Eternal Forest [Episode 12]
The 5th Compass | Book Two [2,499 words]
The Eternal Forest is the second book in The 5th Compass series. Daxton and his best friend, Barton, are looking for the other compasses while fending off an immortal foe. Nelle takes Adelaide under her wing, to help her develop her untapped power. Meanwhile, the most hated pirate in all of Stonehaven must decide whether to stand and fight or flee from the Paragon. This book delves into the life of the Paragon and the many lives it touches and destroys.
Die? This was not something Stephan would never have considered when he offered to help Woodvale to find the one person who could unite both the gifted and the non-gifted. To think the piece of paper he held in his hands contained words that could do both harm and good gave him chills down his spine.
“Why would you ask me to read something that could take your life?”
“Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of time to explain it all to you. Someday, when you are older, you might understand, but for now I just ask that you trust me. When you enter the Eternal Forest, speak to no one. Go straight for the center and speak these words. I doubt you will make it there before nightfall, but if you do, wait till sunrise. I should be far enough away by then.”
Woodvale lifted his hood once more and put out his hand for Stephan to shake. He grasped it firmly, and they both looked into each other’s eyes. For the first time, Stephan felt like someone truly cared about him and wanted him to succeed. Stephan wanted to succeed for Woodvale. He had longed for just one opportunity to prove himself capable of doing great things and this was his chance. Part of him wanted Woodvale to stay and answer his many questions, but he knew lives were at stake and he needed to at least appear fearless.
With a wink and a nod, Woodvale turned on his heels and headed back in the direction they had just come from. Stephan could only guess where he was headed. He doubted he would go back to the village just below the Hollow Mountain. Surely, he would be captured and imprisoned till they saw fit to hang him or burn him at the stake like Stephan had been told happened to those associated with Woodvale Academy.
Woodvale was likely going to travel the long way around that village and head to Malithorn. It was not a place anyone with wits about them and money in their pockets would ever venture, but it is the ideal place for anyone to hide. Even the most notorious killer would not be sought after in Malithorn. The hunter would likely consider the mission a failure if there were even a chance their prey made it within the walls of Malithorn.
Stephan knew Woodvale to be very charming and cunning. He would have no trouble breaching its walls and buying whatever he needed in order to continue his journey. For no man who was not born in Malithorn would ever wish to stay there. If Stephan were correct in his guess, Woodvale would want to seek passage on a boat that would take him to the Glimmerwood and from there he would find refuge through the Glimmer Pass to Emberglen; the Woodvale Academy stronghold.
Stephan had not heard much of Emberglen or of its stronghold. That kind of information was for the older students and Elders only. And Stephan still had many years to go before then. What he learned came from Professor Engle, but even he was hesitant to say too much about it. Just that Emberglen was the safest place for any Academy member.
It wasn’t until he stopped to think where Woodvale would be traveling that he realized he never told him what he should do after he’s read the words? Should he go to Emberglen as well? Stephan kicked the dirt, angry at himself for not thinking to ask these questions. He resolved to make his way to Emberglen after he did what he was asked and hoped to see Woodvale then.
The Eternal Forest did not appear as frightening from this vantage point, but he had never been this close to it before. No one had ever truly been able to confirm or deny all the rumors told about what lives within. Many claimed to have seen the knonn with their own eyes and managed to escape to tell the tale, but no two accounts of their features or behavior are the same. As far as Stephan was concerned, nothing he had heard could be trusted.
He gulped and took his first steps towards the Eternal Forest, looking up to the dragon goddess and whispering a silent prayer of help as he got closer. Zoldir was not known for granting the small wishes of man, but that did not stop them from praying to her, especially as those who are gifted owe those very gifts to a dragon.
A strong wind whipped through him, pushing him back from the forest, as if trying to keep him from entering. He shielded his eyes with his arm from the leaves and dust that surrounded him. It became so severe he had to get down on his hands and knees, afraid this wind would lift him into the air with its force. After a few minutes, it subsided, and the sound of birds chirping could be heard in the distance. He waited till he caught his breath before lowering his arm slightly and peeking out over it. Nothing appeared to have changed, except he was completely covered in dirt and leaves.
He laughed at himself for being afraid of the wind as he brushed the dirt and leaves off of him. The sound of hooves in the distance caused him to stand upright and his head to snap back in its general direction. He could not see it but he heard it clear enough and knew the general direction it was coming from. He looked around and unfortunately, his only source of shelter were the trees that lined the perimeter of the forest. He did not want this to be the way he was forced inside but he had no choice. He could not take the chance that the rider could be someone sent to search for him from the village where he and Woodvale had made their escape.
Curiosity told him to at least keep watch to see who it was as he considered the possibility of Aranaeia. He hated leaving her the way he did, and even though he trusted Woodvale, something deep inside told him not to tell Woodvale that Aranaeia was with him.
The horse came galloping towards him from a distance and he could tell instantly there was no rider upon it. This was strange. The horse appeared well groomed and fed. Its color was a deep brown with a white mane and tail. It came to a stop a few feet from where Stephan hid behind a tree and looked right at him, whinnying as if to get his attention. It raised its front hooves and slammed them down aggressively, getting louder, as if frustrated that Stephan was not coming out of hiding.
Afraid someone might hear the horse and attempt to discover what was wrong, he stepped out of hiding from behind the tree and approached the horse with his hands raised in front of him to calm it.
“Steady on, girl. Steady on. Are you here alone?”
The horse lowered its head to Stephan, so he could touch his mane and would know it was friendly. He patted the horse's head and looked around. He could tell he was being watched but by whom? There was a saddle on the horse which told him it belonged to someone. A horse this beautiful would not be let out of sight of anyone. But he did not want to risk being killed by whoever might watch and continued to stroke the horse’s mane playfully.
