Chapter 25-1

Chapter 25-1

At first, there wasn’t a lot to do for Rena and Kollie as far as healing a few scraps and bruises mending a few bones. Which the boys took pride in doing especially when there was a pretty girl around to watch. But the word spread quite quickly around the outskirts of the mountain that dared live outside still. That things were looking up and news carried rapidly what was done in Springfield with new hope of happening here in Genly.

Their little group grew from twenty families to forty by the time the main company arrived. Things looked pretty good and cozy inside the big underground mountain. They had enough food and water for everyone that would last at least a month providing they used it sparingly.

It was decided in the group that they should keep a log of their journey in spite of what Margaret thought needing somebody fill a book bunch of worthless information. She quoted ‘You live and hope to have an adventure then die realizing you could have had one then it was too late as you kick the bucket and someone throws dirt over your face.’ So as you guessed nobody chose her for the task.

It was also decided a new post would be add-on under the Caption a foot soldiers who they call in their terms a Dins-men he would run errands across the camp so the Captions or the Syneral would not have to leave his post. Unlike the caverns in Springfield these mountains where built to withstand to hold a city long ago in times of war and battle.

Anton lays out the mappings of the tunnel system below that they have explored within last month, with charts of old given by his ancestors. “These are still sealed have not been reopened or explored to my knowledge,” as he points to them on a map.

Arken and Tomas sit around the large stone table with him while the Captions setting up quarters for them all. Anton watched from time to time feeling strange yet comfortable among them.  He knew it was a matter of time as he watched from a port window of shielded glass that Morgan would soon be approaching.

His town gone, people gone, the few that still remained are in these walls. Will it be enough? As he looked around and back at Arken and Tomas. Margaret smiles in the corner with children beside her while mothers setup sleeping chambers for their families.

Cook fires are burning bright roasting chickens on an open fire. It was if no one cared if Morgan was coming, they were going to live as if didn’t matter. Anton couldn’t sit and watch as he stands yells with tears in his eyes.

“My friends, Morgan is coming do you not realize it? Yet we sit here waiting to pass the time while we should be on our guard. We are but a few that remain. Yet we sit as if we have been defeated waiting for the final blow. I can’t sit and watch you suffer, I have seen enough misery to last a lifetime.”

Anton walked away heading down towards the bottom of the stairs of the opening of the mountain. Arken slowly followed him as they stand together by the door looking out towards the remains of Genly. “My friend what do you see when you look outside?” Arken pointed.

“My town in shambles dying with its people,” he cried

“No Anton,” Arken put his arm around his friend. “I see a town waiting to be reborn with hope, for we to seek a common a goal. Morgan can have this place, he took it as we, in turn, will restore as we leave it behind. For we seek a new home in the light for everyone he can’t touch.

“There is a place called Evitlen where we are going. You won’t find it on a chart or a map, but it is there and is real for I have seen it. My friend this is why we do not fear Morgan, not mention we have a few bags of tricks of our own. Now then come fear not the unknown for you have done your part by giving us a place to shelter and hide what must be hidden. Let us worry about that overstuffed monkey.”

Anton sighed. “I don’t see how, but something tells me that things will be alright.”

They were alright as Margaret shielded everyone inside the mountain other than few rumblings outside as the booming voice of Morgan shouted with leagues of trumpets of lightning terrorized what he could. Not one soul came out from three towns to bow at his feet.

Morgan laughed even harder seeing the destruction of dead bodies lay about along the road of the five he caught unaware as he slowly killed them in front of the Prince smearing the blood on his face.

Jeff knew he could feel it as he looked towards the mountain that EJ was closes as he watched Morgan glorifies in the slaughter. Jeff was saddened in his heart as he looked at destroyed towns one after another as they traveled.

Morgan stops at the edge of the road where it is still green pulling a plant out of the ground shaking it then screams.  Riding hard towards Springfield where everything was reborn with vibrant plant life and trees thick and strong with luster. The town is gone, but ruminates of a camp left behind.

Jeff smiles then Morgan slaps it off his face. “How dare you mock me, boy?” Morgan taking his raven black staff in his hand stretches it forth calls for the rain of death once again on these lands, but the land does not yield or die. Morgan screams calling it forth with more vengeance, and still will not yield to him. Why he does not know as he looks at the boy he screams. “Why boy? Why?”

Morgan stands meditating seeing the past of moments. He drew upon the ground a wide circle with his staff and stood in the middle meditated; as he watched the land surrounds him… all he saw was a white light that blinds his path of sight. Yet the darkness called the shadow to him as he looked north a face and family standing in a field alone unguarded.

Whitmore’s and Jaydan and another family rushed to their aid with three Knee abees. Morgan laughed. “You are cunning my old friend and may have escaped my grips once. The tables are turning.” He looked at the mountain to the north where the shadow has led him like a beacon, for the dead do cry out to their master as he hears the last cries echoed. “Come, my Prince, we have guests and I'm bringing the entertainment.”

The five men quickly ducked back inside the mountain from the backside not used to running for their lives, hoping they reached the people in time. Opening the door standing surprised seeing a large group. Anton was in the corner with more men going over charts. Out of breath, Caption Tollen and his men stood by his side. “Morgan is coming!” Nearly out of breath.

“I know son, I know,” Anton said not surprised by the news.

