Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 01 - Kainan Page 23

  Then the creature was upon them, it lunged at Drew. It happened so fast he didn’t have time to react; he stumbled then fell backwards as the weight of the creature crushed his chest. Pain shot through him as the air was knocked out of his lungs. Just as the creatures savage jaws were about to clasp over his face, Kainan’s sword flashed blindly through the darkness slicing the creature’s shoulder. It screeched in agony and bounded off into the darkness.

  “Drew!” The only words the young Prince managed before it was back again. Turning sharply he raised the Deragan Sword, the creatures red eyes stared at him through the darkness. Suddenly it came bounding across the space that had separated them, launching itself at the Prince with such a force that it knocked the sword from his hand. Kainan brought his arms up to protect his face as teeth and claws ripped at his arms. Kicking out violently he caught the underside of the creature sending it spinning over the top of him and into the trees. Quickly he rolled back onto his feet, throwing himself over the top of Drew and clambering over the injured Pernash he grasped for his fallen sword. Then he was again up and ready. The demon red eyes of the creature stared at him. Then Drew was up and by his side. Kainan glanced briefly at him.

  “I’m all right.” Drew whispered, raising his sword ready. Suddenly Rufas pushed passed them both wielding his sword, he charged towards the creature, crying with rage. The creature came forward fast. Rufas swung his blade low, the creature screamed as the sword gouged the side of its body; quickly freeing the sword, he swung it back hard across the beast’s neck, ripping the blade free and in a spray of blood the beast fell to the ground. The other two rushed to his side.

  “Is it dead?” Kainan asked, placing his hand upon Rufas’s shoulder, trying to make out the image on the ground in the darkness.

  “I hope so my Lord.” Rufas replied, turning to the Prince. “I chopped its bloody head off.”

  Laughing with relief, the young Prince patted him on his back. “You did well Rufas, you did very well. Thank you.”

  “Take my advice my Lord, always chop their heads off, then you know for sure they are dead.” Kainan nodded, the man was right and very brave. He was indeed impressed by his actions and could see why he was classed as the best swordsman in Malgar.

  “Come on, let’s get back to camp; Pernash does not look too good.” Kainan ordered. Rufas nodded, cleaning the blood off his blade. Wiping his nose with the back of his hand he kicked the beast hard with his foot.

  “Evil bastard.” he muttered under his breath. With that he turned, following Kainan.

  Between them they carried the injured man back to the camp. Clearing a space they laid him down.

  “Rufas can you get the fire alight for me?” Kainan asked. Nodding, Rufas began building the fire. Gathering some sticks Kainan used some twine from his pack and made a make-shift torch. Lighting it he looked over at Pernash.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. Pernash was in shock; his face ashen and he was completely unable to speak. He just about managed a weak smile; relieved that he was still alive. Kainan knelt down next to him and ripping open what was left of the lower half of his trousers he took a look at his leg, screwing his nose up as he did. It was badly mauled; he had lost a lot of blood and the flesh was torn from the bone. However, he felt sure it was not broken.

  “Drew, can you pass me my pack. I will need to bind his leg.” Kainan thought how he wished Arweyn were here with them. She would have known what to do. With her knowledge she would probably have been able to heal the poor man. Lifting the torch he banged it hard into the earth, lighting the area over Pernash’s leg.

  “Here.” Drew threw the pack at him. Thanking him he began rummaging about in his pack; pulling out a shirt.

  “This will have to do,” he muttered, as he began tearing it into strips.

  “Pernash, can I?” He pointed to his leg, Pernash just nodded, turning his face away. Carefully Kainan rolled up what was left of his blood soaked trouser. Taking out his water bottle he poured some water over the wound to try and clean it. Pernash moaned.

  “Sorry,” Kainan apologised, giving him a fleeting glance, he was trying his hardest not to hurt him. Next taking a piece of his shirt he gently patted the wound dry. He could feel Pernash’s body trembling under his fingers. Taking the rest of the strips of shirt he bound them tight around Pernash’s leg, but the blood still seeped through.

