The Warrior of Elamor (Saga of Zel-Elcon Book 1)

by Richard Wood

  After visiting with his village family, Jesse excuses himself and goes back into the house to sit with Valcor and Elven. They are already telling the story of the dungeon miracle to Chloe, who listens intently. Looking over to Jesse, she asks, “Master Jesse, why didn’t your sword kill the Horde creature?” Jesse takes his place in his chair next to his mother and looking back at Chloe, he replies, “My sword is not made for killing and it never will. But for those who are touched by the blade, it will be a very painful experience. Every bone in their body will scream out in pain and they will become helpless for a time while they recover. But for the Horde, it is a different experience completely. It will bring them back to life, renewing their whole body”. Chloe has seen firsthand Jesse’s wisdom and abilities and accepts his explanation without question. Nodding her head, she goes back to listening to the stories of Valcor and Elven.

  Jesse, now trying to relax, leans his head against the back of his chair. Looking up, he sees the carved dove hanging from the rafter and asks, “What’s that on the roof?” Smiling, Chloe replies, “Oh Master Jesse, one of the village girls made it for you. She said you gave her one of Dararro’s feathers, so she carved it herself for you. I hung it above your mother because I believe that blessed things come from the hearts of children and I wanted the blessed things to fall down upon her”. “Thank you Chloe”, Jesse replied, “I am so glad you came to our home. With you here taking care of my mother, I am free to follow the path that I am called for”. Just then, Pala comes in tired from a full day’s work. He embraces his friends and sits to eat. Chloe brings him a large bowl of stew and bread and Pala joins the conversation.

  After eating, Jesse excuses himself and goes out to Dararro. Looking down at his companion, Jesse smiles and asks, “Dararro, are you too tired to hunt tonight?” The Peace Cat’s ears rise and Dararro stands at the ready. Patting Dararro on the shoulder, Jesse laughs and says, “Ok then, let’s put those scrub deer on the run”. Grabbing the steering hoop, Jesse leaps up on his friend and off the two go past the village border and into the dry lands.

  The next morning, Jesse wakes fully rested. As he lays there on his bed, he relives the past few days. His visit to the capital, the diseased woman’s amazing regeneration at the palace gate, and the impossible change that took place in the dungeon with the Horde warrior. Slowly, a sobering question enters the heart of Jesse, “If this is the beginning, what will I be called to do in the future?” Suddenly, in the distance, he hears the sound of a deep, almost metallic humming. It was a sound he’s heard before but couldn’t remember when. A heavy stir of caution fills his mind and Jesse realizes that this is not the sound of approaching goodness. Jumping from his bed, he grabs his sword and straps it in place. Rushing out and through the center room, Jesse flies out the front door. Outside, Jesse listens intently and realizes the sound is coming from the eastern sky. Looking upward, he’s temporarily blinded by the morning sun. As the sound increases, a large black object passes across the sky, but Jesse is unable to make out what it is. Soon, the sound fades and is gone. As Jesse turns to go back into his house, he sees Dararro standing on full alert, with his feathery mane fully erect, staring into the direction of the fading sound. In that moment, Jesse realized that his war with the lord of darkness was about to begin and the title of “Warrior of Elamor” is about to become a reality. Looking over to Dararro, Jesse exclaims, “This is what we were made for boy, let’s not let anyone down”. Jesse goes back into the house and unbuckles his sword as he walks to his chair. Sitting down, he lays his sword across his lap and begins to remember the lessons taught by the Lights of Elamor.

