Aaron's Adventure

By Eric Turner

Aaron Kendrick has always desired a more exciting life outside of his isolated farming village. When he hears a rumor of a terrible evil being that has entered the land, he decides to leave home to find the truth. This leads him on an unforgettable journey across a world he has never known before. Aaron's Adventure is an exciting tale of friendship, family, magic, and adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eric Turner
• Release date: Mar 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310847318

Book preview

PROLOGUE

I am glad to see that we have such a large crowd today because I have a treat for you all.

I first want thank everyone for being so patient with me. I have spent the past several weeks on the road, tirelessly conducting interviews and gathering information so that I may present you with a rich, insightful, and completely factual tale. It is an exciting story involving magic, sword fighting and great heroics. It centers around the travels of a few young men on a journey to find the truth about the world around them. They were up against the greatest of odds as they fought the forces of nature and evil, not to mention their own internal struggles.

I see many outsiders here today, but I know that the locals will remember a boy named Aaron from this town who used to meet with us each week. The narrative begins the night that he came to listen to one of my other tales. That story changed his life and it started a new story that I tell you now.

It is a lengthy one so please make yourself comfortable as I begin to tell you the legend of Aaron’s Adventure.

CHAPTER ONE

Aaron Kendrick gazed in the distance as the sun began to dip out of view on the horizon. Although nightfall was quickly approaching and the recent weather had been unseasonably cool, Aaron was drenched in sweat. He wiped his brow and pushed his light brown wavy hair away from his eyes. His tanned skin was unnaturally darker from the layer of dirt and dust coating his body. The Red Harvest was quickly approaching, so Aaron had been working in the fields of his father’s farm from dawn to dusk every day for the past couple weeks. Despite having an athletic build and being used to the rigors of farming, his body was weary. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to wash up, have a small meal, and relax.

Aaron always timed his work so that he was near the back of the cornfields, furthest from his home, as another draining day was ending. The small stream that extended through the north end of the farmland was Aaron’s typical destination before heading inside for the evening. Especially this late in the season and evening, many other farmers in the area would only wash their hands in the icy cold water or splash some on their face. Aaron usually took it a step further, wanting to cleanse himself of any reminder of his day’s work by immersing his entire body in the waters. He did not terribly mind the cold, but still always wondered what it would be like to bathe in warm water every day.

Aaron dried himself off as best as he could, shivering as a cool breeze swiftly passed through. However, knowing that another exhausting day of work was over gave him relief as he started toward home on the other side of the field. After dropping his tools inside of a rusty barrel along the house, Aaron walked inside.

Even by Southcrest Village standards, the family’s house was modest. A small fire was burning, providing warmth and light in an otherwise dark and chilly room. A large pot rested over the flame, heating up water for the evening meal. The room was devoid of much furniture. A few cabinets lined the walls, many with bare, dusty shelves. A wooden table with four chairs were centered in the middle the home. There were only two other rooms in the house - a small bedroom for their father and another that Aaron shared with his elder brother.

His father, Nathan, was already inside chopping vegetables for dinner when Aaron entered. By most viewpoints, Nathan Kendrick had lived a difficult life. He had suffered the terrible hardship of his wife’s sudden death eleven years ago, when Aaron was only six years old. Since then he had the thankless task of working the farm while raised two sons on his own. Laboring in the fields for so many years had taken its toll on Nathan’s body. His charcoal hair, bad back, and gimpy strait made him appear much older than he really was. Despite this, he generally lived life with a good attitude and encouraged his boys to do the same and be grateful for what they had.

Nathan looked up as Aaron came in and sat near the fire. Aaron, you’re soaking wet. You’re going to get yourself sick. We need you at full strength for the Red Harvest.

Yes, Father, Aaron answered softly. He was used to Nathan’s overprotective nature. Don’t worry. The Dark Plague itself couldn’t possibly keep me away from the fun of the Harvest.

Nathan smiled bittersweetly. He knew how much his son disliked working on the farm. Nevertheless, he also knew it was the only way for his family to survive.

Aaron allowed the warm embrace of the flame to dry the remainder of his damp body before heading to his bedroom. There he changed into a cleaner pair of clothes and grabbed a book that had been lying next to his bed. He returned to the main room and opened it up after taking a seat near the fireplace.

