The Eca

Chapter 4 - Stan

Fred is awaken by some noise around the house. It was too early. He feel that he didn't have enough rest yet. But this is no time to be lazy because of what depends on them. All he could think of is that they are needed be the world to convince himself that he needed to do what they are tasked to do.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Melvin near his bed, almost finished packing his things. He looked at the others and everyone are almost done. Hendal and the other two from Manta were already there. He gathered his thoughts and realized he didn't have anything to pack! He quickly sat up. The bedroom is still dark and only illuminated by two small lamps.

Elrik entered the room and open a small closet near Fred's bed.

"Hood morning everyone!" he said and turned to Fred. "Fred, come on here and find some clothes that would fit you. There's got to be something here." he's sort of digging on the closet then Fred walked in and took over.

He can smell an almost foul odor inside the closet. He can barely sew anything. He grabbed some shirts and pants and stuffed in inside the bag he found on the closet. They are almost ready except they don't know what else is needed.

The four boys went to the living room and found the folks from Manta. The ones that are going to accompany them in their training. Hendal said a few words to Elrik and said goobye.

Fred is the last one that stepped out of the front door. The sky is still dark. He don't have a watch with him so he can't tell the time for sure. They only have one means of transportation, walking.

They started walking opposite from the direction where he came when he was being pursued by the horned men. No one is talking. He can only hear the sound of their footsteps. The paks is being led by Milo on the front. Fred checked his pocked and found what he's looking for. The eca ball. He didn't take it out of his pocket as what's said on the direction the first time he touched it.

They have been walking for almost an hour when Melvin broke the silence.

"Mr. Hendal, why do we have to walk and not use one of your portals?" he asked from the main infront. Tiredness obvious in his voice while breathing heavily.

It took a minute before Hendal answered the question.

"We can't use a portal. Not one is built to get there. The council has avoided any other means of transportation to  get to Helmes. That's the name of the place by the way." he answered.

Everyone doesn't know the name of the place where they are to be trained.

"The counsil have thought of it thoroughly. It will be safer to the place if we travel on foot." he continued.  "However..." his words were cut when he draw a small bottle from his pocket at the same moment that a horned man jumped out from the trees on their right.

Hendal held the bottle in the direction of the horned man and said "Pixelium!". The horned man when it was going to approach Hendal, suddenly shrinked and was sucked in the bottle. Everyone stared at him in amazement but two other was running on their left, all coming from the trees.

It seem that they are being expected. Milo and Zac fought the two horned man. Their eyes illuminates and their palms both created a ball of fire. The horned man was fast approaching but the two guardians were faster. They immediately threw each ball of fire from their right hands. When it was on the air and the horned men's weapon are pointed at it and fired, the fireball just multiplied by two and still approaching to the direction of the target. They fired at it again and the two fireballs the flew before became four fireballs and it hit the two targets.

The bodied of the horned men dropped on the ground and at the instant it hit the earth, it was eaten by flames caused by the fireballs.

"Nicely done!" said a man appeared from nowhere thirty yards in front of them. The man wears a cloak but no hoods. He is atleast six feet tall with long hair tied in his back like a ponytail. The man was clapping his hands as if insulting them.