The Seventh Spirit

by Adam-Clay Webb

  “Against the advice of his men, Balaski transferred his power to his son. His right hand scolded him for being a selfish fool, giving the village’s power to a five-year-old in a desperate time of war. ‘My wife! Get my wife!’ the king ordered, and he gave her their child. ‘He has the power,’ he struggled to tell her, and gave her the talisman of ice, one he had made by combining both the water and air talismans. The crying, panicking woman grabbed the talisman from her husband and king. ‘The Magmalians are in the village!’ one of the men announced. The king called Mikah to him, his best friend since childhood days. He uttered his last command to him, to flee with his wife and son, and marry the woman, and father his child. The man obeyed with honour, barely escaping the plunging village.

  “Only moments later, the Magmalians had invaded even the royal tower. The Magmalian king grabbed the dying Balaski, and ordered him to give him the power of ice in exchange for his life. With his last bit of strength, the ice king tried to kill Oziah. The Magmalian threw him over his own tower to his death. The great Ice Village was flattened, and nothing except the few who fled was left of the great people. Oziah, as he had planned from the beginning, that same day destroyed the weakened Fire village, stealing the power of fire.

  “In all this, the village in the rocks stood firm. Up until now we’ve lived here. The power of earthshifting was passed down Tolomose, to Bensigui, Zakishu, Maliki, Quartzaldo, Beljium, Monach, Karada, Karakas, Canaan, Ianah, my father, and then to me, Abora, leader of the Rock Village, which not even the great Magma Town dares to attack even to this day.”

  Chapter 5: The Foolish Kings

  It was near sundown when Kyle and Lex finally ate. They were served the best food they’d had in quite some time, and they slept well. They had planned to rest for an hour and leave when it was getting dark, but tiredness got the best of them, and they rose with the sun. They bade their new friend goodbye, and he sent them off with his best of wishes, and more importantly, food to last them a few days well. After a short while of walking, the village of the rocks was miles behind them, and they met a carrier.

  “How much to Magma Town?” Kyle asked, fearing the price would be too deep for his pockets.

  “Twin Towns’ as far as I go,” the man told them.

  That’s around fifty miles northeast of here, Kyle thought, knowing his map like the back of his hand, nearly halfway there…

  “We in, Kyle?” Lex asked.

  “Ten silver coins,” the aged man told them.

  “Let’s go,” Kyle decided. The boys hopped in the back of the carriage, and off they were. The day was long, and the road to Twin Towns seemed everlasting. The sun was merciful, though, and the wind was pleasant. Lex fell asleep after less than five miles of travel, his tiredness of many days accumulating to near dangerous levels.

  He narrowed his eyes in thought, waking, looking at a familiar roof. Confused and very excited, he jumped off his bed, looking around wildly.

  “Mom?!” he called.

  “What’s the matter, Lex?” a voice he longed to hear answered almost instantly. He stood in his room with wide eyes and a pounding heart, and weakening muscles. Tears ran down his face without resistance. He bolted down the stairs, nearly falling. “What’s the matter, Lex?” she asked, the usual hint of worry in her voice. She was by the stove, scrambling eggs perhaps.

  She turned to him, and he stared at the face of his mother for a moment. She looked back at him with confusion and concern. He ran to her quickly and hugged her tightly. The confused woman didn’t know how to react.

  “Lex, what happened?” she asked, hugging him. He released the woman and looked up at her.

  “Could it all have been a dream?”

  The pleasant woman laughed in amusement. “I’m pretty sure it was, Lex,” she answered, sounding relieved, and laughed a little.

  Suddenly, Lex’s face turned pale, worrying her again.

  “No… No… Clover… Kyle… Ice…”

  The woman laughed and shook her head. Lex stepped back a bit and readied himself to make an iceball. Ice energy rushed through his veins, and the icy mist began to condense inside his palms. He looked up at his frightened mother, her face pale, like she was looking at ghost in the dark distance of an eerie graveyard.

  “Lex… What is that?” she asked in a whispery voice, her eyes still wide in fright and wonder.

