The Lost Quest

It was getting dark. Yannic could hear the sound of flowing river, passing through stone gaps, past trees of the forest. Added with the sound of insects buzzing and very unclear sound of the wolves howling far in the woods. The surrounding seemed ushering grave darkness. Yannic was staring out of the window of the hut. It felt like time was slipping away, in this silent dusk and he was there standing, helplessly.

“What am I doing here?” Yannic thought to himself and sat on the straw mattress.

“What am I doing Zohar? First my little brother gets lost in the woods. Then suddenly, I meet you. I fall into the river and see that dream and my wife, I see in that haunted forest. What’s going on? I don’t understand anything. Please explain all to me,” Yannic asked so many questions looking for answers to Zohar.

“Yannic, first you get to calm down.”

Zohar gazed at him. He could not see him in the darkness. “Be patient and hear the whole thing.” said Zohar. Then, he lighted a spirit lamp which brightened up the whole hut. He pulled a wooden block near the bed and sat opposite to Yannic.

“There, past that river, used to be my village.” Zohar pointed out of the window. “They always told never to go past the river, the forest had been cursed but I was always curious.”

Zohar took off his white cap and placed it on the floor exposing his bald soft scalp through the thin layer of his hair. Yannic could tell he was old, very old. His eyes seemed to look far past the river, past the forest, past to the time long ago.

“We used to rare goats and I was the little one to look after them” he smiled to himself.

“One day! I lost a goat from the herd and was scared to death that my father would find out. I decided not to go home that day. But my bad luck, he counted the goats and he found out. I heard he had been looking for me in rage, all around the village. It was a small village you know, everyone recognized me. I was so terrified that I decided to hide in the forest across the river for a night and show up the next day as it was the last place my father would ever suspect of.”

“So, did you show up the next morning?” Yannic started hearing eagerly.

“Things never go as we plan, my lord.” Zohar smiled. “As I reached the forest, I felt something very strange. The trees in front of me started getting apart as if they

were making ways for me. Before I knew anything, I had reached very far. It was getting dark and really terrifying

for a small kid. As I looked back I could feel trees creeping closer and blocking the way back. While, In front of me, there was a tall tree with glowing branches. As I was getting closer to it, I got bumped to a tall man standing in front of me. He was thin yet strong, I could feel it. He was wearing a tall black hat and a long cloak with a wand on his hand. I was scared at the beginning, tried to run away creeping beneath the climbers but the way he held me was delicate. I felt warmth in his hands, love and care. He asked me if I was hungry and took me to the nearby hut. It was a small hut yet very beautiful. It had comfortable bed, different magical fluids, he let me pla with. Many books with amazing tales, he let me read. He gave me the most delicious food that I ever had in my entire life and let me sleep on that fluffy mattress. I had never been treated so well, ever in my life. I didn’t feel like leaving. The next morning, he made me a promise that he would treat me the same way if I never go back to my village. For a small kid who always had been living on poverty, it was a never ending treat. I agreed.”

“He treated me the way I was promised but every night he used to take me under the tallest tree and taught me some chanting and worshiping. I soon learned everything and every night we used to worship under the tree together.

It had been a while, I started missing my village. I remembered the promise but I thought there would be no harm to look my family from far. I creeped beneath the creepers and reached to the river.

What I saw thought there would be no harm just to past the river left me shunned. There was nothing but a dense green forest. I swam across the river called my parents, my friends but no answer I could hear. Everything I had was gone. I looked in the water, I could see my reflection. My face got wrinkled, white beard, white eyebrows.

I looked my hands, they were wrinkled too. I had so many questions to ask but as I got into the hut, the beautiful hut that I had left had turned into old creepy place. The man had got older and weak. He had everything packed up, he told that it was his time to leave. I had never realized, it had been hundreds of years living with him. The time had been frozen until I crossed the river. He was like a father to me” Zohar smiled. “That night we both went down the tallest tree with the glowing branches and worshiped, he told me that he was Lev, the wizard of Peninha, the magical kingdom, underneath the holy pond, that laid at the middle of this forest. It had been protected with good souls unless Ariman , the evil friend of kind , brave and the greatest of Series dynasty, Aerius, invaded it. On a family gathering, he poisoned King Aerius and killed him. He abducted his queen and princesses to torture them. Since then, Ariman and after him, his evil dynasty has been ruling the land. The demon could not kill the old man because he was a wizard but he had been cursed so he was all black and could not use his powers. So all those years, he taught me all his magical spells and wizardry. I could play with his magical fluids. Those good food he fed me were the potions for healing the death. You are the new wizard of Peninha. Aerius is coming back. Protect the Lord! Help him conquer back his kingdom. My loyal will soon send you the seed I still remember his words as he placed his heavy hands over my head and disappeared into ashes.”

“After that!” continued the Wizard. “I started visiting the jungle, every plant, tree, creepers seemed to know me, followed my instructions, and made ways for me. These trees and creepers, led me to the pond where I found your father in the mid part of the forest. All wrapped on silk and the golden pocket watch around his neck. The shimmering shine upon his face soon made me realize that he was not only the royal blood but also owner of the seed, the seed that would conquer the demons and rule the lost kingdom.”

“Have you ever been to Peninha? What’s it like, now?”

“I have been to Peninha. The land beyond the pond, evil have deep rooted it, rotted it and captured all the good souls. The king’s hall is only place which serves the good light throughout the city. The throne of Peninha is so pious that it cannot be touched by any evil entity. Only the holy blood of Seris dynasty can be the heir to it. But, once the heir gets married, conceives and gets impure, the demon can kill them and pour their royal blood on the blood pool in front of the hallway. The blood pool is the essence of king’s chamber in Peninha, source of the bright light. Before your father, all other rulers were allowed to survive till the first day of marriage and were killed. I reared your father in your world, like my own child, loved him, got him married and protected him from evils but once the heir gets married, the demons take them away. So, your father was taken away. It was never your fault Yannic.”

Yannic remembered about the incident. He had been blaming himself for his parent’s death all his life but now he realized it was the fate of every heir of Peninha, untimely death.

“If all the heirs die after they get married, why didn’t they remain unmarried?” asked Yannic, in curiosity.

“Because only the first blood, the pure line can be the heir to the throne. The throne without the pure blood heir, is not lesser than any curse to Peninha. They need a pure heir surviving.”

“The moment you were born and I held you for the first time,” continued Zohar. “I realized, you are the one. The seed wizard Lev had talked about. The pure line of blood with the holy spirit of Lord Aerius. You are the one with powers to conquer the demons and rule the lost kingdom of Peninha. Now that you’re married, Demons will come to get you. They have started dragging you already. But you are an heir who can win the evil over. Save the lost kingdom.”

“But, what about Aiden? He is lost in the forest of Tilaurai, I have to find him.”

“Aiden! Demons have already reached Aiden. Aiden was just a way to get you here, Yannic. They want your holy blood in their hallway. But they don’t know you are also the holy spirit of Lord Aerius, Lord of Peninha. And lord, this is part is connected to the forest of Tilaurai which can be entered and exited only with supreme magic. Go to sleep now, we will be moving towards the state tomorrow.”

Zohar got off the wooden block and pulled out the mattress underneath the bed. He spread it on the floor and laid down. Yannic stared out of the window, the bright clusters of stars had brightened up the whole sky. It was a gentle dark night. He saw the shape of a warrior with a sword in his hand. “Was everything Zohar told, a truth?” Well, he was unaware, but he had something very strong within himself telling this dark night had a bright morning ahead to bring back his loved and lost ones.