The Unprotected
Chapter 3
Joban moaned, “Why do we have to harvest the corn? There’s so much of it! It’ll be next week before we finish.”
Rion sighed, “No, we only do one quarter of the field, c’mon.” He picked up the wheelbarrow that was resting next to the fence and carted it through the gate. Joban stalled, seeming more interested in the ground below his feet.
“Hey, look Rion! I’ve found something!” Joban clawed at the ground, uncovering another medallion.
“Whoa,” Rion exclaimed, walking over to Joban, “Two in one day?” Joban turned the medallion over in his hands. It looked like a warrior’s medallion, just like his mother had described. It had a crown symbol on the front with two stones, one orange and one black.
“Show me yours, Rion, I think this is a warrior medallion.”
Rion took his medallion off from around his neck and stood close to Joban. They bowed their heads and held the medallions in the centre of their small huddle. Suddenly, as the metal briefly touched, the wind picked up, making the boys’ clothes flap and twist, as if they were trying to escape. Their jet-black hair whipped around their ears as they looked around, alarmed.
“Look!” Joban shouted, indicating the medallions. The stones on each medallion were beginning to glow brightly.
“What’s happening?” Yelled Rion.
As they stood, the maize bending dangerously, an invisible force lifted them off the ground slowly. The medallions became extremely hot, and the boys dropped them. The wind howled, still blowing strong and the sky began to darken unnaturally. Rion and Joban clung to each other, still suspended in the air. The stones shone even brighter, so bright that the boys had to shield their eyes. To the twins’ surprise, a mystic figure formed not far from Rion and Joban. The brothers’ eyes shone with both fear and excitement as the smoky figure glided towards them. The cloaked creature brought an eerie feel to the cornfield, as if Death was hiding between the crops, waiting to jump out and claim his property. Joban held his breath, anticipating what will come next. Finally, the man spoke.
“I am Foron; I disappeared in to the forest nearly 200 years ago.”
Foron passed through the overturned wheelbarrow and glanced at the medallions, which were still shining brightly. Unaffected by looking directly in to the bright light, he continued,
“Many wondered why I disappeared, but I sacrificed much when I entered, as did many other people and creatures. There were so many evil forces in my time, and still are, so I decided to create an army. An army so large, that I went to the forest to teach and house my people. The forest was, and still is, homes to many of my army men and women, both human and creature. Deep in the forest, there is a small village; it is protected from evil by the many spells that was cast upon it by myself and the other trusted wizards. In the village, there is also a small school, to educate children and adults. The school mainly focuses on battle, wizardry and witchcraft, but there are teachers who teach other subjects such as English.” Foron paused as Rion coughed. Although the wind was loud, Foron’s voice could be heard clearly, as if he had a microphone jammed down his throat.
“Many who wanted to seek refuge in my village - the lucky people that stumbled upon it, were uneducated in battle, weaponry, survival, and many other things; that is why I created the school, Silverkeep of the Foron forest.”
“Foron, why are you telling us this?” shouted Joban above the noise, eyeing Foron curiously.
Foron chuckled, his deep rumbling voice echoing around the cornfield,
“Boys, I am telling you this because you found two of my original medallions. My medallions were created by myself, and my wizards and witches. Other armies copied my creations, but their medallions were not as strong as mine. The spells I weaved were much more intricate and used more qualities than just power, strength. The spells I weaved in to my original medallions also held health, wisdom, love and most important, the ability to recognize evil from true and good. I am telling you this because I want you to join my army, boys, you are the chosen ones. The ones the elderly spoke of, the ones from the prophecy!” Foron said, raising his voice for emphasis.
“Now you just wait a…” Raged Rion, his finger pointed accusingly at Foron.
“No!” Foron retorted, sweeping forward to stare Rion in the face, “Listen to what I have to say! I am offering you to join my army, my school – Silverkeep, where you will be taught how to fight, how to cast spells and make potions, and be educated about the army, its enemies and its allies.”
The wind began to die down, the howling started to cease, and the light of the medallions began to fade.
“I will not see you again, for I am no longer a living creature, but a spirit. I will send someone soon who will guide you to my village. You are able to refuse the offer, but I must warn you, terrible things might occur if you choose not to go. Please, make the right choice.”
And with that, Foron vanished and the dark clouds began to decrease and move away.
Rion clenched his teeth and stared at the place where Foron had hovered in contempt. Joban glanced at the medallions, then at the ground below his feet in worry. Finally, when the wind stopped, and the medallions were no longer glowing, Joban and Rion fell to the ground with a thud.
“How weird was that?” growled Rion, rubbing his knee, he had fallen on it when he fell. He scooped up his medallion and traced the star with his fingers.
“Do you think we should go?” he questioned, more to himself than to Joban. Joban stooped to pick up his medallion,
“I don’t know. I see this as a chance of a life time, to escape the farm, to start an adventure!”
“Oh, how optimistic you are.” Quipped Rion, picking up the wheelbarrow,
“Didn’t you see how he looked at us? I think we should tell Mum.”
“Listen here, Rion!” Snarled Joban, turning to stare bitterly at Rion, who stumbled backwards in surprise because of how piercing his brother’s glare was,
“Before you start making decisions, I think we should go talk to Kolward about it first! It was you who butted in, you who upset Foron! Let us speak nothing more of this now; for you are not acting like yourself, you are acting like you are seven!” He flared, starting to pick the corn hastily, flicking his gaze up to the darkened sky every now and then.
