The Enlightenment

by Thomas Rouxville

  Athena sighed. “I'm sorry, Faramond.”

  “It was fourteen years ago. It may still haunt me, but I don't let it consume me. I have you to protect now. To make up for my faults.

  “I took you to your grandparents, and that's when I assumed the identity of the town drunk. Landgrave had no idea what happened to you. He searched for you for years, wanting you dead. The thought of someone being more powerful than him must have driven him absolutely mad. And you know the rest of the story.”

  “Why didn't you tell me this sooner?”

  Faramond shook his head. “Imagine if I told you back when I told you that you were the guardian. You wouldn't have been able to handle it. This is something I had to save for when I knew you were ready. For when you were strong enough.”

  “You think I'm strong enough now?”

  “I know you are, Athena. Your progress has been incredible. You're better at meditating than I've ever been. If we were to have a real duel, I'm certain you could kill me.”

  “How am I supposed to believe this?” Athena asked. She wasn't hurt anymore, she understood why Faramond had kept it from her. It made sense. Months ago, there was no way she would have accepted it. There were other things she had to accept first. Though, even now, she wondered if she could accept this as truth. She'd never heard anything about seers before. She had no idea they existed. To hear that her father was one, that she was one, that sounded like the stuff of fairy tales. Legends. But she was already a legend, wasn't she? The Guardian of the Kingdom, the one to save the kingdom from the corrupt king. She'd be written into history books, and then after hundreds of years, she'd become a story. People would wonder if Athena ever truly existed.

  “Your nightmares are evidence,” Faramond said.

  Athena looked up at him. “How so?”

  “They're a sign that you're an untrained seer, seeing things both in the past and future. Seeing things that did happen, that could have happened, that can happen, that will happen. A trained seer can control these visions-”

  “Visions? They're nightmares.”

  “A trained seer can see the dreams as well as nightmares. And they can control when they see visions. Your father had nightmares like yours when he was a child. As a teenager, he was trained. And as an adult he lived a regular life… well, as regular as life can be when you're the king's most trusted adviser.”

  “My father actually got sleep?”

  Faramond laughed. “He was actually notorious for sleeping in late. Your mother found it quite irritating.”

  “Can you train me, Faramond? Can you rid me of my nightmares?”

  “I can't,” Faramond replied. “But I know someone who can. There's another seer.”

  “I'm not the only one?”

  “You're not alone, Athena, if that's what you're asking.”

  Athena's eyes widened. Her heart began to pound. The thought of having no nightmares, for the first time in her life, was almost unbelievable. Perhaps it felt like a blind person seeing for the first time. A night full of sleep, was that really possible? She wanted to run to the person who could train her. She wanted to run to this other seer and hug them. She wasn't the only one who had suffered like this. There was someone else, someone who could help her, guide her. Another teacher, another mentor, another friend. Athena needed all of the friends she could get.

  Did she really believe she was a seer? Well, she'd find out soon enough. As unbelievable as it seemed, it was definitely a possibility. Everything that had happened in the past few months seemed unbelievable, and yet it had all happened. It was all true. This was just another truth Athena would have to accept.

  “But-” Faramond said.

  “There's always that,” Athena mumbled. Things were never straightforward. There was always a catch.

  “Before we can see this seer, you must accept who you are, Athena. You're the Guardian of the Kingdom - faults and all.”

  “I've already accepted that,” Athena said.

  “But do you believe you can fulfill your destiny? Do you have confidence?”

  This time, Athena didn't hesitate. “Yes.”

  Faramond smiled.

  “I'm ready,” Athena said.

  The Journey to Slyfort – Chapter 1

  Faramond walked along the forest trail, whistling some old tune Athena had never heard before. There was a spring in his step, and he swung his arms with extra vigor. His face had a serene look, as if Faramond had no care in the world; as if his life wasn't in danger.

  And to Athena's surprise, she realized she must have looked similar. She was excited to meet the seer, the person who would finally be able to rid her of the nightmares that had impaired her for so long. She was also confident, having mastered both her body and mind. Athena was a warrior, ready for a fight. Also, to her surprise, she found that the thought of killing was not so unthinkable anymore. No, she wasn't heartless like Landgrave. She wasn't a merciless killing machine, but she was ready to do whatever needed to be done.

