Hellbound Saga: Book One, Albador

Prologue

My name is Casius Zellion, and this is my journal. After my "adventure" began, as Kyra likes to call it, someone told me that I should keep a journal to chronologically lay out the events of my age so that future generations may know the truth of what transpired. Keep in mind that my journey is a long and difficult one, so this is the first of quite a few journals. While my journals are primarily my own work there are excerpts from others who have different stories to tell of our age that I didn't witness at the time.

I hope you enjoy my story and maybe you may even learn something.

Casius Zellion

The Last Wizard

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Chapter One

It was still a bit chilly when I arrived on the southern beach of Albador, the Island continent my mother and I live on. The island itself wasn't overly large, but it was home to a few thousand people. The capital city is Zaiville, located about 15 miles north of Emrys Forest. Roughly in the center of the island, surrounding Zaiville, are the Rainbow Mountains, named for the many different gems that used to reside there, but the mountain has been long mined dry. North of the Rainbow mountains lie the small village of Fensteir; a bit primitive, but otherwise generally good-willed folk. To the east resides the Elven Fort, which everyone knows to avoid. The Elves that reside there are a mysterious lot and don't take well to strangers, nor are they often seen outside of their halls.

My mother and I live right on the southern edge of Emrys forest and we don't have many neighbors. The only people who live by us are Kyra, who is my friend, and her father, who live about a mile into the forest in a large hollowed out oak tree, but I'll delve into that more later on. To the south of our farm resides the Albric Canyons, which run about five miles where they suddenly end with the beach. The canyons themselves are made up of primarily shale, granite, and, in some places, limestone.

Now, at this point, you may be wondering why the hell would I travel so far before the sun had even risen? To be honest, I have always found the sight of a new sun rising over the ocean to be calming and relaxing. When I was just a boy, my father would take me to see the sun rise on southern beach every year on my naming day. After he vanished ten years ago, I continued the tradition mainly just to feel some sort of connection to my father, but also because it was one of the few times I felt at peace with the world around me. When you see the beauty of those magnificent rays first come over the horizon with its many hues of colors, combined with the sounds and unearthly beauty of the ocean, you begin to truly understand the meaning of life and its in numerous possibilities. How can you not see this heavenly masterpiece of art and not be at peace both mentally and physically?

With me heading to the beach, that naturally means, yes, today is the anniversary of my naming day—my eighteenth naming day, to be exact. The day I was to become a man. I was nervous. It's not every day you become a man, so I decided to rise extra early for my journey with the hope that traveling would help to clear my mind about what the future would bring. Up until this point in my life, I have had no other inspiration in my life other then to be a farmer, as that was what I was good at. I didn't even care for my father's old job as a renowned Demon Hunter. I was happy tilling the earth and cultivating new life and I really didn't feel the need to pit myself against endless foes like my father did just in order to prove my honor, although I do understand that the numerous beasts of the darkness should be both feared and hunted to extinction, just not by me. They can be someone else's problem.

When I arrived at the beach, I still had about a quarter of an hour until sunrise, so I decided to build a small fire for warmth from the supply of wood that I carry in my pack. After the fire was constructed and lit, I sat back and just enjoyed the view of my surroundings. I didn't have to wait very long before I could start to see the traces of the first light of a new day coming up over the horizon. As I enjoyed the serenity of my surroundings, I happened to notice the sunlight glare off something laying on the beach not far to my right. Curious, I got up and wandered over to look and see what it was. Lying on the beach was what looked to be a small, clear stone, no bigger than two inches in diameter, and when I picked it up, it seemed as if it emanated its own light, even if weakly. The stone intrigued me. I had never seen anything quite like it, so I decided to keep it—a good luck charm, so to speak—and tucked it into the pocket of my trousers. With a glance around, I decided it was time to head back home before it got too much later in the day. Despite it being my naming day, I still had a lot of work that I had planned to do. After extinguishing my small fire, I took a glance around to ensure I had everything, and for a last chance to take in the sunrise, then I turned the way I had came and started to head back home.

The walk back through the canyons wasn't as bad as the way there. With the sun starting to rise, it began to warm up a little. The sun did little to nothing to stop the wind that came up from the ocean and whipped through the canyon, though. Needless to say, it took me the better part of two hours to make it through the canyons and through the plains surrounding our farm. From a distance, our farm looked tiny next to the backdrop of Emrys Forest, but it was large enough. It was a basic wooden farm house and barn that my father had built many years ago. We didn't keep much livestock; a few chickens, two cows, a pig, and two horses, but that's all we really needed for just the two of us. To the east of our house, next to the barn, resided our field, currently waiting to be resown, it still being too soon after the frost receded. In between the farmhouse and the barn was planted a large apple tree. It looked to be at least 500 years old, if not older, and was the original inspiration for my father building the farm here. I remember him telling me that he originally came across the tree while tracking and trying to kill a wilder beast that was plaguing Zaiville.

