Synopsis

Explanation

Most who read this story will immediately notice that I don’t use a lot of descriptive detail with most things, For instance, when you first meet Draven, in the introduction to the story, you only get a vague description of his appearance and almost no background on him. Also, we don’t know where in our world he is from. I wrote Draven’s character this way so that my readers will have a chance to use their imaginations. You, as a reader can decide just what he looks like, and where he is from. I hope that this form of story telling gives those who read this story a more personal experience, a stronger bond with the characters and places in Firecloud Veil. I have also used this non-descriptive method in describing the cities and towns, out door areas, ect… in Firecloud Veil, for the same reason. It is my hope, that the people who chose to take the time to read my story develop their own vision of what the towns and people of Firecloud Veil look like. That might make it a place of their own creation, not just mine. In writing this book, I have developed a love and personal bond with these characters and places. I want you to do the same, and have just as much fun reading this story, as I did writing it.
For those who wish for some background or general description of the main characters, I have provided a character synopsis, but even that still leaves a lot to the imagination. For those of you with a good imagination, I urge you to skip the synopsis all together. After all, fantasy is all about imagination, right? Thank-you for reading.
Chadwick Wallace 05



Main Characters

Draven- A young man, in his mid twenties who finds himself thrown into an unknown world one day while walking in the woods. He is good-natured, but undisciplined and often foul mouthed. He is hesitant to fight if there is no real need for it, but will not back down if he feels it is a justified fight. He is the only member of his family left, and grew up on his own since he was ten. He can’t even remember his own last name. He is relatively short at 5’4 or so and only weighs around 150lbs. With long dark hair.

Kessaa (Kes)- Called “Kes” by most everyone, he is a High Mountain Elf who is well liked by most everyone he meets. Kes is a traveler, a wanderer who travels all around in search of whatever he can find. He is a tall slender Elf, and a fierce warrior when he wants to be, deadly with his bow and equally lethal with a staff or sword. While little is known about this character he has helped many people, made many friends and a few enemies along the way. Kes is the first one to meet Draven after he finds himself in the unknown place.

Gadez- A powerful sorcerer whose loyalties are highly questionable.

Galen- Gadez’s twin brother, who is also a sorcerer, not quite his brothers equal but a good sorcerer nonetheless, and a friend to Kessaa.

Necrom- The most powerful evil known. Some say Necrom is a demon, others say he is a man, a sorcerer who fell victim to his own power, others say Necrom is an evil god, no one knows who or what Necrom is, only that it is an undeniably present force in the realm of Firecloud Veil.

Strone- The common God of Firecloud Veil. Worshipped by most.


Geldon- A dwarf blacksmith who lives in Brah, also a friend to Kes. He has a long beard and a good sense of humor. He often likes to poke fun at people and is always up for a good fight.

Chlea- A beautiful young red haired women who lives in Brah, she is often rude, but funny and like Draven, has no family to speak of. She is a small woman, only around 110lbs. She has blue eyes and is only around 20 years old.








Setting

Firecloud Veil- A place on Earth, unlike any other. It exists on a totally different plane then what we know, an entirely different world, but still Earth. The people of Firecloud Veil are a mix of races, Elves of all sorts, dwarfs, halflings, sorcerers, and men, and those are just the prominent races. All sorts of creatures inhabit the realm of Firecloud Veil. Some friendly, some not. A great forest on all sides that is said to have no end surrounds the land. The orange sky above Firecloud Veil is filled with brick red clouds, the color of fire, from which the land draws it’s name. There are three major cities in Firecloud Veil, and three small villages of note. Along with many other small dwellings scattered in various places.













Prologue

“ Ah, what a great day to take a walk” Draven thought to himself. And of course it was, everyday was a good day for a walk in August. Draven strolled through the woods near home often, he loved the wilderness it helped him clear his thoughts. He often had a lot on his mind, having been orphaned at the young age of ten. He grew up on the streets, alone, and often scared, pulling whatever odd jobs he could for money, and sleeping in parks. Being of small stature, he was generally apt to get picked on, and was often ridiculed for his long hair and dirty clothes. Yes, he had a hard life, and had a lot to think about on his many walks through the woods. Today, his most prominent thought was that he felt he didn’t belong in this world; little did he know just how true this was.















