A Fury of Fire & Ice

Chapter 13

“There is only one way to awaken the galdur sleeping inside of your body,”
Derry began, “And that is to wake it up with traumatic stress to the body.”
Abroxus started to get a little worried about what he was getting himself into,
but he knew that he wanted to do this—needed to do this.

“To put it bluntly,” Tutrix continued, “We're going to chop off your hand.”
“Wait, what?!” Abroxus took a step back and slipped. He landed hard on
the ground staring up at Tutrix and Derry.
“You won't be conscious when it happens, so it shouldn't hurt a bit,” Tutrix
helped Abroxus up to his feet. “And it won't be gone forever. After I cut it off, I'll
sew it back on with my own magical ability. It'll be like it never left your arm in
the first place.”
“Knowing all of this, do you still want to go through with it?” Derry asked
in her gentle voice.
Abroxus's brain was yelling at him to run far away, or at least say “no,” but
he had that feeling again. It wasn't a bad feeling, but more like a eager
sensation. Abroxus might have thought it over more had he not felt so strongly
about becoming an influencer.
He still wasn't sure why he wanted to learn magic so badly, all he knew
was that it was something he was willing to do anything to learn.
“Absolutely!” Not a hint of doubt in his voice.
Tutrix used the herbs they had in the garden to create some sort of
sleeping potion. Tutrix said he wanted to get this done today so that Abroxus
could rest that night.
It was finally time to begin.

~51~

~

Abroxus took a sniff of the potion and gagged. It smelled like raw sewage.
“How is that even possible if you just made it with herbs from the
garden?”
“Stop asking about it and drink it!”
Abroxus plugged his nose and and drank the whole bottle. Within seconds,
Abroxus was out cold.
They gave it twenty seconds to make sure it took its full effect before Tutrix
started. The process was long and gruesome, but when it was done, Tutrix and
Derry were satisfied with the results.
A common defining feature of an influencer was the stitches on their left
wrist. Of course, they weren't always in this spot, but most people who chose to
become a wizard cut it there as a sign to the others of who and what they were.
It became a common trend known by just about every influencer out there.
Abroxus's stitches wrapped his left wrist. Each stitch was evenly spaced
and close together. Since the thread was infused with galdur, they would stay
that way forever and could never be broken by natural causes.
The next morning, Abroxus woke and shot up immediately. He grabbed his
wrist with his other hand to make sure it was still there. He slowly revealed the
stitches to himself in utter amazement. Abroxus studied the stitches from just
about every angle and practiced making a fist with his left hand. It worked just
like before.
Tutrix wasn't kidding when he said it'd be like nothing happened! This is
incredible.
Abroxus's door creaked open and Derry popped her head inside.” Oh,
good, I'm glad you're awake. Breakfast is ready.”
Abroxus loved to hear Derry's motherly voice—especially after waking up
fearing his hand was gone.
He got out of bed and walked out to the dining area. There, Tutrix and
Derry were sitting at the table waiting on him. On the table in front of Tutrix was
a pair of gloves and bandage wraps.
Abroxus had never really noticed before, but Tutrix's stitches were on his

~52~

right hand and Derry's were nowhere to be seen.
Where are her stitches? I know she can use galdur.
Abroxus pulled back his chair and sat down at his plate. Just when Abroxus

was going to ask Derry where her stitches were, Tutrix cut in.
“Which do you prefer, Abroxus? Gloves or wraps?”
“What are they for?”
“They're for you, knucklehead! You can't just waltz around town with your

stitches showing, everyone will know you're an influencer!”
“O-Oh, yeah, right. Uh, I guess I like the gloves, then”
“Good choice!” Tutrix tossed Abroxus the pair of gloves and began to chow

down on his meal.
Abroxus tried them on to be sure they fit. Not only did they fit beautifully,

but they were also very comfortable.
“But wouldn't it be weird to walk around with gloves on in the

summertime?” Abroxus inquired as he slid off the gloves and picked up his fork.
“Normally, it would be, you're right,” Derry started to answer, “But it

would be perfectly normal if you were an archer with a bow at your side.”
“She's right. The only reason gloves are an option for you is because you

have a viable excuse for them. These gloves will be useful for hiding your
identity and for keeping your fingers from bleeding.”

Abroxus looked down at his hands. There were scars and scratches
wrapping around his forefinger and middle finger. When he would practice, the
feathers and wood on the arrows would scratch his fingers when he released.
He never thought about wearing gloves to prevent that, he just thought it was
how it was supposed to go when you practiced a lot.

“That makes sense, I guess.” Abroxus decided he wanted to stop talking
and eat, so he did just that.

“So, my student,” Tutrix drank the last of his water and sat back in his seat,
“When shall we begin?”

~53~

Chapter 14

While Derry worked in the garden, Tutrix and Abroxus sat at the table with
a bowl of water in front of them.

“Before we start, I'm curious to know,” Tutrix glanced at Abroxus, “If you
were given the choice, what type of galdur would you like to have?”

There was a pause. Abroxus sat crisscrossed in his chair and looked into
space as he pondered the question.

There was a long silence before Abroxus finally answered.
Abroxus let out a disappointed sigh, “I don't know.”
Tutrix nearly fell out of his chair. He steadied himself and asked, “What do
you mean?”
“I mean, they all sound great to me. I can't bring myself to choose one.”
Tutrix let out a lighthearted laugh. Abroxus wasn't sure what was so funny,
but he did like to see the old man laugh.
After finally calming down, Tutrix wiped the tears from his eyes and said,
“Well, you sure will make a fine influencer, boy, with that attitude.” Abroxus
smiled at the thought. “Let's find out what type of galdur you got, kiddo. Put
your hands on the sides of the bowl and concentrate on nothing but the water.”
Abroxus did as he was told and concentrated on the water. In a matter of
seconds, the bowl was turned into solid ice. Abroxus moved his hands away due
to his natural reflexes, but he quickly turned to Tutrix to see his reaction.
“Incredible!” Tutrix gasped, astounded. He stood up and ran to the door.
“Derry, come see what this green-eyed carrot just accomplished!”
Derry dashed into the house and stared at the bowl. Her eyebrows flicked
up and she grinned. Derry ran over and hugged Abroxus, picking him up out of
his chair and squeezing the life out of him. His face was blue when she finally let

~54~

go of him. “I'm so proud of you, Abroxus!”
“Is it really that great?” Abroxus shrank back in an embarrassed motion as

his face flushed red.
“Of course! Not many children your age can handle being an influencer—

let alone managing to completely freeze the water like that on their first try!
Well, done!” Tutrix patted him on the back and Abroxus grinned. “But enough
flattery, time to practice speaking with your ice galdur.”

