The Weapon Bearer (Book 1) (66 page)

“You think that the boy has what it takes to be a weapon bearer. You haven’t even been present to see his skills to make such judgment.”

“My lord, one doesn’t have to be present to hear about a weapon bearer that can walk with his own elemental. Yet this one is still in training and can fight beside his. If the rumors are true, no weapon bearer will be able to prove themselves to you. Not even my own son.” The king turned a tiny bit, but was still red in the face.

“I will not admit that he is ready when I know he is not, and I won’t be bullied by some pompous noble who thinks he controls the realm. The contest stands, one hour from now just before the army departs. Lorusk will meet him there with his weapon and rings.” The wizards all bowed and Kilen did also. They turned and departed the great hall. When they passed the doors Alexander put his hand on the back of Kilen’s neck.

“Boy, do not disappoint me like you did when I faced you on the training fields. I need to ask in private, are you sure that you are willing to be my weapon bearer?” Kilen nodded, “To protect me with your life? To follow every order I give no matter the consequences?” Kilen nodded again. “Then kneel and say it boy!”

Kilen knelt on the ground and bowed his head, “I vow to always protect you.”

“Wind Wizard Alexander Barthalamule, the Second,” he interrupted.

Kilen started again, “I vow to always protect Wind Wizard Alexander Barthalamule, the Second. I vow to follow orders to my dying breath, no matter the consequences.”

“Good boy. Follow me and call me Alex. Your first order is to defeat two unworthy title holders under the king’s eye.” He laughed a little, “The voices in my head said that they put twenty gold on the king’s pair.” He kept laughing as he went down the hallway. The rest of the wizards didn’t laugh at the thought. What use is it being a weapon bearer if your wizard doesn’t have confidence in you. Kilen saw a small white elemental bird flutter past him in the hallway. Kilen thought, at least it’s two against two.

They reached the doors leading out into the training grounds and Kilen felt a hand on his arm. Twilix looked into his eyes as if to say wait a moment. The rest of the wizards continued on as he and Twilix remained just outside the door. “I am sorry that I was unable to keep you as my weapon bearer. I am also sorry that I didn’t get the training done I wanted to. There is so much that I could have taught you and things that you need to know now.”

“It’s alright, you have taught me enough. Just in case I don’t get the chance to talk to you again, I wanted thank you for all the sacrifices you made to be able to train me. I am also sorry for the way I treated you.” Her eyes started to water slightly before she threw her arms around Kilen’s neck. It had been awhile since he had enjoyed a hug that much. He closed his eyes and returned her squeeze. Captain Lorusk, cleared his throat alerted them to his presence.

Kilen let go of Twilix and accepted the sword back from Lorsuk, who didn’t say a word. Instead he grunted as he handed over each item. Kilen returned the chainger to its place in his waistline and the chain necklace around his neck. He felt better having the magic return to his body. He closed his eyes and pushed the water vision to his ability’s limit. He felt whole again. Even Jace, and Max felt a little more at ease. When he was done re-familiarizing himself with the feeling of magic, Twilix led him away holding his arm in hers.

Near the kitchen tents he saw Izabel atop a cart being pulled by his horse. She smiled and waved at him. “Izabel, what is my horse doing pulling this cart?”

“I see. No thank you at all for taking the rope from your neck,” she snapped back.

“I’m sorry, thank you.”

“You should be, I have lost a fair amount of business calling in favors for you. They will most likely return, but for now I have lost revenue.” She was all puffed up in her usual way, but dressed more decently, showing a lot less of herself. Her fingers were once again caked with dirt, and she displayed them proudly.

“I am very thankful. If there is any way I can repay you I will do my best.”

She smiled at him, “Very well, your thanks are accepted. It is all that I require. I came here with Leroy. He said he had some things to make for you for before you both left for war. He does owe me, however, so you better keep him in one piece.”

“I won’t bring him along. His mission was completed as soon as I became a weapon bearer. He is his own man now.”

