Prologue.
In the forests below the white mountains, a man rode holding a golden orb. He was tall ,his age nearing the eternal thirties. He wore a silver armor with a golden helmet on his head bearing a weird seal. The seal was engraved upon the top of his helmet from where a swan feather arose. The man was fair, sometimes he would be mistaken for an elf that had descended from the holy heavens. Sometimes he looked a man, tall and fearsome holding a light that would cast fear upon his enemies. His eyes sharp,his breath smelled of fire, his hands strong and his feet sturdy. He was both tall and fat. When he walked,to other eyes he seemed like running. When he ran, no eyes could see him and when he rode upon his horse he was like a lightning bolt. A lord of a powerful group was he.The golden orb floated above his hand and always with him it fwas. The orb was a very significant entity in the world of his people. But this orb was the greatest ever orb that was summoned by his people. This orb was bigger than the rest probably the biggest.The forest was dense and birds chirped. Wind gusted across the sky leaving the branches swaying. Mountains were trembling and deep sounds were heard. Like the beating of the drums. The man stopped his horse. He looked around and smelled. These people had a certain characteristic, they could smell men or other creatures from a mile off. But this time he was benumbed. No smell had come to him earlier. Some evil thing that knows the principles of magic he thought. He started moving the horse , riding with a speed that no horse in that land could rival. But he did not see one thing. That one thing which would be his doom. As he rode, a white lightning bolt sprang from an outcropping of the mountains that arose from the east.
On the top of an outcropping he looked wide. His eyes gave him the vision ten times greater than a human. He saw a shadow move across in the forests below. Strengthening his vision he saw the form of a man riding a brilliant steed holding a golden orb in his hand. The man was the person he was looking for. He cried aloud in an alien language. The words came like a deep drumming noise which made the mountains tremble. Wind arose in ferocity and whirled around the forests leaving the branches creaking. He could sense the man stop and and then his palms arose. When he came near the outcropping he let his palms face outward and from it a great white bolt sprang towards the shadowy form. He knew he had vanquished him.The man on the horse was riding with great speed when the bolt stuck his speed missing him by inches. The steed neighed loudly deafening his ears and then fell down on the ground. The man was tired. He fell down from the horse which had died. The orb still floated in the air bound by the man's magic. He tried to get up but some force hung him down. Earth trembled,trees swirled. At that moment a tall man like creature jumped four feet away and came near him. "Give me the orb." he cried."I wont, you beast. I would rather slay you than have it taken."The man like beast laughed. His eyes shone red and dangerous. He had purple hair and it was tied at the back. His eyebrows were red. He was tall as the man who held the orb. His fingers held long nails holding poison in them. The beast laughed."You cannot slay me, you wretch. It is beyond the strength of many. Give it to me.""No."The beast held his pal outwards and snatched the orb with power. The man who had held it lay unconscious after a red bolt hit his head.
Chapter 1 - A Sudden Discovery
The forests of Gwailoth occupied the northern half of the lands of Erth. Green it was at all times of the year. It was an abode to a wide array of wild animals. The forest held many mysteries and no human had dared venture too deep into it for fear of death. Wild boars, elephants and many other creatures dwelled in the forest. The forest was dense and conjusted. Trees grew next to each other hardly giving place to move. There were banyan trees, rowan trees,birch trees,apple trees and others among them. The trees on the western edges bore a lot of fruits which were often plucked and collected by the humans who lived beyond. But denser the trees were shabby with thick trunks with branchlets hanging from their boughs.In such a dark dense forest where sunlight never reached the ground, a young boy knelt over the ground, his fair hands embedded in the slightly damp soil. It was day outside but here it was ever dark with only beams reaching at some places where the trees had no canopy. Some men followed him,all tall and bulky carrying axes.Some had bows unstrung ready to draw an arrow from their quiver. The boy arose. He was tall and fair, fairer than most men. His eyes were extraordinarily sharp and his reflexes were more than others of his kind. He was wearing a golden armor from neck to toe. He had a great bow and a quiver full of sharp arrows. And at both sides on his waist hung a huge sword and two daggers.On the other shoulder he had a deep black coloured pocket in which there a small stone cutter axe."Come, The hunt is almost over. Our prey is quite near. Do not