The Realmsic Conquest: The Hero of Legend by Demethius Jackson
Leoden was initially distracted by the thumping in his ears, until he realized it was his own beating heart. After sneaking into the guarded compound by way of the drainage pipe, he’d only made it halfway through before his feet locked in place. He could go no farther. Crouching on the ground, he rasped. “Wait, what am I doing?”
There was no logical reason; no explanation for why he had broken into an obviously secured structure and potentially put himself in danger. The fear momentarily overwhelmed him. His heart thumped harder, making his head hurt. Leoden needed to leave. He needed to leave now! But again, his feet wouldn’t move.
Just beyond the ripples of his self-doubt, he suddenly became aware of a presence in his mind. From what he could tell, it was neither a thought nor an emotion. It simply existed. Leoden shook his head, trying to refocus. But now that the presence had been detected, it was impossible to ignore. The more he acknowledged it, the stronger it became. Energy suddenly cascaded from the presence and flowed through his body. It strengthened his will.
Before he even knew it, he had risen to his feet—the presence burning within his legs, urging him forward. For months, he’d struggled against his instincts and had grown tired of feeling conflicted. At that moment, Leoden decided to just let go. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and released all of his inhibitions. He concentrated solely on the presence within him. Before he knew it, one foot had stepped in front of the other.
Tracing his hands along the interior’s metal surface, he carefully felt his way forward through the darkness. After several yards, he detected a hint of light at the end of the pipe. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust as he stepped out of the other side of the pipe into the light. Hastily glancing around, Leoden found himself in a hallway that connected to a larger cellar of sorts. Amber-colored cobblestone covered the walkway, stretching from the ceiling to the ground.
Where am I? He could only tell that he was underground.
His senses shot to full alert at the sound of approaching footsteps. Ducking into a darkened corner of the cellar, he watched two guards march by. His heart thumped so loudly in his ears, it was hard to hear their conversation as they passed.
Leoden breathed deeply, trying to calm his nerves. The cellar’s atmosphere was humid and suffocating. He wiped his hands on his shirt, which was damp with his sweat and soiled from climbing through the drainage pipe. He peeked around the corner and found that the coast was clear.
Creeping slowly down the long walkway, he took care to muffle the sound of his feet. He scanned every corner, unsure what he was looking for. Leoden paused. His doubts had begun interfering with his focus again. He cleared his mind and resumed walking.
The cellar was filled with walkways that twisted and turned for what seemed like forever. Yet, Leoden noticed an odd sensation: When he turned in a particular direction, his mind tingled. When he turned away, the tingling stopped. He used this sensation like a compass needle. With each turn, the feeling grew stronger.
Leoden paused again. He heard the faint sound of voices. At first, he searched for a place to hide, before realizing that the voices were not coming closer. Nor were they moving away. He crouched down, leaning a hand against the stone wall for support. The young warrior snuck toward the voices. A metal gate blocked his path. When he carefully slid it open, it creaked loudly due to it age.
“Shhhhh,” he whispered to the gate.
At that moment, the voices stopped. He halted in his tracks. Had he been discovered? Where they coming for him? Leoden unsheathed his wood axe and tiptoed through the gate. Creeping along with his weapon drawn, his mind rippled with a force he’d never felt before.
Someone was close.
He straightened, pressing his back against the wall and gripping his axe tightly in his striking hand. The voices were gone, but Leoden could still feel them. They were close. In fact, he could sense that they were right around the corner.
How many were there? He’d have to strike at the closest person to him and then maneuver to the next combatant. His thoughts ended and his battle instinct took over. Without hesitation, Leoden bounded around the corner, his axe high in the air, prepared to strike.
Wait! He stopped in mid-swing.
He stared into the eyes of the man before him. They were wide, filled with surprise, and oddly familiar.
“What the…” Leoden exclaimed, lowering his axe.
What’s going on here?
From the expression on his face, the man before him seemed to be thinking the same thing.
“I...” Leoden began, but couldn’t speak. He was utterly stunned by this new development. But finally, the initial shock subsided enough for Leoden to pull himself together.
