Chapter 1

Seris Tinar had never run from a battle before. In fact, he had never run from a fight before. He always met his enemies on the battlefield that did honor to himself as well as his ancestors. No such thing as a sneak attack in his mind even when it meant a tactical advantage. No, when he faced his enemies, they were aware and they knew who they were facing. But now as he is running away from the battle of his life, everything was changing.

Tonight, the impossible happened. All those prophecies, all stating a thousand years of prosperous life for the humans in Essmor. Gone in an instant when the special one, the giant called Cormoran, went back on 15 years of peace and gave into the Cravings that his race swore an understanding truce to. He saw first hand the ravage appetite of Cormoran just before being attacked from behind by one of his own guards. The traitor. Seris knew he was the last soldier in the King’s Private Guard still standing...or running.

Still not satisfied, his advisers pushed for more concessions. Ultimately, it took the king’s voice being raised that ended the argument with his advisors. His family would be kept safe and he would attend the conference weaponless. Period.

Bursting through the secret entrance in the rear of the safe house, Seris caught sight of the beautiful queen, Callan, holding her newborn close to her heart near the fireplace. The melody she was humming quickly faded. “Seris?” her eyes showing a mixture of surprise and fear.

Bracing himself. “My queen, pardon my intrusion but I have been tasked to bring you tragic news.”

“No...” her voice trailing off and being overrun by the crackling fireplace. The tears welling up in her eyes proved she feared the worse.

“I'm sorry, my queen. We were betrayed by my second and led into a trap.” Trying to steady his voice, “Cormoran, before my eyes, gave into the Cravings and decimated my army. Only the King, your husband, even without his Axe was able to fight well enough to allow me to escape.”

“Why you? Where is he?” she said while backing up against the wall to steady herself.

“I wanted to stay...on my honor, I would have given my life for the King's safety. But he gave me one order I dare not disobey. All he said while in the grasp of the giant was save you and your son. Now you must run, run for your life and that of your son’s before they arrive.”

“What? I cannot go. My husband will be arriving shortly.” She stopped and looked down to the floor. “He's not dead!”

Moving towards her. “We have no choice and no time left. I will tell you as we travel. Take only what you can carry. Cormoran's Black Guards are...” His voice was drowned out by the crashing of the front door. Hinges buckled and the framing of the front doors began to splinter.

“Where?” Callan muttered.

Moving quickly to her side, whispering close to her ear, “Go to the Old Gnome’s inn. Wait for me there. If I am not there by mid-eve you must continue without me. Tell the Old Gnome what’s happened here tonight. He'll know what to do. He’s one of us.” The thrashing of furniture by the Black Guards several rooms away drew his attention away from Callan for just a moment. Looking back at her, “Tell no one else what has happened here tonight. Not even your son when he is of age. To mention any of this will bring attention you do not want and they will find you and kill you both. Now go! I will keep them from following you.”

“I can't leave. Everything I know...” She looked around, immobilized by fear, unable to focus. The Black Guards continued to seek them out. Three rooms away.

“I'm sorry I could not save your husband. I am sorry I can not do more.” The Black Guards crashed through another door. Two rooms away. “You have to go. Run through the hidden entrance I came through. It will lead you out into the Golden Forest.”

“I'm…afraid! They will follow us!” The bedroom doors were knocked off their hinges. One room away.

With his right hand from the force of the first parry, he continued to cock back his weapon and like a bow, flung his golden sword at the further of the two trolls to his left. The golden weapon covered five feet in an instant and found one of the few exposed portions of the heavily armed troll. The Black Guard stiffened and fell back. He was dead before his back hit the floor. The golden sword rocked slightly back-and-forth protruding straight up from where the guard’s eye used to be.

The only Guard to his left brought his silver broadsword down like a hammer in an attempt to split Seris right down the middle. Speed was on Seris’ side however strength was not. Using his left hand, Seris brought up his only golden sword and deflected but did not stop the killing blow. The force of impact caused him to buckle and deflected the strike off to the right. The silver broadsword caught his right shoulder and blood immediately started to gush down his now immobilized arm. This caused the other two guards to Seris’ right to step back in order to avoid the hammering strike as well but left the striker fully exposed. Seris seizing his opportunity, flicked his wrist and swung his sword down and took the Black Guard directly behind his right knee. The Black Guard severed from his lower extremity started to fall. This allowed Seris to provide a killing slice to the exposed throat.

In less than seven seconds, three of the giant Cormoran’s elite Black Guards were dead at his feet. Seris turned watching the two final trolls. His golden short sword pulsed with a rhythmic glow. The final two Guards suddenly realized how quickly an impossible to lose situation just turned into the possible. They looked to each other for just an instant and in tandem, charged straight at him.

Chapter 2

Callan Spriggins eventually did as she was told and ran through the Golden Forest fearing she would be caught from behind. Holding her child close she stopped only when she was out of breath and wheezing heavily. The realization of what was happening came crashing down causing her to fight back the tears. In an instant, her life of comfort and peace turned into a life of fear. Every sound in the forest caused her to jump in its general direction. Several Fairy Folk flew around her and provided with their sparkling glow just the light she needed to prove that any sounds the forest made were irrelevant to her safety.

