The Legend of Talen

By Eshal Peiris

Things couldn’t have been worse on the island of Araden. Since the Cadelle Empire landed on its shores nearly three hundred years ago, the land had been stripped of its valuable crops and its famished inhabitants were under the continuous threat of becoming slaves. Sure, there were some who opposed the Cadelle and their brutality, but those brave souls usually wound up dead.
It was bad enough that Talen Shire had to live with the same pressures as all the others, but unlike most, he had to do so without knowing anything about his past. His mother constantly refuses to tell him what happened to his father, he isn’t allowed to celebrate his birthday, and worst of all, he can’t seem to shake the dark visions that haunt his dreams. When he finally gets to know the truth about his life, only one question will remain unanswered: will Talen be able to shed his past and become Araden’s guiding light?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eshal Peiris
• Release date: Aug 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301936915

Eshal Peiris

Let me start by thanking you for supporting my debut novel, The Legend of Talen. It was such a rewarding experience writing this book and I’m really looking forward to sharing it with others. Ever since I was young, I’ve always loved to create different characters and worlds. Crafting this story has given me a meaningful outlet to do just that.My goal when writing this book was to not only give the audience an exciting adventure from cover to cover, but more importantly, I wish that I’ve been able to convey a positive message of overcoming all obstacles, helping those in need, and daring to achieve the impossible—something I hope will resonate with anyone reading it, especially young adults.Please visit my webpage if you have any questions. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did writing it.–Eshal Peiris

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

The Light

A glowing green light streaked through the air across the island of Araden. It had to have been morning, but for some strange reason the sky was blacker than night. An accompanying sense of pain and misery seemed to blanket the island during those hours, as a chilling echo of screams reverberated throughout. These were the kind of cries that left ears unscathed and instead pierced right through the heart, forever leaving a wound that could never be fully healed.

Several hours later, a small baby was being carried by a female squirrel as she raced through a dark forest. The female kept looking back with a grief-stricken face that grew paler with each passing second. Someone was running close to them, and more creatures could be heard in the nearby distance.

Without warning, a hand gently rubbed the infant’s forehead. The female cried out at the top of her lungs, in such soul-shattering heartache. The baby’s eyes were quickly covered.

A short time passed. His eyes were exposed again, causing him to look around the area frantically. It was in vain, nothing could be seen. The only thing that was clear was that they had stopped running. The baby heard a gentle crying and felt teardrops on his head, but he still couldn’t see anything, only darkness.

Suddenly, a glowing green light appeared in the distance. The baby was hypnotized by it, even though it was nothing more than a speck. It slowly started to grow, getting bigger and brighter, illuminating the entire forest.

The ground began to shake—a mere tremor at first, but before long, it became louder and more violent. The baby didn’t care, and gazed at the light, unafraid.

He smiled.

In a flash, the light shot straight at him.

"Aahhh!" yelled Talen Shire as he woke up in a sudden panic.

It had happened again—the same nightmare he had been having for as long as he could remember.

The young squirrel was eleven years old—at least, that was what he thought. He never celebrated his birthday, and his mother never told him when he was born, so he really had no way of knowing for sure.

Talen slowly wiped the large beads of sweat that were pouring down from his small pointy ears to his button-like nose. The grey fur at the top of his forehead was completely drenched, as were his raggedy clothes.

Sweetie, are you all right? asked his mother, Liza. She got up from the bed beside his and tenderly wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

He stared at his mother as she inched closer. The moonlight was shining directly on her face through their cottage’s lone window.

It was clear that Talen had his mother’s ears and nose. But her thin lips and narrow eyes were a far cry from his. Her face was now covered by wrinkles. She certainly had aged greatly and looked much older than she should have. Talen knew that his mother had gone through a lot in her life, but what exactly she had endured was still a mystery.

Nightmares again? his mother asked.

Talen nodded as he hugged her.

