Cospa's Mercy, Sarah Berry [most read books in the world of all time txt] 📗

“Fogwen!” shouted my friend Ravoneth. I looked down from the tree branch I was sitting on.
“What is it?” I called down.
“Hador is coming back!” she cried. I smiled and climbed down. I was five foot ten with thick flaxen hair and I was very petite but knew how to use a staff. I had marble white skin and huge green eyes with specks of gold. My friend Ravoneth had fragile features as well but was more muscular then me. She had brown hair put in a braid that brought out her huge blue eyes. I was wearing a sleeveless dark brown tunic with brown leggings.
“Come on!” she said. She started running and I shot after her. We arrived at the inn breathless. We burst inside and collapsed into a chair breathless. Glasdis walked up to us.
“Hello girls.” she said. She was elderly with wrinkles lining her face. She had gray hair that was loose and down to her hips. She smiled at us.
“Would you girls like something to drink?” she asked.
“We would love to Glasdis.” I said smiling. She left us and returned with a refreshing glass of mamba juice from The Exalted Vale.
“Diola lle.” I said thanking her. She nodded. I took a sip and shuddered as it put chills into my skin. I smiled.
“So when is Hador coming?” I asked.
“He’s almost here.” said Ravoneth. Hador was a young but very skilled warrior. He had silver hair which he kept loose and had beautiful silver eyes. He was fighting in the Crown Wars which was a war between two kingdoms. It had been going on for many moons. Hador was very kind and everyone loved him.
“He’s in The Mountain of the Fiendish Fallen?” I asked. Ravoneth nodded while drinking.
“I need his abilities.” said Ravoneth. I chuckled. Ravoneth dreamed of being a warrior on the battlefield of the Crown Wars but she wasn’t a great warrior. She was a great archer but was very strong. I heard a horse coming toward the inn. Ravoneth and I exchanged looks and grinned. The door opened and Hador walked in.
“Hador!” I cried. He smiled at me.
“Hello Fogwen.” he said. I ran to him and hugged him.
“Hador, you remember my friend Ravoneth.” I said.
“Welcome back Hador.” she said.
“Ravoneth.” he said nodding at her.
“Hador!” cried Glasdis. She ran to him and hugged him. Ravoneth and I stepped back to give them a moment alone. Glasdis was Hador’s grandmother. Hador’s mother and father had been killed when Hador was seven. Glasdis had raised him and they were very close. I saw the sun setting.
“I have to leave.” I said.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” she said. I hugged her and stood up.
“Glasdis, Hador, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I said.
“Come tomorrow for breakfast.” said Glasdis.
“I will.” I said smiling. I hugged Glasdis and Hador and left. I felt as though something was different. Instead of the usual chill in the night air it was warm. I sighed. This was a pleasurable change. I walked slowly to my home where I lived alone. I had a wooden fence around a small garden and I lived in a three room house made of wood with a straw roof. I walked inside and looked around. I had a fireplace in the corner and a table in the corner. I had a bathroom and a bedroom and that was all. I walked into my room. I had a large bed with a red satin bedspread. I undressed and pulled on a cotton nightgown. I looked at my father’s staff Heavenly Fate. It was made of wood and never had to be enchanted. It’s was made of simple oak but Heavenly Fate’s orb was covered in gold leaf with a lion engraved on it. My father had been killed in the Crown Wars and my mother died of sickness. I blew the candle out and was immersed in darkness. I climbed into bed and drifted in a sleep haunted with dreams of fire and screams.

I sat up and looked around. It was still dark but I saw bright flames. Something was wrong. I leapt out of bed and undressed. I pulled on a tunic and leggings and grabbed Heavenly Fate. I placed Heavenly Fate into my belt and ran out of my house. All the houses were on fire except for mine. Suddenly a ball of fire hit my house making it explode into flame. I was thrown forward and hit the ground skinning my arm up. I heard screams and cries. I saw shadows streaking across the ground. I saw the inn explode into flame.
“Hador, Glasdis!” I cried. I looked around for Ravoneth. I saw her streaking toward the inn her hair blowing behind her. I ran after her till I stopped in front of the inn. Ravoneth saw me beside her.
“Fogwen, Hador and Glasdis are inside!” she shouted over the flame, her voice hoarse from the smoke. I nodded.
“Go help the others. I’ll get Hador and Glasdis.” I cried. Ravoneth nodded and ran off. I saw an opening and raced for it. I leapt through the window with my arms in front of my face to shield me from the glass. I hit the floor and surveyed my surroundings. I was surrounded by fire. I raced to the bedroom and knocked the door down. I looked but didn’t see them I went through every room but couldn’t find them.
“Hador, Glasdis!” I cried. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I jumped and turned around. It was Hador, his face black with ash. I gasped with relief and hugged him.
“Where’s Glasdis?” I asked. Hador looked down.
“Oh Hador, I’m so sorry.” I said. He nodded.
“Come on. We have to get out of here.” he said. I nodded. We ran down the stairs as they crumbled behind us. We climbed out the window and looked around. The sky was thick with smoke and my lungs hurt when I breathed. I saw someone coming in the smoke. It was Ravoneth. She nearly collapsed but she managed to stand.
“There’s no one else.” she said. I saw black shadows streaking across the ground leaving a trail of flame.
“They’re Alarrh!” I cried.
“We have to get to the Springs.” said Ravoneth. We nodded and took off toward the woods. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the Alarrh.
“They’re coming!” I yelled. We put on an extra burst of speed and just made it into the woods. The Alarrh couldn’t come into enclosed spaces such as woods. We walked to the Springs and collapsed to the ground exhausted. I panted and gasped for air. My hair was black from ash and my clothes were singed and black. I heard the crackling of flame at the village. I sighed and unhooked Heavenly Fate.
“Did you get Windcutter?” I asked Hador. Hador nodded. Windcutter was Hador’s sword.
“What about Blessed Destiny?” I asked Ravoneth.
“I shoved it under the Tree of Kala.” said Ravoneth.
“Ravoneth! That tree’s holy!” I said.
“Yeah! Blessed Destiny is holy to! She’s made from the Tree of Kala.” she said. I nodded in agreement.
“Where’s Windcutter?” I asked Hador.
“Uh, under the Tree of Kala.” he said blushing.
“I know this isn’t a good time to bring this up, but, that tree had been there for five hundred years!” I said.
“As have our weapons.” said Ravoneth. I shook my head. I had never seen Ravoneth’s bow. She always hid it from me but I didn’t press the issue.
“We better spend the rest of the night here before we head back.” said Hador. Ravoneth and I nodded. While Ravoneth and Hador made some makeshift beds I collected some nuts and berries from the trees surrounding us. We had a mid-night snack and lay down. After two hours, I stood up. I walked silently to a cave. I walked inside till I reached the center. There was a huge fissure in the ceiling that let in the moonlight. The moonlight was shining on a medium lake, making it shine brightly. It was absolutely silent. I sighed with relief at the quiet. Suddenly I thought I heard a whisper. I glanced up but no one was there. I heard footsteps behind me. I glanced up and saw Hador walking toward me.
“Hello Hador.” I said.
“Fogwen.” he said.
“Well this is upsetting. Your first day back and our village get burned down.” I said smiling.
“This isn’t funny Fogwen. My last living relative if dead! You don’t understand what that’s like.” he said angrily. He stood up and left, his loud footsteps ringing through the cave. I looked down sadly. I stayed there for about an hour and left when I saw the sun starting to rise. I walked silently back to my makeshift bed. I lay down and drifted into a light sleep plagued by whispers and screams.

I was shaken awake by Ravoneth. I sat up and looked around.
“Fogwen, we have to go back into the village to get our weapons.” she said. I nodded and rubbed my gritty eyes. I stood up and placed Heavenly Fate into my belt. We ate some nuts and destroyed our campsite. We walked out of the woods and back to the village. There was ash drifting through the sky and they ground was covered in dead plants. It was absolutely silent. I saw the crumbled foundation of houses and crumbled corpses on the ground. We Walked to the Tree of Kala. I saw the temple of Kala.
“I’m going into the temple.” I said. Ravoneth and Hador nodded. I walked inside and looked around. The ceiling had some small holes in it but it was mostly intact. My sounds echoed through the temple. Suddenly the floor collapsed underneath me. I screamed as I hit the ground. There was about six feet of space and it was lit with Light Crystals. I stood up and walked down a