"The mountain king...No I don’t think I have." Sebastian tells me.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh I-eh...just-" I start. Realizing I would sound crazy if I told him what I saw.

"My grandfather mentioned him one time, via a letter. My parents didn’t know who it was so I thought you might know. Since you where an adventurer before." I lie.

"I thought that since he had king in his name that he was one of the kings of history, but none of your books mention him." I tell him.

"No I’ve never heard of a king known as the mountain king, whoever they are must be pretty bold to claim kingship without any record of it." Sebastian says.

"Bold?" I ask.

"Since the kings get their status by proving their worth by conquering an obelisk, which gives them god like powers. So, if someone were to claim to be a king without having an obelisk, they are saying they could challenge a god like being." Sebastian explains.

"I see."

The rest of the day went on like that. We traversed the small forest until nightfall arrived.

We had found a small opening by the roadside where we set up shelter for the night. By Sebastians orders I tied the horses to the trees while he made a giant circle on the ground around us. Sebastian then told me to leave him alone for some time while he laid out some weird powder and started to chant something. Like he asked I let him be.

While Sebastian sat and casted his spell, I started to look through the box of rations. It held loafs of bread, a wheel of cheese, some ham legs, some sort of wheat biscuit, some potatoes and dried fruits. It looked like it could last for maybe a month or two.

I took some potatoes and sliced up the ham so I and Sebastian could take one each.

I grabbed some sticks and prepared to start a fire. It took some time, but I managed to get the fire going.

When Sebastian finished his chant, he went up to me and said.

"I just sat up a protective barrier following the circle. Meaning as long as you are inside this circle you will be fine." Sebastian said.

"Understood" I said as I handed him the rations.

"You do know I have two ration boxes enough to last around five months, so you don’t have to be picky. But anyway thanks." He said as he took the rations.

As we ate the sun completely vanished from sight and the forest went silent. All that was heard was the grasshoppers playing their song.

When we were done Sebastian said to me.

"I think I'm gonna head to bed."

"I think I'll just be up for a bit more." I tell him.

"Do what you want. It ain’t you who needs to steer the wagon." Sebastian said with a laugh.

As Sebastian had disappeared into the wagon for some sleep, I moved a bit further away from the wagon and lifted my scabbard.

"C-can you hear me? I mean I know you can freeze everything and take me away from an active battlefield so I figured hearing and seeing me isn’t off the table." I whisper to the sword.

No response.

"You said to find you. How would I do that? Do you know where you are?" I ask to the sword again.

But yet again there is no response.

"A-are you really a king?" I ask again but to no response.

I feel a cold wind brush past me as I wait for something. Any kind of response but I get nothing.

"I'm talking to my sword. I'm sitting here alone in the cold, talking to my sword like a mad man." I say with a sigh.

Realizing nothing will come from this I stomp out the fire and walk back to the wagon.

The next morning, I woke up to an awful stench.  I got out of the wagon to find the source of the stench. What I saw was the horses laying down, like if they were paralyzed with fear, and I quickly found out why. Because surrounding the barrier Sebastian had put up last night stood small humanoid creatures that looked like they were made from tree bark. With pointy ears and hollow eyes with hair that looked like linen thread. They reminded me of dolls made from wood. Along with the small critters stood a fat hulking troll. It stank of dead animals and mold. Its stubby yellow teeth protrude out of its underbite. it swayed left and right as it stood with its eyes closed, it almost looked like it had fallen asleep standing up.

"S-Sebastian!" I yelled.

"What?" Sebastian responded with a grown.

"We seem to have company." I tell him, as I started to think of what to do.

"Shit!" Sebastian screamed in surprise as he stumbled out of the wagon.

"Okay, now let’s just calm down and we will just quietly pack everything up." Sebastian said.

"What!?"

"Shh" Sebastian hushed me.

"Look those little guys are elves, right now they just seem to be assessing if we are a threat or not, and that troll seem to be asleep. If the elves don't let up, we will have to leave one of the horses." Sebastian tells me.

"Why would we do that?" I ask.

"Argh...Look elves are forest creatures. Meaning they believe everything inside the forest belongs to them and that they could do whatever they want. So, if we were to give the horse, they would see it as trade. Now if they eat it or use it for other means I don’t know and don’t care. So now just make sure to untie the horses as I pack up the books. Just don’t wake the troll." Sebastian says.

I slowly moved towards the frightened horses. However, when I moved closer to the tree by the edge of the barrier the elves started to show teeth and growl.

"The sword Arameth. Lose the sword." Sebastian hissed in a panic from behind me.

I stopped right in my tracks and moved my left hand to my hip. Using my other hand to signal that I meant no harm. I slowly drew my sword and laid it on the ground. Kicking it back towards the wagon.

I then slowly moved towards the horses, as the elves kept their eyes on me. When I finally get to the tree the horses are tied to, I quickly untie them. As I start to turn back, I hear a thud behind me, making me jump in surprise and drop the rope for the horses. Turning around to see what made the sound I see an elf having its hand on the barrier. Making eye contact with the elf everything goes quiet. All that is heard is the horses walking back to Sebastian.

The silence is suddenly broken with a snicker coming from the elf. A snicker that spreads to the other elves. As the silent forest quickly was filled with the high-pitched laughter of these small creatures let out as they started to scatter away.

As the elves scatter away, I quickly run to where my sword went and then back to the wagon. Where Sebastian was hurriedly making the horses ready for travel. Before he went up to the barrier and placed his right hand up to it.

Holding his ring finger down with his thump he said the words.

"Close"

With that the barrier disappear.

Just as we were about to leave, we heard a low grumble behind us. The troll's eyes started to open as it started to sniff with its fat nose. Picking up on our sent it started to move.

"Sebastian!" I shouted.

"Noticed" He said as he jumped on the carriage and grabbed on the harness and the wagon began to move.

As we picked up speed, the troll did the same. It was hot on our trail.

"Is he gone?" Sebastian asked with a shout.

"No!"

"Shit! I can’t get much faster than this. See if you can do something." Sebastian said.

I stand up in the shaking wagon.

"To far away for me to use my sword. Then maybe..."

I put my hand out and focus. I start to feel the pressure waves around me.

"Think 'thread' but bigger."

I take a deep breath and focus on spreading my pressure waves to the ground beneath us and try to mold mine to the shape of the one emitting from the ground.  I make sure to mold mine down to the very movement of the waves from the ground and as I do a rush of energy and adrenaline runs through my body. Through my arms and up to my head where I feel the incantation being formed.

"Spike" I shout out.

From the ground two massive shards of pure rock burst forth and pierce the troll’s legs. The impact almost severs the troll’s legs and makes it fall to the ground.

"We are losing him!" I shouted to Sebastian.

As we kept on going the image of the troll became smaller and smaller as we rode further and further away.

"I think it would be better if we ride through the night. He might just catch up to us. Trust me they might not look it, but trolls are dedicated creatures. If they see something they want, then they will do all that they can to get it." Sebastian said.

We continued to travel on, and morning became noon. I saw how the creatures of the forest went on with their lives, how they hunted, played and slept. I saw everything from boars to grizly's, even some elves looking at our travel.

As we traveled, I started to yet again become bored with seeing the same scenery over and over again. So, I asked Sebastian.

"How much further until we see civilization again?"

"At the rate we are going maybe three or four days." Sebastian replied.

"But you never know who you might meet as you travel." he continued.

With that I lay down and with the shaking of the wagon, like a cradle, I fell myself getting tired.

"I guess sleep is better than nothing"

As my eyes are getting heavy, I drift to sleep.