Chapter one


Draven was taking a drink from his bottle of water when he saw it. “What the hell?” he spoke out loud as he walked up to the huge tree. “Well aren’t you a curious fellow?” he said,
“I’ve walked these woods over a hundred times, and I’ve never seen you before tree.” Draven stood, eyeing the big tree with wonder, it was the biggest tree he had ever seen, and in the center of the trunk was a large hole, one big enough for him to stand in and do jumping jacks if he wanted to.
“ I just don’t get it, how can I have never noticed you before?” He said to the tree, “And why am I talking to a tree? It’s not like it can answer back.” It was then that he heard the voice,
“Oh, the tree can’t but I can.” Draven dropped his water and jumped back.
“Who said that?” He yelled, “What the fuck is going on?” Draven thought the voice was coming from inside the tree, but it was impossible, he could see no one.
“Damn, I must be going nuts.” Draven said to himself.
Just then the voice spoke again.
“Draven, step into the tree, and all will be revealed” it said.
“How do you know my name?” he asked, and where are you? He added.
The voice responded
“Step inside, and all answers will be given.”
Draven took a step towards the opening of the tree and suddenly felt an unseen force pulling him into the hole in the tree. He tried to fight it, but try as he might he fell into the tree as the strange disembodied voice still spoke,
“All answers will be given in time.”
Draven braced himself for the impact, but it never came. As soon as he entered the opening it seemed as if he had fallen into an abyss. He felt weightless, almost like he was floating. He had no idea how long he was falling, or floating, whichever it was. The next thing he knew was that he was back in the woods, or what seemed like the woods. They were thicker and darker then he remembered, even the trees looked different.
“Oooh, what the fuck is going on?” Draven said to himself, as he lay flat on his back. Just at that moment a bug flew past his face, he tried to bring his arm up to swat it away but soon he realized it was stuck.
“Awww, now what is this happy horse shit?” he yelled.
He tried to raise his head up but realized it was stuck too.
” Great, just great” he thought.
As he struggled to free himself, he managed to turn his head just enough to see that he was suspended well off of the ground.
” Dreaming, I’m dreaming” he thought to himself.
He relaxed a bit, trying to convince himself that it was only a dream, and that he would wake up soon. When suddenly, he heard a very loud, very unpleasant hissing noise.
“ Oh what next?” Am I in some kind of web?”
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it. He saw the biggest, hairiest, ugliest spider he had ever seen. It was the size of a cow, and had only two large round eyes, set just above its huge dripping fangs. It moved slowly toward him, as if unsure as to whether or not it should come any closer. It was at this point, that Draven decided that he was, in fact, caught in a spider web, and that he was not dreaming. He could smell the spider, and he could hear it’s threatening hiss, it was all to real.
“Help!” Someone please help!” Draven began to scream frantically.
The spider moved a few quick steps closer, and hissed again. Draven had a good look at it now, drops of venom fell from its fangs like cold water from an icicle.
“For Fucks sake help me! Please someone!” He screamed again.
The spider began to move sideways, circling around the other side of Draven, but stopped just short of his field of vision. He could still see the pulsating monstrous brown hide of the giant spider.
“Please help! This big fucker is going to eat me!” Draven began to scream again. Suddenly, he felt movement again. The giant spider was now behind him, he could not turn his head enough to see it anymore, nor did he want to, or need to. He could feel it, and smell it. He opened his mouth to scream again, but before he could get a sound out, he heard the spider squeal in pain, or terror, or both. He saw the spider run past him, back the way it came with what seemed to be an arrow lodged in it’s brown hide. Before the spider could get back to its den another arrow struck it in the head. It squealed again, and died where it sat. Draven breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a voice shout from below,
