[alkore]

If you mean the maps that they have at the start of books that have everything in the 'world', then I'd probably draw it by hand (although I'm a lousy artist, I'd still try) unless you're really good with a decent image editting program (Photoshop, for example)... I haven't been reading your book, but if I see it on the shelf, then I'll by it

Lol thanks and ya I mean the ones like dat. Im a lousy artist as well.

New title: Stone of Arynth

Continue book:

Esor eyed Jeff up and down with those big grey eyes of his. Both inviting, both something Jeff couldn’t describe.
“Are you still hungry, Jeff? If so, you wouldn’t mind an extra mouth would you? With the inn closed I haven’t eaten this morning as well. So, how about we head over to Jonathans Inn across the city? Ill buy for you and however many else you have.” Jeff smiled and agreed and started walking with the new man to the Wild Boar Inn. The tavern had received its odd name the day it was built. A boar came crashing out of the woods nearby and ran into a wall, dying instantly. Jonathan had called it, “A gift from the Gods of Erowand.” The Tavern wasn’t as popular as the Green Dragon, but visitors often dropped by to take a room for a night.
As Jeff neared the Tavern, he saw it was oddly filled with more people than usual. Eighteen guards sat in the common room, pipes in most of their mouths and cards or dice in front of them. Only three of the eighteen had any food in front of them, and none of it looked of any good. Jeff eyed all the guards for a moment. “What is going on here? We’ve never had more than three guards this far south for more than… Ever.” Esor looked down at him, since he was a head taller, and Jeff wondered for a moment if he could read his thoughts.
“You go and order. I'm going to talk for a moment to the other guards. I’ll be with you in a moment.” Jeff nodded and walked up to the front of the inn, pushing between tables and large guards with swords on their hips. Jonathan could be seen a short distance away and Jeff pushed towards the man. Once he was by the man, he pulled him over to the side.
“What's with all the guards. They aren’t all here for that incident at the Green Dragon are they?” Jonathan shook his head and looked back at the men.
“They will not tell me a thing. Except they have business here, and something about breaking my neck if I don’t seat them. But nothing about why they traveled from the Palace, or that’s where I assume these guards are from.” Jeff nodded, and shook the thoughts from his head. Who cared why they were here?
“So, what can I do for you? Surely you don’t need a room, and since I rarely see you or your father down here and the Green Dragon is closed, you must be-” Jonathan was cut off by Esor’s hard voice.
“Hungry. I'm with the boy, and I am paying. Five dishes of egg and ham with some bacon and a pitcher of water.” Esor looked down at Jeff.
“And what do you want?” Jeff started. All that food was for him? That was insane! Jeff couldn’t eat that much if he was starving!
“Um, I will take a dish of ham, well, make it four, a second pitcher of water, a dish of eggs and bacon, crispy if you could, and some biscuits. Esor looked down at him and smiled. Jeff was to startled to smile back. What he had ordered was enough for all of them he had thought.
Esor passed a pouch of coins over to the man. “Keep the rest.” He mouthed to the man. He nodded, and looked in and almost fainted.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Jeff said, as they left the inn with plates full of food. “Why are there so many guards here, of all places? One or two would be all that’s needed to find the people who wrecked the Green Dragon, but why nineteen or more.” Esor smiled for a moment before answering.
“You catch on quick don’t you? The people who did this aren’t people, their goblins.” Jeff, being surprised for the third time that day, still was startled.
“Goblins? I thought they lived in the mountains and rarely came down from there. Why would they be this far down?” Jeff stopped a short way from the barn.
“Well, we, myself included, don’t really know. It couldn’t have been just for the beer, The Asa’rio mountain range has plenty of taverns for them to take beer so they wouldn’t be this far south. No, either they fell from the mountain and are lost, or they just didn’t like the beer. I've been tracking these two since last night, and can’t seem to find them. They’ve disappeared, for the time being.” Jeff had thought it was strange how two men could drink so much beer and not pass out right in middle of the floor.
Goblins were a nuisance to Erowand. Not one creature or person, can stand to be friends with a goblin. They had long arms that hung down below their wastes, and weren’t tall to begin with. They were, of course, green since the word goblin in ancient Erowand texts meant green imp. They didn’t marry, or for that matter, there wasn’t a goblin that wasn’t male. They simply sprung from dung heaps from other animals. Now that Jeff thought about it, that would be a pretty sad way to come into being. No wonder why they were so grumpy all the time.
They were very mischievous, wherever they went trouble normally followed. Where trouble didn’t follow, they didn’t go. Simple enough logic. For goblins.
“Well, lets not let a guards work get in the way of a breakfast, shall we continue?” It wasn’t really a question, but Jeff treated it as one. They started moving towards the barn, unaware of the two shapes following silently behind them. As silent as two drunk goblins could be anyway
****
The group that looked up with both startled and amused looks didn’t even bother saying anything. For a moment anyway.
“What in the blue devils have you done now? Tom asked Jeff, ignoring the guard to the side of him. Esor lifted a hand and explained everything of the morning while Jeff set out the plates on the hard wooden ground.
After Esor explained who he was and how Jeff and he had met, everyone calmed down a little bit, except for Tabor who held a weary look. Obviously, he had thought Esor was here to take him away for being a thief.
“Well, I should thank you Mr. Ballard, but I still don’t understand the entire story. Why did you chose to come back here and eat? You say you hadn’t had anything to eat yet, but from the way you ordered, it seems like you haven’t eaten in some time.” Tom arched a bushy brown eye brow. Esor chuckled to himself.
“Well, I have no place to stay and was hoping I could stay here, with you five. The rest of the guards are all staying at the inn. I will only be staying a day, two tops.” Tabor gulped loudly and when Jeff looked at him large beads of sweat covered his face. Jeff smiled.
“It’s fine with us as long as it’s fine with Tom.” Josh looked up from his book for the first time since the man came in. Esor looked over his shoulder at Josh.
“Eat up boy! Stop reading over in that corner of yours.” Esor sat down behind them and took out a pipe and match. With the match halfway up to his pipe he stopped and looked around. The barn was to rickety and if a flame caught to the wood, it may spread to quickly. He stuffed both pipe and match back in a pocket in his long brown coat. Josh jumped up, folding his place in the book, and walked over to the plates of food, that were quickly diminishing between six mouths. Only Esor sat alone in the back of the barn, watching the boys. Why had the goblins mentioned Jeff Alkore? Was he so important to them that they would leave their home to come down for him? Or maybe some merchant had said his name. Esor took his pipe back out and started puffing on it. So many questions he didn’t have the answers to. He didn’t like that.

