Serpent in the Mist

by Cleave Bourbon

  Vesperin went to Trendan as soon as he came through the portal to tend to any wounds he might have. Trendan fell to his knees and gasped for breath; he had been in a full sprint, half motivated by adrenaline and half motivated by fear. Vesperin said a healing prayer, and Trendan’s labored breathing abated.

  Morgoran put his hand on Trendan’s back. “Tell us what happened when you can.”

  Trendan took a deep breath and let it out slowly, thankful his chest had stopped hurting. “It was General Sythril and his men. I went to scout what I thought was a campfire, but when I got there, it was a hearthstone that only glowed in the presence of living people in the city. The general showed up and introduced himself. I had heard the stories; I didn’t wait for another minute. I leaped up onto a crumbled wall and ran as fast as I could for the portal. I didn’t look back.”

  “You acted in the right manner,” Morgoran assured him. “The general would have lured you in and added you to his unholy army if you would have hesitated even a moment.” Morgoran addressed Vesperin. “Take care to mend him well. We must go back to By’temog; it is our only choice.”

  “What?” Trendan said with alarm. “Why would you want to do that?”

  “We need to get to Draegodor and, with the limited availability of the portals, By’temog is the closest point,” Morgoran answered.

  Shadesilver stepped forward. “We might be able to go from here. It isn’t too much farther.”

  Morgoran scratched his right bushy eyebrow. “I appreciate the thought, but even now we are wasting precious time. We need to figure out where Devyn has gotten off to, and every second counts. There is no telling what state he is in after what happened with the trials.”

  “Devyn!” Trendan perked up. “He is in Lux Enor. Kimala, Fayne, and I tried to follow him through the portal. That’s how we ended up in By’temog. He did something to the portal when we tried to get through that sent us to By’temog instead.”

  “Did he? I have never heard of anyone manipulating the portals that way before. I was unaware it was possible. This does, however, present a new problem. I am sure Naneden and his armies have taken Lux Enor. In fact, if we roamed around Tippen’s Landing, I am sure we would run into forces here as well.”

  “Do you have an idea as to why Devyn would go to Lux Enor, Morgoran?” Kelle asked. “Do you think he might try to capture Naneden on his own?”

  “When he regained consciousness after the trials, he was spouting something about the Tome of Enlightenment. He said Fawlsbane Vex came to him and told him where it was located.”

  “What is the Tome of Enlightenment?” Kelle asked.

  “May I?” Melias asked Morgoran.

  “Of course.” Morgoran gestured for him to come forward. “Who better to explain the tome than a monk of Fawlsbane Vex?”

  Melias bowed his head slightly, folded his arms into the sleeves of his robes, and cleared his throat. “For a time, Fawlsbane Vex had commanded the dragons to be the guardians of man. The dragons, you see, were created in the beginning by the twin son and daughter of Fawlsbane Vex and Loracia, Xeian, and Breannen. Fawlsbane Vex liked the dragons so much, he created his own version and nurtured the entire race with its own unique magic. Man, on the other hand, has no magic, hence the reason Fawlsbane Vex felt it necessary to give them guardians.”

  “Sorry to interrupt, Melias,” Morgoran interjected, “but don’t forget to tell them of the pact.”

  “Oh, yes, thank you, Morgoran. The other gods, including Fawlsbane Vex’s brother Fex and the god Fawl, whom Vex defeated and destroyed, thus the name Fawlsbane Vex, had also created their own versions of followers and a myriad of creatures.”

  “All of them given life by Loracia,” Vesperin reminded him.

  “Of course,” Melias acknowledged. “Anyhow, to simplify, when wars broke out between rival peoples, Fawlsbane Vex made a pact with all the other gods that from then on, no one should create any being or creature without his expressed permission and that no god should interfere with the natural process of their creation directly. The whole affair is extremely complicated, but that is the jist of it.”

  Morgoran nodded. “I think most everyone here has a basic knowledge of mythology and history. Now kindly get back to the tome.”

