Eternal Forest [Episode 5]

The 5th Compass | Book Two [2,937 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.

She wanted to hear more, but Stephan had someplace else he needed to be. He also knew she would not leave him alone to wait till Woodvale returned. He did not know Woodvale very well but imagined he would not be pleased to discover Stephan had told someone else about their conversation, even if some of it was a lie.

He slipped past her gaze and out the door before she could question him further. He was actually in Woodvale’s office longer than he realized. He needed to find Tieg.

Stephan remembered the conversation he had with the Guardian earlier who sent him to find Woodvale near the class he skipped. But it was much later now. This was around the time Tieg would check the perimeter of the Academy. It was his job to make sure they were safe from intruders. He did so with the help of several older students as a way for them to learn certain magic skills.

The job of being the look-out meant staying vigilant, paying attention to any odd movements, and sounding the alarm if anyone who wasn’t a student or faculty of Woodvale Academy approached.

“What are ye doing here, boy?”

Tieg emerged from some bushes Stephan had not even realized were there as bushes are everywhere on the mountain.

“Uh, Professor Grimsbane sent me. I was late to her class this morning.”

“Save yer explanations, I’ve heard them all before from the likes of ye. Amazes me how little changes over the passage of time,” he continued as he pulled a short sword that curved greatly and was widest at the tip. Stephan flinched, expecting Tieg would strike him with it. “Save yer fear. If you’re going to be with me tonight, there’s a few things ye have to know. First, keep up. I may look old, because I am, but I’m no slouch. Second, do exactly as I tell you or you may not live long enough to regret it. And third, whatever you do, don’t pet my hound. No one’s allowed to handle the bitch but me. Ye got that, boy?”

Stephan had heard what Tieg was like, but none of the gossip came close to who confronted him now. Without uttering a word, he merely nodded his head and away Tieg went.

Stephan did not have an easy time keeping up with him as he discovered right away that Tieg preferred to travel by way of the densest bushes and trees littered throughout the mountain. It was why he brandished his sword when he did. As he returned the way he emerged he used it to chop down branches that stuck out in his path. Stephan stayed several paces behind him as his hound walked close behind her master, turning every once in a while to snarl.

Eventually, all the hacking away that Tieg led them to a location not unlike where Woodvale had taken Stephan the day before. The only thing missing from the scenery was the Eternal Forest. Stephan stepped towards the edge of the cliff and noticed they were not on the Ebonthorn side but were on the Malithorn side of the mountain.

“Now, where is that blasted boy?” Tieg muttered to himself. He pulled a piece of cloth that looked like it had never been washed before since he had it, and wiped his brow with it, leaving dirt smears behind. Stephan wanted to say something but kept quiet. Tieg was not the most well-kept man at Woodvale Academy. Besides, he wore so much dirt and smudges all over his person, one more wouldn’t do much harm. He shoved the cloth back into the pocket of his pants and arched back with his hands on his hips. Stephan heard many bones crack as he did so and winced at the sound. Then, Tieg let out a loud and long whistle that had many breaks in it. Stephan wondered if it was some sort of code and got the answer when he heard a similar tune get whistled back from someone in the distance.

After a few minutes went by, he saw a boy appear, wearing the Academy robe. He looked like he just rolled out of bed, his eyes bloodshot and hair disheveled.

“It’s about time. I’ve been out here for nearly a full day.”

“Ye also been sleepin’ an’ drinkin’ ain’t ye? Don’t bother answerin’ I can smell ye from here.”

Tieg was right, whoever this boy was who emerged from hiding, he clearly reeked of something. The boy nodded in Stephan’s direction, who could only muster a half smile that he instantly hated himself for doing. This work was nothing to smile about.

“I manned my post, that is all you need to worry about, Tieg. Don’t worry. The coast is clear.” The boy patted Tieg on the back and winked at Stephan, sizing him up with his eyes. “You’ll never make it.” Then he left without awaiting orders from Tieg that he was officially relieved of his duties.

“Youth,” Tieg said, shaking his head. “I don’t have to put up with his kind, ye know? ‘Specially not when I got Woodvale breathin’ down my neck. Ordering me to fortify an area that ain’t never been breached before. I mean, look at this place. Just look around,” Tieg continued, sweeping he arms across the wide-open plains that fell just beyond the cliff. “You tell me why the enemy would choose to attack us from here?”

