Legend of Elvin Rizah

Chapter Eighteen

Elvin and peter found themselves gazing at the dull sky and setting sun. The journey-well had just dropped them in a place that is largely occupied by giant trees and a field of thick grasses. It was almost quiet if not for the tweeting birds in their nest, the gibbering monkeys and the rustling leaves dancing to the music of the wind. The two boys unleashed their weapons and checked around carefully if its free from any kind of threat.

Elvin stopped, struck his sword into the soil and stood up straight. He slipped his hands into his pocket and brought out a neatly folded paper. He held one end of the map and flipped it, making the paper stretch out. His eyes danced through the map before settling at a particular spot. "what kind of tree dominates this place?"He asked.

Peter looked around briefly and noticed that the tree he stood by is the same as all. "it looks like the only tree around here is the cocoa tree," he replied.

Elvin breathed out softly. He folded the paper back into his pocket and pulled his sword off the ground. He swung it in the air freely to check it flexibility and set it back into it scabbard. "then, then we are definitely in the north" he said.

"where do we go from here?" Peter asked.

"we need to camp here first" Elvin replied.

Though the north is not as big as the other part of the world, but it makes the most profit in agriculture. They have the largest number of farmers and farmlands; and their soil nutrient is rich with a promising weather condition. Their main agricultural produce is cocoa.

Elvin took the lead as he walked a bald path of the forest while peter trailed behind. It was a long walk through the cocoa plantation and the sky goes dimmer as time passes.

"wait wait" Elvin instructed silently.

"whats that?" Peter whispered.

"look at that" Elvin replied.

They hid as their eyes fell upon a tent that seemed to have been abandoned for a couple of days back.

"it looks empty, but what could a tent be doing in here" peter asked.

"it either belong to some cocoa thieves or some farmers who couldn't make it home early after work," Elvin replied.

"whichever it was, it is at our benefit now" peter said.

They moved slowly to the tent with the swords ready to defend and sudden attack.

Noticing that the place was absolutely quiet, peter walked straight into the tent and found total emptiness.

Elvin also walked in to join peter and as soon as they found the atmosphere pleasing, they settled down for the night. After so much stress they had gone through, it was very easy for them to fall asleep.

After some hours, darkness consumed the green of the forest. The wind was gentle and cold and the loud chirping sound of the crickets ruined it silence.

Elvin who had been in deep sleep tried to turn his body to gain more comfort. He noticed that the atmosphere was getting colder, so he hid his palms into his pocket to keep them warm and opened his eyes to see how dark the night was. Noticing that so much has changed, he quietly reached out for peter and as soon as he felt his leather glove, he tapped him lightly.

Peter woke up almost immediately after the first tap and yawned, "What is it?" he mumbled.

"Look up and tell me what you see?" Elvin whispered.

Peter sighed with obvious tiredness. "I see thousands of stars" he replied.

"and what does that tell you?"

"it tells me that the night is what makes the north one of the most beautiful place to live in "peter replied.

"damn", Elvin exclaimed out of a sigh and looked at peter who was about turning around for more sleep. "I'm trying tom tell you that the tent is gone!"

On hearing this, peter tried to fetch his sword but what he found was an empty scabbard. 'my sword is gone too' he thought.

They had nothing to defend themselves with, not in the dark where they could hardly see themselves. They stood up and started quietly to the exit of the tent. As they opened the curtain of the exit, a bright torch lit in front of them and a whoosh of powder hit their face. Their sight became blurring and they collapsed.