“Are you alive?”
“Yes!” He shouted, “Can you get me down?
“Yes, hold tight, I will have to climb up to cut you free.” The voice said.
Draven saw a tall slender man, or what seemed to be a man, bound up a tree near the web like a cat.
“What the fuck?” he thought to himself.
The stranger stood on a branch that stretched out to where Draven was stuck,
“Hold on” he said. “This might hurt.”
He drew a long thin, curved sword from his side and cut around Draven, causing him to crash straight to the soft ground below. He lay there for a few seconds until the stranger stood over him.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
“Yeah man, I think so, thanks” Draven said as he was getting up.
“I am not a man you dolt, I am an Elf, can you not see that?” said the stranger.
“You’re an Elf? You’re shittin me,” said Draven.
“Yes, I am a High Mountain Elf, my name is Kessaa, but my friends call me Kes, who are you? “
“ My name is Draven, and I still say you’re shittin me, elves only exist in fairy tales.
“Shittin?” What is shittin?” I don’t know shittin.” The elf said.
“You know, it’s an expression, like ‘shit’…”
“I don’t know shit, what is shit?”
“You don’t know shit?” Draven said laughing.
” No, I do not, and what is so funny?” Kes said in all seriousness.
“Nothing,” said Draven. “So you’re really an elf? Where am I then? How the hell did I get here, and what was that spider thing that almost killed me, until you saved my life. Thank you by the way.”
The elf sat down and motioned for Draven to do the same.
”You are welcome, and yes I am an elf, a High Mountain Elf, from the High Mountain Range.” Kes said with pride.
“Okay, but where am I? Draven asked. Kes seemed confused with Draven’s question, but answered anyway.
“Firecloud Veil, where else is there?”
“Firecloud Veil? Never heard of it… This is all too much.” Draven put his head in his hands with his elbows on his knees and began to moan.
“You are really not from around here are you? “ Kes asked “Are you from beyond the Endless Forest?”
“The what?” Draven asked
“ You know, the Endless Forest that surrounds Firecloud Veil, I have never heard of anyone being from beyond the forest, but there are stories, no one has ever been beyond the forest though. And no one from Firecloud Veil would be dumb enough to get caught in a bear spider web, let alone stray from the trade Route unarmed.”
“Endless Forest, Bear Spider, Trade Route… I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about, and what in the world is a Bear Spider?” asked Draven.
“ By Strone, you are really not of this world are you?” Said Kes. “No,” said Draven,” as hard as it is for me to accept, apparently not, and will you please answer my question?” Kes stared at Dravin for a moment with wide eyes before he spoke.
“Well, that would explain your strange clothes… and a Bear Spider is what almost made you its meal. They are all over the Unforgiving Woods, but they stay mostly in trees.”
“All over? Draven shrieked. “You mean there are more of those damn things? And what the hell is the Unforgiving Woods?”
“Yes,” said Kes “Bear Spiders are all over these woods, although I believe you are the first person to get caught in a Bear Spider’s web though.”
“Great,” said Draven with mock enthusiasm, “but what is this ‘Unforgiving Woods’?”
“It is the small forest here in Firecloud Veil, we’re in the Unforgiving Woods right now. The trade Route between the two cities, Forest Edge and Brah runs through these woods. I was on my way to Brah when I heard your cries for help. You are really lucky I came along.” Said Kes.
“Yeah, I know, thanks again” Draven said extending his hand as he stood up. Kes stood up with him and clasped his hand around Dravens wrist, Dravin did the same. It was a familiar gesture.
“So,” said Kes, how exactly did you come to get caught in the web? And where are you from?”
“It’s a long story,” said Draven
“Well, why don’t you come with me to Brah, my friend Galen lives there, he is a sorcerer, I’m sure he would be interested in meeting you, you can tell me your story along the way.” Kes said.
“Sorcerer…? First I find out that Elves and giant man eating spiders are real, and now you’re telling me sorcerers are real too? I don’t know how much more I can take, I mean, what’s next? Dwarves?
“Yes” said Kes, Dwarves live in Firecloud Veil too.”
