Chapter 34: Chapter 34

“Welcome to the North Woods, Ben. I’m Lord Nicholas.” In a green robe, the black-haired man stood outside the ancient gates beyond the narrow dirt path and held out his hand to Ben.

Ben looked around at the city by the sea, surrounded by the cover of lush forest and tall cliffs. “Thank you, sir. Is my wife here by any chance? I’ve been looking for that little woman everywhere.”

“They’re waiting for you inside.” Lord Nicholas nodded beyond the gates and stepped aside to allow Ben entry. Ben took in the buildings made of stone and wood with intricate carvings in the old language on them as he turned around. “Is this real, sir?”

Lord Nicholas walked beside him with his hands clasped behind his back. “You’re dreaming, but not for long. She’ll be waiting for you, safely wrapped in these cliffs and shores. You don’t need to worry anymore. We’ll take good care of her until you get here. You know, your wife is quite special.”

Ben glanced around in search of her and smiled. “Yes, she is.”

As he crossed the Great Hall, the red and orange autumn leaves fell around him while the earthy smell of dirt and seawater sank into his nose. Ben heard the familiar laughter coming from the library that overlooked him. He looked to Nicholas and held out his hand. “Thank you.”

Ben climbed the stone staircase and smelled her apple pie scent when he reached the top. He followed his nose through the library filled with ancient books and statues until he came to a rounded wooden door.

He pushed it open to find Anna, Imara, and Eliza sitting at a table near a window with the setting sun illuminating them. Imara looked up at Ben, and she smiled and motioned with her fingers to come in. “We’ve been waiting for you, Sweetheart. Welcome home.”

Ben smiled as his eyes fluttered open until he realized he was alone in bed. He sat up and looked around, then heard Imara and Haldir in the yard outside. Ben rubbed his head and sighed. “Dammit. We were almost home, Imara.”

After he left the bathroom, Ben grabbed a shirt from the dresser and pulled it over his head while he walked outside. Thorin held up his hands while Imara punched at them, and Haldir coached her on her moves.

Noticing Ben, Imara stopped and wiggled her fingers at him. “Breakfast is in the kitchen, Sweetheart.” He snickered to himself as he saw Imara swat at her brother while he walked across the yard to the main house.

He grabbed a couple of pieces of bacon and some coffee, then returned. “What the hell are you doing exactly, Baby?”

She stopped and blew her hair out of her face. “Oh, Haldir’s teaching me to fight.”

He sipped on his coffee, then cleared his mouth. “Yes, I see that. I bet you’ve wanted to take a whack at old Thorin for a long time, haven’t you?”

Thorin looked over to Ben and pointed his finger at him. “Yeah, well, you’re next, you beast.”

Ben smiled as he sat and cheered on Imara. He knew it was a good idea, but he honestly couldn’t imagine her ever hurting a flea, much less a powerful warlock. But if he was going to kill her, Ben liked the idea of her landing a blow or two first.

Haldir set up a knotty stump in the yard and then brought out the case that Daniel sent. “Gather round, children. If these little beauties are the key to killing that prick, then we need to spend some time learning to handle them.”

Ben covered Imara in his arms and nibbled at her ear. “I like you all sweaty like this. I say we ditch all this and go wash you up good in that big old shower again.”

Imara smacked his arm. “Shh…later, Sweetheart.”

Sharp teeth grazed her neck as Ben’s breathy voice whispered to her. “You’re damn right later.”

As Imara attempted to throw the knife, Thorin jumped out of the way when it came sailing towards his feet. She blew her hair off her face and shoved her hands on her hips. “This is hopeless, Haldir.”

Haldir chuckled out from under his bushy, reddish-blonde beard. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re doing fine.”

He stood behind her, then placed the knife in her hand as he breathed instructions in her ear.

Haldir gave the command, and Imara closed her eyes, then released the knife. As it found the center of the target, Imara clapped her hands together and threw her arms around Haldir. “I did it!”

She turned to Ben, who looked less than thrilled to see her in another man’s arms. As she let go of Haldir, she walked to Ben and grabbed his hands in hers. “Did you see that, Ben? I did it.”

“I saw it.” He wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her into his side. “You did well. I like the new tough girl.” He grabbed her arm in his hand. “Let me see those muscles.”

Haldir motioned for Ben with his hand. “Alright, Ben. You’re up.” Ben’s fingers wrapped around the Elven steel blade, and the ancient writing carved into the side glowed gold in his hand as the raspy voice spoke inside his head. “What the hell’s that?”

Haldir crossed his arms and pulled on his beard. “Is it speaking to you?”

Ben glanced to the ground as he struggled to listen to the distant voice. “Yeah. Little good it does; I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about.”

A finger lifted from the old man’s chin and pointed to Ben. “I’d wager that little voice in your head has an important message.”

Ben looked in his hand at the knife and smirked. “Yeah, that figures. He’s probably popping off the secret to life and the directions to Atlantis, and I don’t speak a damn word of the language.”

The big, strong arm crossed Ben’s chest, then swung away and released the knife. It sunk deep into the stump, then the hard piece of tree fell in two before him.

Haldir’s head snapped back, and he looked back to Ben. “I think I know what he was saying. Ben, Daniel is the most powerful being I’ve ever met, but he was born in the future. That means you’re older and, if I were a betting man, it also means your blood is purer.”

A snorty laugh came from ben’s nose as he bit his lip and shook his head. “I’m just an old farm boy with some fancy tricks and likes to be dog sometimes. I’m definitely no goddamn warlock king.”

Haldir rubbed the back of his neck as he sized Ben up. “You’ve never had any proper training. Neither did he when he got to the Realm. He wasn’t always the man you’ve heard tale of. There was a time when he was just a man with some fancy tricks too.”

“Mmm-hmm.” As he walked past him and claimed his knife, Ben pointed at Haldir. “Anyhow, I don’t even need to know how to throw a knife because I’m going to kill that old piece of shit with my bare hands.”

Haldir sighed and crossed his arms. “Apparently, you didn’t hear the words coming out of Imara’s pretty little face.”

His eyes rolled as he turned back to face Haldir. “I heard her fine, old man.”

Haldir inched closer to Ben and wagged his finger at him. “Well, then, you understand that it has to be the knife, Ben. To end this, to keep Selvin from coming back and starting this whole nightmare over again, you have to use the knife.”

Ben nodded, and his eyes narrowed at Haldir. “I got it, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to beat that son of a bitch until he’s nothing but a bloody pile.”

Haldir slapped Ben’s shoulder. “Now we’re talking. So, have you ever set a fire with your mind before?”

Looking at Haldir like he was crazy, Ben knitted his brows together as he twisted his lips to the side. “Are you serious?”

“I know a thing or two about Firestarters, Ben. It’s in your blood.” Freckled fingers rubbed Haldir’s forehead as old conversations made more sense, and he nodded. “Aye. I bet you are. White Lighter and Keeper of the Flame. It’s meant to be that way.”