In a home with very few luxuries, Aaron’s books really stood out. Aaron was inquisitive by nature, and had enjoyed the limited formal schooling he received before he turned thirteen years old. At that age, most children in Southcrest Village abandoned education in favor of helping out around the house or working an official job. Only a few of the wealthier parents opted to continue their children’s education at that point, a group that did not include Nathan. However, Nathan did respect and encourage Aaron’s passion for learning and occasionally would use a few extra coins that he could spare to buy used books for his son. The tomes covered a variety of topics, but Aaron was most interested in history and adventure stories.

Several minutes passed before the door opened again, and Aaron’s older brother, David, entered the room. He was a couple inches taller than Aaron was and had darker hair, but otherwise looked very similar to his brother despite being two years older.

It was not unusual for David to make it home so late. Almost without fail, he was the first of the brothers to head to the fields in the morning and the last to return in the evening. He was like a machine with his tireless work ethic and he always put the family first. David cared for his brother deeply, but often questioned Aaron’s priorities and found his fascination with stories childish. In fact, David only attended school until he was eleven years old. Even at such an early age, he realized how difficult it was for his father to maintain the farm and support the family on his own and thought helping at home would be far more important than a couple extra years of education.

Following David into the cottage was a wiry, dark skinned man in ragged clothing named Samuel, who helped on the farm. Nathan could not afford to pay Samuel with money, but did provide him with meals on the days he worked and offered him shelter during the harsh winter months.

Upon entering, David encouraged Nathan to take a seat and rest while David finished up with the vegetables. Nathan reluctantly obliged.

Father, have you seen any merchants from the north today? David asked as he sliced some carrots.

Nathan shook his head. No one again today. I haven’t seen anyone from those cities in Southcrest in over a week. Very strange.

That’s odd, David agreed. But there is usually less trade leading up to the Red Harvest every year. Maybe it is nothing to be concerned about.

Less trade, yes. But there has been no trade. They should still need our crops, and we still need everything else.

What have the others from town who have been north recently been saying? David asked.

That is the strangest part, Nathan answered. I also haven’t heard from anyone who has left Southcrest and made a return trip recently. Not sure what to think of that.

The Crown is probably holding them hostage! Samuel chimed in. They could always counted on him to contribute a conspiracy theory to any conversation. Or won’t pay a fair price for our goods. More than usual, I mean. Probably making up new taxes. ‘You can’t leave our city unless you give us all your crops and we’re only paying half price. The other half goes to the Crown.’ That’s what it is, I tell ya.

I don’t know about that, Nathan said. But I was in the markets this morning, and today was the emptiest I’ve ever seen it. Very strange.

Well I guess we shouldn’t worry about what we can’t control, David said, trying to diffuse the negative atmosphere in the room. So instead, let’s eat! David poured a portion of vegetable stew in their four bowls. It was a common meal for the family. Nothing fancy, but it filled their stomachs nonetheless.

CHAPTER TWO

Aaron ate his supper quickly as he had plans to meet with me that evening and knew he was already running late. For those of you who are not frequent attendees, allow me to provide some context. Once a week I host an hour long gathering to discuss current news and tales from the past. All are welcome to attend, although the guests are usually children and teenagers. Some regular attendees, such as Aaron, fit the mold of those who are too old to receive formal education, but are still interested in learning and discussing history or relevant news stories. He stopped by once a few years back, and has barely missed a session since.

One of the main reasons that Aaron attended so regularly is probably the same so many of you return week after week. Living on the southeastern coast of Ashlore, so far from any major cities, it is difficult to learn much of the outside world. Most of our townspeople have little contact with people that live elsewhere in the land. The town’s bi-weekly news bulletin is, in my opinion, rarely informative as the only other source of information. I could tell that there was a thirst for knowledge here. Since my stories often speak of the past or focus on adventure, the adults tend to stay away. But if you ask me, they are the ones missing out.

Aaron excused himself from his meal, reminding the rest of the family of his prior commitment. David and Samuel snickered, as they did each week, finding it increasingly strange that Aaron still went to these meet-ups. Nathan nodded and reminded his son to be careful as he traveled at night.