After they were done eating, Tom sat back down in the rocking chair he had used the night before for the same purpose. He began by telling a story about the War of Awaking. Another story that was almost a classic to the boys. Even Esor came from his corner and stood behind the grandfatherly man. As for Josh, though, he went out for a walk. After being inside the stuffy room for so long, Josh needed to get some fresh air. He walked down the broken stairs and walked out into a midday sun. Thinking about nothing in particular, just letting his thoughts run freely. He walked down an alleyway without looking at it. The faint pitter patter of dripping water caught his attention. He looked to his right then to his left. He had no idea where he was and the only thing that made sense was to keep on walking the way he was going. The patter of water was closer now, but still sounded like it was his imagination. Like a faint drip in the back of his head. He walked farther through the narrow alleyway, watching for rats at every corner.
Josh rounded a corner and froze for a moment before jumping back behind the wall he had just come from. Two bodies lay slumped against the far wall, neither was human. Josh peeked over the wall.
Both were short, about to Josh’s waist he figured. Both had long arms that stretched out in front of them. Both were green, and both were waking.
“Tok, times we wake, go searching again.” One said while stretching. The other, Tok, Josh guessed, rolled over on one side and grabbed a large rat and stuffed it into its rather large mouth.
“Fine, fine. The faster we find this J-” Tok raised his head suddenly and spit.
“Do you smell that? It smells awful whatever it is. Yess.” He started walking over to Josh’s corner. Josh turned around and started running down the alleyway, and tripped.
“Well, Dzem, seems like we haves ourselves a boy.” Tok’s face looked down at him, teeth bearing in what Josh figured was a grin. A rusted dagger came out and came to Josh’s neck.
“I say we kill him, yess. Wes certainly can’t eat hims.” Dzem pulled Tok back.
“No no no. Maybe he can helps, Tok. Ask him about Ryn’same first. Then we will kill him.” They both looked down at Josh, whose brain was struggling to take in everything. In Era of New Beginnings, there was a passage about a someone named Ryn’same. But why would two goblins want to know about him? Besides that, he had lived several thousand years ago.
“Boy, what is your names?” Dzem demanded more than asked. Josh told them the first name that came to mind.
“I'm Jeff Alkore.” The knife was quickly drawn back from his neck and both hands flew from his neck. The goblins started talking together in what Josh figured was goblin. Suddenly, both goblins turned on him and lunged for him. Josh rolled over to one side and barely got his dagger out before Tok grabbed him. Josh slashed at the goblins’ hand, and with a horrified scream, let go and dropped to the ground, blue blood spurting from a gaping wound. Josh turned and ran as quickly as his legs would allow him, but Dzem was quicker than Josh had thought. It caught p with a couple of strides and grabbed for Josh’s legs. Kicking wildly, Josh managed to kick the goblin in the jaw and then in the ribs several times before it grabbed him by his hair. Franticly Josh spun this way and that trying to get lose, but to no avail.
Tok was running up to them now, bronze dagger flashing in the light of the alleyway. Josh made one last attempt to get lose by swinging his arms. Dzem, caught off guard, dropped Josh. Josh swung his legs at the legs of Dzem and he hit the ground. Tok was nearing now, no more than five yards away now. If Josh could get back into public, maybe they would stay back. Josh turned and ran as fast as his quivering legs would carry him. He took his dagger out and ran with it tightly in his hand. If he was caught again, he would use it, this time he would have to protect himself.
Josh could hear people now. So close, he couldn’t get caught now. So close. The feet were getting closer, and closer. Suddenly, as they were no more than a few paces behind, they stopped. Josh turned around and to his horror could see the two goblins lunge for him. Josh had only a split second to decide what he would do. He himself lunged for the crowd of people no more than six paces in front of him. By pure luck he managed to avoid one of the goblins dagger than snagged his pant leg. He rolled out into the crowd of people and ran straight for the barn, taking the long way so he wouldn’t be caught alone. When he reached the barn, he was out of breath, sweaty, bleeding, and on top of all that, worried and afraid.
The first thing everyone said, Josh couldn’t remember, or was able to answer before he hit the ground, his feet crumpling underneath him like paper. He was out cold.
“When Josh woke, he was in the barn and people were moving all around him. He couldn’t make out a face, but he had a feeling he knew them all. He sat up and regretted it instantly.
“He’s awake! Come on and help me Tom!” Two men came over and helped Josh sit up and poured something cold down his throat. Josh started to spit it out, but couldn’t muster the strength.
“Boy what happened to you?” The faces started becoming less fuzzy and Josh could see Esor and Tom. Esor must have been the one who asked, because when Tom spoke, his voice was much less hard.
“Let the boy sleep. Ill stay up tonight and watch him. Get more of those herbs if you would. He’s pretty banged up Esor.” Josh put his head back on the ground and started to fall back asleep.


CHAPTER 3: ENCOUNTERS

[alkore]

Two chapters. Ive been busy you could say.