“Shit” said Draven
“What is this ‘shit’?” asked Kes.
“Never mind, said Draven, “I’ll explain later, for now, lets just get going before a goblin or something comes after us.”
“Oh, there are no goblins in the woods, you need not worry about them” Kes assured him.
“Shit” said Draven, “just shit.”
Kes and Draven walked for what seemed like an hour, with Kes in the lead of course, before they reached a wide road that Kes said was the Trade Route, which would take them to the city of Brah, which Kes said was in the High Plains near the Storm River. As they walked Kes listened attentively as Draven told him all about his walks in the woods and finding the strange tree, and the voice. He described the floating feeling, and suddenly finding himself caught in the Bear Spider’s web. By the time Draven finished his story they were out of the Unforgiving Woods, (much to Draven’s delight) and on the edge of the High Plains where Kes said they would make camp for the night. He built a small fire, and produced some dried fruits from a pouch and offered some to Draven. He accepted and ate ravenously, he had no idea how hungry he had been.
“We should sleep now, we will start off again come first light, we will be in Brah by midday tomorrow” said Kes.
Draven found it difficult to sleep on the ground, but found Kes went right to sleep. Draven lay awake for some time, looking at the strange colored sky, but soon fell into a deep dreamless sleep. He had no idea what lay ahead of him.
****
It was still dark when Draven was awoke by a feeling of danger. He didn’t know why or what, but he knew something was wrong. He heard what seemed like heavy footsteps coming toward him. Without even realizing what he was doing he rolled over just in time to avoid a very large foot that came close to stomping his head into the ground. He stood up just in time to see a very large, very foul smelling intruder coming toward him with two abnormally long arms with two abnormally large clawed hands outstretched toward his neck. Draven reflexively dropped and rolled to his left, picking up a large rock as he rolled. He came up behind the intruder kicking it behind its right kneecap. The creature was far to slow to respond to Draven’s nimble maneuvers, the well-placed kick sent it down to the ground, where it growled with anger. Before it could right itself Draven placed a few more furious kicks on the head of his assailant before slamming the heavy stone on it’s head a few times to subdue and ultimately kill the intruder. Draven stood over the body of the intruder and got his first good look at his would be attacker. The creature was much bigger than a man, with dark brownish-yellow skin, a large forehead with a sunken-in nose. It had large pointed ears and huge razor-like teeth that were exposed, the creature’s lips did nothing to cover them. Its eyes were large, and also sunk back into its head. It seemed to be wearing crude clothes made from it’s own skin, or the skin of it’s own kind anyway, stained with it’s own yellow blood.
“Kes! Where were you while I was fighting this thing? I thought you said there were no damn goblins around here!” Draven screamed.
“Why I was watching you, you seemed to be doing just fine, and that was no goblin, it was an ogre, a rather small one at that.” The elf answered.
“Small! That think was small? That thing was huge!”
“Well, it was small, but they do not get much bigger, you handled yourself very well against it, are you a warrior where you are from?” Kes asked.”
“No, I’m just a regular guy, I’ve never done anything like that before, I don’t even know what came over me, I just acted on reflex” he said.
“Well,” said Kes, “it seems there is more to you than meets the eye, in all my years, I have never seen a man, face an ogre alone, with no weapon at that, and live, Galen will want to meet you no doubt.”
“Well,” replied Draven, I guess we should get some sleep so we can head out in the morning.”
“No”, said Kes, “we go now.”
“Now?” Draven asked in a surprised voice, “why?”
“We must leave now, before the others show up.”
“Others?” Draven asked.
“Yes, ogres are cannibals, and can smell the blood of their own kind for miles, soon there will be a pack of them here to collect the one you killed, we should go now.” Said the Elf.
“Right, lets go then.”


