Chronicles Of the Ren-Ky Warriors (Book 1)

Chapter 10

Henry looked at Lovell. Tears were streaming down as Lovell rushed over—hugged Henry tightly. Lovell talked with Henry over dinner about what happened to himself over the past twenty years. Henry sat and, listening to Lovell, notice that Gale and Lance ate quietly while Lovell continued to tell his story.

Once they finished their meal, Henry asked the trio if they had a place to stay. They all answered no. Henry smiled as he glanced at his wife and offered them that they stay awhile for the festival. Lance jumped at the opportunity leaving them to agree to abide. Lovell approving before saying that he’ll have a bath first. Lance was trailing behind. Lovell asked if Gale would join them, he declined their offer. Gale stated that he wanted to talk more with Henry and Margret before taking one. Lovell nodded as he walked to the bathroom to meet up with Lance.

“Not to pry, but what is the festival about anyway.” Gale turned to the couple.

Margret and Henry looked at each other. “Well—to be frank—Marewoods is being forced to join either Gold Heart Empire or the Faremin Kingdom. We told both forces that we would all vote and say what side we joined through a festival showing the results at the days end.” Margret implied. “Why?”

Gale leaned back, knowing that they had the answer from Kora. Gale looked at them, lacing his hands as he rested his chin on top.  Margret became concerned as Gale stared at them.

“Well, before we left the kingdom of Evermore, we met Lovell’s grandmother–Kora, also known as Mama K—and one of his half-brothers—Kratos. Kora had told us before we left that Marewood was taken over by Faremin. Then we were told that, by Shimmer, Kratos’s dragon, this would happen on the eight of the fifth month or Lark eighth. Threw the Goddess of Destiny’s predictions.”

The couple looked at each other as the shock settled in. Gale turned away, feeling he had said too much before Henry leaned in, staring at Gale.

 “And why are you telling us this?” Henry asked.

“Well, to be honest. I believe Lovell might try and change the future. I know that the people of Marewood know that—if they don’t join the Faremin forces. They will be killed even though Gold Heart has its hand in the pot. They know they have no power to overtake the city without the entire town being destroyed. That is where Lovell probably thinks he could stop it from happening, but one cannot fight destiny forever.”

The room went silent while Lovell came down to let Gale know that the bath was free. Gale acknowledged him as Henry showed them to their rooms. Lovell was not paying attention to what was going on earlier as his mind was elsewhere.

The next day Lovell did what he could to help out around the house. Lovell begged the about Luna, like what she was like before she left. Margret told Lovell how Luna was an odd child. Luna seemed to have a sense she was needed as she volunteered for every event. At the same time, her childhood friend left to join the military. Lovell could tell that Margret did not want to talk about Luna’s friend as she did not make eye contact when speaking about them. Lovell turned away to not pry more as Margret told him about a young man coming to town. Luna had left with the mam two years prior as she did not tell them why only that she needs to find someone or some people.

Lovell smiled as he watched Lance struggle with some of the more simple tasks. Gale was asking how to do certain things, Henry. Henry happily told him as his curiosity kept peeking with each new idea. Lovell felt some peace within—knowing that Luna was safe for now. At the same time, the trio relaxed the rest of the day away. Even if Lance couldn’t figure out how to find a chicken egg that night, Gale got up praying to Flora. Asking for her help in stopping Lovell before he could hurt those close to him more than help them.

As the dawn of a new rose, Lovell felt off—he could not figure out how. But knew it was nothing to worry about. Lovell shrugged it off before walking down the stairs to the dining room. Lance was excited to see all the events, whereas Gale tried to calm him down—as usual, Lovell smiled, seeing  Lance as his regular happy go lucky self. Yet, Lovell could only think of stopping the take over from the Faremin, for they could not have their way.

Once they had finished eating, Margret asked if Lovell wanted to join them at the festival. Lovell declined the offer saying he had other plans for the day. Margret could see Lovell was not keen on going to a festival. She smiled softly and asked Lovell to lock the place up once he left. Lovell nodded as he waved them goodbye.