He and his mother were like two peas in a pod. Like most rodents in Araden, they lived a very simple life devoid of any material possessions. Talen had no real toys or books, and his mother had no fancy dresses or jewelry. But the one thing they did have was each other, and above all else, that seemed to be more than enough.

Talen shared everything with his mother. There was no secret he had withheld, except for what his nightmares were about. Although he didn’t know why, he was never able to tell her the truth about his visions. A different elaborate tale would be created each and every time.

You’ll feel fine in the morning, she said softly as she kissed his forehead and tucked him beneath the sheets.

By now, he had grown accustomed to having his peaceful sleep disturbed by the nightmares, so he knew his mother’s words to be true. That still didn’t make them any less of a mental drain. As his mother started to walk toward her bed, Talen slowly closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep, quietly hoping the nightmare would not return.

CHAPTER 2

The Dreaded Phrase

The sun’s rays beamed radiantly through the cottage window the next day. Talen loved waking up to the warm, gentle glow upon his face. He was an early riser, often to the dismay of his mother, who still lay asleep in bed.

The young squirrel let out a ferocious yawn as he looked around their quaint little home. The cottage was very small, with only the one bedroom, a tiny kitchen with a fireplace, and a living room area that had nothing but a bare table with two chairs.

Talen loved his home, right at the edge of Dopress Forest, on the outskirts of Kanda. He had been born and raised in that cottage. In fact, he had never been to any other city besides Kanda—not that he ever wanted to. His life was plenty fine just the way it was.

Talen got up slowly and looked out the window. The sun was all alone in a cloudless sky, casting its light over Dopress Forest. All was calm and quiet outside. The only movement came from the leaves that seemed to be dancing playfully on their branches with each gentle gust of wind. The only sounds were the soft murmurs from the carts on the nearby roads that could just be heard in the distance. It truly was a beautiful day to be alive.

A soft yawn rang out from behind. Talen turned to watch his mother as she got up and gently stretched her arms.

Morning, sweetie, she said.

Morning, Mom.

His mother got up and went over to the window, placed her arm around him, and gave a loving embrace. Oh my, it’s gorgeous outside. It’ll be a good day to pick and sell the vegetables, she said.

But I want to go play with Seno, grumbled Talen.

Not now, sweetie, replied his mother softly as she rubbed his head. We need to make more money before tax day.

Talen wanted to plead his case, but knew it would be useless. Failure to pay the King’s taxes was a serious offense with dire consequences. But it wasn’t the fear of becoming a slave that made him reluctantly agree. He dreaded something far greater than that.

Talen knew that if he grumbled too much, his mother might blurt out the one phrase he loathed to hear: If you only knew what your father and Hashdas did. Just ten simple words strung together in a sentence. But to Talen Shire, they were the gateway to a million questions he didn’t have the answers to.

He had never known his father, Jerab. It had always been just him and his mother. She had never told him what had happened to his father, either, although Talen tried several times to ascertain any sort of information. Whenever he brought up the subject, his mother’s eyes would fill with tears, so he decided to stop talking about it altogether. At least for the time being, it was more important to see his mother happy than to get answers.

As for Hashdas, Talen didn’t even know who that was. His mother only brought him up when she uttered the phrase. Talen had wasted countless nights trying to see if he could ever recall having seen a Hashdas, or at the very least, remember hearing his name somewhere else. Unfortunately, the end result was always the same. He had no clue what she was talking about.

If you only knew what your father and Hashdas did. Just ten simple words strung together in a sentence. But to Talen Shire, they were a nuisance!

***

Talen and his mother had been working in the garden for quite some time. Although the trees from Dopress towered regally around their home, the branches did little to block out the sun’s rays from bearing down on them. All the work in the garden was causing Talen to sweat profusely.

Their plot of arable land was very small. But since it was just the two of them, there was never a shortage of work to be done.

Talen took a break from planting carrot seeds to take a sip of water by the well next to their cottage. The well, like the home, was rundown and in dire need of repair, but at least the water was always cool.

