SWNOVELS Chapter CHAPTER II
“Be careful, Hawk,” a woman’s voice rings out.
A young boy answers as he steps outside the front door of the moderate house, “Yes, mother, as always.”
Hawk then closes the door and sprints down the walk to greet his long-time friend.
“Pork!” Hawk exclaims as the two exchange their secret handshake.
After their ritual is complete, Hawk and Pork stroll towards the center of Karacrross, their houses set just yards from each other on the outer ring of Karacrross.
Hawk gazes at the houses as they transform from posh to moderate and finally to squalid and poor. He shrugs as he states in bewilderment, “Its strange to think that just a year ago, my family was in a house just like that,” he concludes as he points in the general direction of the poorest housing.
Pork shrugs, “I don’t know what that feels like. I was only ever with my mother sometimes to go to the harvest ’cause she didn’t want me learning to fight like my father.”
Hawk smiles at the memory. He remembers first meeting Pork who was lying nearly unconscious, his body exhausted from the exerted effort required to complete the harvest.
“I remember,” Hawk says. “You nearly feinted from the work.”
Pork gasps, “No I didn’t!”
Hawk chuckles, “I found you flat on your back like somebody pushed you and then sat on you.”
Pork takes on a disgruntled expression, “Whatever, Hawk. Your parents enjoying their new positions though?”
Hawk shrugs, “I don’t know. I think my father misses the back-breaking work of the harvest. He has never been a lazy man.”
“Well,” Pork starts, “maybe he should see the importance of his new work. He works directly with my father in making sure the Soldiers would have enough food if we should ever go to war.”
Hawk sighs, “I know the importance. My father and mother know the importance of the agriculturist positions they have been placed. Its just that they are not used to it. They are not yet used to sitting for the majority of their day. Mother has even taken to caring for my little brother Solar rather than facing the boring meetings.”
Pork glances at his friend. He sees Hawk’s eyes have become glazed as if not seeing what is in front of him.
“How do you know all that?” Pork asks.
Hawk’s eyes become precise again. He shrugs, “I don’t know really. I can just sense the boredom from my parents.”
Pork nods, “Ah, you always are able to pick up on such strange things. Its rather scary when you do that on a hunt though.”
Hawk chuckles remembering the last time he and Pork ventured into the woods at the far end of the plains to participate in a yearly hunting contest. He can see himself now bewildering Pork by his seemingly lack of direction yet always catching his prey.
Pork smacks Hawk in the arm not unkindly as if knowing that his friend is thinking of that moment. Pork remembers being completely humiliating rather than praised when his father discovered that Hawk actually tracked and killed the biggest deer that had ever been found in the plains.
Pork seethes with hidden anger. He continues to walk towards the center of the city. He pauses as he realizes Hawk has stopped in the middle of the street. Pork walks back to his friend to see Hawk’s eyes glazed over once again, but this time Hawk’s mind seems to be in another place.
Pork glances around the area to see they have just arrived at the outer rings of merchants. He sees malformed wares from artisans, burnt pastries from bakers, and rotted fruit from vendors, their poor quality preventing them prime real estate within the Central Ring.
Just then, Hawk breaks from his daydreaming stupor. He grabs Pork by the right forearm and half-drags his friend down the street. Pork constantly tries to regain his footing, but Hawk runs too fast.
Finally, Hawk slows just as they enter the archway that signifies the Central Ring of Karacrross. Pork, gasping for breath, can only watch with wonder as numerous children their own age travel towards the Central Market where an elderly gentleman stands atop a stage next to an obstacle course.
Hawk smiles as he stares at Pork, “Vaiqon is here! The tests! We could become Rniti!”
Pork smiles, but the expression does not meet his eyes. His lack of enthusiasm noticeable but it does not affect Hawk in the least. Hawk runs towards the front of the growing crowd of children wanting to attempt the obstacle course.
