Here is the first chapter @Scholastica Niewald and I have been writing:

I

It was the eve of a particular holiday for one particular family: the Gaudwens. Celene Gaudwen, the second oldest of the family, was looking for adventure in the thick Quite Oak forest, across from the Marshwood forest. Her brown, wavy hair was under her raincoat, pulled back into a bun. She had a little leather sash on her side with her name molded into it. There were animals scurrying around; her brown eyes fixed on an owl which had swooped down to try and catch its prey; squirrels were looking for nuts and acorns, and deer were prowling around the woods.

Celene shook herself out of her trance and kept walking. For if she continued stopping like this, she would never reach Mierkeschal before the already torrential downpour got any worse. Mierkeschal at one time used to be just a run-down hut that escaped most people’s notice, but now the shelter was a little home that Broadin lived in as his own.

She needed to reach Mierkeschal, for there Celene was going to share the tale of Broadin, her heroic younger brother. Celene was quite the storyteller and was always invited to narrate stories for the people of Mystic Isles far and wide. On this occasion at Mierkeschal, there would be feasting, good laughs, and dancing. While she was to be at the festival, there was one person in particular Celene wanted to see: her older brother Martin, who was a veteran of war. The two were quite close both in age and in friendship, and Celene had much to catch up on him.

But she also wished to see everyone else as well. The Gaudwens had not been in each other’s company for many years, and they were all extremely excited to see one another. Celene smiled as she remembered the last time she and her brothers had been together; Broadin and Martin had seemed much younger and daring, but perhaps they would have not changed very much. Celene herself felt as though she had changed quite a bit, but she still held her story-telling brilliance and adventurous spirit.

When the sun had just begun to set behind the rolling hills, Celene arrived at the doorway of her destination. She looked down to rub her mud-filled boots on the mat. There she noticed that the mat was worn and had muddy shoe prints besides her own. Clearly today had been quite a busy day in the house. Celene marveled at how the wooden cabin had come along since the last time she had been there. The building itself was cozy, inviting, and cheerfully decorated. She knocked on the door, and to her surprise, she was met by her kind-hearted mother, Lillian. Lillian appeared just the same as Celene remembered, with her kind face and bright smile. She immediately brought Celene inside and offered her to sit down. Celene handed Lillian her leather sash to hang on a hook by the door, which she would have done herself if she had not been so worn from traveling since sunrise. It was obvious that Lillian had just come out of the kitchen to meet Celene at the front door. She was wearing a brown apron from Broadin’s kitchen over her blue calico dress. Her sleeves were rolled up, revealing the flour that coated her arms. She had been making chocolate cake for the feast. As of being a mother of three children, she was especially a good cook and always busy.

“It is so good to see you, my dear!” Lillian exclaimed with emotion, hugging her daughter.

“You as well, mother!” Celene answered happily.

“Oh, it has been so long! How old are you now, twenty? Twenty-five?” Lillian asked in a joking manner.

Celene smiled. “Forty-two, Mother.”

“Well, you look twenty. And I dare say you get that from me.” she added with a wink. “But where is the rest of the family?” Lillian asked, looking around for Celene's husband and twin boys. When she did not see them insight, she frowned. “Do tell me they are coming!” she told Celene in a scolding tone, “This is a special occasion after all!”

Celene laughed and reassured her mother. “Don’t worry Mother, Everett and the boys are on their way. Killian and Justin wished to stop at their friends house to return something they had borrowed, so they’ll arrive here a little later.”

After catching up with Celene, Lillian led her to the place where she would be telling the story: by a warm fireplace with a big comfy chair, a red, circular pillow, a nightstand with a cold cup of water on it, and a lamp that shone right on the spot where she was to sit. A fireplace was right behind her so she could warm up from the rain she had traveled in. Celene smiled, remembering the memories of this room. Before she could sit down, Celene was suddenly met by her brothers, Broadin and Martin.

“Celene!” Broadin exclaimed. “It’s been so long! In fact, it’s been too long.” Broadin was dressed in his Sunday best, for this day was mostly about him and what he had done for the world, so he wanted to look his best in front of everyone.. He was much taller than Celene previously remembered him being. She could even detect a little beard starting to show.

“Much too long.” Celene agreed, as she gave him a side hug. Ever since losing his left arm, Broadin had been uncomfortable hugging normally. “So long in fact, that you have combed your hair.”

