When Juan woke, it was to the soft yet urgent sound of, "Lord Juan, wake up. Lord Aldric is near."
Juan fluttered his eyes open as he groaned. "Huh? Aldric is near?"
Liam nodded and then stood. "He shouldn't be far." Then he headed out of the tent.
It took Juan a few minutes to clear his head from the drowsiness, and once he was alert and ready for whatever came, he got out of the sleeping bag as Red, too, popped out and hopped onto his shoulder. The pair exited the tent, and Juan saw Liam standing at the clearing, surrounded by a thick blanket of snow. He went to stand next to his savior, and clearing his throat, he began the conversation.
"So, I never got your name, but it's Liam, isn't it? I heard you say something like Liam reporting in when you were talking to my brothers via that ear device."
Liam turned to look at him and then nodded. "Liam Fairchild."
"Liam Fairchild," Juan said. "It's a very nice name. So you're new at the manor?" He chuckled. "I'm surprised you're coming into Norsewood. There are only people leaving. There's nothing here except..." He trailed off, thinking of the disasters and devastations that plagued his homeland in the recent years.
"I joined Norsewood when my cousin married your brother," Liam said.
"Cousin? Married my brother?" Juan asked, and then he realized what that meant. "You're my new sister-in-law's cousin?"
Liam nodded. "Yes."
"I see," he said. "The bride from Bedford. So you're related to Lord Bedford?" He wanted to add the filthy rich bastard who cared naught for anyone but himself, but he kept his mouth shut since he didn't want to offend Liam, who seemed anything but selfish like the Bedfords.
Liam shook his head. "We're not related. Quinn, my cousin, is his bastard child. He cares naught for her or Aunty Beth whom he treated like..." He sighed. "He's no longer in our lives, and we're blessed for that." He changed the subject and pointed. "Look, they're here."
Juan turned, and in the distance, he saw three men on horseback heading their way. He recognized the newcomers immediately and burst out laughing as he jogged toward them. Within minutes, Aldric, Theo, and Vincent were in front of him, and Aldric got down from his steed. The brothers embraced, roughly as was their greeting, and Aldric patted Juan on the shoulder. "I'm glad you're safe and well."
"Aldric," Juan said. "I'm so glad you've returned home."
"Me, too," Aldric said. "Now, let's get moving. We need to deal with the night trolls and then return to the lodge and start planning that rescue mission." He ran his gaze over Juan from head to toe, noting the torn and worn clothing. "You need to change."
Ten minutes later, Juan came out of the tent wearing Aldric's spare clothing—very warm undergarment underneath and trousers and a sweater as well as a thick jacket that he had never seen or worn before on top. On his feet were thick socks and a pair of outdoor boots that were light yet sturdy. It was also waterproof, which amazed Juan, and he wondered what sort of material was used. It was undoubtedly very expensive and must be brought from the capital. Yet, he had never seen this sort even in the capital.
"Brought you a horse," Vincent said, handing him a bridle.
"Thanks," Juan said, relieved he needn't ride with anyone else, although he didn't mind if it was with Liam, oddly enough.
Liam, after packing, hopped onto his stallion, and within moments, they headed out. Riding next to his brother, Juan asked, "Where are we going?"
"To where the night trolls are," Aldric said.
Juan widened his eyes and said, "To the night trolls? Aldric, I know you're strong, but it's a horde of night trolls we're talking about. It's suicide if we barge into their den just the five of us."
Aldric turned to look at him. "Who said it's the five of us?"
"You mean we're meeting up with the other soldiers?"
Vincent burst out laughing while Theo said, "It'll be just Aldric, Juan. And I'll be cleaning up afterward." He winked. "Your brother liked doing that as of late, working solo. I suspect he's doing it to impress Lady Quinn."
"Wait. Just wait a second here," Juan said. "Working solo? Just Aldric by himself?" He turned to his brother. "It's suicide, Aldric."
Aldric, the stoic that he was, didn't answer his brother. He nudged his stallion and started off, galloping fast and furious, and Juan shouted, "Wait! Aldric!"
