2 Chapter 1: The Surprise

He woke up gasping for air and covered in sweat. He put his hand on his chest and felt his heart racing. He blinked several times and took in his surroundings. His emerald green eyes scanned the walls for the comfort of the posters plastered randomly on the walls. He did this every time he woke up to assure himself he was safe at home after his nightmares. He ran his hand through his messy black hair. It was tangled and dripping with fresh sweat. He vaguely remembered the clash of weapons and the shouts and cries of injured soldiers. The details slipped away before he could remember clearly. He could definitely recall a feeling of sadness and loss. He had been having nightmares more often as he grew older. He suddenly vaulted out of bed in excitement. How could he have forgotten! It was his birthday!

Today, he was finally fifteen, the age he could finally join the Semper Vitae. He looked again at the posters on the walls, almost all of which were recruiting posters for Semper Vitae. But his father, obsessed with Semper vitae as he was, would still never let him join. Zander flung open the chest at the foot of his bed, threw on a tunic, and burst through the door into the main room of the meager cabin. Their cabin was a small three-room home with two bedrooms. one for Zander and one for his father. It was in a small green clearing with a small stream trickling next to the house. It was in the forest of Arboribus in the Northern part of Patriae. Not to his surprise, Haran, his father, was already gone and had left a loaf of bread and a pitcher of water on the small table.

Zander took a large bite of bread and big swig of water before starting out the door. Once outside, he headed to the back of the cabin and began his morning chores. Excitement was spreading through him, and he found it increasingly difficult to concentrate at his tasks, nearly losing various limbs and appendages while chopping wood.

Finally, when the sun was in the middle of the sky and Zander was drenched with sweat from the heat and hard work, he could no longer contain his excitement. He dropped his axe and went into the house. He burst through the door expecting Haran to be seated around the table eating dinner as he always was at this time of day. He found the house quiet and empty. he began preparing dinner while pondering where Haran might be. He was never late.

Zander grew increasingly worried at his father's absence as he finished preparing the meal and began to eat. He had finished the meal and was about to go looking for Haran when the door burst open and he heard his father's voice,

"Whoa there Zander, started dinner without me eh? No matter. I'm hungry enough to eat rotten leftovers. Get your old man a chair, will you?" His father spoke breathlessly, his round jolly face growing redder with each sentence. Haran had the same sparkling green eyes as Zander. But while Zander had messy coal black hair, his father had a messy mop of curly blonde hair.

"Of course," Zander replied standing and giving his seat to his father and grinning. "you're a bit late today. You had me worried." Haran's face broke into a wide grin,

"Worried? About me?! I can take care of myself. I should be worried about you, with your long journey approaching and all."

"Long journey? What do you mean?" Zander then noticed the dust on Haran's tunic and the mud on his boots. "You've been to the village haven't you!?" he cried. "What did you bring?" Every so often on special occasions such Zander's birthday or special holidays, Haran would travel to the city and bring back something intriguing and special. Haran let out a barking laugh,

"Observant as ever my boy! You'll make a fine soldier when you join the Semper Vitae." Zander stared at his father in confusion.

"Join the Semper vitae?" Zander asked his mind racing.

"Yes Zander, join the Semper Vitae!" answered Haran. "I got up early today and went to the city to sign you up! You'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon, so you'd better start packing for the trip! Oh, but before that, come on outside, I have a present for you!"

Zander's mind raced, he felt as though he was dreaming. Join the Semper Vitae? He couldn't believe it! All his life his father had been praising the Semper Vitae, the army of highly trained volunteers who defended the land from the Aeternam Vitium. The Aeternam Vitium were the opposite of the Semper Vitae, where the Semper Vitae stood for justice and peace, the Aeternam Vitium stood for evil and oppression. They have been locked in nonstop stalemate warfare for centuries, both sides producing some of the most famous heroes in the land. He had grown up hearing stories of the bravery of the men and women in the vitae, and now he was going to be part of that! It had been his dream to be part of the Semper Vitae and now it was going to happen!

He looked up at Haran. He had never seen him this excited; his face was red as a tomato, and his smile lit up his face. Yet . . . if he looked deeper, he could see the tired sadness in his eyes.

"Thank you, father," he replied. "But I can't. Who will chop wood? Who will do the hunting? I have to stay and help you." Haran's face fell and he stood up, the smile leaving his face.

"You must go Zander!" He said desperately. "I can manage here. I will find a way to live. Besides, with you gone I have one less person to feed and take care of," He smiled gently. "I will be fine. You go and make a name for yourself Zander! You are destined for greatness! I can feel it in my old bones. You must go!" Zander was speechless he had never heard Haran speak like this.

"I . . . I will go," Zander answered looking for words. "I will do my best. I was just worried about you."

Haran's face softened, "Then follow me!" Just like that Haran's excitement was back at full force, and he turned and hopped through the door into the yard. Zander followed his father outside filled with curiosity. Outside, set against the house, was a large misshapen package. Haran picked up the package and held it out to Zander. "Go on. Open it up!" he said bouncing with excitement. Zander took the package and began to tear off the brown paper. He gasped as the shining hilt of a sword was exposed. He tore at the package with renewed vigor and was soon holding a slightly tarnished sword and a dented shield.

"These are amazing!" Zander exclaimed beaming, "How did you afford them?" Haran looked extremely pleased with himself at Zander's excitement and replied,

"I am sorry I could not afford anything new. I had to buy them slightly used and even then, could only afford ah . . . well let's just say . . . they weren't greatly cared for in the hands of their previous owners."

"They're perfect!" Zander said gazing fondly at his father.

"I am glad that you like them son! But there is no time to dilly dally. You must be up early tomorrow if you want to be on the wagons and get to the training camp of the Semper Vitae!" Zander could not think of anything else to say so he turned and went back into the house to his room. It took him very little time to pack his few possessions so he spent most of the wondering what the future would hold.