“Who is out there?”
Stephan circled round the horse to block his view from whoever watched him. His mind raced, thinking of a plan but none leapt to mind. So, he shouted.
“WHO GOES THERE? SHOW YOURSELF BEFORE I KILL YOUR HORSE!”
Stephan had no weapon to speak of nor did he have the stomach to kill anything; animal or human. But whoever watched him had no way of knowing this, or did they?
“Amos sent me. No need to ‘arm me ‘orse.”
As if carried on the wind a boy came down from the sky and landed beside Stephan, frightening him to the ground. He had seen students take flight before, but never as skillfully as this boy had done it. The boy stood in front of him. The sun shone brightly behind him, making it difficult for Stephan to get a good look at him. All he could see was the ridiculous way he stood with his hands on his hips as if waiting for applause over his expert landing.
“Did I scare ye, boy? Amos said ye was skittish, he did not mention ye would be scrawny, too. Need a ‘and?” He reached a hand out to help Stephan up, but he did not take it. Instead, he scrambled to his feet, this time getting a better look and nearly laughed in disbelief. It was a boy. Likely several years younger than Stephan.
“Who is Amos? And why has he sent you after me?”
The boy raised an eyebrow. “Ye be Stephan?” Stephan nodded. “Ah, ‘pologies, boy. Ye might know Amos best as Engle.”
“Professor Engle? He sent you after me? Why? Have you seen him? Is he alive?”
“Easy there, boy. Too many questions. I can answer some, but the other’s even I do not know. I saw Amos, yes. But twas night before last. ‘e was worried for yer life. When Amos needs help, he calls on me, Twiggins. ‘e says follow you. Watch out for you. And if you are ever in danger, help. An’ ‘fore you ask me, I don’t know if Amos lives. I saw the fire same as you. Unlike you, I didn’t know I could’ve saved ‘em all, otherwise I would ‘ave.”
Twiggins averted his eyes, knowing his words would sting, and they did, but Stephan had heard them before from someone whose opinion mattered more. He did not know who this Twiggins was or even if he could be trusted. He had never seen him before at the Academy, so where had he been all this time and why hadn’t Professor Engle mentioned him before? Why would he send a child to look after him, did he not think Stephan was capable of taking care of himself?
“How do I know you’re telling the truth? Professor Engle never told me about you and I’ve never seen you before in my life.”
Twiggins attended to his horse, pulling some feed from a bag he wore slung across his shoulder.
“You ain’t never seen me ‘fore cause I’m too wild to be school taught. At least that’s what ole Amos always used to say to me. But ‘e saw potential in me, ‘e did. Not like that Woodvale. No, when Amos found me ‘e continued to teach me even against ‘is wishes.” He stuck his chin out in the direction Woodvale had traveled earlier. “I know I’m young, but Amos always said it’s not age that makes me gifted, it’s my desire.”
Stephan had heard enough. The words Twiggins spoke resonated with him because he had heard them spoken to him before, from Professor Engle. He felt it was impossible he could have heard them from anyone else. Clearly, he was being taught in secret and against Woodvale’s wishes. But why? Stephan could see no reason to deny someone who seemed to be as gifted as Twiggins admittance into Woodvale Academy, which was expected to turn no one away who exhibited even the slightest bit of magic. Perhaps Woodvale had his reasons and Stephan should be weary of him as well?
“If you can fly, why the horse?”
Stephan did not like the idea of being followed, but now that Twiggins had shown himself he saw no harm in the boy keeping him company, as a distraction, if for no other reason.
“The ‘orse is my friend. She’s the only one I got. ‘Sides Amos of course. Mind if I ask you a question?”
“No. What is it?”
“Ye ‘aven’t mentioned once what I am. Why not?”
Stephan had noticed Twiggins was a spraun but as he had never met one in person, he thought it rude to point out his size, though he was curious.
“I’ve never met a spraun before. I’m sure you probably get asked what it’s like, a lot. Right now, I’m more concerned about going in there.” Stephan pointed back towards the Eternal Forest and it made Twiggins horse whinny loudly, taking a few steps back. “Exactly how I feel. But I promised Woodvale.”
At the mention of Woodvale’s name, Twiggins face changed from a state of happiness and wonder to a state of anger. It was no mystery to Twiggins how Woodvale felt about him and specifically his kind. It was the reason why he was never admitted into the Academy, but it did not stop him from receiving secret lessons from his friend, Amos.
According to Woodvale, sprauns were incapable of learning to control magic and he felt it would be too dangerous to teach them how. Sprauns are quite small, standing at barely three feet tall, and when they are born they have the ability to fly. It is the only real magical ability they have, that and their speed. But as there are so few of them, most sprauns are believed to be more of a myth than real. It has also been known that to see one and capture one can lead to a prosperous life.
Stephan knew of the tales surrounding sprauns but he was not about to capture this spraun who may very well turn out to be a friend of Professor Engle’s.
“Now that you have shown yourself, will you be going with me in there?”
Twiggins looked to the sky as he contemplated an answer. He then flew up into the air quick as lightning. Stephan tried to follow him with his eyes but lost him quickly as he flew in the direction where the sun was beating down the brightest, causing him to shield his eyes. The next second, Twiggins landed behind Stephan. His feet planted firmly on the ground.
“I will go with you. I think it is what Amos would have wanted me to do. Are you going in there to do as Woodvale asked you to do?”
“I don’t know. What do you think I should do?”
“I would not do it. A man like Woodvale is hard to trust as well as understand. Perhaps you will find your answers inside.”
Stephan reasoned he might be right and started walking towards the Eternal Forest. This time he walked with his head held high, unafraid of what was to come because he had someone with him. Whether Twiggins was a friend or foe was something he would have to figure out the answer to later. All that mattered was he was not alone anymore.