Derry gave Abroxus another hug and went outside, her last words being,
“Tonight, we're going to have your favorite stew to celebrate!”

“As impressed as I am with your performance, you still have a long ways to
go. But you will be going that way with your galdur, so you probably ought to
learn how to talk to each other. Sit on the floor, legs crisscrossed, for your first
attempt.” Abroxus sat crisscrossed on the floor in front of the couch and
awaited directions. “This might sound strange, but you need to go to you 'quiet
place' in your mind. Stay there for a while until you hear a voice. Then respond
to that voice. After that, you'll get to meet your galdur 'in person' so to speak.”
Tutrix pull a book off the bookshelf and sat down in his comfy chair. He told
Abroxus to begin and peeled open his book.

My “quiet place?” Okay...? I guess I'll give it a shot.

~
The room was a blinding white.
Abroxus shielded his eyes and tried to look around.
He was alone. He attempted calling for his galdur, but his voice wouldn't
work.
This is just like when I was in the lighthouse, except back then, everything
was pitch black.
Abroxus remembered what Tutrix told him, and he waited. He sat
crisscrossed on the ground for ten minutes, but no voice could be heard.
Is it possible that I don't have a galdur? No, that can't be. I froze the water
with my bare hands. So, what's taking this guy—or girl—so long.
A few hours passed and not a sound was made.
I wonder what they look like—these magical beings. That is,if they even

~55~

exist. Could Tutrix have told me to do this just so he could get some peace and
quiet? I can be quiet, he didn't have to trick me into staying here by myself for
hours!

In his frustration, Abroxus stood up and went back into the conscious
world. When he looked over, Tutrix had finished reading two books and was on
his third.

“Did you meet 'em?” Tutrix asked, not even looking up from his book.
“No.”
“No? Then why are you here? Go back and keep waiting.”
Abroxus walked over to Tutrix and glared at him. “If you wanted me quiet,
you only had to ask.”
“What are you talking about?” Tutrix queried, folding the corner of his
book and placing it on the side table.
“I sat there for hours, perfectly still and quite, and I didn't hear a single
peep from anything except my stomach.”
Tutrix chuckled, “Yeah, I heard that. C'mon, I fill you up with food. And
don't worry, I wasn't trying to get rid of you. Your galdur is probably just shy.
Give 'em time.”
Abroxus was still steamed, but he gave in when his stomach growled again.

~56~

Chapter 15

The next day, Abroxus tried again to contact his galdur, and once again, he
failed.

Abroxus begged Tutrix to let him skip that part and go straight to learning
spells, but he refused to teach Abroxus any spells or charms before he had
successfully introduced himself to his galdur.

Abroxus was becoming impatient, so Tutrix decided to share his deepest
secret with him.

“You see,” he began, “Derry and I, thirty years ago, we drank from the
Fountain of Immortality.” Abroxus couldn't believe it, in fact, he was going to
testify, but Tutrix continued with his story. “It wasn't on purpose, of course.
Thirty years ago, Derry and I were an amazing, adventuring, influencer couple.
We caught word of the Fountain of Youth being near Yggdrasil—the world's
capital—and we set off to find it. When we found this legendary place, we were
met by a young boy who claimed to be the guardian of the Fountain. He claimed
to have been five thousand years old, which of course, seemed unbelievable.
But Derry and I managed to pin him down, away from the fountain. He put up a
good fight for a kid, though. The fountain was just a goblet filled to the brim
with this magical water. Derry and I drank it, but just before it hit our lips, the
boy cried out a final word of warning, 'If you drink that,' he said to us, 'this land
will become dull to your human eyes, and your words will cease to have
meaning as history repeats its mistakes! Drink that, and your human greed and
hatred, those holes in your hearts, will remain empty!'”

“What happened?” Abroxus asked, now intent on hearing this story
through.

“We drank it anyway. We were youngish. But when we drank it, we did not

~57~

become young. No, we became immortal. From that day all the way 'till now,
Derry and I have not aged a day, and we never will. We are unable to die, and
unable to live.”

“Was he right?” Abroxus looked at Tutrix, confused, “Are you unhappy?”
Tutrix chuckled to himself, “No, no, we're not sad. But I will say for both of
us, that you have made our lives a bit brighter.”
Abroxus flushed red. He didn't know what to say.
“Now, how about you try contacting your galdur again?”
Abroxus groaned. “Can we learn something else—just for today!”
“Alright, but only for today!” Tutrix patted Abroxus's head.
“Right! Thank you, Tutrix!”
Abroxus attempted it three days in a row with no luck. So, as a
compromise, Tutrix taught Abroxus the ins and outs of the “Magic Wheel.”
The Magic Wheel is what most galdur influencers use when figuring out
what type of magic they should learn.
“Just like artists use the Color Wheel, influencers use the Magic Wheel,”
Tutrix described. “The four inner circles are the four basic elements, which can
be used as magic itself.”
Tutrix pulled out an old picture of a Magic Wheel to show to Abroxus.
There were four big circles that overlapped each other and there were two
smaller circles corresponding to their respective element.
On the two smaller circles connected to water were “ICE” and “MIST.”
Connected to fire was “LIGHT” and “LIGHTNING.” Likewise, earth had “LIFE” and
“SAND,” and wind had “SOUND” and “STORM” connected to it.
“It is easiest to learn the magic on the same side and on the opposite side
of the wheel as where your galdur is.” Abroxus gave a confused look. “Meaning,
since you have an ice galdur, it'll be easier for you to learn the types of water
and earth magic than it would be for you to learn fire or wind magic—not to say
it's not possible, just difficult.”
After Abroxus asked his questions and gave his comments on the Magic
Wheel, Tutrix told him it was time he tried to contact his galdur again.
Abroxus sat down and went into his quiet place. He stayed there all night
and until noon the next day. Even through all of that, he still couldn't manage to

~58~

reach his galdur. Although he was frustrated, Abroxus wasn't about to give up.

~

“Any luck, yet?” Derry asked Tutrix while Abroxus sat crisscrossed on the
floor.

“Nope. He can't seem to draw out his galdur with his presence alone. We
might have to try a different tactic.”

“I see. Are you really willing to take him back there just to meet with his
galdur?”

“When he gives up, I will, too.”

