Cayden Dragomir

“What’s her problem?” I said flatly.

Considering recent events, I’d say I’ve done a pretty good job of maintaining my dignity as the future chief of the village. But that prophecy, who wouldn’t laugh?

“Even if the great and wise elder of the village believes it, there’s no way it’s true... Right?” I assured myself as a tiny needle of doubt prodded through the depths of my mind, sending a brief shiver down my spine.

I sighed, masking my doubt with a mature dissatisfaction. With my hands in my pockets, I straightened my back and continued to stride with purpose as is expected of the future chief, before inspecting the odd landscape that surrounded me.

There was a bitter taste of salt in the air, fused with the rich dampness of trees and grass. Waves rumbled against the cliffside, and water sprayed across the smooth slippery path. It reminded me of a stormy night when thunder crackles below the sky before the strumming sound of rain harmonises against the earth.

Considering all the time I have spent in nature, exploring and tracking animals in the sparkling hollow. I still don’t even have the slightest inkling as to where I am or which direction is home. I suppose I'm rather lucky that there is only one path leading out from the cave.

Even if this place was sealed off by magic, there are still only beaches in the area and no other sea cliffs. If that were the case, then we would have found Everett skewered and bleeding over a rock instead of washed up in the sand. ‘Not to mention trees with blue leaves,’ I thought whilst gazing curiously up the cliffside until the salty spray stung my eyes.

Whilst blindly rubbing my eyes I continued up the pathway until a change in the ground’s surface almost caused me to plummet into the dirt. Instead of wet slippery rock, the ground was now brown and infested with tree roots.

With my hands back in my pocket in an attempt to hide my shame, I was intrigued by the forest that now surrounded me. Tall familiar maple and birch trees were integrated with the same spindly blue-leaved ones from before. In one instance a maple and blue-leaved tree was growing a maple and blue-leaved tree was in and out of each other as if they had been warped together. The more I stared into the distance I began to notice a faint purple haze creeping towards me.

Arms of purple mist weaved around trees and bushes consuming them as the ominous force crept towards me from all directions. Concerned I increased my pace to that of a jog whilst focusing on a small light at the end of the distant winding path.

As I drew closer I began to notice a familiar lush hillside beyond the shadowy forest. The hill was covered in long strands of bright green grass and a small carved-out pathway.

I took one last look back at the growing expanse of purple fog. From what I could see it was as if it was pealing the trees from existence tearing them apart and harvesting the energy within them before they disappeared from Ravaryn altogether.

Thankfully the smoke expanded at a slow enough pace. Giving me peace of mind knowing that Everett and my grandmother would have time to make it back safely.

Leaping out from the forest my body was blessed by the sun’s warmth. Maybe the scorching of the sun would be more accurate I realised as the summer heat only converted my cold sweat into a hot mess.

“By the grace of Chronos,” I panted, catching my breath. “I know I’ve been wanting an interesting change in my life, but ever since we found that idiot Everett everything is just becoming weirder and weirder,” I expressed, whilst gazing back at the forest path as is bent and contorted.

Staring blankly up the pathway too many thoughts littered my mind to the point where the cogs had stopped spinning. Putting myself at ease I instead drew memories of me and Ezra as kids playing on this very hill.

I walked nostalgically up the dirt path carved into the hillside. It was shaped as if someone had taken a gigantic blade and sliced it vertically in a circle leading up to the hill’s summit. On the upper side, there was a retaining wall over a meter in height and on the lower side, the wall was hardly a foot in height only to match the lower edge of the slope.

I could see me and Ez tumbling down and fighting as we leapt over the pathway. A happy memory. But one that only reminds me how times have changed. This is no longer the sparking hollow, after all, and although we are both still kids, we no longer have the luxury of playing around. I thought back to our near loss against the Abaddon.

Kicking a pebble up the path in front of me I wondered what our next move was going to be. It’s not like we’re gonna survive another attack but I also can’t imagine us leaving our home either. I thought grimly as I kicked my new companion pebble for a second time only to further my disappointment. Losing my focus I almost missed the stone causing me to kick it on a weird angle as I watched it roll through the tall grass down the hill.

When I reached the top I found me and Ezra’s favourite place. A large kako tree. The tree’s trunk was wide, a few meters at that however its branches were small and stubbly crowning the tree’s body. Its leaves were adorned with the many bright red and extremely poisonous kako berries. We always loved this tree as kids because the platform-like shape atop the trunk was perfect for building forts.

I smiled at the thought. But it’s not just our village. The great Maldi is slowly breaking, and a new mythic Ether crystal has been formed. I knew at that moment there was no reason for me to wear the mask of chieftain. Our village is done for, and whatever is about to happen in the times to come, Ravaryn is about to endure a great change.

“Oi, leave him alone,” A series of voices rang out. Down at the village below a large group of people were huddled around the entrance gate. Possibly everyone in the village was there. ‘Well she wasn't joking when she said we had visitors,’ I thought in a worryful tone.

“Excuse me,” I called out, tapping a large burly man on the shoulder. He spun with anger on his face however, the moment he realised it was me, his glare turned into a bright hopefulness.

“Commander Cayden,” he said in surprise as he gave a slight bow. Causing the other people nearby to spin in my direction as well.

“Thank the tides you're here,” a handful of people called out in unison before clearing a path ahead. With my back straight and my hands back in my pocket, I poised myself once again as I looked on at the source of the confusion.

