Eternal Forest [Episode 9]
The 5th Compass | Book Two [2,945 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.
Stephan had no fears as he got closer to the base of the mountain. The sounds of merriment that wafted down to his ears made his smile and happy that at least some of them were having a good time. Perhaps they would not even notice he had gone nor would they look for him.
The only time Stephan had been through this town was when his uncle brought him here years ago. But then it was in the middle of the night and he could hardly see anything around him. Just the sound of owls hooting and wild animals howling in the distance. This time was different. This time he saw lights coming from people’s homes. It was not as late as it was then.
He looked down at the clothes he had worn beneath his robes and was glad that they were at least clean. His height and strong facial features would lend themselves in his favor as he would need to find accommodations and did not want anyone to think he was just a boy.
It was several miles before he reached the first set of homes nestled on both sides of the road he walked on. He looked through their windows and could see shadows dancing around. Movement within each home reminding him of the life he used to have. His life before he was forced to live on a mountain.
He knew there had to be a tavern of some kind nearby. Someplace where people could gather with their neighbors, drink and have a good time. His uncle was known for frequenting such establishments every night. Afterwards, he’d come home and collapse on his bed, completely ignoring Stephan and his sister.
Soon, Stephan found he was no longer walking the road alone. A man came towards him from the opposite direction, stumbling from side to side with a bottle in his hand. He hiccupped, stopped walking and made a feeble attempt at swallowing some of what was left in the bottle, but it was empty. He turned upside down and held it up to one eye to get a better look. It was indeed empty. The man shrugged his shoulders and tossed it behind him, over his shoulder. It landed on the ground; the glass shattering. The man continued to stumble forward, this time singing a song that Stephan could not understand as it was more of a slurring hum.
As the man got close enough to reach out and grab Stephan, he turned towards him and smiled, showing he had many teeth missing. “Good day, sunny boy.” When he pronounced the ‘s’ it produced a whistle that made Stephan giggle as they passed each other. The man continued to hum and slur his song.
Stephan knew this meant a tavern should be nearby. While his uncle never came home that happy, he did come home reeking of a similar brand of alcohol.
The Wretched Boar was heard before it was seen. The horrid singing of most men, but a few women, could be heard from quite a distance. When Stephan heard it, he wondered if it was better that the place was so busy or if that might make it difficult for him to escape if he felt he was caught? The only way for him to find out would be to step inside.
The sign for the Wretched Boar dangled just above the doorway. He pushed the warped and weathered door open, stepping in quickly, in case the tavern should grow silent to see who had just walked in. But the singing and talking continued unabated.
There were many candles and lanterns throughout, making the inside of the tavern very bright and vibrant. At Woodvale Academy everyone wore the same robe color, an almost midnight blue. Seeing all the shades of reds and greens and purples and a few colors he could not readily identify were a lot to take in.
Squinting, Stephan managed to find the bar where he expected to find the owner. He needed to get his bearings before he could plan his next move and noticed on his way in, there were multiple floors to this tavern, which meant there might be rooms to rent.
It took a while for him to get near enough to the bar as men would push past him and shout their order to the barman and women in scantily clad clothing, holding empty trays, would walk up to the bar and load it up with drinks to serve patrons.
Stephan finally made it to the bar but was still unable to say what he wanted from the shouting of people on either side of his ears. There was a moment when no one at the bar required a drink and Stephan began to speak. “Excuse me, sir, are you the owner?” But it was much too low. He could hardly hear himself.
A gentleman who sat on a stool at the bar, nursing a drink in front of him, noticed Stephan’s inability to be heard and offered to help. “That is no way to get his attention. Boar, the lad here wants to know if own this miserable piece of goat dung?”
Boar, the barman, furrowed his eyebrows at the man who spoke. “What sort of man comes in here every night, has one drink, and never finishes it, I ask ye?”
Stephan realized he was posing his question to him and said the first thing that came to mind. “A lazy one, sir?” He found his voice just then and spoke much louder. Boar and the gentleman beside him both looked at each other and started to laugh. Stephan had apparently made a joke, though he didn’t know what was so funny.
“Bring my new friend here a drink, Boar. And make it quick. He looks as troubled as I do.” The gentleman slid over to a stool beside him that had just emptied out, to let Stephan sit beside him.