  “Where’s Tolwein?” Rufas asked, looking down at Kainan. The young Prince finished off his bandaging, and then stood up.

  “I do not know. Tolwein!” he yelled.

  “I’m here my Lord.” A horsed whisper came from behind. Kainan spun round, and there in the shadows stood Tolwein.

  “Where have you been?” Kainan demanded. His hand went to the hilt of his sword.

  “I was right here my Lord,” he replied. The young Prince was not satisfied. Striding up to him he stared into his face.

  “Did you see what just happened, where the hell were you?”

  “I was right behind you, watching your back my Lord.” The young Prince restrained himself. Something was not right about this man. Maybe it was because he was not from Malgar, but then neither was Pernash and he didn’t have a problem with him. He didn’t know what it was but there was just something.

  “Well, maybe next time you should make your whereabouts known. Can you get Pernash some water,” he ordered, he had used all of his own. Tolwein bowed his head and walked towards the packs. Kainan watched him suspiciously as he bent down and pulled out a water flask. Standing back up he turned, walked back to him and handed him the flask. Taking it from him he stared at him, but there was no reaction, his face remained frozen, completely without any emotion. The young Prince frowned. He had thought Lord Detaine’s eyes were cold, but his… shaking his head, he walked back to Pernash, knelt down and gently lifting his head gave him a drink from the flask.

  “Get some sleep Pernash,” he said kindly, helping him to lie back down and covering him with a blanket. He looked up a Drew.

  “We had better set up a watch tonight Drew, in case there are any more of those things out there.”

  Even though she had kept the men within her sights for the whole of the journey, the forest was dark and menacing, and Arweyn was terrified. Holding back as they stopped she took a deep breath. Finally it seemed that the darkness had forced them to stop, she hoped they would be making camp because she was exhausted. She had just about caught her breath when she was startled by a commotion in front of her. Just about making out their images in the darkness, she could see Kainan yelling; what was going on? She watched as they began running deeper into the forest. All except Tolwein he held behind.

  Arweyn moved through trees to get a closer look. She could hear screaming and crashing in the trees up ahead, it was terrifying. Stopping close to the camp, she stood with her back against a tree, a sudden chill ran down her spine and she shivered, what was going on? She watched Tolwein but he made no attempt to go and help them. Arweyn hesitated, she was not sure what she should do, should she reveal herself and try and help? Then she spotted movement, it was Kainan. Pulling her hand to her mouth in fear, she watched as he and Drew dragged Pernash frantically along, it looked like he was injured. Her heart was in her throat, thank goodness Kainan was safe, but what had gone on? Edging herself forward slowly, as close as she dared, she desperately wanted to hear what had happened.

  Kainan pulled some bread out of his pack, and dropped, sitting crossed-legged by the fire, next to Drew. He looked at him thoughtfully.

  “I have lived in the forest all my life and I have never seen anything like it. What do you think it was?” he asked. Drew shrugged his shoulders.

  “I don’t know. You hear of many strange creatures living in this forest. I suppose it could have been an Elnwarper.”

  Kainan was just about to reply when the ground suddenly shook with a roar of thunder, and a bolt of lightning shot through the tops of the trees. Kainan jumped. On top of everything else they we
re probably going to get soaked. Turning his attention back to Drew he asked.

  “A what, what is an Elnwarper? I have never heard of such a thing?”

  “Well,” replied Drew, stuffing a piece of bread into his mouth hungrily. “As far as I know it is sort of like a bear crossed with a wolf.” Kainan shook his head and rubbed his hand across his face.

  “Do they hurt?” Drew asked, pointing at the cuts on Kainan’s face.

  “A bit,” he replied in a matter of fact way, touching them with his fingers.

  “Do you want me to stitch them, some of them look quite deep,” Drew offered.

  “No, it is okay thanks, I will be fine.” The young Prince raised his hand gratefully. He just could not be bothered, even thought they were really sore. He was exhausted and all he really wanted to do was sleep. He had been lucky; he looked down at his leather wrist band, there were deep teeth marks buried into the thick leather. They had saved him from the jaws of the creature, without them he would have been dead for sure.

