The Keldamor Chronicles- Lost Words


Chapter 1- Beginnings

The blacksmith put down his hammer. He let the hot metal cool in the bowl of water he prepared. With a look of silence on his face, he took some herbs from a
pouch on his belt and dropped them into the water. He then took three jewels, from the table near him. He dropped them into the bowl one after the other.
"Ruby... embodiment of my anger." He dropped a fairly large ruby in the bowl.
"Sapphire... embodiment of my strength." He dropped a sapphire in. The water turned an unpleasant green.
"And diamond... embodiment of my mind." He finally dropped a diamond in, which made the water fizzle.
Afterword, he took them out, and headed into the world. Death followed him as he went across the country. Many villages were burned, and thousands died. Death finally cought up with him, though, and he died at the steps of the center of the core. The ancient ones took the weapons from his hands, and hid them so the planet could no longer be devasated. All words from that point vanished, and the blacksmith floated into story, then legend, then myth. It finally vanished altogether, but it remains in the minds of some. Even now, people try to find the weapons of lost power, but to no avail. They were hidden with the utmost care and precision, in three places of extreme.

"Nobody ever found them, grandpa?" a little boy asks.
"Nobody, Joseph. Maybe you will someday." He patted Joseph's head, and walked out of his room, into the rest of the dimly lit shack they lived in.
From that point on, a hero emerged in Joseph's heart. He went to sleep , all snug and cozy.


Chapter 2- Grandpa's End

Five years after that night, Joseph was a typical twelve year old. He swung sticks around like swords, he played marbles with the nieghbor kids. His grandpa looked at him with affection.
One weekend, he asked his grandpa to tell him the blacksmith story again, like when he was seven. He agreed, and again he wove the tale of the blacksmith. Just near the end, screaming was heard from outside. Joseph's grandpa rushed out to see, but he was soon stopped. A knight in black armor came in and held grandpa to the wall. Joseph cried out in fear.
"Let this be a warning to you." The knight said. He slashed grandpa's throat open, and left the room.
Joseph fell to the ground, weeping. What had he done to deserve this?


Chapter 3- Return of the knight

Night came and went. In the morning Joseph dug a large hole in a field to bury his grandpa. Everyone in the village showed up, bringing gifts and saying good things about him. It was a really sad and moving ceremony. The flute player played the saddest tune, everyone one was crying. Finally, at the end, two elders pushed the coffin into the hole, and they buried him. Slowly, the villagers left to go back home, but Joseph stayed behind.
He sat down by the grave, and started talking. "The blacksmith put down his hammer. He let the hot metal cool in the bowl of water he prepared. With a look of silence on his face, he took some herbs from a pouch on his belt and dropped them into the water. He then took three jewels, from the table near him. He dropped them into the bowl one after the other." Several tears ran down him face as he continued his story. "...Even now, people try to find the weapons of lost power, but to no avail. They were hidden with the utmost care and precision, in three places of extreme." A last tear ran down his cheek. 'Be, grandpa." He walked back home in silence. A wolf howled. It knew not the sadness he faced. A branch fell in the distance.
What was that! He spun around, but it was only the wind, playin tricks on his torn mind. He continued walking, a little more timid than before. Another branch broke! He spun around again, but in the distace he could see nothing. He started slowly walking backwords, trembling with every step he took. He could hear hooves in the distance, but he paid them no mind. He started running back home, fear clutching his heart. He could hear horse hooves every where now! He retreated to a lone tree, shivering in fear and sweat. Suddenly, from bothe sides of his view, knights appeared. From his right were the black nights, riding of tall, black stallians, galloping rapidly towards him. On his left, from his village were knights much like black knights, exept in pure white armor. The also rode tall stallions, but their's were white. They charged at each other, meeting at his grandpa's grave.
Swords clashed and echoed into the night. Screams were uttered as warriors fell to the ground. A black knight raised his horse, and int dashed forward into the white knights. He jumped up and slaughtered three, but was soon killed by another. This battle went on for quite some time, until one knight charged Joseph. He quiverd in fear , knowing he could not outrun him. As he was about to land a killing blow, a white knight deflected him and killed him. He dismounted.
"Go," he said to Joseph. "Go, now. Tke my horse and leave!" Jospeh stammered.
"Wh-wh- why?"
"You are the last carrier." Josephs eyes widened. He helped him int o the saddle. He hit it's back legs, and it ran away. "Time will tell, Joseph!" He joined back into the fight.


Chapter 4- Running

It must have been several hours that the horse ran. Joseph fell asleep out of exhaustion, so he no longer know time. When he woke up, he was left alone in the forest. The horse was nowhere to be found, though there was a large patch of green grass next to him. He looked around, and it was really dark. He concluded it was night, but he kept walking. Suddenly a bright light appeared in front of him. It descended, and it landed on the ground.
The light grew, and it was taking shape. Joseph could not figure out what it was, but it was getting longer. It hurt his eyes to stare at it, and he looked away. Finally the light receded, and in it's place was a small sword. It was rather plain, with no jewel, no shiny hilt. He picked it up. It was nice and cool in his palm, with good weight on it. He started walking along again, trying to find his way out.
Eventually the forest receded, and he found himself at a large lake.


Chapter 5- Lake of Sighs

The lake he arrived at was still. No fish were moving in it, and no wildlife was heard in the air. Joseph was thirst, so he decided to get a drink. He bent down, and reached his hand out. As soon as it was close to the water, hands came up, and dragged him into the water. He sank like a rock, until he finally hit the bottom. He looked around, and he saw a throne in the distance. For a second he thought he needed air, but he didn't. He could breathe normally, like he was a fish.
He walked forward towards the throne, until sobbing could be heard. It was from all around him, but t was loudest at the throne. He came closer, seeing what was making the noise.
"WHO DARES APPROACH ME!" Roared a voice. It seemed to come from all around him. "If you want the ring, you can go away!" The lake seemed to jiggle as the voice talked. The lake sighed.
"I have no idea what you're talking about..." Joseph said meekly.
"THE RING! THE SAPPHIRE RING!" A blue light shone from the throne. Th lake sighed.
"Er... what does it do?"
"It's part of 3 of a bow! Part of a sacred weapon!"
"You... you don't mean..."
"YES! THE SAPPHIRE BOW! I have been assigned to guard this ring for ETERNITY!" The lake sighed. "I was once a man. I commited horrible crimes in the city, around the time of the blacksmith's terror. My choice was death or this. I chose this, not knowing the terrible fate awaited me."
"Can I have the ring?"
"NO! To get this, you must pass three tests!"
Joseph sighed, picking up the lake's sadness.


Chapter 6- The first test
Joseph found himself running again. His first test was to get the silver apple on the lone apple tree in the forest.
"Be careful" The lake warned. "These apples only show up in the dead of night, under moonlight. Pick the right one." Joseph was scared. What if he didn't choose the right apple? What if the lake lied, and wouldn't give him the ring? He abolished those thoughts and kept running.
Finally he made it to the tree. It was tall, taller than most trees in the forest. He started climbing it, though he was met with much difficulty. When he reached the top, there was one Apple. This had to be it! He plucked it, but as soon as he did, a black raven fell out of the sky and attacked him. He disregarded his life and held onto the apple, until he eventually fell out of the tree and hit the forest floor.
When he woke up, he was on the ground Over the horizon, he could see the sunrise. Sunrise! He sprinted back to the lake with the apple in his hand.
After ten minutes of sprinting, he made it. He plopped it in the lake, just as the sun came up.
"I have to admit, I didn't think you'd do it." The lake sighed. "Now for your next challenge."