Lovell waited for an hour before leaving himself. Locking the door—Lovell walked down the path, then making his way to an alleyway. Lovell glanced around, then jumped to the rooftops. Once on top, Lovell could see what everyone was doing. Lovell began to search for any signs of the Faremin. As Lovell started to lose hope, he caught a glance of a Faremin soldier walking to the westside of town. Lovell made his way over to the soldier and followed him from the rooftops. After some time, Lovell jumped down while the soldier walked to a guarded door.

 The guards watching the entrance as Lovell walked closer—yet keeping out of sight. Looking around the corner, he could see that Faremin soldiers could enter freely. Lovell cast a disguise spell over himself and blended in with the other soldier's coming and going. Once Lovell was in, he walked around to where the commander was. The commander was not there. Lovell looked around to see signs of the commander in charge. When a hand grabbed Lovell from behind. Lovell was turned around to be face to face with the very commander he was searching for.

The commander did not recognize Lovell and spin him around once more. Tying Lovell up in the process. Then two men rushed in and threw a blindfold over Lovell's eyes. Then dragging Lovell to the festival grounds. With Lovell struggling all the way.

Lovell could hear the announcer's voice go off as he announced that Lovell had sealed their fate. Then listened to the sound of swords being drawn as screams echoed out. Lovell was trying to protest as the commander removed the blind. Lovell squeezed his eyes before glancing around to see the people running in fear as the Faremin soldiers slaughtered the citizens of Marewood.

The commander leaned into Lovell's ear and whispered, “If you and the people of Marewood had planned not to join. We had already planned to kill the whole town if they resisted joining. And thanks to you, their fate has been sealed.”

Lovell watched as Margret and Henry were killed amongst the crowd; he screamed for it to stop. Tears ran down his face as he noticed that Lance and Gale were struck down by the soldiers shortly after. The screams continued to echo. While Lovell pleaded for it to all stop as the commander’s sword struck down and chopped Lovell’s———

Lovell woke—screaming—as sweat-drenched his whole body. Lovell looked around to see Lance dreaming beside him. At the same time, Gale leaned against the window. Lovell could feel his heart pounding from the nightmare. In contrast, gale glanced over at him before looking back out the window.

“Have a good vision of what will happen if you try and stop the inevitable?” Gale’s voice was cold towards him.

“You did this? How?” Lovell growled quietly.

Gale glanced over his shoulder, staring at Lovell, who was furious with him. “No, I asked  Flora to show you what would happen if you ever tried to stop the Faremin from taking over.” Gale turned to look outside once more. “That is all. I never thought she would actually do it. Let alone keep you under as long as she did?”

Lovell got up and walking to the other side of the window. Gale glanced over once more before looking away.

 “Well, it worked.” Lovell shivered as remembered the last bit of Flora’s foretelling. “So, there is nothing I could possibly do to free Marewood, is there?”

 Lovell was felt useless to stop the Faremin from taking over. Gale sighed as he turned to face Lovell. Gale could see the sadness and worry ravage Lovell.

“No, there is but—” Gale stopped as he began to think of his words. “We need to find Luna, and things will possibly come clear of what you’re supposed to do and how?”

Lovell was confused as he looked at Gale. “Just say it if you know it. Gale, please? Just tell me?”

Gale stood up and moved into Lovell’s ear. “The fact that you are the Guardian of Balance. Goddess Lunatic’s chosen champion. And the curse that the Krisnik family bares.”

Lovell’s eyes widened as Gale told him. Lovell had no words to say as he pulled away. Lovell glanced at Lance as Gale took a deep breath.

“Lance and I are also chosen but as those who fight beside you. We found out much earlier as we felt Lunatica’s call. One of the many reasons why we wanted to leave. Three others will join us in the fight against the dark lord himself.  My father knew as you were a Krisnik and asked me to watch over you. To make sure you stay on the right path or…” His voice trailed.

“And what else?” Lovell growled.

Gale pulled away as he turned away from Lovell. Lovell waiting to hear what he said as he clenched his fist tightly.

 “Or you become the Destroyer of Darkness.”

