Prologue

Promen wanted to see Stormhold one last time before the war began. He sat atop the cliff which his children had named after him, a blazing torch stuck up from the ground at his side. From here, he could see the whole city far below.

Stormhold, one of the most ancient cities, stood out from the green fields and lush woods to the east, and the endless ocean painted orange by the setting sun in the west. Tucked behind the thick walls and tall towers shielding the city were clusters of homes, shops, and merchant stalls with winding narrow streets and even narrower alleys connecting them. And towering above it all was The Keep, a massive fortress set in the heart of Stormhold, with long flowing banners flapping in the sea breeze, each bearing the city emblem, a fortress surrounded by crooked streaks of lightning.

My children…

Promen was proud of them. They’d come so far since The Age of Darkness. He wished he could go down to them. To walk the noisy, crowded marketplace, or watch the youngest of his children squealing and chasing each other through the streets or visit one of the taverns to drink and revel the night away until dawn came to greet him. Being with his children always reminded him of another time long ago. A peaceful time. A time when everything was perfect.

But he couldn’t go to them now. Not since Nexes issued his challenge. The rules of war, which they had all agreed upon ages ago, were clear. This fight was between Promen’s children and Nexes’s. Neither of them could interfere, not even in the days leading up to it. So instead, Promen watched Stormhold from a distance. It would be his last chance to see the city for some time. Perhaps his last chance forever.

Why must Nexes do this? Promen wondered. Of all the others, he should be on my side.

Yet now he was challenging Promen a second time. Why? Hardly anything changed in the two thousand years since the last war. There’d been so much suffering on both sides. And now they were about to do it all over again.

If I could only convince Nexes to join me…

It didn’t seem likely, but Promen meant to try one last time. If he succeeded, he’d not only spare his children from catastrophe, but also win a powerful ally for his grand plan.

As if on cue, thunder rolled over the cliff. Promen’s head snapped east. Where there had been clear skies minutes ago, a storm was now gathering.

He’s here.

Promen stood, brushing the grass from his pants and plucking his torch from the ground. He faced the growing dark clouds as a tremendous thunderbolt struck the earth further down the cliff. As he waited, Promen couldn’t help but wonder which form Nexes would take.

His answer came at once when he saw the glowing red eyes watching him from the shadows of the trees.

A Gurgan.

Slowly, Nexes prowled into the evening light. His body was large and muscular and covered head to toe in short, bristling, golden fur the color of wild honey, a rare color for Gurgans. His eyes were beady red spheres with slits for pupils. Long, curving horns grew up from his head as a pair of fangs shot down from his mouth. Nexes stalked towards Promen on his hands and feet then rose to his full height. A deep, jagged scar ran across Nexes’s chest when he stood straight and tall.

Promen was a good foot shorter than Nexes, yet he didn’t flinch as he met his gaze. “Nexes.”

Nexes responded with a grumbling sound. It was his language. But as different as it was, Promen understood him.

“Not yet. There is still time.” Promen gestured to the setting sun. It was touching the far-off horizon where the sky met the sea. “We agreed to begin after sunset.”

Nexes snorted and rumbled some more.

“I have plenty of faith in my children. We both remember how the last war ended.”

Nexes drew his lips back in a snarl but fell back down to his hands and feet, a shift that hid the scar on his chest.

Nexes was right about one thing. Promen was stalling. But not because he was afraid.

“Must we do this again, Nexes? I’d much rather have you on my side.” Promen paused, looking into those red eyes. “I know you miss her too.”

Nexes tried to hide it, but Promen could see longing in his eyes as he growled softly.

“You know she wouldn’t want this. Us fighting. It would break her heart if she saw us now.”

Nexes closed his eyes and bowed.

“Nexes, call off your challenge and join me.” Promen pleaded. “For two thousand years our children have fought each other when they could’ve been working together. Imagine what they could’ve accomplished!”

Nexes looked up, snarling, and baring his fangs.

Promen grimaced. “No, I haven’t forgotten. But we were caught off guard then. I have a new plan now. A plan that has a better chance if we all work together. If you and Malia and Erragard would join me —”

Nexes roared and struck the earth with a mighty fist. Lightning boomed from the storm behind him.

Promen found it was much harder to answer Nexes. “Perhaps you are right Nexes. Maybe this plan of mine will end in disaster. It might even cause the end of the world as you say. But I can’t just give up on her. I won’t give up on her. Not like you.”

Nexes regarded Promen. His eyes, they were the color of fire, but were so cold. Nexes growled and pointed a clawed finger to the horizon. The sun had finally set. It was time to begin.

Promen frowned. “So be it then.”

With that, both Promen and Nexes began to shine. The light they emanated was pure and white like a star. The two grew brighter and brighter until they each resembled stars themselves. The light was so bright, it would’ve blinded anyone who saw them.

Then suddenly, the light went out. Promen and Nexes had vanished. From the gathered storm came one last thunderbolt, and the clouds started to drift away. As the skies cleared, a shooting star streaked across the night sky. It shot over Stormhold as it fell from the heavens. The war had begun.

Chapter 1

Azuelo’s Awakening

I groaned as I opened my eyes to the morning light.

Where, where am I?

Everything was fuzzy, and my head felt like it was spinning. I wanted to look around but was too exhausted to turn my head. My whole body ached with pain as if I’d fallen out of a tree. My vision cleared, and I soon saw my surroundings.

