Daniel's Early Days

Ch. 18 The Truth-Before Daniel became a powerful Mage, he was just a boy. Follow Daniel from the beginning as he receives his powers, embarks on many adventures, and learns what true power really is.

Daniel whipped around hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever was following them. His father swerved to keep from careening into him. “Did you hear something?” his father asked, his brow scrunched in concern.

“No, I didn’t hear anything,” Daniel answered truthfully, brushing off his father’s concern. Daniel turned around abruptly, setting his sights on the fading sunlight blinking through the trees. They were almost out of the forest, and he was nowhere near ready to experience the woods at night.

He tried his best not to draw attention to himself, even though he desperately wanted to look around. Instead, he snuck sidelong glances about as he walked. The hairs on the back of his neck would not rest, and his nerves began to feel raw again. “Did you see what it is?” he silently asked Pearl.

“Not exactly,” her voice echoed softly in his mind. “But, if I had to guess I would say it was some sort of goblin.”

Daniel wasn’t sure if knowing what was following them made him feel better or worse. Meeting his first goblin was definitely the most unnerving thing that had happened in what ended up being an extremely unusual day. He had done his best to banish it from his mind, especially when he returned to the forest with his parents. The odd looking creature had not exactly made an attractive first impression of the forest Daniel had so desperately wanted to explore.

Truthfully, he wasn’t really surprised that Kobo was following them now; he admitted to as much this morning. Kobo confessed that he had been watching Daniel for a while, practically bragged about it. So, of course, he would know that Daniel had returned to the forest, and was obviously still curious about Daniel’s actions. Even though the goblin gave him no reason to be alarmed, other than his cryptic message about watching him, he had left Daniel with a bad taste in his mouth.

Daniel picked up the pace and quickly overcame his mother. Heart pounding in his ears, he practically burst across the edge of the forest; returning safely to his own backyard. He sucked in deep breaths, and turned his attention to the glowing sunset. The fiery orange and red hues washing together and seeping across the horizon simultaneously steeled his nerves and calmed him. By the time his parents joined him, his rapidly pulsing blood had subsided, allowing the sounds of the impending twilight to come rushing back.

Although, Daniel did his best to play it off as excitement, his mother knew better. “What is it?” she asked, walking around him to look him full in the face.

“Nothing,” he answered, looking away from her knowing eyes. Either his mother could tell he was lying because he was unconvincing or because of her ability to see things that others cannot. Either way, she was not buying it. Stepping out of the trees, his father’s long strides swiftly brought him to the discussion. But, his mother didn’t bother to look up; she kept her eyes trained on her son. “Daniel,” she coaxed gently. “What is bothering you?”

“I felt…something,” he trailed off, not sure how to explain his uneasiness. He decided to take a different route. “Pearl saw something following us.”

“What was it?” she addressed Pearl directly.

“My best guess: a goblin. Although, they are quite adept at camouflage, something about its movement reminded me of the goblins of my day.”

            His parents shared a look, before they turned to face the forest. While enormously relieved, Daniel’s heart sank when his father waved a hand in the air, restoring the ward back on the forest. Although, he wanted to keep creepy, albeit intriguing, things like Kobo from getting out; he also wished his parents would allow him full access to the forest.

He wanted them to believe in him and his emerging abilities. Unfortunately, he knew the only way to earn and deserve their trust would mean being completely honest with them. His parents returned their attention to their only son, and Daniel sighed heavily. He was going to have to tell them the truth: that he had found a way around the ward and snuck into the forest.