A cold sweat ran down, Lovells back as he stepped back. Lovell realized his action could turn him against his friends and those he cared about. He was the balance. Lovell knew that he would have done the very thing to end his life, Gale, Lances, and Humbly’s lives. Lovell closed his eyes, shaking his head.

‘I could—I could destroy everything or save it?’ Lovell thought as he fell to his knees. ‘Luna can be either killed by my hands, or I can protect her. If I continued with my plan, I would send her to her doom.’

Lovell looked up at Gale. Gale did not look at him feeling he had said enough. He only glanced down to see Lovell sitting on the floor as if a child was waiting for answers.

“Then tell me something. Is there no way to seal the darkness? So that I do not hurt…So I don’t hurt anyone like that?” Lovell pleaded as his demeanour turned into a child's.

Gale shook his head as he turned to look at Lovell. “There is no known way. All I know is that you have to be careful? Were you not taught right from wrong? Were you taught how to reanalyze?” Gale raised his voice as he stared straight into Lovell’s eyes. Gale could see that Lovell was distraught by his words. Seeing that, he turned away. Gale sighed as he scratched his head. “But it seems you were able to find yourself. To where you brought back the light within. If you ever falter, I will smarten you up again, or someone else will.” Gale yawned as he headed back to bed. “Well, see you in the morning.”

Lovell looked up into the night sky. He noticed the moons, Larin and Juna, crossing one another. ‘I need to seek the right answer to all of this? Does it have to be out there? Somewhere…’ Lovell thought as he looked over at Lance. ‘I know Gale means well, but I need to find this out for myself. I hope they will not hate me for this?’

Lovell stood up and turned to the doorway, knowing that Gale was sleeping in another room. Lovell started to pack his things. Before he left, Lovell grabbed a pen and paper and wrote them a letter. Once finished, Lovell left the note on the nightstand. Lovell quietly walked to the window. Holding onto the frame, Lovell remembered How Morris and Ark came through the same window twenty years prior. Lovell smiled as he looked back once more before jumping out of the window.

Lovell landed softly as he looked up to see if anyone noticed him leaving. Lovell sighed as he walked, threw the night air, seeking out the answers to prevent him from falling into the darkness and hurt the innocent. When Lovell reached the edge of town, he looked back. See the sun starting to rise in the east. Lovell hiked his bag over his shoulder and processed into the woods headed to Blacklight's old home.

 “I am truly sorry, guys, but this is for me to find out for myself.”  Lovell pleaded into the air. With the hope that Lance and Gale would understand his feeling and thoughts towards his actions.

As dawn rose and everyone was downstairs waiting for Lance and Lovell. Lance raced down the stairs and screeched as he ran to Gale. Grabbing Gale by the arm as he huffed. Gale sat puzzled as Lance lifted his head at him. Lance's eyes filled with worry as he stood up.

 “Gale! This is bad! I mean, really bad.” Lance slammed  Lovell’s letter onto the table. “He left! Sometime last night. I don’t know why but you have something to do with you and some other s**t. I skimmed over it, but you need to read it.”

“Wait. What?” Gale looked at the letter.

Gale picked up the letter and opened it. Lance sat down as he filled with panic. Gale cleared his throat and read the letter aloud.

/My dear friends, /

/I am truly sorry for leaving you like this, but after Gale talked to me about my possible actions. I must seek out the answers that I know both of you will not have the answers to. These answers are both internal and far from reach—that’s the best I can explain it./

/I can’t tell when I will return to you, but please continue searching for Luna in my stead as I will return after I find my answers. I do worry as I leave your company, and I wish I could stay. But I fear for your safety if I turn against you. I could always feel it near but never knew what it was till our chat last night. Please forgive me. /

/Your good friend, Lovell/

Gale gripped the letter after he finished reading the contents.

 “You fool.” Gale choked as tears rushed down his face.

“Are we going after him?” Lance asked.

Gale looked up at Lance and shook his head. “No, this is something he has never thought to figure out or was taught to understand. If we were to follow him, we would only cause him trouble. Besides, this is the only way we can help him find his path. He’s lost and needs to find his way back to himself. He is lost in the dark right now and needs to find the light to guide him back to us. From what I can understand from his letter, he feels if he stays with us, he might attack us without knowing friend from foe.”

