Eyes of the Deluti Book One: The Price of Compassion Chpt 1

Chapter 4

                                                Chapter Four

                                              Time to Believe

Navon glanced down at the dead sorcerer and then back to the ogre. He had heard tales of ogres who spoke, but you had to listen closely to what they said. What Sebastion just said made no sense. "I don't understand. What is just beginning for me?"

"It's alright, Navon. Ogres are hard to understand sometimes, especially Sebastion." Emma gave the ogre a warning glance and continued, "Sometimes he says things that he shouldn't."

She did not know what the Old Man had told Sebastion about Navon, but her orders were clear. Shadow and protect Navon only if needed. Say or do nothing that might influence him as to where he was going and when. It was up to the amulet to guide him now.

"You two have seven bodies to bury while I look over things here in the tent. The sooner that is done, the sooner we can get some sleep. I, for one, have had a very tiring day."

Navon nodded in agreement and turned back to the body of the sorcerer.

“No young one,” Sebastion cautioned, touching his shoulder. “His body, many spells be. Ogre I be and magic no touch ogre.”

Navon stepped back for a moment and studied the ogre. Sebastion was at least several hand-spans taller than even his brother Altair. Leather pants, vest and boots were the only clothing that covered a body full of hair. A large two-handed sword strapped to his back with several short swords and knives attached to the wide belt around his waist. Navon shivered at the thought of coming face to face with Sebastion in a fight.

He suddenly felt drained and slowly made his way over to the table to sit down, the events of the last few days weighing heavily on his mind. As he sat there and stared at the candle on the table, the memory of Emma lighting it with a touch of her finger flashed before his eyes. Raising his head he saw the look of sympathy on her face and blurted out, “You’re not human either!”

“No Navon, I am not. My people come from a race of tree dwellers. I have a small amount of power that enables me to shift the light so I become invisible to anyone who looks in my direction. I am the largest of my clan and was chosen and trained by the Ancient One for other duties.”

“The ugliest Em also be,” Sebastion chuckled.

“Sebastion!” Navon cried out as he surged to his feet. “That was very un-kind and totally un-true. I think Emma is very pretty and you owe her an apology.”

“It’s alright Navon,” Emma said blushing, and then glared at Sebastion. “He is just jealous. Sebastion is so ugly that whenever he goes home they hide all the little ones so he won’t scare them to death.”

With a huge smile that showed off his fangs, Sebastion headed for the opening of the tent. “Come young one, work we have. Answers later be.”

As Navon and Sebastion began the arduous task of digging seven graves for the dead men outside, Emma carefully moved about the tent and inspected what she found but touched nothing. She did not have a natural defense against magic like Sebastion. The book the sorcerer had been reading, appeared to be a history of the nation of Marlinor. It lay opened to a page depicting a map of the region with several of the Keeps circled in red. What that meant she had no way of knowing but noted the names of the ones circled. It might prove important later.

The tent was neatly divided between the sorcerer’s area and the small corner allotted to Navon. All of his weapons carefully stacked behind the sorcerer’s cot. Even though the sorcerer had the boy under some sort of spell, he obviously hadn’t trusted Navon with possession of his weapons. Once Sebastion cleared out everything that might be spelled, there should be enough room for the three of them to spend the night in the tent. Emma hoped that Navon would be too exhausted to ask any more questions tonight since she had no idea how to answer them. Tomorrow would not be a good day.