\u201cRight.\u00a0 We mustn\u2019t be weakened by the enemies of the avarians.\u00a0 The threat of a giant in the lands just beyond our cliffs is too much.\u00a0 We\u2019re still recuperating after our last battle with the harpies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand,\u201d Keota said.\u00a0 \u201cI did not mean to bring fear to your people.\u00a0 Our battle is our own.\u00a0 We will find a way to deal with the naga and their champion on our own.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWait a moment,\u201d Bolt piped up.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s true that the dwarves can\u2019t really come to your aid.\u00a0 If the giant or his naga followers were to set their sights on the Goldenscale Cliffs, we\u2019d be inviting far too much danger upon ourselves.\u00a0 No, we couldn\u2019t risk even a single dwarf involving themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBolt\u2026\u201d Dorn protested.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut a human could be a great ally,\u201d the lad went on.\u00a0 \u201cEspecially if he\u2019s got the tenacity of a dwarf in him.\u201d<\/p>\n
His father pulled him aside with a fierce grasp.\u00a0 \u201cBolt, this is not your fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could be,\u201d he protested.\u00a0 \u201cIf the giant and his minions are able to run amok on the avarians, it might only be a short while before they turn their attention to us.\u00a0 We\u2019ve all heard the stories, and we all thought they were just that.\u00a0 But what if this giant is as mean and greedy as the ones we\u2019ve been told about?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not ready,\u201d Dorn protested.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re just a boy\u2014my boy!\u201d<\/p>\n
Bolt shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m old enough.\u00a0 If I were any other member of the clan, it would be expected of me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keota stepped forward, flapping the bronze wings that spread across his back.\u00a0 That light buffet caught the attention of the two arguing family members.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t mean to so rudely interrupt, but we need not involve the dwarves, or your son in the battle.\u00a0 We only need help finding the mythril.\u201d<\/p>\n
A smile was upon Bolt\u2019s face in an instant.\u00a0 \u201cYou see, Father?\u00a0 You would not have to worry about me.\u00a0 And my involvement could save us from unnecessary bloodshed later.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorn looked between the strange avarian and his eager son.\u00a0 Blowing out a sigh of defeat, he bowed his head.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d better not make me regret such a decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Her eyes were shut and her brow was warm.\u00a0 The gentle kiss he placed upon her forehead was sure to go unnoticed.\u00a0 Bolt squeezed his mother\u2019s shoulder a bit tighter, but Rena did not stir.\u00a0 All the better, he supposed.\u00a0 If she knew he was leaving, it would just be one more person attempting to stop him.<\/p>\n
Instead, he crept from her room, scooping up his rucksack from the floor near the table.\u00a0 Dorn and Eli stood at the door of the cottage, a little closer together than Bolt was used to seeing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish I could go with you,\u201d Eli said.<\/p>\n
A smile was upon Bolt\u2019s face that moment, and he took a knee before the young dwarf.\u00a0 \u201cSomeday, little brother.\u00a0 We\u2019ll go on adventures together, and before you know it, you\u2019ll be off on escapades of your own.\u201d\u00a0 When he stood, he tousled the lad\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n
Dorn stepped forward and wrapped his adopted son in a tight embrace.\u00a0 \u201cThis isn\u2019t like with those damn harpies,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cIf anything happens to you on this journey, I won\u2019t be there to protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be alright father.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t packed any weapons, and I\u2019m just going to help Keota figure out where to get mythril.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be back before you know it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust make sure you come back in one piece.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bolt clapped his father on the shoulder before they separated.\u00a0 With a deep breath filling his lungs, the human stepped out through the door, ready to begin his first true adventure.<\/p>\n
The sky had taken on another shade of grey, reminding him that the spring months in Cracius were tumultuous and unpredictable.\u00a0 The avarian paced just beyond the cottage, his brown feathers catching the last of the sunlight before it was obscured by clouds.\u00a0 When Keota heard the door shut, he spun about, facing his unexpected companion.<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, you\u2019re prepared,\u201d the birdman spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I am\u2014though not entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keota stepped forward, his wings flapping just once, but launching him ahead further than Bolt expected.\u00a0 In a moment, the avarian fell in step beside the human.\u00a0 \u201cWhat else do you require?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bolt furrowed his brow and looked over his shoulder, his sights set on the cottage he called home.\u00a0 He waved his new companion on, and when they drew far enough away, he leaned over and whispered out of the side of his mouth.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re going to see an old friend,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cBut first, you\u2019re going to help me get a weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n
The avarian looked at the human, who wore an eager grin, and nodded to confirm his choice.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cRight.\u00a0 We mustn\u2019t be weakened by the enemies of the avarians.\u00a0 The threat of a giant in the lands just beyond our cliffs is too much.\u00a0 We\u2019re still recuperating after our last battle with the harpies.\u201d \u201cI understand,\u201d Keota said.\u00a0 \u201cI did not mean to bring fear to your people.\u00a0 Our battle is our own.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Lord-of-Thunder-3-1.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1UVey-14B","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4129"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4129"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4130,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4129\/revisions\/4130"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}