The two set out on the Trade Route across the High Plains toward the city of Brah, in just a few hours the sun would be up, and they would be near the city of Brah, where the sorcerer Galen lived.
__________
Chapter two

Kes and Draven walked along the trade route for a few hours with no conversation. Draven took notice that the sun had come up and gave the sky a fiery orange glow unlike anything he had ever seen.
“Hey Kes, what’s with the sky? Asked Draven.
“Nothing, why? Kes replied looking up as he walked.
“It’s all orange, you don’t see anything wrong with that?”
Kes stopped walking and turned around to stare at Draven.
“No, I do not, this sky has been the color of fire for as long as I have been alive. I do not know any other color the sky could be.” He said.
“How about Blue? That’s what color the sky is back home.”
“Blue?” Kes said with a laugh “Who ever heard of a blue sky? What’s next from you Draven, white clouds?” He turned around and walked on.
Draven looked up and realized that the clouds also had a dark, brick red hue to them.
“Looks like I’m not home anymore.” He said to himself.”
*****
By mid-day the two had traveled far enough that the city of Brah was in sight.
“There,” said Kes, “The city of Brah is within sight, we should be there in good time if we hurry.”
“Awww, come on man, we’ve been walking for hours with no break, I need to sit down for a bit, and I’m hungry enough to eat a horse!” said Draven.
“By Strone!” screamed Kes, “you eat horses? What savages your people are!”
“No! That’s not what I meant! It was just an expression… I would never eat a horse!” replied Draven.
“You and your expressions,” Kes said as he sat down, “I may never understand you Draven. Go ahead and rest.”
Draven sat down next to Kes and thought about telling him about how back in school he used to think the cafeteria fed people horse meat, but decided not to even bring it up.
“So,” began Draven, “this friend of yours, Galen, what’s he like?”
“He is a very old and wise sorcerer,” Kes began as he handed Draven a few pieces of dried fruit, and kept some for himself, “he has been a good friend of mine for many years.”
“Why do you think he would be interested in meeting me?”
“You are an interesting man Draven. You are obviously not from this world, your clothes are unlike any I have ever seen, you use words I have never heard before, you actually got caught in a Bear Spider web, and I am still not so sure you do not eat horses.” Kes said with a smile.
“Okay, two things,” Draven said in a embarrassed tone, “one, I don’t eat horses! And two, do you have to keep reminding me about the spider web thing? I mean give me a fucking break man!”
Kes eyed Draven with mock seriousness for a bit.
“How many times do I have to tell you, I am not a man, I am a…”
“High Mountain Elf of the high Mountain range, I know, I know, its just how I talk, it was another expression.” Draven interrupted.
Kes smiled as he stood up, “I know, I was just having fun with you, elves have a sense of humor too you know.”
“Gee, I never would have guessed.” Draven said as he finished the last of his fruit.
“We should be going now, I want to get to Brah before sunset,” he put his hand down to help Draven up.
“Why were you originally going to see Galen in the first place anyway?” asked Draven.
“I have some herbs and a few other things for him from Forest Edge” replied the elf as the two began walking toward the city.
“Forest Edge? What’s that?”
“The other city at the other end of the Trade Route.” Said Kes.
“Oh that makes sense,” said Draven, “is Forest Edge a big city?”
“Oh yes,” said Kes, “Forest Edge is the biggest city in Firecloud Veil, if not for Forest Edge, Brah would still just be a ferry port on the Storm River.”
“How so?”
“Well, Forest Edge is right on the edge of the Endless Forest, the people there have access to a great many resources that the people of Brah do not have, wood especially. Almost all of Brah was built from Forest Edge’s wood. That is why the Trade Route is here.” Kes replied.
“So where exactly is Forest Edge?”
“On the other side of the Unforgiving Woods, on the edge of the Endless Forest.”
“Hold on,” said Draven, “You’re telling me that people get wood from a city a hundred miles away, when there is a bunch of woods closer, that they could get for free?”
“Yes”.
“Why?”
“Would you build a house out of cursed trees?”
“No, I guess I wouldn’t… you know, for a trade road, we haven’t seen any others traveling” said Draven.
“There has not been much trade for years, things have become stagnant, but as soon as someone starts to build again you will see people on the Route again.”
Kes and Draven continued talking as they headed toward Brah, getting to know each other and having a good time doing it. They both knew that they had both found a friend in the other. As they walked and talked neither of them noticed the large black bird watching them as it circled in the sky.
*****