  “At some point, the dragons became wary of man and judged them ungrateful and rash. The dragons retreated from being guardians of man and left to build Draegodor. Fawlsbane Vex tried to talk them out of it, but the dragons made extremely convincing arguments and were allowed to leave man to his own devices. One of the arguments was that man had begun to hunt some of the lesser dragons and kill them. Those dragons developed a particular hatred for men and vowed to destroy them.”

  “The dragons of Kragodor,” Shadesilver said.

  “Aye,” Melias nodded, “and with the dragons of Draegodor no longer protecting man, the so-called “evil” dragons preyed freely on man and his livelihood. Fawlsbane Vex could not interfere with the lesser dragons created by his offspring by penalty of his own decree, so he broke the pact by a technicality. He did not intervene in the affairs of the dragons directly; instead, he gave man the Tome of Enlightenment, a book of knowledge that taught man their own version of magic.”

  “A bit long-winded, my friend,” Morgoran jested, “but essentially the story.”

  “Why would Devyn want to get the book?” Bren asked. “He can already use the magic.”

  “The tome bestows magic on man. Not only would it teach him how to use the wild magic, it would bestow on him all the knowledge of magic ever known to man. Magic is waning here due to the War of the Oracle and all the time that has passed where magic was essentially outlawed.”

  “I get it,” Bren said. “Devyn would have the power of the Blight and the ability to utilize it.”

  “Exactly, he would even know the magic man has forgotten.”

  “That’s wonderful news then,” Trendan said. “Devyn could get the army back and oust Naneden and Toborne. Why aren’t we helping him get it!” He looked at Morgoran, who obviously did not share in his enthusiasm. “Morgoran?”

  A reluctant Morgoran spoke. “Devyn is not himself. The trials did not go exactly as expected. I do believe, however, that his essence sickness was cured, but at such a high price.”

  Kelle suddenly confronted Morgoran. “What happened to Devyn? Is he okay?”

  Morgoran put up his hand to ward off her advancement. “He is well. I am just not sure of his priorities any longer. I am uncertain of what he encountered in the trials. His motivations are in question, and his actions may now have more dire consequences than that of Toborne and Naneden.”

  “Or he may have a better understanding than you on what needs to be done now. Maybe he no longer needs your guidance.” Kelle’s voice was icy.

  Morgoran nodded. “I hope beyond hope you are correct.” He straightened his back and slapped his hands on his knees to change the mood. “At any rate, thanks to Trendan’s new information, I now believe I know what he is after and where he is going. The portal chamber at Lux Enor is directly under the archives building across from the highlord’s forum building. He could slip into the archives undetected and then back to the portal chamber. According to legend, there are four keys needed to get the tome. The actual location of the Tome of Enlightenment can only be revealed if all of the four keys are first retrieved. The first key is a fist-sized blue crystal encased and on display in that archive building. It isn’t even guarded because no one really believes that the tome even exists outside of legend. The second key is a staff that the crystal fuses with. Currently, it is in the hands of the king of Symboria, and he isn’t about to let go of it. He even uses it to hobble around on like a crutch; he would be lost without it. The third key is a golden serpent that, when joined with the other keys, will magically wrap around the staff. It is said to be lost somewhere in the treasure hoard of King Amarantus in Draegodor.”

  “Good luck getting that key,” Shadesilver snickered.

&nbs
p; “Indeed,” Morgoran mused, “and then there is the fourth key, the eternal light.”

  “Where is that key?” Vesperin asked.

  “If memory serves, it is trapped inside an amulet and must be released into the staff when the other three keys are joined.”

  “Let me guess,” Vesperin mused, “it’s around the neck of Fawlsbane Vex himself.”

  “No, much worse than that and far less likely to get ahold of. It’s around the neck of General Sythril. The eternal light is the life essence of the rulers of Ishrak. It’s what curses him to his unnatural existence. To get that key, one must first break the curse of Ishrak. If Devyn is convinced the tome exists, and if he is going after the fabled keys, we must stop him before he goes to By’temog. Throughout time, wielders much more skilled than Devyn have tried to get at General Sythril. All of them failed, and the general would not hesitate to add another wielder to his twisted army before Devyn could get anywhere near that amulet.”

