Valhala
Chapter 5
Brian, fighting and a portal
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Brian and AJ strolled through the luscious green forest. The trees were twice as big as the largest sequoias back home and the colors were so much brighter than any they'd ever seen before. The greens of the leaves and vines were so much brighter you'd think they'd jump off the leaves at you, and the browns of the barks were so rich Brian was sure they were made out of expensive chocolate. AJ just drank everything in, he'd felt so at home in the forest, like he was part of something so much larger than himself "True beauty" he whispered softly as he stopped to look at a flower in bloom.
"Alex?" Brian asked softly.
"Hmm"
"It's amazing here."
"Yes Brian, it is" he replied.
"Why are we here?"
AJ stopped to think "I don't know Brian, but we're here, we have these gifts and I think they need our gifts. They need our help" he said finally.
"You're..." Brian started but was cut off when a vision hit him. Jakara and Kevin surrounded by men with clubs trying to beat them, Howie and Nick dodging arrows behind trees, Aketa furiously kicking at five men trying to tie her down. "We have to go back, the others are going to be in trouble soon" he said quickly as he took off back into the woods towards the others.
"Wait for me!" AJ cried running after him.
They got back to the others in time to see the 10 men closing in on Jakara and Kevin who looked barely awake. As they men got closer suddenly there was a ring of fire around Jakara and Kevin and the men couldn't get any closer for fear of getting burned. AJ smiled and looked over at Nick and Howie who were feverishly trying to dodge arrows. He called up the feeling he'd had when he put up that wall of energy and directed it between Nick, Howie and the archers. Nick tripped and Howie yanked him up just as an arrow was heading for his chest. The arrow stopped abruptly and fell to the ground.
Nick sighed in relief and looked at AJ 'thanks' he mindsaid quickly.
'What're friends for' AJ replied.
Meanwhile Brian, seeing that AJ took care of Nick and Howie and Jakara was doing a good job of protecting Kevin, ran over to Aketa and tackled two fo the men holding her. That freed her hind legs and she kicked savagely at the remaining three, knocking them unconscious and potentially dead. Brian knocked out his men and stood up "Are you ok Aketa?" he asked petting her nose.
'Thank you Brian, you really helped me out. I see that your gift has shown itself' she said nuzzling his neck.
"Huh?"
'Oh Brian your gift is Foresight. You have the ability to see what is going to happen in the future and help stop it or help the people in need. You also have Farsight as well, that is the ability to see far off places in your mind' Aketa told him.
"Oh, that is interesting" Brian replied.
Jakara came walking up then "Thank you Brian, if you and AJ hadn't shown up when you did, we'd have all be dead" she said walking over to Aketa so she could stroke her flank.
"You're welcome, I'm just glad no one got hurt" he replied.
"Who were those guys?" Howie asked as he, AJ and Nick came walking up.
"They were Ikichkans, probably slavers trying to capture more people for slave trade" Jakara replied. "We do not condone it here, but they do there and now that we are approaching war they have started to try to take our people. We must get to Valkara quickly so I can report this to her majesty" Jakara said stopping to think for a moment. "AJ, can I borrow your strength?" she asked.
"For what?"
"So I can create a portal that will take us to the gates of Valkara. We will get there in a matter or moments instead of another day and a half of walking. May I?" she asked again.
"Of course" he replied and closed his eyes.
She closed hers as well and used her mage-sight to find the pool of power inside him and gently draw out a link to link with her. She also drew on the ley line to the right of them, brimming and glowing with power. She had to concentrate now, opening a portal took a lot of energy and if the spell was even the least bit off who knows where they could end up. 'One of fire, two of night, three to she that brings the light, four of winds that eternally blow, I call thee portal to take us home' she mindspoke surging the energies through her and an image of Valkara. She opened her eyes and saw the eerie blue light a few feet off from them. "There it is" she said smiling a bit.
'Well done soul-sister' her companion said nickering softly.
AJ stared wide eyed at her then at the portal "That is amazing. Will I ever be able to do something like that?" he asked.
"Probably easier than I did" Jakara replied. "Come on them, let us head to the capital and see about getting your trainings started" she said walking towards the blue light of the portal. The others followed and were soon encompassed by the eerie blue light.
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