knights

Chapter Nineteen: To Save an Empire

Shadows played out a seemingly eerie dance among the thicket of trees surrounding the small clearing of dense forest known as Sunni Forest. Fading in and out like playful spirits, they lightly touched the lush green landscape with goodbyes as the morning sun rose higher in the horizon.

With the cool night air slowly retreating with the moon and stars, a young man no older than his early teens sat silently gazing on an overly large boulder that took more of an appearance of a small bluff than a large slab of stone; his dark gray eyes almost reflecting a yellowish color as the sun's rays painted him in shades of gold.

It was in this moment the boy closed his eyes and lifted his head to Heaven above; the silence and calming peace guiding him to the one place he could only enter in that very moment.

Breathing in, he took the essence of the new day and held it briefly before letting it slowly escape him to ride the winds to places afar; and with that, the moment was gone.

Opening his eyes, the boy lowered his head; his gaze falling upon someone he recognized as they stood below him with gentle blue eyes. An older boy who's face had seen its fair share of time despite not being much older.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to enjoy the moment with you." The older teen smiled as he lifted his arms above him to climb up onto the boulder; his hands and feet squeaking from the slippery dew. "You sure like this boulder don't you Alex?"

Giving no reply, Alex turned his gaze back to the rising sun that was now in full view and directly in front of the boulder. The small clearing surrounded by the deep forest began to awaken with life. If one were to sit silently enough, they could almost hear its breath.

"So, is it true?" The older teen plopped himself down next to the brunette with a loud thud and sending a small wave of vibrations throughout the cold hard rock.

He was much larger than Alex in size and slightly taller; a body builder most would call him due to his intense training, but he himself would call it powerhouse extreme!

"Is what is true?"

"Come on, don't give me that! Sarah has already spilled the beans! You're going to be a big brother!"

"She never could keep a secret." Alex spoke quietly while slowly lifting his duel swords that laid near his side. "I was planning on telling you Jeramik so don't lead yourself to believe I would keep it from you."

"Wah... I never thought that!"

Glancing over to the black-haired boy, Alex didn't have to ask, his eyes did for him; forcing Jeramik to laugh nervously.

"Eh, um, okay maybe I did! But it was only a brief moment I swear, and are you leaving already? I just sat down!"

With a silent glance back to the horizon, Alex returned his gaze to Jeramik; who in his big heart that was fitting for the overly big gentle boy, wanted to stay and talk a little longer.

"Come on, why do you have to do this all the time? Can't we just sit here like buddies and talk about buddy things? It's not often I get to sit with you and just chit-chat, ya know? Especially with Sarah always being your shadow. I'm really surprised she isn't here now that I think about it."

Closing his eyes briefly while sighing inwardly, Alex slowly strapped his sword holsters to his lower back; his thoughts close to Jeramik's words, yet distant, and with one final glance to the sky, the duel sword user made his decent to the lush green grass below; his agile form and light stepping making it look easy.

"H-Hey! Wait for me!" Jeramik called out with no reply in return.

Taking a step down, the overly massive boy felt his foot slip, and before he could stop himself he was on a one way trip to the painful ground below. The embarrassing moment seemed to take forever, and with nothing left to do but fall, Jeramik caught a flash of where he was heading and put his arms over his face to protect it, and then, nothing.