Chapter One
Farewell

War is never a pretty thing. People find it necessary to fight in order to prove something, or to gain something they cannot obtain by normal means. This is sometimes honor, land, or resources. However just two people cannot wage war. It takes two armies and men to command them. When leaders decide to go to war, they call upon their trusted advisors.

It�s not enough that kingdoms are destroyed. People�s homes, crops, and even lives suffer as well. They lose people. One boy named Lucavi learned all of this all at a very young age. When two countries went to war he lost his father. To his knowledge his father wasn�t killed. He was an advisor to the king of Gallion. The war lasted not more than seven years, but there was no word of his father. He had been the in the Castle in Gallion the entire time. Gallion castle didn�t send word that his father had been killed. Lucavi began to wonder what had happened, as did his siblings.

Lucavi had two siblings. An older brother named Arius, and a younger sister named Clara. Clara was just born when their father left. She was the least and the most affected by his absence. Lucavi was only five. Arius however was already ten. He�d gotten to know his father and hated him for leaving. No, not hated him for leaving, but hated him for not coming back. Arius had to take over as �man of the house� to which he didn�t want to do at the age of ten.

In their father�s absence the family learned to pick up the slack. Since they were the family of an advisor to the king they had an abundance of money. So Arius and Lucavi did most of the chores while their mother raised and cared for Clara. Years past, but Lucavi still wondered what had happened to his father. After those seven years Lucavi reached the age of twelve. At the age of twelve he was now able to attend the Knight�s Academy. Lucavi had been thinking about it for some time. If he graduated he could go out and search for his father. He didn�t have much to do around the house anymore with Clara in the monastery for schooling and Arius gone most of the time with his jobs in the next town over. He would surely get in because of who he was.

Lucavi thought about it a lot along the years. He decided to do it. If he didn�t do this it would bother him for the rest of his life. This was something he had to know. As soon as he was old enough he approached his mom.

�Mother, I want to go to Knights Academy .�

She paused for a second, slightly stunned by his question. �I had a feeling you were going to be asking me about that sooner or later.� She replied with a sigh, �If I let you go, you�re going to leave and look for your father aren�t you?� 

Lucavi eyes darted away to avoid his mother�s gaze.

�I had a feeling.� She said trying to meet his gaze.

�I know the rest of you don�t want to talk about him, but I want to know why he�s gone, why he left us. Arius doesn�t care. As far as he�s concerned he�s dead. Clara never got the chance to even know him��

�And you want to?� Lucavi was now making eye contact, with a spark of passion in his eyes. �I want to at least get to know him. That way I know whether Arius is right that he is a dead beat, or if something�s wrong and he needs help.� Lucavi said with determination.

�Why do you care, you barely knew him. I�m sure Arius is right. He is a deadbeat.�

�If he is a deadbeat then how come we have all these nice things? We have the nicest house in town and you don�t have a job at all. So how come we can afford all these things?�

�Because your father had money. Having money doesn�t make you any better of a person Lucavi!�

Lucavi stopped for a moment. He had obviously struck a nerve.

�How do we know he isn�t dead? If he is we should give him a proper funeral.�

�Nothing I say is going to change you mind is it?� She asked.

Lucavi said nothing.

His mother stared at him for a long moment. She looked as if she was debating with herself mentally. �If I let you go, and you find what you need to find, will you promise me that you will come home; No matter what happens?�

Lucavi nodded.

�Then you had better get packing my boy you have a trip to make.�

----

Lucavi told Clara about his decision to go. She thought it was fantastic. However, she was young and by her reasoning he would be back within the week with a shiny new suit of armor. Next he told Arius, but all he got was, �Maybe it�ll toughen you up.� Lucavi went to a small clearing in the forest behind their house. He often went there to think and relax. He sat down on a log and tried to absorb the scenery. He felt a gentle nuzzle at his leg that almost made him jump. A wolf sat next to the log and looked at him with a friendly stare. He had almost forgotten about him. He had been caring for and injured wolf he found lying in the woods barely moving, now it was carefully limping around. Lucavi sat down on a tree stump pondering. The young wolf continued to nuzzled his leg gently. Lucavi sighed petting the wolf�s head. �I�m going to be leaving soon. I won�t be able to take care of you anymore.� The wolf didn�t seem to notice his words. �I have to do this, but I�ll be back.� The wolf still took no notice. �I�ll come to say goodbye before I leave though.� He gently patted the wolf�s head and stood up. Lucavi walked out of the clearing. The wolf followed him to the edge of the clearing and watched him leave.