I sat in the shade of a large oak tree with my back against the trunk. A white sandy beach spread out in front of me, with a calm blue ocean as far as the eye could see. I tilted my head downward and saw my body. I wasn’t wearing much: just a simple, tattered long-sleeve tunic and britches but no boots. Looking down at my side, I would’ve leaped in surprise had I not been so tired. I was clutching a three-foot-long double-edged sword in my left hand. Its blade was shaped like a leaf with a startling shade of white.

Mustering the little strength I had, I heaved the sword into my lap for a closer look and felt tiny grooves in its wooden hilt. I moved my hand and saw words engraved in the wood.

GALEGANOX, SWORD OF AZUELO.

“A-Azuelo,” I said aloud. Something sparked in the back of my mind.

That’s my name.

 I studied the razor-sharp blade.

“Galeganox,” I muttered. That sounded familiar. But I didn’t recognize the sword itself.

Well, it must be mine. Why else would my name be on it?

A sea breeze billowed through my hair, carrying a hint of salt, while a seagull cawed somewhere above me. I glanced around after looking away from the sword.

How did I get here?

My head was still fuzzy, but I tried to remember. Only I couldn’t.

That’s weird…

I tried recalling what I was doing or where I came from. Nothing. My brow furrowed.

That’s really weird.

I found more strength and slid my back against the tree trunk, sitting up straight as I kept thinking, but my mind was as blank as the cloudless sky.

I…I can’t remember anything…

The realization made my fingers curl around Galeganox’s hilt.

I can’t remember anything!

But that couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t. I had to remember something at least. I sat there panicking, combing my mind for even the smallest details of my life. But the harder I tried to remember things, the more I learned just how little I now knew. I couldn’t remember anything about myself other than my name. I didn’t know my appearance, my age, or who my friends and family were. That part bothered me. I couldn’t recall another person’s name other than my own or picture a familiar face. I got desperate. I hunched over and examined Galeganox’s hilt again, thinking there might’ve been more engraved words I missed earlier that might tell me more, but there were none.

Why can’t I remember anything?

My heart was pounding like a drum, and I tried to get a grip.

“It’s okay, Azuelo,” I said aloud. I felt the need to hear someone’s voice, even my own. “You probably walked here,” At least, I thought so after noting my bare feet again. “Maybe you live somewhere close by.”

I looked left, then right. On either side, the beach just stretched on and on. There was no sign that anyone lived here. But I tried not to let that dishearten me. I felt more robust now, enough to stand, but my legs trembled beneath me, and I leaned against the tree trunk for support. I was hoping there might be a town or somewhere with people behind me, but all I saw was a dense forest.

“Hello?” I called to the woods. No one called back. My spirits fell. It looked like I was alone, but I wasn’t ready to accept it.

“Hello?” I said again, a little louder this time. “Is anybody there? Hello!”

My hand brushed across the tree trunk as I shifted my weight, and the bark felt different. I cut myself and turned my gaze to the tree. There were five large gashes in the trunk, running across the tree like a scar, and I became fixated on them. I couldn’t recall the marks any more than I could remember anything about my life. But something about them troubled me—a sort of instinct, like how I recognized my name on Galeganox’s hilt. Something had made these marks, something I didn’t want to run into. The cuts were so deep in the trunk, tree sap oozed out, making my fingers sticky. Whatever made these marks made them recently.

I felt stupid for shouting earlier. Thankfully, when I turned to the woods, they were still just as quiet as before, but that didn’t mean I would sit around waiting for someone or something to find me.

I have to get out of these woods! I have to find someone!

I slid Galeganox into a leather sheath that hung from my belt and ventured into the forest.

Walking was difficult at first. My legs were still sore, and I felt unbalanced. I stumbled from one tree to the next, grabbing hold of them for balance, but I managed to keep from falling over. I found my footing, walking with ease. The tall trees shaded me from most of the sun, and the earth felt cool beneath my feet while the rest of my body began to shed its soreness. Walking in the woods might’ve been nice if I weren’t so on edge. I kept one hand resting on the pommel of my sword’s hilt while my eyes darted through the trees. I was on the lookout for whatever made those marks I saw. But all I found were birds and squirrels chattering amongst the trees or an occasional rabbit that ran out in front of me before disappearing under a bush. At one point, a full-grown buck stared directly at me before prancing off. Some part of me had hoped I might spot someone who could help me, yet I didn’t find any signs of anyone nearby.

There might not be anyone around for miles! What if I can’t find anyone?

I stumbled into a clearing with a small, still pond. Realizing my throat was dry, I kneeled to drink. But I stopped just as I was cupping my hands. The water was so clear that I could see my reflection staring at me. My face was youthful. I still couldn’t remember my exact age, but looking at myself now, I would’ve guessed I was thirteen or fourteen. I had light, fair skin with a splash of freckles across my nose. My hair, which was ragged and brown, curled down to my ears and hung above a pair of stormy gray eyes.

So that’s what I look like.

The boy in the pond gave me a faint but warm smile. Despite my situation, it felt good to know what I looked like again.

And I’m not too ugly either.

Feeling a little better, I dipped my hands into the water, making my reflection ripple. The warm water tasted earthy but seemed clean enough, so I kept drinking. I’d had three or four gulps when I heard the roar. A distant yet agonizing noise sliced through the silent forest like a knife. It startled me so much that I nearly tumbled forward into the pond. I caught myself and quickly staggered as a louder roar echoed from the woods.