  “See, mom?” The woman stared down at the bluish cold sphere in her son’s hands. Lex began to wonder in even deeper confusion now, as he was certain that Clover and Kyle, and his destiny to defeat Trium, and his ability to make ice, was not just a dream. The woman stretched forth her hand toward the sphere of cold. “No!” Lex yelled as ice quickly captured his mother’s hand and spread to cover her entire body. “No! Mom!” He yelled, banging against the thick ice that wouldn’t break, staring inside at the figure that was now all of a sudden ghastly and frightening.

  “You monster…” he heard a whisper from the ice.

  Kyle shook his body harder, finally getting him to wake. “It’s only a dream, man, relax!” Kyle tried to calm him. Lex stared at him in quickly clearing confusion, tears running from his face.

  “Kyle…… Clover…” He whispered. He looked outside at the clear night sky, at the bright moon.

  “You’ve been out four days, man!”

  “What?!”

  “Relax, I’m kidding. Been a while, though. We’ve been movin’ like a snail. It’s almost morning.”

  “No way…”

  “Been dreaming of your mother again?”

  The Icemaker looked down, sitting slowly.

  “I know you miss her.”

  “Think I’ll ever return home?”

  “Don’t worry, Lex… Things will work out the way they should… I’ll go as far as to promise you that… Carrier, how long ‘til we reach the Twin Towns?” Kyle asked, feeling awfully bored and restless.

  “Be there by daybreak the latest,” the man yawned. The horses were treading with a bugging pace, and it wasn’t like there was much sight-seeing to be done. All that was visible from the carriage were dark trees, each looking like a dreadful figure in the moonlight.

  “We’re comin’, little sis, just hang in there,” Kyle said under his breath. Lex wondered what was happening back home, back in the world he was sure he came from. He wondered if he would return to his world when his quest was over, and if any time would have passed, or if it’d be like when they enter the subdimensions brought forth by the little gold balls.

  Why me? Out of seven billion people… Why Lex Leo? There must be even a million people with my name out there…

  The carriage made a sudden stop, waking Kyle abruptly. He sat up quickly, well ready to leave the carriage.

  “We’re here,” the carrier told them, walking around to the back of the carriage. The first ray of sunlight had just burst the skies. The place was peaceful and quiet. The housing was like that of a village for the most part, but it extended throughout many square miles. Kyle paid the carrier the other half of the money, and he went on his way. There were no gates; they just walked right into the community. The town wasn’t crowded or busy or noisy. It was quiet and clean; seemed like a pretty good place to settle down and have a family. A little boy ran to Kyle with bright eyes, seemingly fascinated. He wore small brown shorts that he had certainly outgrown, and wearing no shirt was almost better than wearing the one he wore.

  “You! Sir!” He greeted, “What level are you?”

  “Level?” the confused Kyle asked.

  “Yeah! Apprentice? Ninja? Samurai?! That’s a real sword, right?!” The boy pointed up at the jutting handle of Kyle’s blade with excitement. “Why the silly look? You mean you’re not in Master Chuck’s class?! You should definitely check it out! Class starts in ten minutes! Come with me!”

  Kyle and Lex exchanged quick glances.

  “Come on!” an excited Kyle beckoned, running after the small boy.

  The little boy stopped at a tall
pole, from which a large, rusty bell hung. Two black birds flew from off the bell as the three frightened them. There was no building there, just rocks and trees – a rather calming setting, too calming to convince Kyle that any sort of sword training was going on there. Kyle looked over at a middle-aged man who was slowly walking toward them. “Good morning, Jan,” he greeted with a warm smile. He was dressed almost as shabbily as a homeless madman.

  “Good morning, Master Chuck!” Jan greeted.

  This guy? Kyle pondered, his face showing his thoughts, Come to think of it, what the hell kind of a name is ‘Chuck’ for a swordsman? He looks like a bloody beggar, Kyle scoffed in his mind.

  “These are my new friends!” The boy introduced excitedly. “He’s…”

  “Kyle.”

  “I’m Lex.” Lex bowed slightly in politeness. The man bowed sincerely, like he was the student acknowledging his master.

  “You don’t have the appearance of a swordsman,” Chuck told Lex frankly. He looked over at Kyle. “Boy, what do you know of that thing on your back? What class is your sword?”

