"Hurry men, it's mid-day. That's enough rest."Lieutenant Jacquis said with urgency, "Pack up your belongings and we move out."
"Yes sir!"
They had been walking for four days, and according to the suggested area, they should be close by now. But this was just the beginning of the journey, hopefully it would prove to be fruitful in more ways than one. What if they got their hands on the Scrolls? How many of his men would back him up and not tell King Lindzea? How many would? What if they questioned his motives and slew him right then and there?
"Sir, we are ready to move onward." stated Nickolas, giving a reassuring pat on the back.
Jac grinned as he looked his brother in the eye. 'Maybe I'm over analyzing the situation. My men would never betray me.' he thought inwardly.How could he second guess his men, who have stood behind him in every dark day and trying battle. No, this was him over thinking yet again.
"I need to stop doing that..." Jac stated.
"Stop doing what Sir?"
"Never mind, thinking out loud again." he said with a slight chuckle," Let's get in formation. Onward men!"
As they traveled deep into the forest they couldn't help but sense that they weren't alone. Not because there weren't plenty of beasts, bug, and traps! But they all felt as if something was hovering above them, just out of the corner of their eyes, and slightly whispering in their ears. Was it a warning? None of them could hear that sharply to even make it out, but none the less, it was there. A glance away, able to come from anywhere, they felt the presence and they didn't like it.
"Do you all feel that?" questioned one of his men.
"Yes... and no. I feel right as rain, but also uneasy." claimed another.
Jac asked, "Like before battle, when it's still and quiet?" for he didn't know what else to compare the feeling to.
"No, my senses are running wild," stated Nick, "but I feel no sense of danger. There is something here, but it might as well be apart of this place. Like the trees rooted in to the ground, this feeling ties in with this part of the land."
"I couldn't have put it better myself." for he completely agreed with Nick. It was always amazing how quickly Nick could get ride of all the pretenses and get right to the answer, which probably was exactly that. When Jac thought about it, that statement couldn't have been put any simpler or to the point.
"Be ready men, we are very close to the area now. Be on your guard and watch out for anyone. There is something guarding this place, but it was never specified in any documents so far."
"Yes sir."
From the back a small group readied themselves for a different plan, shall we say, a surprise for the Lieutenant...
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"Are you ready?" Ember exclaimed reaching for her blade.
"Yes mistress." Egniel exclaimed.
As she ran the smooth metal across her palm, a thick content gushed out. She quickly placed her hand of the goblet engraved into the baluster outside the wall protecting the waterfall and chanted,
"Oberdi von rumelic lemon, I purify this temple and enter it of right mind and soul"
"Mistress, you are getting better at that every year." Egniel said with a little bit of pride in his voice.
"Hopefully I will be able to do that one day without having to practice it the night before a million times." she said chuckling.
Egniel enjoyed the way she lit up whenever she succeeded in growing into the Shatto Priestess she would be one day. She worked hard, and tried every day to become the amazing women she knew deep down, she was blossoming into.
"It will become less of a phrase for you to memorize, and more of a feeling that shall rush over you and the words will just, flow out."he said flashing back to his days on this plane.
As she looked at him, she could see the longing, to breath this air. To not hover in this plane of existence, but to be apart of it. She couldn't help but feel sorrow for her guardian at this moment. 'You think with all of my abilities so far, I could bring back the dead atleast!' she thought biting her lip.
"Ember."
"Yes?"
"You're doing it again." he chuckled touching her shoulder.
"Sorry... I'm me again. So, shall we?"
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"Did you hear something Lieutenant?" Nick exclaimed.
"Over there, just beyond the burrow." he hushed quietly.
