A Paladin's Training

CHAPTER FOUR

*all characters are over the age of eighteen years*

***ARAN -- One Year Ago, Emerin Forest Chapel***

Aran's eyes shot open as his bedroom door slammed against the stone wall. Outside, the window showed a violet sky dotted with myriad stars; it was not yet dawn.

"Up!" Elaina roared. She was planted in the doorway, dressed in a simple coat and breeches with knee-high leather boots.

Aran's covers flew off as he leapt out of bed, his heart racing. What was happening? Was there some emergency? He even forgot to cover his privates with his hands. "What is it?" He asked frantically. "What's wrong?"

"You're training has begun!" She barked, her emerald eyes boring into him like augurs.

This was a different woman to the one he'd met yesterday, surely. Where was the feminine goddess that had entertained him with dinner and stories last evening?

"Get dressed and meet me in the practice yard," Elaina ordered. "Your lessons begin immediately." At that, she strode off down the hallway, her boot heels echoing on the stone floor.

Catching his breath, Aran stood frozen for a moment, wondering what in the world was happening, when a sharp, "NOW!" from Elaina launched him into action. Pulling his clothes on as fast as he could, he hurried downstairs, hoping he could find the practice yard quickly enough.

*

The first day had been something out of a nightmare. Elaina had worked him to exhaustion in just the first half-hour of teaching him how to swing a club. By sunrise, he'd been unable to lift his shield-arm to defend himself, let alone hold off Elaina's constant attacks. She'd punished every mistake he'd made, and he'd made plenty; he was a mass of bruises and aches and pains.

That was just the early morning. By mid-morning, Elaina had marched an already bone-weary Aran off into the woods to teach him to hunt. He'd been extremely unsuccessful, barely able to lift the short bow let alone draw it, and therefore missing every target he'd aimed at. Elaina, however, who looked as if she'd done nothing all morning, despite have worked as hard as Aran in the practice yard, took down a healthy boar, which she said would feed them for many days to come.

Then she'd made Aran drag the dead beast back to the Chapel, and it had taken him the rest of the day to lug the two-hundred-odd-pound carcass barely half a mile back home. Once back at the Chapel, Aran had collapsed face-first to the ground, only to have Elaina's boots appear in front of him, followed by a set of knives rolled up in a leather sleeve.

"Get up," Elaina had demanded quietly. "Pick up the knives, and follow my instructions."

The next few hours had been occupied by Aran learning how to butcher a pig. Nothing was wasted; even the bones were kept for soup in the colder months. Elaina was used to living in a remote area, and knew how to make things last.

Aran had never been this tired in his life. Once finished storing the meat, Elaina had finally told Aran to clean up and head inside. When he went to open the rear door to the Chapel -- the one that led out to the practice yard -- Elaina barked at him; "not like that! You're covered in blood and offal! Strip down!"

Too tired to care, he'd removed his clothes and staggered inside. When he turned to close the door, his hand froze on the handle. Elaina was following her own advice and stripping off her clothes before coming inside. She was facing the doorway where Aran stood, but she was focused on what she was doing, and not looking his way. Aran's breath caught as she stood up after pulling her boots off and began to work on the buttons of her coat. He knew he shouldn't be watching, and wasn't sure what she would do if she caught him looking, but he was unable to tear his eyes away.

After the short leather coat dropped to the ground, she attacked the laces of her shirt. Time seemed to slow down as each lace came away one by one, until finally the fabric parted and her tremendous, pale breasts came into view, the proud orbs capped by small, pink nipples.

Aran's exhaustion fled, and a strange energy flooded through him. Unrestrained by clothing, his cock shot to full length, but he was unaware of his body's reactions as he drank in the display before him.

Next, Elaina untied her thigh-hugging breeches and began to tug them down over her ample hips. As she bent, her breasts hung down beneath her, swaying to and fro as she wiggled her way out of the tight pants.

When she bent to gather her clothes together, Aran came to his senses and fled, the very last thing he'd seen burning into his vision; Elaina, from behind, bent at the waist, her full bottom and smooth pussy taunting him.

***

***ARAN -- Present Day, somewhere in the Emerin Forest***

Shafts of early morning light pierced the forest canopy above Aran, casting dappled shadows across the grass around him. The young Paladin sat shirtless, feeling as one with the woods around him, his heart beating in time with the pulse of life in the vast forest, every tree of oak and pine and fir, every bluebird, raven and jay, even the tiny insects invisible to the naked eye.

