The Tempest of Eerikki - Book One - THE PANACEA QUEST

Chapter 1

The Divine Goddess Minerva sitting with the child in arms spoke softly to her lover and child's sire the Supreme Warrior Kopis.

"Will she be ready for the challenges to come?" Minerva sighed.

With tenderness Kopis stroked the child's hand before speaking. "I think my love it is not a question of if she will be ready for the challenges but if the mortals below will be ready for her." Kopis smiled and continued, "I will provide her with the skills of battle and you my love have endowed her with the ability to enchant those with pure hearts. She will recognise both the evil and the good and know how to deal with both."

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The Sword Master could not believe that he had been set low by this unruly tribe of the dishonoured but then again, they are the dishonoured. Men infected with Arawn's darkness. Arawn, Underworld God that would twist men's minds seeking to destroy what he could not convert to his perverted lusts. His earthy minions had no code, no morals and worst of all no lord to guide them. A fair fight it had not been.

He had battled the dishonoured often. Even as a young elite warrior, he had taken part in the Clash of Frode. They had honoured him at fifteen cycles by choosing him to become an elite warrior. This training was always reserved for the largest of young males and those thought to have the most potential. He had topped out at six foot seven. His fifty-five cycles may have seen a slight thickening of his waist, but he still sported a massive chest and arms. On this day he would be thankful to the Goddess he still trained daily. Only his salt and pepper hair would have portrayed his age.

Maybe that had the dishonoured thinking he was an easy target, more fools them he thought.

The Sword Master to the King of Eerikki had been returning from the Lowland Court of Lady Corina after reviewing and refining the training for Greenway's Fahnlein. The Fahnlein now comprised twenty rotten of elite warriors, totaling two hundred of the strongest men. Their fighting skills and dedication to the protection of their Lady had pleased him.

He was attempting to shorten his journey by using the Warrior's Path but this had seen him travelling through the lands of Colby he had drawn close to the Coritham Mountains, a place where Arawn's Dishonoured thrived.

He was tired from his travels and taking little notice of his surroundings when a branch had suddenly unseated him from his horse. The animal had spooked, leaving him sitting on his arse, wondering what had just happened. After several moments he climbed up on shaky legs. Relying on battle instinct he reached over his shoulder to draw his blade Enigma. The magical blade slid from its sheath silent, dark and cold.

Even now after so many years it still amazed him every time the enchanted blade would allow itself to be divided into the two swords, so he could use the dual wielding stance he was so famous for.

Enigma had been a gift from the Supreme Warrior after he had quested and shown his worthiness not only through battle but the trials of wisdom.

The branch having struck him in the side of the head, had been a lucky blow that now had him seeing stars and his sword arm lagging. While he had already defended against four attackers, he now found himself surrounded by the five remaining dirty assailants with his back to the wall in a shallow gorge. At least he knew he would take more with him before he went to meet his Goddess.