World Tree Chronicles Pt. 1

Chapter 2

Ulysses shifted his gaze from right to left, allowing his appraising eye to fall on each of the wolves that stood in his path. He was infuriated but allowed none of his thoughts to show on his face. He knew that his men would have a hard time fending off the beasts in the forest, but he had expected them to do better than this. He was trying to lead twenty-one children between the ages of eighteen and twenty through the most dangerous forest known to man. Their challenge lay before them, and Ulysses saw no reason that they should tire themselves out on wild animals before they reached their destination. "Rea, take care of this." He said exasperatedly. Rea was Ulysses aide, handpicked from among the children and set aside from the very beginning. She had wild red hair and pale skin, but her natural beauty masked her strength. She stepped forward and drew a thin sword.

"Yes, sir." She said, and jumped into action. Rea charged forwards and met the wolves head on. There were four in front, blocking the path and three behind. Rea met the four and began tearing into them with her sword while Ulysses finished off the three behind before they could do any damage. He sent out his magic and ordered the earth below to flow up into three rocky spikes, impaling the wolves mid-sprint. Rea was not having it so easy. She was able to dispatch one quickly before the other three began bearing down hard. She suffered several claw marks to her side as one came from behind her and sank its teeth into her shoulder. She roared and reached up behind her, grabbing the overgrown dog by the scruff of its collar and flipped it over her shoulder. The beast landed hard on its back in front of her and she plunged her sword into its stomach before it could recover. The other two were dispatched, though each of them was able to get in at least one hit on the girl. She was breathing heavily and bleeding from several deep wounds, but she sheathed her sword and turned to face Ulysses and the children. However, he was not paying attention to her. He was observing the children, one in particular. Dirk had been a pain since the very beginning. He was quite different from the others in several ways.

Dirk was the only one left of Ilanai descent, meaning his skin was still a dark bronze despite the lack of sunlight for almost ten years. His hair was long, pitch black and wild making him stand out quite a bit from his much paler and generally light haired siblings. Not only that, but he was defiant. The others had long since embraced their fear of Ulysses and allowed it to dictate their actions in relation to the man. Dirk however responded to his fear by denying its existence and lashing out against his oppressor. It never ceased to cause Ulysses amusement, and it was now that he hoped Dirks pride would allow for another fun scenario. Rea could have avoided serious injury had he allowed her to use magic, but he had expected monsters to break through his soldiers ranks, and he planned to capitalize on the situation. As he hoped, Rea stood on her own for a moment, before collapsing to the ground from her wounds. But still Ulysses was not watching her. The children were not permitted to interact with Rea, as such they were not close in any sense of the word. He had observed Dirk take a particular interest in the girl and at times attempt to speak to her. He imagined it was a simple combination of wishing to defy Ulysses and hoping to help someone in a similar situation as himself. He was counting on this, and couldn't help but allow a slight smile to creep across his lips as he saw Dirks brow furrow and hate fill his eyes. One last push, and the boy would lose it and do something rash.

Ulysses walked around the children to where Rea lay. She was not yet unconscious, and her eyes lifted to meet his. He made his face show disappointment and turned away. "Come children, we have a ways to go still." He began walked down the path, leaving the girl where she lay. After several steps he began to wonder if he had miscalculated. Perhaps one of the others would object, Dirk was not the only one to have ever challenged Ulysses authority. To his delight, A rough voice stopped him. 

"What about Rea." His attempt to remain calm amused Ulysses more than he had expected it to. He took a moment to suppress a smile before turning to meet the boys glare with his own indifferent gaze.

"She has served her purpose. Given her wounds she will not be useful from this point forwards." Dirks hands clenched into fists and a fiery rage lit up his already frightening scowl. Ulysses was forced to suppress his urge to smile yet again. This boys defiance was wildly hilarious and ridiculously adorable, his righteous anger nothing more than a temper tantrum.

"You think you can just toss us away like trash?" Dirk growled. "After ten years you just dump her? Useless? Don't give me that bullshit." He spat out the last words as he marched forwards. "We've seen how tough she is, this is nothing. You could heal her, but instead you want to leave her to die because you got bored?" He was standing directly in front of Ulysses now, practically shouting in his face. It was getting harder and harder to suppress his amusement. This was exactly the kind of reaction he had wanted. Dirk was not a small boy by any standards. He was quite tall with the physique of someone who has done hard labor for much of their life. Despite that, he was still dwarfed by Ulysses towering stature and broad shoulders. From his point of view, Dirk was nothing more than a whiny child, and his confidence only made him look pathetic.

"Do not presume you have any power in this situation." The comment stung and it showed in the boys face. "I can do as I please with any of you. If I say you live, you live. If I say you die, you die. And if I say you dance." Ulysses bent down, putting his face inches from Dirks, forcing the boy to recoil and back off slightly. "Then you Dance." Despite his airs he was still deeply afraid of Ulysses. "You think you know best, but you know nothing. Do not even begin to think you could understand all the moving parts in play. Rea has done her part; I have no more use for her. But go ahead." Ulysses stood up straight, allowing his amusement to show in his eyes to infuriate the boy further. "Fulfill your underdeveloped sense of justice and try to save her. But know that if you leave my side and fail to obey my orders, I will not protect you. You will both die for no other reason than your own pride." Dirk gritted his teeth and broke eye contact, almost as if admitting his own defeat. Ulysses worried he may have pushed the boy too far. He was beginning to become disappointed in Dirk, he had expected the boy to be much more amusing.

Dirk took one deep, calming breathand met Ulysses gaze again. Yes, there it was. His hate and frustration werestill there, blazing as hot as ever. But now the flames were tempered with adetermination he had been lacking before. He had risen to Ulysses challengeremarkably well, and this time he was unable to completely mask the smile fromtwisting his lips into a slight, devilish smirk. "If I die, at least it will beon my terms, instead of one of your stupid jokes." Dirk said. Normally, itmight have been a stinging remark, except for how remarkably mistaken he was.Ulysses forced himself to frown disapprovingly, further solidifying Dirksresolve. The boy went to Rea and helped her to her feet. He draped one of herarms over her shoulder and shrugged off protests from several of his friends.He shuffled down the path from the way they had just come. Ulysses smiled.