Chapter Four: Dragon Lord

When Josh woke, the first thing he felt was hungry. It ripped through everything else, tearing at him. Then the pain struck him. The searing hot pain that hurt every part of his body. Last of all, the headache he received was not the worst of the three, but it certainly did not aid him in any way. He moaned and rolled over to one side.
“The boy is awake, Esor! Bring some food Jonathan and Cody!” Bodies started to crowd around him and the smell of food struck him like a wave. His mouth watered and he eagerly stuffed two rolls in his mouth at once. He just kept pilling food in his mouth, not caring for a lick what it was, just so long as it was edible.
After several minutes went by and he had finished eating his eight plate, Josh slowed eating. Finally, the visions caught up with him.
“Oh dear God.” Josh choked on a piece of ham and laid his fork and plate down beside him. He held his head in both his hands and moaned, not because of the pain in his legs and face, not even because of the worsening headache that felt as if someone was driving a stake through the side of his head. No, it was because he remembered the faces of the goblins. Saw them sneering down at him.
“I was attacked. Two of them. Tried to kill me in an alleyway not…far from here.” He sucked in a breath of air.
“Two goblins. Both tried to kill me, or take me. I… don’t remember much except… one’s name was Dzem. The other I think called himself Tok.” Esor lifted Josh’s pant leg and sprinkled something warm on a couple of gashing wounds. Neither bled, but dried blood clung to his pants and skin. Josh grimaced.
“I ‘spose they caught you with a dagger.” Esor asked, looking up while wrapping his leg in a bandage. Josh remember the dagger, but hadn’t thought it had caught him on the leg. He could still feel the hands on his neck and the exact spot where one dagger was sitting only hours before.
“I must say, the poison in those daggers knocked you out for quiet some time. Three days to be exact. We had to move you into the tavern because you were running a fever and we couldn’t run back and forth. You have the town in some roar about thieves,” A side look to Tabor who was looking worriedly at Josh, “and goblins now.” Tom said. Josh took a moment to look around himself for the first time since waking. True he wasn’t in his own bed, or the hard bed of the barn anymore. Now he stayed in one of the better rooms of the Tavern which, he was sure, he wouldn’t have gotten if he was anyone else. A window with drapes thrown back carelessly showed a full moon. Josh squinted his eyes, thinking to see a shape against the moons surface, but gave up after his head started pounding fiercer.
“Goblins you say? I knew they had passed, but why are they still here?” Esor muttered to himself. He broke away from everyone else and slipped out the door without anyone noticing. He was going to have some questions answered. One way or another.

****
“You what.” A raspy voice whispered to two goblins who were on their knees in pain. A gloved hand shot out and grabbed Tok’s neck.
“What did you say!” His voice boomed. Dzem cried out as another hand flew from the shadows. Both goblins shook as surges of pain shot through out their bodies.
“Alkore… we saw Alkore. We know... know what he looks like now. Pleases, your choking us, Master.” The hands withdrew, almost reluctantly.
“I trusted two goblins to kill a boy? Can you two handle this? If not, I will kill you both now and get it over with. You…will…not…fail…again. Understand?” The two goblins shook their heads quickly, still staying on their knees.
“Make sure you kill him tonight. If he gets away this time, we may not have another chance. That fool girl is working her way to the town even as we speak. If she reaches him, he will learn of his heritage. We can’t have that. Kill him.” The gloved hands shot out again, this time they touched the goblins foreheads. Both screamed as flesh was burnt, making a gold tattoo. The symbol of Alganath. Their home lands.
The hands retracted back into the shadows, and a gust of wind blew from the outside. Moments latter, a grohul flew into the area and landed. Gloved Hands jumped onto it and it flew back towards the moon.
A grohul, as Tok and Dzem had learned to know all to well, were hard to describe to anyone who has never heard its cold, dead voice. To someone who had never looked into those gapless eye sockets. A grohul was alive, yet not. A grohul had bony wings that they used to fly from place to place silently. They were almost exactly like the Spawns of Rar’clanth. Almost. Tok and Dzem feared a grohul much more than they did a Spawn. Much more.
****

Everyone left Josh to his room soon after finding he was ok. Someone came in to check on him every now and then to make sure he wasn’t dead though. Or if something attacked him again.
He had been pacing the room for some hour now, well, not really pacing he admitted. More like limping. His right leg hurt so badly he was forced to stay off it. The only thing he had left to remind him of the fight was a scar, and the pain, but Esor said that would go away with time. He had given him herbs since he first came in, and without them he would have been dead Esor had said. For that, he was grateful.

When the clock in the Tavern rang twelve, a knock came at his door. Thinking it to be someone coming to check on him, Josh went to open the door. He got halfway to the door, when it opened and closed by itself.
A woman Josh had never seen before in his entire life stood in front of him, hands on her hips and a look of determination set in her face. She locked the door and pointed a finger at him.
“Are you Jeff Alkore?” Josh was so amazed at the woman it took him a moment to answer. She was gorgeous in his eyes. He stuck his chest out as far as it would go without it making him fall over, put one arm around her shoulders, and grinned down at her.
“No, I’m Josh woven. But, I'm sure I can help you with whatever you require.” She swung around and punched him square in the nose. With a howl Josh fell to his knees.
“Hells fire woman! Did you really have to do that!” It wasn’t broke, but sure did hurt. It almost made him forget about his leg. Almost.
“Do you know where Jeff Alkore is, Master Woven.” Well maybe she wasn’t as pretty as he thought.
“Wourse I do. Be and Mim came in here together.” Josh said while cupping his nose. She picked him up by the collar of his neck and held him so they were eye to eye.
“Show me where he is. He will die if you don’t.” Josh forgot about all the pain in his entire body.
“What are you talking about? Jeff is perfectly safe in his room.” The woman rolled her eyes and stared back at him. Those eyes were…trusting.
“Follow me. I’ll show you, but he is in no harm, you’ll see.” She let go of his coat and he opened the door and led the way to a sleeping Jeff’s room. Josh waved one of his arms at Jeff and said, “See? He is fine right where he is. Now, who in the world are you?” The woman looked at Jeff, ignoring everything else. Josh winced as he remembered his own pain and he sat down in a stool, taking in the woman. She really wasn’t that pretty.
“My name is Loraine Tynsvern. And your friend is in danger. Two goblins are coming to kill him and you will probably die in the process.” Josh jumped and pushed the woman back to the wall.
“Those two goblins attacked me three days ago! What in Hells Fire do they want with Jeff?” The woman glared at him. “Take your hands off of me, or I myself will kill you.” Josh threw his hands up. “What is going on! Goblins, women who know me by name and face, is there anything else I need to know about before calling Esor or Tom?” The woman spun around and slammed a fist into his ribs. Josh fell onto his stool, then off it. He gasped for breath while the woman walked over to Jeff. He didn’t remember her fingers being blue.