~

Abroxus wanted to try something different this time around.
He decided not to go to his “quiet place.” Instead, he went to a space he
had only ever gone to once before. He named it the “dark space” since no other
name really seemed to suit it.
When Abroxus was stuck in the lighthouse, his mind was sent to a dark
area. Everything around him was pitch black and he couldn't speak. He was
alone, but he felt like there was something there watching him. Because of his
state of mind at the time, he didn't think anything of it. But this time he needed
to get there on his own and find whatever was watching him.
Because it's possible that it was my galdur trying to speak with me.
Though, I'm not sure how that could be since I hadn't woken it—er, I mean,
them yet. But I guess it's worth a shot.
Abroxus attempted going into the dark space for two hours until he
eventually went to his last resort.
He was going to have to go back to the lighthouse and remind himself of
everything that had happened. When he mentioned the idea to Tutrix and
Derry, they weren't convinced that it was a good idea just yet. So as a
replacement, he went there in spirit. In his mind he took himself back to the

~59~

lighthouse on May 13th. He could smell the smoke and see the light of the
burning houses through the tiny opening. He remembered what he had been
thinking when it happened, Why am I not down there helping them? Why am I
so useless?

He did it. Abroxus managed to bring himself to the dark space, as he had
before.

There's that feeling again. Someone's watching me...
Abroxus stood up and walked around in the endless nothingness he was
surrounded by. He could hear footsteps that were not his own. He twirled to see
from whom they emanated.
Walking towards him was a tall and lean man. He was wearing a black,
beaten, and worn long coat that accompanied his tall black boots and dark
colored pants. His shirt underneath the coat was a dark grey. The most
outstanding feature was his hair. Similar to Takeshi's, it was long and white. The
majority of it was pulled back in a hair tie, but the hair too short to be pulled
back dropped over his eyes, covering his expression.
He stopped in front of Abroxus. His presence was overwhelming. Abroxus
would have stepped back if he wasn't paralyzed by the pressure looming over
him.
Abroxus didn't dare look him in the eye. He was afraid of the horrors that
might await him there.
But there was a voice. This man could speak in the area Abroxus could not.
He told Abroxus, “I've been awake for a while. Why is it that you haven't come
to see me, old friend?” his voice was steady, but somehow ragged.
Abroxus didn't realize the man was talking to him. So he just stood there
and took note of the things he saw. The man wore belts across his chest—it
could be that he once hung bullets on them. He also saw that his hands were
encased by gloves. However, peeking through towards the top of his forearms,
bandages were visible. Has this man been through a war?
The man paused and looked down at Abroxus. “So,” he placed a hand on
Abroxus's head, “It seems you don't remember me, after all.”
Abroxus slowly drifted his eyes towards the man's face. When their eyes
connected, Abroxus was no longer afraid. He felt the warmth you would feel

~60~

from an old friend. This man's eyes were crystal blue and his skin was pale.
Abroxus opened his mouth to speak, he hesitated. The tall man knelt down

and was now level with Abroxus. “My-” Abroxus was having a bit of difficultly,
but at least he could speak, “My name is Abroxus.”

The man held out his hand, “My name is Fryst.”
Abroxus took Fryst's hand, “I-I'm glad I finally got to meet you, Fryst.”
“Yes, it's good to finally meet you, too, Abroxus.”
Abroxus shook hands with his galdur, and a promise of partnership, of
friendship, was sealed.

~61~

Chapter 16

“You met him? Really?” Tutrix asked Abroxus in disbelief.
“I'm proud of you, Abroxus,” Derry told him as she finished preparing
Abroxus's favorite meal, potato soup.
“Yeah! He was kinda intimidating at first, but he's actually pretty cool, no
pun intended.”
“I see, well done, Abroxus. But how did you manage to do it?” Derry
placed a bowl in front of the guys and Tutrix picked up his spoon.
“Oh, uh,” Abroxus didn't want to tell them that he went to the dark space
because he thought that they might worry about him. “I just did like you told
me, and I waited.”
“Is that so...?” Tutrix wasn't sure if he should believe him or not, so he just
left it as it was and began to devour his dinner. Abroxus followed along, right
behind him.
That night, when Abroxus went to bed, he went back into the dark space,
which became much easier to enter, and started to seem less dark.
“Fryst, I'm here!” Abroxus called out into the emptiness.
The tall figure appeared out of the shadows. “Hello, Abroxus.”
“So, uh, Fryst?” Abroxus sat down, crisscrossed, already comfortable in
Fryst's presence.
“Yes?” Fryst joined him on the floor.
“You said I had forgotten about you, what did you mean by that?” Abroxus
queried.
Fryst looked out into the void, “You could say I knew you in your past life.”
Abroxus was stunned. Me? Having a past life?
He was going to question it, but he decided he'd hold off until later. So

~62~

instead, he asked more questions about Fryst: “How old are you?” “How many
people have you been the galdur of?” “Is it possible for you to be the galdur of
multiple people, not including past lives?” “What happens to you when your
host dies?”

“I've lost count of my age. Your years and mine are quite different. I have
been the galdur of one person, being all of your past lives. So, no, being the
galdur of multiple people is not possible as far I'm aware. And when my host
dies and there is no immediate reincarnation, I stay in this space until the
presence of my new host appears. It may be different for others, however.”

“Wow,” Abroxus could hardly believe what he was hearing. “How long did
you have to wait until I showed up?”

Fryst took a moment to think. “Around three hundred years.”
“Three hundred?!” How is that possible? Is that really how long it takes to
reincarnate? “So you were here all by yourself for three hundred years?”
Fryst nodded.
“Were you lonely?”
Fryst looked surprised. He wasn't expecting a boy he just met to be so
concerned over his happiness and well-being. Then again... He is your
reincarnation, Trygg. The resemblance between the two of you is uncanny.
Fryst looked over to Abroxus, to the naive little elf sitting beside him. It
made him wonder what was going on in the little boy's mind. How could a child
who's gone through so much hardship still have such a warm heart? He seemed
to have grown quite attached to the boy.
“Yes,” Fryst admitted, “I was.”

~63~

Chapter 17

As the days passed, Abroxus learned the many techniques involved with
mastering magic with his galdur. Some involved sitting inside a waterfall with
the heavy water beating down on his back, while others had his nose shoved in
a spell book.

Abroxus's favorite part of the learning process was being with Tutrix, Derry,
and Fryst. They kept him happy through the years. Abroxus learned about all the
water spells and most of the earth spells faster than Tutrix had ever seen before.

For most influencers, 10 - 15 years was the normal amount of time it
would take to master their easier elements, but Abroxus mastered them in
eight.

It was early May, and Abroxus's seventeenth birthday was just a day away.
He still carried with him the scars of the past, but with his new family, Tutrix,
Fryst, and Derry, he managed to carry on.

However, his hatred for the tyrant Duke Wallis continued to grow as the
attacks on innocent people, his people, grew throughout the years. Abroxus was
finally sick of it, and better yet, he was strong enough to do something about it.

~

“Well, what should we do? He's not old enough to leave yet, is he?”
Abroxus lingered in the hallway, listening to Derry and Tutrix arguing. He was
going to train, but he was stopped when he heard Tutrix say his name in a very
serious tone.

