The Source: Observer Chronicles, Book 3

Chapter 12: Amaranth

Reetho, who was ten at this point, slept on another cool day. The night, loud from boisterous men outside. They didn't bother his rest, but another who entered his room did as she got closer, him laying on his bed. He woke, startled, and looked at her as she put a hand upon his chest.

"Oh, it's you, Elle," said Reetho, "you have to stop doing this."

"Can't help it. The forest is a little farther away than I like to be by myself. It's not safe."

"I'm the same age," replied Reetho, "and I can't be bothered tonight. Let me sleep."

She tugged at his arm, "yeah, but weʼre twins. We do everything together. Please, this will be the last time, I promise."

"As long as I decide when we leave."

"OK," said Elle, grinning at him before they moved.

They both headed out of their house not making a noise or disturbing their parents. They cared about each other as they were all they had, their mother and father never understanding what they talked about half the time.

The twins crept through the fields of their farm in the night, not caring what could happen. Children always believe such horrible things would never happen to them, it's always the other person.

Reetho and Elle pushed through the bushes and followed the mud path to that special place they went to. To gaze into the night. There was no real reason for it, only the strange curiosity of its surroundings; it gave off an old vibe, something there they felt connected to, a feeling of magick. Both of them sat on the same large stone table, another five nearby in a perfect circle as a whistling from the wind sounded.

"There is something about this place that speaks to me," said Elle, "I can't say what it is exactly, though."

"Hmm," responded Reetho, "well it's tranquil."

"You think about things too much," said Elle, like he ruined the moment for her, "although so do I." A heavy footstep thudded against the floor, disturbing the conversation going on with the two. Reetho and Elle turned to look at what it might be.

"What are you doing here so late?" They knew this part of the forest was not to be disturbed.

"I . . . uh . . ." Reetho and Elle jumped down from the table they were resting on, and ran.

The man ran after them, his sword clanging against his armour. He unsheathed the metal and pointed it at them. The twins, trapped between him and a sudden drop. A rock slide caught Reetho's attention as he looked down. The man gasped for air, resting his hand upon a tree.

"You're not supposed to be here," said the man.

"We won't come back," said Elle. Her face looked like someone you couldn't be angry at. The man lowered his sword.

"Go on, get out of here."

They both ran off into the night and never came back to that spot. Until they had to.

The man that night had a peculiar feeling as they ran through the trees and their branches.

"By the gods, had I just met some of the future Edeolon Warriors?" He felt somewhat out of place, like he wasn't where he was at all, and began to ponder, worry kicking in, "will they make it back safely?"

* * *

"That man was rather scary, don't you think?" said Elle.

"Yeah," replied Reetho without any concern or emotion in his voice. Breathless and running, he tried not to think about much except where he was going. The trees moving by came to an end and they stopped at a green field, both could see their house in the distance. The sun started to show itself from behind the mountains.

"Better hurry," said Elle, "or we'll go without food for another day if they catch us again not in our beds."

"And you wonder why I didn't want to come," said Reetho.

"Wait," shouted a voice running after them. Reetho and Elle ran faster, afraid the man with the armour and sword was about to do something. All these ideas that children couldn't be harmed, vanished, their pulsating hearts having fear drive them as they ran.

"Hurry up, he's right behind you," yelled the brother. He slowed down as he saw the man about to grab her but ran towards him in her place. "Go Elle, move." Cold, heavy metal touched Reetho's hands as he took the man's sword from the sheathe at his side.

"I'm just trying to hel—" His voice halted. Reetho put his hand to his mouth, realising what had happened.

"What have I done," he said to himself. All other worries in his life seemed irrelevant.

The man spat blood at him after the sword plunged deep inside, between the armour, falling to his knees then floor with the sound of metal rattling against the ground; the same time as Reetho's thoughts rattled too, spinning around in his head all so fast, causing him to run again.

Reetho went back home feeling like a completely different person that day. But, his sister was safe. Nevertheless, he wasn't sure if that would be enough.