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This story may not be copied without my permission.
This story is a work of fiction and contains scenes of gay sex between individuals. If you find this offensive, please leave now. If you are under the legal age at which you are allowed to read this, please leave now.
Author's note:
Hi everyone! I deeply apologize that this chapter took soooo long. A pox on all those people who call themselves humans and create viruses that cause our beloved technological aids to crash! But everything is fine now and I've got a lot more time on my hands. I also want to apologize for the glaring errors in the last chapter. I'm glad to say that my proverbial publisher Jamie is keeping the fires burning under my ass to keep me going. I'd like to thank my editor David for his wonderful input and fine tuning my story. Send your comments to mystories92@gmail.com.
Chapter 5
Glossary: Ada tule- Well done
Adara yuro- thank you
Anvaar- Beware
Time passed slowly for Jaden. He stood in front of a large mirror in his room. Since that day, three weeks ago, when the elven council had decided his fate, drastic changes had occurred in his life. First and foremost was the way he looked. Jaden didn't recognize himself. He was now, for lack of a better term, magnificent. The elves had done an excellent job at completely transforming him into an elf lookalike. His curly, golden locks now reached his waist, and were as straight as an arrow; conealing his ears, which were now pointed. His eyes, although the same color, were slightly slanted and his cheekbones were higher, more pronounced. His face was flushed. He gazed at his full, red lips and his slightly pointed chin. His eyes travelled downward, taking in his lithe body. He had picked up a little muscle in the training he had rigorously been put through, although he was still slim and his waist tapered. His pecks and biceps bulged out slightly in the russet tunic he wore. He looked down at his slim athletic legs, his calves were firm, and his legs were strong.
He turned around and sighed. He was almost brainwashed, but he refused to forget. He wouldn't dare blank out the memories of his father. He had a plan in mind. In three days, when his training ended and he and Leandas would be sent on the mission, he would secretly search for his father.
Jaden walked out of his room and climbed down the many stairs of the ancient tree with ease. He barely felt tired anymore. Even though he knew he wouldn't live forever, he sure felt like he could. As Jaden descended, a smile tugged at his lips as he remembered Leandas' reaction to him emerging from the elven infirmary a week ago. Leandas' eyes grew so wide, Jaden thought they might pop out! Then Leandas' face flushed red. Jaden didn't know that could happen, Leandas' face was so pale at times, Jaden thought there was no blood circulating through it. Leandas grew speechless. His mouth opened and closed a few times, and then he frowned and walked away.
That puzzled Jaden. Was something wrong with him? Jaden shook the memory away as he came to a stop at the base of the tree. He took in his surroundings. Magic coursed through his veins now, and heightened his senses. He could hear swords clashing in the training field in the forest. He took off at a run, eating up the distance across the Glenfey clearing in mere seconds. He could easily keep up with Leandas now.
Jaden came up to an open field where he could see elven warriors training. He saw Leandas standing on one side and sprinted over to him. As always, Leandas had to reign in his emotions every time he saw Jaden. Leandas didn't think Jaden had any idea how beautiful he was.
"Oh good, you've arrived. I have something to give you. All elven warriors have them."
Jaden nodded, unsure of what to say. Every day new things were happening to him. Leandas picked up a leather-wrapped bundle that lay at his feet.
"Would you hold this please?" Leandas asked.
Jaden took hold of the leather-wrapped bundle and Leandas began to unwrap it. Inside were two magnificent looking long-knives. Their blades were straight and tapered to a sharp point at the tip of the blade, which were crimson in color. The guard and handles were made of gold and an intricate emerald pattern was woven all around.
Jaden looked at them in amazement. "What are they?" he asked, his eyes twinkled at the sight and he had a strange yearning to hold them in his hands.
"They are the Locarai Beldas. Blades of Soul. Each elven warrior receives them at a certain time during their training. When the warrior is deemed competent, the Locarai Beldas are specially made for that individual. Each pair is unique and no one else is able to use them," Leandas ended. He felt somewhat proud of Jaden for his progress. With magic speeding Jaden's training, he progressed at a rate that rivaled some of the best warriors in Glenfey.
"Are these mine?" Jaden asked, awestruck.
"Yes, they are yours, but before you take hold of them, you must name them."
"Name them?" Jaden was perplexed.
"Yes. As the name implies, the Locarai Beldas are imbued with a soul. Once their wielder names them, their soul becomes active and begins to resonate with their wielder, imbuing them with extra abilities," Leandas finished.