  “Uh… Samurai?”

  Master Chuck laughed heartily, making Kyle hiss in annoyance and embarrassment. Jan giggled a bit, trying to hold back so Kyle didn’t feel too much shame.

  “Might I have a look at your Samurai sword, young warrior?” he asked. Kyle snickered, and pulled out his sword quickly like he was about to duel, certain his sword would greatly impress the man. It glistened brightly in the sunlight. The man, his hands behind his back, quickly examined the sword with his eyes. He didn’t look too impressed.

  “Hmmm… Not bad, really… A class C blade.”

  “Class C? How’d you figure that?” Kyle asked, looking down at his outstretched sword, not seeing how it could be less than a class A.

  “It’s a lot of analysis – the metal it’s made of, its sharpness, the ratio and proportions of its dimensions, the firmness and material of the handle to name the basic few… Class C isn’t bad for a starter, though,” the man assured.

  Kyle stared at the man with wide eyes and a new perception of him. Could he really figure all that by taking a quick glance at my sword? That can’t be possible... Either he’s a conman or he’s the real damn deal…

  Kyle just noticed that a few more youngsters had gathered around, all of them around Jan’s age. Kyle looked at them, surprised to see they all had swords. “What is this, a nursery?” the boy quipped with his characteristic sarcastic snicker.

  “Hahah!” Chuck laughed wildly again, much like Kyle’s grandfather used to, but the children sitting with their swords in their laps were obviously feeling insulted. “The youngest of these could probably school you, but I’ll save you the humiliation of such a duel.” The kids began laughing, even Lex. Kyle recased his sword, thinking these children weren’t worth even a swing of his blade. “Good morning, class!” he finally greeted the neatly seated children, “Today we have two lovely visitors with us!” he told them, “Kyle, and …”

  “Lex,” the slightly snubbed boy whispered.

  “Lex!” the man finished.

  “Will they be joining us?” one boy asked, making a devious glare at Kyle, who was sure none of them could walk in his shoes.

  “You have classes every day?” Kyle asked.

  “Of course!” the man answered, “In the mornings I teach the Novice class for two hours, then at midday, the Apprentice class, and then the Ninja class, and later in the evening, the Samurai class, and from midnight to sunrise, the most advanced level, the Master class!”

  Master class, eh? Kyle thought, wondering just how legitimate this man’s classes were. The same boy who was leering at Lex laughed under his breath, but loud enough for Kyle to hear and be annoyed by it.

  “Tight schedule you got there,” Kyle said, “how much do you charge?” The man laughed again.

  “Do I look like a man making money to you? My classes are all on me, kid!”

  “Free? What do you mean free?!”

  “Means you don’t pay anything,” the man retorted, making the students laugh again.

  Is this man serious? Lex wondered, “So many classes, all for no cost?”

  Kyle drew his sword quickly, ready to show the laughing class that he belonged to the most advanced class. There was an excited, menacing, confident smirk on his face. “Alright, I’m ready!”

  “Heheh! Good attitude, kid, but you won’t be needing that for now!”

  “What?”

  “In the Novice class, you learn history, theory, breathing and stances. In the Apprentice class, it’s close combat and knife wielding, then, in the Ninja class, you’ll begin the basics of swordcraft.”

  “Well I’ll see you at midnight then! I didn’t come here to learn how to stand and breathe!” Kyle said, recasing his sword quickly.

  “Hehehe! I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way, kid. Unless you are falling, you cannot begin at the top!” Kyle stared at the childish faces around, telling himself he didn’t belong training with them.

  “It’s Novice or nothing, Kyle,” the man said, sounding final. Kyle hissed, glaring at the man almost threateningly. “If you’re ready to learn, have a seat with your classmates.” Kyle glanced over at Lex, then went behind the others and took his seat on the crispy grass.

  “Kyle, what about Clover?” Lex asked.

  “You get some rest. Meet me back here in a few,” Kyle told him. Lex nodded, and began wandering off, hearing Master Chuck’s bell sound in the distance behind him.