Even at that early hour, I could see smoke rising from the chimney, which meant that my mother was already awake ,which didn't surprise me. My mother always got worried when I would take one of my trips. You know how mothers are. It did surprise me, however, when I got closer and realized my mother was outside hanging up laundry, and it seemed as if she was talking to somebody, but I couldn't see anybody around her. Perplexed, I wondered who could be at our farm at such an early hour. We didn't get many guests and it was the wrong time of year for Zaiville's tax collectors. Although I know they would love to come around more often, they're as brutal as they are merciless; last year, they took us for almost every copper we had.

When I got to the fence that surrounded our land, just a basic white wood picket fence meant to keep the cow's from wandering, I saw my best friend, Kyra, sitting at the base of the apple tree talking adamantly to my mother about something. Kyra was a year older then me and, as I stated earlier, she lived in Emrys Forest with her father who is named James. I'm a decent height, myself. I believe I'm around 5'9". Kyra's about a head shorter then me so I would put her around 5'2", vivid red hair cut off at her shoulders, and her best feature, by far, is her eyes; a bright green that you would normally associate with the beginning of spring, and so sharp and full of intelligence that it feels like she’s looking through you and studying you completely, her raptured gaze was hard to break once she had you.

While highly intelligent, Kyra could act immature at times, and loved getting into mischief. I've lost count the number of times Kyra had convinced me into one of her schemes and we barely escaped with our lives. I remember one time she wanted to explore the marshes to the east of the forest and we got lost for three days, and then there was the time she tried stealing a dagger from the weapon smith in Zaiville because she thought it was "pretty."

No matter how much trouble we seemed to get into, though, we always managed to get out of it okay as long as we managed to work together and use our heads, not to mention she's loyal to her friends and that not a day has gone past in the last ten years that I haven't spent at least a little time with her. We were as close as brother and sister and had no secrets from each other. Our fathers had been friends when they grew up and, while my father traveled a lot, they still kept in touch. So when my father decided to build the farm, naturally James moved in not too far away. Kyra's mother died in childbirth and her father has had to raise her on his own. When my father vanished, he kind of stepped in and helped out wherever he could. Couldn't ask for a better friend.

I was a bit surprised to see Kyra up this early in the morning. She tended to sleep well into morning, but considering it was my naming day, I figured she made an exception. As I climbed over the fence, my mother spotted me and waved me over. "Good morning, mom!" I yelled over to her.

"Good morning, Casius. How was your trip?” She asked me as I finally drew even with her and Kyra.

"It was alright," I replied, "It was still cold by the coast and in the canyon. If I had to guess, I'd say it will be another two weeks until the frost finally passes and we can sow the new crops."

"That's dire news, indeed. The crops should have been planted long ago. At this rate, we're not going to have a very good take this year. Luckily, last two years we had good takes and we have plenty of dried food left in the cellars.” My mother replied.

"We'll manage," I said, "Good morning, Kyra, you've been quiet over there. What brings you out and about this early? I didn't expect to see you until much later."

As I directed my attention to her and she heard her name, Kyra stirred as if just waking and looked at me. "Shhh, It's too early to be so loud. Whatcha yelling for?" She replied, and I could tell she was still half asleep, "You flatter yourself a lot if you think I came here to just see you, I don't like you that much," she teased, "My dad asked me to come over first thing and see if you still wanted that wood to fix the bridge that is in disrepair in the forest. The wood's finally ready."

I had to think about this for a minute. I had planned on fixing the bridge a few days earlier, but the wood wasn't ready.

"If I get the bridge fixed early enough, do you still want to try and head for Zaiville today?" I asked my mother, "If I get it done early enough, we could probably make it through Adori Pass before nightfall and camp there until morning."

"That sounds like a good idea, but only if you can get the bridge done before two hours after midday. If not, we best wait until tomorrow. I don't want to get caught in Adori Pass at nightfall," she replied, "We have a bit of gold saved, I would like to buy some seeds for some crops and possibly a new dress. Whatever is leftover we can use to buy you something for your birthday."

At that point I interjected, "Come on, mom, you don't have to buy me anything. We can use that money for something else. Something we need."

She glared at me for a minute before responding.