The others started off, too, and Juan had no choice but to follow suit. Goodness in heaven, but had his brother gone crazy, he wondered? Just because he had defeated the Tasal's army, had his ego grown so big even a horde of night trolls, indeed one that would require a whole platoon of veteran knights just to defeat, didn't faze him and he'd barge into their den without thoughts of danger?
They sped through the field of snow for at least an hour, and once they went into the woods, Juan was stunned that Aldric seemed to know exactly where to go. Down below them was the den of the night trolls, a cave which was surrounded by thick trees, blocking out most of the sunlight, which was perfect for the trolls as their eyes were sensitive to light.
He scanned around the area, noting how quiet it was and he knew it wasn't a good sign. The night trolls had sniffed out their scents and were most likely waiting for them, luring them into a trap.
He blurted out, "Aldric! We need to—"
It was too late, for Aldric, on the stallion, was already galloping around the curve of the hill and heading toward the cave.
"Damnation!" he swore and pulled his rein. He was just turning around, his heart racing with worry at his brother's thoughtlessness, which was so unlike him, when Liam caught his arm and forced him into a halt. "Don't go," he said. "You'll only be a hindrance."
Theo said, "If Aldric wanted you with him, he'd tell you."
"Just stay put and watch," Vincent said. "I know you're worried about Aldric, but there's no need."
Juan was confused as to why Theo and Vincent seemed to have no concern that Aldric, their lord and commander, was charging into a den of monsters alone, and now they were even telling him to stay put when his brother could be killed?
He shifted his gaze to Liam, who still held on to his arm tightly. He was surprised the young man was so strong, despite his slender physique. He suspected Liam was not going to let him go unless Juan stayed put.
He finally relaxed and nudged his stallion back, and Liam released his grasp. Juan watched as Aldric charged into the den where around ninety to a hundred trolls—monstrous ugly-looking beings with green skin holding wooden, spiky clubs and baring thick fangs—came charging out. They towered over Aldric who didn't seem to react one way or another at their menacing, threatening stances and growls.
Suddenly, Aldric climbed down from his stallion, and Juan swore under his breath. "Is he mad?" After all, fighting monsters on horseback was a lot safer with added advantages compared to being on the ground. Every warrior knew that.
Aldric summoned a magic circle, and when it glowed and shot out fireballs, Juan's mouth gaped open, his eyes wide in disbelief.
How? How did Aldric learn to do that? He was not blessed with any elemental magic as far as Juan knew. None of the Templetons were. So how?
As the fireballs hit smack-dab on each troll, Aldric charged forward, drawing out his sword and swinging the mighty weapon onto those near him, slicing them in half this way and that with the dead bodies falling to the ground like flies. Within the next split second, more fireballs came spitting out consecutively, so fast and furious that even Juan's eyes couldn't keep up with the action, at the same time Aldric moved with lightning speed, slicing and dicing the trolls coming his way. By this point, Juan was already so stunned that he couldn't even utter a word, so fast his brother's movements were, and when a lightning whip came out, along with the glow about his arms, and the whip slashing at the trolls at the back, killing them with a simple strike, Juan was... lost, confused, and mesmerized at the same time as hundreds of questions filled his head.
Within minutes, all the trolls were dead, the butchered bodies lying around on the ground about Aldric's feet, and Juan finally took in a deep breath.
"What did I just see?" he said to himself. Was that the brother he knew? What had happened at Forddon for Aldric to become this... strong and powerful?
Aldric finally turned and whistled. Theo chuckled and said, "Looks like it's cleanup time." He turned his stallion and started down the slope.
Vincent said, "That was faster than I expected." And he, too, went down the slope.
Liam turned to look at him and asked, "Are you all right?"
Juan chuckled awkwardly and nervously. "Uh, yes, I'm... fine." He frowned and then asked, "How did he become like that?"
"Lord Aldric?"
"Yes, Aldric," Juan said. "How... I mean, he isn't blessed with any elemental magic, yet he used fire and then that lightning. It's very, very rare for anyone to be blessed with lightning magic. Yet Aldric..." He shook his head in disbelief.
Liam said, "You're right, Lord Aldric is not blessed with any elemental magic, but he does have a very high affinity with them. Apparently, being blessed by Isaris makes one unique. I have no doubt you'd be the same once you have your status checked."