Jaden nodded and had Leandas hold the bundle in his open arms. Jaden supposed he'd have to name them in Raldin, seeing as it was an ancient language of power. His Raldin was still rusty. Of all the things taught to him, Raldin was the hardest to learn, and he still had to learn the singing! It required a strong mind to memorize and speak it.
Jaden sighed and tried to find the appropriate name for them. He wasted something good and strong. He thought for a moment. When it came, it struck him with such clarity and with the thought of their name in mind; he could already feel a consciousness tug at his mind. Without a doubt, he knew it was the Locarai Beldas calling to him. He smiled a serene smile, almost loving.
Standing in front of him, Leandas nearly lost consciousness at Jaden's expression. He barely managed to stand up straight. His heart panged and ached to caress Jaden's face. He knew Jaden had made the mental connection with the Locarai Beldas.
"Valen-Solera," Jaden whispered.
The knives began to glow gold as their soul activated and resonated. Leandas eyes brightened, the name was perfect: Fey-Sun.
It sort of matched Jaden, Leandas thought. With Jaden's golden hair and fey appearance, he looked like a fey-sun.
"But wait, I don't know how to use them. I was only trained to use a sword," Jaden said, sounding worried.
Leandas smiled, "Don't worry; you will know once you have grasped them.
Jaden nodded, and then he grasped both knives firmly in his hands. Immediately he felt stronger, and something else... he could hear whispers in his mind, comforting and somehow familiar. It told him exactly what he needed to do to wield Valen-Solera.
Jaden blinked and found himself standing in the middle of the training field. All elven warriors had moved to the edge and were waiting for him expectantly. Jaden blushed, but he supposed that it was tradition for the elves to watch as the warrior first demonstrated their skill with the Locarai Beldas. Jaden moved into a fighting stance, allowing the whispers to guide him. He spun his blades in his hands and begun to fight an imaginary enemy. He was graceful and his strikes lethal. But everyone watching him expected this; they were waiting for the real display to begin.
Jaden stopped abruptly in the centre and straightened his stance.
`Release us and dance...' Valen-Solera whispered to him.
He lifted his arms out to his sides, the blades pointing forward He could hear it in his mind.
Drums...
He could hear the rhythm in them. The thudding and bumping, intense and powerful. He bent his arms inward, and thrust them out, letting go of the knives in the process. He kept his arms up in the air, parallel to the ground. The knives hovered in the air a few inches from his hands
There was an audible gasp from those watching. Jaden pointed at the knives with two fingers, his eyes gazing in front of him intensely.
Then he moved.
He moved along with the beat in his mind, dancing gracefully, quickly, and with sure-footed steps. When he moved his hands, Valen-Solera moved with them. Where Jaden pointed, the blades followed, silent and deadly, spinning, slicing, and stabbing as he danced.
On and on he dances, his moves became more intense, the drumming getting louder and faster. The whispers were urging him on, he was graceful and silent death to all enemies.
The music peaked, and then abruptly ended, Jaden in a fighting stance, on hand stretched out in front of him while the other barely touching his cheek, Valen-Solera hovering mere inches away. His breathing was a little accelerated, but not by much. He straightened up and Valen-Solera drifted into his hands again.
He blinked, as if coming out of a trance. He looked around him and saw that all the elves gathered were staring at him in awe, then one by one the bowed their heads in acknowledgment of his skill and ability. Jaden flushed at the attention he was receiving. He turned to look at Leandas.
`So beautiful,' he thought to himself.
He couldn't deny he had feelings for Leandas, yet he couldn't succumb to them. An elf and a human? That definitely couldn't work! He'd grow old while Leandas retained his youth and beauty, living forever.
Leandas smiled and walked over to Jaden. There was something unique about Jaden, something that made him seem more elf than human. And in a few minutes, Jaden would be stripped of his name. Leandas smile faltered slightly at the thought. Stripping Jaden of his name would be the final act of making him compatible to the elvish way of life.
"Ada tulé!" exclaimed Leandas as he came to a stop in front of Jaden.
"Adara yuro, Leandas," Jaden thanked. "But what did I do that caused them to acknowledge me like that?" Jaden asked, motioning to the elven warriors that were departing from the training field.
"Jaden, we have never seen anyone with the power you have. As I told you before, each Locarai Beldas is different, unique. Yours is unlike any other, it is silent and deadly. You have been acknowledged as a powerful warrior," Leandas said, not without a hint of pride.