The first of which caught my attention were what I could only assume to be Arbitrators, law enforcement of the Monarchy. it wasn’t hard to tell, judging by their blue, white, and gold clothing adornments. Very few people from the Ravaryn’s border regions owned anything beyond black and brown, not to mention warriors without so much as a mark or crease in their uniform.

“And you are,” a raspy voice called out. I could only assume to be the leader of their small envoy. I didn’t reply and instead continued over to the other person stuck inside the ring.

“Ez, you ok,” I soothed placing my hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me, quiet but angry. Scratches lined his cheeks and one of his eyes was blackened and bloodshot. “Go inside, and let me handle the rest,” I soothed.

As Ezra shuffled away, I turned my focus to the now-fuming Arbitrator before me. Although he was becoming impatient, he stayed quiet, knowing he had overstepped by beating my brother. He had a black and grey stubbly beard and a spiteful grimace in his eye. Barely noticeable below his helmet. The left side of his chest was adorned with a red runic emblem that belonged to the founding nation Exousia.

Taking his helmet from his head he pressed it against his chest over his kingdom’s emblem whilst holding his left hand out to the side, making it easy to notice his overly embellished sword at his hip.

“4th Squadron Captain Bayard of Exousia, 12th of his honour,” he called out pridefully as the other four men and woman behind him copied the gesture.

‘Is that how everyone addresses their title,’ I questioned internally. If he’s addressing his honour by his political title then his Military title must be inferior I deduced.

“Commander Cayden Dragomir,” I replied, copying the gesture, only without a helmet in hand.

“Must be quite the commander, considering there is no army here,” he retorted bluntly. I suppose it’s because the title of Commander exceeds that of Captain, at least by political standards but even still he must have quite the inferiority complex to make our honour the topic of conversation.

“Forgive me, I forgot the Monarchy is denying the Abaddon’s existence. Does acting Chief suit me better,” I straightened, jokingly.

“How dare you insult the Monarchy,” he beckoned in retaliation, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“I would prefer the term retaliation considering the state of my brother,” I pressed further.

“I should kill you where you stand, fool.”

Normally in a situation like this, it would be wise to suck it up to an imperial snob like this guy. But considering recent events. We will be long gone by the time he can bring back reinforcement to exact his sense of ‘justice.’ And he would certainly need reinforcements. Besides a fight would be a great way to clear my head.

“Forgive our rudeness acting Chieftain,” a woman from behind him chimed in. Stepping forward she took the lead warranting a scoff from Captain Bayard. “We are an envoy sent by the Lord Commander himself,” she continued after performing a slight nod in acknowledgement.

“Our mission is to search the outer regions of Goiteia in search of a group of foreigners.”

“Has the queen approved your search?” I pressed. The woman stared at me, confused. It was obvious that no one had stood up to her before. But I won’t simply sit by idly and let them turn our village upside down if the crown hasn't permitted it. “Do you or do you not have the queen’s seal?”

“We don’t need it,” the Captain bellowed. “Were here under Exousia’s Highest order, the Lord commander himself, and we will search this place if we must.”

‘The Lord Commander,’ my eyes sharpened. Damn that Everett, he better not be caught up in this mess.

“Take a look around Captain,” I pointed gesturing towards our grim and falling apart buildings. “Our people can barely afford rations, let alone survive attacks from the Abaddon.”

The Captain glared at our village, his eyes landing on the men and women with soiled worn-out rags for clothes. Walking forward the Captain held his fearsome gaze before an echoing ringing sound filled the air. It was the sound of friction between steel rubbing against another metal object. Similar to the clashing of swords but softer. More rhythmic.

Drawing his sword the captain raised the neatly polished blade in the air making its many adornments glitter in the sunlight. Many gasped albeit not out of fear as the Captain had intended.

His sword was large in width. It wasn’t a claymore-sized sword by any means, but for a standard sword, it was on the larger side. The hand guard was made of pure gold. Very decorative but not at all practical. Any skilled swordsman would be able to slice straight through it. The blade was also covered in many different gemstones and accents, convincing me of the blade's ornamental purpose and lowering my opinion of the man even further.

Probably the only reason people gasped was because the sword was likely worth more in copper than our entire town.

“Heed my words subjects of Goiteia,” he began with a practised ordering tone. “We are searching for a foreigner, a boy no older than your young chieftain.”

‘For fuck sake Everett. I should have known.’

“If anyone that you do not recognise has passed through this town then by the Lord Commander’s honour you will come forward immediately,” he screeched.

Guilt was written on every one of the vast array of faces as Everett’s presence filled their minds. But in light of the recent events, of their hero. Not one person dared to call him out and they instead lowered their gaze until their eyes faced the dirt.

“My apologies 4th squadron Captain, however, we have not seen any new or suspicious faces in these parts. I suggest you take your leave,” I said, giving a fitting wave.

“No we are going to search this place first unless you intend to stop me,” he snarled. Pointing his blade from the sky down towards me.

‘So ‘ not just me who wants a fight,’ I humoured internally.

“Without permission from the queen, I won’t allow you to search our village,” I continued whilst lowering into a ready stance.

While I would easily be able to defeat this old guy, I can’t say the same about fighting all five of them. Besides, the woman next to him looks as if she surpasses him in actual strength.

All at once, as if it was a synchronised practice, the other four Arbitrators drew their blades, spinning them on their left and right sides. Ready to fight and defend their captain.

“Put those away. Children,” my grandmother’s voice boomed from seemingly every direction.