Slowly approaching the front entrance each step was forced and became harder and harder to make. The infant in her arms was asleep despite the hard run. Just as she was about to knock, the door swung open from the inside and out came a short elderly looking man. His graying hair in a disarray and spectacles hanging from his pointed ears nearly fell off his large nose. This “man” a classic specimen of his race.

“Phais...” Callan said. It’s all she could get out before breaking down in tears. Holding it in was no longer possible.

The old gnome, taking off his cloak and despite it being quite a bit smaller wrapped it around her shoulders and proceeded to escort her through the door and out of the cold night.

Inside, near the crackling fire, a woman nearly identical in Callan’s age was also holding a baby in her arms. Phais marveled at the mirror image but the subtleties in the children brought perspective back into this harsh reality. Unlike Jack, his daughter thankfully even in her infancy had most of her human mother’s beauty. His daughter still retained the pointed ears of his race but everything else was noticeably from the mother. “My queen.” Looking back at Callan. “Please come closer to the fire, I will get you something to eat.”

“I am no one’s queen. Not anymore,” she said. “My husband...my husband is gone and I...I am alone.” Her voice barely audible.

“You are still our queen, just as the king will always be our king. There is no one, man or giant, that can ever take that away,” he said.

“My queen, you must rest. Please sit.” The wife of the old gnome interrupted. “I will tend to your son.” She shifted and despite already holding one child in one arm she expertly reached down and cradled young Jack in her other arm.

Sitting at the very edge of the couch and reaching out to take hold of Phais’s arm. “What am I supposed to do?”

“For now, we wait.”

“Until when?” she asked.

“Our first plan is to wait for Seris and let him escort you both to safety.”

“First plan?”

“Seris is brave and one of the best fighters in Essmor but we must be honest. He is only one man and the giant desperately wants to find you and your son. He knows that every moment you are in running, his legacy is not complete. He will stop at nothing to finish what he started this night. Every Black Guard will soon be dispatched with only one directive,” he explained. “Do you understand, my queen?”

“I do,” she said without making eye contact.

“Which is why you have to hide,” he continued. “Tonight. It would be better if Seris accompanied you but hide you must, regardless.”

“Who will join us if Seris is...is not able to?” Guilt of placing her safety over the concern of another caused her to look to towards the fire. “I’m sorry...”

“Do not fear, Seris is a soldier. He can handle his needs for tonight. But with you, you must go on. You both must go on alone if need be.” Looking to his wife and child. “We can not go with you. Hiding all of us will be too many and will draw attention especially with someone like me in your midst. Besides, I must stay to continue...” He stopped choosing his words carefully. “Well...” giving a quick glance over Jack. “Well, let’s just say I must continue on here, for now.”

Her concern was evident.

“Do not fear, we knew something like this could happen and have taken care of everything.” He gave her the most reassuring smile he could provide.

A stable-hand came running through the rear entrance. His stride and demeanor indicated he was more than one who simply handled livestock. Callan stiffened at the surprised entrance. All eyes looked towards him. Phais, despite protocol, placed a reassuring hand on her arm.

“It’s okay, Duncan. Please go on.”

“The Black Guards are on the move. Cormoran has sent out the order for every home to be searched for...” he stopped again.

“Out with it, son.” Phais ordered.

“...to be searched for a human, male infant less than 3 years of age.”

“To be done what with?” Callan asked.

“I...I do not know,” the stable hand replied.

“There is no more time,” Phais said. “We have to hide you now.”

“Where will we go?”

“Someplace safe. Someplace different from everything you know. But safe it is.”

“They won’t be able to follow?” she said hopeful.

“My queen, I wish it was indeed so but there is no place we can go where they can not follow. This is why you must go into hiding. Speak none of this when Jack is of age and becomes curious.”

“That is what Seris told me as well.”

“Good advice which must be followed.”

“For how long?”

He gave her a long look finding it difficult to phrase his answer. Breaking his concentration, a second stable-hand no older than the first came through the back entrance and quickly whispered to Duncan still standing at the ready. When they were done with their whispers, Phais raised his hand and motioned for Duncan to speak.

“Sir, the Fairy Folk have told us Cormoran’s Black Guards are heading in this direction and they are not being subtle,” he said.

“Enough. Have ready the fairy roots to move her down,” Phais ordered.

“How long, Phais?” she asked again.

“For you, it’s best to believe...forever. Now go. Follow Duncan through the back,” he said.

Tears welled up in her eyes as Phais’s wife placed young Jack back into her arms. “And you?” Callan asked.

“I must prepare my humble inn for Cormoran’s trolls,” he said with a grin. “It would not bode well if the Black Guards found the inn without it’s master, especially on this night. If all goes well, I’m afraid, we will never see each other again.” Nodding to Duncan. “It’s time, my queen.”

She leaned over and hugged the old gnome catching him completely off guard.

“Goodbye, my queen,” his whisper was only for her. He then moved over and placed a small kiss on the forehead of the sleeping baby in her arms. “Goodbye, son of the king. Until we meet again.” His whisper was only for the infant.