“My lord, my bird has found he that we seek” Gadez said to the fire burning in a hearth in the middle of his tower chamber.
“Very good,” said a disembodied voice “bring him to the tower.”
“But lord, he does not know who he is, and he is with Kessaa the Mountain Elf, he may not come easy.
“Noble Gadez, I have imbued you with power beyond your dreams. Carrying out this task should be no problem, you would not fail your Lord and God would you?”
“No Lord Necrom,” Godez said in a scared tone, “it is just that it does not seem fair, and if he has befriended the elf, well Kessaa will protect him from our efforts. Are you sure it has to be him?”
“Gadez!” Bellowed Necrom’s voice, “I have chosen he that I want, if you do not do as I have said, I shall destroy you like the pathetic waste you are and choose another to serve by my side when I rule all realms.”
“Yes Lord Necrom,” “I shall do as you ask.”
Gadez left the chambers and descended a flight of stairs where a group of men sat on couches and the floor in a room that looked like a small barracks.
“The time has come,” said Gadez.
They all stood up.
“He who we seek is with the elf Kessaa, bring him here.”
“Yes master Gadez! Come men!” One shouted as they all headed for the stairs.
“Wait!” Gadez commanded, “I want him brought here alive and unharmed.”
“Yes master Gadez!” said the man who seemed to be leader.
“That goes for the elf as well, if any harm should come to either of them, I shall turn you all into rats, and feed you to a snake.”
The lead man nodded in agreement as he directed his men out.
*****
The sun was just beginning to set when Kes and Draven got to the city of Brah. As Draven followed Kes down the main road he couldn’t help but to be amazed. Brah looked like someone’s idea of a medieval town to Draven. There were people leading cows around by ropes, chickens roamed freely, peddlers were selling smoked meats and what seemed to be cheese from carts. The buildings seemed to be scattered all about, in no particular order, all made from logs, with straw or thatched roofs. The people were all dressed in fur and hides. What surprised him the most were the people who looked like Kes, Draven naturally assumed they were elves too, and the many short folks with long beards and thick bodies with big noses, “Must be dwarfs” Draven said to himself. As the pair walked on, Draven noticed he was attracting a lot attention.
“So, this is Brah huh?” Draven asked Kes.
“Yes, the fair city of Brah, Galen’s house is not far now.?” He answered.
“You know,” Draven said in a matter-of-fact tone “I don’t think these people like me much, they keep staring at me, everyone is.”
“Well, you look funny to them, the people of this world has never seen clothes like yours, we will have to get you some regular clothes soon.”
Draven was just about to protest when he heard a voice call out from behind him.
“Kes! You old sly badger! Where have you been for so long?” it said.
Both Kes and Draven wheeled around to see a rather stocky dwarf with a gray beard that drug the ground. He had many scars on his face with a huge nose. He was holding a hammer standing next to an anvil, Draven guessed he was a blacksmith.
“Geldon! You old yeti!” Kes yelled, “It is good to see you again.”
Kes walked to the Dwarf and put his hand on his shoulder.
“I hate being compared to a blusted yeti! And you well know that” said the dwarf.
Kes smiled as he spoke to the dwarf “And just what if I do not you no bearded imp?”
“Why you ogre-faced, spineless piece of goblin dung!” Geldon said as he raised his hammer as if to strike Kes.
“Whoa whoa wait a minute!” Draven said to Geldon, “he didn’t mean it!”
Kes shot a look at Draven with a wry smile then to Geldon, who had burst into such a fit of laughter. “I believe I managed to frighten your friend here, perhaps you should introduce us.”
“Draven, this is one of my oldest friends, Geldon the blacksmith.”
“So, where are you from Draven?” Geldon asked “I have never clapped eyes on a man such as yourself.”
“It’s a long long story, I’d really rather not go into it now” said Draven.
“Aye, aye, very well then” said Geldon as he put down his hammer. “So what brings ye to my shop elf?
“I am going to see Galen, I have some herbs and such for him, and I want him to meet Draven here… perhaps Galen can help us with some questions we have.”