"Come on, Casius, are you telling me there is nothing you want?" She sighed as if giving up in defeat, "We shall see when we get to Zaiville, but for now we should worry about the bridge. Go with Kyra and get the wood and fix the bridge and then come see me. Don't forget your tools. They're in the barn. Kyra, would you like to come to Zaiville with us later?" My mother asked.

There was a gleam in Kyra's green eyes that I didn't like when she started nodding profusely and responded "Oh, I would love to accompany you. There are a few things I want to grab from Zaiville."

"I hope you intend to pay for them,” I muttered under my breath, “Alright, Kyra, let's go,” I said, resuming my normal volume.

As I turned to the barn my mother called me back.

"Hold on, Casius, you'll need this to pay Jim for the wood. He asked for 20 so here is 50 just to be safe, and here, you hold this. It is the rest of our gold for when we get to Zaiville," she said as she handed me two coin sacks, one considerably heavier then the other.

"Whoa, ma, this thing heavy as hell. I didn't think we had this much gold!" I stated.

"Two hundred. That's how much we have managed to save over the past few years. I have had to fight those tax collectors tooth and nail in order to ensure they didn't take all of our gold. It took quite a bit of cunning to hide all that," she said with a smug look on her face, “Now, go and get that bridge fixed."

********************************

"So, Casius, what's your plans now that you are of age?" Kyra asked suddenly as we walked through Emrys forest toward her house.

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking at her a little perplexed.

She rolled her eyes at me and stated, "Come on, Casius. What, do you plan on living with mommy forever, being little farmer boy? There is more to life out there than this little island."

"If you want to leave the island, Kyra, then go ahead. I, on the other hand, am quite content with the life I have."

"Come on Cas, you don't have any desire for adventure? What about all the trouble we get into together? Why come if not for the adventure?"

"I come to make sure you don't get yourself killed. Every time you go on one of your "adventures," you almost go and get yourself killed, and then I got to go and save your ass."

"Exactly!" She said, “that is why you should come with me—to save me when I get into deep shit."

"Kyra, you got to understand that there is not always going to be somebody to clean up your mess for you. Look at what happened to my dad. You go searching for an adventure then you're going to find out your adventure is bigger than you can handle."

"Cas you can't let what happened to your dad frighten you into never leaving the island. Nobody knows what happened to your dad. For all you know, he could still be out there somewhere, trapped or imprisoned, waiting for someone to free him."

"Hahaha, that's funny Kyra. Who would want to imprison my dad?"

She gave me a serious look with her piercing green eyes.

"How about Mortis?" she said.

Mortis...I hadn't thought of that. Mortis is an immensely powerful sorcerer that appeared about eight years ago, commanding all different kinds of unearthly beasts and consolidating power throughout the Seven Nations. At first, he had appeared as a peaceful sorcerer looking to help, but then, once he was in, he crushed you from inside. After Mortis crushed the first nation and he named himself ruler of Maithion, the other six nations realized what was happening and started rebelling him, but to no avail. He crushed them one after another, and now rules with an iron fist. the only hope for the Seven Nations is a small rebellion called the Drao, but no one knows where they hail from and have been a pain in Mortis's side for the last five years.

"My father went missing two years before Mortis surfaced and you know that. Plus, if he did take my dad, he would be long dead."

"Not likely," Kyra replied, "I'm sure if Mortis took your dad it was because your dad knew something that Mortis wanted, and I doubt your dad would crack easily. Remember, he was a Demon Hunter. He was used to dealing with scum like Mortis."

"Why are we even entertaining this idea? What, are you trying to convince my to go on a journey to find my father? It's never going to happen, plus my mom would never approve of it. She always says my dad's gone and there is nothing we can do about it other than to live on in his honor."

"I'm not trying to convince you to do anything, I'm just trying to make you aware of all the potentials out there, and also make you aware of the dangers of the age. We live on a small island continent mostly shut off from the outside world, so we don't hear much, but from what I do hear, Mortis' wrath is pretty bad; whole towns destroyed, thousands of people slaughtered for no reason. We live far off from the rest of the world, but eventually, Mortis will catch up to Albador as well, if he hasn't started to already."

"What's your point, Kyra?" I asked, kind of annoyed at her bantering.

"I just want you to realize that your safe farm life is in danger and not as safe as you might think. If someone doesn't stop Mortis soon, we are all going to be in danger."

"Oh, so now you want me to go stop Mortis?"

"Hell no. I'm just saying that someone has to do it."