She smiled, “Very well. You had better get some clothes on in the back here before someone sees you like that. You look as though you have been working a garden for weeks,” she said while examining her own dirty fingers. Kilen moved to the back of the cart and found a pair of his clothing that would be decent to fight in. He found a pair of recently fixed boots and all of his armor. Twilix and Izabel started talking about how Kilen had to face Chit on the training field within the hour. He felt uncomfortable changing at the back of the cart with Twilix and Izabel chatting at the front. He took his clothes off and exchanged them for the new. After he was partially naked he remembered to form a wall of fog around himself so that no one could see. The he heard Twilix whisper and both the girls giggled, he was sure at his expense.

He reached for the armor to prepare himself for battle when Jace spoke up,
Don’t. You won’t need it, it will only slow you down. I have seen Chit in training. He is slow but powerful. If you have armor on you will be the same. Leave it off and you will be untouchable.
Kilen removed his hand from the armor, and both girls were looking at him.

“I think I will be better off without it. If Chit has earth imbuements it won’t matter if I have armor on or not.” He smiled at them and they seemed saddened by his remarks. “Don’t worry, I’m not giving up. I am just preparing the best way I know how. He tapped his hand on the end of the cart in the awkward silence that followed. “Well perhaps I should head out to the training field and warm up.” Twilix nodded and they said farewell to Izabel.

Leroy ran up and handed Kilen a water skin and some dried meats. “Glad I caught you. I put some of my tea in the skin, drink it now and it should help with the fatigue. Here is some of that meat I made for emergencies. There are a couple more I will put in your travel bags. I think I have everything we need now for a few days without resupply.”

Kilen faced Leroy, “I don’t have a lot of time to explain right now Leroy, but thanks for everything. I no longer need you in my service. I have been named a weapon bearer. You can return to your father and Keepers. Izabel will fill you in on what has happened.” He clapped Leroy on the shoulder, “Good luck to you and thank you for everything.” Leroy watched as Kilen and Twilix walked away, he was dumbfounded by Kilen’s words.

“Wait…so what am I supposed to do?” he shouted at their backs. Izabel placed one dirty fingernail on his shoulder.

Near the middle of the training grounds Twilix started talking, “One last lesson I can provide you may be your best asset in fighting Brandon. Earth’s weakness is that it is too strong.” Kilen was confused by her statement, “In nature we see rocks broken apart by water. We see land carried away by water. Earth is not as strong as we think it is. I mean, you were defeated by wind and yet it seems to be the weakest of the elements.” Kilen still didn’t understand what she was saying to him. “If you find a tiny crack in the earth fill it with water and freeze it and you will see how weak earth truly is.” She kissed him on the cheek just as she had before the trial, but this one seemed to linger a tiny bit longer. She hurried away without saying another word. He was standing in the middle of the training area with no one around. He did the only thing that he could think to do. He drew his sword, laid it on the ground in front of him, and prayed.

He really didn’t know still who he was supposed to be praying to but he did anyway. He imagined it was to the Brights, the protectors of their world. The ones who would come in a time of despair and rid the world of evil. He prayed for strength, speed, and cunning. He prayed for his blade to be swift and true. He prayed most of all that Chit would not die and be stuck in his head forever.

He stood while sheathing his sword, and Alexander landed in front of him. “Were you talking to the voices in your head?”

Kilen laughed, “Not yet.”

“Very well, but I think that you had an astute observation. Though you had it backwards.”

“Which observation was that?”

“To kill the champion my boy. Doing that would end his torment from losing, and name you a weapon bearer in truth without question.”

Kilen thought about his statement and how to answer it, “Perhaps, but I don’t think the voices in my head wish to hear me regretting it for the rest of my life.” Alexander nodded and patted Kilen on the back.