  There was a war brewing, and Athena was ready to face it. No longer was she the weak, scared, girl who had ran away from her burden. Today, she embraced that burden. I am the Guardian of the Kingdom, and I will fulfill my destiny.

  But Athena was still human. Her heart was not some impenetrable fortress. It was fragile, just as fragile as any heart was. It ached, and she supposed that the ache would never really go away. Athena had experienced loss, and it had taken its toll. Though she had mastered the art of meditation, she didn't believe she was a master of her emotions. Her grandparent's faces haunted her. There was guilt in her heart that couldn't be completely shaken. Faramond had done his best to comfort Athena, but she still couldn't help but feel responsible for Jermyn and Laguna's deaths. If there was anything she wanted to go back in time to change, it was that.

  Yet, Athena had to press onward. She already knew there was no changing the past. What had already taken place was absolute, final. There was no changing it. It wasn't some game that could simply be replayed. The die had been cast. Fate had been decided.

  There was something that Athena could change though. The future lay in her hands. It was up to her to save the kingdom from King Landgrave, the corrupt, murderous king. Now more than ever, she wanted to live up to her title. Landgrave was the one truly responsible for her grandparents’ deaths. He was responsible for her parents’ deaths. He was the one to blame for Tobin being taken away. And for all of the countless men who had been forced to leave their families to fight an unjust war. Landgrave was responsible for the emaciated bodies of Edgehill's young starving children. He was responsible for the pain and sorrow that so many people had to endure. Landgrave needed to be stopped.

  Athena wondered how her beloved town of Edgehill fared. She'd resided in the forest for nearly a month. In that amount of time, what could have happened? She feared the worst. The town was starving when she left; surely famine had killed many by now. Would Edgehill even exist when this was all over? Athena could hear Faramond's words. He would tell her to remain positive, no matter the circumstance. She hoped that her town was all right, that somehow, some way, she would have a home to come back to. Someday, she would rebuild the bakery, and she would never let Edgehill starve again.

  There would be a future for the kingdom of Galbar. As long as Athena lived, she would make sure of it. Landgrave would pay for what he had done.

  “Oh through the woods we'll stroll, what fun we'll have, there'll be no lull...” Faramond sang happily, not even bothering to keep his voice down. He was not being stealthy right now, something that Athena would have been irritated by, if not for the fact that she had also given up stealth. They had lived a month of solitude. No one had attacked them. They seemed to be safe, and “seeming” would have to do. Besides, if somebody attacked, they were both ready.

  “How far is Egneck?” Athena asked.

  Egneck was the village where the seer resided, a small village about a hundred miles away from Edgehill. Traveling direc
tly from Edgehill, it would have taken about two weeks on foot to reach, but Athena and Faramond had created a twisty path through the forest, one that could not easily be followed. They had spent days already simply creating false trails; now they were finally about to leave the forest. It would be the first time Athena had seen anything besides trees in a month. She realized that she looked forward to that almost as much as meeting the seer.

  Faramond continued singing, his voice growing louder as the trees began to thin. Athena stared up at the sky, her eyes widening as she saw patches of the sky. For so long, all she had seen were tiny glimpses of the gray sky that matched the gray ground and the colorless skeletal trees. To see the full sky was amazing.

  Yes, it was still gray, but wispy clouds rolled overhead, creating cotton-like fluff to break up the drabness. Sunlight hid behind a cloud, peeking out, just barely. Athena could feel it on her skin, a tiny bit of warmth washing over her. She hadn't felt warmth like that in the longest time. For a second, Athena thought she could smell bread baking. The warmth reminded her of the home that no longer existed. Welcoming, but sad at the same time.

