Elemental Bladez, CreativeNative [bill gates best books txt] 📗

Prologue

“Bronte, you can’t fight your destiny.”
“But father—“
“This sword was not meant to be in my hands. It was meant to be in yours. I have come to realize that – the hard way.” He gestured to the enormous scar on his left arm.
“Father, I don’t think I can do it. I don’t think I can live up to your legacy.”
“My legacy? Son, I haven’t done anything to have created a legacy.”
“But you protected our village -- with the sword.”
“Yes, and I am proud to have been able to do that. But this blade has some incredible power that I cannot fully harness. The same thing with my father, when he found it. He thought he could unlock the secrets and forces of the blade just by reading about it and listening to old folk tales and myths. But he realized that he needed that special something to get the full effects of the Fire Blade. So he gave it to me – thinking I might have it. When I clearly don’t.”
“Aren’t you afraid of being wrong too, father? Just like grandpa?”
“No , son.”
“How come?”
“Because I’m sure that you are the true wielder that this sword needs.”
“But why?”
“Bronte, I –“ He sighed. Then he put his hand on my shoulder. “You’ll find out soon enough.”


PART ONE
Amari


I looked down at the sword in my hands.
My father said that I have something special.
How come I don’t feel it?
It’s been 12 years since he’s told me that.
I lay down on the giant rock and put it down beside me. The moon stares me in the face as I close my eyes and try to figure all this out:
I was born “Special.”
I possess something that neither my father or my grandfather had.
And yet I don’t feel anything – not even a tingle or a jolt - when I have the sword in my hands. I hope he was right.
With that memory… I drift off to sleep…

I wake to a smiling face standing over me.
I jump and reach for my sword on instinct.
“Whoa, relax mister! I’m not going to hurt you,” the girl says.
I sigh and shake my head. “You really shouldn’t scare someone like that. I could’ve hurt you.”
“I’m sorry. I was just curious as to what you were doing sleeping on a rock.”
“Um, sleeping. Besides, haven’t you heard of the saying curiosity killed the cat?”
She giggles. “Well, good thing I’m not a cat then.”
“Do you need something?”
“No, not really. What’s your name?”
“Mine? What’s yours?”
“Amari.”
“Well… mine’s Bronte.”
“That’s an unusual name,”
“No it isn’t,” I say defensively.
“I meant it in a good way.”
“Oh. Well. Thanks.”
“So, what are you doing here sleeping on rocks like that? Didn’t you know there’s a village around here?”
“No.”
“Well, maybe next time you should check.”
“Yeah. I will.”
I sit back down on the rock.
“So is that where you’re from?” I ask her. “That village you’re talking about?”
“Yep. What about you?” She sits next to me.
“Me…? I’m from a place thousands of miles from here.”
“You walked all the way here? No horse, nothing?”
“Do you even see a horse?”
“I thought maybe it ran away from you.”
I smile. “Sure, whatever.”
“Are you on a journey or something?”
“As a matter of fact I am. For the remaining four Elemental Blades.”
She looks at me, surprised. “Really?”
I nod and show her my sword. “My father gave this to me nine years ago. It’s the Fire Blade. It once belonged to my grandfather – he found it.”
“Can I touch it?”
“Sure.”
She ran her forefinger across the top of the sword, slowly. Then she yanked it back and back and said, “Ow!”
“What?”
“It burned me!”
“Oh, sorry… I forgot to tell you, it doesn’t like unfamiliar hands.”
“That seems pretty important to forget, don’t you think?” She says, irritably, rubbing her finger.
“Here, let me see it,” I tell her, turning in her direction.
She gives me her finger. I see the red spot where it got burned.
“I got something for this.” I reach into my back pocket with my free hand and grab a small bottle.
“This might hurt a little.” I spray some of the chemical onto the bruise.
“Oww!!” she screamed, trying to pull her finger back. But I held on to it.
“I told you it would hurt. Hold still.” I reach into the same pocket and take out a small roll of white bandage.
Then I wrap her finger with some and use the blade of my sword to cut off the end.
“There, “ I say to her. “You’ll be fine now.”
“… Thanks,” she says, smiling.
“Hey, I was the one who burned you – technically. It was only right that I fix it.”
She leans over and kisses me suddenly.
“…What the hell’d you do that for?”
She shrugs and jumps to her feet. Before I know it, she starts running away.
“Wait!” I call to her. “Where are you going?”
But she doesn’t answer, just giggles and keeps running.
I put the bottle and bandage back into my pocket, grab my sword and go after her.
Why?
I have no idea.


When I finally catch up with Amari, I can already see the tops of the village houses.
“You’re slow,” she says smiling at me.
I try to catch my breath. “Why…did…you run…away?”
“To show you the way to the village, silly.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me?”
“That wouldn’t be any fun, now would it?”
“And why’d you kiss me?”
“You’re so full of questions.”
“You can’t just go around kissing strangers.”
“But you’re not a stranger. I know who you are.”
I sigh and shake my head. “Let’s just get to that village, okay? I’m hungry.”
“Okay.”

It takes us about fifteen minutes to get to “Harborson” village.
Once we’re there, Amari takes me to a noodle shop.
“Well, hello there Amarianelle,” says the lady serving the food.
“Hi, Miss Terres,” Amari says.
“Amarinelle?” I ask with raised eyebrows.
“It’s my full name.”
“And who’s this handsome young fellow?” asks Miss Teress.
“This is Bronte. He likes sleeping on rocks instead of beds.” Amari smiles at me.
“Well it’s nice to meet you, Bronte.”
“You too, ma’am.”
“So what can I get for you today sweet Amarianelle?”
“I’m okay, thanks, but Bronte would like some noodles and tea.”
“Of course, dear.” She goes into the back to prepare it.
Amari and I take the two seats near the counter.
“So how good is the food here?”
“Excellent. You’ll never leave on an empty stomach. Ever.”
We wait quietly for a few minutes….
…….
…….
“Thanks, by the way. For showing me this village.”
“Oh you probably would have found it anyway.”
“Yeah. But … thanks.”
She smiles. “Sure, stranger.”

Text: Copyright © 2011 by CreativeNative All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Publication Date: 07-09-2011

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