“Hmmm,” Geldon said “I have been meaning to see the old sorcerer myself for some time, I will go with you, I would very much like to hear this story of his.”
“Hell, why the heck not? Lets just get going, I’m tired of getting stared at.”
“Yes,” said Kes, “we should go.”
“I will catch up with you elf, I must close my forge up before I leave, there are some children about with sticky fingers!”
“We will wait for you Geldon, I know how slow an old beardless yeti such as yourself can be, you would never catch up!” Kes said with a smile.
“Mind yer tongue you imp!”
*****
It was well past dark when Draven, Kes and Geldon arrived at Galen’s home on the edge of Brah. There was a dim light coming from one of the few front windows of the log house. Kes knocked on the front door.
“Kes! Geldon! Good to see you.” The old man said with enthusiasm.
“Same to you old friend”, Kes said, “I have brought you some more herbs and a few gems from Forest Edge, and someone for you to meet.”
The sorcerer was already looking Draven over with a confused look.
“I have gathered that already” Galen said. “It seems we have much to talk about, come in, all of you, I will get the pipe and tea.”
The three entered the house, which wasn’t more then a box with a few windows, a fireplace, and a few chairs around a large table. Along one wall was a large shelf that held many jars, boxes, and a few bottles. Galen gathered a few items from it and made his way to the table with a kettle and some mugs.
“Oh, I have forgotten the pipe,” he said, “sit, sit, I will be there in a moment.”
Kes, Draven, and Geldon all took a seat at the table. Kes immediately grabbed the kettle and filled the mugs. Galen returned with a long pipe in his hand, puffing smoke rings and took his seat.
“Well,” he said passing the pipe to Kes, who eagerly accepted. “Tell me who your friend is Kes, or does he talk?”
“Yes” Kes said with a laugh, “But I am afraid he is a bit out of place.”
“I can tell “ said the sorcerer.
Kes passed the pipe to Draven, and asked him to tell Galen his story. As they all sat around the table passing the pipe Draven told Galen all about his walk in the woods, the tree with the hole, the voice, and falling into the tree and ending up in the Bear Spider web. At the mention of that Geldon and Galen had a good laugh, and they laughed even harder when Kes joked about Draven eating horses. Draven turned a deep red as they laughed at his expense. However, as Kes told Galen and Geldon about Draven’s victory over the ogre, all became quiet, and the dwarf and sorcerer both stared wide eyed at Draven.
“What?” He said, Why is everyone staring at me like that today?”
“Draven,” Galen said “I am a three hundred year old sorcerer, and in all my years, I have never heard of one man single handedly killing an ogre, not to mention, you are obviously from another plane, which is odd as it is.”
Kes passed the pipe again and spoke to Galen.
“So what do you think about my friend here? Why do you suppose he was brought here?” asked Kes.
Galen leaned back in his chair. “Well, we do not know he was ‘brought’ here, he could have fallen into that tree by coincidence. Although, the fact that he heard a voice that knew his name telling him to enter the tree leads me to believe he was brought here.”
“That is what I thought,” said Kes, “but why?”
“Yeah, why me?” said Draven.
“I do not have the answers I am afraid,” Galen said with a sigh, “But I can tell you it was definitely the work of someone on this plane, and I think I know who can help.”
“Who?” asked Kes.
“My brother Gadez,” Galen said with an even deeper sigh, “He is the greatest sorcerer I know, if anyone can shed light here, it is him.”
At the mention of the name Gadez, both Kes and Geldon stared in protest, and finally, for the first time since they began smoking Galen’s pipe, Geldon spoke.
“Galen, I know Gadez is a great sorcerer, and I understand that he is your brother… But by Strone nothing good ever comes from that blasted tower he has been staying at! Why, we have not heard from him in ten years, since he went there! That tower is evil I tell you! Evil, you yourself begged him not to go!”
“Yes.” Galen said, “I agree about the tower, and I also believe in my own brother. Misguided as he may be, I believe he will help us find out why our new friend Draven is here.”
“What if Gadez and the tower had something to do with his appearance?” Kes asked.