Once outside the house, Aaron mounted his horse, Firefly. The stunning horse had a bright red mane and had originally been his mother’s. Nathan had not wanted to sell it after his wife’s untimely death, so he gave it to Aaron when he was old enough to ride it. The steed brought Aaron great pride for this reason, as well as its distinctive auburn coat that made it stand out from others in town.

The sun had long since disappeared for the day as Aaron started riding into town. Thousands of sparkling stars littered the clear night sky, providing a beautiful backdrop to his travel. Both moons were nearly full that evening, which brightly illuminated the countryside. Although the moonlight should be enough to travel by, Aaron wisely never left home in the evening without a lit lantern. There is little crime in Southcrest Village, but Aaron always felt nervous when he traveled alone at night. He always brought a dagger for protection as well.

Aaron rode at a steady pace down the long dirt path from his property for several minutes. He passed by other farmhouses along the way, most of them larger than his own. Within fifteen minutes he had arrived in the Southcrest Village’s town square. It was much smaller and quieter than any of the larger, more industrial towns up north were. During a normal day, there would be merchants and farmers in the street, swapping goods. Many physical shops were also set up in this area, including the abandoned one that we meet in each week. I will be the first to admit that the decrepit condition of this storefront, with its musty odor and scattered debris is far from ideal. However, it is big enough for our crowd, and has a few chairs, so we could do worse. I like to think the eerie atmosphere helped increase the suspense in some of my stories too.

Aaron exchange pleasantries with some of his friends as he joined the group and found a seat on the floor. I usually allow the guests time to interact with each other before I started making announcements myself. Despite how small Southcrest Village is, this is the only chance many of the children have to see each other every week.

Good evening, everyone, I announced in a loud voice to get the group’s attention after a few minutes had passed. "As you know, I normally start our meetings off with some light hearted stories or fun rumors that I’ve heard recently. But today I want to be a little different and start our feature right away. And I will warn you it is much more serious tale than normal. In fact, it will surely go down as one of the most significant and tragic events to occur in the five hundred years that we have lived in Ashlore.

Perhaps some of you have heard whispers about this already. I first heard rumors a couple weeks ago, but there was some doubt to its truth then. I did not want to speak to you all until I had done more investigating. Now that I have collected the facts, I do not even feel that I should be the one to share it with you. But unfortunately I fear that even now, most in Southcrest are completely unaware of the terrible things going on elsewhere in Ashlore. Adults I have spoken to are denying it. Some out of ignorance. Some out of stubbornness. But this news needs to be spread. And therefore today, I will share with you the Legend of Lord Darkness.

Nervous eyes throughout the room glanced at one another. There was rarely such a foreboding tone at these events. The children were giving their full attention now.

"The story begins far away on the complete opposite side of Ashlore, in the Iron Mountains. Although none of you have ever been there, I am sure you are all aware of Elderstock, the small city at the top of the mountains, where Greystone Castle resides. Greystone Castle, of course, has been the home of the High King of Ashlore for many generations.

"Although he doesn’t have a lot of direct interaction with citizens in the mainland, and certainly not those who reside in Southcrest, we know that High King Angus has been a good and respected king. He is well liked by those close to him, and the land has been prosperous and peaceful throughout his entire reign. Peaceful until now, that is.

"A couple of weeks ago there was an attack on the castle. It wasn’t angry citizens rising up in protest. And it was not the Shadow Elves, who have not been heard of since they started the Fourth Elven War over 200 years ago. Instead, a new enemy from outside of Ashlore came into our land with evil intentions.

"Without warning, an army of undead creatures attacked and destroyed Elderstock, claiming many lives in the process. The army was fierce and merciless as they ransacked the city. Men, women and children all became victims. Very few townspeople escaped the mountains with their lives. The army was led by a being called Lord Darkness who has been described as a ‘demonic wizard.’ Of course, we do not know what this means exactly, but it has been confirmed that he possesses great magical powers. In fact, he was able to use his spells to effortlessly open the gates to Greystone Castle and lead his army inside. An attack of this magnitude on Greystone Castle is unprecedented, and there were not nearly enough soldiers inside to defend it. It did not take long for Lord Darkness to seize control.