What was that?

The image of the scratch marks in the tree came to mind, and somehow, I knew what had made them was the same as whatever was rampaging in the woods right now. I was clutching my sword. I had drawn Galeganox from its sheath on nothing but pure instinct. There was something familiar about how perfectly my hand curled around the hilt. Holding the sword gave me a slight sense of comfort, like I wasn’t alone in the woods with some unknown beast closing in—another roar. Several small shadows zipped across the clearing, a flock of birds overhead frantically flying back the way I’d come. I was thinking about running too. That last roar sounded distant but was closer than the others had been. I turned and was about to bolt when a new sound broke through the trees.

“Chak! Help!”

I spun back around so fast I almost tripped over my own feet.

It’s another person! Someone else is here!

And they were in danger. Without a second thought, I sprinted deeper into the woods, heading straight for the cry for help. Ahead, a roar boomed through the trees, closer and angrier than all the others. Whatever was making such an awful noise, I was rushing right toward it too.

Chapter 2

Promenauts and Gurgans

Rocks and twigs cut into my bare feet as I ran. All the while I awkwardly lugged my sword along. I worried I might trip and impale myself. But I didn’t slow down for a second. I couldn’t just ignore the first other human voice I heard since waking up. The voice called out again closer this time.

“Quinto!” it yelled. “Where are you!”

I did not know who Chak or Quinto were, but that didn’t matter. If I could get to him first, then I needed to.

If I help these people, they might help me!

The trees opened up, and I ground to a halt. I stood at the base of an outcropping rock that looked like a small cliff. It stretched like a natural wall on either side, sloping upwards before leveling off a few feet above my head. The stone’s surface was jagged and bumpy, with plenty of footholds for me to climb. I was about to sheath Galeganox to have an easier time scaling it, but before I could try, a boy appeared at the top, and immediately fell.

“Whoa!” He cried out in surprise and landed face down at my feet with a grunt. The boy looked around my age. He was dressed in leathery armor, and he clutched a bow, which I was surprised he’d held onto after his fall.

I kneeled beside him. “Are you alright?”

The boy groaned, but hastily got back to his feet. He nearly ran off but froze at the sight of me. For a moment, he stood there, gaping at me as a fish flung out of the water.

“What in the, who are you?”

I wanted to ask him that, but before I could, three large bodies leaped out from the small plateau above us. Their enormous figures blocked out the sun as they sailed over our heads before landing with a thud several yards away.

“Promen’s torch!” The boy with the bow forgot about me and hurried to draw an arrow from his quiver.

Meanwhile, I watched the creatures gathered before us. They stood upright as a man would, but other than that, there was nothing human about them. The creatures were large. The shortest couldn’t have been less than six feet tall. They had powerful, rippling muscles and bodies covered in short, dark hair, with horns jutting from their heads. When they turned to face us, I saw they had beady red eyes like two spheres of fire with slit-shaped pupils. They opened their mouths, letting out a low growl, and revealing rows of sharp yellow fangs.

I gasped and backed away from them, stumbling against the rocky wall behind us. We were trapped. One of the creatures snarled and fell forward, landing on its hands before barreling towards us. It ran fast on its hands and feet like a wolf closing in on its prey.

I stood frozen in terror as it charged. The boy fired an arrow, piercing the creature through the chest. It roared in agony and toppled over, writhing on the ground as it clawed at the shaft sticking out from its heart.

“Don’t just stand there!” I whirled towards the boy, who was notching another arrow. “Use that sword of yours and cover me!”

Thankfully, that was enough to snap me out of my shock. Some instinct took over me then. I didn’t know where I found the courage, but the next thing I knew, Galeganox was in my hands, and I was running to meet the remaining two creatures to draw them away from the other boy. They were upon me instantly, but I started swinging my sword in wide arcs to keep them at bay.

“S-Stay back!”

One of them snarled and lunged, its dark claws extended and reaching for my face. I yelped and swung again; this time, I grazed its arm and opened a red gash along the creature’s biceps.

The roar it made was deafening up close. The creature staggered back, covering its wound with its other hand, before retreating into the forest.

I didn’t have to savor the victory. I’d let my guard down, and before I could react, the final creature swung its arm into my chest.

“Oof!”

I flew from the blow, hit the ground hard, and rolled across the earth, kicking up dust clouds. Galeganox went spinning out of my hand. When I came to a stop, the creature was standing upright again and towering over me. It growled, baring its fangs, and flexing its claws, ready to shred me, but another arrow flew over my head and hit the creature’s shoulder. It threw its head back and howled. I was about to get to my feet and run when I heard the other boy start shouting.

“Your sword!” I looked back and saw him pointing off to my right. “Get your sword!”

Galeganox was lying just a few feet away.

That same feeling washed over me, and I scrambled for my sword. I heard a grunt and looked back. The creature had ripped the arrow out and snapped it with a massive fist before fixing its burning gaze on me again.

I crawled faster and scooped Galeganox up as a shadow fell over me. Rolling onto my back, I thrust my sword upward as the creature crashed down. It impaled itself on the blade. The creature howled again, coughing up specks of blood. I stood and backed away as it rolled on its side. The creature thrashed on the ground, but it could do nothing. Galeganox was buried deep in its gut. The tip pointed out from the creature’s back. Within seconds, it lay before me, still twitching, the ground stained with blood. I turned away; the sight of the mangled body was making me sick.