I pondered this for a moment, Mortis and all the evil he represented. It was true there was no way our small island home would escape Mortis' attention forever. As Albador had no standing army, just a few handful of guards, we didn't really stand a chance against the dark beasts that serve Mortis. What could I do about it, though? I didn't have the exemplary combat training that my father had in order to become a Demon Hunter, I just had the little bit of sword training that my father taught me when I was little, but that was primarily just us sparring. Hell, I don't even have a sword. After pondering this for a moment, I resolved that, when we got to Zaiville, I would buy a sword. How can a man defend that which he cherishes most if he has no weapon? Mortis, on the other hand, I had no idea how to defeat. Unlike my father, I wasn't a sorcerer and was no match against one without the use of the arcane, myself. Mortis did propose a daunting problem, though. As long as he existed, my mother and I would never be able to live happily.

"I'm just a simple farmer. How can I expect to protect my family, let alone deal with Mortis?" I asked amongst the rambling of my thoughts.

"You may be a simple farmer, but remember, you come from regal stock. Your father was an exemplary warrior, and when pressed, the same shall prove true with you."

"If you say so." I replied sarcastically. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kyra roll her eyes at me.

"You know, Cas, the only person who doubts your potential for greatness is you. Even your mother thinks you're bound for greatness. If you don't believe me, ask her when we get back," she retorted, all joking vanishing in an instant, "You are intelligent, strong-willed, and very cunning. On top of that, farming has made you stronger than an ox. You should be a strategist for some king, not tending the fields."

"Okay, okay, enough about me and my future. I'm tired of pondering it. What about you and your future? Plan on being a little soldier girl and joining the Drao?"

"Ha ha ha ha ha, that's funny as hell, Cas," replied Kyra, rolling her head back as she laughed out loud. The birds that were roosting in nearby trees flew away, startled by the sudden loud sound. "While the rebellion's cause is just, they sound too dark and depressing for my tastes. No one wants to spend their lives one endless battle after another. Instead, I have decided to become the greatest thief that has ever lived!" Kyra replied with a sort of a glow.

"Ya, because that's not depressing at all," I said sarcastically, "Come on, Kyra, at least be realistic. How do you intend to become the world's greatest thief when you're the worst thief I know?"

"Hmpt, I'm affronted by that. I'm just new to the game. That doesn't mean I can't learn how to play," she replied, taken aback, "Plus, being a thief is still better than playing farm boy."

"Ya, and I'm sure your dad just loves the idea of his little girl becoming a master thief."

"He loves the idea," she said brightly, "Ask him yourself when we get there. He always says 'It's not stealing if it was stolen in the first place,'” she said as she sidestepped a fallen log.

"Okay, okay, fine," I replied, “let’s just say that being a thief is out of the question. What else would you consider doing?" Kyra was quiet and looked deep in thought before answering me.

"Well, if I can't be a thief, that doesn't leave much for me now does it," she replied jokingly, "If I can't be a thief, I would at least like to travel the world."

"Travel? What do you know about the world? Where would you go?" I asked, confused, "I don't mean to sound inconsiderate or discouraging, it's just that you have never mentioned traveling before."

"Are you kidding!?" Kyra exclaimed, "There are many places around the world that would be wonderful to see. There is the Elven Halls on Ailia, the Crystal Lake of Elbion, the Great Dwarven Mountain Halls on Zenirth and let's not forget the Great Volcano on Bazior. All of those and more are waiting to be seen out there, and I want to see it all."

"Wow, it seems as if you actually put a bit of thought into this. At least more than your thief idea. Where would you want to go first, if you get the chance to go?"

"Well, the easiest would be the volcano on Bazior, as it's the closest, but I would really like to see the Crystal Lake of Elbion," replied Kyra, visibly getting more excited the more she talked, "The lake is supposed to look like a gargantuan sheet of ice or glass, with millions of little faucets all throughout it. It is said that, when the sun rises over the lake, thousands of different colors reflect off the crystal, making it seem like a giant rainbow. My dad always told me that it is one of the most beautiful sights in all of the Seven Nations and that it is hard to believe that it is natural and not man made."

"That sound's amazing. How about this: if someone somehow defeats Mortis, then I will take you to see the Crystal Lake. It wouldn't be safe otherwise, as Mortis mostly has control over Elbion, as the traders tell it."

"Really?!" Kyra exclaimed, "You would do that for me? I know how much you loathe leaving your farm. Thank you, Cas, you're awesome!"

Laughing to myself I said, "Well someone will need to defeat Mortis first, so you best get on that first."

"Maybe I will," Kyra replied jokingly, "Alright, enough of these deep thoughts for today. We are not that far now from my house. Let's hurry on up so we can get this bridge done. I want to go to Zaiville and see what I can pilfer from those idiotic shopkeepers."

Rolling my eyes and shaking my head, I followed behind her.