****
Esor was hot on the tracks of the goblins. He knew it would only be another couple of minutes before he stumbled right on them. Then, he would have answers. He disliked being in the dark on matters that concerned himself.
Suddenly, Esor stopped. He reached up to the back of his head and tried to scratch an itch, but it was deeper than that. Esor growled. (ESOR IS TIED TO JOSH OR JEFF LIKE A BOND. HE SENSES WHEN THINGS GO WRONG.)
“So many questions, and not one of them answered. Great.” Esor swung around and ran towards the inn. The itch grew.
“Ah, maybe some answers will be answered before the night is done.” His cloak was being pulled at by the winds, but he paid it no attention. Josh was on his mind now, literally.
****
Josh looked up to see the woman, still standing over Jeff. She hadn’t moved now in fifteen minutes. Josh’s mind was still taking in everything the night had thrown at him, and more.
“Mrs. Tynsvern, please explain to me why these goblins are after Jeff. There is no reason at all for them to be interested in him. We have lived down here in this city for most of our lives.” The woman looked over at him and seemed to be looking at him for the first time.
“It isn’t so much as the goblins want him dead. Its more than that. If me and my Sisters (OF THE BLOOD) are correct, Jeff may be the last surviving son of Ryn’same. And if that is true, then Jeff, is in fact, the Dragon Lord.” Josh jumped out of the stool and laughed so hard tears swam down his face. He moved for the bed and shook Jeff awake. Jeff gave a start at the woman, then seeing Josh, calmed down a bit. Loraine was disgusted.
Josh dropped to his knees and started worshiping Jeff, the times he wasn’t laughing he was saying, “All hail the Dragon Lord and Farm Lad Jeff Alkore! All hail…” Finally he looked over at Loraine, and instantly he stood up and stopped laughing.
“Your serious. That is a s-t-o-r-y. Fiction, not real. No more real than a dragon!” Jeff sat up in his bed, yawned, then looked at the woman.
“Can I help you?” She switched her attention to Jeff.
“Are you Jeff Alkore?” Jeff nodded.
“I tried explaining to your dimwitted friend, but he will not listen. You are going to die if you stay here much longer. Two goblins have been searching for you for the past twelve years, and they now know you live here, in Hisdamail. They will kill you before tomorrow night.” Jeff stared up at her, eyes wide.
“But why?” The woman took a step back and looked Jeff straight in the eye.
“Because, you are the Dragon Lord. The last son of Ryn’same.” Jeff looked at Josh, then back at Loraine, then at Josh again. He stood up and grabbed a paper and wrote something on it. He handed it to Loraine who read it aloud.
“Jeff Alkore. Son of Christopher Alkore.” The woman threw the paper to the ground and Jeff began laughing with Josh.
“Ohh Gods, get Tom in here. He really wasted some money on this one. The Dragon Lord.’ Josh ran out of the room and appeared moments latter with a sleepy eyed Tom. He froze when he saw Loraine, and almost hoped his way out of the room. Taking a step back Tom began to wring his hands.
“What have these boys done to wake you this early of a morning?” Tom asked. The woman’s eyes were furious.
“Tom Hillsinger, correct?” Tom nodded.
“Jeff Alkore, as I have tried to say before, is coming with me. We are leaving this town before its to late.” Tom looked all around the room.
“Um, to late for what?” Tom sat on a nearby stool. The one Josh had fallen off of only moments before.
“Before it is to late to stop Him. Before-” The door swung open to reveal Esor, sword in hand and in eye. The friendly man Jeff and Josh had known was gone. A guard of the Palace stood in front of them.
“How…unexpected.” The woman moved forward with a grin on her face.
“I hadn’t expected to meet you here, Esor Ballard. No, the games rules just changed, I fear. I have to take this boy back. He is Thail-saDorn.”
“Loraine?” Esor lowered his hands, but kept his sword out. If he needed it, he didn’t want to be alone.
“I suppose my questions will be answered. About time. Loraine, we have got to talk. Your Sisters are horribly off. This boy is no more Thail-saDorn than I am Rar’clanth him self. No, he is just a boy who has stumbled in a dark cave, without a match I fear. And we, happened to be two candles. I would have sensed him. I was trained for that. Not here.” Loraine stared at Esor, then slowly sat on the end of the bed by Jeff.
The Sisters and I have been studying Erowand for centuries. This is where Ryn’same died and rose again. His child will be marked King by the Crown of Swords. This boy’s mother was from Astai. All the facts lead to this boy, Esor! He is the Lord of the Dragons!” The temperature in the room dropped considerably. All eyes went to Esor.
“If what you say, or what your sisters say, is true, then Jeff Alkore will have Ilithian. I have not seen the sword. He is not who you say he is. I am sorry you wasted your time for nothing, Loraine Tynsvern.” Nobody made a sound for several minutes. It was Cody who broke the silence.
“Do you guys smell smoke?” Josh inhaled deeply and started to cough. All eyes went to the window. A grey billow of smoke blotted out the moon, and the from of a grohul.
“It has begun. If you five do not come with me, you will die. The goblins have been trained to kill you, Alkore. Now, do you trust me enough? Fire, boy answer!”
“Jeff opened his mouth to answer, and from the doorway came Tabor Slickhands voice.
“Yes! He trusts you! Now get us out of here alive!” All looks went to him, and Loraine shook her head.
“And so the board changes again. Where the Gods place us is now entirely up to them. Follow me, and I will se you free.” No one spoke against it. No one wanted to die that night.

****
“Tok and Dzem are trust worthy. They will kill the boy. You need not worry about it.” Gloved Hand was kneeling to three shapes, each glowing in their own way,
“For your sake I hope not. The child of Ryn’same should have been killed when he was born. But we awaited the prophecy and now we are on the edge of a cliff.” One woman’s cold hard voice hit Gloved Hand.
‘The son of Ryn’same shall be marked King and will wear the Crown of Swords as his father had. The son of Ryn’same will be marked as both Light and Shadow. Both Savior and Destroyer. Those that follow Him will find no peace except in death. Mohashion has spoken.’

“Has he ever led us wrong before? No he will not fail. The Lord will not be pleased if he does. Now take your grohul and see to it your goblins do not fail. The penalty for failure has always been death, we will not lighten up for a Brother.” The other man spoke to him, his voice almost not human.
I will not fail, Brother and Sister. It will go as planned.” Gloved Hand stood and bowed, then climbed on the awaiting grohul and the two flew off, leaving the two shadowy shapes below, both shaking their heads.
****
The sound of Cody’s heart was loud in his hears. Or maybe it was his own heart. Hells Fire he didn’t want to die! Especially is this was because of the mysterious woman Loraine. Jeff the Dragon Lord! Josh would have laughed, if he wasn’t so scared.
Josh was holding everyone up because of his bad leg. It still wasn’t healed, and try as he might to run it only ended up in him hitting the ground or a table. Esor had ran ahead to knock on every door to give the people in the Inn half a chance to live. Some were to drunk to care, or to know what was going on. Josh pitied those.
“Were going to have to go straight from here to somewhere safe. I hadn’t expected to be attacked so soon, or I would have gotten horses ready.” Loraine yelled over her shoulder. Josh cupped his hand to have it carry to her ears.
“Have Jeff lead the way to the barn! It as safe as any place. Fire!” Josh jumped to one side as a beam cracked and threatened to fall over on him. He swore an oath and started running to catch back up with the party. Two sets of eyes watched them run to escape the flames from a hallway. Screams rang out from both halls, but neither Tok or Dzem switched their gaze from Alkore.
“I will kill hims. Dzem follow me.” The two goblins slinked across the hallway, staying fifteen feet behind the son of Ryn’same. He would be dead tonight, and Tok would please Master Gloved Hand by brining him the head of the boy. He smiled, or at least bared his teeth.