Today was Aran's third day on the road to Ironshire, and he had spent this morning and the previous two in deep meditation. He continued breathing deeply, savouring the peace of the present moment. Had he not been in such depth of awareness, he may not have heard the whisper of an arrow being drawn from behind him. Normally this sound would have been alarming, but strangely, he sensed no danger from the potential assassin, so he kept his eyes closed and his breathing even.

"Remain where you are, traveler," the stranger said. "Or you will find an arrow in your neck."

The voice was light and feminine, with a pleasantly lilting inflection. If Aran wasn't mistaken, that was an Elvish accent. He quickly considered his location; according to Elaina, the Wood Elf village of Ildernass was about three days' walk from here. Perhaps this one was a scout?

"Be easy, mellon, I mean no harm." No small part of Aran's tutelage under Elaina had been the various tongues of Elves, Dwarves, and other races. Mellon meant 'friend' in common Elvish.

"State your business, firya," the Elf demanded, using the Elvish word for 'human.'

Aran thought for a moment; he could lie, and hope to get away with it, or he could trust the Elf. His Gift told him that despite the risk, he should speak truthfully. "I am a Paladin of Aros, bound for Ironshire to further my training."

The Elf paused for a moment. "You move through hostile lands, eruchen."

Aran didn't know that word. He thought it meant 'child-something.' He wondered why these lands were considered hostile, as he had received no knowledge of this from Elaina. His intuition bore a question: "Perhaps it is not the lands that are hostile, mellon, but it's people?"

After a moment, Aran heard the bowstring relax before the Elf replied in a softer tone. "Forgive me, eruchen, our people are troubled, and trust is spare." Soft footsteps approached, and Aran rose smoothly, turning to greet the Elf girl.

He had never met an Elf in person before, only having heard many myths and legends from travelers, most of which Elaina said were untrue. Their beauty, however, his mentor had not denied.

The figure standing before him was lithe and tall, almost as tall as he was. She was clad in forest colours, all greens and browns, with soft leather boots hugging her slender legs to the knee. Above the boots, tight breeches showed the gentle curves of her thighs and hips. A quiver was strapped over her short coat, above which her perfect face regarded him; beautiful pale skin, full pink lips and stunning emerald eyes, framed by a cascade of silky, dark brown hair. Her slightly pointed ears indeed marked her as an Elf, as if her otherworldly beauty was not enough.

"Have you a name, eruchen?" She asked, boldly eyeing him up and down. He thought her eyes lingered on his shirtless chest for a moment, before flicking back to his face.

That word tickled at him. Eruchen; he felt like he should know it. "Aran," he replied, offering a hand.

The gorgeous Elf studied him for a moment, then finally smiled and clasped his hand. "I am Liaren."

Aran half-expected the spiritual melding that had happened with Jeira, but this time, no such thing occurred. Releasing her hand, he asked; "you called me eruchen. I don't recognise the word."

Liaren smiled. "It is a complex word, with many meanings. A rough translation would be 'Child of the Gods.' Your Order is remembered well among my people."

Aran was surprised to hear this; many people erroneously blamed the Paladins for the chaos of the Darkening. It was nice to hear they were remembered well at least by some. "That means a lot to hear, Liaren," he said with a smile. "It is unlikely the rest of the world feels the same, however."

The Elf eyed him up and down, a small smile on her lips. "You might be surprised at how many friends of the eruchen are out there, Aran."

"I hope you're right," Aran replied, meeting her emerald gaze. There was an element of playful mischief about Liaren, and he decided he liked it. "You said there was some trouble? Is it something I can help with?"

Liaren's expression darkened. "We were overrun by ungol over a week ago. We didn't detect them until they were upon us, and we lost many brothers and sisters. How they avoided our scouts is still unknown. They carried off my sister, Induin. I fear the worst for her."

"Ungol?" Aran blurted. "But aren't they all long dead?"

Liaren looked at him as if he'd just suggested that the sky was green. "I don't know where you heard that, eruchen, but it wasn't dead spiders that carried off my sister."

"Sorry," Aran said placatingly. "It's just that I was always taught the spiders were wiped out hundreds of years ago. In my village, mothers use stories of the ungol to frighten their children into behaving."

