Awaken His Eyes | The Awakened Book One

Chapter 14

Kael awoke before sunrise and dressed himself with the clothing he found in the chest at the end of his bed. Just as he finished lacing his shoes, a knock came at his door and he opened it to find his servant standing in the hall.

"It is time," the man said in his strange accent.

Kael left his room and followed the man down the hallway. "What's your name?" Kael asked when they reached the stairs.

"No name. Only one who serves All Powerful."

"Why don't you have a name?"

"Cannot talk of this," he said, shaking his head and quickening his pace down the stairs.

Kael wrinkled his eyebrows, as he took the stairs at a rapid pace to keep up with the servant. "Well, my name is Kael."

They retraced their steps from the night before, taking them outside through the dining hall. The sky was growing brighter in the east as the pair moved down the covered walkway toward the arena. The air was incredibly cold, and Kael crossed his arms in front of his chest in an attempt to keep in his body heat. As soon as they entered the arena, the air was warm, and Kael got the shivers as his body readjusted to the new temperature. He was only the third one to arrive. The other two boys were looking out the windows along the far wall. In the few minutes it had taken to walk to this building, the sun had just started to peek above the horizon. The view was majestic, overlooking a valley of rolling hills with grass that had turned a pale yellow from the cold air. The sky was awash with orange and pink light reflecting off the thin wisps of high clouds hanging in the air.

Kael expected to see Ukiru, but he was not in the building. The servant led Kael over to the far side of the room, where the others were standing. The floor of this pie-shaped section of the arena was a raised platform covered in canvas. Ten square mats were arranged on the floor in a double line, and Kael could only assume that they would be part of the morning's event.

"He will be here soon," the monk announced. "I will go now."

The other boys turned around from the windows and Kael suddenly felt awkward being in this strange place without an escort. Even though he was supposed to think of it as his new home, he still felt like a visitor. One of the boys walked toward Kael with a smile on his face.

"My name is Coen," he said with an outstretched hand.

Kael was so surprised by his joyful manner that he almost forgot to respond. "I'm Kael," was all he said, shaking the boy's hand. Then the thought occurred to him that in all their time together in that prison, no one had introduced themselves. They hardly talked at all. It was like they had turned into animals while trying to survive.

Things are different now.

Coen was short, like Kael, though a few years older. His shaved head was just starting to grow thin black hair. He had a large nose and full lips that almost looked like a girl's.

"That's Berit over there," he said, pointing at the other boy who was still standing at the window. Berit waved and turned back to looking at the sunrise.

"He's a little shy. So where are you from?"

Kael was just about to answer when he was interrupted by some of the other boys entering the building, their attendants turning and leaving just as promptly as Kael's had done.

"Do you like it here?" Coen continued.

"Uh ... I ... don't know yet," Kael stumbled. This kid sure likes to talk. At least he's nice, though. I'd hate it if he were mean and talkative.