What Lurks Behind The Trees

I'll help!

"I can't believe this!" Edmund yelled, "How can he escape!"

"Your majesty, he was seen with one of the guards,"

"Who?!"

"They said it was Darren Truman,"

Edmund sat back down on the throne and ran a hand over his face "Truman...That traitor,"

"Your majesty, we looked everywhere, he couldn't have escaped, there were soldiers all around the capital,"

"He climbed down the cliff you fools! Do you think he'll just sit and wait for the battle to end!...No, tell the flame council we're having a meeting, now!"

"Yes, my king,"

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"Gregor!" Rowan clapped Gregor on his back without warning, "Time's up! I killed twenty-one!" he laughed proudly and then looked expectantly at Gregor's face.

Gregor frowned and Rowan mirrored his expression.

"What happened?" Rowan asked worriedly when Gregor looked down distraughtly.

"I managed to kill three...rabbits,"

Rowan sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder "Is it your hand?"

Gregor nodded.

"I tried to tell you, there's something wrong with your left hand Gregor,"

"I know, I'm sorry I didn't listen, I didn't want to seem weak,"

"No! Look, we're going to fix it! I'll help you!" Rowan said as he slapped Gregor's shoulder and grinned.

"What're you doing?" Aden's voice came from behind, his teeth displayed in a wide grin until he realised the sour mood Gregor was in, his face fell quickly. "Hey, what's wrong with him?"

"He's got a bit of a problem, nothing big, right?"

Gregor nodded and smiled at Rowan.

"I just have to practice more," Gregor said, then looked at a confused Aden "Just archery, not your speciality Aden,"

Aden looked hurt for a second "Uhuh..." Gregor laughed at him.

"Anyway, I came here because your brother wants all of us inside," Aden finished.

"Why?"

"He wants to discuss something," Aden shrugged. He frowned and stayed quiet for a few minutes as the walked back, but he finally burst "I'll have you know I'm a skilled archer!" Aden suddenly shouted.

Gregor fell on the snowy ground laughing.

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"The road will be tough, there will be people coming after us," the cloaked man said.

Ada and Sam nodded.

"We have to be careful, we have to stay alert and cautious," the other cloaked man said, his black cloak swinging behind him.

"No horses?" Laina asked.

"I'm afraid so, at least not at this moment, if we come across a village away from Thronna we'll try, but it's a risk around here,"

"Why is everyone looking for us?" Celia asked.

"There's a big reward from the king,"

"So the people don't even know the reason?"

"Well, that is what money does to people," the magician said and ruffled Celia's hair and she batted his hand away.

"If anyone comes close, I have my bow and arrows." she said, pretending to shoot with her bare hands. Sam laughed at her.

"I'm sure everyone will be scared," the other magician said.

"I know you're mocking me, but trust me, I'm a good fighter, right uncle?"

"Oh yes, indeed,"

"I trust you," the magician said.

"May I ask what your names are?" Ada said.

The two magicians took off their hoods to reveal their faces. The taller one had hazel eyes and long, silky brown hair, the other one had shorter white hair, his eyes were black and his face was marked with a scar below his right eye.

"Evindal." the taller one said, bowing his head slightly.

"Eroan, at your service." the white-haired one said.

"You're magicians, I thought your kind was long gone," Sam questioned.

"It is partially true, we were gone, but we brought ourselves back, with the help of our leader, we found purpose and strength," Evindal said.

"Your leader?"

"Venkalth Randoul,"

"Can you make magical dragons? My friends used to tell me stories, but they were hard to believe," Laina said.

"Dragons, yes but only the very skilled, like our leader and his assistant Lazarus. You have to be a pure magician, born from two magician parents, you have to train day and night, it's quite difficult to master," Eroan said.

"As you witnessed before, we were able to summon snakes, we can do more than that, but dragons and large creatures are extremely difficult," Evindal said.

"So my husband is with your leader now?"

"Yes, he was lead there through several incidents, one of which was the battle in the capital between humans and magicians,"

"What?" Sam gasped.

"The king Edmund, revealed his weapon, a dragon, though he did not mention it a magical dragon to not reveal his real self,"

"Edmund is actually Venkalth's brother, he made the mistake of using his dragon which may lead to his people questioning his identity, of course, he's a magician, he's not the rightful king, he's not the son of Richard Shield nor is he related to him," Eroan said.

"How is that possible?!"

"Venkalth hasn't told us the exact story, it's a secret and so it remains a secret until he tells us, but there's more to this story than you think, and you are very much involved, hence why the king is trying to hunt you down," Evindal said.

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"We need to do something," Edmund said, sitting behind the circle table in the round room.

"Do not fret, your majesty, we have allies all over the kingdom. We have Hayden, Rupert, we have the other cities too,"

"What about Cruin?! Cedric has the biggest and strongest army after the capital," Edmund was so furious with Cedric, everytime his name was mentioned, he felt murderous.

"Cedric is on his own, he has no allies," a masked man said.

"I know Venkalth won't stay still for long, he will be back, he will try to attack once again, we must arrange with the other cities," Edmund said calmly, leaning back in his chair and smirking "Tell the masters to gather here for a meeting, I want them here as soon as possible,"

"Yes, your majesty,"

"What about Dyron, your majesty?"

"I know exactly where he is."

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