  In a short time, Chloe comes in from Shaira’s room. Seeing Jesse, she says politely, “Good morning Master Jesse, did you sleep well?” “Oh yes”, Jesse replied, “But a strange humming woke me up this morning”. Walking to the stove, Chloe exclaims, “Yeah, I’ve heard that in the morning and at night too”. Looking up to her, Jesse asks briskly, “You mean you have heard that many times before?” “Yes, Master Jesse”, she replied, “It started a few days ago. I don’t know what it is but it gets very loud sometimes”. Wanting to ask her more questions about the sound, Jesse pats his sword and decides not to as he doesn’t want to alarm her. Standing up, Jesse straps his sword back on and announces, “I’m going to take Dararro out to hunt and then I think I’ll work in the shop with Pala today”. “Good, Master Jesse”, Chloe replies, “I’ll have breakfast ready before you get back”. Pausing at the door, Jesse asks, “Chloe, can I ask you a personal question?” “Sure Master Jesse”, she replies. Looking into her face, Jesse asks, “Why didn’t you ever get married?” Patting her soft lips for a second, she replies, “When I was a child, Master Jesse, my family was very poor so I had to work the village gardens and do chores for other villagers to help my family. Soon, before long, I was old enough to marry but no one asked me. I became friends with one of my former Master’s choir members. She taught me the secrets of singing the Master’s thoughts. From that time on, seeing the Master’s thoughts became my great duty. Singing my former Master’s thoughts took so much strength and concentration that I had no time or strength for anything more. But now I have all of you and mother Shaira. I’m happier now, Master Jesse, than I have ever been in all my life. Thank you for accepting me as a member of the family, I’m truly grateful”. Moved by her answer, Jesse walks over to her and places a brotherly hug around her. In a gentlemanly voice, he replies, “Thank you Chloe”. On his way to the front door, Jesse says, “See you in a while for breakfast”. Then stopping and turning, he adds, “Oh, you will not be seeing Elven for a while. I sent him to the Forseeans. It’s time I met my adopted brother that my father raised”. Then continuing on, he grabs Dararro’s harness.

  Out in the dry lands, Jesse stops Dararro and dismounts. His mane feathers have begun to twitch, a sure sign that danger is near. “What’s wrong boy”, Jesse asks. Dararro stands still watching the sky as his feathers switch from a twitch to a flicker. Listening closely, Jesse begins to hear in the distance a faint hum. Looking into the sky, he sees a black spec. As the spec seems to approach, the humming gets louder. Then Jesse recognizes it. His father talked about them but they live on the other side of the continent. “Oh no”, Jesse exclaims, “It’s a Champion Wasp”. Champion Wasps are ravenous flesh eaters. They are glossy black with a cobalt blue sheen and extend to about eighteen steps.

  Dararro’s mane opens and becomes fully erect. Jesse pats him on the shoulder and orders, “Steady boy”. As the Champion Wasp approaches, the loud hum of his beating wings becomes an almost deafening thunder. Two hundred steps from Jesse and Dararro, the wasp lowers his huge abdomen and exposes his deadly stinger. Jesse pulls his sword from its sheath, as he does, Dararro raises up on his hind legs and blasts out a ground shaking roar. The hair along the ridge of his back raises as a power vibration wave flies from Dararro’s breastplate. Jesse’s eyes follow the wave as it passes through the air. The vibrating wave hits the wasp’s abdomen and it bursts like an egg thrown against a wall. The wasp slams against the dry land ground skidding to a stop forty steps from them. The Champion Wasp struggled for a few seconds, kicking its legs and making a hissing sound, then became motionless. Jesse runs over to the wasp and plunges his sword into its thorax. Pulling the sword from the wasp, it exits spotless clean. Jesse returns it to its sheath. Walking back to Dararro, Jesse leaps up on him and patting him on the shoulder, Jesse whispers, “It’s started boy, the war has started”. Turning his Peace Cat north, Jesse rides for a short distance then dismounts and gives the order, “Dararro hunt”. Dararro’s leaps into a brisk run, stops to sniff the air and turning left, disappears into a heavy patch of shrubs.

  As Jesse adjusts his sword, he sits on a huge boulder waiting for Dararro to return. Sitting there, he thinks about how to explain to his village the remains of the Champion Wasp. Instantly, a Secret Guardian appears. “Hello Master Zel-Elcon”, the Guardian announces. As Jesse stands, the Secret Guardian says respect
fully, “Please Master Zel-Elcon relax, I won’t be here long. My King sends a message that you are to go to the Shores of Seeness. There is a Forseean there who has been turned by Quygon. He is so evil, the people call him The Son of Quygon. You must free him so he can return to the villages he oversees. Master Zel-Elcon, you must be very careful, the Forseean has the Essence of Quygon so the dark lord will see you face to face”. Instantly, the Secret Guardian is gone. Jesse leans to rest his back on the boulder. He tries to recall if his father ever mentioned a place called the Shores of Seeness but has no memory of it. Thinking out loud, Jesse mutters, “I’ll ask the villagers about it. Someone should know”. After a short while, Dararro returns and from the looks of his pinkish red face, he’s had a full meal. Jesse rises from the boulder, scratching his companion behind his ear, he asks, “Was that good boy?” Leaping up on his snow white friend, Jesse orders, “Home Dararro”, and off the Peace Cat goes.

