Soldier's Heart ~ Book One

I wake up, my body feels well rested so I have stopped hurting so much, though I feel a little pain in my back but it's barely noticeable. I pull on my boots and realise my sword isn't where I last sat it, the bow and arrows are still there but the sword isn't. I look around and instantly notice Aaron is examining the sword and I'm flooded with relief, something I hadn't had in a while. I sit on the edge of my bed watching Aaron examine the sword. He must've heard me get up because he doesn't look up when he asks me "Where did you get this?"
"I found it" I reply tiredly
"You found it?"
"Yeah"
"You found this?" He says in disbelief
"Yes. I found it"
"Where?"
"Just in the woods somewhere near Roandell"
"Wh-what?"
"I found it somewhere in the woods near the suburbs of Roandell"
"You- wh- I-I" He stutters for words "I-it's enhanced with some kind of magics"
"Huh? What? I knew living creatures could have magics, sometimes humans, but I didn't know weapons could have magics"
"You see the dim light it provides?" He says as he walks over to me to sit next to me on the bed.

He holds it out in front of me so I can see it. I examine the sword closely and I do see the dim light Aaron was speaking about "It does have a bit of a glow" I say not taking my eyes off the sword
"Only people with magics can touch enhanced items"
"Oh. Then why can we touch it?"
"Maybe it's power is fading. Becoming weaker therefore making regular humans able to touch it"
"You think so?"
"It's possible, unless.." He says looking out the window
"Unless what?" I question
"Heh. Never Mind it was a stupid thought anyway"

"Aaron?" I say in a soft whisper
"Yeah?"
"What're we going to do abo-about Kendric?" I ask as my eyes shift to Kendric who is still unconscious. His face is very pale but his breathing is fine. I feel a stab of regret and guilt for making him come with me. If he didn't come with me he'd be just fine.
"He can't come with us"
"What?" I ask partly about what we were talking about, Aaron's response and why he used the word 'us'

"Look at him. He's too ill. There's no doubt about it. If he were to come with us he'd die" There was the word again 'us'
"What do you mean 'us'?" I question him, my head tilting like a confused puppy's would
"I'm coming with you"
"What? You don't even know where I'm going"
"You'll get yourself killed out there, alone" He says
"I'm not going to be alone. I have Faye and Luna" They aren't yet awake
"That's not what I meant. I just- Let me come with you"
"Promise you won't end up like Kendric?"
"Promise" Aaron quickly replied
"Ok good.. Good" Then I hear yelling and screaming, my eyes widen and I look to Aaron he clearly hears it too because he's already gotten his sword from beside his bed. His sword is a purple colour and it looks like nothing I wanted to be killed with.

I get my sword and get to my feet, we rush downstairs and out the door, only then I realise how early we're up. The stars are still out, though they're fading. We run to the sound of the screaming and yelling through Nessak. We can make out who was screaming and yelling now. We see an old man outside his little house it's a little ways off the village, but the man is not alone, there are two Demonic Spirits chasing after him
"I figured this would happen!" Aaron says as we get closer to the house
"Take the one closest to you." Aaron and I charge at the creatures. Aaron tackles his down before I even get to mine. It runs at me, swinging it's arms around as if it wants to claw my eyes out. I stand still and let the monster come to me, it raises its left arm up ready to bring it down upon my head but I dodge it's attempt and end up behind it, I take the opportunity to cut it's head off and surely enough my sword finds its mark and cuts its head clean off. I go to the old man who was watching us fight off his attackers in shock

"Are you okay?" I ask
"Yes! I am now! Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! I was sure those things were going to rip my head off! What were those things? Oh! A hero like you always needs a reward!" A stand still, flustered at his quick flow of words but slowly begin to answer his questions
"They're called Demonic Spirits and it's okay, really we don't need a reward" I turn around and see Aaron is coming to join us
"Nonsense! Stay right there, I'll be right back!" The old man walks into his house
"What's he up to?" Aaron says as he approaches me
"He says we deserve a reward"
"Well.. If he wants to give us a reward let him"
The man comes out of his little house with two small brown satchels. He hands one to Aaron and one to me "Open them" he says and as I do my eyes widen and my jaw drops at what's inside. There's jewels, diamond, amethyst, emerald, ruby, sapphire, peridot, tourmaline, citrine, topaz and so many other jewels "You-you didn't have to do this" I stammer
"Hah! You saved my life! I don't need them anyway"
"Th-thank you. Thank you so much"
"No, thank you! Now, if you don't mind I want to go get some more sleep I'm still a bit shaken up about the experience and thank you, again."
Aaron and I make our way back through Nessak and into the inn
"I knew that'd happen" Aaron says once we're back in the inn
"Knew what would happen?"
"The Demonic Spirits"
"What about them?"
"They'll only attack at night and they only take one person every five years so since we took Kendric they had to get another person for their sacrifice"
"That sounds horrible.. A-Anyway, I didn't realise how early it was so I'm going to try go back to sleep"
"Yeah ok."

I wake up and the sun has just about finished rising, Faye and Aaron aren't in their beds so I assume they're in town. I pull on my boots and grab my things. Luna is up but she's waiting for me by the looks of it "Morning, Luna" I smile to her and she wags her tail "Mind showing me where the others are?" She jumps off the end of the bed and runs downstairs, I follow after her. Luna ends up taking me to the merchants. I spot Aaron and Faye. I walk over to them "Aaron?" He turns around
"Um yeah?"
"I've figured out what to do with Kendric."