Eternal Forest [Episode 23]
The 5th Compass | Book Two [2,493 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.
“Land ho.”
Not long after their altercation with the SS Hannah and Captain Baptiste did they discover the compass was leading them towards a faraway land. From a distance, they could see the peaks and valleys were ashen and wasted away. Unlike Gaspar or even Ebonthorn, this place looked like there was nothing alive for miles.
A sight like the one they witnessed would put fear into anyone, but their blood did not run cold till they saw a pirate ship a fair distance from where they were pulling in. With a shoreline that had no docks for any ship to port, the pirate ship was pulled ashore and held down with spokes in the sun-baked sand.
“Do you think anyone is on it?” Adelaide asked Wendynn, who was looking through a spyglass to see if it was a pirate ship he’d recognize.
“It looks to be deserted, but pirates would always leave someone behind to guard the ship. Perhaps they are keeping watch from somewhere on board.” He located the flag, but with a lack of wind he could not verify if it bore the mark of Captain Silverblade or not.
At the wheel of the steamship, Nelle was still navigating, especially with Jynx having left the night before. With all the commotion, no one mentioned his disappearance, and she was glad for it. She was still trying to think of a reason for his departure that they would believe and she could sell, but nothing was coming to her. They already know about Adelaide’s ability, but she could not risk them knowing any more than that.
“Where is Jynx?” Daxton asked, approaching Nelle with Barton in tow. She was deep in thought and did not feel them standing over her.
“Jynx? He left last night. He’s got his family to think about you know? They’re depending on him and we both felt he was skillful enough to sneak back into the castle.”
“So, you let him leave, just like that? What if he were caught and tortured for information?” Barton asked. He could not believe Nelle would just let Jynx go back, as small and unskilled as she knew he was. Her eyes shifted away from his as she delivered an answer he found hard to believe.
“He’ll be safe, trust me. Besides, you know Jynx, I wouldn’t have been able to stop him. He had his heart set on being a member of the royal army,” Nelle explained. She couldn’t tell by their expressions if they believed her. “I think we should pull into shore as far away from that pirate ship as possible, just in case. We can decide where that bewitched compass of yours wants us to go later. Right now, I think finding a place a bit more civilized to sit and eat than this thing is in order.”
She spun the ship's wheel quickly, making it veer to the right. It tipped sending everyone almost to the ground. They all grabbed onto something quickly and she smiled her apologies to them.
A few feet from the shoreline, Wendynn grabbed several ropes attached to the bow of the ship and tossed one to Daxton and Barton and directed them to follow him overboard. They trudged through the waist high water onto the sand and proceeded to pull it onto shore. They then stuck posts in the ground and tied ropes around them to prevent it from drifting back out to sea.
“It looks like the compass wants us to explore the pirate ship,” Daxton said, checking the compass to see it was in fact pointing towards the ship.
They gathered what little belongings they had with them, in case they wouldn’t be back this way again, and headed towards the ship. The walk from their steamship to the pirate’s vessel was longer than they had anticipated. Wendynn began behaving suspiciously, slowing down and cocking his head to the side, as if listening for something only he could hear. The others, except Nelle, ignored him. She took up the rear of the group to watch them, especially him. She was not satisfied with his answer for why he was no longer at Captain Silverblade’s side and felt he was not to be trusted. As she explored in her mind the many reasons why he could be lying to her about what happened to him he turned abruptly and grabbed her arm tightly, putting a finger to his lips to silence her.
“Don’t look now, but I think we’re being followed,” he whispered in her ear. She studied his face as he signaled the intruder was behind them. She wanted to turn and see for herself but he gripped her arm even tighter as she attempted to turn. The others realized Nelle and Wendynn weren’t right behind them anymore and they doubled back.
“Are we lost?” Adelaide asked. “Why have you stopped?”
Without hesitation, Wendynn grabbed the bow Daxton kept slung over his shoulder and an arrow from his quiver. He released it into the woods, seemingly at nothing, before anyone could react.