The other boy wasn’t so bothered by our butchery. He had an enormous grin on his face. “I can’t believe we did that!” He came over and slapped me on the back. “It’s a good thing I ran into you. Or I’d be a goner.”

I got another look at him now that we weren’t busy fighting for our lives. He was a few inches shorter than me, with short yellow hair with some twigs and leaves stuck in it. His face had pointed features like a long nose and rather large ears, but the biggest of all were his eyes. They were vast and wild with excitement.

“Aren’t you going to take back your sword?”

I looked down at the dead creature. Galeganox was still up to the hilt in its stomach.

“Uh…”

“Ah, don’t worry.” he said. “I’ll get it for you. It’s the least I can do.”

He went up to the body and withdrew Galeganox.

“Here you go!” He chirped. Once clean and white, the entire blade was covered in the creature’s blood.

“Thanks…” I took it from him and slid it back into its sheath.

“So, what are you doing out in the woods?” He asked. “Don’t you know this place is crawling with Gurgans?”

“Gurgans?”

His grin faded. “You know, Gurgans.” he pointed at one of the dead creatures with his bow. “These things.” Within a second, his grin was back. “I’ve never killed one before now. I can’t wait to get back to Stormhold and tell everyone!”

I gave him a blank stare. “Stormhold?”

Again, the grin disappeared, and he narrowed his eyes. “Who are you anyway?”

I paused for a moment, not sure if he would believe me. I could barely believe it myself. But right now, he was the only person I knew. If I wanted his help, I needed to be honest and earn his trust.

“I wish I knew…”

I told him everything that happened that morning, from how I woke up on a beach without knowing who I was to when I heard him calling for help.

“Yeah…” He laughed to himself. “That wasn’t the bravest thing to do. Do you mind not telling my mentor about that?”

Mentor. I thought. Yet another thing I know nothing about.

“Sure.”

“So, you remember nothing at all?” he said. “Like where you’re from or how you got here? Do you even know your name?”

I thought back to the etchings on the hilt of my sword.

“I do — my name is Azuelo.”

He slammed his palm against his forehead. “I can’t believe it.”

“What?” I said, hoping he might’ve recognized me from somewhere.

“We’ve been talking this whole time, and I haven’t given you my name either!”

My spirits fell. “Oh, right. Well, who are —”

“Traster!”

We turned and looked towards the rocky ledge where he had fallen from. Someone was calling in the distance.

The other boy, who I assumed could only be Traster, muttered a curse. “Right, Chak and Quinto. Now they find me after the Gurgans are dead.” He only shrugged and slung his bow over his shoulder. “You’d better come with me, Azuelo.”

I didn’t object. I didn’t want to be alone if I ran into more of those Gurgans. Once Traster had secured his bow, he leaped onto the rocky wall and climbed. I followed him up, and together, we ventured into the woods.

It didn’t take long to find Traster’s companions. We followed the sounds of their voices before spotting them through the trees. Two full-grown men stood side by side. One carried the body of a doe over his shoulder while the other hailed us.

“Traster! There…”

They both noticed me. I imagined they were just as surprised as Traster was to see me wandering alone in the woods.

“C’mon,” Traster said. He approached them while I followed in his footsteps. I could feel the heavy gaze of both men’s eyes as I drew closer and closer.

They each wore the same leather armor as Traster and were armed to the teeth. Both men had a sword and knife on their belts, and a bow, and quiver slung over their shoulders. The one who’d called out to us had long, sleek black hair gathered into a beard beneath his chin. The man carrying the deer was slimmer and had a clean-shaven face with yellow hair as golden as Traster’s.

“Traster!” The man holding the deer dropped it on the ground as we neared.

“Easy Chak!” the other man complained. “You’ll ruin the meat.”

Chak didn’t seem to listen. He kneeled and put his arms on Traster’s shoulders. “You’re a mess! What happened to you?”

“You won’t believe it Chak!” Traster said with a grin. “I fought some Gurgans!”

The black-haired man grunted as he struggled to get the deer off the ground. “Gurgans,” he muttered. “I knew we should’ve hunted together.”

Chak stood up, waving his arm aside. “Nonsense, I told you Traster could handle himself just fine, and I was right.”

“Well,” Traster said. “I had some help.”

Chak looked me over but smiled. “I take it you must be the help Traster is talking about?”

I nodded. “Um, that’s right. I’m Azuelo.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Chak said. “I am Chak.” He then gestured to the man behind him. “And this is my friend, Quinto.”

Quinto hefted the deer onto his shoulder before eyeing me once more. “What’s a lad like you doing out in the wilderness?”

“Yes,” Chak agreed. “I can’t help but wonder that as well.”

I looked to Traster for reassurance.

“Go on,” he said. “They’ll understand.”

Remembering how Traster had believed my story gave me the confidence I needed. Soon, I had told the two men everything that had happened.

They both listened. Quinto even set the deer down again and leaned against a tree while Chak watched me with renewed interest.

“So, you can’t remember a thing, eh?” Quinto said.

Chak was nodding along in thought. “Yes, this is a unique situation.”

Traster turned to Chak. “Is there some way we might help him?”

