Shadow & Light The Ark Twins

Chapter 5

Elven:

"What about when Uncle Oscar introduced you. He didn't called you Orik?" I said with a lot of questions buzzing inside my head.

"I made him promise not to tell. I've known you for a very long time Lad." He looked up as if recalling a distant memory. "I have been your bus driver/guardian ever since you two where in kindergarten." Orik sat next to me fixing his beard as it got stuck on his shirt. I laughed, somehow feeling the same way.
I started wondering how Orik met my family...

"Orik How was it that you met Oscar and my family?" I said to a tree. "What the-" I stood up quickly and looked around. I was standing in the middle of a road. There was a wooden pole that had directions from North, To South, to West and to East; Palancar Valley, Carvahall, The Spine, North West.

Narda, West.

Dras-Leona, Surda, Beor Mountains, South.

Hadarac desert, East.

Du Waldenvarden, North East."

My head started to hurt, "Why does this sound like the story book uncle read to us when we were little... Everything that has been happening to me and Raven is the same as the story?". My head started hurting. I looked around the clearing and off to the west I could see far far far away a line of mountains and to the East a small town. I was tempted to walk to the town and ask help.

"Glad you could make it; Elven Arksson" said a calm happy voice.

I jumped back and braced myself with my silver white sword in hand.

There in the middle of the road was a woman sitting on her chair kneading a type of glowing thread and next to her was a huge Black Cat. His Yellow eyes followed my movements carefully, and his tail was flicking sideways. He stood up stretching and yawned.

"Angela?" I said with shock, it was even weirder that I knew who she was. I shake my head sideways trying to make sense of what happening.

she looked up smiling, "My friend, its been so long. Do you remember me or anything else like the sword you are holding?" She looked at me with hope in her eyes. I slowly moved my head sideways and she sighed, "It's ok Elven, you will remember soon... your threads of destiny are slowly getting back together with mine... I wonder if He has noticed you already. It has been years since he came back... I wonder how he is." I tried to get her attention, but somehow I knew to keep quiet, and wait for her to talk to me again.

"Oh time is running out, I know you have lots of questions and there will be time for answers, but for now let me give you a warning. Don't trust Murtagh or your Brother Raven, Arksson... They will betray you in the most painfully way possible and you will regret not being able to lift a finger." She tried to keep a normal tone, but she sounded concerned.

"Nevertheless, I will wait for you Inside the Varden and make sure Orik's "Nephew" comes with you... He will be vital to your survival, now go back before you are missed." She kept happily humming away.

I looked at her with fear, "Angela?" I said slowly fading away.

"Wait!, what about my brother and Murtagh." I kept screaming, but my voice kept getting quieter  "And what sword?" I said looking at my right hand...

It was a White Silver one-handed Sword. It felt amazingly comfortable in my hand and it was vibrating. The sword disappeared just as I heard a whisper of a name

"Islingr" Its blade, hilt and cross guard were pure white and the jewel in its pommel is "as clear as a mountain spring". I found myself saying next to Orik who kept talking about how he met us a long time ago, up to the point were we are now.

"So your brother Raven can summon Magic... It was intriguing to watch if I say so myself". He said with a grunt.

It took me a moment to speak. I felt bad to my stomach, but I ignored it and decided to talk about this to Murtagh and Uncle.

"Yeah, Uncle Oscar told me about it as we walked towards the practice hall. I couldn't believe it either... But somehow I knew that Raven and me are more than just kids. I feel like I can do a lot more when my brother is near me." I stood up and stretched, "I didn't even get to practice, what about you Orik?" I said to him while offering him my hand to help him up, "Will you train with me?, exercising helps clear my head." I said picking up the wooden sword and smiling.

"Aye, I need the exercise. To keep up with you young kids and keep you out of trouble". Orik laughed out loud and grabbed a wooden shield and a war axe from the wall. As I got ready with my sword, I noticed his stance and it gave me goose bumps... He was leaving no openings exposed, he waited for me there, no movement at all. I Dashed forward, slashed horizontally and in that instant he bashed his shield and made the sword bounce back leaving my hand numb, I jumped back thinking he will charge at me, but no... He just stood there like... "A mountain." I said amazed.

"We barely started..." I can't find an opening to hit him and my hand is numb. I laughed out loud, but I let down my guard, "How do-" I barely managed to say before Orik was in my face. In an instant the axe came down and for some reason I tried to block instead of parrying the hit. He broke the wooden sword in half and then he bashed me with the shield, I flew back 5 feet falling on my back looking at the ceiling.

"Owwww" I groaned, "You don't hold back?!" I stood up slowly and decided to look up forgetting the most important rule, never take your eyes off of your opponent. There he was, inches away to bash me with the shield again, but this time I could see him slow and I felt like I could move faster than ever before, my senses were at their peak. I moved to my left missing his shield by very little, then appearing behind him and hitting him with the pommel of the broken sword on the back of the neck. He fell to his knees.

I was out of breath and super thirsty, Orik was on his knees trying to find out what just happened. I laughed so hard that I fell on my back and Orik stood up, walked towards me and was gasping for air.

"Mate... You moved faster than Murtagh... And I've never been bested like that, I am impressed... If you were a dwarf, you would be a very gifted Royal Warrior" He kept laughing and we both ended on the floor looking at the ceiling, "Will you teach me your fighting style, I would like to learn more" I said turning my head to look at him, "Lad... It is not up to me and your uncle is your teacher, is he not?" I took a deep breath of frustration. "Normally a famous teacher will seek out young people with promise and train them in their ways." He said standing up, "I need a big jug of beer".

I stood up thinking, "how is Raven doing?", but uncle made it clear for me not to move from the Practice Hall. I stood up and started thinking on what happened earlier. Me in a road and Angela on her chair and a huge cat.... And that sword.

"Orik have you heard of Angela or a sword named Islingr?" I said slowly.

He was walking to grab a towel when he stopped and turned around; "What Angela" he said in a shaky voice.

"You know something don't you?..." I said moving closer, but Orik started moving backwards and literally left the Hall and left me there standing alone.

"Aaaaah!!!" I screamed my lungs out, "Can someone explain to me what is happening?!".