Shadow Kingdoms | Book 1 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 3 - Etherborn

[Partially Edited]

The sun fell through bright green leaves. The forest was filled with life. When Lirya awoke, they died down to a few well wishers and some small talk.

How ya feelin', Noble child?

Then there was Sealyor. He was slightly confused.

Was it something I said?

Lirya stifled a laugh.

"No, Sealyor. It was all the animals out there. Their voices flooded my consciousness."

And she got knocked out again. Why did it keep happening? Her head would probably bust from all the pounding headaches.

You are Etherborn. Dead, but not really dead.

"That's good, right?"

You are special. Nobody since the last Guardian of the Key was Etherborn.

Sealyor kept expressing the "special" part.

"Wait. The last Key Guard was Etherborn?"

Aye. He had a will so strong that he summoned the Abyss to the Ether and snuck out through a portal to Dargon again. It was then that his powers began to develop. He could master the elements: Wind, Water, Earth, Fire, and Lightning. His powers began to show when a loved one of his was in danger, as it does for all the guardians. Your friend Jason included.

"J-Jason is a Guardian?" Lirya stammered. Jason and Dey were packing up the camp try to look like they weren't eavesdropping when they clearly were. It must have been awkward for them, to only hear one side of the conversation.

Well. Yes. He is the rarest of them all, and the most powerful. He controls the very energy and emotions. He is the Guardian of the Gold Crystal. The third Guardian of the Gold Crystal. Reyneld was the second. And Rhyslin Bladesworn the first. Guardians have long lifespans but they seldom survive long enough to die of old age.

"Wow. Must be comforting."

She turned to Jason who was trying to listen and pack the saddlebags. Somehow he had managed to get the bags on her horse. The result was a near disaster. He kept missing the bag, so the item would fall on the ground. Jason bent down and tried to pick it up, then realized that he had things in both his hands. He rose and bumped his head on the saddle bag. Which spilled more things out. Jason put the things in his arms into the saddle bag. He stooped down to pick things up.

"Jason!"

He jerked up and hit the saddlebag again. Dey sighed, ran over and quickly and expertly packed the bag. Jason looked at Lirya and felt a flutter of happiness. They had survived.

"I found out that you will most likely be dying soon." Lirya said.

That was a truly saddening thought. So much for survival. Jason walked over to her.

"What did the horse say?!" He demanded.

"He told me that I was Etherborn and that the only other person who was Etherborn was the KeyGuard himself." she said. Then she said, somewhat accusingly, "He told me that you were a Guardian!"

Jason shuffled his feet nervously.

"Yeah. About that..."

"When were you going to tell me?!"

He was strong. He was the rarest and the most powerful. Why did he hide it? Did he know, or was he truly clueless?

"You're strong, the strongest, in fact. Why did you hide it? You can manipulate energy. You can shape emotions and energy into magic!"