They heard a loud yelp come from the direction the arrow flew and they looked back at Wendynn in surprise. They followed him a few feet into the brush and found an elderly man in tattered robes. He wore an unkempt beard upon his chin and a woolen cap upon his head covered in sweat stains. He eyes were squeezed shut in pain and he took slow breaths as they surrounded him.
“Would you mind removing your arrow from my person?” he asked through gritted teeth. “What did you shoot me for, anyway? You must’ve known I was no threat to you?”
“Who are you?” Wendynn asked, not moving one step further to acquiesce to his request.
“My name is Kenric. I am in charge around here and I demand you remove this,” he ordered. Everyone shrugged at each other in confusion. The arrow clearly entered his thigh but aside from the blood slowly trickling from the wound he did not appear to be in any real pain. And though his face was contorted in what was meant to convey agony, none of them bought the lie he was trying to sell.
“Why aren’t you in pain?” Nelle asked. She had a feeling she knew the answer. He must be a former Woodvale Academy student, hiding himself here. But she’d never come across more than one gifted person at a time, even though one of them wasn’t aware of her abilities yet and had probably never heard of Woodvale Academy. Nelle sensed this encounter was not happenstance but destiny yet again taking hold of Daxton and what he was meant to do.
Wendynn shrugged his shoulders, convinced Kenric would pose no real threat or harm to them he yanked the arrow from his knee. Kenric did not scream out in pain. He felt it would’ve been a waste since his secret was discovered. He hadn’t had to put on a performance like this in so long he forgot his training from his days at Woodvale Academy. If his professor could see him now, he’d be highly disappointed. “Answer her question.”
Kenric looked at Nelle and from the look in her eye he could tell she managed to figure it all out on her own. But how? Only someone who’d attended Woodvale Academy would know of its existence. Could it be possible, that after decades of living in this place he’d found someone else just like him? “From the look in her eye I’d say my explanations are unnecessary.”
Everyone turned back to look at Nelle. “He’s correct. If I’m not mistaken I’d say he suffers from Excrusia.”
“What’s that?” Adelaide asked fascinated.
“Is it contagious?” Barton asked, backing away slowly.
“It’s when you can’t feel pain. Very rare actually. I don’t recall ever meeting someone with Excrusia before.”
“Why do you say ‘suffers’? If I couldn’t feel pain I’d think that would be great,” Daxton replied.
“Therein lies the ignorance of man,” Kenric stated. “Excrusia, young man, is classified as a curse among my kind because not being able to feel pain does not mean it cannot still be inflicted upon me. I would think the act of cutting off one of my limbs would be just as painful and life changing whether I felt it or not. Wouldn’t you?”
Daxton’s jaw fell open at the thought of losing his hand and he gulped loudly, his mouth suddenly dry. “I see what you mean.”
“Where are we old man?” Wendynn asked, not wishing to stand around all day discussing something that couldn’t possibly help their situation.
“You’re in the Burning Borderlands. We don’t get many visitors; therefore, I demand you leave,” Kenric shouted, till Wendynn glared at him and he changed his tone. “Please?”
“I’m afraid, Kenric, we cannot leave.”
“Oh, but you must. It will be getting dark soon and with Captain Spire here with his pirates as always, we just don’t have any place for you to stay. You see, you’ll never survive the night.” He whispered that last part which started to creep Barton out.
“Do we have to stand around here and listen to him? I think he’s been out in the sun too long,” Barton said, trying to insinuate Kenric was crazy.
“Who did you say was the captain of that ship?” Wendynn asked, pointing in the direction he knew the pirate ship was still lying in wait.
“Captain Spire. Why?”
Wendynn took several steps away from them all and began to curse the heavens, stamping his feet and flailing his arms about. This made Kenric become even more nervous. “Is he alright?”
“He knows Captain Spire, you see. They don’t get along very well.” Hearing this bit of information made Kenric light up with excitement.
“He doesn’t like him, you say? Does he hate him enough to make him leave?” Kenric steepled his fingers in front of his mouth in anticipation of Nelle’s answer.
