THE DESTINED HERO: A Stranger's Chronicle.

Chapter 6. The Demon Queen.

"You all can't stay too long in this town, because she'll be coming for you." Andrew said to the teenagers as he set the table with meals. He knew they haven't had anything to eat in the past three days, and even with their curiosity, he couldn't answer any of their questions while they were on empty stomach.

"Who?" Larry asked knowing fully well he was Andrew referred to.

"The Demon Queen." Frank asked the question in Andrew's stead. "She will kill every one who tends to oppose her. Anyone with the power to restore balance back to the world."

"And somehow, you both think that person will be me?" Larry moved his eye to and fro from Andrew to Frank.

"We didn't choose you Larry Parker, the angels did." Andrew sat with them at the table as he was done serving. For some reason unknown to them, he didn't act like the madman which the town takes him for. "A great destiny rests on your shoulder, and you will be needing all the help you can get, both from your friends and those you'll come to make in this world. No great hero that ever lived was without help."

"This must be some kind of a joke, right?" Larry drinks from his cup, the words he was hearing tend to cost him his appetite.

"I don't think they are joking. Remember literature class." Toby looked at him, he seemed very excited about the things they were saying, and this was because he loved reading works of fiction back in Etodan.

"Have you tried talking to the voice in your head?" Andrew continued causing a stunning look on Larry's face because he didn't tell him about that voice. "You've seen what I can do, so why are you still surprised? The spacecraft you and your friends landed with in the jungle disoriented the spell covering it for decades, that is why their secret base was discovered."

"Wait, are you telling me that the jungle was under a spell that kept our location hidden from the Demon Queen?" Frank couldn't help but interrupt.

"Yes, perhaps you should have paid more focus to Marcus and his training."

"Marcus knew about this spell?" Frank's surprise rose, he couldn't believe there was so much he didn't know.

"Pay attention Frank, you have to take them to Bloom crystal, ask for Watson."

"Never heard of him." Frank replied.

"It's her. You think Marcus was the only rebel fighting against the Queen? There are others."

"And do I tell her?"

"You'll figure it out." Andrew stands to his feet, showing signs that he was done talking.

But Larry still had questions, he was only getting to understand what he said about him. "You are not done, you were saying something about communicating with the voice in my head? What is it?"

"It is not my responsibility to teach you how. You must all leave with Frank as soon as you're rested."

"What about the training? You were going to teach us how to fight." Toby changed the subject, he was more than interested to learn from Hess, after seeing his ability.

"Well, you have a better teacher for that."

Instantly Larry and Toby looked at Frank who wasn't expecting to hear that from Hess, he didn't need further words to realise Hess was referring to him, and with a full mouth he paused and looked at the boys.

Whereas Stephanie focused solely on eating to the fullest. After hearing that they had another journey ahead, she had to utilize the opportunity since the world and theories were still strange to her, and she didn't know how long it would take before she saw another good meal.

"Why won't you come with us?" Toby asked Andrew as they prepared for their journey.

Andrew knew the sole purpose why Toby wanted his company was so he could teach him some magic, therefore he chuckled. "Someone has to be here when the Queen's soldiers arrive. Besides, you will make a fine warrior. Not everyone gets to practice magic."

"You are sure you don't want to come with us?" Frank asked Hess again, for many years he believed the name Hess to be a myth, and having seen him face to face, it was difficult to part ways so soon without getting to know more about him.

Also he worried that he would not be able to protect the teens all by himself.

"Here, take these swords, you'll be needing them." Andrew opened a chest, bringing out two swords which he handed over to Larry and Toby.

Stephanie's eyes moved with his hands, expecting to receive a sword just like the boys, but instead, he brought out two daggers of unusual length.

"I'm sure these will serve you well, young lady." He hands them over to her. Due to her disappointing face as she didn't see the use of a dagger in a swordfight, he brought out one more thing from the chest.

Seeing the bow and quiver full of arrows in his hands, she was satisfied, as that seemed to be a proper weapon of supposed fight ahead.

"Now you must go, you are running out of time. She will be hunting you." He leaves them outside, heading back into this house.

*****

Hours into their journey, having walked for so long and were at the borders of the town which was leading into another forest, Larry asked Frank.

"How far is this Bloom crystal that you're taking us to?"

"Weeks."

"Then we must rest, the sun is going down."

"Didn't you pay attention to anything Hess was saying?" Frank turned to Larry as they all halted. "The Queen will be looking for you, so the earlier we get to Bloom crystal, the better."

"But we are already out of the town. Or do you expect us to keep walking forever?"

"You still don't get it. The Queen has spies everywhere. Her magic is so strong that it will cost her nothing to perceive where you are."

"So why this forest? Isn't there a better path to this Bloom crystal of a place." Toby was anxious, for his knowledge he knew the woods are not safe in such worlds.

"Not unless you want to spend more time on this journey. Besides, there are things here which scare the Queen's army, so they can't follow us."

That sentence just confirmed Toby's thoughts about the forest they were about to enter and he didn't like it any better.

"You were tasked to lead us to safety, not put us in harm." Larry figured that whatever was able to scare the Queen's army must pose a great deal of danger which he wasn't ready to face at the time.

"I can't do this anymore, I can return to the town, find some help, maybe work in a farm and start my life afresh." Stephanie freaked out, all she has been hearing so far was more than she could comprehend, she didn't want to be part of that quest again, after all she wasn't chosen to safe the world, therefore she was willing to live like every other citizen who have accepted the reign of the Queen since that would guarantee her safe living.

"You know too much already, I'm sorry we can't let you go back." Frank said to her.

"I won't say anything, I promise." Stephanie turned to Larry to beg because he was the one to make the call since he bore the destiny and not Frank. "Please Larry, you let Lillie and Christie go, please let me leave, I won't make any mention of you or what you're supposed to do. I swear."

Larry looked into her eyes and could see total sincerity, just as he had seen in the eyes of Lillie when they let her leave their company, and for a second he was determined to let her return to the town and start afresh.

"Okay, Steph, we won't force you."

"Thank you, thank you," she gave him an unexpected hug, bidding him farewell.

She also gave Toby a hug, as she handed over the weapons she had received from Hess to the both of them. "You will be needing these."

"You're making a mistake to let her go. What does the voice in your head say about this?" Frank warned him. He couldn't support that gesture at all and was confident the voice did the same.

"It's my decision to make, now can we continue?" Larry continued towards the forest, he didn't want to hear any of Frank's reasons and that seemed to be the only way to avoid it as resting wasn't an option for Frank.