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Chapter 2

When we entered the clearing where Kyra's house resides, I found myself rendered speechless, as I am every time I see it. The clearing itself is about sixty yards in diameter, filled with hundreds of different kinds of plants. Some were meant for eating, others for seasoning, some were meant for smoking, and some even helped with common ailments. There were also many different types of flowers, mostly chosen by Kyra. James, Kyra's father, prided his self about his skills with anything that grows. In the center of the clearing resides an ancient oak tree–20 yards in diameter—that Kyra's father had found and hollowed out some twenty years ago. Now there was a flight of steps carved out of a large, gnarled root that led up to a small porch carved into the front of the oak tree, with windows here and there. Once through the front door, there was a three story house carved inside, the walls a foot thick and all the furniture carved from wood. Due to the fact that that they live in a tree, they have no fireplace inside. Instead, they have a stone fire pit built outside.

They have no livestock due to the fact that they did not partake in meat. Instead, they survived on the plants they grew. James once said to me, "What makes a humans life more important than that of a cow or a pig? Every life on this planet is of equal worth. There is no reason a pig should suffer needlessly when I can sustain myself on the things I grow. Always remember that the concerns of a field mouse are no less important then those of a king." While I understood where he was coming from, I could not adhere to the philosophy myself. I loved meat too much. Every living thing on the planet understands the chain of life, including humans.

It always amazed me how much life there was around Kyra's house, even though the frost had just come to an end, the plants and trees were in full bloom, and there were chipmunks and rabbits running everywhere. This time of year, so close to the end of frost, the land is normally barren and the animals hibernating, but around Kyra's house, the plants are always in full bloom, and there were small animals aplenty. The trees surrounding the clearing were massive and ancient. The closest measured at ten yards in diameter, although they get smaller the closer you get to the edge of the forest. As we drew closer to Kyra's massive tree house, I could hear the soft thud of someone chopping firewood. Looking around, I saw James chopping wood over by the fire pit, so I redirected my course toward him.

"Good morning, Dad!" Kyra exclaimed as we approached James.

"Ah, good morning, kids," James replied, taking a break from chopping wood, "And happy naming day, Casius. Congratulations on coming of age. It only gets better from here," he added with a chuckle.

"Thank you, sir," I stated, "My mother sends her regards, as always. How are you doing on this wonderful morning?"

"Ehh, I'm doin' alright for the most, although I did just get back from Zaiville last night. Got summoned for a public hearin'," he replied.

"Wait...summoned? For what?" I asked, perplexed, " What could you have done that would attract Babelash's attention?" Rufus Babelash is the Mayor of Zaiville, but he is not very liked due to the fact that he is egotistical and cruel, not to mention he's merciless towards the concerns of his subjects. Babelash took office nine years prior, when his father passed away. His father had seized power by force and abolished the election system, making the title hereditary. Ever since Babelash had spent all his time ordering others around and doing whatever he wished, his council members are the only thing keeping Albador from tearing itself apart and deal with most of the everyday governance issues.

Rufus Babelash's secondhand man is a soldier by the name of Billum Vallis, but everyone just calls him the Bull due to his enormous size; just over six and a half feet tall and about half as wide. It's not that Billum is fat, he is just broad and muscular, his arms as thick as most men's legs. I wouldn't doubt it if he could rip a man's head off with one hand, his ruthlessness and cruelness is second only to Babelash's...and Mortis's, I guess. Babelash normally doesn't turn his attention south, now that he has, it has me a bit concerned.

"Ehh, nothing much," James replied, " Just wants me to forfeit me land and move away."

"Wait, what?" I stammered, "Did you just say he wants you to move? Why?"

"Somethin' about wantin' to tear down the northern half of the forest and building some sort of gaming resort for tourists. Guess he's not happy with the money he has, now he wants more. From what I understand, the place would have games of chance and hound races. Things of that nature."

"There has to be more to it than that. Where would he get the gold to even finance a venture like that? Sure he's rich, but he is not that rich. In addition, what would he gain from it? Sure, it would generate a little profit, but this is a small island that is unheard of by most, and those that have heard of it only have because it is big enough to be part of the Seven Nations. I don't think it would attract that many people, though, at least not enough to make it a profitable venture," I stated as I paced back and forth, "Babelash is rash, sure, but he wouldn't try something like this unless he was going to largely profit off of it. The facts just don't seem to add up."

"I don't know, Casius, that was just the reason he gave me, I doubt that he would want to elaborate on the specifics of his plans. He just seemed intent on gettin' me to move. If I were you, though, I would watch meself. If he has his targets locked on Kyra and I, then you and Anna are more than likely next."

