Excalion

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, it's been a while since my last update. Working overnights is a major pain in the ass for updating, let alone writing. But enough of my babbling. Enjoy, and as always, reviews and constructive criticism are always appreciated!

Excalion
Chapter One: The Calm Before The Storm

=[ Part Three ]=


Wynn snapped the reins, pushing Asha into an all-out run, trying to shake the feeling of someone watching him, despite the speed he spurred his mount to.

“Come on, Asha,” he whispered. He suddenly heard a loud roar, followed by the strong, rhythmic thudding of padded feet catching up to him. He looked to his right to see a snow-white tiger with black stripes and golden eyes running alongside him, its rider focused on the world in front of him.

“Never hesitate to ready a defense,” the rider said, keeping his gaze ahead. “Better you be prepared for an enemy than expect a friend with open arms.”

Wynn smiled as he slowed his mount to a trot. “You seem pretty offended for me not showing any defense, Kai.”

“You wanted to know how to be a warrior,” Kai said matter-of-factly. “A warrior, no matter how at ease he or she is, no matter how calm he or she seems, must always be ready to attack or be attacked.”

Wynn shrugged, conceding his friend’s point. “I’ll grant that.”

“I know you were deep in meditation at Crystal Pond,” Kai said after a moment of silence, “so I’ll give you that.” He looked over to his friend. “However, being attuned to animals, as my people are, I wanted your opasha to feel uneasy. You’re learning to communicate with animals; you should have tried to understand her apprehension a little more.”

Wynn looked away, feeling somewhat ashamed. Kai grinned.

“However, you made the right decision to leave the forest immediately.” He looked ahead, seeing Overon Castle rise up from behind the hill. “You’re getting better at trusting your instincts. With more practice, you may even be able to prove Shanavale wrong at something.”

Wynn laughed out loud. “I wish. She’s as sharp as they come.”

Kai laughed with him. “Yeah. You’ve been gone for most of the day. She’s probably worried about you.”

Wynn nodded. “I have been out since early this morning.”

“I know. Can I ask why?”

Wynn pressed his lips into a thin line. “Not right now, Kai. I have to properly think of who I should talk to about why I had to go to Crystal Pond.”

Kai nodded. “All right. When you do talk to someone about it and everything is clear, be sure to let me know.”

Wynn nodded in return. “I will.” He grinned mischievously at his friend and winked. “Race you to the castle!” He snapped the reins again and leaned forward, his opasha chirping with glee and running full-tilt towards Overon Castle. Kai, unfazed by the sudden challenge, leaned forward as well and huffed once. Immediately, the tiger he rode on roared and surged forward, bounding after the large bird and its rider.


* * * * *


“For a second there, Vale, I thought you were going to lose.”

Shanavale shook her head and huffed. “Honestly, Naomi, I can’t explain how I beat him.” She looked over at her friend, who wore a mask of surprise. “I mean, he matched my movements perfectly, and every time I tried to change pace, he went with it. There’s no way to explain it.”

“Unless he let you win.”

Shanavale stopped running the soap over her arms and gawked at her friend over the wooden divider. “You can’t be serious.”

Naomi looked away as she ran a bar of soap over the back of her neck. “It is possible, Shanavale. Kai may not be the only one who’s your better, you know.”

Shanavale frowned. “I can deal with that, but it’s that guy from the House Omicronus specifically that bothers me.”

“What? Why?”

“The House of Omicronus is my family’s brother house, a family lineage that dates back as far as my own. There was some bad blood between the patrons of our houses several generations ago, but the conflict between our houses is over because of my grandmother and the patron of the Omicronus family at the time. My father said that despite the uneasy peace between Jacen’s family and mine, there may be an uprising by the Omicronus family, and they might plan to take the throne from either my father or myself when he steps down.”

“And you’re worried he might be one of them?”

Shanavale shuddered. “There’s something else about him that bugs me.”

Naomi looked over her shoulder at her friend and winked as she stepped off the pedal and her shower stopped abruptly. “I know what you mean. If I wasn’t with Kai, I’d want him staring at me the way he looked at you.”

Shanavale shuddered again, and Naomi leaned a little forward to peek at her friend. Shanavale quickly covered herself with her bare arm with a look of shock on her face, but not fast enough to garner a laugh from Naomi as she plucked a towel from a hook on the opposite wall and left the showering room.