“Age has nothing to do with it. He's strong enough to leave, for sure! I've
taught him all I can about spells and his galdur, and you've taught him

~64~

everything he needs to know about hand-to-hand combat. And his archery is
phenomenal! We should let him go out and earn his way through the world.
He'd make a mighty fine adventurer.” Tutrix seemed set on letting Abroxus be
independent, but Derry wasn't ready to let go just yet.

“No! He's too naive, the real world will chew him up and spit him out! He's
just like how he was eight years ago, I can't let him go!” Derry's voice changed to
a whisper, “And besides,” Abroxus took a step closer. “You've seen that look he
makes when he thinks no ones around. He's still hurt we can't just-”

“I appreciate your compassion,” Abroxus stepped into the light, “But I can
speak for myself now.”

Abroxus was now six feet and three inches tall. His clothes now rimmed
with gold instead of silver, and his bow hung on a hook attached to his pants on
his left hip. His quiver rested on his right calf, even though Derry told him it do
more harm there than good. Abroxus seemed to have found a way to walk with
it there comfortably without the arrows spilling out.

“But-” Derry tried to protest, but she knew she couldn't win anymore.
“I'll be heading out for Ikenstroth tomorrow, if that's okay. So how about
today, you and I go there now to scope out the place?” Abroxus grinned his
childish grin.
Derry began to cry as if her own son was going off to war. Abroxus didn't
like seeing her cry one bit. He walked over and gave her a sincere hug. He kissed
her head, as any son would do, and wiped away her tears. She nodded in
agreement and Abroxus and Derry started off to Ikenstroth. Tutrix didn't ever go
because he was too noticeable, so he stayed home and picked up the place.
While on the way, Abroxus reassured Derry that he'd visit whenever he
was near. And he promised to make it up to her by bringing her her favorite
flowers every time. She loved Nasturtiums as their meaning in the language of
flowers is “Victory in Battle.”
As they walked down the small path that led to Ikenstroth, Derry decided
to tell Abroxus the meanings behind all the flowers they passed—which just so
happened to be a lot.
They passed by twenty-eight different species of flowers on their way to
Ikenstroth, which was odd since on previous trips, they had only counted ten.

~65~

They spotted: Magnolias, Poppies, Violets, and more. But the most
frightful was the twenty-eighth flower they saw as they made their way into
town, Monkshood. Abroxus of course thought nothing of it until he saw Derry's
face.

“What's wrong?” Abroxus inquired.
“It's just that,” her voice trialed off. Abroxus never really thought of Derry
to be someone who'd believe in such superstitious nonsense.
“They're just flowers, Derry.” Abroxus tried to reassure her it was nothing,
whatever it was.
“Through all my years, the flowers around me have never lied. You should
learn the language of the flowers, they might just save your life one day. They've
saved mine plenty of times,” Derry put a hand on Abroxus's shoulder to stop
him. “Abroxus,” her voice in a low and warning whisper, “Do you know what
Monkshoods stand for?”
“No. Are they bad?” Abroxus was very relaxed about the situation, since
he never understood flowers or girls' obsession with them.
“They mean a dangerous enemy is near, Abroxus. Keep your guard up this
time around, okay?” Abroxus nodded in confirmation and smiled.
“Don't worry, you and I can handle anything that throws itself in our way!”
His confidence shone through with every syllable. Derry sighed and gave up
trying to convince him to be serious.
Abroxus and Derry toured around Ikenstroth, even though they had been
there hundreds of times. Abroxus bought her lunch in a small cafe and were
heading home when Abroxus felt uneasy.
Something's not right. I feel like we're being watched and not in a good
sort of way.
Abroxus reached his hand out to Derry and was going to warn her, but it
was too late.
The sound of thunder rang out through the city of Ikenstroth. Civilians
scattered in all directions as they saw the smoke drift up from the silver pistol.
Derry fell to the ground and her crimson blood began to blend with her
scarlet hair. The scene looked like that of a painting, but Abroxus was infuriated
to find that it was indeed real.

~66~

He was frozen in time. Abroxus stared down at Derry's beautiful and pale
body now being soaked by her own blood. He turned around with deathly
stillness.

Abroxus's emerald eyes cut through the evil man standing ten yards away
from him. The man stood, staring at Abroxus. He had short, black hair and wore
a Captain's uniform. That man was working for the Duke.

Rage swept though Abroxus. His breathing slowed and his vision narrowed.
His eyes began to glow a bright green and he felt the air around him start to
cool.

Derry, who was only half-conscious watched as petals from an abandoned
flower cart drifted through the tense air. They were variegated tulips meaning
beautiful eyes and she thought of Abroxus.

Abroxus had no thought. He felt the air change around him and he knew
he was going to kill the man standing in front of him. Abroxus was shaken from
his reverie by a strong hand squeezing his shoulder.

“Abroxus, get out of here. Right now.” Tutrix had appeared out of thin air.
Abroxus looked down at Derry and back at the man across from them.
“Now, Abroxus!” Abroxus wasn't used to hearing Tutrix yell, so he
reluctantly did as he was told.
The mysterious man said into the wind, inaudible to any creature even a
foot away from him. “We'll meet again, Ice Wizard.” Abroxus stopped in his
tracks, he could hear him clearly.
Tutrix was carrying Derry in his arms and turned back to find Abroxus still
standing in the same spot. He was going to yell for him, but stopped when he
saw his eyes. There was a mixture of rage and agony. His eyes were glowing and
ice crawled up his forearms.
Tutrix's suspicions were right, after all.
Abroxus whipped his head around, the man now inches from his face. “I
know what you are,” he smirked, “Those eyes of yours will give you away every
time. You're more human than elf, but you're more beast than human.” His body
began to disappear into flames, “If you really want to save your country, your
people, and your family, then you'll meet me at the Colosseum in East Elm's
capital tomorrow tonight.”

~67~

Before Abroxus could react, the man was gone.

~

Abroxus grabbed the satchel that Derry made him and began to stuff only
his important belongings inside.

“Abroxus,” Abroxus rummaged through his room looking for one last item.
“Abroxus. Abroxus!”

Abroxus stopped and looked over to Tutrix who was giving him a
concerned look. The room fell silent.

“I can't allow you to leave with the way things are right now. It's too
dangerous.” Tutrix and Abroxus stared into each others eyes for a minute before
another word was spoken.

“I'm leaving,” Abroxus stated plainly, “He won't get away with this.” Tutrix
lowered his head.

“You stubborn child. I swear, if I don't kill you, you'll get yourself killed.”
Another silent moment fell upon them. Abroxus opened his sock drawer and
finally found what he was searching for, his sister's bracelet.

