Yazen (Ponith) (12 page)

I jump out of the tree and begin to run
forward toward Narissa while getting my bow ready to fire. I hear footsteps behind me, but I don’t want to take my attention off of Narissa. Drakoe and Laderic fly past me toward the Dark Elves.

We’re so close, getting ready to open fire when out of nowhere a
brightly glowing purple dome-like shield covers all of the Dark Elves, the wagons, and Narissa with it. As I run into it, it knocks me back and I fall down hard.

I have never seen such magic before
; how are they able to do this? What is this thing and how can we get through? Where are they taking Narissa? What will they do to her? My mind is racing, looking for answers.

I look at her helplessly through the shield
; she looks so scared and I can’t help her. My heart feels as if it’s breaking. I pound on the glowing shield, trying to get through to her. The Dark Elves laugh and mimic me. I fall to the ground and let my emotions take over, and tears fall from the corners of my eyes.

“Wh
y are they taking Narissa? Will she be okay? Don’t you have magic that you can use against them?” I blurt out tons of questions in frustration.

“We have to let them take her
; we will all die if we try to go against them,” Laderic replies.

Laderic and Drakoe pick me up from my underarms and drag me back to the others. I hear a noise coming from behind us. I turn to see what it is and it’s the Unicorn.
How convenient for it to show up now. If I am this so-called chosen one, why can’t I break through that shield and save Narissa?

The Unicorn walks over to me and
pushes against me, using its head to push me down. I know it’s not the Unicorn’s fault for my anger, but I can’t help but feel frustration.

Laderic and Drakoe walk over to Calina,
Alex, and Jenn to give me my space with the Unicorn. I look over to where Narissa is and see all of the Dark Elves looking at me, some of them with their mouths wide open. I guess they have never seen the Unicorn before.

They quickly continue gathering the wagons up and take everything with them. A few moments later, they’re gone.

“I need you to help me get Narissa back. I have to make some kind of plan to save her. Will you please help me?” I beg the Unicorn. It reacts in a way that makes it seem like it understands me and it nods its head yes.

“I have to go back so I can get prepared to get Narissa back. I’ll need you to go wit
h me to save her when I’m ready,” I ask the Unicorn and again it acknowledges me.

“I’ll whistle
or signal to you somehow when I’m ready to leave. Please stay close by and listen for my whistle,” I say while holding the Unicorn’s nose. It nudges my hand and then runs off.

I walk over to the others and notice they’re with the Dwarves now. I guess now the Dwarves believe I’m
some chosen one as well. They’re staring at me the same way the Dark Elves were. I wish I knew exactly what I was supposed to do.

“So where are they taking her? Who are they
exactly? Why did they take all of your supplies and what do we do now?” I ask them as my mind’s racing full of questions.

“Those were the
Dark Elves; they work for their Dark Lords that have taken over Yazen some time ago. Every so often, they’ll raid our homes and take our supplies or kidnap our friends and family to hold as slaves. We have no control over them, as their magical powers overpower all of us,” Laderic says while holding his hand on my shoulder.

“
We have no chance fighting against them. They’re taking her to their castle on the other side of the mountain ridge. They call their land the Dreadlands and we can’t do much now, except cope with our losses,” Laderic says sadly.

“Those Dark Elves have been raiding our homes for years
now. It is so upsetting watching our hard work just be destroyed or stolen; you never quite get over it,” Ovvar says.

“I think we will be having more problems with the Dark Elves, sooner rather than later. They noticed that Zac is bound to the Unicorn, which they
’ll report to their Dark Lords. I think we’ll be having a fight on our hands soon,” Drakoe says.

“I think we should
call everyone together and plan an attack against them when they’re not expecting it. It would give us a fair advantage against them, having the element of surprise and the numbers. If we all come together we may be able to beat them and save your family and friends. What do you think?” I ask them. I look over at Alex and Jenn and their faces look unhappy. I know they don’t want to go to war but I want to save Narissa. Plus while we’re there, we can take back the Yazen gem so we can go back home.

“That is just suicide for us all.
Don’t you care about the lives that would be lost in an assault like that? Hundreds would die! Why would you even suggest something like that?” Calina practically shouts at me.

“If I’m really Unicorn
-bound then that must mean something. You keep saying I’m your savior and that I will bring things back to the way they were before. Well, if that’s the case, then I think that we can do this. But we all have to come together. If we don’t, then we may not be strong enough and we’ll lose. The more of us, the better chance we have of defeating the Dark Elves. I’m going with or without you either way, however. I’m going to save Narissa,” I shout at them. I can’t believe she doesn’t want to even try to save her sister. I would do anything for my family or friends.

