Aetherian(Part 1): A War Begins

Julien

 Julien, Trevor, Illyria, and Arthur managed to find a small village in the western reaches of the Shadowgrove, and desperately hoped they had lost Nyatar and Naevys. The village was in a small jungle clearing of tall grass, and through its center ran a clear, blue stream. The jungle surrounding the village was thick and dense, and the sun was setting over the horizon. There was nothing more that could be done other than to rest for the night.

"Good call," Illyria said. "The jungles are just as dangerous as the desert at night."

"I just hope those Epsilon hunters have lost us," added Arthur.

"They can track us for miles, Arthur," Julien reminded. "And they don't sleep."

"Well, they also helped us against Silver Hawks," said Arthur. "When a few hours earlier, they wanted our heads."

"Why do you think they helped us?" Illyria asked.

"I'm not sure," said Julien. "Hey, where's Trevor?"

"I thought he was with you," Illyria answered.

"No, he wasn't," Julien answered. "Didn't he say he was going downstream?"

"Well, it's getting dark," said Illyria. "I'll go find him." As Illyria went to look for Trevor in the jungles, Arthur and Julien went back to the tavern they were staying at.

"You know, you shouldn't be so hard on Trevor, Arthur," Julien suggested. "He was only trying to save someone he loved." Julien could still sense a great deal of anger from Ser Arthur, though it wasn't as much as when he met Trevor.

"I know," Arthur admitted. "Maybe when we save Blake."

"It's best to make your peace sooner," said Julien. "Holding grudges won't help you."

"Do you think I don't know that?" Arthur snapped, but he regretted it. "Sorry. I just didn't know my father like I probably should have."

"What do you mean?" asked Julien.

"My uncle was the last Lord of Belhall," said Arthur. "My father was always in Sandstorm, protecting Ballard Redwald, so I didn't know him as well as everyone else did. Especially my mother. I heard about him, though. No one could match his skill with a sword. I don't know what kind of man my father was, and I'll never know, but you're right. I know I can't stay angry with Trevor. Maybe when he comes back with Illyria."

"If he comes back," said Julien, pointing out the window, to a dark, starry sky. "They should be back by now, shouldn't they?"

"Well, Trevor shouldn't have gone that far downstream," Arthur reminded. "Come on." They both went outside to the stream to look, but Trevor and Illyria weren't there.

"Trevor!" Julien shouted. "Illyria!"

"They went downstream, didn't they?" asked Arthur, pointing to the direction the water was flowing. "Come on." They went downstream, to the edge of the jungle, but Trevor and Illyria weren't there, either.

"Damn it," Julien cursed. "Where are they?"

"One place to look," said Arthur, drawing Burn. Julien ignited his silver lightsword, and they went into the undergrowth. They had a hard enough time seeing in the dark, even with the light from Julien's blade. It wouldn't be easy trying to find them, especially with the monsters in the jungles of the Shadowgrove that haunted it at night. All they could do was follow the stream deeper into the jungle, but all they found after half an hour was more brush. Suddenly, the bushes shook, and then the leaves of the jungle trees.

"What was that?" said Julien.

"Not sure," Arthur answered. Julien then felt something on his leg, but it couldn't bite through his armor. It was a tiny, skinny bird on two legs, with black feathers, called a cockatrice. Its beak was covered with a venom similar to a sand dweller, but luckily, Julien's armor was too hard for it to break through. He took its head off with his lightsword.

"What was that?" Arthur asked.

"It's a cockatrice," Julien answered. "They're venomous." Julien was glad the bird attacked him and not Arthur since he wasn't wearing armor.

"Not as venomous as that!" Arthur shouted, pointing downstream, to an enormous basilisk slithering their way.

"Oh, great," Julien groaned. The basilisk snapped its jaws at them. They stepped back and rushed at the huge snake. Arthur quickly took its head off with Burn.

"Nice," said Julien. Suddenly, the bushes around them rustled.

"Oh, give me a break," Arthur gasped, raising Burn. When the rustling stopped, they kept their blades out as they crept to the brush, and moved the leaves. It was another basilisk, with a familiar arrow of Epsilon steel stuck in its eye.

"I've seen those arrows before," said Arthur, then Julien remember that he had, too. They both turned around, and across the stream was a familiar Jungle Epsilon girl with long, dark hair, armed with a short bow and a long blade with a slight curve at its tip.

"Stay your weapons, Knights," she said. "I came to help you. Where are the other two that were with you?"

"If you think..." Arthur scolded, but Julien interrupted him.

"We've lost them," he said.

"You lost them!?" Naevys shouted.

"Shh!" Julien hushed. "There's worse in these jungles, remember? Come over here."

"Fine," Naevys spat, then she reached one of her legs across the stream, and pulled herself to the other side. Arthur was still tightly gripping Burn.

"How did you find us?" he demanded. "And why?"

"I've been tracking you ever since you escaped from the Shadowgrove," Naevys answered. "I need to find Trevor Karvine."

"What do you want with him?" asked Julien.

"Is that important right now?" said Naevys.

"Well, since you threw us in a dungeon when we first met, we kind of have our doubts," Arthur answered.

"He needs to be protected," Naevys asserted. "If I can get him to my father, my people can look after him."

"Does he need protecting?" said Julien. "He's more powerful than any Guardian I've seen."

"I know, but there's a reason his ancestors have held onto the Dragon Throne for so long," said Naevys. "If Trevor dies, then this country dies with him."