by M J Webb
They told me that you were too young for this task. They said your powers would not yet be developed. That you are not as strong as you will surely need to be, to defeat Vantrax. They do not believe in you, Jake. Not yet. They are not convinced that you can defeat the evil one and his warrior. They believe that his magic is too strong for you, that he has already grown too powerful.”
“Who say? Who? You’re talking in riddles. Talk plainly, Tien. Please tell me, who?” begged Jake, growing increasingly concerned at what he was hearing, and wanting desperately to understand more.
Tien sat back in his chair again. He relaxed a little as he prepared to explain further, rubbing his chin for a second or two as he thought of what to say.
“I will try to explain all that I can. Many, many years ago now, when I was a young man not much older than you both, this land was torn apart by successive years of endless conflict. The forces of evil were everywhere, they were numerous, and they were very powerful. We moved from one war to the next. It seemed to us all then that we would never be allowed to live in peace. But then, just when we were at our lowest ebb, when all hope appeared to have deserted us, they came!” the wizard stated dramatically.
“Who? Who came?” asked Ben.
“Yes, Tien. Who came?” added Verastus, completely unaware of who, or what, Tien was referring to.
“The Heynai. That is what I named them, for they had no title. Heynai is the old Ruddite word for spirits. They are not mortal beings, Jake. They exist in a state somewhere between life and death, not flesh and blood like you and I, more like a dream. Heynai, it is taken from the word He’yn, the Spiritworld where they stated their souls remained in a transient state before entering the afterlife. They were all mighty wizards once, mortals who cheated death and sacrificed everything to help the people of Estia, choosing to remain with us and fight when death came for them, to help all the unfortunate souls of this land. Their aims were pure and simple; to cleanse it of the evil that had infiltrated it to its very core, to battle against the evil forces for as long as it took, for all eternity if needed. They became a tremendous force for good, Jake! At long last, the few pure wizards of this land had allies, hope and guidance. But, they needed a mortal presence to do their bidding and spread their word, and their ‘vessel’ for this task, was me. I was young then, arrogant and naïve. But they knew that my heart was pure and I wanted desperately to help the people. I was sickened by the wars, I wanted to serve the forces of good in any way I could. I made a bargain with them; my life, such as it was, would be theirs for as long as I lived. I would devote my life to wizardry and magic. I would learn all that I could, use the powers they gave me for the welfare of the innocent and pure of heart. But, I was no warrior, my influence on the battlefield was limited. I alone could not protect the people from harm, I had no weapons to defeat the instruments of evil that the dark wizards now commanded, all those evil warriors who were summoned to plague this land!” he said bitterly.
“So that’s where my ancestor came in?” asked Jake, who was listening intently and ‘hanging on’ to Tien’s every word.
“Yes, Jake. The spirits decided they needed someone pure, someone untouched and uncorrupted by the evils of this world. They would produce a weapon for us, one of awesome power that we could use to defend our people. But they were wary. They had learned through bitter experience not to trust anyone here, where we were so easily corrupted. They did not trust anyone here to wield it. Jacob West, your forefather, was chosen from another world. Why? I was told at the time that he was honest and brave, it was as simple as that. And that is exactly what he proved to be. The spirits told me to gather five stones, five precious gems, each one a different rare element, and all of them had to be roughly the same size. The centre stone had to be Reolite. It took a long time to find them all, but I eventually did. I made an ordinary wooden box to house them in, just as I was instructed. It was nothing special, but they took it from me and somehow they carved a pattern onto it. Then they placed the crest on its top. The rest, I believe you can guess at.”
The old wizard finished speaking and looked at the three bewildered faces in front of him. They all seemed to be trying hard to digest the story they’d just been told. There was another short silence until finally, Jake responded with another question.
“But, that was all long ago, wasn’t it, Tien? What happened? Why are you still fighting? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound rude but, why are you still alive?” he asked bluntly.
The old wizard laughed slightly at Jake’s candour. “Ha ha... No. Never apologise for asking questions, Jake. Only through the acquisition of knowledge do we grow. It is your right to ask questions when you do not understand, your duty in fact. Well, let me say this; I had promised my life to them, I had sworn to serve them until all evil had been purged from this land. In time, we were relatively successful. We eventually defeated all those we knew of. Keeper after Keeper came and went. And yet, we still found ourselves fighting. More and more evil tyrants continued to emerge, some that we had scarcely heard of. Time and time again we would defeat someone and it would be quiet for a time, peaceful, and then... Another war. Another fight. I did not die because we always had someone to defeat. This land was never purged of evil. My body aged with time, but I did not lose my strength. My vitality, my mind, grew along with it. The wisdom I gained made me a greater wizard and I was able to aid the Keepers more and more, until...”
He stopped in mid sentence again, suddenly halting and changing the direction of the conversation in an obviously deliberate manner.