The only thing of beauty in their home was the garden, where row after row of crops flourished. They had always managed to sell enough of the vegetables they grew—lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers—to pay the King’s taxes. Although several times, Talen and his mother would make it by the grit of their teeth, often going to bed on empty stomachs to do so.

After the carrot seeds were all nestled away beneath the moist dirt, Talen began to pick the tomatoes as his mother picked the lettuce. They were going to sell what they reaped by the road near their home that led to Kanda.

Soon, Talen had filled twenty baskets with juicy tomatoes and only had a handful left to pick. He was so hot and tired, causing him to pause every few seconds to wipe his brow. The sweltering heat was certainly unforgiving. Still, there was nothing that could be done. If his mother needed his help, then he was going to do whatever he could, even if that meant working hard under such merciless conditions.

Oh, sweetie... called his mother from behind.

Talen turned to see what she wanted. In that very instant, his face was splashed with a large wave of water.

His mother stood there with the half-empty bucket and giggled gently as the water ran down his fur. Talen smiled back at her and looked over to the well, where another bucket filled with water sat. He bolted for it and began chasing after his mother. She ran away trying to avoid Talen, all the while screaming in delight. Talen flung the water at her, soaking her blouse completely.

The two of them kept chasing after one another all around the outside of the cottage until both had run out of water. They were exhausted and tried desperately to catch their breath. Talen put his arm around his mother’s shoulder while playfully laughing; their clothing was utterly drenched.

C’mon. Let’s get you dried up before we sell the vegetables, said his mother as she whisked Talen’s hair.

***

Although the day was beautiful, Eros Road was desolate outside their home. They stood in the hot sun as carts and travelers slowly passed by. A few creatures stopped at their vegetable stand to see what they had to offer, but hardly anyone bought any produce.

Talen sensed a panic on his mother’s face. Were they not going to make enough to pay the King’s taxes? It was still early in the day, but he did not even want to fathom what would happen if that were the case. He knew all too well what the Cadelle Army was capable of doing to a rodent. After all, they had been ruling mercilessly for centuries.

It truly was a shame how no one could have foreseen the devastation that the band of weasel warriors would bring to Araden when the first came to shore nearly three hundred years ago. At the time, the rodents were a loving and trusting group, and embraced the foreign creatures with open arms. They knew nothing of turmoil and suffering. And they certainly could not even fathom such things as war and enslavement. Unfortunately for them, the Cadelle had found just what they were looking for.

Within a matter of months, the Cadelle Army overthrew Araden’s governing body and took control of the island. They began collecting heavy taxes every month and took crops from even the poorest of rodents who could barely feed themselves. Failure to pay taxes could result in a family member being taken away and put to work in the labor mines, where they’d toil away from sunup to well past sundown every single day.

Those were the lucky ones. Some were taken away forever to do slave labor in the weasel’s distant homeland of Lesada. Death came to those brave (or foolish) enough to act or speak out against the tyranny. Health, age, ability—these were irrelevant. Pay the King’s taxes, obey the King’s laws, or face the dire consequences.

Talen shuddered at the thought of becoming a slave, but he despised the idea of his mother being taken away even more. When the Cadelle did not get the taxes they demanded, they had no qualms about tearing a family apart so that one or more members were punished. If Talen and his mother could not sell enough food, they’d meet that very fate.

After a while, the evening hours began to set in over Araden. As more and more creatures headed home, their business soon picked up, and they had sold all but four baskets of tomatoes and three heads of lettuce. His mother’s mood visibly brightened as they had made enough to pay their taxes, much to Talen’s relief.

However, it wasn’t as if they had made a large sum of money. They would just make it by this time around, with only a little to save away for a rainy day. In fact, his mother probably wouldn’t even have enough to buy a piece of fish to make for dinner that night. But Talen could stomach eating only vegetables better than he could the thought of becoming a slave.

