SOLVED. Fantasy - group of youth defeat evil, one dies from getting sick after falling out of apple tree, another goes north to find a physical heaven where he was. [s]

[Kevin]

So. I'm looking for a book that I borrowed from my library when I was about 10-13 (I'm 20 now). At the time it was already obvious that it was not a very new book series. It is a series 3-4 books long. It is about a group of children, led by a strong warrior like teenager/20s young adult and a girl of about the same age, and there are 2 or 3 other kids that are a bit younger. I believe in the first book they start out in a cave or mountainous region, and might have an older guy/mentor/father figure who takes care of them. I'm pretty sure at the beginning it's a stormy night and something happens to the old guy.

IMPORTANT PART: the second book I think is more interesting. Name might have something to do with a hawk, or marshes, or storms, the cover has that on it for sure. I know the cover looks like that. In it, the group of kids lives at a castle or monastery with a bunch of others and a prince. There is a scene at beginning where they are picking apples and the younger kids are just eating them. They remind me of mary and pippin from LOTR. one of them falls out of the apple tree and hurts himself, gets sick, and dies all of a sudden, and it is very shocking. Somebody tells the other kid a tale that he can reach heaven/some version of an afterlife heaven if he keeps going north or past marshes and mountains. He leaves all of a sudden, and goes on a quest to find his friend/brother/guy in the afterlife kingdom, which was a legend that you could actually reach it, like it existed on the physical plane. This really stuck out to me. Also the main character has a sword, and after every villain they defeat in each book, one of three gems begins glowing or something. His sword is magically powerful, and necessary to defeat all the villains. At the end, when they final guy is defeated, the sword becomes just a normal sword I think. That's all that comes to kind right now.

I'm trying to write a book and want to use this for inspiration for some characters/ If anybody could help me find out what book this is, that would be absolutely amazing!!:) Thank you so much!

[SparksofEmber]

You might want to update the title - you'll get more hits if people know what the book is about without having to click through!

[Kevin]

SparksofEmber wrote: "You might want to update the title - you'll get more hits if people know what the book is about without having to click through!"
ok thanks!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Kevin, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Ayshe]

If you are, it's probably the Ash Staff Trilogy. The second book is The Hawks of Fellheath.

[Kevin]

Ayshe wrote: "If you are, it's probably the Ash Staff Trilogy. The second book is The Hawks of Fellheath."

Lobstergirl wrote: "Kevin, are you still looking for this or did you find it?"

Thank you Ayshe!! I actually did discover it somehow on my own a year ago. Unfortunately, the book was not as good as I had recalled it. I guess that's the way it often is with books you read as a kid.
What is your experience with the book/Ash Staff series?

[Ayshe]

Kevin wrote: "Thank you Ayshe!! I actually did discover it somehow on my own a year ago...."

Oh, cool! I haven't read them, I came across them while looking for something else (can't remember what) and thought of this thread (yes, I spend too much time in this group :) ).

[Kevin]

Ayshe wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Thank you Ayshe!! I actually did discover it somehow on my own a year ago...."

Oh, cool! I haven't read them, I came across them while looking for something else (can't remember what..."

Well thank you for contributing!! I almost forgot that I made this thread. It's a super cool site.