(very old) the Seals of Elements (discontinued for now)

[Chapter 9]

---Hunter---

We had been travelling along the road, talking about the island. Ayra had told me that it was called Akeridia. After walking for at least half a day, I started to get really tired.
When I glanced over to Ayra I saw that she was getting tired as well, so when I suggested that we should take a break she nodded and sat down against the nearest tree.

 That was a big mistake.

As soon as she sat down, a net was thrown down from above, entrapping Ayra. She screamed, and tried to break free, but ended up only entangling herself more.
Two men in green tunics jumped down from the trees with spears ready.

I looked at Ayra and then at the two men.
Mentally I willed my ring to turn into a sword (something I had been trying ever since Arrogan gave it to me) but nothing happened.
Great. I thought. Just great. I am unarmed and my guide is trapped in a net while two men have their spears pointed at my chest.

"What do you guys want?" I asked angrily in English. "If you want money you are out of luck because we don't have any."
One of the men lowered his spear and looked at me with a confused look.

Off course. I slapped myself on the forehead. They can't understand me.
In pure desperation, I focused all my willpower on my ring and willed it to become a sword.
I felt a tugging sensation in my gut and before I knew it I was holding the silvery sword.

The two men jumped back with a loud shriek, the one dropping his spear.
But before I could do anything, something hit me from above and knocked me out cold.

================================

---Ayra---

I watched powerless as a third man drooped from the trees behind Hunter and knocked him out with the back of his spear. 
I screamed and tried to free myself from the net, but it was no use.
The more I struggled, the more stuck I got.

Suddenly I heard a sound in the bushes behind me.
I turned my head around as far as I could and saw a boy around my age step out of the greenery.
He was wearing a woollen vest with a hood and had a bow and quiver slung over his shoulders.
His red hair was messy and his green eyes were full of mischief 
He grabbed his bow and put an arrow on it, pulled back the string and shouted in Akeridian.
"Hey! Leave them alone!"
The three men turned around and when they saw the boy, they all smirked.
The one who had knocked out Hunter stepped forward.
"And who are you suppose to be?"
"That is none of your business. All you need to know is that I happen to be one of the best archers in these woods, so I suggest you leave them alone before you find out how good I am up close."

Now the three of them doubled over laughing.
The boy moved so fast I could barely see him reload.
Within the blink of an eye, the biggest of the three had an arrow in his left leg and was screaming in pain, while the boy already had a new arrow ready on his bow.

The boy smirked. "Anyone else wants a demonstration?"
The other two shook their heads and rushed to the aid of the third one.
After the three had left the boy turned to me.

He slung his bow over his shoulder and unsheathed his knife.
After he had cut me loose I immediately ran to Hunter and checked his pulse. It was faint, but still there.
The boy looked at me. "My house is not far from here. We can take him there."
I turned to him. "Thanks. My name is Ayra Kane by the way. " I said, holding out my hand.
The boy smiled and shook it. "I'm Kenji. Kenji Fletcher."

And so we carried Hunter to Kenji's house.
It was a nice, cosy wooden lodge with a small veranda.
After lying Hunter down on the couch and concluding that he was not in a life-threatening situation I sat down at the table drank the tea Kenji had made for me.

It was Kenji who started the conversation.
"Where are you from?"
"I'm from a small village, not far from here. And you?"
"I'm from Beacon-town."
I mentally went through the places I knew.
"Wow, that's pretty far from here."
"Yeah. It's a long story of how I ended up here."

Before I could ask more Hunter groaned.
"Where am I ?"
I stood up and walked over to the couch. "We're at a safe place"
He now sat upright and looked at me with those stormy grey eyes of his.
"How did we get here?" 
"We carried you here. You had been knocked unconscious."
I then looked back to Kenji.
He was staring at us two with a confused look. 
Oh yeah, he can't understand us of course. I should really teach Hunter some basic Akeridian.
I quickly translated the conversation for Kenji and explained that Hunter couldn't speak or understand Akeridian.
"Why not? Is he a Royal? And if he is, why wasn't he guarded?" Kenji was clearly very confused now, and I didn't know what to say.

After a few seconds, I decided to make up a believable backstory for Hunter. (I normally don't like to lie, but I didn't really have a choice.) 

I turned to Kenji. "Yes, he is a Royal and he doesn't speak or understand Akeridian because he lived in a palace for almost all his life. And the reason for why he wasn't guarded, He was on a secret diplomatic mission to my village and didn't want to attract too much attention."

Kenji didn't seem to buy the lie.
"And the truth...?"
I sighted. (This is exactly why I don't lie. I happen to be really bad at it.) 

"Hunter, well... he says that he is from beyond the mist. that's why he doesn't know Akeridian.
It would take very long to explain all of this"

"Well, we have enough time. At least until your friend is feeling good enough to walk again."
And so I started to tell him everything that had happened since I first saw Hunter.