As soon as it became clear that business had come to a halt, Talen began cleaning off the table while his mother took the remaining baskets of tomatoes inside their house. Nighttime had fallen in Araden and the road had been deserted for the past few minutes.

In the distance, Talen noticed an uncovered cart slowly making its way down the empty road; it was being pulled by a capybara. A capybara, or capy for short, was a placid four-legged animal used by both the Cadelle and the rodents to pull heavy loads. The bulky brown beast was perfect for traveling long distances as well.

Talen guessed that since the stranger had a capy, he must have been a trader of some kind. There were several chairs and small tables clumsily piled up in the back, confirming his initial thoughts.

As the cart drew nearer, a silhouette of a large squirrel emerged. He stopped in front of the stand.

Although the stranger stood right in front of him, Talen could hardly make out anything with the absence of light. He could see that the squirrel wore glasses with a thin frame and small lenses. His clothing was covered in dust, causing him to look far filthier than his well-trimmed beard and clean, pleasant face initially let on.

My, these look rather fresh, the squirrel said in an extremely soothing voice as he adjusted his glasses. How much for a basket, lad?

Ten Feloints, sir, said Talen kindly.

Ah, that’s too cheap for such fresh produce. Here’s fifty, said the stranger as he handed over a large pouch filled with Feloints, pieces of gold that were Araden’s currency.

To say this was an unusual act would be an understatement. Creatures in Araden were not known for their generosity. As a result of Cadelle rule, it became a struggle to take care of oneself, let alone help others.

Talen took the money with a surprised look on his face. Thank you so much, sir, he said, still in shock.

The squirrel just smiled before placing the basket in the back of his cart. He took hold of the capybara’s reins once more and went about his way.

Talen grabbed the last of the tomatoes and lettuce. He was eager to give the money to his mother because he knew they would be able to eat a good meal that night. By that time, he was so consumed by hunger and could think of nothing more than filling his empty stomach.

CHAPTER 3

Hashdas

A few days later, the tomatoes that Talen and his mother had been unable to sell began to rot, letting off a rancid odor outside their cottage. Talen had been instructed to throw them into the woods the night before, but he had managed to delay his chore until the morning. He wasn’t going to take them to the forest, though. He had a whole other plan in mind.

Mom, I’m taking the rotten tomatoes, and then I’m going to meet up with Seno, okay?

All right, sweetie, you two have fun, she replied with a smile, watching Talen sprint out the front door.

Talen grabbed the basket while trying his best not to breathe in any of the foul air it was letting off. As he lifted his head, he saw a small squirrel dressed in tattered clothing skipping down the road toward his cottage. It was his best friend in the world, Seno Larmoss.

In actuality, it was the only real friend Talen had ever had. He pretty much had known Seno his whole life and spent most of his free time playing with him. The two of them loved to frolic in the forest and explore the shops and markets in Kanda. They were just a couple of carefree kids, completely oblivious to the world they lived in.

The two friends met up halfway.

Did you get it? asked Seno eagerly. He was Talen’s age, but was nearly half his size. His pudgy cheeks and stubby little body did nothing to help him appear any taller.

Oh yeah, look!

"Eww! said Seno, letting off a look of disgust. What are we going to do with them?"

They lugged the basket down the road toward Kanda. The town was less than a three minute walk from Talen’s home. While life at the edge of the forest was nice, the markets had all the action.

There was so much to see—the endless rows of shops and inns, all less than three stories high, built with bricks and roofed with straw or hay. Crowds of creatures rushed through the cobblestoned streets that somehow never got dirty. It seemed as though an adventure was always around the corner.

But Talen’s mind was not focused on Kanda today. He took great pleasure in coming up with tricks and traps, and desperately tried to find a use for the rotten tomatoes. After all, he was an eleven-year-old boy who loved to get into a little mischief here and there. Now, his plans were never really harmful to anyone, and they were by no means any grand, elaborate schemes, but they certainly helped him and Seno to kill the time.

