Eternal Forest [Episode 24]
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.
The Boiling Pig wasn’t the kind of tavern to receive many new patrons, so Kenric suggested they use discretion and come up with a plan of action first. As the group held a discussion just outside of the tavern, Kenric paced and fidgeted.
“Is something wrong? You’re making me nervous,” Nelle snapped at him. “Be still this instant or we’ll make you be still.”
“I’m not nervous, just concerned. What if your plan doesn’t work? It will only make Captain Spire angry. You will all leave, and it will be my people who’ll be left to deal with him and his men.”
Both Wendynn and Nelle looked at each other confused. “What exactly has Captain Spire been doing to your people and for how long has this been going on?” Nelle asked.
“What difference does that make? Let’s just get this over with so we can find the other compass.” Daxton was growing tired of all this. He wanted answers to his questions and didn’t care about anyone else’s.
“It makes a lot of difference, son, because if he’s correct, something isn’t right. Captain Silverblade’s men are expected to be kind to those less fortunate and less than kind to those of means and good fortune who benefit off the labor of others.”
“You sound like someone who speaks from experience,” Barton stated, backing away from Wendynn. “Were you a pirate for her?”
“We don’t have time for this, Bart. We can talk about it later. Right now, I just want to get rid of them and get to the Eternal Forest before nightfall.” Daxton stood his ground and waited for Barton to nod his head in agreement. It took longer than it should have, but he finally responded with a curt nod and fixed Wendynn with a cold stare. He knew there was a reason he didn’t trust the former pirate, and now he knew why.
“I don’t believe him. I think we need to just walk in there and ask Captain Spire and his men to leave. Or in the very least, ask them why they are here?” Nelle knew the men who serve under Captain Silverblade and could confirm what Wendynn had already said. She did not wish to further anger Barton or Daxton by telling them of her close relationship with the most hated pirate.
“Oh sure, let’s just walk in there with no plan and ask the pirates if they can please leave and never come back. That sounds like a wonderful idea,” Adelaide said, her voice dripping in sarcasm. Immediately, everyone began to argue with each other on the pros and cons of the plan.
Then Barton noticed something odd. “Wait, where’s Daxton?” No one heard him so he repeated himself, this time a little louder. “Where’s Daxton?” Everyone became silent and looked around. He was nowhere in sight.
“He wouldn’t…”
They all turn towards the Boiling Pig in time to see the front door swing shut. Without saying one word to each other everyone rushed to the door, except Kenric, who hung back a while before forcing himself to follow behind them.
The Boiling Pig had nothing distinguishing about it except it was the only one of its kind within miles that sold ale. It smelled of vomit and sweat so severe it could kill anyone who wasn’t prepared for it. Barton was unprepared.
While everyone else put on a brave face and pushed on through the door to find Daxton, he stayed behind, dry heaving over some dead brush a few paces away from the tavern.
Once inside, the odors wafting through the door changed slightly. There was a new smell mixed in. The smell of pirates who hadn’t bathed in several days. A man who hadn’t bathed in several days, working hard with his hands, was tolerable to most. But the smell a pirate carried on his was different because it had a hint of the sea. The sea which Daxton was still fighting fears over.
Nelle spotted him right by the door with a look of queasiness on his face. “Relax, Daxton. You’re looking a little green.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Daxton could hear them but he was afraid to speak. Afraid something more than just words would escape his mouth. Instead, he chose to focus on what he could control; his breathing. He reasoned in his mind that as long as he could maintain a steady rhythm with his breathing, then what he was smelling would cease to bother him.
“It’s the smell. He can smell the salty sea and his body is reacting to it. I thought I cured you?”
Wendynn gave a look of insult. “You tried to use magic to change what a man feels deep down inside? You can’t. Either you love the sea or you hate it. No amount of magic,” he said, looking at Nelle, “or deep breathing,” he directed at Daxton, “can change that.”
Nelle knew he was right, but she had to try. Seeing him now, cowering, pressed up against the wall of the tavern, trying not vomit, her heart went out to him.