Just as Hawk muscles his way to the front, Pork having followed his friend every step and every budge of the way, Vaiqon’s voice rings out, “Good morrow children! Today is a most momentous day! Today, I give you the opportunity to overcome an obstacle course for a most extraordinary prize! However, I am afraid to inform you that if you have not yet reached your twelfth year or are older than your twelfth year, you cannot attempt this course.”
More than half of the gathered crowd of children and adolescents leave with heads held low. Vaiqon smiles warmly at those that leave, then exclaims, “For those that remain I offer you the chance of a lifetime! That chance, of course, having the opportunity to train and become a Rniti!” Vaiqon exclaims.
All the children except for Hawk and Pork clap and yell their enthusiasm. Vaiqon notices the two small boys, one with brown hair, skinny, the other still with his baby fat and black hair. He frowns inwardly thinking to himself, ‘If you are not enthralled of the reward, why attempt the challenge?’
As if the boy with brown hair could hear his thoughts, a voice from the small boy echoes, “Vaiqon, is that really all there’s gonna be for the obstacle course? Its really easy,” the boy states
Vaiqon, controlling his emotions at the unintentional insult, merely asks, “And what is your name, young man?”
The boy confidently responds, “Hawk.”
Vaiqon nods as he gazes into Hawk’s eyes, feeling the boy’s aura. He gasps at the potential he feels inside the boy. He gestures towards the obstacle course, “Well then perhaps you would desire to volunteer as the first challenger to attempt to conquer the course.”
Hawk nods and shrugs, “I might as well show everybody how easy it is.”
Hawk walks over to the first obstacle. A massive wall greets him. Vaiqon’s voice rings out again, “The first obstacle is the Wall Climb, followed by the Log Roll, and finally, the Evko Jump. You have no time limit and you only are disqualified when you leave the course in surrender.”
Hawk shrugs a noncommittal agreement just as Vaiqon states, “And you may begin whenever you are ready.”
Hawk skims the wall, looking for anything and everything that could possibly aid his ascent. The wall has him perplexed for just a moment, his thoughts racing, ‘How can I climb this wall without a rope? Or even pitted handholds?’
Just as he crosses his arms to ponder the wall further, he sees a slight flash in the corner of his eye. He walks to his right where he believes the flash originated. He looks at the wall to see a row of nails peeking out from the wooden wall climbing from the base of the wall to the top. Hawk smiles.
He jumps onto the staggered ladder of nails as he then easily climbs and summits the wall. He finds stairs awaiting him on the other side. He walks down the stairs all the while scrutinizing the Log Roll.
He sees a single massive log sitting just inches above murky water, water that he has no desire to fall into. He gazes at the log wondering as to what the trick is to completing this deceptively simple obstacle.
He smiles as the sees that the log is slightly bigger on one side. He kicks the bigger side on the right of the log and then jumps on top of the log. He quickly runs with the log over the twenty yard span of dirty water.
When the log comes to a stop at the end of the obstacle, he jumps off with a quick glance to Pork. He is perplexed that instead of seeing Pork cheering him on, he sees Pork almost grimacing at his success.
He shakes his head to rid himself of the thought that Pork would rather see him fail than pass and stares at the gaping pit of the Evko Jump. He sees the pit is bigger than he can possibly jump, and far too deep to jump down then scale back up.
He stands on the edge of the Evko Jump, his thoughts racing. He hears his late grandfather’s voice in his mind, ‘Remember, Hawk, if you ever run into a situation that you truly have no idea what to do next, close your eyes and breathe. Allow all thought to focus on the solution only.’
Hawk smiles as he takes his grandfather’s, a once brilliant adviser to the king, advice. Hawk closes his eyes and begins to breathe deeply. His thoughts begin to swirl upon a solution to span the Evko Jump.
He imagines himself jumping drastically higher and farther than he has ever thought possible. He imagines himself standing on the other side of the Evko Jump. He hears Vaiqon’s voice booming, “Congratulations, Hawk, you have defeated the course!”
