Read Online They Were Born Upon Ashes by Kenneth Champion - Free Book Online Page A

alongside the towering stone gate that surrounded the city. She arrived at Capitol Stables of Genold City.
    She talked to the kind owner and made the purchase of a grey stallion. She grabbed her bag of food and water and placed it across the horse’s back. She hadn’t ridden a horse since she was ten years old. She had no time to hesitate and no time to think. As nervous as she was to ride the horse, she knew what she had to do. She had to be by Nick’s side.

Chapter Five
    Nick’s eyes barely opened. All they wanted to do was to stay closed. He had been sleeping the entire day. He got the privilege to lie on a bed of vegetables and meat in the back of the carriage. The horses still moved with haste as the sun started to fall.
    Nick forced himself to get up. He was able to get into a seated position and he stretched his arms. He opened up the white cloth that covered the back of the carriage. He saw the thousands of people march behind him. They carried bags over their shoulders and they all looked exhausted.
    “Good morning, sunshine.”
    Nick looked over to his right to discover Tyler looking at him with a wide smile.
    “Hope your legs aren’t too sore from the walk today,” said Tyler. “Seriously, it’s okay. Just take a few more minutes of rest then come join the rest of us.”
    “How long was I out for?” asked Nick.
    “All day,” said Tyler. “If you haven’t noticed yet that is the sun going down in the west. It is not rising in the east.”
    “Got it, Tyler, thanks.”
    “Relax. I’m just giving you a hard time,” said Tyler. “It’s what I do best. In fact, it’s what I’m known for.”
    Nick got up and jumped down from the carriage. He felt great as he finally stood up. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept for eighteen hours.
    He felt the same. Even though he had gone through the transformation, he did not feel more powerful. He didn’t feel like he was more wise or anything like that. He felt like the same Nick that he had always been.
    Andrew and Jeffrey spotted Nick and walked over towards him. They put their arms on him and smiled.
    “How are you feeling, Nick?” asked Andrew.
    “I feel alive. Just a bit tired but that’s about it. I don’t feel like a supreme Reza.”
    “Sure you do,” said Jeffrey. “You always have, Nick. You just never knew it.”
    Jeffrey looked at Andrew and said, “I believe now is as good as a time as any to set up camp for the night.”
    Andrew nodded in agreement.
    “You’ll tell us all about what you experienced during your transformation when we are finished setting up camp,” said Andrew.
    Jeffrey gave a signal and the thousands of tired feet stopped dead in their tracks. Thousands of people immediately sat down on the ground or lay on their backs.
    Nick helped the king’s men set up their fire. After that they spread across the camp to help people gather fire wood. After the initial fire was started by the king’s men they would take a log and distribute it to the neighboring fire pits.
    It was not as if the thousands of people were helpless. It was rather that the king’s men felt a certain responsibility to take care of all of the people who came with them. Thousands put their lives in the hands of the king’s men and in return they did everything they could to care for them.
    The night sky was fully out. Blackness with the glistening shine of thousands if not millions of stars overhead.
    About an hour passed before Nick rejoined the king’s men and the Tarrax brothers at their fire pit. They had just started to cook two rabbits over the fire. Nick hadn’t eaten all day and the smell of cooked meat made his stomach growl, twist, and turn.
    “Are you feeling more awake now?” asked Jeffrey.
    “I am indeed,” said Nick.
    They all stared at him as if he was the piece of meat roasting over the fire.
    “Go on, please. Tell us,” said Andrew. “We have waited to hear. The floor is all yours.”
    Nick cleared his throat,