"Well that's good, I guess. It means I'll be able to blend in with your people easily. Leandas, I've done basically everything you mother and the council has asked of me except one thing..." Jaden trailed off.
"Uh, yes, that is where we will be going next. You still have to be stripped of your name..." Leandas said with hesitation.
"How does this work?" Jaden asked.
"Well, a spell will be performed that will, in essence, remove all trace of your name from your very soul, though you still have your true name, and will be replaced with a new one."
"True name?" Jaden asked, intrigued. Didn't he read something like this in a book back home?
"Yes, your true name. It is you heavenly name, your very existence. No one else may know it. For with it, they control you," Leandas said reverently.
"But I don't have another name."
"Essentially, one has to discover their true name," Leandas explained.
"And have you discovered yours?" Jaden asked.
"I have," Leandas said in a tone that closed the subject. "If you will follow me, I'll lead you to the throne room."
They made their way to the large tree where Queen Lanara and the council had convened to decide Jaden's fate. Leandas stopped at the entrance and bade Jaden good luck. Jaden hesitantly went in to see one of the council members seated in the centre.
"Ah, you have arrived."
Jaden recognized the council member as the one who had made an outburst against Jaden and Leandas. Heleria, he remembered, was his name.
"Please stand before me so we can get this over with," Lord Heleria said, in an almost despising tone.
"Yes sir," Jaden replied.
"Do you know what is going to happen to you?"
"Yes, Lord Heleria."
"Ha, that's what you think!" Jaden didn't know what he meant by that.
"You see, human, I don't like you and your kind. Never have and never will. Murderers, all of you. So you know what I'm going to do? Instead of just stripping you of your name, I'm going to strip you of all your human memories!" Heleria said menacingly, with a sneering expression that almost detracted from his elven beauty.
Jaden was shocked, and scared. "N-no, you can't! Does the Queen know of this?" Jaden stuttered, backing away slowly.
Heleria laughed, then thrust his hand out in front of him and curled it into a fist. Immediately Jaden felt himself become paralyzed. He couldn't move any part of him, not even to talk.
"Oh no, poor thing, you won't be going anywhere. Her Highness won't know a thing. And you won't be able to tell her because you won't remember."
Jaden was crying now. He didn't want to lose his memories. They were precious to him. His father, mother and little sister. But now he knew he was screwed. He felt alone, he felt betrayed by life and he knew that he would never see his father again.
"Jil, we've been searching for nearly three weeks now," Dalen lamented, calling Jiliura by his pet name. They were sitting around a camp fire in the dark, the Iradnian forest surrounding them.
Jiliura sat opposite Dalen, tending the fire. He gave Dalen a sad smile. "I know... and there haven't been any clues so far." Jiliura sighed with frustration.
For the past few weeks they'd travelled through the forest searching for Jaden, but to no avail. They'd been to two nearby villages, but no one had seen any sign of the boy with golden hair and green eyes. Dalen was beginning to show signs of depression and Jiliura was hard pressed to keep Dalen's mood positive.
But even through all the useless searching, disappointments and dead ends, Dalen and Jiliura's love for each other had grown stronger. Dalen didn't know if he could live without him. Jiliura seemed to be the light that chased the dark despair out of his life. Jiliura was devoted to helping Dalen find his son.
"I can still sense him, Dalen. But something has changed..." Jiliura said, noticing the anomaly for the first time.
Dalen's head snapped up; worry clear on his face. "What is it?"
"I can't exactly explain it. I still sense him there, but it's as if he has been repressed, driven far away. It makes it a little difficult for me to tell if he is still alive," Jiliura explained.
Dalen held his face in his hands as he cried silent tears. In his mind, he sent out a prayer for Jaden to be safe. He didn't know what God he prayed to, but hopefully one would hear him. Jiliura walked over to Dalen and embraced him, holding his head on his shoulder as Dalen sobbed.
"Shh, it's alright. I'm here, nothing is lost."
"I know," Dalen sniffed, "but I miss him so much. I hope he's safe, wherever he might be."
"Look at me," Jiliura said as he held Dalen's face between his warm hands, "from what I know about you, your son is strong and smart. Have faith. Everything will work out in the end.
"You're so good to me Jil," Dalen said s he moved his face closer to Jiliura's, their lips touching in a soft kiss.