Boar slammed a cup down in front of Stephan and poured something in it that was dark and slightly thicker than water. “If he is that troubled, Jacob, then at least you will have a friend to join you in your daily misery. Enjoy.” Boar smiled and left them both to attend to the other end of the bar where more patrons had gathered to shout orders for more drink.
“Drink up, my friend. The night is young and so are you.” Jacob winked at Stephan. He knew he was not as old as he hoped he looked. But perhaps he was still joking with him? He needed to dispel any idea that he may have about his age. Stephan lifted the cup to his lips and took a sip. He felt it burn as he swallowed it and had the urge to cough, but he managed to suppress it before taking one more. The warmth it gave him once it settled in his body felt good to him. He made for another sip, but Jacob stopped him. “Hold on there. It is a real man who need not attack his drink like a hyena but enjoys it for its medicinal qualities.”
“Medicinal? This slop is not medicine. At least, I’ve never seen it heal a man in my life.”
“Look around you, boy. All of these men are experiencing its healing powers right now. They have never felt more healthy or happy in their lives.”
“But will they feel the same on the morrow?”
The man shrugged, admitting defeat in the argument. “Alas, tis why I am not as healed as they are. I wish too hard for the medicine to have any effect on me and therefore it has none at all.” Jacob lifts his cup to his lips and takes another sip. “What brings you here, stranger?”
“I am no stranger to Ebonthorn. I have lived here all my life.”
“Steady on, boy. I did not mean to question your birthplace. I merely mean I have never seen a lad such as yourself step foot in the Wretched Boar before. Are you here for pleasure?” he asked, turning back towards the crowd of men and women singing loudly and happily. “To hide?” He looked to a group of men seated at a table, speaking quietly to each other, looking over their shoulders every once in a while to see if they were being watched. “Or for the company of like-minded, yet hapless, individuals?” He finally pointed at himself and spun back to lean his elbows on the bar.
Stephan knew he needed to be on guard. He was indeed a stranger here and did not want to be remembered by anyone, but this man seemed nice. What harm could it do? “A little of everything I suppose? I…at the moment I am looking for a place to stay. Do you know if there are any rooms available here?”
“If you wish to stay here, then you are not hiding from something, but you must be searching for something. What have you lost, I wonder?”
“You mistake me for a fool? I have lost nothing. I am simply passing through, seeking to travel before I am older and must think of a more rooted life.”
Jacob raised his eyebrows, a look of skepticism on his face. “Boar!” he shouted, still looking at Stephan, expecting to see the answer if he would not divulge it. Boar came back their end of the bar. “Give my friend here a room. He requires it to think, before his many travels.”
“The room is three gold pieces, but as he is a friend of yours, Jacob, I will give it to him for two.” Boar held his hand out awaiting Stephan to provide payment, but he knew he did not have it. “I am not running a charity here, Jacob. Either pay up or get out. I only serve patrons with money to spend.”
“Here.” A hand appeared out of nowhere on the other side of Stephan. It was a hand he recognized all too well; Aranaeia.
Boar closed his massive fist around the coins before they were snatched away and pocketed them. He then took a large bronze key from a hook he kept behind him on the wall and handed it to her. There were several hooks beside that one, but none of them had a key hanging from them.
“It’s the last door at the end, on your right, at the top of the stairs.” Without waiting for so much as a ‘thank you’ he returned to his duties.
“What are you doing here? You need to stop following me,” Stephan said in protest.
“Aren’t you going to introduce your new friend to your old friend?” Jacob looked around Stephan and stretched out his hand to shake Aranaeia’s, then he lifted it and kissed it sweetly. “Lovely lady, you may have just saved him.”
“She is not an old friend. She is a friend from—”
“Neighbor. I am a neighbor. And you are?” Aranaeia managed to glare at Stephan. He knew better than to mention Woodvale Academy.
“Jacob Tinsdale, at your service, madam.” He stood up from his stool, brought his feet close together with a click and bowed in an overtly regal manner that made her giggle and blush slightly.
“Pleased to meet you, Jacob Tinsdale, but I am afraid Stephan and I have a few things to discuss, in private. You will excuse us. won’t you?”
“Stephan, is it? My dear lady, any man with half a mind would excuse you anything.” Jacob raised his cup to her and took a sip before raising it and nodding his head to her. She smiled, took Stephan’s hand, and led him towards the stairs in a hurry.