“I ... I think I know you,” he said to the man standing behind what appeared to be metal bars. He glanced at the others with him.
“Actually, I think I know all of you!”
Chapter Forty-Six
There was no logical reason; no explanation for why he had broken into an obviously secured structure and potentially put himself in danger. The fear momentarily overwhelmed him. His heart thumped harder, making his head hurt. Leoden needed to leave. He needed to leave now! But again, his feet wouldn’t move.
Just beyond the ripples of his self-doubt, he suddenly became aware of a presence in his mind. From what he could tell, it was neither a thought nor an emotion. It simply existed. Leoden shook his head, trying to refocus. But now that the presence had been detected, it was impossible to ignore. The more he acknowledged it, the stronger it became. Energy suddenly cascaded from the presence and flowed through his body. It strengthened his will.
Before he even knew it, he had risen to his feet—the presence burning within his legs, urging him forward. For months, he’d struggled against his instincts and had grown tired of feeling conflicted. At that moment, Leoden decided to just let go. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and released all of his inhibitions. He concentrated solely on the presence within him. Before he knew it, one foot had stepped in front of the other.
Tracing his hands along the interior’s metal surface, he carefully felt his way forward through the darkness. After several yards, he detected a hint of light at the end of the pipe. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust as he stepped out of the other side of the pipe into the light. Hastily glancing around, Leoden found himself in a hallway that connected to a larger cellar of sorts. Amber-colored cobblestone covered the walkway, stretching from the ceiling to the ground.
Where am I? He could only tell that he was underground.
His senses shot to full alert at the sound of approaching footsteps. Ducking into a darkened corner of the cellar, he watched two guards march by. His heart thumped so loudly in his ears, it was hard to hear their conversation as they passed.
Leoden breathed deeply, trying to calm his nerves. The cellar’s atmosphere was humid and suffocating. He wiped his hands on his shirt, which was damp with his sweat and soiled from climbing through the drainage pipe. He peeked around the corner and found that the coast was clear.
Creeping slowly down the long walkway, he took care to muffle the sound of his feet. He scanned every corner, unsure what he was looking for. Leoden paused. His doubts had begun interfering with his focus again. He cleared his mind and resumed walking.
The cellar was filled with walkways that twisted and turned for what seemed like forever. Yet, Leoden noticed an odd sensation: When he turned in a particular direction, his mind tingled. When he turned away, the tingling stopped. He used this sensation like a compass needle. With each turn, the feeling grew stronger.
Leoden paused again. He heard the faint sound of voices. At first, he searched for a place to hide, before realizing that the voices were not coming closer. Nor were they moving away. He crouched down, leaning a hand against the stone wall for support. The young warrior snuck toward the voices. A metal gate blocked his path. When he carefully slid it open, it creaked loudly due to it age.
“Shhhhh,” he whispered to the gate.
At that moment, the voices stopped. He halted in his tracks. Had he been discovered? Where they coming for him? Leoden unsheathed his wood axe and tiptoed through the gate. Creeping along with his weapon drawn, his mind rippled with a force he’d never felt before.
Someone was close.
He straightened, pressing his back against the wall and gripping his axe tightly in his striking hand. The voices were gone, but Leoden could still feel them. They were close. In fact, he could sense that they were right around the corner.
How many were there? He’d have to strike at the closest person to him and then maneuver to the next combatant. His thoughts ended and his battle instinct took over. Without hesitation, Leoden bounded around the corner, his axe high in the air, prepared to strike.
Wait! He stopped in mid-swing.
He stared into the eyes of the man before him. They were wide, filled with surprise, and oddly familiar.
“What the…” Leoden exclaimed, lowering his axe.
What’s going on here?
From the expression on his face, the man before him seemed to be thinking the same thing.
“I...” Leoden began, but couldn’t speak. He was utterly stunned by this new development. But finally, the initial shock subsided enough for Leoden to pull himself together.
“I ... I think I know you,” he said to the man standing behind what appeared to be metal bars. He glanced at the others with him.
“Actually, I think I know all of you!”
Chapter Forty-Six