Chapter 4: I promise

"Come on old man, tell us where she is!"

The male asked Rifty as I overheard their conversion outside the store. I'm spinning with questions about what that guy just said.

"Blondie? Walking around with the Lord's long lost staff? Impossible! Yet again, I've never seen such a powerful wand. And if she did, how did she get it? Where did she get it from? This doesn't make sense!"

???:"I can sense you a mile away, stranger."

Once I had regained my senses, I bravely entered the main entrance. There are only five guardians at the reception: a swordsman, an archer, a sorcerer, a berserker, and a paladin. They all looked at me with curious eyes, but none of them moved an inch.

I could feel the tension in the air as I slowly walked towards the reception desk. I could sense that the guardians were ready to act if I made any sudden movements.

I said, trying not to stare back, "I'm here to pay the mace -- it caught my eye.".

"Hmm? What about the dragger from before? "Did Mr. Inez buy it for you?" the troll asked.

I shook my head and replied, "Yeah, he did. But that was his money. I'm here to buy it for my own weapon."

The troll raised an eyebrow and gestured to the mace. "Go ahead, take a look." I stepped closer to the weapon and inspected it carefully.

"And it better be cheap this time or else you're not getting gold from me!" I yelled.

The troll snickered and said "Well, it looks like you're in luck. This one is a bargain, I guarantee it."

I gave the mace one last glance before handing over a handful of gold coins. With a satisfied look, the troll took the coins and smiled.

I turned around to be confronted by the dark brown haired swordman. "Nice weapon you got there, what are you going to do with it?" He smirked.

"Ah, yeah. Why else did I bring this?" I rolled my eyes and began to walk away from him, but his side kicks blocked me from doing so.

"Hold up, we want to ask you some questions if you don't mind-" A female black-haired sorcerer asked.

I looked up at the ceiling before sighing and turning back to them. "What do you want to know?" I asked, feeling my impatience grow.

"Is sample really, we just wanted to ask you if you saw a human blonde girl by any chance." Said the swordman while showing me a drawing of Odette but with a big nose.

I shook my head. "No, I haven't seen anyone like that," I said. "Sorry I can't help you."

I mean, if I'm not mistaken, I've never seen Odette making noises before. As I turn to leave, I am blocked by the berserker.

He looks at me with a menacing expression and then says, "Are you sure? There is a lot at stake here."

I swallowed and took a deep breath, shaking my head again. "Yes, I'm sure," I replied.

"I don't believe you. How come you listen to our conversion with the store owner?" The female wizard said. "I'm sensing that you are hiding something."

"And I'm sensing you're full of shit because I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

The small elf girl stomped on her feet with an angry expression. "Do you think we're joking around?" She shouted back, her eyes blazing with fury.

"What the hell? What is your problem, kid?" I glared at the brat. "Didn't your mother raise you well? Don't talk like that with THAT kind of attitude."

The brat rolled her eyes. "Oh, please I could say the same thing about YOU! And for your information, I'm OLDER THAN YOU!"

"PSSF, older than me, yeah right?" I laughed. "Just because you're an elf doesn't mean you're older than me. Elves stop aging when they reach adulthood, so, technically, I'm older than you. You can't use that as an argument!"

Just then, the male paladin with green-haired taps on my shoulder. "Excuse me, but believe me when I say this, my friend is correct. She is older than you."

I was stunned. I couldn't believe it. I stared at the paladin in disbelief, then back at the elf child, and finally laughed in disbelief.

"An elf child? Older than me? No way!" I shook my head, a combination of shock and joy flooding over me. It was almost too good to be true - but there it was, right in front of me.

His attention was turned to the miniature elf. "Kaisley."

As the elf nodded, she reached out of her pocket and handed me the ID card. I took the card and examined it. It was a standard ID card with a picture of Kaisley and her name printed on it.

"WWWHHHAAATTT???" I screamed out of my lungs.

What I saw shocked me because Kaisley was born before me. Or my father, or my father's father, or my father's father's father!

"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! HOW CAN A TINY ELF BE THIS OLD?" I was filled with questions and confusion and felt like the world was spinning. I slowly came to terms with the fact that Kaisley was over a hundred years old. I was in awe.

The female wizard coughed. "Yes, the reason why she is older is because she was blessed with a long life by a magical spell. She's a special elf."

"ENOUGH WITH THE CHIT CHATTING ALREADY!" The swordman hit the table, forcing everyone to silence.