Stephan wanted to question her, but it was much too loud and too many ears about that he did not want to risk overhearing. He relented to following her up the stairs as he knew she was taking him to the room she paid for. They reached the top of the landing when a woman entered the tavern, screaming at the top of her lungs.
“My child! They have stolen my child! Help me, someone, please!” Her sobbing took over the entire room as those who were singing and chatting loudly stopped to find out what was happening.
“Woman, who stole your child? What madness do you speak of?” One of the men who was playing an instrument asked her, placing it down on the table and helping her into a chair nearby.
“Them!” she shouted, pointing up towards the Hollow Mountains. Everyone in the tavern looked at each other, not sure how to respond.
“How do you know it was them who stole your child?”
Stephan and Aranaeia listened from the top of the stairs, but neither of them dared to go down them. They remained perfectly still and listened to this woman’s story.
“How do I know? Because I saw them. It was two, no three of them. They had on those ridiculous capes. You know the one’s I mean? We’ve all seen them. Don’t pretend like you have never seen them? Late at night? They only come out at night.” She got up from her seat and walked around the room, looking each of them in the eyes. Some of them looked away in shame and guilt at their own fear. “There they were, inside my home. They came in without invitation. They took my child as she slept! Will no one help me?” She stopped speaking. The only sound that could be heard was of her own erratic breathing. “Did you not hear me? What is wrong with all of you? Are you cowards?”
A man at a table surrounded by other drink men slammed his mug of ale down, spilling some. “She is right. Are we mice or men? We have stayed silent long enough. It is time we act. Who is with me?”
Stephan and Aranaeia heard many chairs scrape against the floorboards. They dared to return down the flight of stairs by just a few steps and witnessed several men rise from their seats.
“What do you think they will do?” Aranaeia asked.
“I don’t care. But if they all plan on storming the mountain, the easier it will be for me to steal a horse tonight.”
Stephan turned around and walked back up the stairs. He no longer wished to spy on the angry voices coming from the townsfolk as they vowed to stage an attack against Woodvale Academy.
“Shouldn’t we warn them?” Aranaeia followed behind Stephan, who stopped in front of the door that was meant to be their room for the night.
“The key, please.” She handed it to him, reluctantly. “It would be foolish of us to warn them. We would not make it in time,” he responded, walking towards a window at the far side of the tiny room with an old dirty cloth draped over it to keep out any sunlight or moonlight. He pulled the cloth back to show her the patrons who were just downstairs have already begun to spill out into the streets with lit torches and fire in their eyes. “Besides, they will be spotted before they reach the school.”
“No, they won’t, Stephan. Remember, Woodvale had Tieg change the locations of the scouts. They will be right on top of everyone before they even realize it or have an opportunity to escape. Our parents are there. We should at least try.” She walked to towards the door, placed her hand on the handle, and turned back for him to follow her. But he did not move.
“You may go back there if you wish. But I have no family at Woodvale Academy. I am never going back. You’ve said it yourself. I don’t belong there.”
She abandoned hope of leaving just then and moved beside Stephan to see how far the angry mob had gotten since a moment ago. She could no longer see them, but she could hear their cries as they marched towards the base of the mountain. Their torches bobbed in the distance, lighting the way.
“Where will you go?”
“I don’t know. I must get a horse first. I will ride it into Ebonthorn then get a job on a ship. I don’t much care where it ends up, just as long as it takes me far away from here.”
Aranaeia remained silent. She did not know what to say. Part of her wanted to follow him on this adventure, which piqued her interest. She had always wanted to explore the world beyond Woodvale Academy and her childhood home in Pradore, but she did not know if she was ready to just run away. Besides, she had nothing to run away from.
“You do not have to come with me. I know you only came this far to check on me and I thank you for that. But, as you can see, I am fine. You might not make it there before them, but you should at least try to catch up to the Academy as they prepare to escape. If you leave now, you just might make it. And some day, I will repay you for getting this room. I promise you that.”
A loud explosion sent up a plume of black smoke up on Hollow Mountain that made both Stephan and Aranaeia stop speaking, mesmerized by the contrast between it and sky which was turning a dark blue as the sun began to set.
Aranaeia and Stephan watched as Woodvale Academy was destroyed.