I thought you might want a taste of Haskell Part 2, Chapter 1, an Action Adventure Fantasy.

This is still an early draft. I've had a developmental edit and a quick edit using Pro-Writing Aid. After I finish with the entire book, it goes off to the copy editor, Joan H Young, and it will change a little. She's been writing and editing for twenty-plus years, and used to write a weekly newspaper article.

Warning, this first chapter may seem a little disconnected if you haven't read Haskell - Orphan to King. It's free here.

Chapter 1

Haskell stood on the back porch of his new manor, worrying about what he had heard at breakfast. He’d hoped Gadiel had forgotten the date, but at breakfast Gadiel had told Dakarai and Lenny to prepare to travel to the mountains. That could only mean one thing, the Fire and Ice Challenge. Haskell thought about running as far from Gadiel as possible, but he realized that would mean he’d have to forget about Noreen, and these days she was in his thoughts all the time.

All but Sims had taken residence at Lord Jorgensen’s manor, now Baron Haskell’s manor, and Gadiel had moved his operations to the manor. They had responsibilities to the local community and Gadiel had sunk his grip into the local mayor and created an income stream from the local economy. Haskell didn’t know what or how the old man had made the arrangements, but now the manor had money coming into their coffers.

Gadiel hadn’t expelled Sims from the group, but Haskell demanded that Sims stay in Whiterock Grove, instead of living in his manor in Oak Ridge. Gadiel had arranged it, and as long as the disruptive thief wasn’t around to harass him, Haskell felt all was fine.

The bag of coins from King Bryce had gone to Gadiel, and he told Haskell that he had invested the coins so they would provide revenue into the manor regularly.

Gadiel had set a date for Haskell to take the Fire and Ice Challenge after leaving the Goodwin castle, and Haskell’s stomach had been in knots for days thinking about it.

He still didn't know how to manage all these titles and arrangements, though Gadiel had arranged for Carl, Lord Jorgensen's old butler, to educate Haskell on royal etiquette by spending time with him each day. Each day, Carl had one of the young servant girls work with Haskell on dances he might engage in as a baron. Princess Noreen was on his mind when they were practicing dancing, but as soon as he left the practice sessions, the fear of taking the Fire and Ice Challenge weighed heavily on his mind.

At ten bells, Gadiel came up behind Haskell and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s time.”

# # # #

Snow blanketed the mountains as they laboriously made their way through the early fall snow drifts for the last few miles. They reached the spot where Max had taken his fatal Fire and Ice Challenge, and Gadiel called a stop to the caravan’s progress. Haskell thought back to his friend’s final days and shuddered at now taking the challenge himself.

Lenny and Dakarai got busy prepping the area and then a third person showed up, Sims.

Haskell pointed at him, “What’s he doing here?” Haskell’s chest hitched. He didn’t trust Sims. He worried what questionable activities Sims might engage in to ensure Haskell failed.

Dakarai answered, “He knows the process. It’s easier to have someone familiar with the procedure. He’s one of the best at cutting the ice for that portion of the test.” He touched Haskell on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s going to be okay. Look I survived.”

Haskell thought back to Max’s challenge. What had gone wrong? He looked at Sims, who sneered back at him. A heaviness developed in his gut, and his face tightened as doubt weighed heavily on his mind. He wasn’t happy that the trial might put his life in the hands of someone who would be happy to see him dead.

Darkness settled upon the mountain as the sun set over a distant mountain range. Thirty feet away coals burned a dark red in a three foot by twenty-yard line in the snow.

Gadiel said, “It’s time. Come to the tent.”

Haskell’s heart pounded in his chest. He tried to come up with reasons that might dissuade Gadiel from continuing the initiation. Fear gripped his mind, and Haskell couldn’t think of any strategies to change his mentor’s persistence to take the challenge.

Dakarai pushed Haskell in the back and forced him toward Gadiel, who sat near a small fire. A hooked pole stood over the fire where a tea kettle warmed over the flames.

Gadiel motioned to a bench. “Have a seat.”

Haskell asked, “Can’t I just stand?” He was too nervous to sit while contemplating his death.

Gadiel again pointed at the bench.

He sat heavily on the bench and grabbed the bench top, his fingers gripping so tightly his knuckles turned white. It was all happening too fast. Nervously, he snuck a peek down the mountain path, searching for an escape route. Maybe it wasn’t too late to make a run for it.

Gadiel smiled, almost a sad grandfatherly type of smile when you have to force your grandkid to do something unpleasant. He grabbed the teakettle and poured a small amount of hot liquid into a wooden mug. After setting the tea kettle back over the fire, Gadiel pulled three pouches from his long black jacket and sprinkled their contents into the cup.

Finally, he poured honey into the cup.

He offered the cup to Haskell, who reluctantly held it.

“Drink this. It will help you relax.”

Haskell eyed it suspiciously. “What’s in it?”

“A concoction I have found to help the Fire and Ice participants relax. You have a powerful spirit. You’ll be fine. Now drink.”

Haskell didn’t believe the old man. If he died, would Gadiel keep the manor? Without the young baron, would King Bryce still allow Gadiel to live there? Haskell sniffed the mixture in the hot water. A pleasant scent of tea, lavender, and honey wafted to his nose.

Haskell scrutinized the men in the tent with him. They had been his companions for the last three years. He had learned a lot of magic from Dakarai and if he survived this challenge, could learn even more. Lenny had been a friend and treated him with respect. But then there was Sims.

He blew on the hot water and took a sip of the liquid. It tasted pretty good on the first sip, but then it had a bitter aftertaste that Haskell didn’t like. Haskell spent a few moments waiting for it to cool some more as four sets of eyes watched his every move.

In another five minutes, Haskell had downed the liquid and felt more relaxed. His vision seemed a little blurry, but overall, he felt less reluctant to continue the procedure.

Gadiel said, “Lenny, go to the end of the fire walk. Haskell will walk toward you. Make sure he keeps moving. Dakarai, you stay with me and you’ll be his guide if he runs into trouble.”

Despite feeling tranquil, Haskell heard the word trouble and thought back to Max and his walk across the coals. He tried to stand, but stumbled. Sims laughed as he caught him before he fell into the fire. A hint of fear returned to Haskell and his blood pumped furiously through his veins, leaving his hands shaking.

Gadiel said, “Sims, walk with him to the coal bed.”

Sims grabbed Haskell’s arm tight and pushed him toward the coals.

Haskell tried to shake Sims’ grip, but couldn’t. He just knew that Sims was walking him to his death as he glared at the thief.

He reached out for his magic, but Gadiel stopped him with a touch and said, “No magic. Any conjuring during the challenge puts you in danger.”

Haskell stumbled in the snow, but Sims held him upright. He could barely stand, and yet Gadiel expected him to walk twenty yards over burning hot coals without incident.

When they reached the edge of the coals, Gadiel told him to remove his shoes.

Haskell stared into Gadiel’s eyes. The scorpion stood in the center of the pupil, daring Haskell to do or say something stupid.

Haskell removed his shoes.

Gadiel raised his hands over Haskell and placed them on his head. “The first test is fire. This will rid you of sins you have committed against others.”

Gadiel motioned to Sims, and the thief released his grip on Haskell. Gadiel said, “Focus on Lenny at the end of the coals. Keep walking toward him, no matter what.”

Haskell remembered how Max had just stopped walking while on the burning coals. Is that why he went crazy? He repeated to himself, “Keep walking, keep walking, keep walking.”

Gadiel gave Haskell a gentle push in the back and Haskell stepped forward onto the red-hot coals.

Copyrighted May 7, 2024 - Kenneth Brown