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I don’t know how we can bring back Azuelo’s memories. However, the least we can do is bring him back to Stormhold.”

“Traster mentioned that place before,” I said. “What is it?”

“Stormhold is the nearby city where the three of us live,” Chak explained. “It’s very well fortified, not to mention welcoming. I can guarantee you’ll be much safer there than out here with all the Gurgans.”

I figured anywhere else had to be better than a forest filled with Gurgans. And since these people were so kind to offer, especially Chak, how could I refuse?

“Thanks,” I said. “I’d be glad to go with you.”

I followed Traster, Chak, and Quinto through the woods in silence. I kept looking around, expecting to see signs of this city Chak had mentioned, but the forest seemed to stretch on and on.

Traster wasn’t as quiet as I was. He stayed by Chak’s side, retelling our encounter with the Gurgans.

“The first one came right at us, but I shot it right in the chest! Isn’t that right, Azuelo?”

“Huh? Oh, right. Yeah, he really saved me back there.”

I didn’t know how he could talk about the battle. My thoughts dwelled on the one Gurgan I had impaled. I’d be dead if I’d done nothing, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the gruesome way I’d ended its life.

Quinto slowed his pace and allowed himself to fall in step with me. “Not as chatty as Traster, are you?”

I was slightly surprised when he spoke but shook my head and kept walking. I still felt Quinto’s eyes on me.

“When you boys ran into those Gurgans,” Quinto said. “I’m guessing you killed one of them too?”

I looked up. “How did you know?”

The edge of his mouth curled up. “I still remember my first fight with a Gurgan. I wasn’t much older than you, but the feeling is always the same. You either kill or be killed.”

“You don’t sound so bothered by it.”

Quinto shrugged. “They’re only Gurgans, Azuelo. We’re better off having them dead. It’s one reason I became a Promenaut.”

“A what?”

Quinto’s eyes narrowed. “You must’ve hit your head hard if you know nothing about the Promenauts.”

“Now, Quinto,” Chak called over his shoulder. “We mustn’t blame Azuelo for his memory loss.”

“It’s fine,” I said. “What are Promenauts?”

“The guardians of men,” Quinto explained. “An order of soldiers who keep the peace by protecting the city’s border from Gurgans and enforcing Stormhold’s laws.”

I looked ahead toward Chak and Traster. “Are you both Promenauts as well?”

“Yeah!” Traster chimed in. “At least, Chak and Quinto are. I’m just Chak’s apprentice.”

Chak reached out and ruffled Traster’s hair with his free hand. “Ah, but you’ll make a fine Promenaut one day.”

I found it hard to believe that someone as old as Traster or I could fight Gurgans.

“Do you let anyone become a Promenaut?”

“Not necessarily,” Chak said. “You have to be a certain age before starting as an apprentice. From there, you’re assigned another Promenaut to be your mentor.”

“I started as an apprentice not long ago,” Traster said. “It’ll be years before I’m made a Promenaut.”

“You know,” Quinto began. “If you’re interested, Azuelo, the Promenauts are always looking for new recruits. And seeing how you already killed a Gurgan, you’d make an excellent apprentice.”

Chak craned his neck so he could see us better. “That’s pretty smart of you, Quinto. Azuelo will need somewhere to stay while he’s in Stormhold, and the Promenauts provide a living place for all apprentices.”

I hadn’t asked about anyone joining because I wanted to become an apprentice. But what Chak said stuck with me.

Even when I get to this Stormhold, it’s not like I’ll have anywhere to go.

But if I became an apprentice, I would at least be cared for until I remembered something.

“Alright,” I said. “I mean, if the Promenauts will take me.”

“Good to hear,” Chak said, “because we’re almost there.”

The trees were thinning out around us. Up ahead, I could see where the forest ended. But beyond that, there was something big and gray.

“What is that?”

“That’s the city wall,” Quinto said.

The wall?

I stared in awe as we broke through the tree line and stepped out onto a small field. Ahead, an enormous brick wall stretching out on both sides. It was as tall as any tree, with a few even more giant watchtowers rising above the ramparts. From the towers’ sides hung enormous gray and black banners. Each had the same design, a fortress in the dead of a starry night and surrounded by crooked streaks of lighting.

“Whoa...”

Traster turned and grinned at me. “If you think that’s something, wait till you see what’s on the other side.”

We headed towards the center of the wall, where a large iron gate was built within the stone. High above us, a man shouted, and there was a clanking noise of metal on metal as the gate rose.

“Welcome, Azuelo,” Chak called over his shoulder, “to the city of Stormhold.”

 Chapter 3

The City of Stormhold

Passing underneath the gate was like stepping into an entirely different world. The lush greenery of the forest was nowhere to be seen, and instead, a vast collection of stone homes and towers crowded all around me. The ground transformed from soft grass to smooth cobblestone streets, which felt cool and smooth yet hard beneath my bare feet. Then there were the people. Actual people. It was overwhelming to see so many faces. Especially since I had been alone for the last few hours. Everywhere I looked, they were doing business, chatting in the shade, or simply basking in the afternoon’s warm sun.

“Azuelo!”

I shook out of a trance. I must’ve slowed because Quinto was waving me over several yards ahead.

“Are you coming?”

“Y-Yeah!” I called back. I hurried to catch up to them, staying by Quinto’s side.