He peered over the cliff to the drop that looked to be several hundred feet. At the base of the mountain were some tall trees and beyond that some flat lands before the nearest village came into view. Stephan could tell instantly that if anyone or an entire army were to attack, it would be foolish to do it from here, they would be seen coming from miles away, giving us plenty of time to mount an attack or escape if necessary.

“Isn’t the more likely weak point just around the corner, on the Ebonthorn side, with the Eternal Forest for cover?” Stephan asked even though he knew the answer. Then, he remembered the map in Woodvale’s office and the red marks he had on them. He wasn’t quite sure, but he felt their locations were exactly where an enemy would or could strike if they wanted to. Perhaps he showed this map to Tieg, but he misunderstood the exact locations?

Tieg raised his eyebrows as if he remembered he was speaking ill of their leader and to a student. “No matter. I never question the orders of Woodvale. Never.” He clicked his teeth for his hound, who had busied herself snarling at some bug crawling across the ground, to follow alongside him as he walked back the way they had come.

“Wait, where are you going?”

Tieg stopped and gave Stephan a confused look. “Did you not hear me? I have Woodvale breathing down my neck. I can’t sit around here and sit with you all night.”

“But…what do I do? What if someone comes by?”

Tieg smirked. “Shake his hand and ask him how he scaled over two hundred feet then push him back over the cliff. Relax, boy, no one is going to be climbing here tonight. Or any night for that matter. You have the much easier job than I do. I have to go catch another wild boar tonight.”

“Another one? But you told the Elder that you caught the biggest one yet for the bonfire.” Before he could stop himself from speaking the words, they just came tumbling out and by the wide-eyed expression on Tieg’s face he knew he was caught.

“It was you. I knew there was someone there. That stupid Elder distracted me; otherwise you would have had two days with me instead of just this one.”

Stephan wanted to know why Woodvale asked him to hunt down another wild boar, but Tieg’s hound began to do a low growl and her stance became defensive.

“Steady on, girl. Do you smell a wild one nearby?” She immediately ran into the brush and Tieg, holding his sword up on the air, followed quickly behind her. Stephan had never seen him move so fast before.

Left on his own, with no weapon to defend himself, Stephan gulped and looked around to make sure he wouldn’t be the unlucky one to get attacked his first time on patrol.

The first half hour or so he spent pacing back and forth, occasionally braving a peek over the cliff just to confirm no one was fast approaching. He realized if he had such an easy view of anyone approaching, they could see him just as easily. What if they had arrows and excellent aim? He dared not risk impalement on this side of the mountain, especially if it meant his body might not be found for nearly a day. He felt a chill run down his spine at the thought and shuddered. Standing around having morbid thoughts was not how he intended on spending however many hours he had left. He needed to occupy his mind and his time on something else.

He searched his surrounding area for the right length branch that could handle being used to draw lines in the dirt at his feet. After finding the perfect one, he crouched low and began sketching the map he saw on Woodvale’s desk from memory, closing his eyes now and then to picture it in his mind. After erasing and starting over a few times he finally stood up and stepped back, satisfied he got it nearly identical to the map he had seen only the day before. He tossed the branch he used to the side and smiled in victory at his brilliant mind.

“Ouch!”

The stick he sent sailing into the air lodged itself into the hair of Aranaeia who came out of the bushes still wearing it.

Stephan’s first instinct was fear. What if she was not alone? But he saw she emerged with no one just behind her. The sight of her standing there with the branch sticking out of her hair made him giggle. He quickly covered his mouth to suppress his laughter. Then she grabbed the branch and started tugging at it to remove it from her hair but found it was more stuck than she had realized. This caused Stephan to burst out laughing.

“Just—wait—I’ll get you for this—” Her words came disjointed, unfinished sentences as she tugged and pulled at the branch. After a while, even she realized how ridiculous she must look to him and started to laugh herself, letting her hands fall to her side in defeat, shrugging her shoulders. “Oh, forget it. Everyone here is afraid of me. I dare anyone to say anything about the girl with the branch in her hair.”

“Wait,” Stephan managed to say, his outburst calming down. “Here, let me help you.” He stepped towards her and she flinched backwards. He had never seen her react that way before about anyone. “I’m not going to harm you.”

She quickly squared her shoulders and stood as tall as she could, which was several inches taller than Stephan. “I know that.” He remained frozen in place, his hands raised towards her. “Well, if you’re going to help, you’ll have to get closer. I only bite when the sun goes down.”

