Possessing the Grimstone - By John Grover Page 0,25
The clouds you see are not a storm; they are the clouds of war and magic. All of us are in danger… every last person in the world. The North has already fallen, and they make their way east and south. We need everyone’s help to make a counter attack on this foe and send them back to where they came from.”
A nervous chatter spread throughout the village. Some shouted in disbelief, and women cried. Thunder rumbled. The Wiverings looked up at the sky and gasped. Shouts erupted. Panic filled the village. Faces drained of color. Villagers shook their heads, while others stormed off. Still others refused to accept what they were hearing.
“It can’t be!” They yelled.
“It must be some mistake!”
“They are all lies… lies!”
“Are we safe? Are we in danger?”
The stories are true! Pim screamed inside. Both terror and delight filled him. He wasn’t sure if he should jump for joy, or run and hide. It was all happening so fast. The world doesn’t end at the mist! There is land on the other side, dangerous, mysterious land with armies and magic. How amazing and terrifying!
“Calm… we must be calm,” Bru called, putting his hands up to his people. “We must not act rashly. We must seek the wisdom of Thet, and remain strong. We are one family, and we will not fall.” He turned back to Tolan. “What does your king want of us?”
“We need warriors,” Tolan said. “As many of your warriors as you can spare. We need the greatest army Athora has ever seen. Can your people join in the fight?”
Silence swept over the village. The Wivering stared at one another, but the Warrior Guild stepped forward, as few as there were. Tolan counted barely one hundred.
Geyess stared with concern. “Is this all of you?”
“Geyess,” Tolan said. “They are farmers.” He turned to Bru. “We understand an army is not your first path.”
Bru looked around. “Are there any volunteers to the Warrior Guild? Any who would take up the sword to aid our world?”
“We will take any who wish to join,” Tolan said. “And we will train you. The best soldiers of the land will train you.”
Some of the young Wivering stepped forward. More gasps reverberated. Pim looked around, and then to his parents. They held one another, fear wracking their faces.
“I will join,” Pim said, looking toward Tolan, meeting his gaze briefly.
“No!” Pim’s mother threw herself at her son. “By Thet, himself, you cannot! I will not allow it!”
“Son,” his father went to him, taking his arm. “Would you break your mother’s heart?”
“Would you sit back and do nothing? If you were younger and stronger, would you turn your back on your world? A world in peril?”
“You are not of age,” his father argued. “You cannot join the guild.”
Pim’s mother ran her hands over his cheeks. Her eyes welled.
“I will be of age in only two months! I will be man! No, I am a man now. What is two months? In two months, we all might perish.”
“We will take any who want to join,” Geyess said. “Any age, any strength.”
Tolan turned to hush him, but Geyess rolled his eyes. “We must respect your people’s customs and rules.”
“You need all available warriors,” Pim said. “Our leader may grant permission, this close to eighteen, but I need the word.” Pim looked to Bru and smiled.
“You are not a warrior!” Pim’s mother screamed. “You cannot go!”
Bru held up his hands again. A hush came over his people. “There are unknown days ahead filled with unknown dangers and dark skies. We must let go of some of the old ways if we expect to remember them. Those six months from their day of manhood may join the Warrior Guild.”
“No!” Pim’s mother collapsed. His father ran to her aid, helping her back to her feet.
Chatter and gasps filled the village again. Pim went to his mother and kissed her. “I only want to protect you, Mother.”
“My boy, my first boy! The way of the warrior is not your path; it is a path of no return!”
“It is my path, mother, you just don’t want to set me on it. That is why I must put myself on it.” He embraced her, then his father. His father stood speechless, holding his oldest son as long as he could.
Pim pulled away and went to Tolan’s side. As soon as he did, other young Wivering men joined him to the weeping of the entire village.
Pim stood, proud, watching the young men of