  Looking across at Pernash he shook his head despondently. “I am not sure if he is going to make it Drew, he has lost a lot of blood, and if it gets infected…?” He poked a stick into the fire and stared into the deep orange flame.

  “We should have brought someone who knows about medicine.” He threw the stick into the flame. Drew looked at him.

  “You mean someone like Lady Arweyn?”

  “No, that is not what I meant.” Kainan said, back-tracking. He glanced at him. It was what he meant, but he didn’t want Drew to know that. It was what he wanted more than anything in this world, or any other world come to that.

  “I don’t want to be presumptuous Kainan, but it is as clear as crystal. You have feelings for Lady Arweyn don’t you?” Drew looked at his face, studying him. The one thing he had noticed with Kainan was, he was no good as a liar. His face told everything.

  “Well of course I do, she saved my life.” Surely he had not been that obvious. Picking up his cup of acorn coffee he drummed his fingers on the side, and then took a sip. He screwed his nose up in disgust. “Do you not have any honey for this?” Drew shook his head at him, leant over and grabbed his pack, delving inside he pulled out a jar.

  “Here,” he chucked it to him. Kainan caught it in one hand, struggling he opened the jar.

  “Spoo…” he started, just as a spoon landed in his lap. Looking up he grinned. “Thanks.” Spooning some honey into his mug, he stirred it around and took a sip.

  “Better?” Drew grinned back at him. Kainan nodded, throwing the jar back to him. Drew smiled at his embarrassment, but he would not leave it be.

  “No Kainan, I mean more than just gratitude. The old wizard Marton told me about a prophesy.”

  “What prophesy?” Kainan stopped drinking, and pulling his knees up, he lent his elbows on them and looked over the top of his mug at him.

  “Well, I wasn’t really meant to say but I suppose as she is not here is doesn’t really matter now.”

  “Drew, please what are you talking about? What is this prophecy and what has Arweyn not being here got to do with it. Is she in this prophecy?”

  “Well, we think so. Wizard Marton told me yesterday that he had found an old scroll from before even the Great War. He told Lord Detaine, but he brushed him off and took the scroll away. He told me because he thinks it is a real prophecy; your father doesn’t even know. Lord Detaine forbid him to tell the King. The writings on the scroll were in the old language of Malgar. He thinks that it tells of a destiny, of two Groundlings, old souls from a time long ago, who would find each other again and save Malgar. Something about having magical powers, he thinks it could be you and Arweyn.”

  The young Prince shook his head at him. “I don’t think it can be me Drew. I have not got any magical powers,” he said, sarcastically twinkling his fingers in the air at him. Drew laughed and shook his head.

  “Well no, maybe not yet, but he still thinks it is you and Lady Arweyn. The King did tell me you took the Crown of Knowledge, so there is a good chance you will develop the ability to do magic of some sort.”

  “You know about that place, I thought it was supposed to be a secret?”

  “It is, but your father is not only my King, he is also a good friend. My father was your grandfather’s bodyguard; it has been our family’s honour for a hundred years.” Kainan nodded.

  “I see, so does all your family know about the Chamber?”

  Drew shook his head. “No only the sons who are sworn to be the King’s bodyguard, myself, my father.”

  “Do you have a wife?” Kainan asked, and Drew nodded.

  “Yes, Alicia,” he smiled. “She is a good woman, she puts up with a lot.”

  “Children?” he nodded.

  “Yes I have a son, Quinn and a daughter, Krystyna, Quinn is in training to follow the family honour.”

  “Ah, so will he be my protector in years to come?” Kainan asked, sounding slightly amused.

  Drew chuckled. “Yes if he proves himself worthy and I am past it.”

  “You past it? Never!” Kainan teased shaking his head at him.

  Drew raised an eyebrow. “Well I’m not getting any younger Kainan, and it may be time to spend more time with my poor wife. Anyway we seem to have gone off the track a bit here, back to this prophecy.”

