Energy - Awakening

by MJ Schutte

  Patrick’s eyes went wide.

  ‘How…what…’ he said as he looked at his crossbow.

  Brighton smiled and said to him, ‘Yes, it does look like a formidable weapon, as long as the enemy is not more than two paces away.’

  The leader of the group snapped at Patrick, ‘Did you load it properly?’

  Patrick quickly snapped back, ‘Don’t insult me Clark!’

  He quickly picked up the bolt and reloaded the crossbow. Taking aim again, he pulled the trigger. The bolt dropped harmlessly to the ground again.

  Patrick looked at the crossbow from all angles.

  ‘It must be broken,’ he stammered.

  Clark took aim at the tree and squeezed the trigger on his crossbow. Again, the bolt simply dropped to the ground.

  ‘It looks like yours is broken too,’ Brighton commented.

  Brac understood what was happening. He had to concentrate hard not to burst out laughing.

  Clark and his men all took a few steps back.

  ‘Don’t move!’ Clark said threateningly.

  ‘Or what? You’re going to use your crossbows on us?’ Brighton mocked.

  Clark tried to sound superior, ‘There is still four of us and only two of you.’

  Brighton stepped forward and retrieved their weapons. He handed Brac his knife back, slid his own into his belt and slung the bow over his shoulder.

  ‘So what now? Are we just going to stand here and threaten each other all day?’ he asked.

  Clark didn’t know what to do or say.

  ‘Look, take your time to decide, I don’t mind. If I could just ask one favour please, could we get the women and children into the shade? It’s terribly hot out there for them,’ Brighton said to the man.

  Clark looked past Brighton at Lilian, Adri and the twins.

  ‘Um…yes, that would be in order,’ he agreed.

  Brighton turned around and called to the women, ‘These men have kindly allowed us to move into the shade.’

  Lilian and Adri started walking closer. Mischief got up from where he was lying behind them and lazily walked closer. Panic broke out between Clark’s men when they saw the panther. All of them ran for the trees.

  Brighton called after them, ‘Relax, he won’t hurt you.’

  The men kept running.

  Brac rolled his eyes and said to Brighton, ‘Great, now they are probably going to fetch more men. You shouldn’t have made fun of their weapons.’

  ‘Perhaps not, but the looks on their faces were rather amusing,’ Brighton said with a smile.

  Brac also smiled.

  ‘Yes, it was. What is the plan now?’ he asked.

  Brighton shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘To be honest I haven’t really thought past crossing the boundary. I suppose we should find a place to build a house again,’ he said.

  The women reached them.

  ‘What was that all about?’ Lilian asked.

  ‘They panicked when they saw Mischief,’ Brighton answered.

  He used his sense to find out if the men were still running. A very surprised look crossed his face.

  ‘Amazing,’ he breathed.

  ‘What?’ Lilian asked.

  ‘Use your sense,’ Brighton told her.

  She did as Brighton told her and also got a surprised look on her face.

  ‘Yes, that is amazing,’ she agreed.

  Brac threw his arms in the air.

  ‘Wait, let me use my sense quickly. Mmm, yes, that is amazing,’ he said sarcastically.

  ‘Sorry,’ Brighton laughed. ‘Not too far from here I sensed four large animals. It seems the men have now climbed on top of these animals and are riding them,’ he explained.

  ‘Riding on top of animals?’ Brac asked suspiciously.

  ‘Yes, it seems that way,’ Brighton answered.

  Brac looked at Brighton closely to see if he was joking.

  When it looked like he was serious Brac said, ‘Well, that’s something I would like to see.’

  Brac got his wish sooner than he thought. They were camped in the forest a short walk from where they met Clark and his men.

  ‘We’re getting some company,’ Brighton announced.

  He sensed roughly twenty men all on top of those large animals coming towards them.

  ‘Mischief, go hide,’ Brighton told the big cat.

  The panther quickly disappeared into the forest.

  Brighton continued using his sense.