Hawk gasps as he opens his eyes. He gasps again to see he has somehow, without moving, spanned the Evko Jump in mere milliseconds. He scratches his head, but follows Vaiqon’s directions.
“Now, please join me here on the stage as the rest of these valiant challengers attempt to conquer the course,” Vaiqon instructs.
Hawk walks up the stairs to the stage to stand next to Vaiqon. Vaiqon nods to Hawk and then turns to face the crowd of challengers yet to attempt the course. Vaiqon then gestures for another child volunteer to attempt to defeat the course.
The child fails at the Wall Climb, falling off midway through the climb and refusing to try ascending the wall again. Potential victor after potential victor fail at various stages of the obstacle course, most failing at the Wall Climb.
Hawk watches with wonder, thinking to himself, ‘How can these kids not defeat such an easy course? I’ve done much more difficult obstacles just running around the fields outside Karacrross.’
Another child fails at the Wall Climb, leaving just Pork to attempt the course. Vaiqon nods to Pork to step forward. Pork steps up to the Wall Climb, his face betraying his fear and wariness to attempt to climb such a towering wall.
“You may begin whenever you are ready, and there is no time limit,” Vaiqon explains yet again at Pork’s hesitation.
Pork swallows his fear as he gazes at the towering wall. He scans the wall for any place to grab a hold of the wall, but he can only see the wooden planks before him without any distortions whatsoever.
His gaze falls upon his friend on the stage beside Vaiqon. He sees Hawk is making a slight gesture to his right. Pork realizes Hawk is attempting to aid him from afar.
Pork looks to his right and believes he sees a small flash of light. He walks over to the right side of the wall and sees a nail the same color as the wooden wall. He looks up to see a ladder of nails sticking out from the wall. Pork smiles as he jumps on the wall and quickly ascends the entire wall.
Pork smiles looking at the descending stairs before him. He gulps when he sees the next obstacle, the Log Roll, stumbling closer and closer to him. He arrives at the edge of the pool where the massive log awaits to be pushed.
He swallows then pushes the log with all of his strength. He quickly jumps on the rapidly spinning log, trying to move his feet quickly enough to remain on the spinning log, but finds himself face first in a puddle of water.
He rises from the water spitting the murky water from his mouth, snorting the murky water from his nose, wiping the murky water from his eyes. He walks to the edge of the pool where the log has somehow returned of its own accord.
He grimaces, then pushes the log again. He quickly jumps on the log and this time is able to keep his feet under him as he spurs the log into a terrifyingly fast spin. He jumps off the log just as the log reaches the other side of the pool.
He looks to Hawk to see his friend not smiling, but almost frowning that it took him two attempts to pass the obstacle. Pork grimaces, cursing to himself, ‘Not everyone is skilled like you, Hawk,’ he thinks to himself.
He arrives at the gaping hole of the Evko Jump, the deep, dark pit appearing ominous before him. He wonders to himself, ‘How did Hawk manage to just appear on the other side of this? There is no way!’
He grimaces as he uses his anger to draw strength. He walks to the edge of the pool of the Log Roll where a straight path leads directly to the Evko Jump. Pork then sprints as fast as he can to the Evko Jump. Just inches before the pit’s edge, Pork jumps with all of his might.
Hawk glances away not wanting to see his friend fall into the pit and possibly his death. ‘I hope Vaiqon is as fast as the stories I’ve heard.’ When he does not hear a scream piercing through the air. Hawk turns his head to see Pork has somehow managed to jump clear across the Evko Jump.
Hawk gapes seeing his friend smiling widely. Pork feels his heels in jeopardy of falling into the pit, and his entire body along with it, and quickly scrambles up the stairs to the stage.
When he sees Hawk gaping in astonishment, Pork grimaces again in anger.