We went down a street lined with merchant stalls on either side. It was even busier here than by the city’s entrance. The people here barely paid us any attention, as they were busy haggling with merchants or carrying baskets of fruit and bread home.

One man in polished steel plate armor stood out from the crowd. He nodded as we passed by. “Lieutenant.” And went on his way.

I glanced over my shoulder and watched him go. The people in the street seemed to part before him.

“Who was that?”

Quinto turned his head back as well. “Another Promenaut. He’s out patrolling the streets.”

As we kept walking, I noticed more Promenauts—all wearing the same steel plate armor as the one before. And just like the first one, whenever we walked past them, they would always nod their head and say, “Lieutenant,” before leaving.

“What’s that thing they keep saying to us? Lieutenant?”

“They are addressing me,” Chak said. “I’m a lieutenant. It’s one of the highest ranks in the Promenauts’ chain of command.”

Traster turned back to face me; his face seemed to light up. “There are only a few lieutenants in the Stormhold, and Chak is one of them!”

“So, are Chak and the other lieutenants in charge of the Promenauts?”

Chak shook his head, chuckling. “As much as I’d like that, Azuelo, lieutenants are only second in command, Azuelo. No, the real leader of the Promenauts in this city is Obellon.”

“Which reminds me,” Quinto said. “If you’re going to join the Promenauts Azuelo, you must speak with Obellon first. Every new apprentice must be approved by him before their training can begin.”

“Well, when can I meet him?”

“Soon,” Chak said. “We’re almost there.”

We kept walking through crowded streets and in-between buildings until we finally stepped into a wide-open plaza. I nearly came to a stop once more. Before us, was a colossal stone structure so big, it made the city wall look like a pile of bricks. It was decorated with more banners of the fortress and lightning. If I craned my neck all the way back, I could just make out large metal spikes and several armed ballistae on the battlements high above.

Quinto pointed up towards the fortress. “This here’s The Keep, Azuelo. Think of it as the headquarters for the Promenauts.”

“Not to mention home sweet home,” Chak added.

“It’s so big,” I muttered.

“Of course, it is.” Traster said. “This is where all of Stormhold’s Promenauts live.”

“Most Promenauts anyway,” Quinto corrected him. “I have my own little house, but others find living here more affordable.”

As impressive as The Keep was, the statue out front was equally eye catching.

A ten-foot-tall man carved from stone stood alone in the plaza’s center. A blazing torch had been placed in its left hand. It had one leg propped up on a boulder, holding the torch before its body. It looked almost as though it were challenging me. The others passed right by the statue, but I stopped to get a better look at it. I had expected it to have more of a rugged, determined expression, but its features were simple and smooth, with a warming smile.

“This is Promen.”

I turned and found Quinto had come to a stop as well.

“I take it you remember nothing about him either?”

For the first time, though, I recognized the name. I felt like I had at least heard it before, but that was all I seemed to recall.

“It sounds familiar. Who is he?”

Quinto looked up at the statue. “Promen is our god and the father of all humanity. It is said Promen shaped the very nature of mankind itself at the dawn of time when the world was made. Since then, Promen has watched over his children and guided our destinies, like when he gifted men fire from his torch which brought mankind out of The Age of Darkness and into The Age of Learning. Later, when the Promenauts were founded, the order was named after Promen himself and…”

Quinto’s gaze fell and he noticed me staring. “Er, sorry if I’m rambling Azuelo. I thought you’d want to know and all.”

“Oh no, I do want to know.”

My gaze wandered back to the statue.

Promen.

“He looks familiar. Like I’ve seen him before.”

Quinto laughed. “More like you’ve seen this statue before! No man has seen Promen in thousands of years.”

“Hey!” We both turned and saw Chak backtracking toward us. He’d carried the doe this far, and his face was finally straining from the effort. “Quinto, give me a hand, would you?”

“Right,” Quinto said. “Here, I think you’ve carried that far enough.”

Chak didn’t bother to protest. He dropped the doe so Quinto could grab hold of it as well. I took one long, last look at the statue and followed them inside.

The inside of The Keep was just as impressive as the outside. We entered through a pair of massive oak doors, and into a grand but dark hall. Several long wooden tables stretched from one end of the hall to the other, except in the center, which was taken up by what looked like a giant fire pit lined by a short stone wall. Lining the table were enough wooden stools for an army, yet no one was seated at them. The hall was so big and empty, our footsteps echoed off the walls. When I looked up, I couldn’t see the ceiling. It was high above us, lost somewhere in the shadows.

“This is the mess hall, Azuelo,” Chak explained. Even though Quinto was helping him with the doe, he still took long, labored breaths as he spoke. “The Promenauts meet here each day for morning and evening muster. Quinto, I’m sorry, but I need to set this down.”

In his haste to let go, Chak practically dropped the deer and stood up straight, his face red with effort.

“Promen’s torch,” Quinto said. He was much gentler, setting down his end of the doe. “Chak, you should’ve said something if it was too heavy. I’m surprised you carried it this far on your own.”

Chak collapsed onto a nearby stool and wiped the sweat off his brow. “Well, the thought of venison for dinner certainly helped. I’ll be fine.”

“I can help you take it to the kitchen if you like!” Traster said, jumping at the offer to help.

Chak still looked winded, but he smiled at his apprentice. “Thank you, Traster. However, I have a much more important task for you.”