Abroxus wore Ellie's bracelet on his right hand until it cut off circulation to
his fingers. That was two years ago. Tutrix had to cut the bracelet off his hand
and use magic to glue it back together. Now Abroxus has a scar where the
bracelet rested on his right wrist, and stitches on his left.

Abroxus gently placed the bracelet into his satchel.
Tutrix handed Abroxus a spell book. It was a sacred book that Tutrix had
forbade Abroxus from reading. It was “too advanced” for him.
Abroxus hesitated.
“Go on, before I change my mind.”
Abroxus put the four-inch-thick book into his satchel and walked into
Derry's room.
Tutrix had used magic to keep her from dying, but he said it would be best
if she healed on her own.
It was Friday, May 13th, the date of Abroxus' birth. It was also the date his
family was murdered and his world changed forever. And now it was the day

~68~

Abroxus left his newfound family for adventure and vengeance.

~69~

Chapter 18

Abroxus stopped at a bulletin board sitting in town square. His hood
covered his face and features, that was the compromise he had to make with
Tutrix in order to leave.

On the board were help wanted, lost pets, and circus fliers. But three
newly pinned faces were on the board, covering over several posters.

“WANTED”
There were wanted posters of Tutrix, Derry, and Abroxus. There was a
picture of all three of them and the amount each of them were worth. Tutrix
was worth 700,000 gold coins, Derry's bounty was 500,000 gold coins, and
Abroxus 's bounty was 100,000.
What awful deed did those two do to get such a hefty price put on their
heads?
Abroxus's mind wandered back to Fireball.
Has it really been eight years, already? His head drifted up to the sky and
Abroxus took in the fresh air. I wonder what you would've done if you were in
my place back then. I wonder what you would do now, what you would say was
the right thing to do?
“Well,” Abroxus accidentally said aloud, “I guess there's no use in just
standing here. On to Keenoru!” He started to draw a crowd.
Abroxus strolled out of Ikenstroth with all eyes on him and walked by the
road that led to East Elm's capital, Keenoru. On his way, several wagons and
caravans passed him. On the side of the leading caravan, in big bold letters, read
“Magical Circus.”
Magical, huh? I wonder if they're real wizards hiding in there.
The very last wagon passed him and Abroxus saw three children sitting

~70~

inside through the open back. One girl with a crow, one loud boy, and another
boy sitting nearby laughing at them.

The last boy, no more than twelve years old, looked at Abroxus. Out of
courtesy, Abroxus pulled back his hood and waved at the kid.

He just gave Abroxus a half smile and a tiny wave as their horse drawn
wagon continued on its way.

A few miles down the road Abroxus heard the rattling of armor and chain
mail. He threw his hood back on and kept his head down.

The Duke's—no the King's—lower patrol unit. It was led by a fuller old
man wearing dozens of sparkly jewels and medals. He must have been the
captain. Behind him to his right was a young woman.

She's gorgeous!
She wore a stern look and the uniform of a lieutenant. Her hazelnut hair
draped over her shoulders and her violet eyes glimmered like amethysts. She
was well built and had a pistol on either side of her swaying hips.
Abroxus looked away when her eyes connected with his. He was blushing!
He couldn't let her see him, anyway. If she was as serious as she looked, then
she might recognize him from the wanted poster.
The sun started its decline behind the mountain top. Abroxus drifted into
the woods for shelter. He climbed up into a tree and stayed there for the night.
One more day. I have to get to Keenoru in one more day. I should probably
keep walking, but the weather isn't looking favorable.
Abroxus looked to the skies as they became clouded and dark. Little by
little, rain drops hit the earth, washing away the pain inflicted upon it from the
days prior. He sat there contemplating what he would do when he caught up to
the man that he was going to kill. The warmth of vengeance and the lulling of
the rain put him to sleep.
However, his rest was short lived.
The ground began to shake and thunderous sounds filled the air. Abroxus,
being a heavy sleeper, only woke up after the vibrations rocked him out of the
tree and flat onto his face.
“Ow, ow, ow, ow!” Abroxus clutched his nose with his two hands as blood
dripped out of it. Abroxus turned to where he believed the ruckus was coming

~71~

from, “Hey, what's the big idea!?”
Emerging from the deeper part of the forest was an orc twice the size of

Abroxus.
Abroxus stood up and dusted himself off with one hand, the other holding

his bloody nose.
The orc didn't seem too pleased with Abroxus's attitude towards him. His

skin was an olive green and he had short black hair. His eyes were brown and his
shorts were torn and ruined. Across his ugly, bare chest were two straps which
held the two battle axes that hung on his back.

Abroxus gathered his belongings that were scattered after his fall and
looked to the beast. “Listen, I get you can't help being so loud, but do you have
to be so obnoxious about it?”

The orc took one of his axes and swung it at Abroxus. Abroxus easily
ducked out of the way.

“Hey, hey, hey! I'm not looking for a fight! Just some sleep.” The orc took
his other ax and began to swing them both back and forth, trying his darnedest
to chop Abroxus in half. “Alright, fine. If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll
get!”

Abroxus took his short bow off its hook and grabbed an arrow from his
quiver. He drew back his bow and started circling the orc. He released it and it
pierced the beast's forearm.

Still running, Abroxus drew back another arrow. The orc, trying to
anticipate Abroxus's liquid movement, swung it's ax at his head. Abroxus
jumped, landing on top of the ax, which the creature then jerked upwards,
throwing Abroxus into the sky. Perfect.

Abroxus drew back his bow once more, now loaded with two arrows. He
aimed as his airtime was at its peak.

Takeshi's voice echoed through Abroxus's head. Slack. Draw. Release!
Abroxus released the two arrows. One hitting the orc's other arm, and the
other arrow binding its foot to the ground. Abroxus never shot to kill.
The orc fell to one knee and Abroxus almost had a perfect landing. Abroxus
landed on a tree limb that snapped after he landed on it.
The orc wasn't finished, though. He took two axes and threw them

~72~

together, with Abroxus in the middle. To the beast's dismay, the two axes turned
to ice and shattered.

“We're done here.” Abroxus said in a calm voice. He grabbed his satchel
and headed back towards the road, leaving the orc stunned.

~

Abroxus had planned on spending the next day walking to Keenoru, but his
plans were changed for him.

Abroxus felt their presence too late. A gun cocked and was pressed against
his carrot head.

