🔥 The Path of Fire (Path of Light and Fire Book #1)(Completed) 🔥

Chapter 6: Reflection

Sabin punched the tree, sending a few leaves falling in retaliation. He had failed twice over. First, despite his training he was unable to defeat Valice on his own. Second, a civilian had latched onto his excursion and he had no words to stop her. If she died, it would be his fault.

I am in over my head.

Sabin had snuck away as the others slept. In the dead of night, except for the occasional sound of nature, he was left to his thoughts.

Things were so much simpler in Toro, a place of honesty and hard work. He shook his head. That's not true. Takuya wasn't punished, he was sent to military training. The same military training I craved once upon a time.

He continued his trudge through the forest. He wasn't sure where he was walking or why. He just knew that he had to move.

"Darren told me that I was the next Serien leader, but how could he know? I've always thought myself a good leader and strategist, but maybe I'm just a kid playing." He looked up at the blanket of stars that peeked through the forest. "Maybe I should just give Wade to Leena or Turrent."

Wade's silence was maddening. He'd grown so used to the sword's advice that now he felt incomplete, as if a piece of his mind had gone on vacation.

"You will do no such thing."

As the voice interrupted his melancholy, he became aware of the footsteps behind him. Kianna appeared from behind the tree, dressed in the long brown dress he'd first seen her in. After how things had ended between the two of them, she was the last person he expected to see.

"That was private. Have you been following me the whole time?"

"No." Kianna tucked her hair behind her ears. "You were missing from mother's home. She asked me to find you. After Valice and Mina, the former H.E.R., everyone is on edge."

"I am sorry," Sabin said. "I will return right away."

"Wait." She place her hand on his chest, then pulled it away quickly. "Do you want to talk?"

"No."

"Well, listen then. I have told you the Ferachu are historians, yes? I have some I would like to share with you."

Sabin nodded.

"Let me tell you about King Wevan of the Acadia Tribe. The Acadia Tribe's Kings were different from what they are now. They chose their kings young, so that they could grow into the role, rather than chose an older man, colored by his experience and too confident in his correctness. Wevan started his leadership as badly as one could; he went to war with the Ose, overestimating his strength. He left his territory so unguarded that the Magwa were able to cut it in half. With supplies scarce, the Ose won many skirmishes. The Acadia Tribe convened to change their king and Wevan was willing to give up the honor, his confidence drained."

Sabin shrugged. "Sounds like they should have switched. Let me guess, he never again lost another battle?" He aimed for the village.

"No, he lost several," Kianna said.

Sabin stopped and turned around. "I thought this was a pep talk."

"If you'd let me finish, it might be." Kianna snapped.

Sabin mimed that he'd be silent and folded his arms.

"The previous king, Verran, was beloved by many for he had never lost a battle. Many had hoped he'd help name the next king, but he wanted no part of it. At the conference Verran said these words, 'King Wevan, you have opened our eyes to what must be done. You knew that we must stop that Ose from raping our women and wise enough to know that any Ose coastal land we gain is worth twice that of what we lost to the Magwa. You have shown yourself to be better at twenty than I am at fifty. Wisdom is something you gain, integrity cannot be taught. I put my vote behind King Wevan.' The conference kept Wevan as King.