“The Unicorn doesn’t just come to anyone
; it appears alongside the person who will help us when we need it most. I think we should go with the boy; he is the best chance we’ve had in a while. We may be able to take our planet back and live in peace once again,” Ovvar says while standing with his kin, considering me.

“
If you can truly get everyone together to rally behind you, Zac, then it sounds like a plan to me. I want to get Narissa back, and I know Dad will say the same,” Laderic says while nodding in agreement.

“
Do you need us to go as well? It sounds like you’re starting a war, Zac,” Jenn asks. I can tell she is not thrilled.

“I really need both of you to go. It’s our only way of getting the Yazen gem back
and probably the only way we can ever go home. I know you don’t want to stay here forever, am I right?” I ask her. She probably knows that I played off her missing home in order to get her to agree with me, but she nods her head in agreement even then.

“I’m with you, Zac
. I’m ready to use my bow and if we can get back home, maybe in time before the next school year starts, then all the better,” Alex says.

“
We would have to pool our resources to help us win this battle. Can we all do that?” I ask the Wood Elves and Dwarves at the same time.

“I think we can come to an agreement. We have plenty
of weapons, shields, and armor but not the manpower to use them all,” Vondek shares.

“We have some supplies that
I’m sure we can share as well,” Laderic chimes in. I’m glad that we’re all in agreement. I didn’t think it would work so easily, but we still have a lot of recruiting to do. We’d have to get the other Wood Elves, dwarves, Halflings, Centaurs and Fauns to help us. We need as many people as we can get.

“Let’s all split up and try
get as many people as we can to help us. Drakoe, will you and the Dwarves here go try and recruit more of the Dwarves and the Halflings? The rest of us will visit Last Hope and Deeproot to try to recruit the other Wood Elves, Centaurs and Fauns,” I plan out, trying to split us up to get everyone together sooner.

“Yes
, that’s fine with me. I’ll join Ovvar and his kin. The Halflings and I hold a pretty deep friendship and think I may be able to get them to join us. They care for Narissa and will be very unsettled to find that she was kidnapped,” Drakoe says.

“
Alright lads, that sounds like a plan. Let’s all meet up in front of our home, the Great Forge, and we’ll outfit ourselves up there. Have everyone else bring any supplies that they can with them,” Ovvar says.

We’ve come to an agreement
and we split up soon after to recruit as many as we can. I hope Narissa is safe and that they don’t hurt her. I never thought that being bound to the Unicorn meant much to me but it seemed to have worked pretty well in my favor today.

It’s a quiet trip back through the Deeproot Forest
, as we’re all moving as fast as we can. I know the King and Queen are going to be distressed once they hear the news about Narissa.

When we do finally get back, after what seems like twice the trip from the day before, Laderic and Calina go to break the news to their parents. I stay down with Drakoe, Alex, and Jenn. We start to gather of all the
Wood Elves together so we can break the news to them.

Once we get a sizable audience, we wait for the King and Queen to join us. I see the distressed look on Nytril’s face as he walks down the stairs. Korla’s in tears. Once everyone’s together, we begin our meeting.

“As of now, if you have not heard the terrible news, our very own Narissa has been kidnapped to become a slave for the Dark Elves. This breaks my heart and from what I have put together, a plan of attack has been formed. It requires that all of our allies here join arms and go against the Dark Elves. We need every able body that we can get. Zac here,” Nytril gestures in my direction, “is Yazen’s unicorn-bound; he has been chosen to lead us in victory and is a sign of hope for us. Thus I ask that you trust him, as he has proven himself a friend of the elven people. Zac, please tell everyone what our plan of action is,” he says while nodding to me.

I get nervous once everyone turns to face me. I’m not good at making speeches, let alone being the center of attention to this big of an audience. I can start to feel a drop of sweat come down my forehead and under normal circumstances I would have buckled. I have to do my best
, though, as Narissa’s life hangs in the balance, so I decide to stand up and step beside Nytril so everyone can see me.

“As you have heard, Narissa has been taken captive. The
Dark Elves have seen me with the Unicorn and from what I hear that’s bad news for us. Once they know that I’m bound to it, they’re going to want to destroy me and anything in their path. I have Drakoe with the Dwarves as we speak, trying to recruit the Halflings in Turnip Town and the other Dwarves at Great Forge. We’re to try and get the Centaurs and Fauns at Last Hope to help us as well. Once we get everyone together, we have to bring any supplies that can help us to the Great Forge, as that is our staging point. The Dwarves are going to supply us with weapons, armor, and shields and as the plan stands for now we’re going to catch the Dark Elves by surprise when they’re least expecting us. It’ll be to our advantage and will give us the best chance of winning. The Unicorn has told me that it will help the best it can and I will do whatever it takes to help get Narissa back!” I say with my voice becoming somewhat trembling from fervor.