“Well now, what have we here? Aren’t you a bit too young to be in an establishment such as this, pretty lady?” A pirate came stumbling up to Adelaide, a mug filled with ale that he sloshed about as he walked.
She was not yet comfortable with her abilities to make things happen, even after their encounter with the ship earlier. Not wanting to cause any further harm than she already had, she lowered her head coyly and backed away to stand behind Wendynn. When the pirate stumbled up to him he squinted as if he recognized him
“Oi, Hem, come ‘ere and take a gander at this fella. Don’t he remind ya of someone we once knew?” The tavern was filled with at least two dozen pirates, but they were all busy talking to each other. Too caught up in their own conversations to pay any attention to whoever walked in.
Hem heard his name over the shouting and perked his head up, looking about the place. He saw his friend standing mighty close to a man and thought it suspicious so he made his way over to investigate. He’d been drinking as well, only not as much, so he stumbled less and managed not to spill one drop of ale from the mug he was holding.
“What was that you say to me, Eight?”
“Well, I’ll be a fat lady’s landlubber. It’s Wendynn!”
The tavern went silent and the sound of a mug crashing to the floor made every pirate turn towards a table where there was half a dozen seated. One of the pirates stood up slowly, a grin on his face, and walked towards Wendynn who squared his shoulders as if prepared to fight. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides.
Kenric could tell a fight was imminent and walked towards the bar to hide behind it while Nelle stepped in front of Wendynn. “Just hold it right there, Spire. We just came to talk.”
Captain Spire looked past Nelle and stared right into Wendynn’s eyes. “You’re supposed to be dead. At least, that’s what I told everyone. Why are you here?”
“You need to leave.” Wendynn spoke the words slow and deliberate. His anger was growing, but he knew he was outnumbered. When he fought Spire, he wanted there to be no interference.
First Captain Spire broadened his grin to a smile. Then he stopped glaring at Wendynn long enough to see who he had with him, two young children and that witch, and he began to laugh loudly. The other pirates who sat around, watching what was happening closely, all began to laugh along as well, until Spire stopped.
“I don’t need to do anything, but you do. I suggest you leave and take these children with you. Only pirates are allowed in here and you are no longer a pirate.”
Wendynn could no longer hold back his anger. He lunged forward, his fist in the air, ready to land a deadly blow to Spire’s face. Except his hand stayed balled in a fist in the act of swinging. He fought to move but the harder he tried to complete his punch the stronger the force was preventing him from moving.
Spire flinched, expecting the punch, but it never came. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and saw Wendynn motionless.
“Thanks, Nelle.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m not the one stopping him. If it were me I’d let him beat you unrecognizable.”
“I’m the one who stopped him.” Spire looked behind Wendynn and saw the young girl. “You know, the ‘child’ you spoke so highly of?”
He turned to Nelle. “How many of you are there?”
“My dear Spire, there is only one of me and you ought to be thankful of that. Now, she is new at using her powers so her ability to hold him back is…limited.”
Spire could see a vein popping on Wendynn’s neck. He wasn’t just angry about Spire, but about being stopped as well. He swallowed hard and calculated the chances his men would be able to hold off Wendynn fast enough before he got in a few punches. He was never good at math and figured the odds were not in his favor.
“What do you want? I’m not harming anyone here.”
“It’s not how he tells it.” Nelle pointed towards Kenric who was still behind the bar, a safe distance away from all of them. “From what he’s told us, you come here often and cause quite a scene. We find that hard to believe because Captain Silverblade’s men are never to take from those less fortunate.” Nelle stopped staring at Spire just then and scanned the room at all the other pirates. In their shame, they averted their eyes from hers. They knew she was right.
“That was her mission a long time ago, but it’s changed now,” Spire said loudly so his men could hear him then he leaned forward and whispered in Nelle’s ear. “You and I both know what her priorities are now and why.”
“You lie. She would never change her purpose. Never.” She looked back to Wendynn and then behind him at Daxton and knew there was at least one good reason for change; the love of a child. But she couldn’t let anyone know that. Spire knew of the child, but he wouldn’t know what he’d look like now. She couldn’t be sure and didn’t want to risk any further complications. She turned to Adelaide. “Release him.”