KINGDOM OF THE STONE -- a Wattpad featured novel

Chapter Eleven

A number of younger fathers and other adults showed up at the next training session.  They acted as though they were only curious to see what Amantis' wolf-hunters had been doing, but soon they were wielding poles and stabbing at pretend wolves.  They quickly caught on to the techniques the hunters had trained in and soon began to improvise their own. 

Fearing they might take over the session, Amantis divided them into two groups, each a mix of adults and wolf-hunters, and practiced group tactics.  Amantis watched, corrected mistakes and noticed a disturbing trend.  Most of the fights ended in near draws with a great number of "dead" fighters on each side.  If he were ever to build a powerful fighting force, he had to find a way to defeat the enemy without losing fighters.

As he pondered this, he noticed Charissa standing demurely at the edge of the pasture watching him with a hopeful expression.  He walked over to her, keeping one eye on the combatants.  "How are you doing?" he asked, giving her a friendly but carefully-not-too-intimate one-armed hug.  She didn't pull away, but she didn't return the casual affection.

"Did you do it?  Did you consult the stone to find a way?"

He dropped the arm.  "To help Karux?"

"Yes."

A shout of triumph sounded from the field of battle and Amantis turned away to watch someone land on the ground while three opponents stabbed him in the vitals with their poles.  "I did."  Annoyed at her obsession with Karux, he said nothing further, waiting for her to continue the conversation.  She didn't wait long

"And did you find a way?"

"I believe so."  He was tempted to leave her hanging, but he knew irritating her would get him nowhere.  He turned, gave her an earnest and concerned expression, looking deep into her eyes.  "The visions are destroying his mind.  He is not able to handle them.  If he is to survive, he must give the stone up."

Charissa took a step backward, a silent "oh" on her lips.

"And it must be you who convinces him," he said with a hidden savage glee.  "No one else can convince him."

"I can't... I don't know..."

"If you fail, he will die, and soon."

"But—"

"Once you get the stone from him, bring it to me.  I think the two stones were meant to work together.  With both, I can not only stop his visions, but find a solution to the dangers it shows him."

Charissa took a deep breath, and straightened her shoulders. "Very well, I'll try."

Amantis took her by the shoulders and gave them a firm squeeze.  "Do not fail.  More than his life is at stake."

-=====|==

Charissa hurried to Karux's house.  He was dying and she had to save him.  She surprised Arrain as he was leaving and asked if she could see Karux, but he told her that Karux was sleeping.  She waited all day hoping to see him, growing more concerned with each passing hour.  He finally came out for the evening meal and Charissa managed to get him alone.

He looked like the walking dead, his eyes dull, his face expressionless.  "How are you feeling?" she asked.

Karux shrugged.  "Same as usual."

"Have the visions stopped?"

"No."

She made a sympathetic sound and rubbed his arm.