THE BROKEN BOND

CHAPTER 1-PREPERATIONS

This is a story about a company of three.  A story of friendship, of adventure, and of a broken bond.  Most importantly, it is a story of a hero that I love.

 It was a bright and beautiful morning that day as young Karin awoke from her distant slumber.  Karin is 14 years of age with long blonde hair.  As she walked over to her window, she rubbed her eyes continuously trying to adjust her eyesight to the light that shined in through her window and into her room.

“Today’s the day.  Time to make preparations for our departure,” She over-looked the wide open sea from out her treetop window.  You see, Karin lived on a small island within the Temporal Sea.  Today was the day her and her two best friends prepared for the upcoming departure from their island home.  Her gaze slowly shifted to the two boys who were constructing a raft near the shore, “What are they up to,” She inquired with a puzzled complexion upon her face.

Karin flew open her window and exclaimed, “What in the world are you two doing!”

“Come down here and find out,” one of the boys replied with a snicker.

Karin quickly got dressed, slipped on her sandals, and ran out of her room, down the tree, and over to where the boys were constructing their raft. One of the boys was tying rope around some logs that they had lined up.

“Izen, what are you doing, “she asked as the boy continued to tie.

Izen stood up and he looked at her with a look of embarrassment, “I don’t quite know, actually.”

Izen was 14 years of age, the same age as Karin, he had short black hair and, as you can see, isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.

“Look, if all you’re going to do is stand their asking what we’re doing even though it’s quite obvious, then go back to sleep.  I don’t have time for your nonsense,” the other boy said with a look of annoyance upon his scarred face.

“You don’t have to be rude about it, Tore,” She scolded as she turned away with her arms folded.

Tore was about a year older than Karin and Izen and was much smarter.  He had long brown hair and a scarf around his neck that covered his mouth along with it.  He was very distant from the two, however.  Even after the years they spent together, they still didn’t know much about him. As mentioned before, he had a scar that ran down the side of his face. No one really knows how it got there, though.  Despite all their differences, they shared one common goal, to leave their island paradise for something more. 

“Alright you two, that’s enough!  We only have today to make our final preparations for tomorrow’s departure.  I’ve made a list of supplies we’ll need to collect before the sun goes down, so listen up,” Izen stated as he passed out the lists with a know-it-all kind of tone to his voice.  Despite Izen’s clumsy personality, he was great at taking charge.  He is quite dependable,” Tore, I’ll need you to find some freshwater for me.  It can’t be sea water!  That just doesn’t taste good, yuck!”

“Whatever you wish your majesty,” He replied sarcastically.

“Karin, I’ll need you to find some fresh berries.  Oh, and while you’re at it, try to find some apples.”

“Sure thing,” She answered as she ran off into the tree filled forest.

“Alright so I need to find some berries. What kind does he want again?  Now I remember, he wants the fresh kind.”

Without a second thought, she began her search.

Meanwhile, Tore was between a rock and a hard place when it came to finding fresh water.   As he walked the perimeter of the island he came across a rocky hill.  Atop that hill he could see a pool of fresh water. From there, the water flowed off down the rocky hill down into the sea.  There only remained the question of how he was going to reach it.  He was quite tall, 5’6 to be exact.  The only problem was the first holding was a little higher.  Time after time he tried to reach it.  He tried jumping, but that didn’t work.  He tried using a log which proved to be quite unsteady. After failure after failure he was convinced he couldn’t do it, but along came Johnson.  He was 16 years of age and was around the same height as Tore.  Maybe he could help, Tore thought to himself.

“Johnson,” Tore yelled from across the shore, “Can you come here for a second.”

Johnson ran over to where Tore was standing.  Johnson is an upbeat kind of guy.  Unlike the rest, he really finds no reason to leave.  In fact, he’s always going on about how he will restore the island to its former glory, although no one knows what he is talking about.  He’s also quite lazy, another reason why he doesn’t really feel like leaving.

“Hey Tore, did you need me?”

“Yes, actually, I did.  You see, I am trying to get up to this ledge but I can’t quite reach.  I was wondering if you could help me.”

“No problem, I’ll give you a boost!”

Johnson placed one hand atop the other in front of the ledge.

“Alright you boost me on three, Johnson.  One…… Two-

Johnson immediately boosted Tore, paying no attention at all to his counting. Tore, as surprised as he was, managed to grab hold of the ledge and started to climb up the rocky hill.  When Tore reached the top he took a canteen that was strapped around his waist and filled it to the brim with soothing freshwater.  Tore then closed the lid on the canteen and jumped back down to where Johnson was waiting.

“Thank you very much, Johnson,” Tore said as he began walking back to where Izen was continuing construction on the raft.

“No problems, if you need anything else you know where to find me.”

Karin, however, was not having the best of luck on her exploration.  She couldn’t seem to find any fresh berries no matter how many bushes she checked.  Hours upon hours passed and she still couldn’t find any.  She finally decided it was time to head back.  When she met the two down at the shore, she was surprised to see her friend and childhood rival, Martha there with a basket full of berries.

“Darn her! I’ll get her back for this,” Karin said to herself with a burning flame of anger stirring deep within her.  When Karin approached the three as they talked amongst themselves, Martha took notice and began to tease her.

“Well look who it is, I was wondering when you would show up,” Martha rudely stated as she handed the basket to Izen.

“Wow, thank you, Martha!  Oh, Karin, you will never believe it,” Soren stated with an enthusiastic look on his face.

“Let me guess, she picked a bunch of berries and gave them to you.”

“Wow, how did you know?”

After a few parting words, Martha went back to her home and the three were left alone to conduct some last minute touches to the raft.  As the sun began to set they made a last addition to the raft before calling it a night.

“Well, I guess I’m going to call it a night.  See you two tomorrow.  Oh, and Izen, don’t be late,” Tore said as he gave one last gesture before he started to stroll his way on home.

“Izen, can we talk,” Karin asked with a worried look on her face.

“Sure, what’s wrong?”

As the two sat on the pier over-looking the sunset and the beautiful colors that were reflected on to the ocean surface, Karin began to speak.

“Izen, let’s leave now, just you and me!”

Izen was shocked that Karin would even think of leaving Tore behind.  At the the very thought of it he exclaimed, “No way!  Do you know what you’re saying!?  Tore is part of the crew, why would you even think of saying such a thing?”

“Tore has changed.  Whenever I’m around him I feel like at any moment he could just snap.  He’s become distant.  It scares me to think what he might do.”

“Ya, I know.  Then again, change is inevitable.  It happens to all of us.  Don’t worry; Tore would never turn on us.”

As Izen began to walk away, Karin placed her hand on his shoulder and with a tear in her eye asked him to make a promise.

“Izen, promise me if you ever change, it will be for the better.”

Izen turned his head and smiled.  With a laugh he exclaimed, “You got it!”

As Izen walked back home, Karin decided to stay back.  She began to reminisce on all the memories that the three had on the island.  The one she meditated on the most was the day ‘He’ left.

“Wow, it really has been quite a while.”