“And so we come to the present. King Vantrax is the last in a long line of adversaries for me. I hope that he is the very last, for I grow weary of fighting. And waiting. Listen to me, Jake. He is powerful, very powerful, perhaps the greatest wizard we have faced! He was tutored by a mighty sorcerer for many years, and he is all the more dangerous for it. Unlike the others, he uses a Reolite stone against us. I do not possess the power to oppose a weapon of such magnitude. Not when it is in the hands of someone equally as powerful as I. At least, not until now.”
Jake’s concentration was interrupted as he heard Ben gulp hard beside him. He looked over briefly at his friend and shook his head at him, before returning his gaze to Tien, and inviting him to continue.
“I do not know why it has taken so long for you to come this time, Jake? Well, when I say ‘you’, I mean the Keeper of course. I have to admit that I never expected you to be so young. I saw the vision, but you look even younger in person. Kraar, it does not matter now. You are here, and I will help you in any way I can.”
Jake was unsure of what to say. He was ‘dying’ to ask more questions, but all of a sudden his mind had temporarily gone blank and he tried to look at Verastus and Ben for guidance. But Tien spoke again before he could.
“You do know that I was merely testing your resolve before, Jake? When I questioned you about why you were here? I wanted to see how you would respond, but... I must admit, it does intrigue me. Why have you not used the stones in anger so far? You have had good reason, and you have had the opportunity I think. You must have been tempted? I have had limited visions of the journey you have taken to date, short images, but I have not felt or heard the stones’ power?” he said questioningly.
The two young boys looked at each other surprised.
“You mean to tell me that you don’t know?” asked Ben, in a loud, sarcastic tone of voice. “’They’ haven’t told you?” he asked mockingly.
“Told me what young Ben?” snapped Tien angrily in reply, picking up on Ben’s tone. “And as for ‘they’, I have not seen ‘them’ for several years.” he added.
“Err... The stones, they’re damaged.” said Jake sheepishly, anticipating an immediate and angry response from the wizard.
Tien did not disappoint. “Damaged??!! Damaged? What... What do you mean, ‘damaged?’” he demanded furiously, rising up out of his chair in a movement that was as fast as lightning. The three frien
ds all fell backwards, shocked by Tien’s astonishing speed. It was Ben who recovered first to speak.
“Err... They don’t work!” he answered, in a less than helpful, defiant manner.
Tien glared at him for a second or two, then he seemed to regain his composure and he stretched out his bony hand. “Here! Pass the box to me, let me see.” he ordered.
Ben took the box out of his bag and handed it to the wizard. Tien took one look at it and then immediately passed it over to Jake. “Open it please, Jake. Let us see what ‘damage’ has been done.” he instructed.
Jake passed his palm over the top of the box. It opened very slowly as it had done before. When it was fully open, he passed it to Tien and took a step backwards. The wizard examined the box carefully, peering into it fm all angles for several minutes and touching a few of the stones with his bony fingers. While he was looking at it, Verastus spoke to him.
“Srr… The box was damaged when the boys entered our world. When they came through the light, it fell some distance down the mountainside and it has not worked fully since, we were hoping that...”
“Hope??? Hope you say? You may well have destroyed all the ‘hope’ we have! If these stones cannot be repaired, I... No! No. It is too disastrous to even contemplate. I sense that there is still some power left in the corner stones. But the Reolite stone is completely destroyed. Charrgh... Well my friends, this is the size of the task we now face; the four corner stones will continue to maintain the power in the box, hopefully long enough for us to complete our quest. But they will all have to be replaced. Including the Reolite! Krraas, but this is terrible!” cried Tien, shaking his head violently in despair.
Something deep inside of Ben snapped. He didn’t realise he was speaking until it was too late. His legendary short fuse had the better of him once again, and his brain was now ‘playing catch up with his mouth.’
“Hey!” he shouted furiously at the wizard. “We didn’t ask for all of this you know! We never wanted to be some kind of superheroes! We were just happy minding our own business until you, Harry, Artrex, Vanthingymabobb and all your war and...”
He stopped himself, suddenly realising what he’d just said in his fit of anger. But he was too furious to halt completely, and he carried on with his outburst.
“We’re just boys you know! Boys! What right have you, or Harry, or anyone to shove this onto Jake? As if you gave him any real choice in the matter!” he shouted angrily.
“Harry? Why do you mention Harry? You have seen him! He lives?” interrupted Tien, shocked and amazed at the sudden mention of his old friend’s name.
The boys were stunned into silence by the direct question about Jake’s grandfather. Ben began feeling a little guilty for speaking out, although he still raged with anger and felt that he’d been justified in his outburst. Jake didn’t know how he should respond and was strangely subdued. Tien instantly calmed down when he saw the boy’s reaction to what he’d asked. His whole demeanour seemed to change again to one of empathy and concern.
“Well, I suppose it’s a very long story.” answered Jake eventually.
