Crystal Guardian

18

Aldric had an odd feeling as if there were eyes following him. He could imagine a pair of eyes staring at him from the bushes but those turned out to be real, and attached to an odd looking tiny bird-like animal. Shrugging his thoughts away, he assumed he was just being paranoid.

Nevertheless, he was certain he could hear scuffled footsteps coming from behind him. Or were they his own? Cautiously, he turned around. He hadn't walked that far. He could still hear the sounds of the market billowing from the clouds. Perhaps it was some random passerby. They wouldn't have any interest in him. Aldric carried on towards his destination in the hope that Ty would not try and talk him into battle again.

As the sunset dipped over the hills, the waterfall came into view. The beauty of the place hit Aldric. He had been so preoccupied before that he had missed the magic and wonder of the surrounding nature. If Zace Ella had been home, perhaps he would have liked it more than Gliendale. But it was not home and it did not feel close to it so Aldric enjoyed the scenery as if he were on holiday, taking in the sights as if he would never see them again. How he wished he could go back and take in the sights of his home but it would never be the same now.

Ty was there. Sitting like a statue on the very same rock they had left him on. Had he even moved? It didn't look like it. Ty perked up when he saw Aldric approaching but looked either side of him as if he was expecting others.

'You're alone,' he said.

Aldric gave a nod. 'You asked for me. Why? Did the Elders come down to see you?'

'They did,' said Ty before jumping down from the rock. 'I just wanted to ask if you would help me in choosing my warriors. This is more your fight than it is mine.'

'I can't.'

'I understand,' said Ty. 'It's just... I don't know anyone who'd be willing to fight this war. I don't know many people at all if I'm honest.'

'I don't either,' said Aldric. 'Not properly anyway, and I wouldn't want to put my friends in danger. Why would anyone want to choose people they know?'

'Why would anybody want to choose anyone at all? It's mad.'

'Completely,' agreed Aldric. 'Surely you should have an army.'

'It's obvious that you're an Atarikkan,' Ty scoffed. 'Things are done differently out here. Most LendoZiyan don't even know what an army is. I bet you can't even imagine that can you?'

'What are we going to do?'

'It looks like I have no choice,' Ty sighed. 'I have to choose...it doesn't feel right. I can't go to Atarikka with them. I'm just an imprint so I-' Ty stopped and lifted his head high as if he had heard something. Aldric listened too but he couldn't hear a thing.

'What's wrong?' he asked.

Ty looked past him with a suspicious glare in his eyes. A head appeared above the rocks, peering at them. The head knew it had been spotted and grumpily emerged, attached to the bony body of Ivor.

'I knew I was being followed,' said Aldric, annoyed.

'I've come to challenge the Crystal Guardian,' Ivor declared as he rushed forward. Aldric moved to stand between the pair of them.

Ty folded his arms. 'Go find a fight with someone else.'

Ivor scowled, drew his curved sword and continued to approach them.