“Just don’t make me regret the choice in naming you as my wielder. Now let me give you a little hint into defeating earth elementals. I know that Twilix has probably already taught you but I thought I would go over it again just in case you missed it.” Kilen nodded, willing to accept anything that might help. “Do you know how the elements wear away the mountains? NO, well I have learned that when water freezes it grows slightly, no not grow…gets larger, no that’s not right either. Ah yes it takes up more space and can even break rock. Keep this in mind when fighting an earth elemental, even the smallest crack can undo the entire creature.”

Kilen nodded again, “ I think I understand.”

“Good. Let us see what you really can do. You have beaten the fierce Mary, and nearly killed the both of us with that little act of yours during our training. I think that you will be fine taking on the wizard. But that brute with the sword, I would avoid his strike if I were you.”

“Thank you, I will do my best.” Alexander floated off with a smile on his face and landed near the castle wall where Kilen saw the king had just exited followed by Chit and Lorusk. “You guys had better start giving me advice in there.”

If its Chit you are worried about, the wizard was correct. Avoid his strike directly. Earth magic doubles your strength with each imbuement, and he was larger than you by not a small amount after Gortus’s training. Deflect his strokes and dodge them, but do not try and block them directly. Weaken him by giving small damage and let him bleed out. It’s my advice to pay more attention to what the wizard does.
Jace was a knot of anticipation in his head.

Max answered with his advice,
Use what you have been taught in defense. Gortus has taught you well. Now use your speed and avoid even the smallest scratch.

They talked as Kilen made his way across the training field. A small white bird landed on the ground in front of him. He knew that it was Joahna, but no one else did. “Be ready Joahna, but don’t interfere until after Brandon starts his magic. I will take Chit and you take whatever Brandon brings. Please do not kill Chit, I don’t want to listen to him, and I really don’t want to see him die just because of the king’s desire to see me dead.” The bird let out a trill that sounded as if Joahna understood.

The earth shook beneath his feet and Joahna took flight again. Kilen looked around and Brandon was standing with legs apart and a determined look on his face. Every recruit with black hats instantly stopped what they were doing to watch. Lorusk pointed in Kilen’s direction and Chit started stomping his way to Kilen. When he was closer than one hundred paces he drew his sword and the deadly contest began.

Kilen answered Chits sword by drawing his own. The voices in his head spoke but he had no mind to listen to him. He was focused and imagined a stronger, taller version of Gortus walking towards him. They stopped twenty paces from each other and Chit spoke, “I didn’t really like the idea of killing you at first, but it’s grown on me. I will be a hero that killed the traitor even when a king could not.” He held his donkey headed sword out as if testing its weight. “The king made the deal sweeter by making me his champion and letting me lead the battle against the Fire Realm. I should be given some imbuements of my own after that. Maybe even make me a weapon bearer.”

“I am sorry you had to get involved with this. I am even sorry that I had to get involved in this. I will try not to kill you Chit.”

“Ha. Thinking I’m stupid again, eh? You’re trying to soften me up so I don’t fight you proper. Let’s get on with it, I have an army to lead!” Chit took a small leap, closing the distance while bringing his sword down from above. Kilen batted the sword away and Chit followed where it was deflected. He landed with his face in the dirt. Kilen was surprised that he didn’t get crushed by the blade.

Max provided the answer to what had happened,
If you are in the air you have nothing to anchor your strength with. Keep your feet planted and strike from underneath.
Chit was already on his feet and heading towards Kilen with a quickened pace. Kilen started backing up as Chit swung his sword wildly. He could feel the wind off of the blade as it whipped by again and again. Kilen’s training had been mostly defensive training and it aided him here. The attacks were full of force, but lacked the grace of Gortus’ blade. They were wild, reckless, and easily avoided. The next swing Kilen anticipated but had become too confident dodging Chit’s blade. The next swing was from the side, leaving Chit’s body totally exposed. Kilen saw the opportunity to attack too late. Instead, he blocked the attack by holding the blade straight up in front of him. The impact of the two blades sent his father’s sword into his own body. A large cut lay in the skin across his chest and over his shoulder. The Impact also threw Kilen back. Chit had learned to anchor his feet.