Kilen sat in the back of the classroom staring into a book he had read a dozen times before. Kilen was of average height for his age but had a couple more years of growing left to do. His brown hair was cut short to keep his head cool while working in the yard during the warmer seasons. His leg shook with anticipation, as this was the day that he would finish school and prepare for the journey to distant cities to study. All he had ever wanted to do was to study in the great libraries of the Earth Realm. This was the day that he began that journey.

The shutters were open to let the breeze flow through the cramped school house. Master Eben Jay gave a lecture on the economy of Springfest, and the silently listening class formed a circle around him. His sister, Kara, looked back from the front of the class with her black hair tied up in a blue ribbon. She had begun to shadow him throughout the last year, knowing he would be off to see the world soon. Kilen had heard this lecture before.  He had memorized the books on numbers, letters, kings , war history, and many others the farm school had.

The children of Humbridge he had grown up with finished their schooling at age 13, unless they were needed at home sooner.  By his father’s wishes, He continued until his sixteenth birthday.  Some of the town's folk thought his mother was just flaunting her wealth by keeping him in school longer than necessary. Kilen’s father had left on a quest, and his only request was for his son to avoid becoming a soldier.

Kilen's mother, Sahera, promised that she would provide him with a horse and provisions as well as coin for a trip to Basham. If he could find a job as a scribe or some other work, he would make money for traveling to the next city of his journey and continue on in that way until he found his destiny. He knew if he could not find work he could return home and make a living on his father's land outside of Humbridge. Tomorrow would be the first, and possibly only, journey of his life. He could succeed and find a life of adventure and knowledge, or fail and return to his humdrum farming life. He felt a twinge of guilt by leaving his sister behind. In the last year she had spent every waking moment with him.  He supposed she was trying to hold on to every moment they had left together.

 

School was set to end early as an ironic reminder of Kilen’s elongated education. It was nearing the noon meal time. He could see out the window a cloud of dust following an approaching rider. He knew no one in town could ride that fast except for Bowie on his horse, Charger. He was there at school every day waiting on Kilen so they could hunt and sell their meat to Bowie’s father, the town butcher. Bowie would split with Kilen the earnings from the hunt  down the middle. This provided cheap meat to the local town and a way to make coin of his own. Bowie was also promised the bones and sinew to make bowstrings, arrowheads, and arrow nocks. He was the best archer in the town of Humbridge and made the best arrows and bow strings within leagues. Passing peddlers would ask him to trade or buy his stock every year at Springfest.  Last year he made enough to buy a Keltan bow made in the heart of the Earth Realm and Charger, which was of the finest Elian Plains stock. He made enough money off of the hunting and bow supplies to make a year's worth of a normal man's salary, and he always had his butchering skill to fall back on. He spent his money flamboyantly, buying only the finest clothes, saddles, and brandy that he could find.

 

Master Eben looked out the window at Bowie, who had  pulled up short of the door. Charger let out a whinny and shook his head at the pure joy of being let out at a full run, yet again. Bowie let Charger prance in the school yard and let his presence be known. Master Eben sighed and looked to the rear of the room. He smiled at Kilen, his best student, letting him know he would be missed. Kilen straightened his vest over his linen shirt.  Before Master Jay could finish his nod letting Kilen out of class, Kilen leaped from his chair, knocking it to the ground, and dove out the window. He ran out of the school yard not looking back. He had rehearsed this in his mind all day.

 

Bowie waved to the children now gathered around the window and then cantered Charger out into the knee high grass following Kilen. He was heading for the river near the school. Bowie and Kilen stopped at the river and let Charger drink from the water.

 

Kilen knew his face showed pure joy. “I have little time to hunt today, and I'm afraid it will be the last for a long time.  I want to leave for Basham as soon as I can. Tomorrow maybe, if you still want to go?”

 

“I’m not up for much hunting today either, and I’m ready to leave for Basham tonight if you want.  We can hunt along the river until we get to your house. I don't right care if we find anything, I just have to make it back to town before the peddler changes his mind on the offer I made him. I almost got him to trade me his whole cart!” Bowie bragged as he jumped off Charger’s back.