“Ah, congratulations, young man,” Vaiqon begins, “you have defeated the course! What is-”
“How did you do that, Pork?” Hawk asks before Vaiqon can finish his question.
Vaiqon realizes the two young boys are the best of friends after reading into their auras briefly. He smiles, “Ah, Boar, is it?” Vaiqon asks of Pork before the boy can answer Hawk’s question.
Pork gapes at Vaiqon, “How’d you know my name?”
Vaiqon smiles, “Ah, Boar, that is a secret that you will learn in due time. Now, seeing as how you two live near one another, would you be so kind as to directing me to your homes so that I may speak with your parents?”
Hawk and Pork nod then walk down the steps to lead Vaiqon through the city.
The three leave the Central Ring of Karacrross, leave the inner ring of the city, then step through to the outer ring to witness the Soldier Housing and its shiny black granite streets.
Hawk stops at a house just next to the wall that divides the Soldier Housing from the rest of the city. Pork stops at a house just on the other side of the wall. Vaiqon nods to the both of them.
Hawk and Pork disappear into their houses. When they return with their parents, Vaiqon smiles warmly then says to the boys, “You are allowed to take with you one of your most prized possessions. Please obtain this item whilst I speak with your parents.”
Hawk and Pork nod eagerly then disappear inside their homes once again.
“Where are you taking my son?” Pork’s father demands, his Soldier’s build bulging with muscles in intimidation.
Vaiqon, still smiling warmly, states to both sets of parents before him, “Your sons have defeated my obstacle course, my test to consider their worthiness of entering into the ranks of the Rniti. I am to harbor them and grant them safe passage to the Injhihato where their training will commence immediately.”
Pork’s father spits on the ground, “A Rniti, eh? I don’t believe it. My boy hasn’t been able to surpass anyone. He can barely hold a sword.”
Vaiqon controls his rising anger at the insult of a child, and warmly states, “My man, I can attest to Boar’s already expressed ability and potential. He will be welcomed into the Rniti with open-arms.”
Pork’s mother says, “Calm, Igpay, Boar will be with Hawk and Vaiqon here. He will be fine.”
Igpay snarls but says, “Well, seeing as Boar’s mother, my Julia, is okay with it, I’m okay with it. What say you, Sky, Diana?” Igpay asks to Hawk’s parents.
Sky and Diana, two individuals with tanned skin from working in the fields for years on end, but eyes bright with possibility of being in a new position of authority, consult with one another privately for a moment.
When they break from their intimate meeting, Diana speaks, “We are happy that our Hawk has been able to pass your tests.”
“We hope he will fulfill our and your hopes for him,” Sky says.
Vaiqon nods in agreement as he sees Hawk and Pork returning from their houses, their hands clutching the pocket just inside their cloak.
“Hawk, Boar, please keep your farewells short,” Vaiqon says. “We need to leave at once.”
Hawk and Pork appear sad for a moment as they glance at their parents. Igpay and Julia quickly engage in a warm embrace with Pork, saying in unison, “I love you, Boar. Be strong.”
Sky and Diana engage in a warm embrace with Hawk, merely stating together, “Be calm, son, we love you.”
Hawk and Pork pull away from their parents simultaneously. They clasp Vaiqon’s outstretched hands. Just as Vaiqon is about to flash them away, a squeal tears through the air.
All turn to Hawk’s home to see a small figure running towards them. Hawk releases Vaiqon’s hand to engage in a brotherly embrace with his younger brother. When Hawk moves to separate from his brother, his brother pulls him tighter.
Hawk chuckles, “Solar, I have to leave now. Perhaps next year you can attempt the course as well. Right, Vaiqon?”
Vaiqon merely smiles and nods warmly, thoughts raging in his mind at the statement.
Hawk smiles as Solar finally releases his older brother. Hawk grasps Vaiqon’s outstretched hand again. In a flash of blue, Vaiqon, Hawk, and Pork disappear from Karacrross and appear in Coas Citis.