The hits just keep on coming. First Kyra threatens me with Mortis, and now this. My prospects of living a peaceful life just seem to be getting slimmer and slimmer.

"I'll look into it when we get to Zaiville, although I doubt I will have any more luck then you did. When did he tell you that he wanted you gone by?"

"By the first day of summer, so about two months from now. Like that would be even remotely plausible."

"Well at least that gives us a little while to figure something out. Worse comes to worst, though, you and Kyra can come move in with us if Babelash doesn't try to force us to move as well."

"I hope it doesn't come to that, but I do appreciate the offer. It's your naming day, enough of this dark and depressing talk. What's your plans for today, Casius?"

"Well, I'm hoping to get the bridge that crosses the Inora fixed today so that my mother and I can take a trip to Zaiville. We plan on heading out tonight or tomorrow morning."

"Well, take it from me, the bridge is going to take a bit of work. When I crossed going to and from Zaiville, I ended up having to just forge through the river because the bridge was just about completely collapsed. I doubt that much of it will be reusable, if any of it is. By the look of it, most of it was rotted out."

"Well that is good to know. I figured as much, though. How much wood do you think it is going to require to rebuild it, I want to do a bit more for the foundation of it. Hopefully, this time, it will last a bit longer."

"I believe I have all you need to rebuild it five times over. I have built up quite a surplus recently considering Zaiville has stopped purchasin' wood from me. Don't worry," James added when he saw the look of concern on my face, "The Elves and Fensteir are still buyin' off me, so I'm still pretty well off."

"What do you think will be the best way to get the wood all the way over there? If Kyra and I have to carry it all the way there, we'll never get it finished. Hell, I doubt Kyra could make it halfway there," I added with a wink.

"I got the sledge all set up and ready for you. You will just have to drag it all the way over there. Shouldn't be that bad," James replied.

"Alrighty then, sounds good to me. How much do you want for the lot then?"

"Nuttin," James stated with a wave of his hand, "It's your name day an' I use that bridge meself all the time. Wouldn't be fair to charge ya to fix it."

"Are you sure?!" I asked.

"Of course, me boy, of course," James replied.

"Alright then. Kyra, let's get our asses on the move before we burn any more daylight."

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"So, do you think that Babelash is serious about forcing us to move?" Kyra asked me. We had been working on the bridge for a few hours now. At first it was a pain, but now it's not so bad. When we arrived, I realized that James's description of its shape was being nice; the bridge was just about nonexistent. The only part that seemed savable was the foundation posts so Kyra and I cleared out all the other scraps of wood and put them aside out of our way. After that we unloaded the sledge and I had Kyra take it back to her father due to the fact that she was annoying me to no end about how long we were taking. She had expected us to be done already...woman. While she was gone, I dug the trenches by the foundation posts a little deeper and reinforced two posts. After that, I started to prepare to set the runners in place when Kyra finally returned. Needless to say, she wasn't very happy that I hadn't finished yet. A little time had passed since she returned, so I'd just about gotten most of the new runners notched and in place.

"To be honest, I'm not sure," I replied, "I have not had much reason to deal with the man so I don't really know him personally. From what I hear of him, though, once he sets his mind to something, he is quite determined and bull-headed. Guess he takes after you on that front. In the end, I guess it comes down to his ulterior motive and what he plans on gaining from the venture," Kyra pondered that for a moment before replying, "I hope he doesn't, but I'm sure you're probably right."

"What's it matter anyways? I thought you wanted to leave here and travel?"

"Well, ya,” Kyra replied' "but I worry for my father and your mother. If Babelash forces them out, then where would they go?"

I paused my work for a minute while I pondered that, after a moment I replied, "Well worse comes to worst, we can always go seek out my father's family on Bazior, although that doesn't really stop Babelash from ripping up half the island. I really wish I knew what he was up to."

"So do I, Cas, but I doubt either of us are going to learn how to read minds any time soon. I suggest we mention it to your mom on our way to Zaiville. Maybe, between the three of us, we can do enough poking around in Zaiville to figure out what the douchebag is up to."

"Ya..." I sat there pondering that while I worked for a bit, but my mind kept being plagued by another topic that Kyra had brought up earlier that day.

"Do you really think there is a possibility that Mortis may have my father?" I finally asked letting my doubt get the better of me.

"Why not? Think about it Cas," Kyra replied while sitting on a nearby tree root, green eyes boring into me, "Your father was possibly one of the best hunters in the last fifty years. That's why other hunters tended to travel with him. Do you really think he would just vanish? What about all of the years of training he had to go through?"