 

They started walking away from the bank to get back into the grass while keeping the river in sight. They knew that animals would go for a drink. They would trap them between the water's edge and Bowie’s practiced aim. Kilen looked to be in a hurry. “I have to make it home and see if my mother will give me the money I need for a horse before Mr. Peter sells all of his. Daniel told me the Roan he has can pull a full cart of rum from Basham and back without getting tired at all. Plus, I still want to get good prices and save as much money as I can on tack and provisions before the rates start to go up in the evening. If we do find something to hunt on the way back, I hope it sells fast. I'm not staying around tomorrow to collect,” Kilen said.

 

“I'm with you, as early as we can start out. I would like to find a good pub to start drinking before the sun gets half way up tomorrow. You know that I can only stay two days with you in Basham before I head on to Carlton. My aunt will send Uncle Rupert to strap my hide if I'm not there to pick up the items my dad needs… and pay them for it.” He pulled his black folded hat off his back where it hung from a string around his neck, and placed it in his saddle bag, being careful not to bend the red colored feather he had stuck in it. “I know you don't even need to go home.  Why don't you just spend some of the coin you've been saving for the last few years of our hunting? If it’s half what I made last year, you shouldn't need your mom’s money for months.”

 

Both Kilen and Bowie stopped quickly, watching a tree shake just over the next hill. They remained silent while staring at the tree. Then Bowie mounted Charger, motioning that he would round the tree farther away from the river. They had done this many times before.  Kilen crouched low to the ground and took the sling from his pocket. Bowie rode wide of the tree and as he did, the tree stopped shaking before he could reach the top of the hill. He waved back to Kilen, and put his hands on top of his head, his fingers pointing to the sky. There was a deer up ahead, and it had antlers. Kilen picked up some rocks to fit in his sling and kept them in his opposite hand. He loaded one into the sling. They had always hunted as a team. Kilen’s job was to run the animal into Bowie's range. He was the fastest runner around and could keep pace with a cantering  horse for a short distance. He would run right at the deer, scaring it and hopefully making it run away from him and closer to Bowie. Both would angle the deer toward the river until Bowie could shoot it. Kilen started out at a jog and reached the top of the hill.  When he reached it he stopped dead as he saw the stag running right at him. Kilen knew it must have heard Bowie in the distance. Kilen swung the sling and let a rock fly, hitting the stag in the head. The stag turned towards the river and ran at a sprint. Kilen tried to keep pace alongside the buck while loading another rock in the sling to try and turn it back towards Bowie. Kilen shouted at the buck enough to make it stop. The stag was bigger than any they had caught all year.  He didn't try to count the points on its rack while it snorted at him. The buck stood staring at Kilen. It lifted its front foot and stomped repeatedly. It began thrusting its head up and down. Kilen spun his sling and struck the buck in the chest. The buck leaped forward and started its charge from twenty paces right at Kilen. His heart beat quickly as he tried to retreat, but he fell over backwards. The buck lowered its head to finish his charge. It tripped and did a somersault, landing at Kilen’s side. He lay shocked on the ground next to the still animal, his heart racing from the excitement. He apprised that it probably weighed twice what he did. Bowie shouted, “WHOA! Are you ok, did it get you?  Kilen!”

 

He lay shocked and checked himself over. He assured himself that he was, in fact, uninjured. “That was way too close, and I'm glad I'm done hunting for a while. I think I'll have nightmares of that for months.”

 

Bowie dismounted and retrieved an arrow jutting from the deer's eye. It was broken, the arrow head must have lodged into the skull bone. The stag's neck was broken as a result from the summersault. The deer was relatively easy to lift, which surprised Kilen. They loaded it up on Charger's back and tied it down so they could take it into town. Bowie fussed about making sure no blood got on his saddle; this was an everyday reminder when you hunted with him.