"Have you guys forgotten a criminal is on the loose? We're guardians. For god's sake. We should be doing our jobs!" He then stared at me. "And you, I don't believe a word you say! Tell us where you saw her escape?" His voice was full of anger.

I froze, unable to find the words to respond. But before I could, my high sense of hearing caught Odette and Inez walking down the hallway talking.

Odette: "So, you can't walk during the day because of the sun? But why?"

Inez: "Again, I'm a vampire, Odette. Vampires can't be out in the sunlight, they burn us."

Odette: "Oh my God! Really? Do you always get hurt?"

Inez: "Yes, I have to be careful to stay out of the sun. That's why I don't go out during the day or, if I want to, I use this special sun lotion that prevents me from burning."

Odette: "That must be difficult. Gasp: Oh my God it's almost seven a.m.! We should run through the hallways to the RV on time. Come on, let's go!"

"OH SHIT!" I yelled without thinking.

The guardians looked at me like I was crazy. "Um, are you okay?"

"YES! I MEAN - NO! I - I JUST REMEMBER HER! THE GIRL IN THE PICTURE!" I lied.

The guardians walked closer to me. "Really? Where is she? Is she still around? Tell us!"

"In the woods where I walked from here, I saw her! She was carrying something big and large and-"

"The Lord's long lost staff."

Everyone turns to the berserker, who keeps quiet throughout the conversation. I can't tell his face because he wears full armor.

"LET'S GO GANG! WE WILL BE RICH AND PROMOTED TO BE THE S+ CLASS RANKERS!" He takes out his sword and raises it in the air, inspiring the team with his courage. The team cheers as they prepare to embark on their journey. They set off with a newfound sense of determination and purpose.

As the gang went on its way, the man in armor turned to me before stopping at the entrance. He just stared at me for a while, with a certain knowingness in his eyes. My heart pounds as I hear Odette and Inez approaching.

For what felt like forever, the man turned away and walked off with his team mates. I felt a strange sense of relief. I knew the man was up to something, but I couldn't quite figure it out. I watched as he and his team disappeared into the horizon, hoping I wouldn't see him again.

"BLAYDEN!" Odette yelled as she tackled me from behind.

I jumped and pushed the outsider away. "What the hell Odette! You scared me and don't call me that!".

"Huh? But why? We're the same age, so it's fine if I call you by your first name." Odette said.

But I crossed my arms. "No we're not! I told you before I'm a were dragon and I'm much older than you! Both me and Inez are elders, so you'll have to use our last names."

Odette gave a puzzled look and glanced at me and Inez. "No way! You guys can't be older than me! Possibly two to three years."

"It's true, Odette, we might look young, but we're actually older than you think." Inez said, smirking.

Odette couldn't believe it. She just stared at us in disbelief. "You two have to be kidding me." She finally said. "I don't understand how that's possible! Is it because you're a vampire and a were dragon?"

We just looked at each other and gave her a nod. Her mouth dropped open in shock. "No way, that's incredible!"

"Yeah, I guess it's incredible. To look this young." Inez smiled.

I laughed at his comment. "Young you say? Just look at how white your hair is. I'm guessing you're over 50."

Suddenly, Odette screams like a benshee. "Okay! If what you're saying is true, then we should ALL call each other's last names!"

She pounced her finger at us. "I may be a human and I'm not as old as you. But I'm turning 18 this year and I want to be taken seriously!" She crossed her arms and waited for a response.

Inez and I turned to each other. Then at an outsider. Then us again. Then we laughed.

She glared at us and said, “What’s so funny?”

"Nothing, it's just that you look weird when your being serious." Inez laughed.

"Yeah! Like you're a completely different person," I added. "I'm glad you can still have a sense of humour even when you're serious."

Odette just stared at us before sticking her nose out at us. "Fine, call me whatever you want, old man. I don't care!"

She grabbed her crystal ball and staff and walked out the door towards the RV.

"Oh my God, laugh she called us old men!" I laughed. We all chuckled even harder and walked toward the motorhome. We hopped in the RV and drove off to the horizon.

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It’s been two hours since we got on the road. We're still far from our destination. I'm starting to get tired and my eyes feel heavy. I wish the journey could be over soon.


Since Inez is a vampire, we have to shut all the windows and doors, so the whole motor home is pretty much in complete darkness. The only light was coming from a small lamp in the corner which kept the room lit enough for us to see. In the corner of the room was a coffin, and inside we could see Inez sleeping peacefully.

Odette was driving and didn't say a word the whole journey. She checked the crystal ball every 2 minutes and proceeded. As for me, I just lay on the sofa waiting...and waiting.

