The Land: Forging (Chaos Seeds Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

wanted to lay down and stop existing, but he refused to give Yoshi the satisfaction. The entire time they had been “training” Yoshi had taunted him. ‘All you need to do is walk away’ ‘This is not fun for me either’ ‘Well its kinda fun’ ‘Only sissies vomit…’ ‘Well I guess I am looking at a sissy.’ Richter was kept upright through the day out of pure spite. He had pride, and would not be broken! Who cares if it now took twenty minutes to walk a hundred yards? That’s not the point!
    The sprites were gathered at the base of the Hearth Tree for their evening meal. Sion was sitting at the center table next to Hisako, and Yoshi was sitting next to him. An empty seat was at Hisako’s side reserved for Richter. When Sion saw Richter’s pathetic appearance, he started laughing loudly until Yoshi jabbed a quick finger into his throat. After that, his so-called friend was more focused on breathing than mocking him.
    Richter sat down with a pained noise, and Hisako just looked at him with a sympathetic expression. Was she smirking right before he had turned to look at her? He had to keep his eye on this woman. She might not be too different from her son in terms of twisted humor! All such unworthy thoughts fled, however, with what she did next.
    Hisako reached out her hand and laid it atop of his. With a few muttered words a gold light enveloped her hand and spread up his arm and then over the rest of his body. It alleviated his aches and pains and left him with a refreshed feeling. He sighed in relief. Then he looked at Sion still struggling to breathe . Richter took an exaggerated deep breath while looking his Companion in the eye and then exhaled overly loud. Sion glared daggers back.
    “Thank you, Hisako. Your sword adept was… very energetic in his lesson!”
    Yoshi looked up, “Are you complaining, son?”
    “Not at all, Yoshi. Who doesn’t like being beaten with a rod for twelve hours?”
    The half man laughed, “Happy to oblige then. We will do more when we leave tomorrow.”
    “We,” Richter asked, with a sick feeling in his stomach.
    “Yes, of course. The Hearth Mother is leaving the protection of the glade for the first time in over a century. Her protection is paramount.”
    “Ahem, yes,” Hisako said. “I was going to speak with you about this tonight Richter. I would like to be there personally for the planting. If you are okay with that.”
    “I would be honored,” Richter said.
    “Well that settles it,” Yoshi said. “We will train each morning, a bit over lunch and for two hours when we stop each night. Right now your sword work looks like a gnome having a seizure. I shouldn’t have to say this, but that is NOT what you should be striving for. It’s important to remember…”
    Yoshi continued to drone on, and Richter just sat back with a sour expression on his face. His appetite had fled for some reason.
    The next morning, countless sprites were gathered in the golden grasses around the Hearth Tree. They were arrayed in an expanding spiral with Hisako in the center. Each sprite held hands with the sprite to either side. They had gathered while it was still dark. As the sky began to lighten, they sang. Their already musical voices rose and fell in soft counterpoint. There was no direction or guidance, they simply coordinated as if being led by an orchestra conductor. The music grew as the sky lightened, and a golden glow began to infuse all of the tall grasses. The glow built in intensity, matching the tone of the sprites’ voices as the first rays of the sun shone down into the glade of the wood sprites. Hisako raised her own voice, and her soprano rang clear. The Seed Core was in her hands and she raised it above her head. The aura of magic permeating the glade flared, focusing upon Hisako. Pure golden light shot into the sky like a spot light and then went out. The sprites voices subsided at the same time.
    Hisako was left standing in the center of her people with the