“Not by my own choice,” Broadin said with a smirk, nodding to their mother. Broadin told Celene that he now had a family of his own. His wife, Kristin, he always said, was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was with their children on the other side of the room talking to another mom. Kristin was holding hands with their youngest, Cecilia, while another one of their children, James, was running around the furniture and the groups of people. Joan, who was older, was sitting on the couch waiting for the story to be announced. She was talking with Isadora who was about the same age as Joan. Standing next to Broadin was Martin, who was also dressed suitable wearing his navy blue veteran uniform with his medals pinned. It still fit him, as he seemed to have not grown much. His hair was also neatly brushed back.

Celene went in to hug her older brother, but this time, a full hug. Martin also had a family of his own. His wife, Jennavier, was over on the other side with some of their four children: Katana, Lucia, and Damien. Isadora, another one of Martin’s well behaved children, was the one sitting with Joan.

Celene was treated with food and a drink before she was to read. While Celene ate, Martin told her how his life was since permanently leaving his battling days. She was happy to see that he was in good health. Near the end of Celene’s meal, Broadin exclaimed, “Are you guys excited for tonight?” Martin and Celene looked at each other and smiled.

“Yes, Broadin. Why would we not be? This is your special day and we wouldn’t want to miss it.” Martin patted Broadin on the head and walked off to put wood in the fire to keep it going for Celene.

Celene started chatting with Broadin again.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

“About what?” answered Broadin.

“About tonight. Are you nervous seeing everyone for so many years?”

“Why would I be nervous? I feel proud of myself.”

“Good. I just want this to be the happiest day of your life. I’m so proud of you Broadin.” Suddenly, Broadin’s eyes dropped, as well as his smile.

“But what about–”

“I could have never done what you have done at an age like that. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You are quite the brave one.” Celene smiled.

Lillian tapped on Celene’s shoulder. “It’s time to start.”

“Alright,” she replied. “I just need to go get the book.”

After a while, everyone was settled except the little children who were still running around playing and rummaging through the food, trying to get around the vegetables and into the sweets. Celene clapped for a few seconds to get everyone’s attention.

“Ok, everybody. I just want to say a few words before I start the story, so please quiet down.” Everyone started to walk to their seats and get settled. Suddenly, the front door opened and in came Evertt and the twins, Justin and Killian.

“Come on in! We are about to start the story!” Lillian greeted them. The three of them walked over to find a seat to sit in.

“First of all, I want to thank you all so much for coming here to celebrate this wonderful day. There are refreshments and snacks that we will have after the story that are in the back, so please don’t touch them yet.” Celene eyed the children as she spoke, all of whom looked back and ran to their parents. She continued on.

“I want to thank my mother for reminding me of this great day and Broadin for letting me come here and narrate the story of his adventure to destroy the magical blade.” Broadin felt great joy and fame as Celene said those words and gestured at him. He smiled and looked at her. She winked at him and continued on.

“As you all should know, it has been many long years since Broadin defeated the rangers, with the help of those brave warriors who stood beside him.”

Everyone clapped and cheered for Broadin.

“Anyway, now for the story.” Celene picked up the book, opened it, and began reading the first line of the book. Everyone scooted their chairs in to get comfortable. The children settled down on the floor in front of all the parents.

“It was a dark and mysterious night,” began Celene in a spooky voice. The children all huddled close to each other. “When suddenly a voice cried out, “Come back here young man!” Broadin’s mother, Lillian cried to him as he ran into the Marshwood forest under a dark and starry sky. Broadin was a young boy who lived on a farm with his mother and the animals at the time. Broadin had two other siblings, Martin and I, of course. Martin was sent off to be a soldier while I was sent to stay with our aunt. Our family wasn’t very wealthy since our dad had died. Broadin never wanted to do his chores around the farm. He had to milk cows, clean up their mess, and bring them out to the pasture. Anyway, as Broadin kept running deeper into the forest, he soon reached a place with which he was unfamiliar with. Broadin started trembling and was scared.”

Celene loved acting things out, so she put on a frightening act and began trembling as the book had said.

“He was surrounded by tall trees, rocks and leaves on the ground, and an interesting little hut. He kept hearing his mother’s voice calling him, but he was distracted by the sight.” Lillian looked at Broadin with annoyance.

“He never had seen it before. It was all dark, creepy, and dusty. Broadin started walking into the hut to investigate.”

Celene took a sip of water and was about to continue when one of the children spoke up to ask a question.