Kyra did have a point. My father, Vincent, had decided to become a Demon Hunter at a young age. Now at this point I realize that I really haven't explained what a demon hunter is or what they do. To become a demon hunter, you must go through years of vigorous combat training and receive an extensive education before even being considered for certification. It is a hard route and not many elect to take it. At the time of my birth, there were seven Demon hunters total: my father and his five companions and the Aorok or High Master. It is the job of the Demon Hunters to travel the Seven Nations and hunt and destroy any manner of dark beasts that may be hiding there. The order of Demon Hunters were founded almost a thousand years ago after the great war caused a tear in the veil between this world and the underworld, allowing all manner of unearthly creatures to escape in this realm. The wizards of the time found a way to fix the damage caused to the veil, but they could not find a way to banish the creatures back to the underworld. A thousand years later, the Demon Hunters are dying out, meaning that the number of monsters wandering the world are on a rise. At this point, I'm not even sure any Demon Hunters survived.

"What's the matter, Cas? I figured that the possibility that your dad might still be out there would make you happy, instead you look like you're having trouble taking a shit." Kyra stated, concern emanating from her face.

"Well I am happy that there is a possibility my father is still alive, but then I think about him stuck in Mortis's hands for the last ten years. Mortis has an unnatural control over the dark beasts of the world and as I hear it, he is the most vicious person alive. I can just imagine the unholy torture he has been putting him through. My father's tough, sure, but I doubt no mortal man could withstand that for long before cracking, and what would Mortis hope to gain from keeping him alive? If my father is as deadly as we believe, wouldn't it have been best for Mortis to kill him straight off?"

"Well I guess I can understand, but you forget your father had to go through the same sort of torture to gain his certification. My father told me. As for why would Mortis keep you dad alive? The obvious reason would be information. Your dad was next in line to be named Aorok, so he may know things that the others did not. On top of that, your father has had to travel the Seven Nations and deal with a lot of different people, and Mortis could be using him for a character reference. And, of course, there is the possibility that your father found and hid something of immense power and Mortis wants it."

"The last one sounds a little far-fetched, but you are right. The first two do actually sound possible. I didn't even consider the possibility that Mortis could be using him for a character reference. That would explain how Mortis knows so much about the inner workings of the Seven Nations."

"We just need to do a little digging to find out the truth. Come on, Cas, it sounds like an adventure."

That caused me to laugh a little bit, "Ya, but your adventures never seem to end very grand. Let's set our focus closer to home first. We got to figure out what Babelash is up to and who he's working for before we even think of anything to do with Mortis."

"Wait!" Kyra exclaimed, " You don't think Babelash is working for Mortis, do you? It would explain where he came up with the funds for this mad venture."

"I don't know, Kyra," I replied as I set another runner into place, "That does seem to be stretching quite a bit. Ya, it would explain where Dufus obtained his funds, but what would Mortis gain from it? A gaming resort halfway around the world is kind of useless for someone with the kind of power and resources Mortis has."

"Well ya," Kyra responded curtly, "But we both know Babelash is power hungry and would be willing to do just about anything to acquire more, plus that would give Mortis the foot in the door that he's been trying to gain for the last few years."

"Ya, but Mortis doesn't seem like the type to want to deal with others, especially for such a small Continent as Albador. I just think it would just be easier for Mortis to just obliterate Babelash and take control himself."

"Mortis is just one man. He can't control the entire world on his own. He would need peons and, as they say, birds of a feather flock together."

"I don't know, Kyra," I replied as I measured for the last runner, "A lot of what you say does make sense, but in the end it is just circles within circles. We can debate this all day, but in the end, it comes down to we just don't have enough facts to garner the truth. At this point, our best bet is to wait until we get to Zaiville and see what we can learn there. I'm sure that, if Rufus has been dealing with Mortis, someone will be able to tell us. If not, then hopefully we can at least figure out what Rufus is up to. Right now, we are just wasting our time bashing our heads off the wall for no reason. Instead, how about you do something useful like help me finish this bridge?"

"What do you mean help you with the bridge?" Kyra responded indignantly, "I've been helping you the entire time." That caused me to stop working and double over with laughter.

"You have been sitting on that tree root ever since you got back from returning the sledge to your dad. Last I checked, it was my name day. I should be the one sitting around watching you do all the work." For some odd reason Kyra found that highly amusing and could barely stop laughing long enough to tell me to keep dreaming. I could understand. I don't think Kyra has ever actually done any honest work in her life. Every time you try to get her to do some sort of work she manages to get out of it.

"That what I have you for, Cas," is the neverending excuse she always uses. I always tell her that I will not always be around to fix things if they break which normally gets me the response of "of course you will," or, being the smart ass she is, she will say "why, where are you going?"