He carefully approached her and tried to be as delicate as possible with her hair. He started by unraveling the tangle that formed. His arms started to feel fatigue from holding them above his head as he worked. She could see the strain on his face and held her hands up to stop him. She then looked around and saw a tree that was bent rather precariously over the cliff side. She walked over and sat on it, feeling her weight make the tree dip slightly, but it felt sturdy enough to hold her up and it looked like it had been thriving on the cliff side far longer than she could imagine, so she risked it, waving Stephan over to continue untangling the branch from her hair. The way she saw it, he was the cause of its current location and therefore he should be responsible for dislodging it.

Her lower position sitting on the tree was actually much better and relieved some strain from Stephan’s arms. He resumed his work, moving faster than before.

“Why are you following me?” He knew he was taking a risk asking her, but even she could not deny she was following him.

“I wanted to find out more about this war Woodvale has asked you to help him with. Has he chosen you to be the Paragon?”

Stephan knew her reason for following him must have been to learn more about his lie, or at least to unmask his deceit. But she brought up the Paragon and for once he was caught, unsure of how to respond.

“He has not asked me that, I assure you. I don’t think I am suited to be such a being, do you?”

She folded her arms and crossed her legs, her face deep in thought as she pondered his question.

“Well…,” she began as Stephan stepped back with the branch that was stuck in her hair free and in his hand. “You are more clever than I might give you credit for.” They smiled at each other and Stephan felt himself relaxing around her more and more. The guard he normally had up, especially when she was around, completely gone. “What’s that?” She asked, still sitting on the tree that dipped slightly, but she did not notice.

Stephan turned around and looked down at the map he had sketched into the dirt. He had completely forgotten it was there.

“Oh, that. It’s just a map of the school I think. I saw it in Woodvale’s office the other day.”

“AH!” Aranaeia let out a scream. Stephan turned around to find her arms thrown up in the air as the tree she sat on broke free. Its roots rotted away her added weight was no match for it hanging on any longer. He rushed towards her, his hands stretched out to grab her and she reached for him, but it was too late. All he could do was stand there at the edge of the cliff where the tree and Aranaeia used to be, watching as they both went plummeting down.

His heart stopped beating as he scanned the area where he could see the tree collided with the ground several hundred feet below. He should have been worried about the sound it made as it made contact, but he was more in shock at how it crumbled on impact. Anyone else who happened across there would not know it had once been a tree. But he could not see Aranaeia anywhere. Perhaps her body had the same reaction from such a high point? Whatever happened, he was glad he could not see her mutilated corpse from where he stood.

He stepped back, clutching his chest as he felt his heart beating rapidly. He had to do something. But what? Who would believe him that it was an accident? As she pointed out earlier, everyone feared her. Not only that, but everyone knew her biggest target was Stephan. No one would believe that when he had her alone on a cliff side, she accidentally fell off. No one.

He plopped himself down on the dirt beside the map he had drawn earlier and rested his head on his fists as he contemplated what to do.

Suddenly, he heard a strange sound coming from the site of the accident. He raised his head and looked, straining his ears to capture the sound, but he could not say for sure what it was.

He looked down at the ground in front of him and saw dozens, no, hundreds of thousands of spiders crawling towards him at top speed. He knew there was no way he could get away from them fast enough. He was frozen in fear.

The spiders stopped just a few inches from his feet and began to form clumps on top of each other. Hundreds of them piling onto each other until they were as tall as his head. He scrunched his face in disgust at what he was seeing happening before his eyes.

In just a few minutes he could see the spiders were gathering on top of each other, forming a human body. They continued to do so until he could clearly see it was Aranaeia. She was alive. Or was she? He had only ever seen her release a few dozen spiders from her body, usually from her mouth they would crawl. But he had never seen this.

He stood up and stepped back, watching as skin appeared around her body that was completely made up of spiders. Stephan blinked rapidly, he could not believe his eyes. There she was, standing before him, completely naked, but alive.

“How—but, I saw you. You fell,” he sputtered.

“I can explain. If you would not mind giving me your robe first? I am cold.”

In his shock he did not realize she was naked. He quickly removed his robe and handed it to her without a second thought about it. She wrapped it around herself, concealing her body.

“I am sorry if I frightened you. I have not had to put myself back together again like that since I was a child. Allow me to explain.”