****
Jeff was holding back tears. What was going on? Some woman had brought trouble to Hisdamail, a place that had never had problems with people killing one another, a place that had had no problems really. Just a peaceful town. Then she showed up. Or maybe it had started before this. With Esor. The Green Dragon had been destroyed, then out of the blue this man showed up. Happened to follow Jeff. All because she thought he was some bloody story. She was insane.
The door was in plain sight, no more than fifteen feet ahead of them now, when a scream stopped Jeff dead in his tracks.
“Josh!” An arrow had gone through his leg while another shot past his ear and struck a wall.
“Esor! Help me!” Jeff tried picking Josh up by himself, and could see the attackers. Two goblins. Both smiling.
Jeff forgot everything he had ever been taught. Every part of his entire being flared up in rage. His eyes centered in on the two goblins. He screamed, the last scream he may ever scream, and pulled his sword out of its sheath. He didn’t remember it ever glowing when he held it, but he didn’t care. All he cared about right now were the tears streaming down his best friends face. Those tears. And he could do nothing about it. Absolutely nothing.
“Jeff! Don’t!” Esor cried out and he lunged for Jeff’s arm. The last thing they saw of him before the pillar of fire broke away from above was his face. Sheer pain and rage light his face up. Brighter than the fires around them. That image burned into everyone’s mind. The last thing they would know him by.
Esor picked Josh up by the legs and Tabor and Tom helped him carry him out of the burning inn. Josh was unconscious now, but tears still gleamed on his face.

****
Jeff looked behind him and could see nothing but flames. He wasn’t sure now if he would live. But he knew deep in his heart that the goblins wouldn’t. Couldn’t.
“Look Tok! One of the boys has decided to join his friend in dying! And what is yours names, boy?” They knocked an arrow simultaneously while looking at Jeff.
“My name is Jeff Alkore.” The two goblins jumped and their arrows shot into the flames.
“The other one was the boy Alkore! How can you be!” Jeff shook his head. Word games. They were trying to distract him.
“It doesn’t matter who you think I am! All that matters now is that you both die!” He lunged forward and barely missed one of the goblins legs. The both dropped their bows and took out bronze daggers.
“Fine! Id the fool wishes to dance, then let the game begin!” Jeff jumped at the one who had been called Tok, sword swinging at an angle that would hopefully catch the goblin off guard. Josh’s face burned in his mind. The look of pain. The look of fear so deeply put. Jeff swung his blade for the other goblins neck. It jumped and Jeff felt the blade slice through bone and skin. The upper part of the beast rolled into flames while its bottom half squirmed for one last time.
“You fool! You killed Dzem! How dares you!” Tok ran full speed towards Jeff, dagger flashing between hands. Jeff grimaced. He had never killed anything that had attacked him except for the occasionally wild bore. He knew he had to though. Not for his own revenge, but for Josh’s death. New blood thrived through his veins. He hadn’t realized it wasn’t new blood, but the blood of the Ancients coursed through him. Old blood in a new body.
Jeff jumped to one side, easily dodging the goblins futile attempt at killing him. He lifted his sword and waited. He wanted to see the look of fear and loss in the goblins face. He didn’t see it. He never would. The goblin’s head rolled into the flames as Dzem’s body had. Jeff slumped into a corner.
“Nothing to do now but die. Well, Josh, I hope you live.” Jeff thought to himself. The flames were making him sweat. He whipped beads off his brow. This was how it was going to end? Maybe it wouldn’t hurt. Maybe he would go quickly.
Just as the flames were closing in, Jeff felt himself being drawn. Jeff looked down at himself and gasped. His legs were gone, and his body was rapidly disappearing. He closed his eyes and heard a deafening “plop!” When he opened his eyes, Loraine was staring down at him, sweat pouring off her face. Josh lay behind her, the arrow stuck in the ground arrow point down. Surprisingly, no blood spouted from his leg. What was even stranger, was Josh looked up at him and grimaced at him.
“Fire’s Hell, what is going on! This is by far the weirdest dream I’ve ever had!” Esor placed a hand on his shoulder.
“This is no dream, Master Alkore. Loraine is a Seeker. A Sister of the Blood. Without her, Josh would be dead, and you would have burned to death in the fire.” Jeff looked into the same eyes he had trusted the first day he had saw them. But they were cold now. Cold as ice yet they filled Jeff with a warmth he could not explain.
”Josh isn’t…isn’t,” He couldn’t bring himself to say it. Gods he couldn’t!
“He will live. Healing takes a great amount of energy to do, and the Art of Visualizing even more. But what had to be done was done to ensure the safety of the Dragon Lord.” Jeff stood, easing his sword out once more to bring blood. Whoever this woman was, whatever a Sister was, he didn’t care nor want anything more to do with her!
“Leave the city and take your damned Dragon Lord with you. You’ve been here a night and caused my best friend an arrow to the leg, one Inn destroyed and the other wrecked! I want none of it!” Loraine let it unfold in front of her, but when he was done she calmly placed a hand on his shoulder.
“The Gods play many jokes on the lives of humans. And I fear yours may be the worst. You cannot change who you are, only what you do and accomplish. I will be here for three more days. If you have not changed your mind by then, I will leave and tell the other Sisters your answer. But if you decide that you wish to find out more, you can find me at the Wandering Pony inn. Esor knows the way.” She turned and walked away from more than what she knew that night. More than what Jeff or Josh or Cody or Tom or Tabor knew. What Esor knew, though, was a complete different story.
“So, the Great Game begins. But what snake will strike for which throat?” Jeff looked towards the man, but he had already swung his cloak over one shoulder and was walking towards the barn.
“How can you leave! So much happened tonight and you just leave! At the most explain how you know her and what in Hells Fire is going on!” Esor spun around so quickly Jeff jumped clear out of his skin. Jeff would have traded the look of cold ice in the mans eyes a moment ago with this. Pure fire.
“Follow me. No, you all stay there with Josh until he wakes. I will be back before then.”
Jeff reluctantly followed the man until they stopped by he corner of a house. Taking his pipe out and filling it with tobac. For minutes on end Jeff just stood there waiting for an explanation. Finally Esor spoke.
“The Sisters are the only women who can- no that’s not how to begin. I ‘spose how I should begin is with the name Thain Davern. The first Dragon Lord. And the last I guess I should add. He had no mother. No father either. He was not born, but created. The God Ryn’same made him, or at least that’s what the Sisters say. Gods I don’t know how to explain this.” Esor slumped against the wall.
“The Sisters are the only women who can use the same power as Thain. This power is called ‘The Power’. Now the Power Thain used is called ‘True Power’ because it is believed it is stronger than any other user of the Power. Do you understand? Good. Neither do I so far. Now Loraine is a Sister and a Seeker. A Seeker, or I ‘spose, the Seekers are a group of women who can use the Power but were assigned to guard and teach the Dragon Lord, or in the old tongue, Thail-saDorn. Now for whatever reason, all their studies, all their history reviews and what have you, has leaded to the conclusion the you are this Thail-saDorn. The Dragon Lord. Whether or not this is right is a different matter. I can not say this is right. You may be able to use the Power, but that doesn’t mean you are The Lord. The Lord had found men like himself who could use a portion of the Power, so he called them Tamers. Both Tamers of the Power, and of Dragons. Now since their hasn’t been a sighting of a dragon in over a thousand years, its highly unlikely that you are the Dragon Lord.” Jeff stared at him. God was he going to believe this nonsense as well?
“Esor, I am no Lord or Power user. I am simple Jeff Alkore. Not that complicated.” Esor raised a hand to quiet him.
“Now as for Josh being alive still, she used the Art of Healing. She healed the wound and without that Art he would have been dead. As for whatever she did to make you appear in front of us, I’m not sure. But I am sure she can explain all this to you much better. I have known Loraine for a long time, longer than you will ever know. She does not mean you harm in any way, but she will do what needs to be done. Listen to her, Jeff. Listen.” Esor started to walk away, but got mid-step when he turned around.
“If you want to my opinion, you very well could be Jeff Alkore. Nothing more. Or you could be the Dragon Lord, Thail-saDorn. It all boils down to the Great Game we play at. What side of the board are you on, Jeff?” With that he walked off, the same way Loraine had went. Leaving Jeff alone in the cold night. Alone, but determined. Jeff turned around and started the way they had come. He would check with Josh, that was the first and only thing that would need done until morning came. Which by the way the sky was lighting would not be very long.