  ‘They are surrounding us,’ he told the others.

  He didn’t really want to get involved in a fight but got ready none the less.

  An elderly man rode into the camp. He dismounted and walked closer leading the animal by two leather straps.

  ‘Good day to you,’ he greeted everyone as he came to a halt a few paces away.

  ‘Good day,’ Brighton greeted back.

  The man smiled and said, ‘First, let me warn you that there are a number of crossbows aimed at you right now, so please don’t make any sudden moves.’

  Brighton smiled back and said, ‘You seem to be a suspicious lot. Have no fear, we come in peace.’

  The man laughed a little and said, ‘I am not afraid but you should be.’

  Remembering his first meeting with Brighton, Brac mumbled, ‘He obviously doesn’t know you.’

  The old man stepped a little closer and held out his hand, ‘I’m Joel Finderson.’

  Although Brighton didn’t like this form of greeting, he took Joel’s outstretched hand anyway. He already knew that Joel was not talented.

  He shook the man’s hand and said, ‘Brighton. This is Brac, Lilian and Adri. On the blanket are our twins, Thomas and Clarissa.’

  Brac couldn’t contain his curiosity.

  ‘Why do you have two names?’ he asked Joel Finderson.

  ‘I don’t. My name is Joel and my surname is Finderson,’ came the confused reply.

  ‘Surname? What’s that?’ Brac blurted out.

  Joel’s mouth hung open.

  ‘Clark was right, you are barbarians from across the boundary,’ he gasped.

  Brighton was getting irritated with being called a barbarian.

  ‘It would seem that you are the barbarians. We come here in peace and so far we’ve only been treated with hostility. Tell your men to lower those crossbows immediately. If they accidently shoot someone in this group I will personally make every last one of you sorry,’ he growled at Joel.

  Joel was taken aback slightly by Brighton’s aggression.

  He waved his left hand in the air.

  ‘There, the crossbows are lowered. Not that I think you could make good on that promise but you do have a point about our hostility,’ he said.

  Brac just shook his head and smiled.

  ‘If only they knew,’ he whispered to Adri.

  To Joel he said, ‘You still haven’t told me what this surname thing is.’

  ‘It’s my family name. Every family has one,’ Joel answered.

  ‘Why?’ Brac asked.

  ‘It’s to signify which family you belong to and helps identify a person. There are a few men named Joel in our community but only one Joel Finderson,’ he explained.

  ‘I see,’ Brac said.

  While they were talking Brighton had been looking at the animal Joel had with him.

  ‘What kind of beast is this?’ he asked Joel.

  ‘It’s a horse. Now I know you are barb…uh…from the other side,’ Joel answered.

  Brighton got up and walked closer. He noticed the animal was nervous, probably because it could smell Mischief.

  ‘Do you mind?’ he asked Joel as he stuck his hand out towards the horse.

  ‘I don’t but he might. This one has a nasty streak in him. He bites,’ Joel answered.

  Brighton put his hand on the side of the horse’s head and let a tiny bit of energy flow into the animal. The horse immediately calmed down.

  ‘You’re magnificent,’ Brighton whispered to the horse.

>   He turned to Brac.

  ‘Do you still have some of those berries the twins like so much?’ he asked.

  Brac produced some berries from his pocket and handed them over. Brighton offered the berries to the horse. Eagerly the animal gobbled up the sweet treats.

  ‘You certainly are a natural with horses,’ Joel remarked.

  His face got serious.

  ‘Tell me, why are you here?’ he asked.

  ‘We are looking for a place to build a house and live in peace,’ Brighton answered.

  ‘And what is your arrangement?’ he continued.

  ‘Arrangement? What do you mean?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘Are you all brothers and sisters? Are you married?’ Joel explained.

  Without thinking Brighton answered, ‘Lilian and I are married and Adri is our little sister. Brac is a very good friend travelling with us.’

  ‘Why did you cross the boundary?’ Joel asked next.

