Everflame: The Complete Series

by Dylan Lee Peters

  “Speak, my son. What is it that bothers you?”

  Evercloud took a moment to choose his words wisely. He knew that he had little chance of being allowed to stay in the room, and he had better not say the wrong thing.

  “I want to thank all of you for allowing me to hear of the Ancients. I feel very honored to have been accepted by the Kingdom. I understand that I am the King’s son, but I also understand that I am a man and that it may be difficult for you to place faith in me. I owe the citizens of the Kingdom, as well as the King, my life. With that said, I am a man, and will not have my fate decided without my own input. You have had faith in me, accepting me into your Kingdom, and you must now continue to have faith that I will make my decisions with the Everflame in my heart. I wish to be present for this debate.”

  Evercloud, once again, took his seat and he kept his gaze upon his father’s eyes, waiting for a response. There was no immediate reaction, but Evercloud thought that, as he looked upon his father, he could see the smallest of grins break across his mouth. Then Eveneye stood, as his son had, and addressed him.

  “As I look upon you this evening, my son. I am proud and I know that the decisions that I made, years ago, were the right decisions. You may sit with this esteemed group of bears and your input will be considered. But first, let us go to the dining hall and eat something. This promises to be a long night.”

  Eveneye, Whiteclaw and Evercloud sat at their own table in the dining hall. Many citizens of the Kingdom were taking their meals in the dining hall this night, creating enough noise as to allow for private conversation.

  “Do you think I overstepped my bounds?” asked Evercloud.

  “I don’t think so,” said Whiteclaw. I think you were assertive, yet respectful. I’m sure that the others understand your feelings.”

  “It reminded me of when you were younger,” began Eveneye with a smile.

  “Oh, here comes another Evercloud story,” said Whiteclaw.

  “What?” quipped Eveneye. “Do I tell many of these?”

  “No, of course not,” Whiteclaw said with sarcasm, and then winked at Evercloud.

  “How about you eat your meal and be quiet, so that I can talk to my son, you old grouch.”

  Whiteclaw chuckled and Eveneye began again.

  “It reminded me of your first day in school, Evercloud. I was so afraid that you might hate it and that the cubs might give you a hard time. When I came to collect you later that day, I asked your teacher how it went. I’ll never forget how proud I was to hear what she told me that day. She told me that you had stood up to some cubs that were bullying a weaker cub. Oh, what was that little cub’s name?... It doesn’t matter. Anyway, she said that the bullies had left and then you stayed and helped the weaker cub with his work that day. She told me that you were a natural leader and that I had done a very good job with you.”

  “I think I sort of remember that,” said Evercloud. “But why did today remind you of that?”

  “You aren’t afraid to take a stand for what you feel is right. You did it then and you did it today. It’s a good thing.”

  Evercloud nodded and continued to eat his meal, thinking on his father’s words.

  “I think we’d better finish up,” said Whiteclaw. “Firerock’s starting to shoot us daggers from across the hall.”

  “Is he always like that?” asked Evercloud.

  “Unfortunately, yes,” said Whiteclaw. “Can’t really blame him, though. I’d be angry all the time if I looked like he does.”

  Evercloud smiled and Eveneye rolled his eyes.

  “We’d better go,” said Eveneye.

  As they all returned to the advisors room, Eveneye briefly took his son aside, just outside of the room.

  “These conversations can get ugly sometimes. Do what you can to not take anything too personally. The beginning to our plan for peace is convincing those bears that do not believe in it to agree to its merit. In a way, your actions here will go a long way to convincing certain bears that humans can be beneficial allies. If you were to act inappropriately tonight, it might be difficult to counteract the repercussions. You have to remember, at our core, bears are as afraid of humans as humans are bears.”

  “I won’t fail you, Father.”

  Eveneye smiled at his son and they entered the room. Evercloud worried that it might be his father who might not remain collected. Everyone took a seat and Eveneye began the debate.