Jiliura shuddered as he then felt Dalen's tongue brush against his upper lip. His mouth parted in invitation for Dalen to explore and they held each other while the comforted each other with the kiss.
"We should get some rest. Tomorrow we'll go into the village of Denmore. Hopefully there will be something," Jiliura whispered into Dalen's ears.
Dalen nodded and the two of them set their bedrolls up near the fire. Dalen lay on his back gazing at the unfamiliar stars in the sky. The last thought in his mind before eventually falling asleep was that he hoped Jaden would be ok.
The next morning they woke up to a misty sky. It wasn't cold, but the air felt a little damp. The packed up their things, made sure the fire was out and set off towards Denmore where they would buy themselves something for breakfast. As they neared Denmore, Dalen could see that it wasn't all that large and consisted basically of a few farmhouses, stores and other buildings which he took to be lodgings for travelers. As they walked past what looked to be a potions and herbs shop, Dalen was startled when someone grabbed hold of his wrist. He spun around, ready to shake off his attacker when saw that it was an old woman who was seated on the ground near the door to the shop.
The woman was dark-skinned and lines of age covered her face. Her hair was a mass of black and gray dreads, piled on top of her head. At a quick glance, one would mistake her for a beggar, but on closer inspection, her clothes might seem frayed and raggedy, but it was clean. She had no filthy odor on her except for the faint hint of herbs.
"Anvaar! Beware!" She rasped, tightening her hold on Dalen's wrist, her knobby fingers digging in.
Dalen was a little put out by her display and he turned to see if Jiliura had noticed. Jiliura was standing next to him, but he was calm and seemed to sense something Dalen couldn't.
"Anvaar!" the woman pulled Dalen down toward her. He saw Jiliura kneel next to him and take the woman's other hand into his own.
"What do you see, Oracle?" Jiliura asked her softly.
Dalen looked at the woman's eyes and was a little stunned to see that they were white, devoid of any iris and pupil.
"You..." shed squeezed Dalen's wrist again, "your son is and is no more. The same, yet different. Lonely he is, deep within."
Abruptly, she stood up and pulled them into the herb store. "Ekwee dana alnos weepor! Find him you shall, lose him you might." She let go of them and scuttled about the store, seemingly taking random things off of shelves and putting them in a cloth bag. Jiliura knew better. The Oracle knew exactly what she was putting in the bag.
Dalen stood there stunned, not knowing what was happening. Was this the clue he and Jiliura hoped for? After a minute, the woman stooped and came back to them. She gave the bag to Jiliura.
"Mysterian, throw what you think you know out of your consciousness and journey forth with an open mind. Still, anvaar... like all oracles, I see doom ahead!"
"Adara yuro, Oracle of Denmore. Your prophecy shall be headed." Jiliura thanked. He handed the Oracle a few gold coins for the contents in the cloth bag.
They left after that and hurried off to an inn, where they could purchase something to eat and rent a room for the night. Dalen burned to ask Jiliura for an explanation as to what happened at the herbalist's shop. But he waited patiently until they could be in private.
Fifteen minutes later they were seated in their room, slowly consuming their breakfast. After a while, Dalen finished, followed closely by Jiliura. Dalen looked at Jiliura and sighed, "Jil, can you explain to me what happened? Who was that woman?"
"She is an oracle. She has visions of what might happen in the future. The best I can explain it is when you walked past her, she had a flash vision of Jaden and the future."
"What did she mean by what she said, beware', and that Jaden is and is no more' or that bit about him being lonely deep within?" Dalen was feeling a little anxious, but also excited that they had finally come across something.
"I do not know. But she did give us some useful information."
"What do you mean?"
Jiliura cleared his throat, "Ekwee dana alnos weepor. Week and white weeper."
"And that's supposed to tell us, what exactly?" Dalen was a little frustrated by the language. Jiliura had been trying to teach him some of the language, but he was having trouble, even though Jiliura said he had the heart and mind to learn it.
"It is a place we have to be a week from know. Whether we'll find Jaden is another matter altogether. A weeper is just another name for a weeping willow. In this case, we have to be at the White Willow a week from now."
"And where is this White Willow?" Dalen asked.
"It is almost a week's journey from here. It means we have to leave Denmore now. If we travel quickly, we may just make it with enough time to spare." Jiliura got up and started to get their things together. Dalen helped him and they left the inn immediately after stocking up on some food for their journey.
