My training for the armour was finally complete. I had received two full weeks of rest. Then it was time for the second part of my trials to commence in a few days, I could feel it. I was on the oval observatory looking at the night sky.
My mother told me stories about how I was born under the blue moon of the ninth rising and how the constellation of Aboricai was in all its glory, she said it was the sign that the Author of Life had great plans for me, that there was a deep purpose for my life.
I was pondering if she knew of this undertaking. I missed Pip's bright smiling face and I missed the sound of Tess's laughter that rang through the washing walls. I was quite fond of her, love too strong of word, I am a fool of grand denial, I was in love with her spirit. I missed Father's laughter. His doting on me was so missed. I wondered what his face would look like as I carried the preserves back and the look on his face tasting it once again. I would make more of an effort to visit my mother's side of the family more. I was guilty of not visiting The Glen often, it was too painful. None of my mother's family blamed me for her death, no they were far too merciful to blame a tender boy of only six blue moons, that was internal guilt that led me to bitter grief. There were too many memories that were held in The Glen of her, and so we travelled to where the worm silks were most abundant, The Valley of Despair. We made a happy home.
I wondered what my destiny would hold after all of these events would unfold. Would I be able to have a family? Be able to get married? I wondered when I would return to the quietness of my home, but I knew there was nothing more important than this journey I was on at this exact moment in time. I prayed silently for strength. I knew that the Darkness would need to be conquered.
I went to bed with my Mother's preserves I had tucked under the other side of the bed's pillow. I cuddled up with it for the little comfort it brought me.
I woke in a very strange location but this time my armour was on. I was told to sleep in it. Surprisingly when I slept in it, the material turned into something like silk making it ideal for sleepwear. I was surprised by the versatility of it all.
I was surrounded by woods that were deeply thick. Large webbing encircled me, I could hear a waterfall crescending to my left, the air was so thick it was hard to breathe, the darkness seemed to move.
I took my sword from the sheath and gave it a few swings. This was not the training yard. The strength in my legs only came from the boots that kept me steady.
I heard movement from right at first I thought it was a field mouse but when I turned I found something that made me crave death like I have never before craved.
A spider that was a league high and had legs that were as tall as ships stood before me. I could barely whisper for Comforter. I wanted him there. I could not see him at that moment, yet I could feel his presence where I stood.
"Who are you?" I asked with fearful tones.
"I am Greed." The spider answered. Looking directly through me. His eight eyes never wavered. I gulped in darkness and wondered if the darkness would settle into my very bones.
"The best way for all of the races of Nod to abandon the Author of Life is to be laced into my web of greed. Once they are caught they are useless, follow me Rune. Let me show you my collection."
I thought carefully about what he asked. If I attempted to slain him where he stood I would never know where these souls were kept. I walked through webbing that was so heavy only Greed could move through it. If I had used my sword he would end up killing me. Father used to tell me information was the most powerful thing. "If you have to kill for your survival, always get information first. The information given can save your soul in the end." He looked at me with grave concern when I was just past my name day.
"Father who would I slay?" I asked with solemn curiosity. He never answered and showed me a new location we would be sailing to with Caspian. It was the time Pip had yet to be born.
I followed Greed in between rock crevices and then I gazed to the sides of the crevices then to some strange entrance I saw skulls of all races on pires that had collected dust. The bodies contorted on the broken wall. I saw the frame of every race in Nod. I could not cry for I knew that Darkness feeds on sorrow.
In what seemed like the centre of Greed's domicile there were races of all kinds languishing in Greed's grasp with no way out. "You have no power here, Rune, I have all of them and they have bowed to me." Greed was taunting me. His eight eyes looked at me studying my every reaction. He came closer to me.
"Your father is very wealthy Rune, your family could serve me and you could leave here, or you can try and kill me and end up with their fate. What choice will you make, Rune?" Greed taunted me. As he spoke I saw Father wealthy and happy, I saw Tess and my future children. When I looked into the eyes of my future son, I could not handle him being in a place such as this. I would never allow my lineage to serve Darkness.
I grabbed my sword and ripped those off the wall while his back was turned as he was looking at my lineage for his bloodthirsty gain. They were freed and ran for the entrance.
I hid behind my sword as his legs tried to capture me. I read the scrolls aloud with a strong voice. I could feel the Greed drooling on my shield drops of his saliva was like sticky rain that dripped over the edge. I would not allow fear to overtake me. I could smell his breath and his fangs nearly pierced my shield. As he hunched over the shield I was able to have the advantage and was able to slice his back legs off making him scream and lose his balance.
Black blood oozed from his body spraying all over sobwebs and flowed over me, he was not done. I had injured him but he was only weakened, not dead. I used my shield to keep my body safe. I spun out of it and threw my sword like a lance and had a hard strike to his head. I ran from behind where he was missing legs. The sword landed through his eye. I ran from behind and took the shield and raised it above his head and decapitated him where he lay.
Light poured directly in from Comforter and together we freed those that had been captured. I got them to transport to the lands from where they had come. I told them to go to the guild and look for the Aunt of Rune who would give them Shields to return to their lands. Then I thought this was all an illusion. What was I saying in a few moments this would just disappear and I would simply be back to the safety of the Monastery. Comforter, could read my thoughts.
"Rune this trial was real, the next trials are for your life, what I said earlier, was true, I cannot lie as a Nim, you will not die under our watch." Comforter said, looking at me, and I felt defeated. I had no creature comforts in the room. My mother's preserve that was upholding my hope was now locked in a room I could not get to.
"You are being tested and there will be a grade for the second part of your stay with us. You will live. I can assure you Rune, you will live. I will not assure you that this journey will not be repeated." Comforter explained looking at me to give me strength.