  As Jesse rides into the village border, he stops Dararro at the blacksmith shop. Dismounting, he hits the ground and patting Dararro on the shoulder, he orders, “Dararro home”. The Peace Cat trots over to their home and quietly lays against the house. Jesse, watching him, then turns and opens the shop doors, “Hi Pala”, he announces. Pala, banging metal at the anvil, looks up from his work and replies, “Hey, what are you up to today?” Dismissing the question, Jesse asks, “Pala, have you ever heard of a place called the Shores of Seeness?” Lowering his hammer, Pala answers, “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard of that place. I’ve never been there myself but they say it’s a part of one of the beachfronts way past the Lake of Revel. Chloe could probably tell you more about it than I could, in Duesburg, she moved with a higher crowd than I did. Yeah, I’m sure she could tell you where it is”. Then waving his hand, Jesse says, “Ok then, thanks Pala. I’m going to talk to her about it right now”.

  Walking into his house, Jesse sees his mother sitting quietly in her chair. Chloe turns from the stove and exclaims pleasantly, “Master Jesse, I’m glad you are home. Masters Pala and Valcor have already eaten. Please sit down and let me serve you”. Jesse walks to his chair next to his mother and after adjusting his sword, he sits comfortably next to her. Chloe presents him a large bowl of stew, then turns to cut him a piece of bread. “Oh by the way Chloe”, he announces, “That sound you were hearing was a Champion Wasp”. Turning to see if Jesse had a look of deep concern on his face, she replies, “A Champion Wasp! Oh no Master Jesse, what are we going to do? They will kill all of us!” Looking up to her he answers, “No Chloe, they won’t. We will be Ok. Dararro killed one by himself just this morning”. “Really Master Jesse”, she replied excitedly, “How did he do that?” Taking a spoonful of food in his mouth, Jesse chews and swallows. Pointing down to the bowl, Jesse announces, “Chloe, this is some good stew!” Getting back on the subject, he adds, “Dararro roared and it busted the wasp’s abdomen. Killed him dead!”

  “Oh by the way Chloe, have you heard of a place called the Shores of Seeness?” “Yes”, she replied, “The Shores of Seeness are a group of villages along a beach way south of here. Why do you ask?” Jesse, swallowing his stew answers, “I have to go there. I’m going with Valcor tomorrow. Do you know how to get there?” “Well let me see”, she answers with her hands on her forehead, “Oh yeah, you go through the Revels, past the prairies and over the hills. The shores are passed the hills. But be careful Master Jesse, the shore people are strange people”. “Don’t worry”, he replies, “Valcor is a very powerful man when it comes to people. You should’ve seen what he did with a crowd at the palace gate in the capital. Valcor can move his way through people”. Finishing his stew, he gives the empty bowl to Chloe and says kindly, “Thank you. I’m going back to the shop now and work with Pala. By the way Chloe, where is Valcor?” Pointing to his room, Chloe smiles and answers, “He’s sleeping”. “Oh”, Jesse replies half laughing. He walks to the door and out to the shop.

  In the shop, Jesse finds Pala working on a project he has never seen before. Jesse stands watching until Pala looks up at him and says, “What, is something wrong?” “No”, Jesse replies, “I just don’t know what you are making. I’ve never seen anything like it”. “It’s a weapon”, Pala answers, “I had a dream last night that you were fighting a huge army but you didn’t have enough men to win the battle. It was so real that it woke me up. So I laid there for a while thinking about what I could’ve done to help in the battle. Suddenly while I was laying there, I saw in my head a weapon that could launch dozens of three pointed metal spikes through the air and onto the enemy”. “Really”, Jesse said excitedly, “How does it work?” Pala explains the mechanics of the weapon and how it launches. Jesse stood there for a moment tapping his lip with his finger and asked, “Pala, how high can it launch?” “I don’t know for sure”, he replies. “Ok”, Jesse begins, “Here’s what I would like you do. I want to use this weapon to kill enemies in the air. What doesn’t die in the air will be killed from the fall”. Pala, looking oddly at Jesse asks, “Are you making fun of me?” “No Pala”, he replied, “This morning, Dararro and I were attacked by a Champion Wasp and since those things travel in hives, there’s bound to be more of them out there”. “Champion Wasps”, Pala shouted, “Are you kidding me?” “No, I’m not”, Jesse answered, “It’s body is still laying out in the dry lands. I’m sure we’re going to need more than one of these weapons Pala. I better help you out”. “Ok”, Pala answers, “You’ll find the plans for it over on that shelf. If you make the parts for it Jesse, we can put them together”. Looking at the plans, Jesse glances over to Pala and exclaims, “Pala, this thing is unbelievable. This idea had to come to you from Elamor!” Pala stops working, looks over to Jesse and says humbly, “Thank you Jesse!” Picking up one of the three headed spikes, Jesse looks at it and says, “Seeing a load of these flying through the air in your direction would definitely send an army running!”