Liaren cocked a fine eyebrow. "I hate to ruin your fantasy, eruchen, but they weren't wiped out. They simply retreated underground. We keep their numbers down in this region, where we can, but this attack was severe and calculated. Something stirs them, Aran."

Aran could barely believe it, though he didn't doubt Liaren's word. The Ungol were alive and well? "Let me help you," he offered.

Liaren looked thoughtful for a moment. "Another sword would be welcome. We were weakened by the attack, and more bows could not be spared to search for Induin. I hunt alone, and would appreciate the aid."

"Then I am yours until your sister is safe," Aran offered, hoping the matter could be resolved quickly; he did not want to keep Master Smythe waiting too long.

"Then come," Liaren said. "I was tracking the ungol when I found you. They passed not far from here."

Aran quickly donned his shirt and breastplate and gathered his few belongings, keeping his mace and shield ready. Liaren led the way to the edge of the clearing and into the forest.

They walked for maybe two hours or so, the slender Elf ghosting silently through the trees beside Aran, who tried his best to move as silently as she. Her head swiveled constantly, sharp eyes picking up signs Aran had no hope of seeing. He was also very aware of the way her breeches hugged her slender hips, not to mention her perfectly formed bottom, as she stalked through the undergrowth.

"You move well, for a human," Liaren whispered over her shoulder. Was that a smirk on her lips? Aran chose to ignore it.

"We were attacked by ten or so ungol," The distractingly pretty Elf told him quietly. "We killed probably half, wounded a couple more. I've been tracking three, as far as I can tell."

"I'm still trying to process the fact that they are still around," Aran murmured as he scanned the forest.

"I can see how it was easily believed," Liaren explained, keeping her voice low. "For the last few hundred years, the ungol have been quiet, living underground and only rarely venturing to the surface, but something stirs of late, eruchen, and creatures of darkness are responding. There is a shadow looming in the world. It is distant, but my people can feel it."

New shadow? What did she mean? Aran wanted to know more, but when he asked, Liaren waved him to silence so she could focus on her tracking. Aran remained quiet after that, and kept alert and aware. Gradually, the forest around them began to change; spider webs began to appear on the ground and in the trees, scattered at first, then thickening as the Aran and Liaren moved deeper into the forest. The canopy was also growing denser, fewer and fewer shafts of sunlight penetrating the thick foliage above.

Suddenly, Liaren stopped, catching Aran's eye and raising a finger to her lips. He watched as she squatted and ran a hand lightly over the ground, then tilted her face up to study the trees above. She held up two fingers, then pointed straight ahead, indicating two targets in that direction. Aran did his best to follow silently as she rose smoothly and stalked forward.

Dropping to the mulch-covered ground on her belly, Liaren motioned for him to do the same. They crept to the top of a small rise, where before them, the forest floor declined into a small hollow no more than twenty paces across. The area was thick with spider webs, and Aran watched as one of the ungol skittered across the hollow, tending to various cocoons. The creature was large, maybe as tall as Aran and just as long, its thick body covered in coarse black hair. Eight beady eyes sat above a huge pair of fangs.

Aran eyed the beast in wonder. A real, live ungol, like something out of a myth, right before his very eyes! What else was out there that was supposed to be long gone from the world? Trolls? Goblins? Ogres?

The ungol stopped in the centre of the hollow to check one cocoon in particular, the silvery web glistening in the faint light. Aran met Liaren's gaze for a moment. There wasn't much chance Induin was still alive, even if she was in the cocoon. Still, Aran saw a glimmer of hope in the pretty Elf's emerald eyes.

Liaren rose to a crouch and unlimbered her bow. In one smooth motion, she drew and loosed. The shaft flew true, striking the spider in the centre of its eight eyes. The ungol gave a piercing shriek as it dropped to the ground. Wasting no time, Liaren dashed down the slope, making a beeline for the centre of the hollow. Aran loped after, trying to keep pace with the fleet-footed Elf.

Another shriek came from up ahead as another spider descended the opposite side of the hollow. Without breaking stride, Liaren loosed another shaft, dropping the creature where it stood.

That accounted for two. Didn't Liaren say she was tracking three? A flicker of movement on his left was all the warning Aran had to get his shield up. A needle-sharp sting thunked into the wood, penetrating the shield just above his forearm. The force of the blow sent him sailing backward and sprawling across the ground. He watched grimly as his assailant, a spider twice the size of the first two, lowered itself the rest of the way to the ground on a strand of web as thick as Aran's arm.