  The trees disappeared and were quickly replaced by a flat expanse of land, the flattest land Athena had ever seen. This landscape was completely foreign, not even comparable to Edgehill. After all, the word 'hill' was in Edgehill for a reason. Athena's town was, in fact, placed right on top of a hill, perched slightly above the forest. It wasn't a large hill, and Athena had never seen a real mountain before, though Jermyn had told her stories of how magnificent they were. There wasn't even the slightest bump in this place. Just flat, brown land.

  Brown. It wasn't gray! Despite the relative ugliness of brown, Athena was overjoyed to see something new. She felt a sense of adventure, the kind of adventure she'd sought in her childhood. For this moment, she felt like a child again.

  Of course, that wore off the moment Faramond began to set up camp. He stopped singing and began to lay out the sleeping bags, unrolling them and placing them on the ground. He took his sword and jabbed it into the ground, making a post to tie Sapphire to. It wasn't the strongest post, but there were absolutely no trees dotting the ground. It wasn't as if the horse would run away anyway; she'd be content with Faramond and Athena as long as she was fed.

  “It looks like there used to be trees here,” Faramond said, pointing at a few spaces in the ground. Athena peered downwards, noticing little nubs of wood, mostly covered in dirt and dead grass. “This must have been part of the forest, until someone chopped these trees down.”

  “But this land is blank as far as I can see,” Athena said. “Miles of forest have been cleared,” Faramond replied.

  Athena frowned. “Why would anyone get rid of so many trees?”

  “To build towns, or more likely, weapons.”

  Athena looked at the expanse of emptiness in front of her. Weapons. Spears, arrows, staffs. Weapons for war. This too was something Landgrave was responsible for. How much more resources would he deplete? What would happen when there was nothing left? What then would Landgrave have to conquer?

  “There's still some daylight, why don't we go a little further?” Athena asked, not wanting to think about Landgrave's evildoings anymore.

  “Only an hour left of light,” Faramond said.

  “In an hour, we could travel at least five miles, more if we ride Sapphire.”

  Faramond nodded. “I'm tired.”

  Athena raised an eyebrow. “I've never heard you say that before,” she mused.

  “I feel old,” Faramond said. “My knees are sore.”

  “Slipping in your training?”

  Faramond laughed. “Who's the teacher? You or I?”

  Athena shrugged. “I think it's safe to say we're equals now.”

  “Indeed, Athena, I think it is safe to say that. You're even stronger than I am now.” He smiled.

  “Only you can walk all day long and still not be tired.”

  “Believe me, Faramond, I'm exhausted. Incredibly. But I really want to meet this seer you've told me about. I want to get rid of these damned nightmares.”

  “In due time. I promise you, we'll reach Egneck soon. Silvaria will be very excited to meet you.”

  “Silvaria? That's her name? Isn't it elvish?”

  Faramond's eyes glinted. “It's a beautiful name, isn't it?”

  Athena was curious, but Faramond said nothing more. He simply lay down into his sleeping bag and closed his eyes, humming another unfamiliar tune. “Good night,” he mumbled, as what little sunlight there was vanished.

  For several hours Athena just stared at the sky, admiring the stars. They were amazingly dazzling. She'd forgotten how wondrous the world truly was, after spending so much time in the barren forest. The stars had never been this clear, not when they were masked by treetops, and not when they were hidden by the torchlights of Edgehill. Here, there was no light except the moon, and no obstacles to hinder the view.

  As Athena grew sleepier, she still didn't close her eyes. Sleep was never something to look forward to. Though her nightmares had become more easily dealt with in the recent month, they were by no means gone. And they certainly weren't any weaker. The Shadow was doing its best to thwart Athena, and though it hadn't been succeeding as of late, it was most definitely still a real threat.

  But Athena could not fight off sleep forever. When it finally stole her from the stars, she plunged into terror. She saw death. From nameless bodies succumbing to starvation, to Edgehill's citizens being murdered by soldiers. The deaths were never quick, never painless. Athena could see the pure agony in people's eyes. She could hear their screams, their cries for help. And she was always helpless, never being more than a bystander, a witness to suffering.