"Ah, this is so boring! Are we there yet?" I asked. "And why do you need a crystal ball when we have a map? You'll get us lost!"

Odette glanced at me, sighed, and said, "We'll be there soon, trust me. Inez said I must park here in the forest. And this isn't just any crystal ball, it's a magic one. I can only use it."

"But you just brought it yesterday. How would you know how to use it?" I asked, placing the map on the table. "We're trying to use the old-fashioned way. Read the map."

"But Ax, I can't read the map, and I'm an outsider. How would I know the destination?" She replied, frustration seeping into her voice. "Just give me your phone, I'll use the GPS."

"GPS?" I asked. "What does that mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "Global Positioning System. It'll tell us exactly where to go."

Odette handed me this strange device, which looked like a small TV screen with buttons at the bottom and on both sides.

"What is this?" I asked, looking at a strange device in confusion.

"It's a phone? Wait! You don't know what a phone is?" she asked.

"Is this a phone? It's so small and rectangular. "Where are the other parts?" I stared at the design of the phone.

"Other parts?"

"Yeah, like rotary dails or knobs and buttons. They are used to controlling the volume, balance, and other settings."

Odette turned to me. "Are you talking about the phones from the 1910s?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but what I'm using is different from this thing."

Odette paused and stared at me with wide eyes. "You...have never experienced modern technology?"

There was a pause like none of us wanted to say something until...

"WATCH OUT!" I screamed, pointing at the car driving towards us.

Suddenly, Odette turned the wheel just in time, barely missing the car. We all lay there, breathing heavily, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Then we all looked at each other in disbelief.

A sound came from the corner of the room, which caused us to jump. As we turned around, we saw Inez open his coffin.

"Noise! I heard a noise. You closed the windows? Are lights here? No? Okay."

We were all too scared to move, but Inez stepped out of the coffin. He smiled at us, “Just checking. No need to worry! Odette, are we there yet?"

Odette shook her head.

Inez sighed, "Okay, let's stop here instead. I'm tired of this coffin. Let's get out of the RV and enter the forest. Grab your grimoire and staff Odette and Blayden leave your weapons here for now."

After applying sun lotion to his skin, he stepped out of the RV and we followed him deep into the woods. Birds chirped and the sun shone brightly between the trees as we continued our journey. As we walked, the air became thicker and the trees became more and more dense. Soon we reached a clearing, and standing before us was a strange statue made of stone and wood.

"Ah, what is that?" I asked.

"Your test." Inez said, smiling. "I want you to destroy this thing before sunset."

I looked at the object. It was a strange device. "Wait, this is a test?" I thought you were planning to train me or fight someone, not a...stone monster thing."

I was confused and frustrated. How was I supposed to fight a rock? I didn't know what to do.

"And why am I here with him? Are you planning to teach me magic, Mr Inez?" Odette looked scared.

He smiled and said, "No, Odette. I'm here to teach you how to use your wits and courage. You can defeat any obstacle with the power of your mind and your heart."

"BUT I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO READ MY GIMOIRE YET!" She pleaded.

He smiled again, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You can do this, Odette. Believe in yourself and you will succeed." He said, and then opened the Grimoire.

When Odette saw the first page, her eyes lit up. "It's...in English." She gasped, then turned to Inez. "How did you do that?"

Inez smiled and squeezed Odette's shoulder. "I had a feeling you would be able to understand it. So, I spent my free time translating Arkenan into English. Now let's get to work." He said, and opened the Grimoire to the first page.

Odette looked like she was about to cry as she hugged him tightly. The thought of her falling for him due to his kindness makes me cringe. He's a vampire and she's a mortal, and that is gross.

"Okay! Stop you two and let's fight this thing!" I stepped in between them, breaking their embrace.

An evil vampire climbed a weevil tree and sat on top of it. "Alright, show me what you got."

I smirked at him, then at the stone statue. "So, all we have to do is break this stone statue?"

I walked forward to the stone, shifting my body to a dragon. I could feel overwhelming power emanating from it. I breathed in and out, feeling the heat from my dragon form.

"This will be easy." I clenched my fists and prepared to break the stone. I put all my strength into a single punch.

"OOOOOOOCCCCCCCCHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" I screamed in pain as my knuckles cracked. I had used too much force. I had underestimated the hardness of the stone.

"What the hell? How is that statue so strong? I've beaten a lot of stones in my life. How is this one so different?" I yelled at my tutor as he drank blood on his blood bag.