Wendynn walked back to the group, trying to remain calm and composed. “NO!” he shouted so loudly Kenric yelped and jumped backwards. “I think it’s best we leave this place immediately, or I’m liable to kill him,” Wendynn pleaded with Nelle.
“The decision is not mine to make,” she replied, looking to Daxton.
He looked down at his compass which still pointed towards the pirate ship. He didn’t know Wendynn very well, but he could tell when he was angry and knew it must be because this Captain Spire was the one who stranded him in Malithorn. He sympathized with Wendynn, but he also needed to find out where the compass was leading him.
“I’m going to the ship. You don’t have to come with us if you don’t want to. We’d understand,” Daxton said. He felt sorry for Wendynn and appreciated how much he was trying to keep his calm, knowing the man who ruined his life was nearby. Daxton doesn’t know what he would do once confronted with someone who abandoned them, but he searched for his mother to find out what it would be. He liked to hope he’d be as calm as Wendynn was being now, but with each passing day he got closer to the answer he doubted he’d have the same resolve.
“If you rid me of that horrible Captain Spire and his men I’ll give you whatever you want,” Kenric interjected as the group, except for Wendynn, pressed onwards towards the ship.
“What could you possibly have to give us that would be payment enough for getting rid of an entire pirate crew?”
“I may have seen a compass identical to that one,” he remarked, pointing at the one Daxton held tightly in his hand. “Perhaps you’d like to trade?”
Daxton was tired of toying with this man and grabbed him by the shirt collar with his free hand and lifted him slightly off the ground from anger. “I’ve had enough of your games. Where have you seen this?”
“Dax, put him down. He’s not worth it,” Barton reasoned, putting his hand on Daxton’s arm, pushing it down till he got him to release his hold. Kenric backed away, grabbing his neck and making choking sounds.
“Do we have a deal?”
“No, we don’t. I don’t believe you’ve ever seen a compass like this,” Adelaide said, turning her back to Kenric and winking at the others.
“I have too seen a compass like that one. I saw it one day when I accidentally wandered into the Eternal Forest.” His eyes grew wide when he realized he was lured into a trap. “Damn and blast.”
Adelaide spun around to face him with a smile of victory on her face. “Thank you, Kenric. Now, point us towards this Eternal Forest so we can be on our way.”
At her request, Kenric began to laugh heartily, doubling over from so much laughter. “You. Want.” His laughter grew louder and tears streamed down his face as he tried to calm himself down enough to speak. “You want to know where the Eternal Forest is? For what? You don’t intend to go in there, do you?”
“We do as a matter of fact,” Barton answered, crossing his arms. “Is there a problem?”
“You’re a pirate, aren’t you?” Kenric asked Wendynn. “That means you know what I’m about to say. You tell them, they won’t believe it coming from me.”
Wendynn leaned against a tree and crossed his arms. “If what he says is true, and the compass is in the Eternal Forest, you can consider it lost forever.”
“Why?” Daxton asked, his voice shaky and angry.
“Legend has it that no one who goes into the Eternal Forest ever comes out. There’s something that lives in there. I don’t know what but…”
“You can’t be serious? You’re a pirate and you believe a silly story like that? They’re both mad, Dax,” Barton said.
“Nelle, is what he’s saying true?”
“I’ve heard of the Eternal Forest as well. I’ve never been near or inside it so I cannot speak from personal experience. But I’ve heard stories of men who’ve wandered into it and were never seen again. You may continue to ignore Legend, Barton, but trust me, it won’t make them any less real.”
“I don’t care, I have to go in there and find the other one. I’ll bet you that’s what this compass is trying to lead me to? It’s trying to find the others it belongs to,” Daxton reasoned with himself.
“Wait a minute,” Adelaide interjected, “if no man ever comes out of the Eternal Forest alive, how did you manage to go in, see this compass, and come back out?”
Kenric gulped loudly and backed away from them slowly. “If you help me with my problem, I’ll show you how you can make it through the Eternal Forest,” he said, holding his hand out towards Daxton. “Do we have a deal?”