“Why did Broadin go in there? He was about my age and I know I would never go to a place like that,” said Isadora who was fifteen years old.

Celene answered her back. “Well, he was very brave at your age, and he wanted to investigate things. Even things that were scary. Does that answer your question, Isadora?”

Isadora nodded her head and said, “Keep reading.” Celene smiled and continued.

“Hello?!” He shouted. No reply. He started to investigate the hut and saw an interesting little emblem on the corner of the door. He looked at it closer and saw the initials T.R.E. and a slash painted red across the initials. Broadin wondered what it was when suddenly, his mother came bounding through the forest and grabbed his hand.”

At this, Lillian made a remark, “He was a runner so it was quite the challenge to capture him, even as strong as I was back then.” Everyone laughed and Broadin looked at his mother. Celene continued.

“Knowing that he wanted to investigate more on the hut, Lillian started dragging him back toward the house. Broadin didn’t quite understand why his mother had pulled him away from the hut, but he soon would run back to the mysterious place, but at the moment, he had to listen to his mother’s voice, yelling at him. Broadin was trying to contemplate the sign that he saw on the door of the hut. Lillian slammed the door behind Broadin as they walked into their house.

“Why did you run away like that? You could have gotten hurt.” She said with a loud voice. “I know you don’t want to do your chores, but I can’t do all of them. It’s just you and me. I can’t lose you now.” While his mother was speaking, Broadin recognized something behind his mother’s head that struck him. It was the same emblem that he had seen on the hut. Broadin wanted to ask his mother about it until she yelled, “Excuse me Broadin, you're not looking at me. Pay attention to what I am saying!”

Lillian saw that Broadin had his head hung down and went up to hug him, “I’m sorry for yelling at you, but I need you to complete your chores. Dad is gone and your siblings are grown up and on their own, so you have to take your father’s place as the man of the house. You are fifteen now. Can you do that, for me?”

Broadin looked up to his mother’s face, walked up stairs with a smile and said, “I won’t let you down mother.” Broadin walked to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and went to bed.

Morning came and Broadin ran downstairs with his overalls and his boots on and was about to run out the door, when he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked back to see his mother's hand. Lillian asked, “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

Broadin replied, “I want to do my chores and get them done as soon as possible.”

Lillian looked surprised. “Why is that? I thought you didn’t like doing chores. Was it because of what I said last night?”

Broadin shook his head saying, “Yes mother, but also because–” His mother interrupted Broadin before he could say that he wanted to go back to the hut.

She said, “Ok, go ahead. But did you brush your teeth? I have breakfast ready for you after your chores.”

Broadin ran up the stairs thinking that his mom was fine with him going back to the hut because she had interrupted him. He brushed his teeth, ran outside and started on his chores.

First, he milked the cows, collected the eggs from the chicken coop, hauled water to the kitchen, and fed the livestock. Broadin was now strong enough to chop the wood, so he chopped wood for the fireplace before he left. He let his mother do the laundry and the cooking which was good enough for both of them. Broadin was very excited to get done with his chores so that he could go back and investigate the hut some more. As soon as Broadin was done, he dashed inside to grab a drink of water and his breakfast and ran back out the door. Lillian thought that he had not yet finished his chores and was just coming in for a break and had gone back to finish up his chores. Broadin ran as fast as he could into the forest trying to find the same spot where he had seen the hut, when suddenly, he heard a voice.

“Stop where you are. Who are you?” The voice asked.

“I am Broadin, and I have come to investigate this hut. Who are you, and what do you want?” Broadin answered back in a panicked voice. A little elf came out of the hut.

“Hello chump! I am Edwin, an older elf. I never usually greet people like this, but you look very familiar to a person I once knew. I feel like I have seen you before, or someone who looks like you. Never mind. What do you want with this run down hut that no one, and I mean no one has ever noticed before until now?” Edwin always loved to be funny to people he didn’t know or people who looked familiar to him.

“Well, I came upon it yesterday and I just wanted to investigate until my mother came and pulled me away. I have never seen it before and it looks interesting. Are you the guardian of it or something?”

The elf replied, “Technically, yes. But then again, not really, but I do live here. Although, come to think of it,” Edwin said, trying to lure Broadin into taking his place in guarding a very valuable object that was hidden somewhere safe. Edwin was very old, and some time soon, his day would come to leave the world he lived in.