****
Cody stared down at Josh who was asleep. Loraine had said it drained almost everyone who she had Healed. His pant leg was red with blood, but not a scratch could be seen on his leg. Or for that matter, his entire body. Not even the scar above his eye was there! It was, at beast, unbelievable. Now that he thought about it, the past two weeks were unbelievable. Light! So much had come and gone in that short span of time it made his head spin! Tom looked down at the dirt, nothing seen in his eyes or his face. Then, something about Jeff being a Lord of the Dragons? It was like a dream so real you couldn’t wake. Actually, that was life in a nutshell. A dream of events, one after the other. Then you woke in the Pit of Doom or the Gates of Windu. Life in a nutshell.
Josh groaned and Cody was there to help him up in a heartbeat. Tom grabbed the elbow of Josh and they sat him on a large rock. Josh’s eyes had a distant look to them, like he was there and not there at the same time.
“Why is it so cold.” It wasn’t a question, the way Josh said it.
“He is coming. He is displeased at their failure and he will kill all those who will not bend. He will be here by next moon. He is the First of the Ten.” Josh’s eyes were wild, almost not his own. Almost. Cody knew Josh was in there, somewhere. Gods, so much could only happen in one night!
“What in Hells Fire is going on! The Fir-” Tom stopped suddenly. Fear struck out in his face, a look a man like Tom should never had had to wear. Never.
“The First is a servant, like I told you boys the other day. But Gods! That was just a story! Not real life!” Tom sank and sat next to Josh, who was out again. Tom’s hands shook and Cody shivered. Not because of the cold or of all the things that happened that night. No, it was because of Tom. Poor Tom. What had the man done to deserver this? For that matter, what had any of them done? Sure, Josh gambled and occasionally the three stole food from an inn or Tavern, but Gods! They didn’t deserve this!
Cody could see the thin figure of Jeff approaching, the only light casting from what was left of the fire. A small crowd of maybe six or seven men stood by the remains of the inn including Jonathan. Cody gulped.
“What are we going to tell Jonathan?” The thought was quickly shoved aside. There were more important things to deal with right now, beginning with Jeff.
“The sun is coming out, possibly the best news we’ve had all night. Lets get Josh in to the barn. Its warmer there.” Cody helped Tom pick up Josh, but his eyes stayed on that distant figure of Jeff. He would get over the night. He had to.

****
Fire. Striking underneath his skin causing him to sweat. Coursed through his entire being, then abruptly stopped to give him a moments peace. Then ice shot at him. His fingers turned blue in an instant, then his wrist. He tried moving his arm and found he couldn’t. Gods! How much longer would this torture last! Again it stopped, only to pick up again with oceans of water. He found himself being tugged under the currents and try as he might to get to the surface he couldn’t. He screamed, but it was muffled by the water filling his lungs. Again it stopped, leaving Josh withering on the ground as his energy was sucked out of him. End it! Let it end, oh Gods above! He felt himself being picked back up, no doubt to start the cycle of pain over. But instead he found himself floating. A light in the corner of his vision beckoned to him. He tried to run for the light, anything to get away from wherever he was now, but found himself not getting any closer. But still he tried, pushing his legs faster and faster. Why was this happening to him?
“Because you are Jeff Alkore. Because you must die. Or bend.” Josh looked around himself and found the figure of a man standing to his right. The mans cloak hid the features of his face, but Josh could make out two fiery red eyes. Staring at him. Hating him.
“My name is not Jeff Alkore! I am Josh Woven!” The figure seemed taken aback for a moment. But it recovered quickly.
“Lies! How dare you lie to the greatest man on Erowand! You are the boy Alkore! You are the Dragon Lord!” His voice boomed and shook Josh. Josh got down on his knees.
“I am not Jeff! I swear on the Light!” The figure drew a sword. Its hilt was black, almost as black as the room itself. If that’s what Josh was in.
“If you are not Jeff Alkore, the Dragon Lord, then why does the blood of Ryn’same course through your veins?” The voice hissed. Josh felt like he was being turned inside out and outside in.
“Jeff Alkore if a friend of mine! Honestly I have no idea what you are talking-”
Josh gasped. Gods the fire had returned! He laid on his belly and slid like a snake in pain.
“We will meet again. When the sun does not rise, we will meet.” The shadowy figure sheathed its blade and vanished. Josh could feel something trickle down his throat. And he could hear voices. Distant, as if from far away.
“Josh! Josh, wake up boy!”



















