King of Shadows: Of Blood and Tears

Chapter 18: Portal to Findara I

A few months had passed, and The Withered focused on training Max, as well as his four companions. Every day, from dawn until midday. They had deliciously cooked meals in between, and slept for the rest, as their vigorous training had been more than what they were used to.

At first, The Withered had a hard time wrapping their beastly minds around the fact that they (humans of Kolasi) had to come along. Especially knowing that these beings weren't the brightest, nor will they ever match the speed and strength of an elf, especially that of an elf of Elibor. Yet the four companions all surprised the beasts. They all got their techniques down, deciding to use swords instead of the other deadly options. Sammy said that spears and Halberds were for those who wished to be far from their enemy, making it easier for them to flee. Melancholy cackled at her joke, and went on to training her, tripping her as she tried evading a blow from the maroon creatures Halberd.

Sammy, with her larger stature, preferred a silver great sword, needed with both hands. She slung it across her back, and her technique was almost near perfect. Her swings were crisp, and even with the heft of the sword weighing her down, she could still move swiftly on her feet, evading even that of Represses blows.

"I have never seen movement like that. You sure as hell did not learn it from me," Repressed said as he lifted his great sword onto his shoulder, wiping his matted fur on his forehead.

"Ive played a video game or two." Sammy chuckled, sheathing her silver sword on her back. "This sword doesn't even feel too heavy for me anymore." She smiled, wiping the dirt and mud caked onto her light brown tunic.

Repressed let out a deep growl and furrowed his brow in confusion.

"I dont know what sorcery that is, but I would like a video game or two if it helps me move like that." He stood there puzzled, watching as she evaded both John's and Tim's swings.

Tim and John were also learning in their own way, watching, taking notes. In the courtyard where they had practiced, their skills were not as refined as that of their friends, but Melancholy believed they could still survive. Their weapons of choice were medium-sized broad swords, easy to swing, and not too difficult to maneuver around.

"No, no, you fool, plant your feet. If you maintain that stance, you'll be unstable and vulnerable to attacks. Do not let her get the upper hand, and pirouette around her overhand swings. Oh, and her jabs."

"You don't think we are trying that, you oversized boar?" Shayne grumbled.

Sammy took a right-handed swing at Shayne, who jumped away just in time, but ended up laughing as he landed in the dirt, narrowly avoiding a pile of squishy, rotten fruit from the tree above.

Within these few months, Maximus studied within the castle's library, studying all he could about what he found. In an effort to avoid thinking about Victoria, he turned his attention to his studies and immersed himself in the material. Her soft touch, her soothing voice, all bringing Max to a sense of peace. Though he tried, he had failed. He has not gone a day training in Solus without thinking about the chest nut haired girl at least once. His heart felt heavy, his looming sorrow prickling every inch of his skin. The mere thought of her absence caused ripples of uneasiness to spread through his mind.

A lot of the manuscripts were in elvish, some were in dwarfish, and a small few were in the language of trolls. He decided to focus on the ones he could read, finding anything and everything he could on Malgorog.

Despite seeking the help of The Withered, he was unable to uncover anything beyond what he already knew.

Through these struggles, he found solace in an interesting poem, savoring every line until he discovered the name of the author. It wasn't a book, but a small piece of parchment he had found in an envelope. It had read: