Revelation Of The Chosen (Book 1 of The Radiant Warrior Series)

Chapter 28: The Forest of Intensions

"No," replied Chi-taki. "Someone great and noble told me of your arrival, but please do not ask me about who it is."

"Why not? If this person knew about our arrival, then surely, they can help us get back to our homeland and if you truly want to help us as you say, then you will tell us who it is," insisted Troy.

Was he the one who opened the gate sending them to this world, the one dressed in the sapphire robe? He needed to know. Chi-taki was dangling the tantalizing answer like an apple to a hungry man and he was that hungry man.

"That's not what I meant," retorted a smiling Chi-taki. "You will be acquainted with him soon, just not now. He is really busy."

"Well, I am willing to wait, if this noble one can help us return home, right Troy," said Shark.

They were not in command of the situation and had to play their cards right if they were to become the winners of this terrifying poker game.

Troy caught Shark's plea and nodded in agreement. "Of course, I am willing to wait."

"Where are we Chi-taki?" asked Shark.

He wanted some type of scientific explanation, maybe something in the form of an alternate or parallel universe which he could now prove to all those scientists and not the one he has feared the most, the one he argued against, a magical world.

"We are at the outskirts of the Paladian Village on the continent Hyoditic," replied Chi-taki, as if the answer was obvious.

"No, that's not what he meant," explained Troy. "We want to know what kind of world this is."

"We are on Axial (Axe-eye-al) of course, one of nine planets orbiting the great light giver, sometimes called the Kingdom of Rudiments," replied Chi-taki.

"The Kingdom of what?" exclaimed a puzzled Shark.

Chi-taki seemed to have forgotten they were not from his world.

"Rudiments," answered Chi-taki. "Here there are many different types of warriors and Beastials or as you say creatures. Each of them including myself has the capability of using one of the eight Rudiments."

Troy looked down at his hands and said, "Able to use one of the eight Rudiments?"

"Yes, they are Wood, Metal, Earth, Ice, Fire, Thunder which I am privileged to utilize as you have seen, Water like Shark employs, and Wind, the one which you are privileged to use," replied Chi-taki.

"Then does that mean we can only use it in this world?" asked Troy.

"Unfortunately, I have never been to another world so I do not know. Few know of it. Most hypothesize about its existence, calling it Earth, the Lost Kingdom of Man where the two of you are surly from," replied Chi-taki.

Troy was now sure only those with connections to Axial could use these Rudiments in both kingdom like him and Shark, Panthora and the sapphire robe man.

"Do you know how someone could travel back to Earth?" asked a hopeful Shark.

"As I said, Earth is the Lost Kingdom of Man and most believe it to be fables, but a few and powerful warriors known as the Hyods are aware it exists somewhere, some might even know where it exactly is," replied Chi-taki.

"Okay, do you know anyone of these warriors or Hyods?" Troy asked with excitement.

"I do know someone who can help, the noble lord I spoke of," replied Chi-taki, shattering Troy's joy.

"How soon before we meet him?" asked Troy, needing it to be minutes opposed to hours and days.

"He will be here tomorrow," answered Chi-taki.

Of course, it was another day and not minutes.

Night had begun, to replace day and the moon and stars were now providing their services of limited light while a thin mist started to enshroud the land.

"We have seen Silvertooths, Scornides and various other Beastials you say," said Shark.

"What are you getting at?" interjected Chi-taki.

"Well, if giant flying scorpions are called Scornides, what type of creature or person, are you?"

"I am a Morphmal (Morph-mal) Feline, warriors whom have the appearance of Beastials but have the ability to turn into that Beastial when they desire," answered Chi-taki, a sad sound in his voice.

"Then what do you call ones whom resemble us," asked Troy.

Shark was caught off guard by Troy's question. He assumed they were considered humans.

"You are Humantians of course, isn't that what they call you in your world?" answered Chi-taki.

"No, not exactly," replied Shark with a half smile. "But it is close."

"One more thing, do the forests in this Kingdom always control where you go when you enter their domain?" asked Troy.

"Only one forest is capable of doing such a devious thing and that forest is a one of a kind. It is called the Forrest of Intentions and its name says it all. When someone enters it, the forest sends him or her where it wants. It seems to have a mind of its own."

"Beastials and warriors alike have gotten lost in there from all the Ages and have never escaped it like the Scornides and the giant Awrakks, which were thought to be extinct, that is until I saw one today."

"There are even more dangerous Beastials and Warriors than the ones you have encountered living in there. The two of you are lucky you did not come across them, and I hope the two of you never venture in there again, even if it is a last resort," replied a strict Chi-taki.

Troy was puzzled by Chi-taki's words. They had escaped easily. What made them or more so Chi-taki an exception to the rule?

"The scorpion has wings, why doesn't it just fly out of it."

"As soon as the Scornide reaches the highest peak of the forest, it would be redirected to some other part, to prevent it from escaping," replied Chi-taki.

"That doesn't any make sense, you were able to enter and exit the forest with ease," said a mystified Troy.

"Morphmal Felines, precisely cheetah's have the ability to smell their way out of any labyrinth but they must exit the way they entered or they will be lost forever as well and only a handful are aware of that."

"My father told me this when I was a youngling. This was my first time putting it into action and as you can see, it clearly works," responded Chi-taki.

"Even the great Hyods cannot manoeuvre their way through it, and their parents created it."

"There is that name again, what or who is a Hyod?" asked Troy.

Why was this name given such honour and prestige whenever Chi-taki mentioned it? Was Chi-taki's lord one of them?

If so, he would know of Earth and possibly be able to help them return home. With any luck, they would be in their own beds, looking back at their dangerous adventures without a second thought of missing it.

"I will tell you all about the Hyods but for now I am getting hungry and I get grumpy if I do not eat," replied Chi-taki.

He walked over to the cauldron and started the flame with a jolt of lightning from his thunderclaw.

It was not the answer they wanted to hear but for now they would oblige by his wishes. They did not want to know how a Morphmal acted when it was hungry. They could be the one in the pot which simmered over the fire.