Tollen surprised by his response. “No I mean he’s coming here to the mountain, he knows we're here.”

Arken looked up doesn’t say anything watching Arken pass a note to give to Margaret as the Dins-men runs. Margaret nods leaving the children passing the word to the Captions then to the mothers, gathers the children in the middle of the room. As the adults placed a protective barrier over them while the adults seal the mountain placing a large bubble over the entire inside of the mountain. Arken nods as he summoned his staff and Tomas his standing by his group and waits.

The five men waited for their impending doom as the mountain shook around them and the ceiling fell away and the sides of the cavern collapse around them, but none of their supplies, horses, and livestock was touched. The wind howled as the boulders come down all around them. Mothers held their frightened children until it stops. All that was left was the ground and the air around them. Morgan and his Prince sat on his horse. Morgan called forth his minions to destroy them as it angers him that they are all still alive.

Arken, Tomas and their Captions stepped out of the proactive shield ready to do battle as the Dark Knights charged their blades thirst for blood as they struck one after another. Arken welding it as if he was made for battle taking on two Knights cress crossing as their blades met.

His eyes focused on the kill, he twirls the blade in one hand, shoots a bolt of fire with other then swings the sword going across the backside of the knight, plugging straight through his heart. The knight screams and falls as smoke rises from his body as Arken pulled the sword ducking his head from another knight sword.

Arken raising his sword catching the knight off guard off his horse throwing him to the ground kills the knight. Arken could barely make out the Princes face as he gets closer to Morgan. Hoping he might get a chance to strike him dead, as he made his way fighting one minion than the next. 

Morgan could see it in his eyes the hate the anger that was raw untapped in this man. If only he could see his heart, "why can’t I?" As he watches him fight with such force untouched. Morgan raised his staff. “Kneel before me or die,” as his voice boomed across the fields of the wounded; all he heard was laughter as the men and soldiers stand walking back too their families helping the wounded back to safety. Arken and Tomas remained outside the shield now holding their flag in one hand and staff in the other.

Arken shouted. “We stand united against you, for the people you have murdered and homes you have destroyed. We will never kneel at your feet Morgan. Instead, we will build new homes and stronger people in which you can not destroy or take from us… not now or not ever, for the light and truth lives on.”

Arken and Tomas took their staff put them together then struck the ground where they are standing on the mountain. A tree sprouts up before them from the roots providing shade and bearing fruit of all kinds. The grass around it was green and fertile.

Morgan screamed as they mock him as lightning strikes the tree on scythed and the people unharmed Morgan wild with anger as he makes a gate leaving with his prince. Arken turned to look at his wife and as she held EJ very tight, his face pail and eyes glazed. Martha with tears in her eyes for her son is now resting and breathing steadily now as his screaming has stopped. Pa knew then the Prince and the price his son has paid to be with them.

There was basically nothing left to salvage now of Genly a few bits of clothing and some old bedding, pottery, and some books. The food was dwindling in short supply as Anton paced about his now crumbled town. His mountain fallen, caverns caved in around them. Arken and Tomas helped getting everyone out to open ground. Not that did much good as Anton looked about.

It was amazing that we didn’t lose a single person during the skirmish thanks again to the Whitmore’s. Arken could see the worry on his new friends face as he walks around his crumbled town. Tomas points on the map. “Anton, I’ll be leaving to the south while Arken continues north going through these towns.”

Anton nearly fell short. “You're splitting up?”

Arken nodded. “Yes that is what we were ordered to do and we follow it.”

“You can’t, these roads are dangerous worse now.”

“Worse than Morgan?” Arken laughed, but Anton wasn’t laughing. “No, we must go through them pick up as many stragglers as we can.”

Anton sighs realizing they are right if they weren’t he be dead by now. It was hard as two men with common ground shake hands as they pat each other on the back and say farewell for a short time as they take their group with them plus some of Anton's people dived between them.

Once more Tomas bonds them all together as one when he looks into their hearts and smiles and nods, “all accounted for and pure.”

Anton slowly watched them go down the road until out of sight. Camp now quiet not as busy as before. Yet there is plenty to do for the women, of course, there always is kicking their children and husband out of the tents so they can cook and clean. What was the most surprising was the Whitmore family as they sit around a circle and meditate? He could have sworn he saw a warm glow in the middle, but it was gone in moments. Then hearing music flowing in the air near the tree where Analy, Arken oldest daughter is.

“No just my mind playing tricks on me.” Anton had other things on his mind like Derrick now a member of the brotherhood and Jaydan has taken his place. Yet he is not here leading this group now dived into three parts, why he wants to know? “No, too much time to think. Need something to do then just sits here.”

Arken could tell Anton was uneasy, who could blame him? His town gone and his people divided or dead, leaving him with no responsibly because it has all been taken away or destroyed with his town. Arken slowly walks over sat next to him not saying much just looking down the road.

“You know Anton I am stranger to these lands me and my family. I have no idea what or who is up that road except by the map. You on the other hand do. Now I find myself looking for a person that could help me and take charge of the situation where I can't. Knowing if my back been covered or people we meet you know who we should talk to get things done. Because Morgan not just going to lie down takes it after the beating we just gave him. What do you say to becoming my eyes and ear's friend and whip this camp of mine into shape? For we have a long way to go and many miles to travel....?”