  Soldiers skewered skeletal bodies with knives and spears. They stabbed innocent people in areas where they would bleed out over several hours. Athena watched as an old, hopeless woman bled out on her doorstep, her arms and legs slashed open. At first the woman screamed and wailed, until eventually she could only whimper weakly, until her voice went silent and her eyes went slack. Athena wanted to look away. She wanted to run, but her nightmares wouldn't let her.

  She saw loved ones too, and this hurt more than anything. Tobin wore his soldier's uniform, and he was killing innocent villagers, people he had once known, people he had once cared about. There was no mercy, no kindness in his eyes, only hate. He had been brainwashed into doing the king's bidding. Athena called out to him, yelling at him to stop, but time and time again he stuck his sword into skin like he was slaughtering an animal in the forest. He had no regard for humanity. Human life was animal life.

  “Tobin!” Athena screamed again, and this time, he seemed to look at her, his gaze settling on her face, but it was she who he looked at. He ran right through her, jabbing his sword into the heart of a little child, laughing as blood splattered his own face.

  “Stop!” Athena shrieked. “Tobin, stop!”

  But he wouldn't. Soon his uniform was painted in blood, none of it his own. He wiped a red streak off his face, grinning. It was the same crooked smile Athena had loved so much. Now, it held nothing save evil. But this wasn't him. This wasn't really Tobin. This wasn't her best friend. Visions were not absolute. Athena could stop this from happening. She would have to stop this from happening.

  And then Tobin fell. Someone else's sword had plunged through his heart. He fell face down into a puddle of scarlet, his own blood quickly mixing with it. Athena did not see who had killed him, as his assailant was already far gone. She knelt over his lifeless body, thankful she could not see his face. Athena began to sob for her friend. He had wanted so badly to run away, and she hadn't allowed it. Looking at him now, perhaps she should have. Perhaps this wouldn't have happened to him.

  “Athena, wake up, wake up!” It was Faramond, shaking her, cajoling her from this nightmare.

  “Faramond?” Athena mumbled, still kneeling over Tobin, blood staining her clothing and hands. “Wake up!”

&nbs
p; She blinked, head swimming. “Faramond?” she said again, trying to wake up. But her nightmare was strong, pulling her backward and pushing her down. The Shadow didn't want her to awaken. The Shadow wanted her to stay in the nightmare until the nightmare became real. Until it was far too late to fulfill her destiny. Sleep Guardian, sleep forever.

  “Athena!” Faramond screamed. His voice had never been so loud.

  Suddenly, Athena jerked awake, grabbing him, making sure he was real. Her heart seemed as if it would thump right out of her chest. “I-I couldn't fight it,” she breathed. “The Shadow, it was stronger than me. It's growing in power, Faramond.”

  Very slowly, Faramond nodded, as if defeated. “For a moment I didn't think you would wake up,” he said. He hugged her. “The Shadow is growing stronger, just as you are. But you have to be the stronger one. Always.”

  Athena felt lightheaded, pressing her cold hand to her face. “I know.”

  These nightmares had to stop. She hoped Silvaria the seer would be able to help her. If not, who would? Athena would be stuck like this. Forever.

  The full book of "The Journey to Slyfort" can be yours. Click here to find out more.

  The Journey to Slyfort

  About The Author

  Almost all children lie to their parents about skipping school, or avoiding homework. Not Thomas Rouxville. At ten years old, he convinced his mother that he absolutely had to stay up until the small hours of the morning, squinting into yet another novel. His English teacher demanded it, he said innocently; the book had to be read by morning. When his outraged guardian stormed the school in protest, it was gently, but firmly, explained that her son’s assignment was not due for weeks. The boy had a reading addiction, and short of barring him from the library, there was little they could do.

  By fourteen the obsession ran wild as fire, Rouxville losing himself in fantasy novels and role playing games; entire universes of heroes and dragons, magic and dark villains far more exciting than the endless fields and beaches of Kent. As an adult, with a degree in geography and teaching career under his belt, Rouxville embarked on exploring the fictitious worlds of his own mind’s creation, and has since become known for The Kingdom of Shadows and Chronicles of Suvaria fantasy series. He’s currently working on the new, Oswald Sherman series, and loves to connect with his readers.