 

They continued to walk towards Kilen's house, but he didn't speak the rest of the way home. Bowie reminisced how he saw the buck leap, and how he took a wild shot striking it in the eye just as it lowered its head in the charge. The buck's antlers stuck in the ground, throwing it end over end and breaking its neck, laying it to rest right beside Kilen. It was one of those stories that, by the end of the night, would have the town's folk talking about how Kilen tried to wrestle a stag while Bowie shot arrow after arrow into it. He was sure that Bowie would help the stories along once he got back to the tavern.

 

When they approached Kilen's house, his mother was in the yard gathering the wash from the line. She greeted Bowie and looked the deer over. “I see you boys managed to break its neck to make sure the meat stays moist, not a thing easily done. Won't you come in for some lunch and sit for awhile Master Crescent?”

 

Bowie, taking off his hat, made a formal bow, making him look almost noble. “Why thank you m’lady, I would love to join you.” She gave them both a wink, and then they saw that the stew was already prepared. Loaves of bread were sitting on the table in a basket.

 

“I thought you would be home earlier.  I told Master Jay not to keep you as long as the others. I knew you wouldn't be able to concentrate all day. I believe you have some supplies.  You need to get into town to gather the rest before it gets too pricey. We can finish lunch and head right in. I have a gift I need to take to the mayor.”

 

Bowie spoke up,“Actually, I'm almost finished; I had a big breakfast. I need to get the stag to my dad before the sinew starts to mess with the meat’s taste. I do thank you again for the lovely meal, m’lady. I wish to reserve a dance this evening, if I'm not being too forward.”

 

Kilen let out a laugh. Sahera laughed. “You know that I have a heart for only two men, Master Crescent, and you are neither. I shall see you, Mr. Everheart, at the town square shortly after the music starts. Assuming you aren't dancing with another lady when I get there.”

 

“I will be there. There isn't any other woman to compare to your beauty within leagues, mother.”

 

“Keep talking like that to women and neither of you will make it out of Basham without a wife and kids to feed. You had better just let me meet her before you go and get yourself married, you understand, son?” Kilen nodded his head.

 

“Do you mind if I borrow some meat cure from you, Mrs. Everheart?” Bowie was already reaching in the cabinets looking for it when he asked.

 

“You know you are always welcome to my stock. Kilen, come help me get your father’s chest down from the top of the wardrobe,” she said as she left the room.

 

The chest was full of his father's old war souvenirs and his armor. He'd seen his father polish, package, and place each item before he set out on his quest nearly ten years ago. When Bowie came back into the house he was carrying a large slab of meat and had his sleeves rolled up as to avoid getting any blood on them. He often showered Kilen’s mother with gifts. He had told Kilen it was to gain her favor so he could get him out of the house anytime he needed. “I am off to my father’s.  I'm sure if you will hurry along, you will find me there. I need to get Charger into his stable and that stag off his back.” They acknowledged his leaving by waving, and turned to begin unloading his father's chest. Sahera took out a small velvet pouch with a gold drawstring and set it on the table. Kilen cleared out all the armor and leather straps and his mother commented on how they reminded her of his father. At the bottom of the chest was a leather bundle a little longer than the length of Kilens arm, she removed it and placed it on the table. She repacked all the armor and leather straps leaving the bundle and pouch on the table.

 

“Come and sit. I want to tell you this before your sister gets home.” He sat across from her at the kitchen table and wondered what was in the bundles. “Your father wanted me to wait to tell you this before you left on your adventure. You already know that he was a soldier and that he was very good at it. He did not want me to portray him as a hero, but I disagree with him, and I know he is one. You are very likely to hear about his life if you ask the veterans in the Earth Kingdom’s army. He wasn't just a soldier.  He was a scout for the Earth King's wizard advisor.  Many of the tasks he was asked to do in silence and without being seen. He left us to do one of those tasks ten years ago. He left us his armor and rings to sell as they are imbued with earth magic by Wizard Calvin.” Kilen was awestruck at the secrets his parents kept from him. She opened the velvet pouch onto the table and spilled two large rings with a chain strung through them into her hand. Both rings were plain polished silver with no marks besides a tree etched into the metal inside the band. “Kilen, do you know the difference between magic wielders?”