  Brighton had to think quickly. He decided to keep some of the truth in the story.

  ‘We don’t agree with some of the King’s new laws and decided it was time to seek out a new place to live,’ Brighton answered.

  Joel seemed to accept the answer without thinking too much about it. He looked over his shoulder and whistled. A few moments later Clark came running into the campsite. Joel quickly and quietly spoke to the younger man.

  ‘But they are barbarians and they had a black panther with them! I think the big one is a wizard. Our crossbows won’t fire when he is around,’ Clark argued heatedly.

  ‘Clark, mind your manners!’ Joel snapped at the younger man.

  ‘But father…’ Clark tried again.

  Joel held up his hand for silence.

  He turned to Brighton and asked, ‘Are you a wizard, young man?’

  Brighton laughed and said, ‘Everybody knows wizards don’t exist. No, I am not a wizard.’

  Turning back to Clark, Joel said, ‘Satisfied? Now do as I told you!’

  ‘Yes father,’ Clark sighed.

  He quickly walked back into the forest.

  ‘Please forgive Clark, he is highly superstitious. He gets it from his mother. I’ve told Clark you are no danger to us and he must send the men back to their patrols,’ Joel explained.

  Brighton briefly used his sense. Joel was telling the truth, the men around them started moving away.

  ‘With your permission I would like to stay a while and talk. As far as I know nobody has ever crossed the boundary,’ Joel said to Brighton.

  ‘You’re welcome to stay. I have some questions for you too,’ Brighton said.

  Joel quickly fired off the first question, ‘According to legend the other side of the boundary is inhabited by demons with black blood in their veins. Is this true?’

  Brighton pulled his knife and made a small cut in his finger.

  He showed Joel the blood and said, ‘No, we are not demons and our blood is not black.’

  Joel asked a few more questions to which Brighton gave careful answers.

  Eventually Brighton started asking some questions. The others chipped in with some questions of their own from time to time. The group gathered some valuable information about how things worked on this side of the boundary.

  The land was divided into three kingdoms: The Mountain Kingdom where they currently were, The Northern Tribes and the kingdom of Erostan, which was the biggest. The Northern Tribes and Erostan were currently in a war.

  When Brighton asked why, Joel shrugged his shoulders and replied, ‘I think it’s because they have nothing better to do.’

  East of the boundary, where Brighton’s group came from, was called the Dark Land. Since the Mountain Kingdom protects the rest of the world from the Dark Land, the other two kingdoms agreed that nobody may invade this land. This pact is still being honoured centuries after it was made.

  A wide river far to the west separated The Mountain Kingdom from Erostan and a low mountain range was the border with The Northern Tribes. There was no definitive border between Erostan and The Northern Tribes. Joel thought this was possibly the reason for all the wars between the two kingdoms.

  Joel also explained the use of money, books, reading and writing, how horses are tamed, wagons, horse carts, crossbows and many more things.

  Brighton started understanding more and more what the Supremes had done for all those years.

  Joel eventually asked, ‘How come there was no development where you’re from? It seems like time was standing still!’

  Carefully Brighton answered, ‘The previous kings and queens deliberately did that. They were convinced that any form of development or advancement would threaten their rule.’

  ‘Which previous king?’ Adri asked with a frown.

  ‘King Seth, Queen Amber and their predecessors,’ Brighton quickly replied.

  ‘Oh, them!’ Adri said.

  Brac and Lilian also understood what Brighton meant. The legend of demons with black blood obviously referred to the Supremes and the Dark Ones. It was important not to give Joel any reason to start believing in the legend.

  Joel looked ready to leave.

  He got up and said, ‘Before I go, just one last question: If you came over the boundary, how come you are so far south?’

  Brighton was not certain he understood correctly.

  ‘Don’t you mean so far north?’ he asked.

  ‘No, I meant south. The pass is a good five or six days by horse north of here,’ Joel replied.

  Brighton’s eyes went wide.

  ‘There is a pass to the north? We didn’t come that way. We came through a cave about two days south of here,’ he explained.

