Free Rise of the Citadel (The Search for the Brights Book 2) by Aaron Thomas Page B

rubbed the sleep from his eyes, even though he couldn't
open them all the way yet. The sun angled through the trees just enough to
blind him. Stretching his arms wide, he let out a yawn.The slow waking was
abruptly interrupted when his own boots hit him in the chest. He grudgingly put
them on his feet.
    Joahna spoke in
low tones and Kilen knew the reason was to not disturb the serene sounds of
nature. “I found some eggs earlier while flying around. Max is hunting for some
meat to put in your belly. It’s best to have a meal in you before we deal with
whatever the elders have to throw at us.”
      Kilen nodded,
pulling his boots on, “What if there isn't anything to stand in our way?”
      “Well then, we
walk in over-prepared. Believe me, that is better than the alternative,” Joahna
chuckled as if he has made a joke.
    Kilen knew it
was no laughing matter, he was the only one that could die. He was still unsure
if they would die with him or not. He had already learned that once summoned,
they could walk around without him maintaining contact with his sword. He stood
and continued to get dressed in spite of the bad joke.
    “Better wear all
the armor and the shield.” Joahna laughed again, “Despite what Jace wants, we
need to make an announcement of what you are and who you represent.”
      He grudgingly
went over to the pile of armor and picked up his leather vest. The armor
underneath was polished so well that the light reflecting off of it temporarily
blinded Kilen. He put his arm up in front of his face to block the light.
    “Max worked on
those all night long, so you had better not complain about it,” Joahna said.
      A noise from
in the brush revealed a stone man, covered in moss to represent hair and
clothing, stepped into view. “Complaints about what?” he said. Max was carrying
a rabbit in his stone hands.
      “I was telling
him not to complain about the armor’s polish,” Joahna said back.
      “He can
complain all he wants, I know Jace probably is. After all, I have never
polished armor before. I did the best I could do with what I could find.” He
turned his finger into a knife and started skinning the rabbit. “Polished armor
is only good for two things. One is giving away your position. Can you guess
the other, Kilen?”
      “Blinding an
enemy in battle?” Kilen retorted.
    Max stopped
moving as if considering the idea. His knife-finger went back to work moments
later.
      “Okay, then
three things. The third is attracting a woman to lose your pay to. Two of the
three I would say are bad, and the likelihood of the third is small.” He chuckled
to himself, “But you are just ugly enough to scare any woman away if you
removed your helmet promptly.”
    A stick grew
beside Max’s foot and he skewered the rabbit on it and placed it on the fire.
The smell of cooking meat made Kilen’s stomach growl. Joahna gave him the
cooked eggs, which he quickly devoured. Washing them down with a long drink
from a cooled water skin, he took a moment to thank everyone for taking care of
him.
      Every night
they watched over him while he slept. They healed his wounds, energized his
body, and fed him every day. Max had even taken up sewing and polishing his
armor and boots. He wished he had something to offer them in return, instead
they protected him by staying hidden within him. They protected him by not
letting his secret slip. He had nothing to give them other than the freedom
from his mind by being in an elemental. The only thing that he could give them
is a relentless pursuit of new bodies. Kilen knew that if he ever found a way
to return them to a body that he would miss them immensely.
    Gripping his
blade he felt the earth magic determination slip into his mind, he let tiniest
amount take control. Setting the chainger in place, he was determined in mind
and in magic to restore the men he had killed. This new determination gave him
energy and an eagerness to fight his way to the knowledge he