  For two hours, without a break, Kyle mimicked his teacher in different stances, and breathed in and out, stopping his breath when commanded. He tried his very best to conceal his impatience and annoyance, but if the class had gone on for a minute more than it did, he would have probably burst out in a rampage of swearing. Lex, on perfect timing, (having checking back for the third time) returned as the bell was sounded for the class’ end. The class dispersed noisily. Other students around, about Kyle’s age, began listening keenly for the bell to sound again.

  “Why don’t you charge even a small fee for these classes?” Kyle asked the man, “not that I’m complaining or anything,” he laughed a little, “Though I’m way past this stuff, you do your thing pretty good.”

  “Heh. My thanks, young Kyle,” the man said, sitting under the rusty bell, looking up at it and scooting over a little. “Come, let me tell you a little story. You too, young Lex!” Lex hurried to the man, hoping his story would be as interesting as the Earthshifter’s. Kyle sat, knowing the story wouldn’t be too long, as another class would soon begin. The sun suddenly began attacking, and Chuck led them to sit under a large tree. Lex sighed heavily in the refreshing shade.

  “The Twin Towns were once one, with one ruler. There was a royal family, the Pelliny’s. Not long ago, King Pelliny had two sons. They were twins. The queen died the moment they were born, and it was a tragedy for the city. While growing up, King Pelliny lost track of which son was older, so when the boys came of age, he gave them both the province to rule. These two kings, though, couldn’t even agree on the colour of the sky. They would argue and fight about everything, annoyed to be having to share rulership. It so happened that they divided the state into two halves, thus creating the ‘Twin Towns’.”

  “At least they agreed on something!” Lex said.

  “Indeed they did. There was another problem, though; both these Towns had the same name, Pelliny Land, the name of the original state, which goes back for hundreds of years. After weeks, even months of countless meetings and arguments, neither brother conceded to change the name of his state. Now their armies were of equal strength, as the original army was divided with exact parity. Now silly as this may seem, this quandary provoked as much as a war between the two states, between the two brothers. As the armies were reflections of each other, while casualties were being taken heavily, neither force was closer to victory.”

  “So they were heading for a stalemate,” Lex said.

  �
�The tables were about to turn, though. My father, a man named Chandler Norris, was a well-respected man in this town, a wealthy man who was generous to the state, and his elder son had died in the foolish battle. Enemy soldiers captured his younger son, a three-year-old, which today is Master Chuck. Now the feud calmed slightly, but I was captured by the enemy soldiers. Meetings were held between both brothers again, and in order for me to be returned to my father, to my state, the state had to change its name, and cough up five-hundred thousand gold coins.”

  “Sounds like a pretty rough deal to me!” Kyle jumped in.

  “But the state would do anything to return me to my father, who the people loved, and who had already lost his other son in the same war, but they simply couldn’t find that kind of money. The aim of the other brother was to put a distinct difference between the Towns’ finances so his town would always be superior.

  “Now, this town had originally boasted a slight advantage, which the brother that had captured me didn’t seem to consider, the Raven River. Pelliny Land, back in the day, even before these brothers’ time, was known for its splendid fish, which was found only in the Raven River, but with other businesses thriving, many people didn’t bother to hunt this rare fish to sell anymore. Still, this town continued the fishing tradition, while the other couldn’t. This town’s ruler proposed that he would prepare a feast for every citizen of the other brother’s town in exchange for me. The brother that had his soldiers capture me went to his people about this seemingly stupid deal, certain they would dismiss it. But many of the older folks of that town remembered the days when they would eat of this delicious fish, and even the youngsters there were told tales of the amazing and unique delicacy. When the proposition was thrown out to the public, to get a taste of the past they missed so much, they accepted quickly, displeasing the king, but he appeased them.

  “Our ruler decreed that every man, woman and child over age eleven would leave their duties and jobs and fish for these rare fish in the river. The feeding took weeks, but finally, every mouth was fed in the other ruler’s province. The king himself ate of the fish, and the taste of it nearly made him insane! It triggered the memories of the meals he had and would never grow tired of when his father was king, and he began to long for the time of peace and harmony, and good fish-eating to return. After the feast, both provinces entered a time of no animosity.”