  “So, tonight we need to come to a decision concerning the rumor of the Ancient and what action should be taken. As we usually do, we will go around the table and state our positions. After we have all spoken, we will debate. I’ll begin.” Eveneye shuffled in his seat and gazed around the table. “As you all know, I do not necessarily believe in the tales told by our elders. It is my charge to make decisions that protect the interests of the Kingdom. So my position is quite simple. Without greater proof than mere rumor, I believe it would be foolish to give this possibility our attention until we are presented with further information. Furthermore, I believe it is time to explore our options concerning our plan for peace with the humans.” Eveneye smiled. “It would seem our boy has become a man.”

  The bears nodded in agreement of the final statement and the floor now belonged to Whiteclaw.

  “Thank you, King. As you all know, I believe wholeheartedly in the teachings of the elders. Although this is naught but a rumor, I do believe it should be investigated. However, I agree with the King that it is time to implement our plan for peace. Someone should investigate the rumor, but not Evercloud. He is needed here.”

  “Thank you, Whiteclaw,” followed Forestmoon. “I, too, believe in the teachings of the elders and I fear this rumor of the Ancient’s return. If, in fact, one or all of the Ancients have returned, we need to know as soon as possible. Those who hope to have amiable relations with them should not ignore beings so strong. I agree with Whiteclaw.”

  Redriver came next.

  “I agree with the King. We cannot throw our resources into the ring with rumors. If our imminent future lies in this plan for peace with the humans, then we must put all our efforts toward that goal.” Redriver shrugged. “What do we have to gain by tracking down an Ancient, anyway?”

  “Unfortunately,” began Oaktongue, “I don’t agree with any of you. Who are we to use this boy as some political pawn? We are doing fine without the aid of humans and we have been.” Eveneye grimaced. “What is the rush in this plan for peace? Let the boy go find the Ancient. If it were I who had lost a part of my history, I would wish to regain it.”

  Now it was Firerock’s turn.

  “I like none of these options. This plan for peace has still given me no reason to endorse it. I do not trust men, they are vile.” Now Evercloud knew why his father had warned him. “Let us not forget, they tried to kill one of their own. A bear would do no such thing. Also, the boy should not be allowed to look for the Ancient. Why would we wish to see humans have more power, to hunt us further? Let us, instead, continue our lives and forget about these dreams.”

  Lastly, the turn came to Evercloud. Firerock’s words had stung him, but he kept his promise to his father and did not let his emotions get the better of him. Instead, he focused his energy into making his position known.

  “What authority do I have? How can I be an ambassador of peace? Who will listen to me? In my own kingdom, I am viewed as an outsider. You just heard testimony of the distrust for humans. What have I done to change those feelings? Nothing. And what of the world of man? What authority do I hold over them? I am no king of men, no champion of the people. They will not listen to me. I must find the Ancient and regain the powers men once held. Only then, will I command authority. I will use these powers justly, so that this kingdom will trust my actions. And with these powers, the world of man will take my words seriously. With authority, the plan for peace will work. I must go and find the Ancient.”

  No one had considered the fact that humans may not listen to Evercloud. The r
ealization came as a shock to them. Oaktongue was the first to respond.

  “I agree with Evercloud. With the power of the Ancients, there is no chance that the plan for peace could fail. Besides, it is what he wishes to do. We should not stand in his way.”

  “I will agree with Evercloud as well. He brings up a very valid point,” added Redriver.

  Evercloud beamed. Had he done it? Had he convinced them?

  “The boy may have changed Redriver’s mind, but not mine. I keep my original position.” Firerock pounded his paw upon the table.

  “I’ll stand with Evercloud,” said Forestmoon. “His words make sense.”

  That was four of the seven. That was a majority. Evercloud knew this was not a majority rule decision, but he could not help but be hopeful. Whiteclaw now took his opportunity to speak.