I don't think she has ever envisioned life without someone there to do all of the menial work for her. A true queen at heart.

"Well will you at least help me lay the decking boards so that we can get this done today? I actually would like to head out to Zaiville sometime this year. "

"I guess," she responded sounding a bit peeved, "but you owe me."

We worked in silence for a little while. The entire time, I found myself wondering if my father was, in fact, still alive, and if so, what that meant. If my father was still alive and taken prisoner, at least one of his companions would have have had to have been aware of it. If so, I wondered why they had never done anything to rescue him or at least tell someone. That thought pattern naturally lead me to wonder if my father was alive and if his companions knew, did my mother? Had she been hiding the information from me to keep me from doing something immensely stupid? I resolved to ask her when we got back to my house, if she wouldn't tell me, then James, at least hopefully, would.

"So any thoughts on what you want to do in Zaiville?" Kyra asked, breaking the silence and shaking me out of my silent reverie, "I don't care what you say, it is your naming day and you should at least buy yourself something that you need."

"I need a sword," I stated without even thinking, my thoughts still carrying on from my silent dilemma.

"A sword...Wow got to admit, Cas, that is actually the last thing I expected you to say. I expected something along the lines of a new spade or new bits for the horses, not a sword. If I'm not mistaken, you have never really had a desire to hold a weapon or be a soldier. Why change now?"

I thought hard about what she said and considered the silent dilemma going on inside my head before I carefully responded, "I still don't have any desire to be a soldier or play at war it's just...with so much going on, I'm afraid that I'm just a pawn in someone else's game. I feel as if I have no influence with what is going on, and soon I will be swept away without any control. At least with a sword I will be somewhat prepared if they come for us and won't just be standing there watching from the sidelines."

"I guess I can understand," Kyra replied as I nailed in a decking board. "Although we may not partake in meat and try not to cause undue suffering to others, my father and I do keep a real nice set of throwing knives and a set of daggers in case an emergency arises. My father has even had me practice with the throwing knives. I'm not the greatest, but I'm not half bad."

"Will you hand me another board?" I asked, "See at least you have those. The best I have is our wood axe and that really wouldn't be that useful against war hammers and great swords."

"True," Kyra replied as she handed me the last decking board, "Well, I know this blacksmith in Zaiville, Petey is his name. He should be able to sell you a nice short or bastard sword for cheap. His work's not half bad, either. If I'm not mistaken, he was good friends with your dad, too. I think he forged his sword."

"Wait, he forged Ferien?!" I replied, pausing mid-blow as I was driving in a nail, "I thought the man who forged Ferien was from Elbion? My father said he resided by Karduim, the Hall of Demon Hunter's."

"Petey told me he moved here around nine years ago," Kyra replied as I resumed nailing in the board, "He's the one that told me that the Demon Hunters have all but vanished and Karduim is in major disrepair. According to him, everything fell apart after your father vanished."

"Done," I stated as I stood to admire my handy work. Sure, it was no work of art, but it would serve its purpose well, "Maybe we will check this Petey out when we get to Zaiville. I may have a few questions I want to ask him."

"What's going on in your head, Cas? I don't think I have ever seen you this preoccupied."

"I'm just tired of being in the dark and not knowing what is going on," I replied, "I'm a grown adult now and that changes today. I feel that everyone is hiding something from us and I'm afraid that not knowing what it is may end up causing us harm, where, if I knew, then we would have been prepared."

"Sometimes the best intentions can cause the greatest harm," Kyra said.

"Where did that come from?"

"What? I don't know, my dad says it all of the time," Kyra replied, "Are you ready to head back now?"

"Sure," I replied, "Your house or mine?"

"Let's just go to yours, I already told my dad that I was going to Zaiville with you, so I don't think he will expect me again for a few days. This way we can just head straight out for Zaiville."

"Sound's good to me. Let's go."

We walked back through the wood's toward my house on the well worn path, mostly quiet the entire time. We would chit chat every now and then, but for the most part, I kept to myself, lost in my thoughts. If I was lucky, this Petey guy might be able to give me more information on what might have happened to my father and the other Demon Hunters. I would try my mother as well, but I didn't really think that she would tell me anything. If she was able to keep the information from me for ten years, then there was no way I would be able to convince her to part with her secrets now. As I walked I thought of how best to approach my mother and Petey about the subject. I didn't want to sound accusing.

We walked a little further when Kyra suddenly stopped and asked, "Do you smell smoke?" I sniffed around a little bit but I couldn't smell anything.

"No, I don't think so. Why?" I replied. Then we heard my mother scream.

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