chapter 2

Chapter 2

Obduran made camp in the foliage, it was not wise to sleep on the ground. Worse things hunt in the dark than in the day. He sat on a wide branch with his back against the trunk, watching the sunset through a gap in the leaves. He was thinking of home, it was less than a days walk from here. He wondered if he would recognise any of his friends. He could barely remember what a home cooked meal tasted like, sitting with his parents whilst staff brought anything he wanted. He wondered if he was still capable of conversation, having barely spoke to anyone during his exile, the odd traveller here and there but mostly he's been alone. He briefly thought of his father and what he must do. But mostly he thought of a bed, to sleep for hours without fear of attack. To sleep on something softer than pine needles. To sleep without fear of falling out of a tree, which had happened once or twice.

Obduran awoke the next morning just as dawn had broken, he was wet from the morning dew. He was used to this, so many years outside made him quite numb to the elements. He finished what remained of his bear steak and began to climb down, the sound of voices stopped him dead. A group of four five men were walking through the forest. They seemed to be arguing, he was too high and the branches were too dense to see them properly, and he only caught snippets of what they were saying. "never seen such a mess." Said one. "I wonder what happened?" "don't know, don't care." Obduran wondered what they were talking about and where they had been. He pushed it from his mind, he knew better than to jump out of tree into a group of men that may be heavily armed and not friendly.

The sun was fully up when Obduran felt sure enough that the men had gone. He jumped down and took in his surroundings, the sound of birds singing was always reassuring, birdsong or rather the lack of it was a sure sign that something dangerous was about. But today, the birds were singing and the sun was shining through the treetops lighting his path. It was though the gods were smiling down on him. He set off down the path listening to the birdsong, feeling happier than he had in many years. Come sundown he'll be home.

The forest got darker and denser the further into it Obduran got, the birdsong had quietened to almost nothing but the creaking of branches and the rustling of bushes intensified. Obduran felt tense, as though he was being watched by several eyes. Watched, but not hunted he felt. Obduran walked with purpose, looking left to right, constantly on his guard. He definitely saw something dart across a low branch in front of him. 'probably a squirrel' he thought to himself but he wasn't so sure. He walked a little slower, a tight bend lay ahead and he didn't want to steam straight into anything that was possibly lying-in wait. Obduran was right to be cautious. He rounded the bend, in a clearing not far ahead, at least 300 sylvans were waiting, spears drawn.

Sylvans were forest protectors, no taller than nine inches, but what they lacked in size, they more than made up for it with sheer numbers. They defended their woodlands fearlessly, Obduran had heard tales of them taking down dragons. He held his hands out to show he wasn't a threat and continued to walk slowly forward, he could hear himself being surrounded. He stopped about twenty feet in front of what looked the one in charge. It stood a little taller than the others, it's spear was longer and more ornate and it wore a necklace of acorn cups. Obduran had never been this close to sylvans before, they almost looked like they were made of wood, some were mottled brown, others green. They were perfectly camouflaged for life in the tree. Their eyes were solid black and unmoving.

"I mean no harm. Just passing through." Croaked Obduran, it had been so long since he spoke. He slowly dropped to one knee, hands still in front of him. "with your permission." He said lowering his head a little. The head sylvan walked alone, towards Obduran, it studied him closely, walking twice around him. It stood in front of Obduran and placed its pointy little hand on his head. Its hand started to glow faintly, Obduran felt a strange warmth in his chest. "follow me giant." Said the sylvan. "I'm not a giant." Said Obduran getting to his feet. He felt rather stupid the moment the words left his mouth. The sylvan didn't even reach his knee. "really?" came the heavily sarcastic reply. The sylvan headed back towards the rest. Obduran really struggled to keep pace. Three of the sylvans steps were barely the length of Obdurans foot.

Things became a lot easier when reaching the small army of sylvans, they parted for the leader but not for Obduran, he had to avoid stepping on them and they didn't seem keen to get out of his way. The leader was soon way ahead and Obduran looked as though he was walking on steppingstones across a river, it didn't help that as the leader walked past, the others closed the gap again. They left the beaten path, which Obduran found a lot easier as the majority of the sylvans took to the trees, including the leader. Considering how slow they moved across the ground, in the trees it was a different story, effortlessly jumping and swinging from branch to branch. They seemed incredibly strong little creatures, Obduran now struggled to keep up, the undergrowth was getting thicker. His legs and arms were cut to hell, not deep but enough to be uncomfortable, bugs galore were feasting on him, he had given up swatting them away, he needed his hands to forge through the undergrowth, he didn't dare use his sword to cut his way through not when surrounded by sylvans.

'how much further?' Obduran thought to himself, he was getting thoroughly sick of this forest and he was heading in the wrong direction for home. He was heading uphill and the canopy was starting to break. 'they must be nearing the edge, they must be.' He kept thinking. The sylvans started chattering wildly, they seemed very angry. Obduran stopped dead, trying to decide whether to daw his sword. "come." Shouted the sylvan leader who was sitting on a low branch at the edge of the forest. The chattering died down and Obduran headed towards the brow of the hill, the sylvans parting the way for him. What he saw took his breath away. "what happened?" he asked trying to take it all in. Obduran was standing at the edge of the forest but it didn't used to be. Before him was a wasteland. Just stumps where trees used to be. A thick black scorch mark ran in both directions as far as the eye could see. He noticed that the trees around where he stood, the ends of the branches were all curled and singed.

"man came." Started the sylvan. "why didn't you stop them?" interrupted Obduran. "we tried. Countless perished. Warlocks with the power of flame flushed us from the trees. For eight settings of the sun, a wall of flame burned. They took our homes. They took our lives. Fallstaffians and their greed. Using our homes to build their weapons." He finished with a heavy heart. "the Fallstaffians never come this far north." Said Obduran in a slight state of shock. "their woodlands are gone. Made into arrows and bows. Generations of sylvan wiped out. We fight to defend our ancient forests. But we are powerless against flame." Sighed the sylvan. "I'm sorry but.." Obduran started but the sylvan cut him off. "you are strong of heart giant. I felt it in you. You will cross paths with the Falstaffian king. I want his heart." "how? And why do you want his heart?" asked Obduran utterly perplexed. "the heart of the destroyer will replenish." Said the sylvan knowingly. "as for you. Your destiny is set." "what destiny? What does that mean?" asked Obduran understanding less and less. "soon you will know. It is not for me to say. Will you bring me his heart?" asked the sylvan staring directly into Obdurans eyes. Obduran stared back, silent for a moment. 'how and why in the world would he ever be close enough to cut the kings heart. But he had to get out of there somehow, so he said. "if, and it's a big if. If the opportunity presents itself. I will bring you his heart." "I know you will. Take this in return." Said the sylvan as two others brought a small flute. Obduran took the flute which was slightly longer than his finger. "thank you." He said trying to seem grateful. "this will grant you safe passage through any forest in the land. My name is Bracken. Use it if you need." "thank you Bracken. I will do my best to honour this." "I know you will giant. Strong of heart. They will escort you to the path. Until we meet again giant." And with that Bracken sprung up and out of sight.

Obduran looked down, he had an escort of four sylvans. The journey back to the path was much easier, the sylvans were clearing the undergrowth for him to pass through. He felt relieved to reach the path, he turned to thank his escort but they had vanished. He turned the little flute over in his fingers. It looked extremely strong for it's size. He tucked it into his boot for safe keeping. Much of the day had passed and he would have to make camp again but he didn't want to outstay his welcome so he carried on up the path and made camp on the very edge of the forest in a small copse, hidden from the path.