Five minutes later they were on the edge of the Iradnian forest. The strange and bizarre forest still awed Dalen. He couldn't get used to seeing so many giant Willow trees thriving in between so many other species of trees. The forest truly was magical. They traveled quickly throughout the day stopping only once to have a breather and drinking some water. By dusk they were miles away from Denmore, the forest thicker, and the shadows of the approaching night creeping up on them. Jiliura stopped in a clearing and they set up a camp fire to keep them warm. The forest was eerily silent and Jiliura was watching for movement in the distance.
"What is wrong Jil?" Dalen asked, sensing Jiliura's trepidation.
"It might not be safe for us both to fall asleep. We are deep in the forest and there are things in the Iradnian forest which hunt at night. I need to fix you up with a weapon. We must heed the Oracles warning of doom."
Dalen watched as Jiliura clasped his hands together, as if in prayer. He closed his eyes and started chanting a spell.
Betla-axem fora jilahtnaga (Battleaxe of lightning) Ime mosa yuro ifori efen! (I summon you for protection!)
Jiliura's hands began to glow white and gold. With concentration clear on Jiliura's face, he slowly drew his hands apart, the light stretching from one hand to the next until it was about three feet wide. The light converged and formed in an axe similar in shape to a hatchet. Its blade was silver and the handle was made of a golden colored wood. Dalen thought it might be something Gimlee from the `Lord of the Rings' might use.
Jiliura grasped the axe before it had a chance to drop to the ground. "Here, this is yours," he said, handing the axe to Dalen. It was surprisingly light and he could easily swing around.
"Thank you Jil."
Jiliura nodded, "I will take the first watch. Now try to get some sleep. We have to be moving early tomorrow."
Dalen settled down on his bedroll, the axe nearby in case of an ambush. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
*** Leandas waited outside while the spell was performed to strip Jaden of his name. He could feel the power emanating from within the throne room. He couldn't tell what type of spell it was and it seemed to be much stronger than a normal stripping spell. Time seemed to move by at a snail's pace and Leandas was getting worried. They should have been done. Leandas felt something negative in the air and knew that he had to get into the throne room to check it out. He moved in front of the ornate door and summoned up his power. He shoved the energy out of him as his hands thrust toward the door. It flew open and it took a while for him to adjust his vision to the dimness of the throne room.
He walked in slowly. In the centre he could see Jaden kneeling in front of his mother's throne, but no one else was in the room. "Jaden?" he called. There was no response from him. Leandas rushed over to him and knelt in front of him. "Jaden," he called again, but there was no recognition on his face.
"My Lord," he whispered to Leandas and bowed his head.
Leandas had a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong. There was no friendly recognition in Jaden's face. "What are you called?" Leandas asked.
"I am Calenmiriel*. I live to serve you My Lord." There was absolutely no trace of the Jaden that Leandas knew. He was now a completely different person.
"Do you not remember anything from before? Your previous life?" Leandas wanted to know.
"No Prince Leandas," was his short reply.
Leandas winced at the prince part. "Jaden- I mean, uh, Calen, you must remember something?"
"I remember you saving me, and bringing me here, My Lord. And teaching me in the ways of the elf, but that is all."
Leandas thought for a moment. "Who was with you in this room?"
"I do not know. I can't remember."
"Would you mind if I see for myself?" Leandas said, raising his hands to Calen's head.
"Of course not, anything for you, My Lord." Leandas winced again. Seeing what used to be Jaden like this, was painful for him.
Jaden touched the sides of Calen's head and whispered, "Emormy resta." His eyes glazed over as he performed the memory stare spell to look into Calen's mind. Leandas was shocked to discover that there was no trace of Jaden's memories. His mind was one big blank and he only remembered what he had told Leandas.
Leandas ceased the spell. "Follow me," he commanded Calen. Leandas needed to report this to his mother, this was not in the agreement that the council had made...
To be continued.
*Calenmiriel (Kah-len-miri-elle). I borrowed this word from J.R.R Tolkien's elvish language. It means Jade.
In the next chapter, Leandas informs his mother about what happened to Jaden, but can she help? The two of them also begin the secret mission. Find out what it is. Jiliura and Dalen head of towards the White Willow in the hopes of finding Jaden. Evil also finally makes its appearance.
Author's Note:
I hope I did a good job with this chapter and it quenches your thirst for more until the next chapter. I promise you won't have to wait this long again. Send your comments to mystories92@gmail.com.