  “It is safe to assume he has the first key,” Melias guessed. “The second key, the staff, is the closest to Lux Enor. Wouldn’t he try to procure them in order?”

  “Why would he go after them in order?” Morgoran considered the possibility. “If I thought I might be followed and I also thought the pursuers might guess what I am up too, I would go out of order to throw them off my trail, and you are wrong; the second key is not the closest. At present, the fourth key is closest, through the portal.”

  “Symbor does not have a portal?” Trendan asked.

  “Old Symbor does, but it is of little use to us being in the Blight. The current Symbor used to be the city of Paladine, and I know for a fact that the first thing the kings of old did before they built the new king’s castle was destroy all remnants of magic in the city. That includes the Portal chamber,” Morgoran replied.

  Kimala stretched out her arms and pulled them back to stretch out her shoulders. “Are we going to stay cooped up in this chamber?”

  Morgoran crossed his arms. “We are trying to discuss our next move now, or haven’t you been listening?”

  “I have been listening to a lot of indecision. We could split into pairs and go to each location. Wouldn’t that be the easiest? You even have two dragon knights and a dragon that could go to Draegodor.”

  “You think it’s that simple, do you? What of the team going back to By’temog?”

  “Morgoran, what do you expect, us to all stay together and fight the general and his army? A smaller team could get to Devyn much easier, don’t you think?”

  Morgoran thought about Kimala’s words for a long moment before reluctantly capitulating. “She is right; we would cover more ground if we headed to each location simultaneously.”

  “Morgoran, I agree it does make sense to go to each key; however, I am not convinced of this witch’s intent. You say she is a spy for Enowene and Lady Shey?”

  “Aye, Melias. She is indeed on our side. The downfall of Brightonhold Keep could not have happened without her. Ianthill versed me on his plans. Assuming she finished her task after Brightonhold . . .” He looked in her direction, and she nodded that she had. “We will be in her debt once more.”

  Melias gave Kimala a sour glance that did not go unnoticed by Morgoran. “She can come along with you and me, and you can keep a sharp eye on her.” Melias agreed with a single nod. “Good, now it’s obvious that the dragon knights should go to Draegodor with Shadesilver, but it isn’t as clear cut with where the other two teams should go.”

  Vesperin chimed in. “Aye, but it is. I should be on the team that goes back to By’temog. I am a cleric of Loracia. The cursed men there are an abomination against the goddess of life. It is my solemn duty.”

  Kimala smiled and grabbed Fayne by the hand, pulling her next to Vesperin. “Fayne is also a disciple of Loracia.”

  “I volunteer to go with Vesperin and Fayne.” Trendan spoke up as soon as Morgoran agreed to pair up Fayne with Vesperin. Kimala’s smile turned immediately into a frown.

  “Very well, we have our tasks. Melias, Kimala, and I will go to Symbor to talk to the king.” Morgoran studied the frieze on the portal ring and drew upon essence. The portal opened with a blue light and a swooshing noise. “Excellent!” Morgoran said. “The Portal in Tyre is still intact. Shadesilver and the knights can get to Draegodor easily from there. I had better step through with you though.” He spoke to Shadesilver. “I was certain the chamber had been discovered and destroyed long ago before my affliction.” Morgoran, Shadesilver, and the knights stepped through. A few moments later, Morgoran returned. “They did try to destroy it. The portal chamber was partially buried but passable. The dragon knights are on their way.”

  Trendan looked suspiciously at Kimala. “I thought the portal was stuck on By’temog.”

  Morgoran manipulated the symbols around the circumference of the outer portal ring, and the active portal sputtered closed. “It was,” Morgoran chided. “I used these portals during their heyday; I still remember a few tricks.”

  Kimala seemed amused. “Don’t get irritated, Morgoran, it’s the price you pay for being a spy. Trust is a premium.”

  Morgoran opened the portal again. “Okay, By’temog awaits.” He put his hand on Vesperin’s shoulder. “Don’t take unnecessary risks. The general is much more powerful than the spooks at Signal Hill. Other clerics of Loracia have tried to take him on in the past and failed. You are really just there for Devyn. Don’t seek out the general; just use your light to protect yourself.”