I got an idea! said Talen suddenly. But we’re going to need some rope, string, a piece of wood, and a ladder.

Talen and Seno quickly scurried through the streets looking for the items they needed. After finding all that he required, Talen began setting his trap in a small alleyway. He tied the string to two posts that stood on the left and right sides of the narrow alley. He then climbed the ladder and balanced the wood on two buildings on opposite ends from one another, before Seno handed him the bucket filled with tomatoes. Talen tied another rope around the bucket and hopped down.

This is gonna be good, said Talen.

Yeah, said Seno slyly as the two squirrels looked on in great delight at the work they had accomplished.

They ran to the end of the alleyway and looked down the busy street. All sorts of creatures were making their way up and down the road. With each passerby, Seno jumped up at the opportunity to bring their plan to fruition, but Talen shook him off every time. He wanted to pick just the right target.

After a while, Talen noticed a rat holding an elegant cane walking down the street. He was extremely well dressed, with an expensive black vest, finely tailored shirt, and freshly pressed slacks. Even his crystal-clear monocle sparkled brightly, as did the gold chain attached to it.

Unlike all the others in Araden, the rats did not suffer under Cadelle rule. Since they had abandoned their fellow rodents to join forces with the weasels during their initial coup, they were rewarded for their act of betrayal. They never had to live in fear of burdensome taxes or under the constant threat of becoming a slave. And they were the only rodents who were allowed to join the Cadelle Army. The rats were just as cruel as the weasels and were loathed in the same manner.

A small chinchilla child ran in front of the well-dressed rat as she chased after a ball.

Out of my way, little runt! yelled the rat as he took a swing at the child with his cane. The chinchilla dodged it and quickly scuttled out of the way.

That one, said Talen, tugging Seno’s shirt. His friend cracked a big smile and slowly wrung his hands together.

The rat slowly approached the alleyway. Talen ran back about halfway inside and grabbed the rope while Seno got into position.

Talen nodded to Seno as the rat passed by. His friend sprinted toward the rat, who remained oblivious to everything. Seno stopped in front of him and kicked him right in the shin. The rat let out a loud wail, jumping up and down on one leg.

Filthy pest! said the rat angrily, swiping at Seno with his cane. Seno ducked out of the way and ran toward Talen.

The rat quickly gave chase to the pudgy little squirrel. Seno jumped over the string that was tied to the posts as he passed by. Their victim, however, did no such thing, and tripped over it, landing flat on the ground. Talen tugged the rope that was tied to the basket, and in less than a second, the whole lot of moldy, bug-infested, rotten tomatoes plopped right on top of the rat’s head.

Talen and Seno watched with great delight, laughing and pointing at the rat. Unfortunately, their patsy did not share the same sentiments. He quickly got up and reached for his cane as he pushed the tomatoes off of his head.

The rat twisted the knob of the cane, and to Talen’s horror, pulled out a thin sword.

Uh-oh, said Talen, taking a deep gulp. He and Seno didn’t even look twice before fleeing the area.

They ran as fast as they could, taking every possible shortcut they knew of. But the rat was bearing down on them quickly. There was going to be no end to the trouble they’d be in if they got caught.

Talen wished he had never set the trap as fears of being killed rushed into his mind. How could he have been so stupid to make a fool of a rat? A crime against them was almost as severe as one against a Cadelle soldier.

Talen cut into a narrow alley before going back down a major street, with Seno shortly behind. They quickly made their way down the road and headed into a small restaurant. The two friends desperately tried to catch their breath.

Within seconds, the rat was outside the restaurant looking in every direction. Talen grabbed Seno and ducked down, but they still peered out the window. The rat had lost them and begrudgingly went back in the direction he had initially come from.

Talen and Seno let out a collective sigh of relief as their hearts continued to beat rapidly.

I think it’s safe to say that that’s the last trick I will ever pull, said Talen.