Rion sighed, “No, we only do one quarter of the field, c’mon.” He picked up the wheelbarrow that was resting next to the fence and carted it through the gate. Joban stalled, seeming more interested in the ground below his feet.
“Hey, look Rion! I’ve found something!” Joban clawed at the ground, uncovering another medallion.
“Whoa,” Rion exclaimed, walking over to Joban, “Two in one day?” Joban turned the medallion over in his hands. It looked like a warrior’s medallion, just like his mother had described. It had a crown symbol on the front with two stones, one orange and one black.
“Show me yours, Rion, I think this is a warrior medallion.”
Rion took his medallion off from around his neck and stood close to Joban. They bowed their heads and held the medallions in the centre of their small huddle. Suddenly, as the metal briefly touched, the wind picked up, making the boys’ clothes flap and twist, as if they were trying to escape. Their jet-black hair whipped around their ears as they looked around, alarmed.
“Look!” Joban shouted, indicating the medallions. The stones on each medallion were beginning to glow brightly.
“What’s happening?” Yelled Rion.
As they stood, the maize bending dangerously, an invisible force lifted them off the ground slowly. The medallions became extremely hot, and the boys dropped them. The wind howled, still blowing strong and the sky began to darken unnaturally. Rion and Joban clung to each other, still suspended in the air. The stones shone even brighter, so bright that the boys had to shield their eyes. To the twins’ surprise, a mystic figure formed not far from Rion and Joban. The brothers’ eyes shone with both fear and excitement as the smoky figure glided towards them. The cloaked creature brought an eerie feel to the cornfield, as if Death was hiding between the crops, waiting to jump out and claim his property. Joban held his breath, anticipating what will come next. Finally, the man spoke.
“I am Foron; I disappeared in to the forest nearly 200 years ago.”
Foron passed through the overturned wheelbarrow and glanced at the medallions, which were still shining brightly. Unaffected by looking directly in to the bright light, he continued,
“Many wondered why I disappeared, but I sacrificed much when I entered, as did many other people and creatures. There were so many evil forces in my time, and still are, so I decided to create an army. An army so large, that I went to the forest to teach and house my people. The forest was, and still is, homes to many of my army men and women, both human and creature. Deep in the forest, there is a small village; it is protected from evil by the many spells that was cast upon it by myself and the other trusted wizards. In the village, there is also a small school, to educate children and adults. The school mainly focuses on battle, wizardry and witchcraft, but there are teachers who teach other subjects such as English.” Foron paused as Rion coughed. Although the wind was loud, Foron’s voice could be heard clearly, as if he had a microphone jammed down his throat.
“Many who wanted to seek refuge in my village - the lucky people that stumbled upon it, were uneducated in battle, weaponry, survival, and many other things; that is why I created the school, Silverkeep of the Foron forest.”
“Foron, why are you telling us this?” shouted Joban above the noise, eyeing Foron curiously.
Foron chuckled, his deep rumbling voice echoing around the cornfield,
“Boys, I am telling you this because you found two of my original medallions. My medallions were created by myself, and my wizards and witches. Other armies copied my creations, but their medallions were not as strong as mine. The spells I weaved were much more intricate and used more qualities than just power, strength. The spells I weaved in to my original medallions also held health, wisdom, love and most important, the ability to recognize evil from true and good. I am telling you this because I want you to join my army, boys, you are the chosen ones. The ones the elderly spoke of, the ones from the prophecy!” Foron said, raising his voice for emphasis.
“Now you just wait a…” Raged Rion, his finger pointed accusingly at Foron.
“No!” Foron retorted, sweeping forward to stare Rion in the face, “Listen to what I have to say! I am offering you to join my army, my school – Silverkeep, where you will be taught how to fight, how to cast spells and make potions, and be educated about the army, its enemies and its allies.”
The wind began to die down, the howling started to cease, and the light of the medallions began to fade.
“I will not see you again, for I am no longer a living creature, but a spirit. I will send someone soon who will guide you to my village. You are able to refuse the offer, but I must warn you, terrible things might occur if you choose not to go. Please, make the right choice.”
And with that, Foron vanished and the dark clouds began to decrease and move away.
Rion clenched his teeth and stared at the place where Foron had hovered in contempt. Joban glanced at the medallions, then at the ground below his feet in worry. Finally, when the wind stopped, and the medallions were no longer glowing, Joban and Rion fell to the ground with a thud.
“How weird was that?” growled Rion, rubbing his knee, he had fallen on it when he fell. He scooped up his medallion and traced the star with his fingers.
“Do you think we should go?” he questioned, more to himself than to Joban. Joban stooped to pick up his medallion,
“I don’t know. I see this as a chance of a life time, to escape the farm, to start an adventure!”
“Oh, how optimistic you are.” Quipped Rion, picking up the wheelbarrow,
“Didn’t you see how he looked at us? I think we should tell Mum.”
“Listen here, Rion!” Snarled Joban, turning to stare bitterly at Rion, who stumbled backwards in surprise because of how piercing his brother’s glare was,
“Before you start making decisions, I think we should go talk to Kolward about it first! It was you who butted in, you who upset Foron! Let us speak nothing more of this now; for you are not acting like yourself, you are acting like you are seven!” He flared, starting to pick the corn hastily, flicking his gaze up to the darkened sky every now and then.