  “I will, Morgoran, and good luck with the king.”

  Morgoran stopped him from moving toward the portal again. “And one other point. There is no one in your group that can reopen this portal.”

  Vesperin nodded and stepped through, followed by Fayne and then Trendan.

  “All right, Melias, Kimala, let’s go see the king of Symboria.” He closed the portal and then reopened it. “Hmm, that’s unexpected.”

  “Morgoran, what is it?” Melias inquired.

  “Just for curiosity’s sake, I tried the portal for Paladine and it opened.” He scratched his head. “There is a portal again for Symbor.”

  “HA, YOU ARE NOT AS good with enchanting as you remember!” Gondrial ridiculed Lady Shey as she tried to steady The Shooting Star, the stolen ship they had magically flown out of Seabrey.

  “I might not be able to enchant it to float in the air, but I can make it stand on its keel indefinitely! That is plenty good enough,” Lady Shey retorted.

  “You two stop bickering,” Ianthill said as he and Enowene prepared a few provisions nearby for the trek into the ruined city of Ishva. “I am tired of your voices!”

  Sanmir descended from the ship on a rope ladder attached to the deck high above and joined the others. Gondrial sent the ladder back up to the ship with a flick of his forefinger. He stepped back and took in the view of the ship. “It is a bit strange seeing a full-sized ship standing on its keel in a field of yellow prairie grass in the middle of nowhere.”

  “Aye,” Ianthill agreed, “but Ishrak is an empire in ruins, so there is no one to see it but us.”

  “I am thankful for that. I have explained my way out of many situations, but a full-sailing ship alone on a field leagues away from any water source might be difficult.”

  “I am sure you could talk your way clear of that too,” Lady Shey commented. “I once saw you convince a man that you turned his wife into a horse so you could run off with his actual wife. Whatever happened to her anyway?”

  “Oh, nothing really. The owner of the horse didn’t take too kindly of the man trying to take his horse home. He didn’t believe it was his wife, and a fight ensued. The man was killed over the altercation, and the woman inherited all his land and possessions. For some reason, she lost interest in me.”

  Sanmir was horrified. “That’s terrible. That poor man.”

  “I didn’t say I was proud of doing it. How was I to know what would happen to him?”

  “That’s quite enough,”
Ianthill said. “Let’s be on our way. Ishva isn’t far. Where is Kyrie?”

  “Of all things, he is deathly afraid that he will be cursed if he comes down off the ship,” Gondrial said. “He isn’t afraid of falling to his death trying to descend the rope ladder, or a plunging to his death riding a flying ship held up by mere essence, but he is scared senseless of being cursed. He will be all right to stay aboard.”

  Ianthill and party reached Ishva without incident. The ruined city appeared abandoned, but Ianthill knew where the afflicted lived. He had visited the city before, trying to lend aid to the poor souls. He found the building that used to house the afflicted empty. Upon searching the grounds, Ianthill finally came across a pleasant-looking man of about middle age with a receding hairline. He was sitting peacefully under a shade umbrella, looking off to the plains.

  “Hail,” Ianthill greeted the man.

  “Hail, friend,” the man replied.

  “Forgive me, sir, but where are the afflicted that used to take up residence here?”

  “All cured,” said the man. “That’s why that plain yonder is calm.”

  “Cured how?” Ianthill asked.

  “Theosus brought a young man to us that knew how to cure our affliction. He stayed up a full night to get everyone cured up.”

  “Where is this young man now?”

  “Gone. He went with Theosus and the rest to the capital. I stayed behind because of my bad back and knees. They should be back in a week or two.”

  “They went to the capital of Ishrak? Are you referring to By’temog?”

  “Aye, they went to the capital. They went after something important—a book or something to help us learn how to help use the wild magic so that we are never afflicted again.”

  “Thank you, sir, you have been most helpful.”

  “Certainly,” the man said.

  Ianthill took the others aside. “I think he is talking about the Tome of Enlightenment.”

  Gondrial laughed. “It’s a myth.”

  “According to legend, you have to have four keys to find it, right?” Lady Shey inquired.