  This time it was Joel’s eyes that went wide.

  ‘The cave of the demons? This just gets more and more amazing! I have to go now but I would really like to hear that story. I just assumed you came through the pass and slipped past the garrison somehow,’ he said shaking his head.

  ‘Garrison? What is that?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘At the pass there is a fort where two hundred men are stationed permanently. It is their job to make sure none of the demons from the other side get through,’ Joel explained.

  Before anybody could ask another question Joel quickly said, ‘I really have to go. If I get home late for supper one more time I will be in some serious trouble!’

  He bid everybody a good night, climbed on his horse, and rode off.

  ‘Well, that was interesting,’ Brac said.

  Brighton had a big smile on his face.

  ‘Remember I asked you about the roads quite a while ago? Now we know why those roads are there. There used to be horse carts and wagons. I think the Supremes deliberately destroyed anything that could promote development so that they could stay in power forever,’ he said to the others.

  Brac wasn’t convinced.

  ‘There are no horses were we came from. What did the people use to pull these wagons you think existed?’ he argued.

  ‘The Supremes killed all the horses. Think about it: If people realized that a horse could be tamed and ridden, it would not take long for them to also think of building wagons. No horses meant no wagons and that halted progress,’ Brighton explained his theory.

  Brac conceded the point but Lilian still had one more question.

  ‘What would be the purpose of halting progress?’ she asked.

  ‘Like I said, to rule forever. If the population were allowed to develop, it stands to reason that eventually better weapons would be invented like those crossbows. I think those things could do some serious damage to a person. Better weapons, like the crossbows, would have meant the people could stand up against the Supremes,’ Brighton answered.

  ‘Just look at what has happened in the last year,’ he continued. ‘Graham has created an army and already they have a better weapon than the simple knives we’re used to. The soldiers I killed all had swords.’

  Slowly Lilian nodded her head. Adri didn’t take part in the conversation. As
usual, she was more concerned with making sure everybody got a good meal.

  ‘Our food supply is running very low. Brighton, please go see if you can get a small deer or some rabbits. Brac, go with him and find us some beans or any other type of vegetable,’ she asked the men.

  Brighton immediately rose and picked up his bow. He gave Lilian a quick kiss and set off towards a deer he sensed not too far away. Brac followed him but not before he had a look back and caught Adri staring at him. He flashed a quick smile and disappeared into the woods.

  ‘And some berries for the twins,’ Lilian called after him.

  When Adri was certain the men were out of earshot, she carefully asked Lilian, ‘What does it feel like when you’re in love?’

  For a moment Lilian was tempted to tease Adri again but she quickly decided to give the younger woman a straight and honest answer.

  ‘Every time you see the other person it feels like there are a thousand butterflies in your stomach. Every moment you spend together is a moment you remember and treasure forever. The simplest touch is pure ecstasy. When you kiss it feels like the whole world is standing still,’ Lilian answered from her heart.

  ‘Is it still like that for you and Brighton?’ Adri asked wide-eyed.

  ‘After a while the butterflies don’t come anymore and you get used to each other’s touch. It does not mean we’re not in love anymore, it just means that it has been replaced with something much deeper and more meaningful. My heart does not belong to me anymore, it belongs to Brighton. I did not ask for anything in return, I gave it freely. Brighton did the same, he gave his heart and his love to me without expecting anything in return,’ Lilian answered.

  ‘And what does it feel like when you…uh…you know…’ Adri asked uncomfortably.

  ‘Make love?’ Lilian asked.

  Adri nodded.

  ‘That is something you have to experience for yourself. The only advice I can give you is to wait for the man you really and truly love before you consider it. If you’re lucky and you get a gentle, caring lover like Brighton it will be the most wonderful thing in the world.’ Lilian answered.

  Adri smiled and gave Lilian a big hug.

  ‘Thank you. You are the best big sister anyone could ever hope for,’ she whispered in Lilian’s ear.