PART TWO





BURNING
When Josh woke, he found himself staring up at a very familiar roof. The barn’s single window let in a stream of sunlight that warmed his face. Then in a flash he remembered the previous night. Quickly throwing aside the think blanket that covered his legs, Josh gasped. Not a mark could be seen. Yet somehow, Josh felt, that the mark no longer could be seen, but he would always feel it.
The worried faces of Tom, Cody and Esor all stared down at him.
“What happened? I could have sworn I was dead last night. Or, was it all a dream?” Esor shook his head sadly and Josh realized something very important he had failed to notice.
“Where… is he?” Mournful glances were traded among the group.
“We have no idea. All we know not is to wait, and that he is not dead.” Relived somewhat, Josh sat up and noticed no pain.
“What happened? Where are my scars?” Esor knelt down beside Josh and started to explain.
“Do you remember Loraine? She was a Sister of the Blood. She healed you of your past pains. Including last night.” Josh looked up into Esor’s unblinking eyes for a second.
“What do you mean ‘including lat night’? Nothing happened except Jeff running into that house that was burning.” Tom grunted loud and opened his mouth to speak. Esor stood and raised a hand to silence him.
“Some things are better left in the dark. For now. You do not need to know anything of it, except you are lucky to be breathing.” Cody winced, and offered a hand to help Josh up. Pushing the hand away, Josh leaped up.
“Well, whatever you are keeping from me is fine with me. I'm happy to be able to walk now without that pain in my legs now! Now where is Loraine so I can thank her?” Esor once again traded glances with Tom.
“Its probably better if you stay here. For now. At least until Jeff returns.” Reluctantly Josh shook his head in agreement. He did feel strangely tired.

****
Jeff sat in the dusty room of the Wondering Pony Inn. No doubt Loraine knew he was here, but thankfully she did not show up. Right now he needed time to think. Two days remained for his final answer. What was there to do? He could just forget this, but something in him told him he would regret it for some reason.
“I'm not this Dragon Lord! This is foolish!” But his other side argued almost instantly.
“You very well could be Jeff Alkore. But will you know unless you ask?” Gods! He needed time to think. More than what he had now. The chair he sat in was placed so nothing could distract him. He was fighting a battle. Not with himself, but at the same time with himself.
“It couldn’t hurt. At the very least, she would say again I’m the Dragon Lord and I would hear some lecture. Nothing more.” He stood up, feeling confident, when he felt a strong urge to sit back down.
“You are not the Dragon Lord! Or Thail-saDorn. What are you thinking? You don’t even know this woman! She might even be with the goblins who just attacked you!” Jeff put his head in his hands. Gods. Dear, dear Gods.
A sudden gust of wind threw open the room’s window and the sound of a busy Saturday morning filled his ears. Merchants crying out for someone to buy items that had no use. Children ran back and forth playing tag with each other. A gray and black cat with webbed feet sat on the roof of one house licking its paw.
“What?” Jeff moved closer to the window. The cat did have webbed toes. But what kind of cat had webbed feet? It’s body was curled up basking in the sun’s rays not caring for a thing that was going on below him. The cat stopped licking it’s paw momentarily to glance at him. Jeff could have sworn he saw the closest thing a cat could have to a smile.
“Well, I suppose you could be.” Jeff jumped halfway out of his skin and toppled the chair and a table. He looked around franticly looking for the source of the voice.
“Not to bright. No, not to bright.” Again Jeff looked around, hand on his sword. The door stayed lock. So the sound had to have come from out the window. Jeff relaxed and went to close the window. And lock it.
“Heh. What did you think that would do? Oh, I see. Well, better tell you a bit about Speaking.” Jeff realized he was holding his breath and let it out then sucked some more back in. Was he crazy?
“No, well, not yet anyway. My name is Scfait. Ugh. The cat, with the toes.”
Jeff spun around and saw the cat was no longer licking its paw but staring at him with sapphire eyes. Its tail Curled around its frail body. But, how was it talking to him? Even better, why?
“Because I chose to. Just like I chose the form of a cat. I can read your mind, that’s how I am Speaking to you. Telepathic you might say.” Jeff took a step back and bumped into the wall. A layer of dust fell from the walls.
“I'm talking to a cat. I must be insane.” Jeff sank to his knees and once again cupped his head in his hands.
“Fine, fine, fine. How about this.” Jeff looked up and to his horror the cat waved and changed into a brown hawk with the same eyes as the cat.
“What is going on!” Jeff moved for the door but stopped when he heard a slight rustle at his window. Turning around, he could see the hawk scraping its claws at the window trying to get in. Jeff shook his head.
“Fine, don’t let me in. I’ll let myself in.” The hawk waved again and started to change. A man stood on the window seal and he pushed the window open. He walked through the now open window and waved once again, changing back into the cat.
‘What are you?” Jeff drew his sword and pointed it at the cat, who sat licking its paw once more.
“What am I is a difficult question. Lets try who. I am, as I said, Scfait, meaning Sapphire Eyes in our tongue. More or less, I am a shape shifter. I can be anything I want, with one drawback. There is always something that throws me off. In the instance you saw, it was my feet. Webbed. If not for that, you wouldn’t know me from any other cat.” Jeff moved a step back and found himself against the door. Could he turn around fast enough to open the door and escape from this Scfait?
“No. You can’t. But you can try. But you won’t make it.” Jeff choked. How did he know what he was thinking?
“Ugh. You really aren’t to bright. True, true. I can tell what you are thinking. The same way how I can talk to you.” Jeff’s mouth hung open. What in Hell’s Fire was going on!
“Dear God boy! I thought the Dragon Lord had to be smarter than this. I am a shape shifter named Scfait. I am very real you buffoon. No this isn’t a dream and yes I am talking to you through your mind. I can take any shape I want, yes including human but I don’t want to be a human. So many emotions. In this form I care about nothing. Except, like all cats, myself.” Jeff hadn’t even said one word, yet the cat shape shifter read every thing he was thinking. How can he do- Jeff stopped himself as the cat rolled its two blue eyes.
“ok, so why are you-“
“Wasting my time with you? That’s a great question. One I will have to ask Loraine when I get a chance. Oh? You didn’t know she had assigned me to you did you? Well, that will be our little secret.” Jeff sheathed his sword, reluctantly almost. The woman Loraine had saved him, at the cost of almost killing him and Josh. Jeff shuddered.
“So tell me, what should I do? Go to Loraine and let her talk me into being this Dragon Lord, or,” Jeff stopped as the cat continued for him.
“Let you be yourself, Jeff Alkore and a fool at that.” Jeff growled. He almost called it a cat, if he hadn’t known better he would have said he was. Or, Jeff corrected himself, it. He wasn’t sure it was a he. It was just it.
“So, you want to my opinion? Fine, go to Loraine. She will not steer you wrong, although the path she expects you to take isn’t what I call safe, it is the right one.” Jeff stared down at his boots, feeling his heart sink. He knew he should take the things advice, but he really didn’t. Loraine had almost caused the death of him and his family, or the closest thing to a family after his real father.
“It is not advice, it is merely and opinion from a very old Shape Shifter. No, don’t ask. Even Loraine doesn’t know how old. Though, it wouldn’t matter I ‘spose if you knew. No, not at all.” Jeff nodded. But this heart knew other wise. He knew he shouldn’t. Or, was it him really? Or that tiny voice in the back of his head that screamed at him when he announced, “Fine, I will go. Go and tell Loraine where I am, please. Thank you.” Before Jeff had even got out half the sentence, the cat creature was prancing away towards the door, pausing for him to open it. Off it bound, to Loraine Jeff guessed. But to more than Loraine. More than Jeff could have ever expected. Or guessed. It was to the worlds only hope and Jeff’s with it.