As the day approached Lucavi began to pack for his trip. He didn�t own very much aside from clothes and a few old toys. He packed most of his clothes up and was ready quite quickly. He didn�t have to catch the ferry for another few hours so he decided to visit the wolf one last time before he left. He left his house without letting anyone know and made his way to the clearing. There was no sign of the wolf. Lucavi looked around slowly at first, then more franticly. Not a trace of the wolf. He sighed and went to sit up on the stump, but noticed something. On the spot on the stump where he normally sat lay a sliver pendant. Lucavi picked it up and examined it. It was a chain with what looked to be the head of a wolf hanging from it. Looking at the head it almost seemed like it would jump out at him, but it didn�t frighten him. Lucavi wasn�t sure exactly what it was, but he decided what he was going to take it as. �Thank you.�

Lucavi wore his new pendant on his way back home. He felt a sense of calm wearing it. No one noticed him sneak back into his house. It was just as well. He didn�t want to explain his new pendant to everyone. He carefully tucked it under his shirt before anyone saw him. Just then Arius walked into the hallway which startled Lucavi. He had the habit of escaping into his own thoughts and not realizing what was happening around him. �Haven�t left yet?� Arius asked. �I have another hour before I have to leave for the ferry.� Lucavi replied still slightly startled. �Maybe you should spend some time with Clara before you go, I�m sure she�d like it.� Arius said coolly before he walked in into the next room. Lucavi walked down the hall a ways and knocked on a halfway opened door. �Come in.� came Clara�s voice from inside. Lucavi walked in slowly. Clara was sitting on the floor up against her bed reading a book. Clara had always been an excellent scholar. She was almost better than both of her brothers in school. Lucavi expected to find her reading. �What�re you reading?�

 �A book on the history of the monastery; I�m thinking I might go to school there.�

 �Wanting to leave like me?� He asked.

�Knights Academy is across the sea. The monastery is one town over, I could walk.�

�So you know then?�

�I know why you want to go. I think it�s great that you want to do something like that.� She closed her book and looked up at Lucavi. �You�ll be back soon though, right?�

�Not for a few years��

�A few years??� She exclaimed. �So you�re going to become a knight and join the king�s army? You�re going to leave mom and the rest of us?�

�No. I don�t wish to join any army.�

�Then what? You just want to leave us?�

�I want to look for father��

Clara was silent. No one in their house spoke of their father. It was almost like saying a bad word.

�Something isn�t right with the way he just disappeared, and I have to know why. Arius doesn�t care in the slightest and mother tries to pretends like he never existed.�

Clara still had nothing to say.

�I know you never knew him, but I did. Even though I was very young, I still have some memories of him. I want there to be no doubt about him. I want me�no all of us to know if he died valiantly or is being held prisoner. That way we can either honor his memory, or bring him home.�

Clara looked at her feet.

�I know you don�t want to think about it. I know it�s painful, but it�s better to know the truth than sit around and wonder.�

Lucavi sat down beside Clara. Clara finally spoke up. �After you find out, you�ll come home?� Lucavi nodded. �I give you my word. You will see me again.� Clara embraced her older brother. 

After a little bit Lucavi stood up and headed for the door. �I�ll write you and let you know how things are going here while you�re gone.� Clara said with a tear in her eye. Lucavi turned around and said with a smile, �And I�ll write you and let you know how things are going in Knights Academy . Clara smiled back. Lucavi closed the door behind him. He was at the beginning of his journey and with his bags packed, his family�s support, and a new sense of determination Lucavi was off to Knights Academy .

--Next Chapter--

Chapter 2 - Knights Academy