PART 2
The inception.
A story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back to or from which to look ahead.
~Graham Greene
CHAPTER SIX
Let's go back to where it all started. To the time when sunshine and laughter was the order of the day, to the time when they knew any better. To the beginning.
****
The wooden window clanged against it's frame as the wind howled and raged outside.
"Hurry up Beeta, we're going to be late!" Aelfric shouted, grunting his frustration.
"But Itzel isn't feeling too well, I have to stay and look after her until ma gets back." Beeta was Aelfric's five years old younger sister. Aelfric and Beeta lived with their mother Aurelia in a little village called Winton which was north of Wivern's Rest citadel.
"Well in that case, I have no other option but to leave you and go. The festival has long started and I wager they are w
"Aelfric? Aelfric! Aelfric!" cried a loud shrill but excited voice. The call came from the front of the house. Young Aelfric who was cleaning the house on hearing his name turned to at the door." Ma!", he answered. His mother by this time had gotten inside."Oh my dear son, come here," She pulled him and hugged him tightly, released him and showered him with sloppery kisses."Awww, mum stop and tell me already. What's the excitement about?" He asked laughing and wiping the kisses off his face."Here." She handed him a letter. On the front of the letter was written, From Wivern Rest. He stared at the envelop in his hands quite confused about what to do."Come on now. Open it." She urged. The flap was already torn open but he opened it nonetheless, with shaking hands.Dear Aelfric,Your letter of application was gotten. Your level of enthusiasm and interest was with no doubt spewed all over your words in your letter. With this, I am pl
The Hostel room buzzed with activity at dawn. Arcus had not told him what time to meet Coldus on Prior street, so he readied himself and set out right away. It took him roughly thirty minutes to walk to his destination, which was near the fruit merchant's house. He saw the yellowish man packing his carriage, and glimpsed yet another man helping him. He approached the two busy men. " Good day Coldus, Master Arcus wishes me to visit Melses Farm today".Coldus looked up from packing some items into the carriage. " Already? you must be a quick learner Aelfric, usually takes them months to get a trip to the farm!". Aelfric's suspicions confirmed, he simply smiled and said, " Is that so?". "Can I help you with any of this?", he asked Coldus, gesturing to the carriage. "Just finishing up here, you climb on in," said Coldus.The carriage ride was rough but enjoyable. Aelfric learned that Coldus's friend was indeed his brother Dorthus, who also sold fruit on the other side of t
It has been two years since Aelfric got to wivern's rest. He had gotten to the level where he went for weeks to his routine patients visits without Arcus accompanying him. His teacher tagged along with him most times only to check up on patients he hadn't seen in a very long time or in rare cases, he went with Aelfric if the situation was complicated. It was a cool evening and Aelfric was done with his normal visiting rounds, he reported to Arcus's compound like he always does at the end of each day's work. He didn't bother to knock as he knew Arcus was already expecting him. Arcus was huddled over a desk in the corner of the room with a reading lantern and he was scribbling on a piece of paper in front of him. "Master Arcus, good evening." At the sound of his voice, Arcus caught off guard by it's sound almost fell off his chair. Aelfric rushed to him, he wondered why Arcus behaved that way. He looked more tensed, nervous even than usual. "Is everythi
At dawn, the five men assembled outside the inn on their horses and set for the journey into the wilderness. A few people gathered waved them goodbye and good luck. They traveled for hours before reaching the cave where the chimera lived.Everything worked according to their plan, and they captured the chimera and slew it; Aelfric collected some of the beast's blood in a Vail he brought along and then set off to find the hostages. A whimper led him to the farther end of the cave, and he saw all the women huddled in one corner.He foundSil. She is battered, bruised, and scratched, her clothing burned, and she is in rough shape. His eyes teared up when he saw her this Way. She was a bit taken aback when she saw him"Aelfric??" She asked, not believing her eyes."My love." Aelfric rushed and embraced her." I thought you were dead." He whispered into her hair."Oh, you came." She cried. She was looking at him the way she never had. She raised her
PART 3THE AWAKENINGOnce the soul awakens, the search begins and you can never go back. From then on, you are inflamed with a special longing that will never again let you linger in the lowlands of complacency and partial fulfillment. The eternal makes you urgent. You are loath to let compromise or the threat of danger hold you back from striving toward the summit of fulfillment.~John O'DonohueCHAPTER ELEVENShe could hear the hands of the nearby clock ticking. There was a cackling noise, probably from the modern fireplace warming the room. Someone was on the phone. It was a deep melodious male voice. Clair found the sound of it soothing.Strange."Yes Alice. Just for two weeks. I want you to shift all the meetings I'll be having till then, the ones that cannot be postponed, have Stanley stand in for me."A minute. Two minutes.
