The Crystal Kingdom: Part 2

The Gnarled Forest

The Lord had left the Treasured Forest and was now entering the Gnarled Forest which boarder the Black Swamp. As he trail curved down a steep bank he was confronted by three of the Dark Watchers. They blocked his way, and where before by drawing his sword the one fled, these three just continued to stand their ground.

One of the Dark Watchers drew a black dagger and told him that he would be lost to the light forever. With sword raised the Lord charged into the three Dark Watchers. When his sword would come in contact with one of their deadly daggers it would shatter its blade. He struck one of the Dark Watchers in the arm, the creature screamed in terror, falling to the ground withering in pain, a dark mist raising up off of the creature. The other two Dark Watchers fled off of the trail to the safety of the forest, where they watched in horror as the Dark Watcher he struck withered on the ground, turning slowly from a creature of darkness back into a young man. The Lord looked on in curiosity, he had fought the attacks of the dark ones hordes at his stronghold for many years, but never had he witnessed any of the dark ones minions turn into a human.

Now lying before him where once was an Dark Watcher, now a young man with golden hair, he had scars across his eyes, and what looked to be a deep cut across his chest, but seemed to be in good health. Pulling some extra clothing out of his pack the Lord gave the young man it to wear since the Watchers robes had dissipated into the mist.

The Lord learned that this young man’s name was Tim and had been a traveler seeking out the Crystal Kingdom, but while traveling through the Dark Forest he was attacked by some Dark Watchers, and that was all he could remember.

Not wanting to leave the young man behind to be attacked by the Dark Watchers, but needing to continue his journey the Lord decided that he would have to come along. They continued on deeper into the Gnarled Forest where they started seeing more and more of the Dark Watchers, none of them would leave the Forest or get near to them for fear if the Lords sword, but they did follow them along their journey.

While traveling Tim would ask the Lord questions about the Crystal Kingdom and the Great One. The Lord shared with him about how beautiful the Capital City of the Great One is. He told him how the streets are made of crystal and the buildings are all trimmed with gold. The High walls of the city reach hundreds of feet into the sky, and are patrolled by the Great Ones Dread Champions, those who had finished their quests and been proven faithful.

As they travelled days into the Gnarled Forest they came to a large black river know as the River of Trials. It was a large swift flowing river, with dark black water. The Lord and Tim spent most of the day trying to find a way across the river, they searched up and down the bank in hopes of finding a bridge or raft that they could use, but there was nothing. All around them were Dark Watchers, and they could hear them whispering and snickering together at them. The Lord came up with a plan, he would ride his horse Faithful across the river while pulling a rope, once across he would tie the rope to Faithful and have Tim pull the horse back across so that he could ride faithful across.

The Lord handed Tim his dagger so he could defend himself if the Dark Watchers attacked while he was crossing.

 When the Lord started across he found that the river was not very deep for most of the way across, but suddenly it dropped off, and he found himself and Faithful swimming. As they made their slow journey he looked back to see Tim being attacked. The Dark Watchers moved in slowly with daggers raised. Jacob looked scared but was defending himself with his dagger.  The Lord knew he could not turn back and help in time.

Tim fought the dark Watchers off with his dagger, they seemed to be afraid of the weapon, and that he would resist them. Once the Lord was across he sent Faithful back across to get Jacob. Just as Tim entered the river The Lord heard a deep growl and turned to see two giant lions prowling towards him.

The lions were huge, with black manes and deep ruby eyes. They came towards him in a crouch and seemed ready to pounce on him. The Lord drew his sword that gave off a strange light in the dark gloom of the Gnarled Forest. Just then the first lion attacked, charging at him with great speed, he dodged to the left and tried to hit the lion with his sword, but even as he missed the first lion the second one lunged through the air at him, and he had to block its mighty claws with his sword. With each recovery against an attack the other lion would charge in again, and this continued round after round. The Lord started to feel truly afraid, he knew he was not going to hold out against this two lions much longer, and couldn’t seem to get a chance to make his own attack. As one of the lions charged in at him, Tim had reached the bank and charged in stabbing the lion in the side with his dagger. The Lord took this opportunity to charge the other one and he cut its tail off as it fled into the forest. The one that Jacob stabbed reread in pain and fled also back into the forest. On the other bank of the river the Dark Watchers looked on, shouting curses at the two men.

They were both shaken, and exhausted from the attacks of the Dark Watchers and Lions, but they feared to stay near the river any longer, so slowly continued on their way. The path continued on from the river, much of the forest starting to become swamp. The mosquitoes became thick around them, and a constant annoyance. While at camp the Lord shared with Tim more about the Crystal Kingdom. He told him about how the people who live in the Capital City, live without fear, and always have more than enough. He shared with him how in the skies above the city there are always hundreds of Eagles flying to and from the Great Ones Palace, they are his messengers’ and servants to those who are travelling through the Dark Wilderness, and those on duty in the Strongholds of the Crystal Kingdom.

That night they slept in shifts for fear that the lions would come attack again. Nether got a good night sleep, but their weariness did seem to go away.

The next few days they continued along the path through the Gnarled Forest, there were many trails that intersected with the path, but Tim and the Lord were very careful in finding the stone markers that kept them on the correct path, a few times they ended up starting down the wrong one, but soon realized they had not seen any of the markers that are on the path, and they would have to turn back. With these intersections coming more frequently it made for slower going, they had to spend time at each intersection trying to figure out which was the right path, and when they ended up on the wrong path, it took time getting back to the intersection.

The path through the Gnarled Forest would wind back and forth more often as they neared the Black Swamp of the Dark Wilderness. Once and awhile they would reach a hill that the path would go over, and since the trees were starting to thin out, it would give them a view of what was ahead. On one such hill they were stopped by a group of Dark Watchers; there were around thirty of them surrounding the  hill. The Lord and Tim both pulled their swords out, but to their surprise the Dark Watchers just gave them a hole to continue on the path. As they crested the hill there standing before them was a tall creature with black armor on, and its body made mostly of bones and tendons. It was a Dead Warrior, one of the most feared of the Dark Ones minions. The Dead Warrior stood in the path with his black sword resting on his shoulder, if a skeleton could smile this one appeared to be doing so.

The Lord told Tim to stand back, but be on guard against the Dark Watchers, while he dealt with the new threat. The Lord pulled his shield off of Faithfull his horses side, then pulling his sword out, and setting his helmet on his head, the Lord walked forward to battle the Dead Warrior. The battle sounded like the crash of thunder, the sounds of steel on steel echoing through the Gnarled Forest. The Lord circled the Dead Warrior with the practice of a master blades men, every day back at his stronghold he would practice with his sword and shield, sometimes against more than three opponents, but the Dead Warrior was no slouch with his sword either. The battle seemed to go on for hour, but really only a few minutes had past, the Dark Watchers just stood and looked on, none of them saying anything. Tim was not sure how the battle was going, at times it looked like the Lord was winning, but at other times he seemed to be losing. Then to Tim’s surprise the Lord dropped his guard and when the Dead Warrior stepped in with his attack, he made his counter attack. With a bright flash of blinding like the Lords sword sliced through the Dead Warriors chest and the creature fell to the ground burning. Upon the Dead Warriors death the Dark Watchers screamed in anger and ran off of the hill and further into the Gnarled Forest. Tim and the Lord watched as the Dead Warrior continued to burn for minutes, until there was nothing left but ash on the ground.

The Lord was tired after his battle and they decided that the hill was a good place to rest for the night, the Dark Watchers seemed afraid of them after witnessing the demise of the Dead Warrior, and the hill gave them some ability to see if any creatures of the Dark Wilderness were coming their way.