“I protect something very valuable. It’s not inside this hut, but somewhere no one will ever find it. You know, since I am old and not in the best condition, I am probably going to die off. You look quite young and very fit,” he observed Broadin.

He walked up to him with his cane, hitting Broadin all over the place. Edwin had to look up because of the height of Broadin.

“Oww, what was that for?” said Broadin, rubbing his left arm.

“Oh, nothing. Just seeing how tough you are.” Edwin said laughing. “Do you think that you could take care of this hut for me? It is the most important thing in this world, to me at least.”

Broadin began to nod and was about to say yes, when the elderly elf exclaimed in an excited voice, “Wait a second… I know who you are! You are Marcus, am I correct?”

Broadin exclaimed, “No, I’m not Marcus, I’m his son. Did you know my father?” “I knew you looked familiar. Your father and I were very well acquainted. He was a good man.”

Broadin was taken aback by this.“I never knew my father. He died when I was very young. My mother never speaks about him really and whenever I bring it up, she always avoids the subject. How did you know my father anyway?” Broadin asked insistently.

“We were old war veterans together. I was the only elf at war and he was there to protect me. We defeated the ranger lord, Merksalo. But his son, Merksalo II is still living and is destroying all of Mystical Isles as we speak. He was the one who killed your father. Your father had just figured out where the blade was, but Merksalo II killed him. I was with your father and snatched the blade and ran to find a spot to hide it. I was younger so I was able to run very fast. Right now, I am not in the best condition. If I may console you however, your father died well. The last thing he told me was: “Please tell my son to finish what I have begun.” He made me promise to make sure you did the quest. That’s why I need you to go on an adventure.”

“An adventure? What kind?” Broadin asked with interest.

“It involves an important blade that can take charge of the minds of other people. It can’t get in the hands of Merksalo II, or he and his army of strong men will be close to being undefeatable. That is why you must go on this journey. Promise me you will,” Edwin told him, holding out his hand to shake Broadin’s.

“I promise,” stated Broadin, shaking Edwin's hand. “When do I start?”

“Why, how about right now? I have a meeting with the elves I have to go to. You need to start on your journey as soon as possible.” Broadin saw that he had a pack waiting. “Before you leave, I will tell you something about the blade. Your father had a map of the whole world. I’m sure that if you asked your mother, she would know where to find it. Anyway, I hid the blade somewhere, where no one could find it, unless they knew the ends of the earth. Which is why you must find the map that your father had. We marked some possible spots to hide the blade, and I chose one of them after your father died. I can’t risk telling you here. You never know if any of Merksalo’s men, known as something else in these parts, but I forget, could be hiding out here. Goodbye and take good care of the hut, and watch out for the rangers.”

Wait! Who are the rangers?!” The elf didn’t answer because he had already disappeared.

Edwin whispered to himself, “ Hmmm, I wonder who the rangers are. I’m getting too old for this kind of stuff.” Celene stopped reading. Lillian spoke up.

“You know, Broadin, I actually didn’t ever meet Edwin, although from what I have heard, he seems quite the funny one.” she said laughing. Celene took a sip of water and a bite of a frosted cookie that was on a plate on the nightstand. After refreshing herself, she continued.

“Broadin rushed back to his house, tip-toed up the stairs, and began to pack his bag with his best clothes, some food he snatched from the pantry, and as he picked up a picture of his mother, he began to have second thoughts. Deep inside he was afraid he would not return, and this thought scared him. What would his mother say? But he had to do this task, it was his father’s will. Merksalo had to be defeated, and his father had to be avenged. Determined, Broadin went back downstairs to confront his mother. He found her looking at old family albums in the living room.

Taking a deep breath, he began. “Mother, I know you are not going to love this, but I met a strange old elf named Edwin in that hut that I had found yesterday, the one you pulled me away from. He told me I needed to go on a quest to find an important blade that could create a disaster in the wrong hands. He said it was my father’s message to me, before Father died.”

At her son’s words, Lillian froze, her hands suddenly pausing on a dusty page of the album she grasped in her hands. “No! You can’t go. Your father did the same thing. They killed him,” Lillian told her son suddenly, her voice tight. She stood up. “They killed him!”

“Mother, I know what happened to Father, which is why I need to do this! Please let me go! I promised the elf I would and Father would’ve wanted me too. Please, mother, please! He would have wanted me to finish what he started, to avenge him!” Broadin begged. He did not understand why his mother was refusing to let him go.