“I thought that they were all the same.”

She held one of the rings in her fingertips, “That is what they want you to think.  The small piece of ignorance gives them an advantage.  A wizard can summon elementals, imbue weapons, armor, and other objects.  They can wield the magic to the limit of their abilities, which grows in strength over time.  An armor bearer wears a piece of imbued armor and gains the ability to wield magic, but isn’t able to summon elementals or imbue other pieces.  A weapon bearer can summon elementals and wield magic, but cannot imbue armor.”  Kilen nodded his head showing that he understood what she was telling him.  “Armor and weapon bearers’ strength in magic doesn’t grow unless they collect more armor imbued with magic.  A wizard’s strength will always increase until they imbue something.  They then decrease in power a little.”

“So dad was a wielder?” he asked.  She nodded her head and handed him the ring she was holding.

“These are earth magic rings. Today you are to meet the wizard riding in to bless our town during springfest and request he restore the rings to power. He will charge for this, but the rings will be worth a year's earnings of gold when sold to the Earth King. You can sell it to the Mayor in Basham for a fraction of the price the King would buy it for, but you should be able to live off of it for a long while if you spend it carefully.”  She opened the leather bound pouch to reveal a short sword and sheath. The sword was a glossy gray color and the sheath was black with silver coils spiraling down the length, it was of far finer quality than any sword he had seen before. “This is also your father’s.  It is the blade he has had the responsibility of owning. He used this to kill many people, many people that he knew. He always said it was a burden to own a blade that carried this much pain. I thought you would like to see it at least once in your life. This blade is the reason he cannot be with us, the rest is a story that only  he can tell.” Sahara looked at the blade and sighed as if she wanted to reveal more, then rewrapped it. She took her coin purse from a pocket in her skirt and took out three gold crowns. “Your father's armor has kept us wealthy for a very long time, and we still have a lot of armor to sell before we have to look for other ways to support ourselves. Your children should see the last profits of your father's sacrifices. Take these and give the wizard what he asks to restore the rings and whatever is left over is yours to spend on everything else you will need for your journey.”

 

Kilen picked up the rings and held them in his hand, looking at the tiny trees. Sahera watched him as he turned them around in his hands. When he finally felt her eyes on him, he looked up and spoke quietly, “What if I don't want to sell them?”

 

“It would be your choice whether or not to sell them, but I feel it would be a very short journey if you didn’t. The rest of the armor is to support your sister and me.”

 

“I didn't mean I'd want any more armor, but I don't feel as though I could let a piece of my father’s history go like this. It’s just, I think I'll hold on to them as long as possible. I have a bit of coin saved up of my own from helping Bowie hunt. I still want to go on my journey, but I don't want to sell a piece of my father's history just for my own adventure.”

 

“It's your choice son, but let me warn you that the jewelry is dangerous to hold on to. Once the magic is restored it will enhance the wearer’s strength and stamina, but will make you stubborn. It alters the way you would normally go about your day. Others will want them, so keep them a secret or you shall bring unwanted problems to yourself. The elemental rings can change a guard’s status, the wealth of a town, or even give the strength for an old man to keep plowing his field long after he should have stopped.  Everyone will be tempted by those.  Even those in our town will want them. That is why I give them to you just before you leave.”

 

Kilen turned the rings over a few more times before looking up to his mother. “I'll keep them safe,” he said flatly. He looked at the sword that was wrapped in leather before getting up from the table to head into his room. He had wasted enough time. The best of the town’s supplies had surely been sold to the peddlers by now. Kilen would have to buy the scraps or buy from the peddlers at a higher price. He went to his room and pulled up a floor board, like his dad had taught him, and pulled his coin purse from underneath. From his hunting and his mother’s three crowns he now had about twenty-three crowns worth of gold. “This will be enough to get me halfway to Kelten and the Earth King if I wanted.” In his mind he assured himself it would be enough.  He snatched his coin purse, put it in his pocket with the velvet pouch, and ran for the door. He stopped and glanced at his father's sword still in its sheath, and then turned and ran toward Humbridge.