CHAPTER TWELVEClair woke sometime around dusk. She noticed that the room had a soft ambiance to it in the night. Instead of the conventional light bulb, there were light bulbs that shone as if they were candles. In all, it made the room look soft and comforting."I see you've woken." The voice caught her offguard as she was not aware that someone was with her."Mr. Silver. I didn't know...""Rick." He said cutting her short. " Call me Rick.""I don't think that's a...""I insist." Rick said, pinning her with his piercing eyes.The protest at the back of her throat died a rapid death. Lost in the crystal blue ocean that was his eyes. "Ok Rick." She said to appease him and he gave a small smile and nodded. She's never seen him smile but that smile as small as it was still lit up his face. At the moment, she wanted to see him smile more."You were going to tell me something?" He asked her."Hmmm?" Cl
The botanical garden was a real sight to behold. There was a full collection of all kind of plants, shrubs and flowers. Clair was sure she has never seen as much plants in one place in her whole life on this earth. The whole place looked like tourism material. Not having a vast knowledge about plants, Clair however did recognya few of them.There were azaleas and rhododendrons, lily ponds arranged in some a breathing sequence, dogwoods, and much more. Beside the pond, Clair could see an orderly arrayed line of tropical fruit pavilion, Montgomery Palmetum. There was also a giant waterfall exhibition at the center of the garden, the waterfall gave way to a water channel that veined the whole garden. The effect of the whole arrangement was nothing short of breathtaking. Clair was sure that jaw was already hitting the the floor. She couldn't wait to tell Hailey about the place. If only to appease her sister's anger, because angry she will be when Clair recounts the events o
It was almost a week since Sil spoke to Rick through Clair and since the beginning of the week, Clair barely saw Rick for more than ten minutes a day. He always left in the morning when she'd still be asleep and come back late at night only to say as much as good night before retiring to his own room. He'd instructed Todd to make sure she took her tea and keep an eye on her while he drove himself to work. She was beginning to feel like he was avoiding her but she wondered why.The day was almost over and she was bent on talking to him. She struggled to keep herself awake and when her eyes seemed drowsy, she went to wash her face. Just as she was about to give up and retire to her bed, She heard the door open. It was Rick.Ha! in your face sleepiness.Rick could see a silhouette beginning to stand a little distance in front of him but couldn't make out who it was. He stopped suddenly and switched on the light to see who it was. It was Clair."Why
It was almost a week since Sil spoke to Rick through Clair and since the beginning of the week, Clair barely saw Rick for more than ten minutes a day. He always left in the morning when she'd still be asleep and come back late at night only to say as much as good night before retiring to his own room. He'd instructed Todd to make sure she took her tea and keep an eye on her while he drove himself to work. She was beginning to feel like he was avoiding her but she wondered why.The day was almost over and she was bent on talking to him. She struggled to keep herself awake and when her eyes seemed drowsy, she went to wash her face. Just as she was about to give up and retire to her bed, She heard the door open. It was Rick.Ha! in your face sleepiness.Rick could see a silhouette beginning to stand a little distance in front of him but couldn't make out who it was. He stopped suddenly and switched on the light to see who it was. It was Clair."Why
The botanical garden was a real sight to behold. There was a full collection of all kind of plants, shrubs and flowers. Clair was sure she has never seen as much plants in one place in her whole life on this earth. The whole place looked like tourism material. Not having a vast knowledge about plants, Clair however did recognya few of them.There were azaleas and rhododendrons, lily ponds arranged in some a breathing sequence, dogwoods, and much more. Beside the pond, Clair could see an orderly arrayed line of tropical fruit pavilion, Montgomery Palmetum. There was also a giant waterfall exhibition at the center of the garden, the waterfall gave way to a water channel that veined the whole garden. The effect of the whole arrangement was nothing short of breathtaking. Clair was sure that jaw was already hitting the the floor. She couldn't wait to tell Hailey about the place. If only to appease her sister's anger, because angry she will be when Clair recounts the events o
CHAPTER TWELVEClair woke sometime around dusk. She noticed that the room had a soft ambiance to it in the night. Instead of the conventional light bulb, there were light bulbs that shone as if they were candles. In all, it made the room look soft and comforting."I see you've woken." The voice caught her offguard as she was not aware that someone was with her."Mr. Silver. I didn't know...""Rick." He said cutting her short. " Call me Rick.""I don't think that's a...""I insist." Rick said, pinning her with his piercing eyes.The protest at the back of her throat died a rapid death. Lost in the crystal blue ocean that was his eyes. "Ok Rick." She said to appease him and he gave a small smile and nodded. She's never seen him smile but that smile as small as it was still lit up his face. At the moment, she wanted to see him smile more."You were going to tell me something?" He asked her."Hmmm?" Cl
PART 3THE AWAKENINGOnce the soul awakens, the search begins and you can never go back. From then on, you are inflamed with a special longing that will never again let you linger in the lowlands of complacency and partial fulfillment. The eternal makes you urgent. You are loath to let compromise or the threat of danger hold you back from striving toward the summit of fulfillment.~John O'DonohueCHAPTER ELEVENShe could hear the hands of the nearby clock ticking. There was a cackling noise, probably from the modern fireplace warming the room. Someone was on the phone. It was a deep melodious male voice. Clair found the sound of it soothing.Strange."Yes Alice. Just for two weeks. I want you to shift all the meetings I'll be having till then, the ones that cannot be postponed, have Stanley stand in for me."A minute. Two minutes.
