The Guardians Of The Stone
866 Words
Chapter 42
Zahren’s breathing had finally begun to settle.
For days, the fever had consumed him, leaving his body weak and his mind clouded. But that morning, something had changed.
The sweat covering his body had stopped.
His fever had finally broken.
Zahren slowly opened his eyes and looked toward Gorak, who was sitting nearby sharpening his weapon.
“Gorak,” Zahren said weakly.
Gorak immediately looked over.
“You’re awake.”
Zahren slowly pushed himself upright.
“We can’t let my illness slow us down any further. You need to send a team ahead. The Tide Stone could be waiting somewhere beyond this cave. You should retrieve it while the trail is still fresh.”
Gorak stared at him for a moment before shaking his head.
“No.”
Zahren frowned.
“No?”
“You are not staying behind.”
Zahren looked at him with surprise.
Gorak stepped closer.
“You are one of us now, Zahren. We will not leave you behind.”
Kaela, who had been preparing her weapons nearby, looked toward Zahren.
“He’s right.”
She stepped forward and placed her weapon against her side.
“We may have once been enemies, but that doesn’t matter anymore. You fought beside us. You trusted us, and we trusted you.”
One by one, the other warriors gathered around Zahren.
The message was clear.
He was no longer alone.
Zahren looked around at them, his expression slowly changing.
For the first time in his life, he realized that the people standing around him weren’t looking at him as their enemy.
They were looking at him as one of their own.
A small smile appeared across his face.
“Then I suppose I have no choice but to get stronger.”
Gorak smiled.
“That’s the spirit.”
With his strength slowly returning, Zahren was finally able to sit up and eat on his own. Eron watched carefully as Zahren finished his meal, relieved to see the color returning to his face.
But their moment of peace didn’t last long.
CLANG!
A sound trap somewhere outside the camp suddenly went off.
Every warrior froze.
Hands immediately tightened around weapons.
Gorak stood.
Kaela reached for her blade.
The warriors quickly formed a circle around Zahren, keeping the injured former king protected in the center.
Then they heard it.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Something was approaching through the darkness.
One of the warriors whispered,
“Something’s coming.”
Everyone prepared themselves.
Suddenly, a body came flying from the darkness.
It slammed onto the ground at their feet.
It was their scout.
The warrior who had left hours earlier to check the traps.
Kaela’s eyes widened.
“Get ready!”
Two enormous figures emerged from the darkness.
They were towering creatures made of stone and muscle.
Rock trolls.
Their massive bodies nearly filled the passageway, their jagged claws and enormous teeth illuminated by the dim cave light.
One of them stepped forward.
Its deep voice echoed through the chamber.
“Why have you intruded into our cave?”
The warriors raised their weapons.
The troll growled.
“Explain yourselves before we are forced to end you.”
Gorak stepped forward.
But before he could speak, Zahren slowly rose from where he sat.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at him.
Zahren stepped forward.
“We aren’t here to harm you.”
The trolls stared at him.
“We are searching for the Tide Stone.”
The expression on the trolls’ faces immediately changed.
Zahren continued.
“We discovered ancient writings describing a creature hidden beneath the ocean surrounding Ar’Zul. A creature powerful enough to destroy this entire island.”
The trolls remained silent.
“The Snake Clan sought the Tide Stone because I believed it could be used to awaken and control that creature.”
Zahren lowered his head.
“I was wrong.”
He looked toward Gorak and Kaela.
“I nearly destroyed everything trying to obtain it.”
The trolls exchanged glances.
Zahren continued.
“But the ancient text contains more clues. We don’t know everything about the stone or the creature. That’s why we’re here.”
The trolls slowly lowered their weapons.
One of them spoke.
“So… your clans finally put aside their differences.”
The other troll nodded.
“Like your ancestors should have.”
Gorak looked at Kaela.
Kaela looked back at him.
The first troll stepped forward.
“We know of the Tide Stone.”
Everyone became silent.
“And we know of the beast.”
The troll’s eyes moved across the group.
“You have entered a place few have ever found.”
He slowly raised one massive hand toward the darkness beyond them.
“And if you truly seek the truth about the stone and the creature beneath the sea…”
The troll paused.
“Then you must first learn where they came from.”
Zahren’s eyes widened.
The warriors lowered their weapons.
For the first time since entering the northern jungle, they realized they might have finally found someone who knew the truth.
And the rock trolls were about to reveal the ancient origins of the Tide Stone… and the terrifying beast waiting beneath the waters of Ar’Zul.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD