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Chapter 8 "Up Above and Through"
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The Anointment Chapter 9 "Night Fires and Early Calls"
After days of near-ceaseless walking, the band of weary travelers had finally passed through the Relp Mountains. Descending the pass, gray clouds and a light rain-marred their first view of Semia. Everyone was soaked, their joints ached, and their tempers were short; however, Rylltòl was only a few leagues ahead so they took it to heart. The night was approaching so they tried to pick up their pace. The road leading to the city was wide and paved with light blue stones. The rainwater ran off the stones and into gullies along the steep sides of the two mountains they were walking between. As the gray skies of the day turned to black, with the coming of night, they saw an orange glow ahead of them building in size. They stopped and smelled smoke. There was no mistaking the signs: Rylltòl was in flames. “Curse it!” Myllyof shouted. “What can it be?” Jullious asked. “Let’s go and see.” The angry leader drew his sword and headed toward the city. As they got closer,
The Anointment Chapter 10 "Alone and in Trouble"
Yvayn awoke to water dripping on his face; he was not sure how long he had been asleep. Sitting up and looking around, he found he was alone. His head ached and his friends were nowhere to be seen. The rain had washed away clues to the trail he had taken from Rylltòl. From the gray sky, steady rain was still falling. The air was cold, and the winds were swirling around him. He had no idea which way was which, and he was hungry. He brushed himself off and was about to get up when he saw the broken sword lying on the ground. The rush of memories was more than he could handle; he began to weep and scream. The image of seeing his father killed was too much to bare. “Why?” The question rang through his mind. He was alone, and the rain began to come down even harder; it had already soaked his clothes. A thick mist surrounded him so that he could only see a short distance ahead. He bent down and picked up the pieces of the sword his father used to carry. He tucked them under his cl
The Anointment Chapter 11 "A New Friend"
According to Menian legend, it was said that the Narcoth army rode into battle against Raka on horses of tremendous size and stature. This did not enter Yvayn’s mind when he rounded a corner and came face to face with such a beast. His wanderings had taken him deep into the high mountains and farther to the East. He was nearing the Mondo River once again. The Mondo served as a division between Semia and Menia as it ran through the Relp Mountains, but it was not a border in the high mountains of Old Narcothia. The Mondo of this region was a wild, ravaging river that was continuously winding and bounding over great rocks and cliffs in its rough-cut bed. The beasts of this country were rugged animals used to climbing steep cliffs and endless rocky trails. They lived in small herds with the males often leading solitary lives wandering the nearly endless woods in search of females. The animal that Yvayn had come across was one such male of its species. The young traveler sto
The Anointment Chapter 12 "Mesnar"
The sun was well up when Yvayn finally rolled out of bed. He looked out his little window to the street below. A crowd had formed around Cliffhanger, but they were keeping their distance from the grunting stallion. Yvayn chuckled to himself. Suddenly he realized that he had slept the whole night without that awful nightmare. He almost felt guilty for being happy. That white horse had given him a sense of accomplishment that he had not felt before. “He led me here for something,” he said to himself. “I wonder what it is to be?” He put on his clothes and went downstairs and grabbed some bread and water before stepping outside. He stepped through the crowd to Cliffhanger who greeted him with his right foot scratching the ground. “Good morning to you too. So where do we go today?” Yvayn was rubbing the horse under his neck. The large horse padded the ground again with his right foot. “South…again?” Yvayn turned to the small crowd and asked them the name of their to
The Anointment Chapter 13 "The Acceptance"
A few days down the road, Yvayn found he was in the midst of what he supposed were the ruins, from Ernor’s description, of Kelna. He decided to rest at this place while things calmed down back in Shyr. He unpacked and settled in for the night. At dawn, Cliffhanger woke him with a gentle nudge. He appeared to be ready to go. “What is it, boy?” The young prince got up and stretched. It was then that he saw it. Looking out across the cool misty grass, he could see a beast with light golden hair, glistening almost white in the sunlight of the morning. Its mane flowed across its back, and it seemed to be alone, much like Yvayn. “A lion, Cliffhanger, there’s a lion over there.” He pointed, but the great horse already knew. “What should we do?” Yvayn picked up his sword and sheath. Then he packed Cliffhanger with the battle ax Ernor had given him and put the sword around his own waist. The young warrior was wearing the leather outfit the tailor had made for him. It would prote
The Anointment Chapter 14 "Assessing the Situation"
Part II The Guardian Termâs looked frantically for Yvayn and the Semians for most of the day. He felt guilty for letting Yvayn out of his sight. He was confused by all the events of the day before and was trying to sort things in his head like a good warrior always did before reacting. He knew that Myllyof was dead, and he knew Jullious was dead. But Velsusi…that was confusing him. He realized that Rylltòl would have been totally destroyed had it not started to rain during the night. He sat back and looked out the window of the building where he was hiding. Termâs had found a small shop that was not burned and slept in it. It was cold but at least he was dry. He listened very carefully before moving. The thought of one of those awful hairy sharp-clawed creatures getting him weighed on his mind. He could vividly remember the sight of Jullious being ripped apart. He never cared much for Myllyof’s guard bu
The Anointment Chapter 15 "Following the Enemy"
The road to Mano was rough for both young travelers. They followed the enemy, but guards or slow-moving creatures often were on the trail, cutting them off or making them work as a team to keep hidden. While Termâs could fight the large creatures quite well, their unpredictable nature of them was mentally fatiguing. The Beras pass was desolate and cold. Termâs and Cai were often buried in thick mists and light rain. Finding food was not such a problem. Because of the confusion created by the marching army, animals were easy prey. Sometimes appearing right in their path or already dead when they came upon them. After a long hard climb, they saw the vale that led to Mano. The sky had cleared some and the sun was a welcome warm relief on their aching legs and bodies. Evidence of the marching band ahead was all around them with footprints, bloody dead animals, and a kind of putrid smell like a dead skunk or a week-old slain deer festering in the sun. Termâs remembered the smell
The Anointment Chapter 16 "Quick, Quick, away..."
Termâs and Cai finally arrive in Tarpor after two long hard days of walking. They were both exhausted and sore. Termâs led them to an inn to rest. “Cai, you have to rest. I can get all we need, and you can get some sleep. I will look for supplies and some fresh food and better clothes.” “But I don’t want to be left alone.” “You have Sasha.” “But I want you to stay.” “Enough of this…you rest.” He was serious and helped her with her boots. “Maybe you can clean up a little.” “All right…” Termâs helped draw a warm bath for her by lighting a fire and getting a kettle of water. Then he left. He was gone for a long time. When he returned, he found her lying in her bed with Sasha. She was sound asleep. He did not light a lamp but settled down in his own bed to rest. They awoke with the sun shining brightly in their faces. Cai rolled over, but Termâs sat up. “Time to get up, sleepy.” “No!” She muttered from under her covers. Sasha was no
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The Anointment Appendix 1 and Appendix 2
Appendix 1 Clans at the Time of The Gathering*Ancient Clan Clan Leader LocationTorac Toran* Fëornir Cathar" Tared* Sacio (Myllyof’s brother) Myrmidar" Tyr Börnir DanlòsM’charon M’chuin* Toor Elear" M’char* Kéman Darnir" M’chak Owan SòlasVerion Veron Bouron Velara" Viraghon Menyr Ankar" V’ron Lucôs MenlenarGordar Goran Kelar Nolor" Gratar Dasea IV Nesmenia" Gor Eron Manar" Gronan Menrath III Nezea
The Anointment Chapter 22 "Burying the Dead"
By sunset, Termâs had searched most of the battlefield and had found no survivors. He started lining up bodies in rows for burial. He still did not know how he would bury all the dead as he stopped a moment and took a long look around. Twilight was settling in and the shadows were long on the field. His heart sank. His moment of reflection was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Termâs fell to the ground and got next to a corpse. The footsteps got louder and came over the hill. They seemed to stop just behind him. It sounded like several people, but he could not tell if they were friends or foes. He turned his head slightly and opened one eye. He could not see who it was or what it was. His heart was racing when he heard a voice. “Who laid out the bodies?” “I don’t know. I see no one alive.” Termâs thought he recognized one of the voices, but he could not be certain with his heart thumping so loudly. The two people moved again and were closer to him, but dark
The Anointment Chapter 21 “Battle of the Fire Würm”
On the ninth day of the siege of Ver Nooy, a messenger approached Termâs with some hopeful news. The message came from Gerdar, the capital of Lodor. “Termâs, sir.” “Yes?” “My name is Pyllar.” “Go ahead and speak, Pyllar.” Termâs was seated near a low fire, as were many others, wondering what to do. “Julla and Hélarion are on their way north with an army gathered from the far reaches of southern Menia. They will arrive here tomorrow.” Pyllar stood waiting for some kind of response from the young guard. There was none at first, just a blank stare. “That is good news.” Sacio nearly shouted. “Don’t you think so, Termâs?” Termâs was staring at the charred city. Evidently, the mountain trolls were standing guard on the South wall. “Look, Termâs,” Sacio continued, “we’ve stopped them here in Ver Nooy.” “Have we?” “It seems so.” “I am not convinced yet.” “Don’t they usually keep moving on?” “Yes…but Ver Nooy is a large city. The
The Anointment Chapter 20 "The Holy City"
The cold of night settled over Careath, and the air was especially frigid. A strong northwest wind blew leaves in the empty streets. A fire was crackling and popping in the great hall. Servants were bringing food to the tables of weary men who showed the face of battle. “Where are Termâs and Cai?” Saron sat down and looked at their empty spots. “They will be here soon.” Mia grinned. “Sorry, we’re late.” The two young ones came scampering in and sat down at the table out of breath. “Good to see you in one piece.” “Oh, hello, Erwaith. How are you?” “Good, and you?” He looked at Cai and grinned. “Fine…just fine.” As they talked, food and drink were served. Termâs stood up and rolled out several old maps. “We must go by land and sea.” “How?” Sacio was still dipping his bread in his wine. “We discussed this earlier…remember? You and I must follow the beasts and Erwaith can lead the others by sea to Ver Nooy. “I know, but what if t
The Anointment Chapter 19 "At the North Gate"
Mia was seated quietly in her chamber praying to herself. She found it was the one thing that brought comfort to her aching mind. She was interrupted by a knock at her door. “Who is it?” “Sorry to disturb you, my lady, but I have brought someone you should meet.” “Well, come in, my dear Enor.” Enor presented himself and then motioned for Lyora to enter the chamber. Mia turned around and stood up. Her black cloak hid her face. “Good morning to you, Enor. I should not be so rude.” “Good morning to you, my lady.” “Who is this young girl you have brought here today?” “You know I am not one for long introductions.” “Yes…” “Let me present to you, your daughter-in-law, Lyora.” The grieving widow froze in her steps. Enor stepped back as Lyora walked slowly forward. The young empress bowed deep and confident. She too was dressed in black. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mia, of the house of Ivlar.” Mia looked at the young girl, then a
The Anointment Chapter 18 "The Gathering"
A familiar glow of sunrise began to creep into the eastern windows of the hall. From his bed Termâs found himself looking toward the ocean listening to the ebb and flow of the relentless waves. Suddenly he began to realize why Yvayn so often sat by the sea. The soothing effect of the Plenar’s waves relaxed his troubled mind. While Careath slept, the ocean was easy to hear, as was the rush of wind over the waves. The view out of the south windows of the palace was impressive, but he had never before taken time to notice. The marble floor of the great hall was damp from the evening’s heavy dew. Servants had not yet awakened to wipe it clean for the day’s events. Stars were fading from sight. One remained clear over the open waters. Morning birds began to sing loudly as they searched for morsels of food. Hundreds of them flocked into the courtyard behind the palace. Morning glories were still blooming in the chilled air. The first frost had not yet come to Careath, but the cool
The Anointment Chapter 17 "The Imperial City"
Careath was a most welcome sight to the young guard. The flags still flew high and were stretched out firm in the afternoon ocean wind. Tall elms twisted in the stiff breeze and wind-sculpted pine trees blew wildly on the sandy banks. The docks were busy with commercial sea-ships. Gulls flocked above the ships looking for any morsel of food they might find. Pelicans stood on large wooden posts and watched the Silver Hawk pull into its spot. The crew scrambled to get the ship tied down. Men on the dock grabbed ropes and pulled them hard to slow the warship and settle it into the wharf. Erwaith called to the passengers announcing that they had arrived. Termâs came up loaded with his bags while Cai and Lyora followed with Sasha. Another crewman carried the ladies’ bags. “Erwaith?” Yes, Termâs?” “You will need to stay here in the dock. I have a feeling we are going to need as much help as possible.” Erwaith ran his hands through his long gray locks of hair. “
The Anointment Chapter 16 "Quick, Quick, away..."
Termâs and Cai finally arrive in Tarpor after two long hard days of walking. They were both exhausted and sore. Termâs led them to an inn to rest. “Cai, you have to rest. I can get all we need, and you can get some sleep. I will look for supplies and some fresh food and better clothes.” “But I don’t want to be left alone.” “You have Sasha.” “But I want you to stay.” “Enough of this…you rest.” He was serious and helped her with her boots. “Maybe you can clean up a little.” “All right…” Termâs helped draw a warm bath for her by lighting a fire and getting a kettle of water. Then he left. He was gone for a long time. When he returned, he found her lying in her bed with Sasha. She was sound asleep. He did not light a lamp but settled down in his own bed to rest. They awoke with the sun shining brightly in their faces. Cai rolled over, but Termâs sat up. “Time to get up, sleepy.” “No!” She muttered from under her covers. Sasha was no
The Anointment Chapter 15 "Following the Enemy"
The road to Mano was rough for both young travelers. They followed the enemy, but guards or slow-moving creatures often were on the trail, cutting them off or making them work as a team to keep hidden. While Termâs could fight the large creatures quite well, their unpredictable nature of them was mentally fatiguing. The Beras pass was desolate and cold. Termâs and Cai were often buried in thick mists and light rain. Finding food was not such a problem. Because of the confusion created by the marching army, animals were easy prey. Sometimes appearing right in their path or already dead when they came upon them. After a long hard climb, they saw the vale that led to Mano. The sky had cleared some and the sun was a welcome warm relief on their aching legs and bodies. Evidence of the marching band ahead was all around them with footprints, bloody dead animals, and a kind of putrid smell like a dead skunk or a week-old slain deer festering in the sun. Termâs remembered the smell