"A lot of questions remain unanswered. We do not know where the enemy is from, how they arrived in Elderstock undetected, or what their motivations are for being here. What we do know is that Lord Darkness is real, and has very evil intentions. The most recent update is now that Lord Darkness has complete control of Greystone Castle he is now turning his sights on the mainland. His evil armies have already begun descending the Iron Mountains, apparently looking for their next target. I would not expect Southcrest Village to be an early destination, but if the northern cities were not able to stop the evil army’s progress, it would only be a matter of time until all of Ashlore has fallen. No one has seen High King Angus since the attacks, and unfortunately, he is presumed dead.

I apologize for scaring you, but these are scary times indeed. I, myself, am scared. I implore you to spread the word of these attacks to your parents and anyone else who will listen. Ignorance and denial will not protect our town. Preparation is our only hope.

The crowd of children and adolescents was stunned. Silence hung over the room like a storm cloud until a few of the smallest children started whimpering and then crying. Some of the older in the crowd were skeptical, and kept waiting for me to tell them this was all a cruel joke.

I did my best to comfort the children after I had finished the tale. I really was not trying to upset anyone, but needed to let as many people know the news as possible. The adults I had spoken to earlier in the week had been very dismissive of these rumors.

I stayed in that abandoned shop for another two hours, as many of my guests were too curious to leave. I answered questions as best as I could. We discussed some other things too, but the topic kept shifting back to who this mysterious Lord Darkness was. As usual, Aaron was the most inquisitive in the room, peppering me with a barrage of questions.

What does he look like? Aaron asked. To which I informed the group that Lord Darkness’ appearance has been described to resemble a cross between a human and a skeleton, with a bony frame but tall, imposing presence. He wears a dark gray cloak that conceals most of his body, but those that have seen him swears his eyes glow like a flame. An amulet that shines the same shade as his eyes hangs from his neck. He holds a large staff from which much of his magic seems to originate.

What can defeat him? Aaron wanted to know next. Of course, we do not know for sure. Survivors from the battle said attacks from ordinary weapons did not harm him and speculated that only magically enchanted weapons could wound this magically protected being. Talks of the ancient magical sword, Blazeguard, resurfaced again. I had told the legend of the mythical blade in past meetings with the group. It was a gift from a great elven wizard that helped men win the last three Elven Wars. It is widely considered the most powerful weapon in Ashlore. The good news is that it has been protected with a spell that will not allow an enemy of Ashlore to wield it. The bad news is that it is being kept on the top of the center tower of Greystone Castle, where Lord Darkness now resides.

The young curious minds continued to fire questions at me. I patiently told them what I knew, but eventually suggested that they return home before their parents began to get nervous. There were new things to worry about now, and children arriving home late did not need to be added to the list.

Aaron left the meeting in a state of disbelief. Could this possibly be true? He wondered to himself. Is Ashlore really under attack? Is King Angus really dead? His heart pounded as he tried to picture what the evil creatures looked like. Aaron felt his body physically shake as he thought of the creatures attacking innocent townspeople of Elderstock. Then Southcrest Village replaced Elderstock in his mind and he saw too many familiar faces. Children from class crying. Neighbors fighting in vain. His father looking distraught while knowing he was too crippled to run or defend his home. I need to warn them, Aaron thought. They’ll need to hear this.

CHAPTER THREE

That old man is making things up! David ascertained angrily. Aaron had just forcibly waked him following his return to the farmhouse. David was sitting atop his straw-stuffed bed as Aaron stood over him in the middle of the room. David did not appreciate the disturbance, especially knowing he would need his energy for another long day working on the farm.

What is all of this noise? A sleepy Nathan stumbled into the boys’ bedroom. Their father rubbed his heavy eyes, trying to find focus in the dimly lit home.

The King is dead! Aaron informed his father. He had already yelled this same statement to his brother five or six times.

Which king? Nathan asked, rubbing his eyes.

High King Angus!

Nathan shrugged. Can’t say I know the guy. To be honest, I’ve always wondered if there even is a High King of Ashlore. Doesn’t seem like they do much. When you have news that will actually affect my life, let me know. I’m going back to bed. Nathan turned and left the room.