Abroxus smelled the air. Perfume?
“You're coming with me,” the woman behind him demanded.
“Normally I at least know the girl's name before she wants to take me
home,” Abroxus sassed, a few soldiers snickered.
“Good work, Lieutenant Evangeline,” a sickening sound to say the least.
This man's voice was arrogant, deep, and bellowing.
Evangeline replied with, “Thank you, Captain Ganjo.”
Her voice was like silk, smooth and elegant. Abroxus recognized her scent,
too.
“Hey,wait a second! You're that girl I saw yesterday!” Her familiar smell
reminded Abroxus of the lovely woman that made his heart skip.
The air became tense and all twenty-eight soldiers were shocked stiff—
including Evangeline.
“H-How did you-?” Her captain cut her off with his disgusting voice.
“You are just like how Duke Wallis said you'd be. Lieutenant, he is too
important for me to trust him with you,” Abroxus was infuriated with the way he
treated his lieutenant, “I'll handle this scumbag.”
“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black,” Abroxus mumbled to himself,
making some of the soldiers chuckle.
The captain scoffed, “Scum like you should be killed on the spot. But, the
Duke wants you served on a silver platter, just for him. No idea why, you're
dumber than all the worms I've caught!”

~73~

“That so?” Abroxus slid his hands into his front pockets, still unable to see
the captain or lieutenant standing behind him.

“We've been following you since yesterday! We even sent an orc after you,
and you just thought it was fate. What a fool!” Captain Ganjo snatched the
pistol out of his lieutenant's hand and kicked Abroxus to the ground. He aimed
the gun at him. “My orders were to bring you to the Duke alive, but he didn't say
you had to be in one piece..” The fat man laughed at his own evildoing.

He called to his soldiers to “rough him up.” They did just that, and Abroxus
let them. If he could get through that, they'd bring him straight to the Duke.

After they were finished beating Abroxus to a pulp, they threw him into a
cage on wheels and continued down the road.

Abroxus was laying flat on his back with his hands bound by rope. He spit
up the blood that was in his mouth and asked to no one in particular, “So, how
come you beat me up and threw me in here if I was going this way on my own?
Wasn't I saving you this trouble?”

“Don't bother asking. Captain Ganjo answers to no one except his own
higher-ups.” Lieutenant Evangeline told Abroxus. He didn't need to turn his head
to see her, her scent spelled it out for him. And she was beautiful.

“Then he should have no problem answering to me,” Abroxus smirked,
finally turning to see this Evangeline again. She was staring at him as if he had
just insulted the Devil himself.

~74~

Chapter 19

Abroxus spent the rest of the day staring up at the sky and attempting to
make small talk with Lieutenant Evangeline, who thoroughly rejected him. His
bruises healed nicely, and to everyone's amazement, in two hours.

Abroxus was bored and lonely, so he decided to visit Fryst again.
Fryst hadn't changed at all since Abroxus first met him, and Abroxus was
nearly certain he never would.
“Abroxus,” Fryst sounded angrier than normal.
“Hi, Fryst.” Abroxus looked at his body. “I've been meaning to ask you, why
isn't my body in here the same as my body out there?”
“The body you see in this plane is your soul formed into a body. The only
time you would see an injured body in this place, would be if your soul or mine
was injured.” Fryst became stern, “Do you know what you're getting yourself
into?”
Abroxus paused, returning the intensity. “I do.”
“Are you sure? I don't believe you do.” Fryst strode closer to Abroxus.
“I'm going to kill the man who takes innocent lives for no reason.”
“Then what?” Fryst's expression never changed from blank.
“Then I'll find the Duke and-”
“And then what?” Fryst stopped not even a step away from Abroxus,
sharing the space with him. “What will you do then, Abroxus Westfall?”
Abroxus stuttered. He was so sure of his plan, but Abroxus felt like a child
again. He could feel Fryst's intense pressure consume him.
Fryst closed his eyes in a disappointed manner and turned on his heel.
Fryst strode back into the darkness whence he first emerged.
When Abroxus returned to the real world, he wasn't happy. However, his

~75~

mood was soon lifted when he saw that he was inside the Colosseum.
He looked up and saw the stands were packed and they were all cheering

—for the Duke?
Abroxus was confused as to why they were chanting “Duke Wallis,” so he

looked to his opponent on the other side of the arena.
He was sitting on a throne with his legs crossed. He threw out his arms and

yelled into the crowd, “Welcome to my Colosseum, Maldra!” The Colosseum
erupted in cheers.

It finally clicked and Abroxus realized who that man was. The man who
shot Derry was Duke Logi Wallis. He was an influencer with a fire galdur. A
tyrant. A hypocrite. A murderer. Even worse, he destroyed his real family, and
his home town.

“What are you talking about?” Abroxus reached for his bow to find it was
gone. All of his weapons had been taking, but the Duke didn't have any either.

“You mean you don't even know what you really are?” Wallis chuckled that
turned to giddy laughter. “You are priceless, Mr. Westfall. Priceless.” He stood up
and burned his temporary throne without so much as looking back at it. “The
'guardians' of this world? The Wizard Saviors?”

Wallis began to slowly circle Abroxus, and Abroxus followed along, keeping
his distance from the Duke.

“Your eyes, your magic, you hair, even! It's so obvious! You look exactly like
Trygg!” Wallis shot towards Abroxus, hands ablaze.

Abroxus raised his arms in front of his face, making a shield with his ice.
The impact was stronger than Abroxus expected and sent him sliding backwards,
leaving skid marks in the dirt.

“I couldn't care less what you think I am!” Abroxus was growing angry.
Flashes of his burnt home town flew through his head and then pictures of
Derry covered in blood forced its way into his mind, as well.

It seemed that the Duke wasn't anticipating Abroxus to blow off such an
important detail so quickly, but that didn't matter to Wallis much. “All right
then,” He wanted Abroxus angry, “How's that woman you were with?” Abroxus
felt something snap. “Last I saw, she was pretty beat up. And that village. What
was it called? Iron Forest? No, that's not right. Silver Log? No.”

~76~

“Silver Wood...” Abroxus could feel himself slipping away. Abroxus was
becoming a monster.

No! I won't be like him...
Duke Wallis chuckled. What next? There was a long, unadulterated silence,
even the spectators were still.
“I honestly wanted peace with you. I wanted to forgive you
for your crimes, but I see now, that's just not possible.”

~

Abroxus looked up and his eyes were glowing emerald.
He extended his arm out towards Duke Wallis and a bright blue light filled
the arena.
The ground was now covered in a thin coating of ice and a beam of ice
shards and snow were flying directly at Duke Wallis.
The Duke easily avoided it and began another charge at Abroxus. He was
almost on top of him when the Duke fell and slid on the ice. Abroxus pivoted,
using a shard of ice on the bottom of his heel as a stabilizer.
Abroxus took two steps forward and created a giant hammer out of ice.
The hammer hovered over Abroxus head and followed as Abroxus swung his
arms down in a smashing motion. The Duke used his fire to propel himself out
of the way, but sharp pieces of ice from the shattered ground dug into his right
arm.
“Nice trick,” the Duke taunted, “But I've seen better.”
The hammer disappeared, leaving behind a pile of snow.
The Duke felt himself tremble in anticipation. He had been waiting for this
fight for seventeen years.
The Duke got up and used his fire to help him slide across the frozen
ground towards Abroxus. Abroxus was adept at ice skating, since Tutrix told him
he needed to be if he was going to be an ice influencer Abroxus added blades of
ice onto the bottom of his boots and slid out of the way of the Duke.