At dawn, the five men assembled outside the inn on their horses and set for the journey into the wilderness. A few people gathered waved them goodbye and good luck. They traveled for hours before reaching the cave where the chimera lived.Everything worked according to their plan, and they captured the chimera and slew it; Aelfric collected some of the beast's blood in a Vail he brought along and then set off to find the hostages. A whimper led him to the farther end of the cave, and he saw all the women huddled in one corner.He foundSil. She is battered, bruised, and scratched, her clothing burned, and she is in rough shape. His eyes teared up when he saw her this Way. She was a bit taken aback when she saw him"Aelfric??" She asked, not believing her eyes."My love." Aelfric rushed and embraced her." I thought you were dead." He whispered into her hair."Oh, you came." She cried. She was looking at him the way she never had. She raised her
It has been two years since Aelfric got to wivern's rest. He had gotten to the level where he went for weeks to his routine patients visits without Arcus accompanying him. His teacher tagged along with him most times only to check up on patients he hadn't seen in a very long time or in rare cases, he went with Aelfric if the situation was complicated. It was a cool evening and Aelfric was done with his normal visiting rounds, he reported to Arcus's compound like he always does at the end of each day's work. He didn't bother to knock as he knew Arcus was already expecting him. Arcus was huddled over a desk in the corner of the room with a reading lantern and he was scribbling on a piece of paper in front of him. "Master Arcus, good evening." At the sound of his voice, Arcus caught off guard by it's sound almost fell off his chair. Aelfric rushed to him, he wondered why Arcus behaved that way. He looked more tensed, nervous even than usual. "Is everythi
The Hostel room buzzed with activity at dawn. Arcus had not told him what time to meet Coldus on Prior street, so he readied himself and set out right away. It took him roughly thirty minutes to walk to his destination, which was near the fruit merchant's house. He saw the yellowish man packing his carriage, and glimpsed yet another man helping him. He approached the two busy men. " Good day Coldus, Master Arcus wishes me to visit Melses Farm today".Coldus looked up from packing some items into the carriage. " Already? you must be a quick learner Aelfric, usually takes them months to get a trip to the farm!". Aelfric's suspicions confirmed, he simply smiled and said, " Is that so?". "Can I help you with any of this?", he asked Coldus, gesturing to the carriage. "Just finishing up here, you climb on in," said Coldus.The carriage ride was rough but enjoyable. Aelfric learned that Coldus's friend was indeed his brother Dorthus, who also sold fruit on the other side of t
"Aelfric? Aelfric! Aelfric!" cried a loud shrill but excited voice. The call came from the front of the house. Young Aelfric who was cleaning the house on hearing his name turned to at the door." Ma!", he answered. His mother by this time had gotten inside."Oh my dear son, come here," She pulled him and hugged him tightly, released him and showered him with sloppery kisses."Awww, mum stop and tell me already. What's the excitement about?" He asked laughing and wiping the kisses off his face."Here." She handed him a letter. On the front of the letter was written, From Wivern Rest. He stared at the envelop in his hands quite confused about what to do."Come on now. Open it." She urged. The flap was already torn open but he opened it nonetheless, with shaking hands.Dear Aelfric,Your letter of application was gotten. Your level of enthusiasm and interest was with no doubt spewed all over your words in your letter. With this, I am pl
PART 2The inception.A story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back to or from which to look ahead.~Graham GreeneCHAPTER SIXLet's go back to where it all started. To the time when sunshine and laughter was the order of the day, to the time when they knew any better. To the beginning.****The wooden window clanged against it's frame as the wind howled and raged outside."Hurry up Beeta, we're going to be late!" Aelfric shouted, grunting his frustration."But Itzel isn't feeling too well, I have to stay and look after her until ma gets back." Beeta was Aelfric's five years old younger sister. Aelfric and Beeta lived with their mother Aurelia in a little village called Winton which was north of Wivern's Rest citadel."Well in that case, I have no other option but to leave you and go. The festival has long started and I wager they are w