The huge ungol uttered a bone-curdling scream and rushed him, its eight legs lending it tremendous speed. Aran rose to his feet quickly, spiked mace at the ready. The creature screamed again as three arrows from Liaren's bow punctured its fat abdomen in quick succession. Not slowing, the ungol reached Aran and stabbed a forward leg toward him, knife-sharp point aimed at his chest. Aran's shield deflected the blow and he instinctively swung his mace in counterattack. The spiked ball hit the hairy appendage with a sickening crunch, rendering the limb useless.

The monster bellowed as two more arrows pierced its hairy hide. It turned in fury, searching for Liaren and giving Aran the opportunity to swing again in an attempt to crush another leg. Almost casually, the beast lashed out with a rear leg, taking Aran across the chest and knocking him to the dirt.

Grimacing in pain, Aran scrambled to his feet, just managing to deflect another blow, the force of it nearly knocking him down again. The creature's legs were an excellent defense; he needed a way inside the spindly limbs. Two more arrows streaked through the air, sinking into their target. Dark green blood was oozing where the arrows peppered the ungol's hide. Thinking quickly, Aran scooped up a handful of dirt and flung it at the creature's eyes. It had the desired effect; blinded, the spider scrabbled around, lashing out wildly. Rushing in, Aran crushed one leg, then another. Finally, he delivered the killing blow, embedding his mace in the centre of the beast's eight eyes. The ungol's lifeless body dropped to the ground.

Breathing hard, Aran's eyes sought out Liaren, who was already fighting her way through the webs in the centre of the hollow. He hurried over as she reached the cocoon she was after, and helped her pull it free. They lay the webbed mass gently on the forest floor and Liaren drew her belt knife to gingerly cut the webs, careful not to cut whoever -- or whatever -- was inside. She gasped as the silvery strands parted to reveal the face of a beautiful Elf. Her eyes were closed, and she did not appear to be breathing.

"Induin," Liaren whispered softly, brushing her sister's face tenderly.

Aran felt a pang of sadness for Liaren. A week of searching, only to find... Wait. Aran gently laid his hand on Induin's forehead. She was cold, lifeless to the touch, except... He closed his eyes and reached within him for the Gift of Aros, feeling the now familiar warmth as the energy filled him. Gently, he passed some of the energy into Induin's body, hoping to find a spark of life.

There it was! It was faint, but it was there! Focusing all his will, he used his power to fan the spark to a flame. As he did, he felt his essence melding with the unconscious Elf, felt the intertwining of souls he had felt with Jeira. He was Bonding Induin, but she would live.

Physical awareness of Induin flooded into Aran, and the deepest corners of her heart were revealed to him. Her body was unharmed, though her muscles felt a little stiff. As for her nature, she was kind, curious, brave and full of life. There was fear, too, though it was subsiding as the Bond took hold.

With a gasp, Induin's eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. The rest of the webs parted around her, revealing her naked body. A weeping Liaren wrapped her sister in an embrace, offering prayers of gratitude in her native Elvish tongue. Aran, thankful as he was that Liaren's sister was alive, couldn't help but appreciate the sight of Induin. She was put together much like her sister; lithe and willowy, all gentle feminine curves. Her long hair was silvery-flaxen instead of dark like Liaren's, and her eyes were sapphire blue rather than emerald green. Aran's eyes traveled down over her petite breasts and flat stomach to her hairless sex, smooth and inviting.

The sisters hugged for a time, eventually breaking the embrace. Liaren turned to Aran, eyes still swimming with tears. "Thank you, eruchen," she said as she embraced him. "You brought her back."

Aran smiled, hugging her back. "I'm just happy we got here in time."

After a moment, Induin slowly rose to her feet, unconcerned by her nudity, using her sister for support. "What happened?" She asked in a voice almost identical to Liaren's. "The last thing I remember is scouting for ungol."

Liaren stroked a stray lock of silvery hair out of her sister's face. "You were poisoned by them and taken for feeding. The eruchen here helped me kill these ungol to save you. He fights well, for a human."

Aran raised an eyebrow at the friendly jibe, which Liaren countered with a wink. Induin's eyes locked on Aran, an eternity passing as the Elf allowed herself to feel the Bond between them. "Eruchen," she whispered. Without warning, she flung herself at him and planted her mouth on his, giving him a toe-curling kiss. Aran wrapped her up in his arms and lost himself in it.