They began to survey their surroundings. The restaurant was quite empty with only seven patrons. Talen saw nothing of interest, so after waiting inside for a few minutes to make sure the rat was gone, he started to head out the door.

Come on, Seno, let’s—

Another ten shots over here, in memory of my friend, Hashdas, a voice yelled out from the back.

Talen jerked his head instantly.

The gopher who owned the restaurant was handing an elderly beaver several shot glasses that were filled to the brim.

The old fool threw away the rest of his life on this very day, said the beaver, before he gulped down the liquor.

He was sitting by himself, and the other creatures in the inn paid little-to-no attention to his words. Talen, of course, had his eyes glued on the beaver.

It felt like he was never going to know anything about Hashdas. He knew he couldn’t bring it up with his mother. This was perhaps his only chance to find out what Hashdas did, and learn why his mother held the mysterious creature in such high regard.

C’mon, Talen, said Seno as he tugged at his sleeve. But Talen quickly shook him off.

You go. I need to do something.

But Tal—

Just go, Seno! I’ll see you tomorrow, said Talen coldly as he made his way toward the beaver, completely ignoring his friend, who quickly scampered off.

Talen stood a few feet away from the beaver, watching him intently. He was very old, had several teeth missing, and his body had been beaten by time. The bent glasses that perched on his nose were filthy, as were his brittle fingernails and unkempt fur. It was apparent that this aged creature had seen quite a bit of sadness throughout the years.

Talen gently approached the table and sat down. The beaver glanced up and flashed a smile. Why hello, sonny, he said kindly.

Talen smiled back at him. That Hashdas you spoke of…who was he?

The beaver’s face lit up. He was visibly happy that someone had listened to his words. Draw your chair in and I’ll tell ya, said the beaver as Talen began to listen closely.

There was no braver soul in all of Araden than a prairie dog named Hashdas, except for the Warrior Sasha, of course. In fact, he was Sasha’s top aide and closest friend. I was there with them that day in Trikon over sixty years ago, when we stormed Rocksmere Castle. Ah, we were a bunch of fools to think we could win.

The beaver paused for a moment to put down another shot and let out a melancholy smile.

Talen was in a state of paralysis upon hearing the beaver’s words. In the nearly three hundred years of Cadelle rule, there was only one creature who was bold enough to mount a revolution against them—a gerbil known simply as the Warrior Sasha.

Talen knew all of Sasha’s stories by heart. She was said to have been born beneath a pitch-black morning sky and given powers by a mystical spirit. Like any legend, the stories that followed Sasha were never short of imagination, but what was for certain was that for the first time in ages, there was finally a glimmer of hope for Araden.

Through her wit, determination, and strength, the Warrior Sasha led a group of creatures against those that had controlled them for so long. From the heart of Dopress Forest, she planned successful attack after attack on the weasels. She was the hero of an entire nation and carried a tremendous weight on her shoulders, but she never wavered from her mission.

Unfortunately, as the movement enjoyed more success, the Cadelle became more ruthless. They quickly passed laws forbidding anyone from carrying a weapon—a crime punishable by death. They killed all the prisoners who were in any way linked to Sasha, along with some innocent ones who had nothing to do with the rebellion at all. The morale of her fighters soon began to plummet, causing many of them to flee.

The Warrior Sasha’s noble quest to restore freedom soon began to wear down. The rodent resistance, with their lack of weapons, war knowledge, and size, had reduced to less than a thousand warriors. It was decided that one last battle would take place—an assault on the Cadelle’s stronghold, Rocksmere Castle, just outside Araden’s capital of Trikon. It was Sasha’s last hope.

Talen remembered the first time he had heard about Sasha’s charge when he was just a small boy. The two armies had gathered outside Rocksmere on a cold autumn day. The Warrior Sasha looked at her followers as they lined up to march toward the castle. They were worn and weary, their spirits at rock bottom. For most, their weapons were nothing more than the shovels and pitchforks they had taken from their gardens.

She looked along the other side of the battlefield. The thousands of weasels and