There is complete silence for moments before everyone cheers and agree
s. We split ourselves up, half of us going to recruit the others while the rest get the supplies ready for our journey to Great Forge. Alex and Jenn decide that they’re going to help with the supplies. I decide to go with Laderic and the Wood Elves to go and recruit the Centaurs and Fauns.

We travel rather quickly, making it to the East side of the Deeproot Forest and finally to Last Hope on quicker time than I thought possible. The
Centaurs and Fauns are at the Last Hope, stationed outside the barricades, just like how it was when I left. When they see our force approaching, we stride out ahead and ask to speak with Kolin and Rowin. One of the guards immediately heads back inside to fetch him and they both appear not much longer after.

“Kolin and Rowin, can we speak to you for a moment? It
’s really important,” I ask them.

“Hey, Zac, I didn’t think we would see you again,” Kolin says, smiling faintly at me.

“What have you been up to? What brought you back to our side of the woods?” Rowin asks while taking in the size of our host behind us. He stands nervously and has a frown on his face.

“Narissa has been kidnapped by the Dark Elves and they know that I’m bound to the Unicorn. They saw me with it and raced back to their castle and we’re trying to get everyone together to fight them to get Yazen back. We’re trying to save Narissa and the other slaves they’ve captured and we need as many people as we can get. Will you join us? Everyone is bringing supplies to Great Forge, and the
Dwarves are going to supply us with weapons, armor, and shields,” I explain to them.

Kolin and Rowin look at each other with serious reservations. I’m not sure if they’re going to agree to this and I hope the news of me being bound to the Unicorn isn’t too much of a shock to them.

“When did you become bound to the Unicorn? Why didn’t you tell us this before?” Rowin asks.

“It happened the next day after we stayed with you. It came to me when I was in need of protection,” I reply.

“Hrm. Alright Zac, let us discuss this. Stay here while we talk to the others and try to get consensus,” Rowin says with concern and doubt in his voice.

“Do you think they’ll go with us?” I ask Laderic.

“I think they’ll go with us. With you being Yazen’s Unicorn-bound, they can’t deny it and I know in their hearts they want things to go back to how they were in the past; they’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this. I bet they’ll join us,” Laderic says.

We wait for a few more minutes until Rowin and Kolin return. They each have a serious look on their face. I notice everyone is watching us now. It’s nerve-racking.

“Zac, if you believe that an attack on the Dark Elves will work, then yes, we’ll go with you. I fear for all of our lives, but I have an even greater fear of what could happen to us if we reject a call to arms under the Unicorn’s guidance. What do you need us to do?” Rowin asks.

“We’re heading back now to help finish packing and then we’re meeting up at Great Forge. We want to attack them before they attempt to attack
us to throw them off balance. Please meet us there as soon as you can. Bring any supplies that you think could be useful in the fight against the Dark Elves,” I tell them.

“You can count on us, Zac. With all of us finally working together and with fate on our side, I’m sure we can find a way to win,” Kolin adds.

As we travel back through the woods, I make a slight alteration in our path and pass by Beldis. She appears to still be crying.

“Beldis, are you alright?” I ask her.

“I’m doing okay but I hear that we may have some trouble from the Dark Elves,” Beldis replies.

“Yes, they took Narissa and we’re going to try and join forces to save her. The
Dark Elves saw me with the Unicorn protecting me and now know that I’m bound to it. We’re expecting them to come after me and anyone else that gets in their way,” I explain to her.

“Zac, if what you’re saying is true and you’re bound to the Unicorn, then you are a very special man indeed. You’re stronger than you realize and it’s very important
to remember to keep a clear and focused mind; it can help save your life one day. I wish you the best and I wish I could help more but I know that you have to go now. Get Narissa back safely; you’re stronger than you may realize. Good luck, Zac,” she says.

“Thank you, keep yourself safe Beldis,” I tell her.

I wonder what she meant by I’m stronger than I realize and I have to learn to clear my mind. I don’t have time to think about it right now, as we have to get moving. We begin to head back to the Deeproot Forest and rejoin the rest of the Wood Elves. Hopefully they’ll have all of the supplies ready to go.

When we arrive, there are three wagons full of supplies. Two carts are full of fruits and vegetables. The last cart is full of clothes, boots
, and other supplies. All of the Wood Elves look ready to go, and the King and Queen are waiting by the stairs. We head over to them to let them know of our success.

“How did it go?” Korla asks. I can tell she is really worried about Narissa and the impe
nding conflict. Her face is red and flustered from worrying.

“We were able to get them to help and we are going to meet them at Great Forge. Do we have all of the supplies we need ready to go?” Laderic asks his mother.

