A Traveler's Tale

Chapter-9 Greatest Power

Authors note: very good we have reached 50+ readers and I really appreciate you guys for reading my story. Get ready! Hold onto your tablets and resume on our journey.

Travis saw the fortress' draw bridge but knew he didn't even need to walk across. He concentrated his thought and poof! He was wind.

It felt strange unlike anything he had experienced before. It was like he was in one place and in multiple places at the same time.

He guided the wind flow he was made of through the fortress tower window. He passed Skelton guards along long halls and peeked at the inside of rooms.  

Everything felt easy until he flew straight into a fan. A Skelton guard had taken out a small fan and the air blew him off course. Travis spun in a twirl and was knocked onto his back. He didn't feel pain as wind but returned to his solid state.

"Ugh, why?" He asked. "Look it is a human!" Pointed a guard. Several guards had him surrounded. "Fleshy flesh" a guard with an axe said. Travis focused to become wind again but he couldn't concentrate or maybe he couldn't still beau enough of the fan. Plan B he thought. Fighting.

He unleashed his sword. The skeletons yelped at the sight of Stygian iron. They must have known the stuff was deadly to their kind. "Ha!" He charged into the guard closest to him. Poof he was devoured into dust. "Fool" the axe bearing Skelton guard said "we will reform!" Slash. Stab and slice. Travis had done it all. Seven skeletons now have been reduced to nothing but dust.

Again he tried to form as wind but it did not work. He wondered if there was some sort of time limit on his new power. Travis looked to see if king Hackett was near.

Travis walked and crawled along the floor. He made almost no sounds.

Crow sat down. He feared that Travis would not succeed. He really wanted to go with him but the prophecy stated that the one who doesn't defeat King Hackett would die.

Crow didn't want to die but he didn't want Travis to die either. Since the beginning of things Crow has been a little different from his friends and family. Inside he loved his brother but after ruling Tartarus for years his brother's heart had gotten corrupt. His brother's name was Seth.

Crow sat wondering when he would die and how it would happen. Prophecies could be wrong but that rarely happened.

"Hmm" thought Bond Quiver. He must appear somewhere. Bond was a clever fellow. He favored his shotgun that served him on his many missions.

His partner in crime, business, and sharing a couple drinks in the bar was Jarvis. Each of them were tough henchmen there to carry out king Hackett's dirty work.

Bond was supposed to be backup for Jarvis but came in too late. At the bar Bond may have had too many drinks or just forgot. He thought Jarvis would handle things easily and be back quickly but he sensed that Jarvis was dead.

The skeletons reformed but that took a long time. Plus Bond couldn't do his missions alone. He had to get back to the king and find out who killed his partner.

Travis walked up a staircase and was at the top of the tower. He could look out window. "Escape, turn into the wind and leave."
He thought. But he drowned out the convincing voices in his head and decided he needed to man up and finish what he came for. My name is Travis. I came out of the ground. Crow is my friend. The old man died. I must kill the king.

Everything was good for Travis he snuck past every guard easily. But one part of the fortress was very protected. Twenty guards stood all in very compact armor with seriously sharpened weapons. One Skelton had a helmet with a huge spike on it. Travis guessed that he was the leader.

Travis had to find a way to get in. He thought about and had a plan.

Travis could talk anywhere because he could be the wind. His voice startled a guard. "That skeleton with the spiked helmet said he doesn't like you." He whispered. The skeleton walked towards the spiked helmet Skelton looking furious. Travis continued telling all the skeletons false rumors and made them fight each other. Too busy to notice Travis grabbed the keys off one of their belts and opened the gate but on the other side he saw something that surprised him.

More guards.

Travis gulped. He put his hands up. A dozen skeletons were aiming muskets at him. "The king awaits." Said one of the skeletons. Travis was walked by the skeletons. They paced handcuffs on him and he felt no longer so confident. He thought about escaping.

"No no no" said one skeleton as if he were reading his mind. "Don't even think about escaping." "I wasn't." Travis said but he still was. "One sudden move and our muskets will all set off aimed onto your cranium with no hesitation." the skeleton said.

Travis was taken into the cells of the fortress. "We will see you in five minutes." the skeletons said and were off in hurry. "Well, this stinks." Travis said and slouched on the floor. "Don't be deprived of spirit." He heard. "What?" Travis asked without looking up. "It is I the wind." Travis looked up and it was indeed the old man. "You're alive!" Travis stood up. "No" the man said. "I am a ghost but doesn't mean you will be one." Travis couldn't believe the old man's spirit was standing in front of him.

"What do I do?" Travis asked. "You realize that men fight with there words and not just action. The brain and heart are what your true heroism comes from." The old man freed Travis from the chains and unlocked the cell door. "Go my boy." He hollered. "How can I leave you again ?" Travis asked but the man was gone.

Travis walked out of jail and headed straight to the king's throne room.