  “I understand that this is a difficult decision for everyone, and I understand that there are many factors that weigh on each decision. It would seem to me that the largest factor involved in this discussion is whether Evercloud should be focused on the plan for peace or with finding the Ancient. I understand that both these issues are important to all citizens of the Kingdom, however, in these situations, it is best to look at things logically. Both issues concern Evercloud, but Evercloud is not needed to address both issues. I volunteer myself and my son, Riverpaw, to travel the land and search for signs of the Ancient. Evercloud can stay here and work with this group on the plan for peace. Should Riverpaw and I find further evidence of the Ancient, then we can reevaluate the situation.”

  “But, Uncle,” started Evercloud. Eveneye shot him a glare as soon as the words left his mouth and Evercloud quickly remembered his promise. Eveneye began to speak before anyone else could add their thoughts on the matter.

  “I have heard all of your positions and I believe that I fully understand where each of you is coming from. Each of you speaks for the Kingdom and you must remember that I do as well. The majority of the Kingdom believes in the existence of the Ancients, so I give any matter concerning the Ancients great respect. Yet, the fact still remains that we have nothing but a rumor as evidence. Evidence of the distrust between the humans and ourselves permeates everything we do. Its evidence sits in this very room. It makes no logical sense to me to sacrifice minds and bodies to a rumor, when there is an actual issue they could be focused on. We have scouts that move through Ephanlarea to bring us news. I say, have patience, and let them do their job.” Eveneye now turned his gaze upon his son. “As to the issue of your authority, Evercloud. You carry the authority of the Kingdom and every bear that is a part of it. Do not take that power so lightly.”

  “I apologize, Father. I meant no disrespect.”

  “I know that you did not. There is no need for apology.” Eveneye looked around the room and it seemed that no one had anything else to add. “I believe that this meeting is over, for now. Let us gather again, two days from now, to discuss the plan for peace.”

  Everyone nodded their heads in agreement and got up to leave the room. Eveneye stayed back and kept his son, so that he may speak to him privately. Alone, Evercloud felt he could speak to his father more freely.

  “Father, you know that I love the Kingdom. I would do nothing to jeopardize it. However, your words do not reassure me the way you had hoped they would.”

  “How do you mean, Evercloud?”

  “I may have the body of a man, but still, I have done nothing to prove my worth as a man. If I carry the authority of the Kingdom of Bears into the world of man, will they not fear it instead of embracing it?”

  “I understand your concerns, my son, but you still do not allow for the possibility that this is an issue we can resolve through conversation. You are but our key into that conversation.”

  Evercloud looked at his father with doubtful eyes.

  “I suppose.”

  “I think that it is late, and I think that we should reserve any further conversation for the morning.”

  Evercloud nodded and then followed his father out of the room.

  As the castle fell into slumber, the mountain lay silently beneath it. The Everflame burned bright against the blackness of the sky. It was a clear night and if you took your eyes away from the flame, you could see the stars. They twinkled brightly in the sky and if anyone in the Kingdom had been stargazing that night, they may have noticed that one star in particular seemed to be getting slightly larger, minute-by-minute.

  Chapter 6: Lights In The Sky

  When morning came, Evercloud got up and ran to his uncle’s cave to wake his cousin, Riverpaw. There were no lessons to attend on this day and he was eager to tell Riverpaw of the night before.

  “Wake up, you mountain of fur.” Evercloud pushed his cousin’s shoulder, trying to wake him. Riverpaw rolled over slowly and scowled at Evercloud.

  “This had better be a dream.”

  “Come on. Get up. Let’s go fishing.” Evercloud bent low and whispered into his cousin’s ear. “I attended the emergency meeting last night.”

  Riverpaw shot up, wide-eyed. Evercloud put his finger to his mouth, signaling silence. Riverpaw understood and both of them quickly made for the cave’s exit.

  “Not so fast, you two,” Whiteclaw spoke from behind.

  “We’re only going fishing,” said Riverpaw.

  Whiteclaw walked over to Evercloud and Riverpaw and gave them a knowing look.

  “Evercloud, I don’t expect for a minute that you would not share what happened last night with your cousin, but by the Everflame, do not let anyone else hear you.”