“Good work, boys. Thank you for assistance and getting them to help. I really do hope Narissa’s okay and that they’re not hurting her. Let’s get going; I want to get her back as soon as possible,” Nytril says.

I head over to the wagon full of fruit to get something to eat because I’m starving. As I’m leaning against the wagon, I hear scratching inside the cart. I can’t tell where it is coming from and I’m looking through some of the food. I suddenly feel a pinch on my arm and look down to notice some very small group of people standing there. It is the gnomes. Curiously small and grouped together, they’re not much taller than a squirrel. There appear to be quite a few of them, but they’re seemingly skittish. One stands out closer to me, by my hand holding onto the cart.

“I overheard you say that Narissa was kidnapped. Is this true?” one of the little gnomes asks me.

“Yes, it’s true. We’re all going to try and save her from the
Dark Elves,” I tell him.

“Can we travel with you? We would like to help as well,” he asks.

“Yes, of course,” I tell him as I smile at him, “You can travel on the wagons; we can use all of the help that we can take,” I say.

We all gather the wagons up and head toward Great Forge. Jenn and Alex meet up with me and I tell them the good news. We travel along the base of the Mistpeak Mountains, toward the
Dwarven City. Our trip goes rather quickly, as everyone seems determined and we make good time. I see Ovvar, Vondek, Dolgar, and Felldar standing outside waiting for us as we near the entrance to the city. There are two camps set up nearby and I’m relieved to see the Centaurs and Fauns have made it there as well. I also see Halflings spread out with them and it lightens my mood. I’m glad that they came as well.

“You made it! Thank you for bringing supplies
; we were able to recruit the rest of the Dwarves and also the Halflings, as you can see,” Ovvar says.

“We were able to convince the rest of the
Wood Elves, the Fauns, and the Centaurs to join us as well,” I inform him.

“I’ll have a few of you come in at a time and get the armament that you would like to use for our battle. Zac, Alex, Jenn, Ny
tril, and your family, you may go in first. Follow me,” Ovvar says while walking into the Mountain Lair.

As we walk into their home, we first walk into a large open room. There are stairwells everywhere going up and down. Their home is absolutely huge
; much more spacious and taller than anything I would have imagined.

“How many levels is your home?” I ask him. I’m amazed by the layout of their home.

“It goes up roughly 15 floors and more than 50 floors down. We have many floors dedicated to production and smithing. One whole floor is dedicated to making armor. Another whole floor is just for weapons, and so on. Let’s head to the armory first,” Ovvar says.

We follow him down about three floors. There are hundreds of weapons everywhere with many different weapons to choose from. I have no idea what to pick. I can see bows and arrows, swords, spears, maces, axes, and many more weapons all lined up.

“It’s a real shame our populous isn’t what is used to be. I want you all to pick out any weapons that you would like to use. If you are able to take more than one, please do so. After everybody gets a weapon here we’ll go to the armor room next. We’ll rotate everybody through so everybody gets the proper equipment. Now, let’s pick out our weapons,” Ovvar says.

I walk up and down the aisles and look at all of the weapons that are set up alongside them. I’m overwhelmed on what to choose but I end up picking up a long sword and examining it. It’s made out of steel and it has colored gems on the handle. It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life. It is not very heavy
and is lighter than I would have thought and it’s pretty easy to swing. I decide to take it with me and continue looking.

I look over at Alex, and he is looking at all of the bows. He has taken a liking to them ever since he has learned how to shoot them properly. Jenn looks petrified and lost so I decide to walk over and help her out.

“So what do you think you’ll use?” I ask her. She looks at me, and I can tell she is not pleased.

“I have never used a weapon before besides the bow and arrow, which I’m not very good at. What do you think I should use?” she asks me.

I look around to see if I can find the best weapon that would be good for Jenn. I pick out a small sword and a small axe, handing them to her. She seems to think it’s a joke, that she would ever use anything like that, but I make sure I show her how to use them and how to hold them. She’s at least smiling now.

“Thank you, Zac, for helping me. I’m really scared and all I really want to do is go back home. But I know if we don’t go fight this battle, we’ll never get the Yazen gem and make it back home. I really miss Brad and I wish he was here with us,” Jenn says.

“I understand, Jenn, I feel the same way. You’re still one of my best friends and I’m really glad you came on this journey with me. If I had to do it all over again, I would still ask you and Alex both to come. I’m sorry that we are stuck in this mess but I promise I’ll get you back home to Brad,” I tell her.

I take a second sweep through the weapons and I decide to get a really good bow with broad
-tipped arrows. This bow is heavier than the one the Wood Elves had me practice with. As I’m looking over my bow, Alex comes over and shows me the bow that he has chosen. His looks nicer than the one I choose, and it has nice design work on it.