~77~

“Quit running! You want vengeance, right?” The Duke was becoming a bit
impatient, but he would be willing to deal with it if he could force Abroxus to
use his real power.

The Duke lashed out with a wall of fire that quickly drew closer to Abroxus.
Abroxus created yet another shield of ice, and all though it held, the sheer
intensity of the fire was beginning to wear out him and his ice.

Abroxus countered with a blade of ice tossed at Wallis. The Duke must
have been tired as well, as his reflexes were lagging.

The blade slashed his back as he ducked out of the way. Duke Wallis
staggered back as the aching sensation throbbed along with his heartbeat.

Duke Wallis spun on the ice and created a fire cyclone. The ice on the
ground melted instantly and nearby spectators started to back up a few rows,
but only a few actually left the Colosseum.

The heat was extraordinary. Abroxus could feel the fierce and hot gust
pound against his face. It felt like his skin was going to peel off.

The cyclone drew closer and Abroxus tried his hardest to stay as far from it
as possible. However, he was stopped by the wall behind him. Abroxus created a
bigger and stronger shield of ice. It only lasted a few seconds. Even though his
ice is stronger than naturally found ice, it could still melt.

Abroxus quickly found his arm trapped in the pillar of fire.
Abroxus screamed out, hoping someone would save him, but he was on
his own this time.
He could feel his arm burning, and in a desperate attempt to free himself,
he used all of the magic he had left at the person in the cyclone. After dousing
him with water, the pillar shrank back for only a second. In that second, Abroxus
manipulated the rocks underneath him to throw him far away from the barbaric
column.
Abroxus landed flat on his back. He shriveled on the ground clutching his
right arm. His breathing became rough and ragged and he couldn't conjure
anymore magic.
The fire cyclone dispersed and the Duke strutted towards Abroxus in his
pompous manner.

~78~

“You've lost, Mr. Westfall.” He stopped in front of the withered and scarred
body of East Elm's maldra. “You've lost.”

~79~

Chapter 20

“Abroxus,” there was an echo in the room, “Abroxus.” No not an echo, a
plea, “Abroxus, wake up.” The voice was cold, but familiar and comforting.

Abroxus opened his heavy eyes to see Fryst knelt down beside him.
“Fryst?”

“Get up, Abroxus. You'll die if you don't.” Fryst didn't touch Abroxus, didn't
give him a hand or a pat on the head. Just a warning—an appeal.

“I thought I wasn't supposed to hurt when I was here.” Abroxus's voice was
weak and tattered.

“You're not,” Fryst orated, “So get up.”
“I don't think I can,” Abroxus's body—his soul—was starting to fade away.
“Yes you can. Get up,” Fryst stood and held out a helping hand to Abroxus,
“I can't let you die, Abroxus. You're my friend.”
Abroxus could barely believe it. That was the first time in the eight years
they'd known each other that Fryst ever called Abroxus his friend.
Abroxus lifted his hand and linked it with Fryst's. He rose to his feet.
Fryst put a hand on Abroxus's shoulder. It was the arm that was burnt.
Fryst started to freeze Abroxus's arm. The ice trickled from his shoulder to his
fingertips.
“Don't fight him, Abroxus,” Abroxus lowered his head, “Win.”
Abroxus looked at Fryst with eyes full of wonder and hope and joy, and a
light consumed the dark space.
A blinding tower of light shot into the sky. The entire continent of East Elm
dropped in temperature as snow fell from the sky and covered the ground. The
Colosseum was entirely frozen.

~80~

Abroxus had changed as well. His once bright orange hair had become as
white as snow and his previously sun kissed skin had turned pail. His green eyes
had a new glimmer to them and his burns were healed.

The spectators were unharmed, but terrified. The Duke was stunned and
disoriented. As the light blinded the arena, Abroxus conjured a bow and arrow
of ice and shot it through the Duke's heart. The Duke's skin turned blue then
white. His body was turning to ice. Then the ice shattered with a loud
explosion, leaving nothing behind of the once great fire influencer. The man
who had haunted Abroxus's dreams was dead.

The ice bow shattered and Abroxus looked to the snow that now filled sky.
Abroxus had fused with Fryst. In all the worlds of magic, that had never
happened before. In the span of a heartbeat, the most powerful wizard the
world has ever known came into being.
All of the masked spectators fled the arena with one name buzzing
through their heads, “Abroxus Westfall.”
He had completed three nearly impossible tasks that day. One- He killed
the Duke. Two- He fused with his galdur. And three- He manipulated a naturally
made element.
Magic... The ability to conjure elements and then manipulate them to your
will. Most wizards can only control the elements they create, but it is possible to
manipulate a preexisting element. Only the five legendary guardians—the
Maldra—have that ability.
“I am the Maldra of the East,” the new Abroxus mumbled to himself,
hardly believing his own words.

~81~

Chapter 21

Across the continent, every creature could feel the shock wave from
Abroxus's blast. And with every step he took, the planet was reminded of his
presence. Ice formed around his feet as he walked. It would linger, but not for
long.

When Abroxus returned to his home near Silver Wood's remains, there
was nothing. The house he stayed in for eight years with Tutrix and Derry, had
disappeared along with his foster family.

“Did I scare them away?” Abroxus asked himself as he stood outside where
he used to live. He lost the happiness and enthusiasm in his voice.

Abroxus had been meaning to do something for a while, but he could
never bring himself to.

Abroxus returned to Silver Wood for the first time since it was raided by
the Duke. Everything was ruined. There were still some ashes, but most of it
blew away with the wind years ago. It was a truly sad sight to see.

Abroxus wandered around, remembering it as it was once before, until he
finally made it back to his old home.

Abroxus stood over his home's ashes. He saw the skeletons of his mother
and father, but his sister's bones were nowhere to be seen.

He spent the next hour digging three graves: For his mother, father, and for
his town. He placed the remains of his family in their respectful graves and the
ashes from his house in its own.

After placing a headstone on all three graves, he picked three flowers and
put one on top of each headstone.

Abroxus didn't believe in any sort of deity, but he did want to properly say
goodbye.

~82~

Abroxus closed his eyes and looked away from the graves, it was still too
painful for him to accept.