* * * * *


“Come in,” Eron Scarner called out. He heard the heavy door open then close, and he turned from the tome he was reading. “Princess Shanavale!” He bowed respectfully. “What can I do for you?”

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything, Sorceror Superior.”

“Nonsense,” he said, waving away her apology. “I was just catching up on some light reading.” He lowered his hand from his tome, but the heavy book he was reading remained afloat in the air before him. He waved the book towards a table to his left and it gently floated over, closing as soon as it touched the tabletop. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“It’s about Wynn, Sorceror Superior,” she said, a worried tone in her voice. “I think he may have had a vision.”

Eron feigned surprise. “Oh?”

“Last night…” She blushed. “…After we fell asleep, he woke suddenly. He was sweating profusely and breathing heavily.”

“He may have just had bad dreams,” the Sorceror Superior said as he took a seat in a cushioned, high-backed chair.

Shanavale shook her head. “I really don’t expect you to believe me, Sorceror Superior, but something tells me that I’m right.”

Eron stared at her for a brief moment before smiling warmly. “I’ve never been one to deny female intuition.” He steeped his fingers before his face. “Your mother was always very perceptive.”

“You mean…?”

“I believe he may have had a vision as well,” he said. “How I know isn’t important. What you should know, however, is that someone who has had a vision can only inform those they willingly choose to inform. If my son has indeed had a vision, neither you nor I may be the ones he will confide in.”

Shanavale looked hurt. “How can you say that?”

“I can say that because it is the truth, Princess,” the Sorceror Superior replied. “Wynn can tell either of us if we ask him, but what he tells us will not be as clear, maybe even be totally different, than what he would willingly tell someone.”

“But I want to help…”

Eron nodded. “I understand, Shanavale, but sometimes having patience is the best way we can help those we love.” He smiled warmly once more. “It’s up to Wynn to reveal himself to us.”


* * * * *


Wynn closed the gate to Asha’s pen, Kaijin waiting close by. Kai was about to say something when he heard shouting coming from another aisle.

“You may be the head of our family, Father, but I will inherit the title as patron of our house.”

“Be that as it may, right now I am the head of our family, and you are my son. You will do as I say.”

“That’s treason to the Kingdom!”

“Only to those of Overon blood…”

“The feud has ended, Father! Both the Overon and Omicronus families are at peace! Grandfather was content to let Mara Overon and her line take the responsibility of leadership of the country…”

Wynn was about to move when Kai quickly clapped a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Their attention was brought back to the conversation by a sharp crack followed immediately by the rustling of clothing.

“You are an Omicronus, Jacen. You proved that earlier today by having the courage and the strength to take on the Princess herself.”

“How did…?”

“There are many warriors that are loyal to me, and some of them happened to be at the calisthenics training earlier today. Despite your defeat, it was clear who was the better in that duel.” There was a brief laugh. “It only goes to show who should rightfully have the throne.”

“She was, Father,” Jacen said as Wynn and Kai slowly opened the door to Asha’s pen, shushing her before she made a sound and bracing up against the wooden wall. “She acknowledged my defeat and let me leave honorably. And even though I lost, I know I at least won her respect.”

There was another ear-cracking sound, followed immediately by the sound of a sword being unsheathed. “Whatever that young bitch has told you, it is all a lie. You are no Omicronus. You speak of winning her respect despite losing to her in battle. Losing to an Overon, even in this so-called peace, is disgraceful.”

There was a brief moment of silence and inaction before the sound of the sword being slid back into its scabbard was heard.

“I would have killed you right here, but you are my son, and you have some use to me yet. The Dark Moon rises in several nights, and the Traveling Fair comes on the second day of the Dark Moon. You, your brothers and your sisters will receive your orders when it is Last Sliver. The day the Traveling Fair comes, the winds of change will sweep the Overon Kingdom, and with it, our family will rise to the position we so rightfully deserve.”


=[ End of Chapter One: The Calm Before The Storm ]=

A/N: Not the best chapter, I know, but I honestly couldn't find a better way to end it. Rest assured I will make up for it in the chapters yet to come. Now, on to kudos...

hisbabybird: Thank you very much for writing such a long review! It actually spurred me on to finish this chapter, though as I mentioned above, I don't think I did a very good job. Things are going to heat up (plot wise and encounter-wise, so to speak), to be sure, so please remember to check back every so often!

That's about it, readers! I'll see you next time I update!