He finally looked up from his drink, his eyes as cold as stone. He said, "This is no ordinary rock. It's made from the hardest stone in the world - adamantium." I knew I was doomed.

"What? What the hell? And you expect me to break it?" I asked.

He nodded and said, "Yes, I do. If you can't break it, the consequences will be dire."

I gulped and took the rock in my hands, feeling my fate. It was clear I had no other choice. I looked at Odette flipping pages in her grimoire.

"Um, let's see, let me try this one." Odette started to chant. The rock started to glow and I felt a rush of energy.

{Oh} be...gi...et..an c...?" Odette quickly stopped and looked around in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can do it," she said, her voice trembling. Its glow faded as Odette stopped chatting.

"Come on people, don't give up yet." Inez yelled at us above. "The fight has just begun."

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It's been eleven hours and the sun is a few minutes away from setting. Me and Odette fought for the stone statue all day, but no matter how hard we tried, it still stands tall. Exhausted, I took a step back and stretched my arms. Odette and I exchanged a glance, knowing our day's mission was a failure.

"Come on people, hurry up before the sun sets." Inez said, lying on the branch.

We all gather around the statue and I take my last swing at it, putting all my energy into it. But just like before, it didn't crack. Odette tried chatting on the same spell for the 35th time. Nothing happened. We all looked at each other in disappointment.

"This is impossible," she whispered. Taking a few steps back, she dropped her staff, shook her head and ran away.

I ran after her, leaving Inez on the tree waiting for our return. As I ran after her, I could feel the emotion in the air. I knew something was wrong, and I wanted to help her. I tried to call out her name, but no words came out.

Eventually, I found her sitting near a tree crying. "What was that? You nearly got it. What happen?"

"I'll tell you what happened, I failed!" she cried. "I don't understand carnation magic. I can't do it. I'm never going to be able to do it." She wiped away her tears and looked up at me. "I just don't get it."

From that moment, I knew she was weak. She didn't have the confidence to keep trying, and I realized that she was in need of help. Even though I was a novice too, I decided to stand by her and help her learn the art of carnation magic.

I pat her back and she turned to me with tears in her eyes. "Where did you get the staff?" I asked blankly.

She screamed with fear in her eyes. "I found it in the woods."

"Does it belong to the Lord of Arkena?" I asked again.

She paused for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes," she said. "It is his."

I can feel her body shiver. I moved closer to her. "Tell me where you found it."

"I...I was heading to college with my family until we got lost." She said. "We asked a stranger for directions and I took my family to Arkena."

She pleaded. "And when we got there, I was led by a light which led me to find the magical staff on a tree protected by a dryad."

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with fear. "She told me to keep it safe because she was dying and...*sob* I found out that my whole family had been taken from me. And I don't know how to return home and my best bet is to consult the staff. However, I don't know how to cast spells and I don't have any idea if I will ever find my parents or my brother or get out of this place. I just -"

Odette's words were cut off when I wrapped my arms around her. I hugged her tightly and whispered, "It'll be alright. We'll find your way home. And you'll get your family back. I promise."

She nodded against my shoulder, her arms wrapping around me in response. I can feel her tears dripping from my shoulder. We stayed like that until the sun began to set.

We walked back to the statue where we fought. It was a pretty awkward experience because we didn't talk after the incident. Upon returning, we noticed Inez had left and the stone monster had a note.

We picked up the note and read it. It declared, "To whomever is reading, you have failed the test. I've left the site and returned to my RV. All of you must find a way to get back to the RV on your own or else you'll never make it back alive. Good luck."

Neither of us understood what he meant, so we looked at each other puzzled.

"What? Find a way to get back or you'll never make it back alive? Ax, what does he mean like that?" Odette asked, her voice trembling.

"How the hell should I know?" I put a hand on Odette's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "We'll figure something out, don't worry. We just have to stay calm and think clearly."

I looked out into the woods. "Odette, do you remember which route you took?"

Odette shook her head. "No, I don't remember. I was so scared I just wanted to get away as quickly as possible."

I sighed. "Well, there's no use panicking. Let's try to find our way back -"

GROWL

We all froze in fear, our eyes wide. "What was that?" She whispered. "It sounded like it came from the forest."

"It didn't come from the woods," I whispered. "It came from behind us."

We all slowly turned around, expecting the unexpected. But to our surprise, we saw the same monster statue. We all stared, mesmerized by the giant figure in front of us. We took a few steps back, barely believing our eyes. Then, it happened - the statue blinked.

Chapter end