The Hidden Lands

Chapter 8- The Summons

Kai

I kept rereading the letter I'd gotten two days ago, and I still couldn't believe it.

Sir Kai of the Deltora Alpes, his Majesty King Gaian of Deltora has received a request from Faellen's King Rowan for your services. The Deltoran Guard accompanying this letter will give you a debriefing and we will provide the necessary items for this quest.

Sincerely, The Deltoran War council.

Before this, I hadn't even known Deltora had a war council. The basic summary of my not-so-brief debriefing was to travel to Middle Earth by penny, find the address I'd been given in a place called Colorado in America by May 1st, three others would be joining me, both Primordials, and we were prepared to defend Faellen and Deltora by extension, due to an alliance caused by King Rowan's marriage to the former Deltoran Lady Beatrix. Seems simple enough. I had been left with the penny and new clothes from Middle Earth. May 1st was coming fast, so I figured I'd better get going. I threw the tiny copper coin that was worth half a draught in the hidden lands. The shiny copper circle began to swirl and grow until it was large enough for me to fit through. Excitedly I waved one last time to my family and plunged in.

-Archer

I was nobody special, I was just an unlucky retired Bronzin Lieutenant, my family were all grain farmers. They were responsible for providing the disgusting wheat mush our country survived on. Despite our quiet occupation we'd attracted a few interesting encounters, mainly at my expense or gain. When I was three, we'd been sent to Faellen to negotiate a deal with the Faellen farmers, asking for additional seed because of our poor harvest before. Faellen's South coast had been beautiful but the only real memory I had was of King Rowan, showing me a lightning bolt. There was no way for me to forget that.

The second encounter had been more consequential, when I was five a Gravelinian Ashlar had offered my father an opportunity, she would make my heart invincible to emotion, make me a perfect soldier and worker, for an opportunity to practice her skills.

I did not know the true nature of Ashlar Euathale powers at the time. My father had accepted eagerly and my emotions had turned to stone. I could not be sad or guilty, but on the other hand I couldn't be truly happy or excited. I no longer cared about anything, all I could harbor in my emotionless heart were the extreme emotions, so I clung to them.

I climbed the ranks of the Bronz militia faster than anyone else. I'd entered at eight, the same age everyone else was, but by the time I was ten I'd been selected as a junior lieutenant. In addition to my emotionless heart the Ashlar had seemingly removed my acknowledgement of pain, I was nothing but determined. I'd inherited Faellen Euathale abilities despite my Bronzin heritage but they were erratic and slowed me in my climb. I was eighteen now and on not so temporary leave because of an injury I'd received in a minor battle last month. I tried in vain to stretch my left-hand fingers. My hand had been broken by a mace and now the tendons refused to let me completely extend my fingers, seriously impairing my ability to fight. The letter came anyways though, along with the Faellen guard, offering me a new assignment under King Rowan. Well, if the Bronz army hadn't accepted me back until my hand was healed I might as well. I accepted quickly and received a cryptic debriefing, along with a penny for transport. So here I am now, sitting on a bus in middle earth. Gratefully, the old man next to me didn't question the sword strapped across my back. It had always astonished me how the Mundanes could be so blind to the hidden lands, sure they could see us but they never noticed the faint reflection on everybody of water, or the more prominent mirage on their copper pennies. Copper was the strongest connection of our lands, allowing Euathale's to cross between the worlds but water gave off enough of a glare to catch the hints of a reflection from the hidden lands that hovered stratosphere.

The bus let me off at a place called Walmart that was only a mile from the address I'd been given. I heaved my pack over my shoulder and started walking.

Lyla-

'What! "I demanded; the Empress was sitting beside me at our dinner table.

"King Rowan is asking for your help dear; I think you should accept." As usual I didn't bother putting up a fight, if Mother wanted me to go, I would go, I didn't really have a choice.