****

The door opened suddenly and all the heads in the room swirled to see Jeff standing, head low and in a hard voice, announced to everyone, “I am going to go with Loraine. When she leaves, I am going with her. And all the trouble she has caused goes with her. Now, josh, how is your leg?” The sudden change in topic rattled everyone, but not as much as Cody.
“What do you mean your leaving? Without us? No, Jeff, you aren’t leaving without me and unless Josh changes his mind, he won’t stay behind either.” Jeff shook his head. He admired Cody’s friendship, even after last night, but he wouldn’t last three minutes where they were going.
“Cody, I'm sorry I really am. You can’t go with me. Nor can you Josh. Me and Loraine and a new friend are heading South, to the Red Desert. I'm not even sure she is in her right mind but she says it’s the only way. I leave tomorrow afternoon. Esor, your more than willing to come with me, only because you know Loraine. I'm sorry.” Jeff said more to himself than the others.
“Jeff, The farthest me or Josh has been away from Hisdamail was when we were kids. Now, if memory serves me right, the farthest you have been from Hisdamail, is when you yourself was a kid. Going to some desert hundreds of leagues away, is no worst for me or Josh than it is for you. You will have to bind my hands and feet, gag me, and lock me in a closet for me to not come with you.” Cody placed a hand on Jeff’s shoulder. Feeling a pang of guilt at the thought of leaving his two friends, Jeff stiffened.
“It’s up to Loraine. Not me. I would love if you two could travel with me to the Red Desert, no matter for how long. But I hadn’t expected to be here this long. I told Loraine I would be back soon. I will see you hopefully tomorrow, and if not you will know I left.” Jeff’s eyes watered slightly. He was glad Josh was ok, but he was also afraid. Afraid not of the dangers ahead, but of the powers Loraine wielded. To heal a wound like that and move people from one place to another in a flash?

[alkore]

Im back but not black. As you know about the book, I have rewritten it to Stonne of Arynth and will get right back on that. Ive moved 3000 miles away al the way to the Big State aka my home VA. The book should pick up pace soon. Mmany spanks.

[JGJTan]

Wooo Alkore you're back now!

Can't wait to read what else you've got in store for us.

[alkore]

Well all Im gonna try and start puttin my book back on here. lol its done now and Ill get the next 200 pages on here soon. Thanks for the support. Im hopin that within a year it will be on the bookshelf

[alkore]

Jeff walked slowly, his head pointed down. He bumped into a fat man with a red face who told him to watch where he was going, but Jeff didnt care. All that mattered was where he was going.

Jeff found himself in front of an old shoe store, closed down now but with the door wide open. He walked in and just stared at the collection of dust and papers on a desk. This would be the last time he'd see this. The last time he'd see any of his friends except for maybe Josh and Cody and maybe Tabor. This wasn't his life. He was no longer in control of his life. It was his! Not some dead patterns. Not some dead mans.

[Red Sentinel]

like the descriptions

[alkore]

Ive found over the course of these months my Language in the story has changed lol.

Jeff loss of all sense of time. Everything faded away from him except that one stool on the opposite corner of the room. he found himself sitting in the stool, unaware or just not carring of the stores rough foundation. Anything could have happened and he would have cared less.
Everything seemed unreal. Even his own name and voice seemed alinated. The only thing left for him was time. Time. Nothing else mattered but time. It raced by him in a flash...and crept by like sand in an hourglass.

Jeff stared at the people walking by the stores door in awe and fascination. It was like they had no concept of the world around them. No understanding that at any moment their lives could be ended by the slightest misstep. He desperatly wanted the same thing for him. He craved some escape from Loraine and Esor. Some passage. Anything that Time may bring him. But nothing came. Only the night. And the soon comming morning.

Jeff had forgoten how long he had sat there, and would still have been sitting if a slight rustle at the door did not capture his interest. Esor stood at the door, face grim and set waiting for Jeff. Waiting cause time to flow quicker. So Jeff merely stodd and watched Esor for minutes until he found the urge to vomit to strong. He turned over and emptied his already empty stomach on the ground before whipping it on his coat sleeve and standing up to leave.