"Status?" Juan asked. "What is a status?"
"I'm no good at explaining things," Liam said. "But you'll find out soon, once we've returned to the lodge."
Juan was still damn confused when they reached base camp and he met up with the rest of the soldiers. After a lot of cheerful greetings and pats on the shoulders, they finally settled down to have lunch, which was what was called a filled roll.
Very soft bread filled with so much goodness and deliciousness, slices of crispy chicken and vegetables with sweet, tangy sauce, and Juan wanted to burst out crying. How in heaven had he never had something like this before? And how in heaven was a bread this soft? It simply melted in his mouth. The crispy chicken, too, was to die for in Juan's opinion, as well as that creamy, soft green thing he had never seen before. Needless to say, he enjoyed his meal tremendously, and so did Red who was vigorously munching on another banana twice his size. If the pet kept eating like that, he'd be sure to gain weight in no time, and Lilly would hardly recognize him the next time they met.
After lunch, they packed up and started homeward which everyone referred to as the lodge, and Juan wondered if they meant the manor. Although the place was in ruins after the raid, so perhaps a lodge was recently built to house everyone? He, of course, had no doubt it'd be a simple structure made of wood and straw and he worried for the elderly, for the cold was extreme in Norsewood during winter, and a wood and straw building would in no way be able to keep anyone, let alone the elders and the young children, warm.
Flicking his gaze to the carriages, Juan wondered where in heaven Aldric managed to procure such beautiful and unique vehicles from, for he had never seen the likes of them anywhere in Athol. Perhaps it was recently introduced into the country? Perhaps they were part of the rewards Aldric had received from the king? Though he very much doubted it, for King Henry was a selfish lout and would not likely part himself from anything that lavish.
"Juan!" Aldric called for him, drawing Juan's attention away from the carriages. He nudged his stallion so that he was riding side by side with his brother.
Aldric said, "Tell me what happened. And don't leave any details out."
Juan nodded and then began the tale of his misadventure as they rode through the mountains and hills of snow-covered land that was part of Norsewood. It was dark by the time they left the border behind and entered flatland, and Aldric instructed the drones, the birdlike things Juan noticed kept hovering above them high in the sky, as guiding light, which he thought was very nifty. He came to understand, too, that it was those drones that had captured the location of the night trolls' den, which had been why Aldric had known where to go back there.
When they entered the ruined town, Juan once again felt his heart constrict at seeing the devastation and the reminder of the many lives lost. Aldric, who must have felt the same, said, "We'll rebuild the town. We'll make it better than it was before the disaster."
Juan nodded.
It wasn't long after they left the town when Juan noticed strange light in the distance, and Liam, riding beside him, said, "That's Norsewood Lodge. You can see the light from here."
As they got closer, Juan could make out building structures, and he nearly fell off his horse when they climbed the hill and came to the front of it. His eyes were wide as he gazed up at the edifice with light shining out from almost every window.
No, this was not a lodge. This was... a palace! But how was it even possible? No palace, let alone a small manor, could be constructed within a few months while he was gone, let alone this vast, magnificent structure. Indeed, it was even more grand than Norsewood Manor. In fact, it looked even more grand than the Grand Palace in the capital.
He got down from his stallion and walked toward the lodge, dazed and amazed. He was very sure he was dreaming. Or had gone to a higher plane.
"Juan! Juan! You're unharmed. You've returned." He faintly heard Eden's voice in the distance. "Juan! Look at me." Then, "Quinn, do something. He's not paying attention. Is he in shock like we've learned from the health course? He must be very injured and traumatized."
He heard an amused chuckle, which then was followed by, "I think he is shocked, Eden, but not from any injury or trauma."
Injury? Trauma? No, he was not injured, nor was he traumatized. He said, "Am I dreaming? What in heaven is this building in front of me? Have I died and gone to the higher realm?"
He felt a light slap on his shoulder, followed by a firm voice that could only belong to Sara that said, "Don't talk nonsense. It's just the lodge. You're making people worry. Now snap out of it and let's go inside so Quinn can look at you." She grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him toward the door.