The Last StormRider

A Journey

It had been hours since they had left me to Deliberate on my request. I was just thankful that I at least bought a few extra hours of life. At one point the Vile spoke to me again saying "You did good, they'll talk about it then send you on your way to the Spiral Kingdoms to be tested. Now I must bid you Farewell, I have other people to goad." then I felt something detach from my mind, spiriting away. 

"Goodbye, Vile." I whispered as I realized I was free.

I didn't know what to think of that, but I saw new problems arise when an armed escort came and lead me out of the dungeon. How was I to escape? What if I was really chosen, I wasn't going to be one of there puffed up 'Chosen Ones'.

We were on the streets now winding our way towards the docks. On either side of the road people stopped the business to watch us go by. People in their houses hushed the children, and gaped at me. Urchins stopped haggling and watched us go by.

One of the guards glanced behind us nervously before he barked for us to pick up the pace. Restricted by chains I tried to look out of my peripheral vision. All I could see was a mass of people following us.

Fear clawed at me as I wondered if they would riot and kill me. Then I wondered why they even wanted to do that, all I had done was try and steal a couple trinkets from the palace, not mass murder.

Finally we reached our destination. A large boat with sailors swarming all over it like bees, as they prepared to set sail. Standing on deck waiting for me was Rodrick. Looking just behind me he saw the large mob of people and he did the weirdest thing. He laughed for a long time even after the guards had left.

Sighing he stopped long enough to point to the crowds "I bet you don't know what to make of this do ya Aaron?"

"No, sir." I replied looking at the crowd of people their whisperings sending chills down my spine.

"Well, I'll tell ya, their here to send ya off." seeing my confused look he explained, "Well, after ye made ye're request and showed us ye're mark we went and told the King. The King being the wise man he was, began to chuckle as if he was a giddy school boy. Well, me and Darius didn't know what to think, soon though he elaborated. He said that the last person to touch that sword died four hours later."

Alarm racked my body as I looked down to check if I was still alive, thankfully I was.

"Now I'm not as learneded as the others, but I can figure that it's been longer than four hours. So that shows that ye're claim isn't all that empty. And if ya do indeed happen to be an esteemed member of Pirate Royalty, then you'll earn the name 'Vålnad, the Specter'"

"So your going to give me a chance?" I asked hope beyond hope that I would actually survive.

"I'm gonna do that and more, I'm going to help ya." he said as he undid my chains.

"Help me?"

"Well, you requested the Trial of Knaves, which means that Pirate Royalty will have to evaulate ye." he said throwing the shackles away in disgust.

"Yeah, umm.... how does that pertain to me?" I asked in confusion.

Sighing Rodrick explained "Well, the trial that you requested can only be done at Kasonia Academy, and that is located on an isolated island in the Spiral Kingdom," gesturing to the crowd that had clogged up the dock watching them leave he continued, "The last person to request such a trial ended up becoming the King of Dargys."

"Oh." was my only response to such a revelation. Turning back to the crowd receding quickly into the distance I thought about all they had done for me. It didn't take long to get through the list.

After a dreamless sleep in the bowels of the ship I woke up early to see the sunrise on the distant horizon. To my surprise standing near the bow of the ship was Rodrick, the Captain, and Darius.

Walking towards them Darius turned with a sneer "Well, it appears that the early bird does gets the thieving worm."

"Darius!" Rodrick barked as he turned, "Try not to be demeaning, we were sent to prepare him."

"Fine." Darius grumbled giving me a death stare.

Ignoring him I asked "What do you mean prepare me?"

"Well, ye need to prove your worthy of what ya claim. And that means weapon training." Rodrick explained.

"And a proper education of History, the Arts, and strategy." Darius said, "Because even the dumbest child would know more than you." he continued delighting in my irritation.

The Captain of the ship, a dark haired man with a very colorful yet plain taste in clothing, ceased his silenced by saying calmly "And you'll have to know how to sail. They're pirates after all, and if you want to even hold a match against what they got you need to be able to not sink."

Rodrick nodded his head moving around to slap me on the back "Aye, and we got the entire journey to do it! You'll share some days with me and Darius, then other days you'll get the Captain's undivided attention."

Nodding my head I turned to the slowly rising sun and basked in the sea breeze as I watched my past fade like the darkness.