make much noise."The men nodded in much agreement. Even being a boy he commanded much respect. He was the son of a most eminent member of the king's council. His father earned great respect and now his son carried on the same legacy. They walked silently, their feet making no noise. Suddenly they heard a noise. A wild bour was scouting near a rowan tree. Huge and fat it was. There would be a great feast tonight. He fit an arrow to the unstrung bow.Taking particular aim, he released the arrow. When he released it,some weird noise came from the trees which made the boar shift a little. The arrow instead of piercing the boar's heart stuck the boar's tail. It let out a howl of pain. The men looked worried now as the boar angrily rushed towards them. Its fury, they knew, could not withstood by normal men. The boy dropped the bow and hiding behind a tree,drew his sword while the boar rushed towards the men. The men afraid,nervously fit the arrows to their bows and released them. But luck seemed to favor the boar as none of the arrows reached it. The men slowly withdrew back. The boar running passed the tree behind which the boy hid. As soon as the boar passed, the boy came behind with great stealth making no noise. He ran as silently as he could, sometimes swinging on the branchlets. There was something protruding out of the soil. The boy stepped on the tip and pushed it propelling him to jump. The boar leaped towards the men but before it could take them,a sword pierced its back. The boy had jumped to land on the boar. The boar, writhing in pain, tried to shake off the boy. The boy held his own and jumped on the ground after piercing the boar one more time this time through the top of the boar's head. The boar breathed its last and fell down on the ground. The boy heaved a sigh of relief. The men stood in awe and shock. The boy, younger than them, had killed such a huge boar.
One of the men came forward. "Congratulations, Eothan. You have accomplished a great feat. Worthy to be noticed among such a brave young man as you. This was not easy but you sure made it look easy." And he patted Eothan on the back.
"That was nothing, Genthor. We needed food alright. I am famished. Been away from home for atleast a fortnight. I am missing it."
"We will be returning home tonight,Eothan.And you may then look upon our city as the sun rises."
"Yes.But i have to fetch my bow first." The man smiled and beckoned him to go find his bow.
Eothan left back the men and started walking backwards from whence they were.Some distance away,he saw something protruding out of the soil. He knelt and put his hand on the tip. It was bent. He realised that was what he had pushed in order to jump on the boar. He slowly pulled it out of the soil. He had though of it as some stone of a weird kind but he found it was a book. The Book was covered with soils. It looked as if it had been buried for years. He pushed the covered soil off the book. The titles were written in a weird language and the letters were sort of bent and twisted. But he could read that language. He was one of the few who could. On the book was written The Legacy Of the Hashims
The book weighed like a heavy stone but there were no pages inside save one as far as he could guess. The book cover was designed pretty well and contained artistic drawings below the weird letters. He was about to open the book when a weird noise started in the trees above. He took the book and strode forward. Few feet away he found his bow and the quiver. Taking it and tying it to his back, he withdrew from the forest. The men were sitting and deciding on what recipe they should use to cook the boar meat.
"Hah,Genthor.I see you all have already decided on how the boar should be eaten. And without me. That is not fair. The hunter's choice must be heard first." Eothan said smilingly.
"I agree with Eothan. Let us hear his choice and we will cast a vote. Come Eothan Whats on your mind?" said Genthor sneering.
"What about a boar stew and fresh froth?"The men cheered.
"Good. We would have to find some herbs and that is hard to find in this dusky forest. I wonder how animals live here. Must be difficult." said Genthor.
"Aye. Difficult indeed. But it feels good to be in shade all day. Out in the city, the sun strikes hot.""In summer its more. Come lets find some herbs. I hope they are not far to find."
"Nah!They wont. I saw a group of bushes growing eastwards, yonder that tree."
"Good then. But how far?"
"Not much. I guess a five minute walk from here to there."
"You seem to observe everything in this forest,Eothan.""Observation is the key to the success of many events. Use your senses well and you will succeed. That is what i learnt from my father. ""Your father is a wise man indeed."
"Not too wise."
"You are modest Eothan like your father. This is the reason why people like you, the king likes you. And am sure, he will need you before the end."
"The end?"
"Yes. The end. Everything has to end sometime. But i see it coming."
"See what?"
"A doom. A drastic doom."Eothan looked puzzled."Hah!Let us not talk evil things. Let us go."And they plunged into the forest.
