Eternal Forest [Episode 20]
The 5th Compass | Book Two [1,014 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.
As the night wore on, exhaustion settled in to the weary travelers. Jynx, having been through less of a journey than they all had, offered to keep watch over them all while they slept. None gave him an argument on his offer, and everyone retired below decks to sleep.
Jynx held the compass in one hand and the wheel in the other, navigating it slowly as he enjoyed the stillness of the sea. He became so transfixed by it that he did not notice when Nelle appeared, as if out of nowhere, next to him.
“You love the sea, but you love your family more.” He jumped back from fright, almost dropping the compass.
“Are you mad? You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that,” he said, regaining his composure and his place at the wheel.
“I need you to do me a favor,” she said.
“A favor? What favor could you possibly need me to do from this ship? You have your body back and presumably your powers. Whatever you need done, I’m sure you can do it yourself.”
“I need you to go back.”
Jynx jaw fell at her request. “You want me to go back to the dungeon? Surely, they all know I’ve escaped, again, and will not greet me as warmly as they did the first time.”
“I need you to find a man by the name of Woodvale,” she started, until she noticed Jynx’ eyes shift when she mentioned the name of Woodvale. “Ah, you’ve met him already?”
“I may have met the man, yes. What is it to you?”
“I need you to deliver a message to him. It’s very important that he get this message. All our lives may depend on it. Do you understand?”
“No, I don’t understand and I won’t do it. I risked my life to bring you your body, knowing I would never be able to go back and give my family the money they are relying on me to provide. Now, you’re asking me to go back and possibly face execution so that I can deliver some message to Woodvale. You’re as crazy as he is.”
“Crazy? Woodvale is not crazy. He is a genius. Are you sure the man you met was the Woodvale? Perhaps it wasn’t. Could it be that he’s dead?” she asked rhetorically.
“I have already met the man. He is the reason I was able to escape.”
“He helps you escape and yet you doubt the man’s genius? If I know Woodvale, I bet he helped you in such a way that if you wanted to you could go right back and no one would know you were gone.”
Jynx thought about what she was saying and he knew she was right. He had agreed to go on this mission to bring Nelle back her body, only if he would be able to return without anyone noticing he had gone. He assumed his returning was out of the question when they left shore and had resigned himself to this realization already. “How would I get back to shore?” he asked her, knowing already that there were no smaller boats tied somewhere to this one.
“On this perhaps?” Nelle answered, snapping her fingers and pointing off the side of the ship. Jynx looked over and saw a small boat bobbing in the water where he knew one never was.
“What’s the message?” he asked, defeated. A small part of him did wish to return to the king and hopefully get himself out of the dungeon and back in the royal army. He considered Daxton to be his friend, and would consider himself lucky if Daxton felt the same way, however, he had a family to think about who were depending on him. He had to go back.
“Tell Woodvale these exact words, The Chosen One is Born.” Her eyes grew wide with excitement as she said those words, as if they should have an impact on Jynx the way they did on her, but he just stared at her blankly; confused.
“Is that it?” He was unimpressed by the message.
“Perhaps my delivery wasn’t as good as it could have been, but trust me, it is probably the most important message you will ever pass on in your life.”
“Who’s this ‘Chosen One’ anyway?” Jynx asked. Although it didn’t sound exciting, he was still curious to know who it was and why it was so important that Woodvale know.
“Who, is of little consequence. What matters is that he’s told this person is finally here. He’ll know what must be done next. I’m counting on you Jynx, and the fate of the world is counting on you as well.”
“I have a feeling you’re making this out to be more than it is. Not necessary.” Jynx secured a sword he stole from the castle, around his waist and prepared to climb down to the awaiting boat. “Give my regards to Daxton, will you? And tell him… Tell him I hope we’ll meet again, under less dangerous circumstances.”
Nelle waited till he reached the bottom before calling out to him for what she felt would be the last time. “Jynx, you will accomplish great things. Do not waste this life, embrace it.”
He cocked his head to the side at her comment, not sure how to take it. Even she found herself unsure of why she spoke those words, but something inside her felt they needed to be said. She gave him a half-hearted wave and a smile as he grabbed both oars and began to paddle. She waited till he was a safe distance away, where no one on the steamship could hear, and with a flick of her finger she sent the boat Jynx sat on sailing at top speed back towards shore.
He was not expecting such a jolt of speed and fell backwards in the boat as it bounced atop the waters from the force. Within minutes the smile on her face grew wider as she heard him curse her name aloud; he reached land.