“I hope,” Abroxus took a breath, “I hope you made it to the heaven you
dreamed of. I loved all of you so dearly. Goodbye.”

Abroxus left through the archway that was still partially standing and he
suddenly felt lighter and happier.

His hair returned to its original state, and his skin became tan once more.
Abroxus was extremely fatigued, he thought he might collapse right there.

Abroxus managed to walk two more miles into the woods until his body
would take him no further. He slumped against a tree and fell asleep.

When he woke up he was being hung upside down by a Wood Giant.
Although usually friendly, after smelling Abroxus, this Giant became angry.

I guess it doesn't like my snow.
The Giant threw Abroxus into a tree, nearly snapping his back on impact.
Abroxus fell to the ground and rested a hand on the tree. He stood up
hesitantly.
“Crud,” The Giant threw a fist at Abroxus. Abroxus jumped out of the way
and attempted his escape through the woods, but his clumsy nature prevented
him from making it too far.
His body was still exhausted from his fight a week prier, so a couple more
hits could be his last.
The Giant was upon him once more and Abroxus could no longer keep his
balance. He fell and tried throwing an arrow at it without using his bow. The
Giant slapped it to the side and ripped a branch off an Elm tree.
The Giant threw the tree at Abroxus. He rolled out of the way, but he was
still hit. His left shoulder was sliced by the shredded side of the branch.
Abroxus gritted his teeth, trying not to show pain.
He thought to himself that it was a pretty lame way to go out after that epic
battle a week prior.
The Woodland Giant raised his arms and was going to crush Abroxus.
Abroxus closed his eyes, expecting the worse.
A dagger whizzed past Abroxus's head, piercing the Giant's skull. The Giant

~83~

fell back, dead.
Abroxus opened his eyes and his vision became blurry, so he closed them

again.
He could hear two voices, one male, one female. Everything sounded

angelic. He could hear the man say that they should help him and the female
voice saying it was the saddest display she's ever seen.

Abroxus's eyes were heavy and he found that he couldn't open them or
more his left arm.

When Abroxus opened his eyes he was lying flat on his back with the
warmth of a fire heating him.

~84~

Epilogue

~85~

Chapter 1

“He's awake,” Abroxus looked over to see the figure a young human man,
and by the symbol on his necklace, Abroxus could tell he was a cleric. He wore a
large brown parka that concealed any figure or weapon underneath.

Abroxus tried to sit up, but laid back down when a sharp pain shot through
his shoulder. He raised a hand to it and felt it had been bandaged.

“That was pathetic,” it was a young female voice. Abroxus tried to sit up
again, this time successful. He could smell cooked rabbit. Abroxus was starving.

He sat up and saw the woman. She was a thin elf and wore tight black
rouge clothes. Over that was a tattered cloak that covered dozens of blades. Her
hair—“Derry?”—it was the same color as Derry's. It was cut in a bob, but it was
still just as beautiful.

“What?” she didn't seem to know the name.
Right, Abroxus remembered, she's not here. She's gone, maybe dea-
He shook his head, putting the thought out of his mind.
“Uh, never mind,” Abroxus crossed his legs and looked to the sky then back
at the woman sitting by the fire, “So, did you two save me?”
“Yes,” The woman sassed, “And myself from having to watch that pitiful
display anymore.”
Abroxus chuckled, “Yeah, it was pretty sad.”
The woman turned away, she didn't like his reaction to her insult.
“Knock it off, Arya,” The man next to Abroxus seemed fairly kind.
Abroxus smiled, he was glad to finally be around people again. The silent
moment was int erupted by Abroxus growling stomach. “Hey,” Abroxus laughed
at his own embarrassment, “Do you mind if I have a bite?” he gestured to the

~86~

rabbit kebab.
The man was in the middle of saying yes when the woman, Arya,

protested, “No. We don't know anything about him, so as far as we know, he's
working for the King.”

Abroxus tried to hold in his laugh, but he simply couldn't help the irony,
“I'm not. Trust me.”

“Why should we?” The man behind Abroxus gave her a cold look and she
tossed him a kebab.

He smiled and started to drool. To keep himself from looking too stupid, he
shoved the rabbit in his mouth.

“What's your name?” The cleric asked kindly.
“Abroxus. What's yours?” Abroxus eyed another one and the woman
handed him another rabbit on a stick.
“I'm Archer, and that's Arya.”
Arya scowled.
Abroxus laughed again, he liked those two.
Abroxus sniffed the air. He caught the scent of another person, but it
vanished a second after it appeared.
That's weird.
The two travelers looked at him with an odd look. The two glanced at each
other and decided it was time they left.
“You should be fine so long as you don't move your arm too much,” Archer
warned.
The two left the fire blazing for Abroxus to stay warm, but as they walked
away, Abroxus felt cold. The chill of loneliness shrouded his sad memories that
rose from the fire and he sprung from his comfortable seat in the dirt. Abroxus
grabbed his shirt and poncho and threw his satchel over his head.
He quickly, but carefully, snuffed the campfire and ran after his new
friends.
“Hold on!” He said as he began to trot alongside Archer and Arya.
“What?” Arya demanded, giving him the evil eye.
“Where are you guys heading, anyway?” Abroxus asked lazily, putting his

~87~

shirt back on over his bandages.
Arya scoffed and turned her head. Archer's face became a shocked one

when he saw that her face was red. Abroxus was unaware of her blushing and
asked Archer instead.

“Chrysanthemum Village,” Archer replied.
Abroxus's face lit up at the chance to stay with his newfound friends, “Hey!
I was heading there, myself. Why don't we go together?”
A lie. Abroxus had no clue as to where he was going, but he knew he
wanted to stick with Archer and Arya.
The couple shrugged and continued to walk. Abroxus asked them simple
questions and small talk, both of them were quite taken in with his charm.
Abroxus learned they were adventurers, they even said they'd consider
themselves to be bounty hunters.
Abroxus wasn't phased. Whether he had a bounty on his head or not,
Abroxus felt they would still be friends. Abroxus let his naivety get the better of
him at times.
However, the warm and giddy moment was suspended when Abroxus
sensed a dangerous influencer nearby. He didn't mention anything to Archer or
Arya, as it soon vanished—like it had before—but when he looked in the
direction he felt it come from, there was only the letter “U” carved into an Elm
tree.
The symbol chilled Abroxus to the core.
This doesn't feel right. Something's wrong.
The feeling lingered with Abroxus until the group made it to
Chrysanthemum, Abroxus thought it was a good idea to stick with those two. He
wasn't sure why, but he knew they were both capable of many things—probably
good and bad.
“So, Arya, Archer,” Abroxus grinned widely, “Shall we be partners?”

~88~