Finally Draven stood up.
“What the fuck are you guys talking about?”
Galen looked at Draven as if just then remembering he was around. He sat down his pipe and drew a long breath as Draven sat back down, and Kes picked the pipe back up. Galen began a somewhat lengthy answer.
“I have a twin brother named Gadez, he was always very powerful, but he always desired to be greater. He is the most capable sorcerer I know. Ten years ago he went north, past the High Mountain range to the tower of Necrom, which is where the dark spirit of the god Necrom is said to reside. It is said that anyone, elf, dwarf, man, anyone at all can find power beyond imagination there, if they only submit to Necrom. Gadez has not been heard from since.”
“How do you even know he’s alive?” asked Draven.
“He is my twin brother, and we are sorcerers, we have a bond, if he were to die, I would know.”
“Oh, well, I guess that makes sense,” said Draven, “so is your brother a bad guy?”
“No, I believe he still has a good heart, I can feel it in my own.” The old sorcerer closed his eyes and held his hand out for his pipe, Kes handed it back to him. Suddenly Kes spoke up.
“Well Draven, I guess we are going to the tower, we will leave tomorrow.”
“Well, I have nothing better to do,” said Draven. Galen, do you think Gadez can help me find a way home? I mean, I have almost nothing at home, but I don’t think I fit in here… it’s too much like a movie” he finished.
“What is a movie?” asked Galen.
“Never mind, forget I said anything, I’ll never be able to explain that one.”
Geldon stood up, looking almost dizzy.
“Kes, meet me at my forge in the morning, I will outfit him with a good sword before we set off.”
“You are going with us? You will never be able to keep up, you will trip over your beard too much.” Kes replied.
“Aye, you fork tounsel pixie, I can not let you and the man have all the fun, besides, I kind of like the boy. “He is interesting”
“Very well,” said Kes, “we will meet at dawn, but we must also get him some proper garb for the trip as well, try not to get lost on the way home yetti.”
“Curse you elf!” Geldon said as he walked out the door. Draven leaned over to Galen who was smiling at the verbal attacks of his friends.
“Do they always argue like that?” He asked.
“For as long as I have known them” Galen replied.
“And how long is that?”
“I have lost count of the years, but sometimes I think it is too long, you know you should get some rest. You have a long trip ahead of you” Galen said.
*****
Kes and Draven made their beds outside in a hay wagon. Draven had trouble falling asleep again, but Kes was fast asleep. Draven could not stop thinking about the strange situation he was in. Did he really want to go home? He had no more family, no real friends, why should he go home? At least in Firecloud Veil he had Kes, who he knew was a friend, and Geldon, who seemed genuinely interested in helping him. By the time he fell asleep, Draven decided that he wanted to know why he was in this strange place, but he did not want to leave. He would stay, it was different, but for some reason, he felt that he belonged.
*****
That night as Draven slept, Gadez’s soldiers also made camp in the High Mountains.
“Remember,” the leader said, “When we find them, they are not to be harmed! I do not want to become snake food because of one of your mistakes!”
“What if they attack us?” A small soldier asked.
“It is just an elf, and a weak man, how much harm could they do to us? Soldiers of Necrom!” The leader replied.
The soldiers all cheered and made their beds for the night. They too had a big day ahead of them.
_______________
Chapter Three
The next morning, when Draven awake, he noticed that Kes was already awake and off somewhere. “Most likely in talking to Galen. “he thought. When he finally got up, stretched and made his way inside he was surprised to see Kes, Galen, and Geldon once again sitting at the table talking and passing a pipe.
“Ah,”said Galen, “he finally arises!”
“We were beginning to think you would never wake up! “Geldon said with a laugh.
“I actually slept well,” said Draven, “you could have woke me up you know.”
“And we probably should have, we should be on our way to the High Mountain range by now.” Kes said as he offered Draven the pipe.
“Sorry,” said Draven as he took a long pull from the pipe, “I didn’t mean to hold us up, what’s for breakfast?”