  Suddenly Chloe runs into the shop, with tears flowing from her eyes she looks at Jesse and says, “Mother Shaira!” Jesse drops the spiked weapon to the ground and with a shocked face asks, “Mother, is she dead?” Chloe, now unable to speak with her tear filled face in her hands, shakes her head no. Jesse runs from the shop to his home. Swinging the front door open, he sees his mother sitting in her chair rolling the carved dove from one hand to the other. Looking over to Jesse she giggles and says, “Look Jesse, I found this hanging from the roof”. Jesse stands there speechless with both arms laying limp at his sides, astonished by the sight of his bubbly little mother smiling back at him. “Hey Jesse”, she asks, “Who was that lady in the room with me, and why was she screaming?” Still astonished by what he was seeing and hearing, all Jesse could say was, “Mother, mother!” He runs over to her and falls down on his knees with his forehead in her lap, and begins to cry. Shaira Les both her hands on his head and asks motherly, “Jesse, what’s wrong?” Cleaning his face with her dress, he raises his head and looks into his mother’s face and asks a question to test her memory, “Mother, how did you first come to our village?” Smiling back at him, she answered, “By cart, silly boy. My father sent me here, you know that”. After kissing Jesse on his forehead, she rises and announces, “I better start making something for us to eat”. Turning to the front door, she looks down on the floor and says warmly, “Pala, get up off of the floor”. Looking downward, Jesse sees Pala passed out on the floor, shocked by what he had just seen. Chloe almost trips over him as she makes her way through the door. At almost the same second, Valcor opens his bedroom door and sticks his head out. Shaira, looking around it all the people, asks Jesse, “Son, where did all these people come from?” Jesse, trying his best to be a calming force says politely, “Mother, please sit down, I need to explain some things to you”. “Ok Jesse”, she replies, and takes her place back in her chair. For the next hour, Jesse calmly explains the events of the last few months, saving the death of his father for last. As Shaira hears the story of her greatest loves death, her body goes limp.
Jesse picks her up from her chair, goes into her room and lays his dear mother down on her bed. As Jesse leaves the room, Chloe loosens her clothes and lays a cool, damp cloth on her forehead. That night, it was decided that Pala wouldn’t open the shop for a few days, but instead would stay home with Chloe and his mother. Jesse and Valcor would have to proceed with their plans to go to the Shores of Seeness.

  Early the next morning, Jesse wakes and goes in to check his mother. Opening the door, he sees her sitting on the edge of her bed. As he walks into her room, she looks up from the floor to her son. Patting the space next to her, she says, “Come sit with me Jesse”. As Jesse sits, he puts his arm around her. Looking over to him, she asks sadly, “Is he really gone?” Jesse nods his head and answers, “Yes mother, father is really gone”. Shaira’s bedroom door opens and Chloe walks in. Joining them, she sits on the other side of Shaira. Shaira puts her arm around Chloe, pulling her in until their heads touch. Somehow, Shaira realizes the strength Chloe is to the family and says, “Thank you for being here”. Looking over to Jesse, Shaira begins, “You know Jesse, your father and I used to stand outside of your room sometimes and watch through the cracks in the door, the bright flickering lights your room. Your father always said those lights were proof of the greatness you were going to have. Your father had understanding about you that I didn’t, I always felt that he knew more about you but was concerned about sharing it with me. He never wanted to worry me. Your father was so special Jesse”. Jesse places a kiss on his mother’s cheek and answers, “Yes he was mother”. Their conversation continues for another hour, sharing stories about their lives with Eli then Jesse announces, “Mother, I have to go on a journey. Valcor and I have to go to the Shores of Seeness but I will be back as soon as possible”. Shaira pats him on the leg and replies, “You’re not my little boy anymore. You have grown into as good a man as your father. Go son, do your duty. We will be fine and no matter where you go, remember, mother loves you”.