“I know your father would have wanted you to continue what he couldn’t finish. But you are not your father, Broadin! You have a life here, and I don’t want that life to be taken away, especially when you are so young. You must stay here and stay safe. Do you realize that there are rangers in the forest?”

Broadin angrily exclaimed, “The old elf told me the same thing. Who ...are ...the ...rangers?!”

“The rangers of the forest are part of Merksalo’s gang, the leader of the people who killed your father. Nobody messes with them, and if they do, they never emerge victorious. What is that elf thinking, a fifteen year old against rangers! Imagine that! Especially when you are alone in the forest! This is nonsense!”

Broadin frowned, looking at the wooden planks of the cabin floor. “Mother, I know you need my help here. But isn’t this bigger than us? Think about that blade, if it got in the wrong hands-”

“Let me show you something, Broadin,” Lillian interrupted her son. She moved around the small room and opened up a wooden chest beside the fireplace. She lifted something from within.

As she read, Celene pretended to pull out a sword and held it out to the children in the front row as she acted the sentence out.

“This was the sword that your father used to try to defeat Merksalo.” Broadin stared at the silver sword in awe. He reached out to try and touch it, but Lillian pulled it out of his reach first. “My son, your father was the best warrior on our side. He fought his hardest, and with this sword accomplished more than any man I knew. But still it was not enough. Merksalo took so much from me, from all of us, and I won’t let him take more.”

Lillian sent Broadin to bed without another word, and Broadin reluctantly obeyed her. But as he lay in bed, listening to the crickets singing, his mother’s words rang in his ears, keeping him wide awake. I won’t let him take more, his mother had said. Broadin then decided what he was to do. He was going to do exactly that, he wasn’t going to let Merksalo take anything more, especially not the blade. “I’m sorry Mother, but I must do this,” he whispered as he put on his coat. He left a note on his pillow: I have gone on the journey. Please, please do not worry for me, I will be safe. I know you will not be happy with my decision, but it is something I must do. I love you so much Mother. After leaving the note, he grabbed his packed bag and lastly snuck downstairs and took his father’s sword from the dusty chest after his mother had gone to bed. As he pulled it from among other dusty artifacts, he noticed a large folded map lying next to it, along with an old picture. Broadin handled the picture and the map gently, for they were the two most important things that he had seen. The map appeared to show not only the whole of the Mystic Isles, but lands and waters beyond. But what caught most of Broadin’s attention was the drawing of a handsome, dark-haired man. His father. Broadin stared at the drawing, remembering the day his mother told him that his father was never coming home.

“Your father was amazing. He loved you very much.” The two of them had sat on the couch, mourning the loss. Broadin remembered watching his mom cry, too young to truly understand that he was never going to see his father again.

Now, staring at the picture in his hand, Broadin made a vow, “I’ll avenge you Father. And I won’t fail you.”

With that, he stepped out of the house he had lived in all his life, taking the first step of his incredible journey.

The story had been stopped by the sound of someone sobbing in the room. They all looked around to see that Lillian had tears in her eyes.

“I never wanted him to leave, and when I went upstairs to wake him the next morning, and when I saw he was gone. . .” Lillian could hardly speak. She blew her nose before continuing. “But I knew his father would've been proud of him.” Broadin rushed to his mother and consoled her with a hug. “I’m here now. Don’t worry.” Celene paused for a moment before continuing the story.

“Does everyone understand what is going on right now?” All the children shook their heads.

“I don’t quite have the right sense of what is going on.” said Isadora, who was very smart. Celene created a brief speech on what she had just pursued.

“Alright, before what I had just read, Broadin had run off because he didn’t want to do his chores around the farm. He was a naughty little boy.” She smiled at Broadin and winked as if to tell him that she was just kidding.

“While he was running off, he found a strange hut that he wanted to investigate thoroughly. Lillian didn’t let him explore it until the next day, when he did his chores and ran off back to the hut. There, he met Edwin, an older elf, who had told Broadin about his father and the journey he was to go on to destroy the blade before Merksalo, an evil man, was to capture the blade and make bad use of it. Now, Broadin is leaving, well, kind of running away, on his adventure to destroy the blade. Does that make sense to all of you?”

Isadora nodded her head and said, “Yes, now continue with the story please, I want to hear more.”

“Ok, I will. Just let me find the page now!”

Celene flipped through the pages until she got to the page where she had made a fold in the corner.