The Path Of Destiny Read Online Free Page A

talking seemed to be his favorite pastime.
    Darius moved bushes back in front of the door and the path
they had cut so their footsteps weren’t so obvious.
    Kelln went back to talking about the sword. “It didn’t start
to glow again when you took it back. I guess there is no need now.”
    “Quite the expert on magic artifacts now, are we?” Darius
smiled at his friend.
    “My father’s family is from Belor. It’s part of our culture
and past. I grew up listening to stories of the old magic. The days of wizards
and the magic of the Black Forest were regular dinner conversations.”
    “You believe all that?”
    “Sure. Why not?”
    “I just don’t know what to believe. I know that the nobles
say their fear of magic came from the wizards’ revolt a hundred years ago, but
it also just might be a story to justify their persecution of the farmers.”
    “Darius! Are you daft or what? I saw fire come from your
palm, lamps light with no fire, and a glowing sword. If this isn’t magic, then
tell me what it is.”
    Darius paced and grew serious. “I’ve been brought up my whole
life to not trust anything magic. It almost destroyed our kingdom once. Promise
not to tell anyone?”
    “But . . .”
    “No one. Kelln. No one. You hear me. Not until I know what
is happening to me for sure. If my father ever found out I don’t know what would
happen to me.”
    “Fine. Sure. You don’t have to get angry.”
    Darius didn’t want to get mad at Kelln. He was just plain
afraid. During the wizard revolt, wizards had tried to take over the government
in Anikari. It had been a long and bloody battle. In the end the stronger
wizards were all killed, and the lessor ones exiled outside of the city. Over
the years those weaker wizards had mixed their blood with the farmers, but the
nobles still talked down to them and referred to anyone outside the city as outsiders.
    Darius still felt the power flowing through him. Now that he
had done so once, he knew without even thinking that he could pull forth a
flame again. That in itself alarmed him. He had no training in these types of
things. What did it all mean?
    “Promise?” he asked again to make sure. He stuck his right
hand out to shake Kelln’s right hand, then left hand to left hand, the ultimate
promise, signifying the entire body, both heart and mind, would abide by the
promise.
    They ran through the field to the nearest road and began to
head back towards the school. It was later in the afternoon now and they hoped
that classes hadn’t started up again. A drizzle in the air made everything wet.
They would have to find a place to clean up first.
    Without paying attention, they almost ran directly into a
group of other boys walking down the dirt road back towards the school.
    “What are you guys doing,” said one of them to Darius,
“skipping out of school?”
    “Huh?” Darius hesitated. He recognized these boys and had
never liked them. They were younger sons of some minor nobles who always tried
to act tough. Darius had run into a few of them just a week earlier, when they
had been bullying a younger student. Darius had helped the young man and stood
up to the bullies. Remembering the sword in his hands still, he slid it behind
his back.
    “Don't worry,” said the boy. “We won't tell.”
    The other boys laughed and started joking among themselves
about what they had just done.
    “What's going on?” asked Kelln.
    “We were messing with some outsiders, that's all. Nothing
too important,” said the apparent leader of the group.
    “Yah, some little kid thought he was real tough, but we
showed him,” said another.
    “You mean we shoved him,” laughed a third. “Shoved him right
in the mud. He looked like a pig. Stupid outsiders!”
    Darius’s breath quickened and his face reddened. He tried to
walk away and ignore the other boys. “Come on, Kelln. Let’s go.”
    The first boy continued talking to them, however. “His
sister was a little excitable though. She