Tien sat back in his chair, gesturing to the others to do likewise. “So, make yourselves comfortable and talk.” he said calmly. “I must know everything, if I am to help.”
Jake and Ben, with a little help from Verastus, relayed the whole story as they knew it to the old wizard. When they’d finished, they were both physically and mentally drained. Everyone fell silent for a while, and in due course, it was Verastus who spoke.
“So, Tien. What now? You have heard the tale so far, will you once again write the pages of history? Does your promise of earlier still hold true? Will you help us to restore the stones?”
Tien stared at each of them in turn, as if trying once again to gauge their sincerity and fortitude. Eventually, he replied.
“Yes, Verastus. I will help you. After all, it is what I do. It will not be easy though! I know of a few stones. We may be able to replace the corner gems, if our journeys are free from incident, which I seriously doubt. Vantrax must know of your intentions by now, he will not let you restore the stones if he can stop you. Word will have spread of your deeds, Jake. The journey will be fraught with danger. But, the centre stone... There is only one piece of Reolite that I know of which is large enough. That is...”
“Yes. I know, Tien.” interrupted Jake, guessing correctly the wizards thoughts. “But if that is what has to happen, then...”
“Ra! Spoken like a true Keeper.” Tien shouted, his spirits buoyed by the determination in Jake’s eyes. “So be it. The journey will begin tomorrow. The centre stone will wait until last. We may find another way, another stone perhaps?”
“Tomorrow?” asked Ben, a little disappointed. “Why not now?”
“Ha, ha... Time is getting on, Ben. It is late in the afternoon, we will not be able to travel far before having to rest for the night, better to rest fully in the safety of the mountain and start early in the morning. We will need the time to put as much distance between us and those Taskans as possible!” stated Tien.
The old wizard shuddered as he mentioned the warriors he knew were combing the countryside below them. He knew the Taskans had doubled their patrols after chasing the three fugitives, for he’d seen it all in a vision.
Tien knew a lot more. More than he could tell, though he desperately wanted to speak.
In the end though, all he could manage was, “Yuurgghhh, Taskans. Nasty creatures!”
Chapter 40
17th August – The Pursuit of the Rebels
The entire Rebel Army now poised to leave Soreen village knew how much depended upon the success of Jake’s mission to find Tien. Without the wizard, the stones couldn’t be restored. And without the stones, the Rebellion had little hope of combating King Vantrax’ evil magic and winning the war. King Artrex watched the three friends disappear over the horizon and then mounted his horse. He waited for the other riders to do the same and then waved the new army forward. The ground beneath them shook as thousands of horses, men and women began walking at the same time. It was still early morning in Rhuaddan, the sun was shining brightly and there was a cool easterly breeze blowing across the open fields which caressed the soldier’s cheeks, like a long lost friend. It was yet another beautiful day as the rebels headed for Nadjan and the besieged city of Dassilliak.
They journeyed for several hours and for some distance without incident, the King riding happily beside his daughter and Queen Bressial, with Lord Castrad following closely behind, still refusing to let his cousin out of his sight now that she’d been safely delivered back into his care. The pace of their march in the first few hours was painfully slow, many of the soldiers in the new army were on foot, wearing old, worn out shoes or no shoes at all, and there was a shortage of horses and transport, which hampered their progress. It was beginning to seriously concern the King.
“Raaargh!” he suddenly shouted in frustration, startling all those around him. “We will be caught in the open if we cannot increase the pace. We are far too slow. It will not do!” he shouted angrily.
“I agree father,” answered Princess Zephany, sharing Artrex’ concern that the enemy might catch them, “can I suggest something? Castrad and I can take some soldiers with us and ride into the surrounding villages and towns? We can borrow and steal if we have to, we need carts and wagons and horses. In the circumstances, I think…”
“Yes, daughter. A fine idea.” answered Artrex, interrupting her before she’d finished her sentence. “Only, we do not want to make enemies of our people, we will only take that which is freely given. Wait, daughter… Castrad can go, I want you here with me.” he added, stopping Zephany before she had chance to leave and glancing over regally at the Nadjan noble.
Castrad heard the order and looked quickly over at Queen Bressial, seeking her approval but trying, and failing, to hide his instinctive response from the King. Bressial nodded her permission and he raced away to organise the search. When
he was out of earshot, the King leaned over to Queen Bressial.
“I think we all know where Castrad’s loyalties lie.” he stated. Bressial smiled at him and they both laughed aloud.
As they continued riding south in the glorious sunshine, they talked of the old days before the war and Bressial’s captivity, enjoying their new found freedom and reflecting together on what, and who, had bbe t about the sudden and remarkable reversal in their fortunes. Within hours, the soldiers who had been sent with Castrad began reporting back to King Artrex in small groups, bringing with them horses, wagons and carts, anything that could be used to transport goods and people. It was the beginning of a process which would continue throughout the whole of their journey, and it would enable the new Rebel Army to move at an ever increasing pace.