Hero

CHAPTER 8: ELEANOR II

Eleanor Ferindale hit the target right in the centre of the chest. Her aim was impeccable and she never missed where she wanted to hit. Ramsey emerged out of a blue tent that was near the training dummies. He was wearing mostly black clothing which seemed to blend in with his curly black hair.

"Training this early in the morning, I'm impressed Eleanor, truly I am." Said Ramsey. "You might wonder why I'm up so early, well to answer your question which you have not yet asked, I'm off deeper into the woods to search for more supplies. We're running out. Your dad thinks we can destroy them in a months time. My bets the woods will destroy us long before any Faremoor scum will."

Before she could utter a single word back to him he had climbed onto his horse and ridden away.

* * *

Eleanor could see the deer just in front of her eyes. She carefully reached for her arrow but stopped as she began to hear strange noises coming from beneath her. She jumped down off the Ledge realising that she had been crouching on top of a cave.

Faint whispers echoed inside of the cave. "toleros belumbarcoos, toleros holason."

Eleanor's curiosity took over and she decided to walk into the cave to find out what the mysterious sound was. The cave was massive and seemed to go on for miles and miles. Going through the cave was a small stream of water which seemed to be strangely flowing upwards.

Eleanor followed the water climbing around sharp rocks in her way. She finally reached an area of water that was around the size of a pond. Inside of the pond lay a body facedown. Eleanor jumped into the water wading through and dragged the body out onto the stone cold cave surface.

She recognised the girl in front of her to be a member of the resistance. A young blonde girl from The Raden Islands just south of Evermoor. The girl had barely spoken a word to Eleanor or in fact anyone, often keeping to herself with no known relatives.

Eleanor checked the pulse of the girl and noticed there was no beat. All of a sudden the girls body miraculously became consumed by fire. Eleanor screamed jumping out of the way. The body began to stand up and was no longer in fire. In front of Eleanor stood the girl naked, but more importantly alive.

"Do not be afraid Eleanor Ferindale, I have been watching over you for ten years now," said the girl approaching Eleanor, "we are very similar you and I. My name is Celeste."

"In what way are we similar? And how did you do that? One minute you were dead, the next on fire, then you stand up as if nothing happened." Exclaimed Eleanor, "What are you? Tell me! No lies."

At this point Eleanor had pulled out her sword aiming it at Celeste who just smiled back at her.

"We are but two different birds on the same flight, the flight cannot be finished by both and yet we both start the flight anyway." Said Celeste.

Eleanor didn't quite understand what Celeste was trying to say but lowered her sword realising that it would do her no good whilst being in the presence of a girl who supposedly comes back from the dead.

"What are you? " Whispered Eleanor, " That's all I want to know."

"I am one of the Nelar, also known as the witches of Iris." Said Celeste, "I was sent here to watch over you until you were ready to travel there with me to train you."

"Train me to be what?" Replied Eleanor.

"A witch Eleanor Ferindale. Like your mother before you and her mother before her." Explained Celeste, "It is your destiny."

Eleanor shook her head, "No, my place is here with my father. My mother abandoned me at birth, I have no loyalty or love towards her. This destiny you speak of is non existent. I have spent my entire live training to fight in the rebellion and free the slaves of Faremoor, and I will continue to fight for justice until the day I die."

"By becoming one of the Nelar, you would have taken your first step on the road of justice." Said Celeste, "This rebellion means nothing compared to the events that are to come. I was mistaken in thinking you were ready but perhaps one day soon."

Celeste gave one last comforting look before bursting into flames and disappearing again. Eleanor who was now scared for her life ran as fast as she could out of the cave and back into the Evermoor Woods. Her heart was pounding, her mind was muddled and she was unsure of what to do.

* * *

Eleanor arrived back at the main camp to hear her dad arguing with Nargor inside the strategy tent where they would often plan their next moves for the rebellion.

"That's offering them up as a bait, they are only children Nargor!" Shouted Berwyn pushing Nargor away from him. "I refuse to let them go there!"

"They are ready my old friend." Replied Nargor, "Do not be blinded because of the fucking love you have for your daughter and that farm boy!"

"Fine, they go, but we send Tridion with them." Said Berwyn, "He is a skilled warrior and knows a lot more about Faremoor then any of the rest of us. He can guide them through the city."

It was at this moment Eleanor understood what her father was planning. Her and Ramsey had not fought in any raid before due to them being too young so no one would know who they were. Berwyn meant to send them in as spies to find out the locations of where the slaves were being kept.

She walked away from the tent and lay down on the grass being tired from the day's events. Within moments Eleanor Ferindale was asleep with the sun shining down, causing a shadow that lay beside her motionless body.