Gale tried to reinsure Lance by letting him go away was the right choice. If not, the hard one. Lance groaned at the idea as Margret and Henry looked at each other, not saying a word, knowing that it was not their place.

“Gale, how will we know if we find Luna?”

Margret walked over and put her hand on Lance’s shoulder. “You will know. She is a Silvauna, they are maybe five or six left, and she is one of them. Plus, if you see a pair of them, it is more likely that it is her. Plus, she might be back in town for the festival, who knows?”

Gale nodded as Lance remembered the festival. Lance jumped for joy as if nothing terrible had happened, but Gale knew it was a comping tool Lance developed after they met. The four of them headed out to the festival as planned that day. Gale was trying not to worry about Lovell as they walked out the door.

As the day dragged on, Gale glanced around and noticed a young woman matching Lovell’s description of Luna in the crowd. Gale seeing that she was alone. Gale decided to take a chance and took a deep breath. Then Gale called out the name Luna. The woman perked up and looked around, seeing who had called her name. Gale noticed that it was her! Gale then rushed over to her, leaving Lance behind.

Gale shoved his way to her and reached the woman as she was looked away from him. Gale reached out his hand and grabbed her arm. The woman turned around, staring at him. AS if she was a deer staring down her hunter. Gale stared at her, what seemed like hours before opening his mouth.

“Luna—Lunatica?” Gale asked as she turned ghost white and stepped back.

“Ye-yes, and who are you, and how do you know who I am?” Luna’s fearful expression was begging her to run.

Gale smiled as he let Luna go. Lance raced over as Gale stood in front of a frightened Luna.

“Sorry about that. I am Gale, my friend racing over his lance, and we had on other with us who was searching for you. His name is not that important right now, but the three of us are—” Being vague of Lovell as her champion.

“What do you mean? What is his name? Please tell me?” Luna asked while she felt some relief.

Gale glanced around to see if any  Faremin soldiers were near before leaning into her ear.

 “Milady Lunatica, This is not the place to ask those questions.” He whispered, knowing that the enemy was maybe also searching for her.

 Gale stood up and noticed some Faremin guards to his left taking. Gale then looked over to see Luna’s eyes filled with a million questions—looking around. Gale noticed that an alleyway was clear.

 “It’s not safe to talk here. Let’s find somewhere more private to chat on the matter.” Gale noted as she nodded. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the alley with Lance right behind them.

A young man with silver hair watched them form a distance. As they went off to talk, he moved in to see where she was going. Once they reached the alleyway. The man stood in front of the entrance and kept an eye out for the Faremin. In comparison, keeping an ear on them. Gale told Luna of who he and Lance were and then told her about Lovell. And how he had left late last night.

“So, his name is Lovell.” Luna smiled as she thought of know his name. “Do you know when Lovell will return? OR what is going on here? Fang told me that it might be good to return and see my family?”

Gale shook his head as he pulled out the letter from Lovell. Then handed it to Luna.

“Sorry, but Lovell said that he would find us. Once he has found his way, Lovell feels he needs to find a way to block the darkness within himself to keep everyone safe.” She took the letter reading every word. “Lovell also told us he saved your life  about twenty years ago.”

She looked up, learning that he was so close, all those years ago. Gale continued to tell her what he knew of Lovell, from what Lovell said about himself. Tears ran down as she filled with joy and sadness of who Lovell was to her.

Fang walked down the alleyway and gripped Gale's shoulder, “Lovell might have the first signs of Darkness Fever. A curse on the land created by Lord Demora.”

Gale turned pale as Lance stepped back. “Wait, that is real?”

“We need to keep moving. With so many Faremin here, they might find me,” Luna cut in as she looked around. “and I hope for the best in Lovell’s journey. I hope we can cross paths soon. But we must search for the last three. I can sense them within the Gold Heart Empire.”

            Luna turned to the north as Fang let Gale go and leading the way. Luna glanced at Gale and Lance as they nodded. Show that they had their stuff on hand. Luna smiled gingerly as the group walked north to the Gold Heart Empire.