  Kainan nodded. “Yes, this prophecy. What else do you know?”

  “Well I know there is a good chance it is you. I know you do not think you have magic but you have been in the Chamber Kainan, so anything could happen, even over the next few days.” He paused in thought and looked around him to make sure there was no-one within listening distance, then leaned in closer to him. “Can you do the thing, you know with your finger?” he grinned, waggling his index finger at him.

  Kainan grinned, nodding.

  Drew sat back and raised both his hands simultaneously.

  “Well there you go then, that is magic. It is you and Lady Arweyn.” Kainan bit his lower lip and sucked it through his teeth. Damn! Drew was right he could do magic.

  “Do you love her Kainan?” Drew asked sincerely.

  “No, don’t be ridiculous,” he retorted, embarrassed by such a question. “She is a friend that is all. I have only known her a couple of days

  Anyway she does not feel anything for me. She didn’t even come and say goodbye this morning.” Kainan looked away from him and out towards the forest. Drew looked at him, there it was again, his inability to lie, he could see he was hurt. He grinned; he felt more for her that was for sure. Kainan glanced back at Drew.

  “Anyway, just suppose it was about us. If this so called prophecy said we would defeat great evil together then why did they not let her come?” Kainan griped, suddenly feeling angry. He had known in his heart that Arweyn was meant to have come with him, and now there was a prophecy saying the exact same thing. Why had her uncle stopped her?

  “Ah, yes well, there was another bit to the prophecy. I am not sure if I should say really.” Drew hesitated, scratching his head.

  “Drew!” Kainan said impatiently, putting his mug down on the ground. “Come on you cannot just tell half a story. Like you say, what difference

  does it make? She is not here and it will all be over by the time we get back to Malgar and see her again.”

  Rather embarrassed Drew replied waving his hand at him.

  “Okay. Okay. Apparently according to Wizard Marton, it says in order for the power to work you have to have been joined.”

  “Oh, I see.” Kainan hugged his knees uncomfortably, looking down at the ground.

  “That I believe is the reason her uncle would not let her go. Of course you know your cousin Lothar is after her.”

  “Lothar,” he repeated, with distaste in his mouth. The mere mention of that man’s name fired him up. Taking a deep breath, he frowned.

  “Yes she did say something about him pestering her all the time. She is not interested in him though.” Kainan frowned harder, his brow creasing a
s he thought of the way Lothar had looked last night, before leaving the banquet.

  “That will not stop him Kainan, he doesn’t care. What Lothar wants he gets is his motto.”

  Seeing the concerned look on Kainan’s face told him all he needed to know. He cared for her a lot more that he was willing to admit.

  “Drew answer me honestly, will she be safe, back there with him?”

  Drew shook his head.

  “I’m sorry Kainan I cannot answer that. The King would never allow them to be together legally, his family is dishonoured. Although they are allowed to live as an Elder they cannot take a royal bride.”

  Kainan nodded. “Yes Arweyn said something about that when I first met her.” He was seriously worried, to the point that he began thinking about going back for her.

  Drew watched him and as if he read his mind he continued. “We cannot go back for her Kainan, our mission is too important.”

  He nodded and muttered reluctantly. “I know.”

  “Hey come on do not worry, she’s a feisty young lady. She has managed to look after herself so far and she will go to the King if there is any problem with Lothar, your father will not tolerate it, I promise.”

  “Thanks Drew. I guess I do have stronger feelings for her than I thought,” he admitted. “Does Lothar know about this prophecy?”

  “I don’t know, Lord Detaine may have told him.” Drew nudged his arm playfully. “Here, have some ham. Don’t worry, she will be fine.” Kainan took it with a sigh. He was sure he was worrying about nothing, he stuffed the ham into his mouth, although he had somewhat lost his appetite now.

  Another nearby lightning strike shattered his concentration. Kainan looked up and jumped back startled. “For goodness sake Rufas you frightened the life out of me, sneaking up like that!”

  Rufas stood, towering behind him, silhouetted against the darkness of the night. “Sorry. I will take first watch my Lord, you should rest.”