Traster straightened with interest. “Really? What?”

“I need you to take Azuelo to Obellon’s quarters so he can become an apprentice. Can you do that for me?”

He nodded quickly. “Sure can!”

“Good.” He then rose to his feet. “I think I’m ready, Quinto.”

“Alright, so long as you don’t strain yourself.” He then turned to me. “Best of luck to you, Azuelo. Hopefully, I’ll see you tonight at evening muster.”

I felt oddly disappointed that Quinto and I were parting ways. But I still said my goodbyes.

“Yeah, thank you. I hope I see you again soon.”

Quinto smiled before he and Chak hoisted the deer again and carried it down a nearby hallway.

 “Let’s go!” Traster said, guiding me towards a separate hall. “They won’t let you stay in The Keep if you’re not an apprentice, so the sooner we get you to Obellon, the better.”

I followed Traster deeper into The Keep. We turned corners, went down long halls lit by high windows or dim torches on the wall, and even climbed several flights of stairs, but everything looked the same. It made me wonder if Traster knew where he was going.

He said he only joined the Promenauts not too long ago.

“I’m Traster, by the way.”

“Huh?”

We had been walking through The Keep in silence until now, so it was surprising when Traster spoke.

“I never told you my name back in the woods. It’s Traster.”

“Oh, well, it’s alright. I assumed that was your name, anyway.”

“I’m also sorry I led those Gurgans right to you. It’s bad enough you can’t remember anything; you didn’t have to risk your life for me either.”

“Are you kidding? You did me a favor. I’d still be lost in the woods if I hadn’t heard you screaming for help.”

Traster smirked. “Well, you still saved my life, so what do you say we call it even?”

I felt myself smirking, too. “Sounds fair.” Like Quinto, I felt myself warming up to Traster as well. We kept walking. Only now, Traster told me what it was like being an apprentice.

“It can be hard work sometimes, but as long as you listen to your mentor, you should be fine. Oh! And now and then, you sometimes get an entire day off from assignments where you can do about whatever you want!”

I didn’t mind hearing him talk about assignments and training, but I couldn’t help noticing how Traster would often lead me back down the same hallway or mutter to himself as he tried to think. After we had gone up the same set of stairs for the second time, I decided to speak up.

“Hey Traster, we aren’t lost, are we?”

 His smile faded, and he hesitated for a moment. “Sorry, it’s just that I’ve only been to Obellon’s quarters once before, back when I was made an apprentice.” He looked down the hallway back the way we came. “I could’ve sworn it was on this floor.”

I looked down in the other direction as another boy appeared from around the corner. “Don’t worry; let’s ask him where it is.”

Traster turned and saw the boy as well. “No!” He whispered. “Don’t —”

“Hey!” I called out. The boy noticed us at the end of the hall, and I waved him over. “Can you —”

“Well, what do we have here?”

He strode toward us. Judging by his looks, I’d say he was a couple of years older than Traster or me. He was bigger too. This boy was half a foot taller than me, with arms so muscular I wondered if he had a hobby of ripping trees from the ground. His hair was sleek and black as coal, but his clothes caught my eye. They were bright, vibrant shades of red and purple that popped out amid the dark and dull hallway.

 Traster stepped in front of me and spoke in a hushed tone. “Whatever you do, don’t say you’re here to become an apprentice.”

Before I could ask him why, the newcomer approached us. “Back already? Did you stop hunting when you realized you couldn’t shoot anything?”

Traster stood tall as if trying to match the new boy’s height, but he was still more than a couple of heads shorter than him. “For your information, Brackle, I killed a Gurgan today.”

“A Gurgan!” Brackle bellowed with laughter, his teeth were all chipped or crooked. “A runt like you couldn’t kill a spider even if it crawled under your boot. Let alone a Gurgan.”

Traster balled his hands into fists but said nothing.

“And who’s he supposed to be?” Brackle looked me up and down. I felt aware of my ragged appearance. “Some beggar off the streets?”

“Nobody.” Traster lied. “Chak just told me to take him straight to Obellon.”

Brackle’s mouth widened into a toothy grin. “Then what are you doing on this floor?”

Traster shuffled his feet. “W-why wouldn’t we be here? Obellon’s quarters are on this floor.”

“Obellon’s on the floor below us.” Brackle jeered. “How do you think you can be a Promenaut when you can’t even find your way around The Keep?”

Traster seemed to shrink a bit. I didn’t understand why he was so rude, but I would not stand by any longer.

“Hey!” They both turned to face me. “What’s your problem?”

“Azuelo,” Traster said. “Don’t —”

Brackle shoved him aside and towered over me. “I could ask you the same thing.” He snarled. “You’ve got some nerve talking to a member of the Trader’s Guild that way.”

I didn’t falter as Brackle came face to face with me. Compared to the Gurgans from earlier, Brackle didn’t scare me in the slightest.

“The Trader’s Guild?”

For a moment, Brackle seemed just as confused as I was. Then he frowned. “Don’t act like you don’t know my family. They’re the wealthiest group of merchants in all of Stormhold.”

“But I haven’t heard of them. See, this morning I woke up in the woods by a beach and –”

“Oh, so you washed ashore like some human driftwood?” Brackle grinned once more as if showing off his crooked smile. “That makes some sense. You’d have to have wood for brains not to know about the Trader’s Guild.”