But… this does affect you! He was murdered! And Ashlore is under attack! Aaron yelled back, but his father either did not hear him or chose not to acknowledge the comment.

The Crown is finally gittin’ what they deserve! Samuel, who had been sleeping on the floor of the common room, called in. Maybe they’ll start treatin’ us better!

So let me get this straight, the High King is dead and Ashlore is being attacked? David asked, ignoring the comments from the adjacent room. And this just happened tonight?

Actually it happened a couple weeks ago, but they could be coming for the rest of us at any time! Despite the cold temperatures inside the house, Aaron was fired up.

David scoffed. A couple weeks ago? I think we would have heard of this by now. Your old friend is not the only one who would be told news this big. And who is this ‘they’ that you are speaking of?

Lord Darkness’ army! He’s a demon wizard! His army of dead soldiers destroyed Elderstock, and they’re coming after the rest of Ashlore! Under normal conditions, Aaron is one of the most well spoken teenagers that I have met in all of my years in Southcrest Village. When he takes time to compose himself he is a convincing debater and capable storyteller, who often acted as a leader amongst his peers as a child. However, one of Aaron’s flaws is that he is too easily excitable. And when he is too energized, his words rush from his mouth like the raging waters from Whistling Creek Falls.

David shook his head slowly. Aaron, you’ve always had quite the imagination, but you’ve really outdone yourself this time. I think you should get some sleep. This will all make a lot more sense in the morning. And besides, we have a really busy day in the fields tomorrow.

It’s always about the farm with you! Aaron shouted back. There won’t be any fields left to harvest after Lord Darkness makes it to Southcrest Village.

Aaron, there is no Lord Darkness. There is no army of dead soldiers running through Ashlore. Those things do not exist. Just because one storyteller tells you a story, doesn’t make it true. That man is always filling your head with useless thoughts. If something this big was going on now, we would have heard of it already.

Aaron shook his head. David lived strictly for the present, and he focused his mind solely on helping his father with the farm. Especially now that their father was older, David had an even greater responsibility to fill and hoped Aaron would feel the same way and help more often than he did. David rarely left the village, except to occasionally travel to larger cities for trading or other necessary reasons. Although he knew there was much in the world that he did not understand, he knew very little of magic and greater powers than his own and he chose to ignore them rather than try to learn more. He did not see any importance in hearing of old tales and history of the land because they would not help them get through a cold winter. This knowledge could not be sold for money that would be used for family necessities. There had not been a war or other significant conflict in Ashlore in over 200 years. The only threats David knew of were criminals, sickness, and hunger. The idea of some magical being killing the High King seemed preposterous and was dismissed immediately.

Even more present but realistic matters outside of the farm rarely concerned David or their father. He never cared for news of the Crown or other political leaders. Even the possible disappearance of the King, David did not consider would have any real effect on his life. The decisions made by those with power rarely influenced anything in the life of a farmer, who was so far removed from the major cities of the Ashlore. Although often unspoken, this was a feeling shared with many of our fellow townspeople. There had been numerous rulers in Ashlore over the generations, but the life of the farmer rarely changed. Even the leader of Southcrest Village, who often meets with officials from other cities and occasionally the High King himself, seems to accept that for better or worse, little will ever change in Southcrest.

Just because you haven’t heard of it already, doesn’t mean it’s not true, Aaron challenged. How would you have heard anything? You never leave the farm. You have barely left Southcrest your entire life, and that is what you want for me too. But this is not the life for me. I cannot stay here forever just waiting for death. And if it wasn’t from Lord Darkness, it would be from boredom.

That’s not true, David answered back. His voice remained calm, as it usually did. However, dealing with his occasionally irrational younger brother could try his patience. It’s not that I want the same for you forever. But working on this farm is where you are needed right now. As part of this family, Father and I need you to help to support the family. You cannot keep living in your daydreams and pretending to exist in a fantasy world. There is absolutely no proof of anyone harming the King or attacking Ashlore and no real reason to think so. If something is wrong we will find out about it when the time is right.

When the time is right? Aaron questioned. "When is the right time to find out about