  “We’ll go far into the forest, Uncle. I promise.”

  “This must be good,” whispered Riverpaw.

  The two cousins made their way off of the mountain as fast as they could. Weaving their way down the road, through bears pulling carts of merchandise, and elderly bears out for a morning stroll. One grizzled, old bear cursed them as they bolted past. Once they had made it to the forest at the base of Gray Mountain, they slowed to a walk and caught their breath. It was a beautiful day and very warm. They might run into other bears on a day like today, so neither of them spoke to each other until they had walked about a mile into the forest.

  “So, out with it. We’re in the clear. What happened?”

  Evercloud related the meeting to Riverpaw with the best accuracy that he could. Riverpaw’s eyes were wide with surprise. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  “So, they finally told you. I didn’t ever think that they would.”

  “How long have you known about the Ancients?”

  “It’s been years. They told us about the Ancients when we were young, but we all had to swear to keep it from you, under penalty of death.”

  Evercloud chuckled.

  “Death? Come on.”

  “I’m serious, Evercloud. They scared us pretty good.”

  “Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. They’re not going to let me do anything about it.”

  “It’s too bad. I wish your father had let me and Pop go and look for the Ancient. That would be a great adventure.”

  Evercloud and Riverpaw had almost made their way to the stream, when their stomachs began to grumble.

  “We didn’t eat anything before we left and I’m starving,” moaned Riverpaw. “Sit on the bank of the stream and I’ll catch us a meal.”

  “I know how to catch a fish,” said Evercloud indignantly.

  “I didn’t say that you didn’t, but by the time you find a long stick and sharpen the point with a rock, I’ll have us a meal already.”

  “Well, when you put it that way.”

  Riverpaw chuckled and slowly crept into the stream. Evercloud sat down on the bank and began to toss a stone he had found into the air. He watched Riverpaw, standing in the stream, the sunlight sparkling on the surface of the water. The air was hot and dry and the day seemed to have a dreamlike haze to it. He heard a splash and Riverpaw had caught breakfast. Riverpaw tossed the fish to Evercloud and he began to eat. It wasn’
t long before Riverpaw joined Evercloud on the bank and ate his catch. They finished their meal and then sprawled out on their backs, staring at the clouds.

  “So,” started Riverpaw, “you must be pretty excited to start this whole plan for peace thing, huh? I mean, it’s gonna make you pretty important.”

  “To tell you the truth, Riverpaw, I really wish that I didn’t have to do it. I just don’t really know what everyone thinks I’m going to be able to do.”

  “Well, aren’t you at least excited to meet some other humans?” asked Riverpaw, yawning.

  “No. Not really.” Evercloud watched a butterfly flit through the air. He knew that he wasn’t a child anymore but he just didn’t know if he was ready for this responsibility. “What if I don’t know how to be human?” Riverpaw didn’t respond so Evercloud continued. “The Kingdom is all I can remember. What if I don’t know how to be like a human anymore? Maybe I’ve been gone too long. I don’t know, Riverpaw. What do you think? ... Riverpaw?”

  Snores came from Riverpaw. He had fallen asleep. Evercloud felt the grass between his toes and fingers.

  “You’re right. I shouldn’t worry about it.”

  Evercloud laughed to himself as his own eyelids began to get heavy. The sun was bright today. The day was almost perfect, as if it had been drawn from the pages of a fairy tale story. As Evercloud fell asleep, the clouds began to take shape in his mind. They seemed as if they were taking the shape of a man, a man in the clouds.

  • • •

  Bahknar said that men are dead. Men are dead, Bahknar said. Bahknar said that hope is dead and lost forever more.

  “What?... What did you say, Riverpaw?” Evercloud sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He didn’t know how long he’d been sleeping, but Riverpaw was still asleep next to him. “Wake up, Riverpaw… Riverpaw, I heard something. Get up.” Evercloud shook Riverpaw and as he did, he heard it again.

  Bahknar said that men are dead. Men are dead, Bahknar said. Bahknar said that hope is dead and lost forever more.