Eternal Forest [Episode 18]
The 5th Compass | Book Two [1,566 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.
General Corwinn struggled with leaving the Paragon where he lay, on the cold, wet, ground, but knew it would not do him any good. Eventually, he would wake up and General Corwinn would have to explain what happened. He needed to protect his son and the friends he was on the run with for as long as he could and the only way to do that would be to stay by the Paragon’s side, even though he knew it could end up costing him his life.
He knelt beside the Paragon and wondered how it was this man commanded so much power? Lying on the ground he looked weak and harmless, yet he could kill any man he wanted by just looking at him. General Corwinn touched the hilt of a dagger he kept hidden away in his boot and wondered if he would be able to slit his throat fast enough. He lifted the dagger slowly above his head. How easy it would be to end this monster’s life and save the lives of many, but he took too long to put his mind to it.
“What happened?” the Paragon asked, stirring himself awake. He looked up at Corwinn in a haze of confusion and for a moment he looked almost human with frailty. He saw the look of surprise in his partners face and stood quickly, the shame of having been seen in such a state gave him newfound energy. “Get up, you fool. While we stand around here, those children run further and further away with that girl. I must have her.”
“You mean the compass, do you not?” General Corwinn asked, eyeing the Paragon suspiciously.
Realizing he was being observed, he tried to correct his slip. “Of course I mean the compass. I’m sure that girl still has it. We find her, we will find it as well.” Without waiting for General Corwinn to make haste, he began to look on the ground for footprints.
“Why don’t you just use some spell or something to tell us where they’ve gone?”
“Because whoever hit me over the head has still left me a bit disoriented. I cannot trust myself to lead us in the right direction. Do you know who it was who struck me from behind?” the Paragon asked.
“No, I had started to run after them when I turned back to see you were on the ground. I stopped chasing them and thought it best to revive you instead.” General Corwinn hoped his lie would serve to make their relationship last longer. He knew this monster had one goal, to destroy Captain Silverblade, and that to do it, he’d need to acquire the Compasses containing her soul by any means necessary. Corwinn just needed to make sure that did not involve the need to kill him in the process. His son was out there traveling with the very boy who stood in the way of the Paragon completing the reason why he was summoned. They were at odds with each other now, but he would not let their fighting stop him from doing all he could to save his son's life.
“You are a bigger fool than I thought. You should have left me and continued in pursuit of them. Now because of you, we could be more than a day’s journey behind them.” General Corwinn stayed watching him search aimlessly at the ground for footprints. He was not proficient in tracking or he’d know the rain storm that transpired over their heads earlier would make it near impossible to uncover any viable tracks. “Why do you continue to stare at me? Find us a ship and a crew and see that you don’t screw this up.”
General Corwinn debated whether he should instruct him on how to properly track them, not by footprints, but by broken branches and other methods not gleaned from the ground, but thought it best to do as he was told instead. Perhaps letting the Paragon take the lead would give his son the separation they needed. He stomped away through the mud that lingered as the sun began to set and he thanks the gods for small miracles. With the setting of the sun meant the Paragon would be even less able to see the ground and footprints he continued to search for as General Corwinn walked off down the road.
He walked for several miles before he came to a village where he promptly went to work on his task to find a ship and some men. At a local tavern further inland, he heard the sounds of rowdy drunken men and knew he found exactly what he needed. He would later explain to the Paragon that these were the only men he could find in such short notice who were willing to take up arms in the king’s royal army. Of course, General Corwinn knew he’d have to make his presence known to these drunkards and hope they’d be forthcoming to his request. Being someone who once lived among them, having fallen from the good graces of the king long ago, he knew well how much they loathed and despised him and any who wore the king’s colors, to their back.
It was unusual for a member of the royal army to travel alone into such a town because of their reputation. And in fact, it was he who made it a direct order that no man in the royal army was to travel anywhere outside of the king’s castle alone. This was for their own protection.
He squared his shoulders and took the cape he wore to conceal the royal colors off before marching through the swinging doors into the tavern. A few of the men recognized him right away and smiled broadly, as they had not seen him around this part of town in a long time.
Shortly after Corwinn was stripped of his title within the royal army, he did not dare go home. Instead, he traveled the countryside, from tavern to tavern, building himself a new reputation of drunk and unruly conduct. It was in a tavern similar to this one that he met Krieger, the man who remembered Corwinn back when he was a great fighter, and would become his lifelong friend. Krieger was the only former member of the royal army who anyone respected after he was thrown out for drinking too much. Once he took Corwinn under his wing, he became liked by association alone. But Krieger died many years ago from drinking too much and would not be here to provide the protection now General Corwinn felt he needed.
One of the men who recognized him stepped away from the bar and stood his ground. “How dare you come here?” Other men noticing the confrontation grew silent. The man began to laugh as he took a good look at Corwinn standing before him. “If Krieger could see you now. It’s a good thing he’s dead. The sight of you might’ve killed him!” The other men joined in on the laughter as well.
“Silence,” General Corwinn shouted, getting all of their attention. He was tired of being laughed at and he knew he would incur the wrath of the Paragon if he did not bring men with him quickly. “Krieger would’ve been proud of what I have become. If he had a choice to live healthier as a member of the royal army with me or die, fat and penniless, he would’ve chosen this clothing. Yet, here you all sit, following in his footsteps. It is the sight of you that would’ve killed him.” He took a step back as the men he insulted gathered round him in anger. “But I am here to offer assistance. To help you undo the miserable lives you find yourselves stuck in and give you some purpose.” His voice stammered slightly, but even he couldn’t believe the words he spoke to them. Even though he led them all to their certain death, he knew Krieger would’ve been proud of his heartfelt intent to help these men not die in the gutter, but with the sword in hand, in battle.
They listened to him make a grand speech of honor and loyalty. And he told them if Krieger were alive today he would be there with him, telling them the same thing. They agreed with every word he said and before he left the tavern that night he had almost every able-bodied man leave their tankard of ale and follow him into the dark unknown.
One man who followed him knew of where they could find a ship large enough for the journey. “Except, I know this man, and he will not accept coin. Perhaps there is something else you’d be willing to part with?”
“What did you have in mind?” General Corwinn asked. He did not want to risk the Paragon taking matters into his own hands and killing an innocent person.
“Name’s Dimitri and the ship I speak of is mine.”
General Corwinn eyed him suspiciously. “How do you happen to have a ship?” This man did not seem wealthy nor of royal blood.
“Let’s just say I inherited this ship from a great uncle,” Dimitri said, a smile spreading across his lips as the two shook hands. “I’m sure you and I can come to some mutual agreement.”