I was getting fed up with Brackle’s petty insults. “Look, I don’t know who you are or your problem with Traster, but I need to see Obellon to ask to be an apprentice.”

“No!” Traster yelled. “That’s not why he’s here!”

Brackle’s grin grew a little wider. “A new apprentice, huh? Well, first, you’ll have to pass the initiation!”

Before I could react, Brackle grabbed me by the shoulders, spun me around, and slammed my back into the wall.

“Hey! Cut it out!” Traster ran forward and tried to pry me free, but Brackle was too strong. He held me in place with one arm and swung a fist with the other, knocking Traster to the floor where he lay moaning.

“Hey!” I wanted to help Traster, but Brackle pinned me to the wall. His hands were like two iron shackles, blocking off the blood in my arms. All I could do was struggle and squirm. I felt his boot with my foot and tried grinding my heel into it, but I might as well have been stepping on a rock for all the good it did for me. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t worry,” Brackle said wickedly. “I’m doing you a favor, Driftwood. They always give easier assignments to apprentices when they’re in casts.”

“Brackle!”

We both turned down the hall, where a girl walked towards us.

“Put him down.”

The girl had thick red hair that fell past her shoulders and countless freckles dotting her face and arms.

“Why should I?” He growled.

She stopped right next to us, unafraid of Brackle’s scowl. She was smiling. But it was more of a cocky smile. As if she knew a secret, and we were all dying to hear.

“Because if you don’t, I’ll tell everyone what I found in your belongings.”

Her words hung in the air. Brackle said nothing at first, but his grip on me softened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The girl reached into her pocket and pulled out something small wrapped in a cloth. “Why, this, of course.”

Brackle took one look at the bundle and forgot about me entirely. He let go of my arms, and I fell to the ground, where I wasted no time scrambling away to a safe distance. Only then did I turn to see Brackle staring daggers at the girl.

“How did you get that?” He demanded.

The girl juggled the bundle from hand to hand as though it were a ball. “It doesn’t matter how I got it. But if you want it back, you’ll have to leave these two alone.”

“Fine.” He tried to snatch it from her hand, but she held it out of his reach.

“Ah, ah, ah, I still need something to forget what I saw. How does three emers sound?”

Brackle gritted his teeth and sneered. The girl smirked deviously.  

She’s crazy.

I thought for sure Brackle would attack her and take back whatever was in that bundle. He could probably do it easily too. As brave as she was, this girl didn’t look stronger than Traster or me. I was about to leap back in when Brackle growled to himself and fished around in his pockets. He produced three gold coins and shoved them into the girl’s hand.

“There. Now hand it over.”

She finally tossed him the bundle. Brackle caught it and stomped away in a hurry.

“It’s been a pleasure, as always!” She called after him.

I kept my eyes on Brackle until he disappeared down another hallway.

The girl wasn’t so worried. She went over to Traster, who’d been sitting on the floor during the ordeal, and offered him her hand. “Hey, are you okay?”

She sounded concerned, but Traster put on his best grin. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He sounded pained but took her hand and stood. “Believe me; I’ve been through worse. But thanks, Vaneta.”

“Yeah,” I said, joining them. “Thanks.”

She turned and looked me over with an appraising eye. “So, you’re the new apprentice?”

Traster was just as surprised as I was. “How did you know that?”

“Well, I just caught Brackle getting ready to break his fingers. That, and I also ran into Chak and Quinto by the kitchens.” Her sly smirk reappeared. “Chak said you were taking him to Obellon. Knowing you, I had a feeling you’d get lost.”

“Well, you were right,” Traster laughed and turned to me. “Azuelo, this is my friend, Vaneta. She’s an apprentice too.”

I looked at Vaneta curiously. “You’re an apprentice?”

“Duh,” she said. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“But you’re a girl.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”

I realized my mistake at once. “No!” I blurted. “I didn’t mean –”

But Vaneta was already advancing on me. “You got a problem with girls being Promenauts?”

I was backing up, trying to stay ahead of her. “No! No, I don’t!” Honestly, I hadn’t been trying to offend her. So far, the only Promenauts I’d met were Chak and Quinto. I hadn’t even had the chance to consider that some might be women.

My back hit the wall, but Vaneta kept coming. Her face was getting redder with every step. There was something about her that made her even more terrifying than Brackle. Thankfully, Traster came to my rescue.

“Whoa!” He rushed in between us. “Vaneta, just listen!”

He explained everything that happened in the woods and my situation. I would’ve chimed in, but just looking at Vaneta made my throat close up.

“So, you see? Azuelo needs to be an apprentice, or he won’t have anywhere to go. So can you please help us find Obellon’s quarters?”

Vaneta seemed to have calmed down, but she was still glaring daggers at me. She crossed her arms and let out a huff. “I don’t know…”

“Come on,” Traster pleaded. “Chak’s counting on me to take him to Obellon.”

Vaneta pursed her lips. “Chak, huh?” She thought for a bit. “Alright. For you, Traster.” She shot me another look then marched down the hall.

I stayed behind with Traster, watching her go. “She seems…” I paused momentarily to think of the right word. “Scary.”

Traster puffed and smiled. “You have no idea. But trust me, she’s really nice if you get to know her.”

“Hey, Gurgan brains!” Vaneta shouted back at us. “Are you coming or what?”

The Story Continues!