it was until now. A Soul Stone is very hard to crack, let alone break. Something strong enough to crack your Soul Stone would probably leave it with a surface wound, or damage it a lot worse. Terris took a deep breath. I find it hard to believe a simple fight could’ve done this to your Soul Stone. The crack may be small, but it’s deep. A wound like this to the soul is not something that can simply be fixed.

A wound… to the soul? KO found himself in thoughtful silence.

I don’t know what kind of trauma could have caused this, Terris admitted. If you want my opinion, I think you shouldn’t dwell on this. You must have lost your memory for a reason. I’d hate to think of the damage that could befall your mind and soul if you went through trauma capable of doing this again.

KO lowered his head, thinking. Maybe Terris was right. Maybe losing his memory was a good thing. You might be right… KO stated. But I can’t just give up on this. I have to know what happened to me! I don’t know anything about me. Even if there is something I shouldn’t remember, figuring it out is all I have to go from.

I guess I can’t blame you, responded Terris. If I couldn’t remember anything, I’d probably want to find out what happened too. It’s just… The Luos took a deep breath. You seem like a good kid. Just be careful.

Thanks! KO finished up his cider. The cider wasn’t too strong, so KO didn’t really feel any adverse effects from it. Thank you for your hospitality, Terris. Now I at least know that something happened to me.

If you want, you’re welcome to stay, offered Terris. He and Laeron didn’t have much, but the Luos felt like they could easily account for another mouth to feed.

Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think I should stay. As you said, something caused me to lose my memory, and if it’s something troubling, I’d hate for you to have another hassle. KO nudged his head toward the door. Laeron was standing in the doorway now, a cloth towel wrapped his waist and his fur dripping wet.

Terris nodded. Do you at least know where you’re going?

KO shook his head, but mentioned that he was thinking about heading toward the mountains he saw off in the distance.

That’s a bad idea! warned Terris, heading over to a desk and grabbing a piece of parchment. The mountains are dangerous this time of year. Winter’s coming, and the passes are always made difficult due to dangerous blizzards. Not to mention that you’re a Luos of the fire element! It could be extremely dangerous to your health if a snowstorm left you stranded. Terris spread the parchment down on the table; it was a map of this section of the country. They were in the ‘Demesne Highlands’ of the Mizran Nation. Terris pointed to the mountain range on the map. See? The only settlement up there is Starfall Village, and it’s quite a ways. Terris moved his fingers down the map. You should head down to the City of Terrath down in the ‘Suran Desert’ to the south of us. It’s much more suitable for a Luos of your nature, and I have a friend there who may be able to help you. I have found Reon to be very knowledgeable

Terrath, huh? KO pondered. He nodded. All right, I’ll head that way then.

Aww… You’re leaving us already? whined Laeron.

I am, answered KO, patting the boy on the head. His head was still damp from the bath water. You be careful. I won’t be around to save you if another Behemoth attacks you.

Laeron gave a slow nod. He was hoping KO would stick around longer so the two could play. Terris decided that the least he could do for KO was offer him a sack of food and small bag of silver coins for his travels. The trip would take him at least a week by foot.

I’d offer you a Space Stone, but I only have one and since you can’t remember any places, it’d be extremely unsafe to try and use it.

I’ll be fine, assured KO. You’ve done more than enough for me already.

Are you sure you don’t want to at least spend the night? Terris once again offered.

KO shook his head. He didn’t want to impose on them anymore, and being alone would give him some time to reflect on his thoughts. He was a little less depressed now that he had an idea of what he should do.

Terris and Laeron agreed to travel with KO until they reached the roadside. It wasn’t too far of a distance to go and they had the time to spare. Laeron showed just how much energy he had by constantly running around the two, his arms extended like he was a bird. Laeron didn’t actually want to fly, but he often pretended that he could. As they reached the road, the sun began to set behind the mountains, providing a twilight setting to the surrounding environment. Terris stretched an arm out and gave KO a gentle hug. KO let out a silent gasp, but smiled softly and hugged Terris back.

Me too! Me too! called Laeron.

KO laughed a little and picked up the smaller Luos, giving him a hug as well. Terris took his son back from KO as the Luos headed down the road. The father and son turned away and began the trek back to their farm.

CHAPTER 2

Desert Tournament

"When two swords clash

They understand what the other thinks

When two swords slash

Enemy blood is what they drink"

The city of Terrath was located in the center of the northwestern quadrant of the Suran desert. The buildings were made from sandstone. Despite winter closing in, the desert was still hot; one could feel the heat rising from the ground they walked on. Terrath was a busy desert town, but the market was much less occupied due to the violent sandstorm that tore through the town two days prior. The winds tore apart many stands and the decorations that had been set up for the upcoming tournament at the coliseum. Many of the handmade signs advertising the event had been reposted, but the storm took away the rest.

It was by sheer coincidence that KO arrived on the day before the tournament, but the festivities were the least of his concern. Terris had mentioned that his friend worked at the tavern located next door to the inn across the street from the coliseum. It was still early in the day, so the tavern had few patrons inside. It would probably be more lively that evening as many folks tried