Zelspar and the Magicians

by Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait

  The Walls carried the sounds to all inside the cave, allowing them the time and space to cry, hear, and remember. Zelspar turned and trudged with his heavy heart to the cave’s opening.

  Molakei called out, “We have heard the words the Walls carried to us. You are a brave Warrior to accept the quest given to you at such a great personal cost. We thank you for a glimpse of a Future of which offers joy to replace this sadness we feel. I think I am not a good Warrior. I would wave away this Future you have told us, to keep our current ways and hope for the Future to find our peoples also. In this, I would fail in being a brave Warrior…”

  Zelspar did not turn to look at Molakei as he spoke. Nor did he turn to see Flower Bird had slid down her father’s chest and held on to his legs, sobbing. Zelspar’s old and deep well of tears bubbled over until the well had emptied. He made his way to Perthorn and Kiel and found them packed and ready for the journey ahead. It was a somber meeting. All knew what they were leaving behind. The quicker they left, the closer to a better Future they would be.

  Flower Bird was inconsolable. She pulled her crumpled body away from her father and went to the sleeping area she had made for her and Zelspar. Overcome with heartache, she crawled into his bed of grasses and fur hides and rolled into them, trying to fill herself with the last of his warmth, holding onto the remnants of him. As she moved, she noticed something moved along with her, rolling as she did. She reached out and found it was a scroll. A thinly worked hide rolled up. Looking for the end of it, she turned it around in her hands to find it had been sealed with tree sap and the impression of a talon pressed into the waxy drop. Underneath the seal, a name had been written. Starleira. Flower Bird, battling her own despair, had not thought of how this news would affect the others. She brushed away her tears, grabbed the scroll, and went to get her father. They must take the scroll to Starleira.

  Starleira knew, as Flower Bird approached, a great loss was to be told. It was spoken in the language the body speaks before the words can come. As Flower Bird walked, her feet shuffled along the dirt as if the very weight of them could not be lifted. Her normally erect frame now drooped. Her shoulders had the appearance that they wanted to wrap her up in isolated comfort. All this Starleira observed before Flower Bird was close enough to see her tear stained face.

  Flower Bird said, “Zelspar is leaving. He travels with the Magicians.” Then she handed the scroll to Starleira. “This had your name.”

  Starleira cracked the seal with her talon and unfurled the hide and sat down where she had been standing. As she read, she could hear Flower Bird’s sniffles blend with her own. She turned the hide to one direction and the next, trying to read the other notations he had marked around the hide. It seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t grasp the meaning.

  “Were you with him when he wrote this?” Her eyes darted from Flower Bird to Molakei.

  “No. He must have written it when I went to find my father, we…I had news to share with him. When he returned to the cave later, he told us he had to leave. I only found the scroll when I went to lie in his bed of furs.” Her shoulders shook as she tried desperately to hold back the onslaught of tears welling up inside her.

  “Did he tell you of this Future he was shown?” Starleira asked softly.

  Molakei answered to save his daughter the burden of speaking. “He did. Both my daughter and I did not want to hear his words. It is a way with our peoples. We feel if we do not listen, a thing will not come about. He was wiser than us. He instead spoke to the walls of our cave, which holds all words and memories. We had to hear his words. Even though the happy Future he told us about is visible in the distance, it did not cover the pain of his leaving.”

  Starleira nodded. “I agree, my dear friends. It is most difficult to think of not having him with us. Part of my heart has left with him.” She sighed deeply. She had obligations. She was the Queen. “He has shared with me enough of the Future he will help secure that I have no choice but to support his decision. I hope to see these changes during my lifetime. And Flower Bird?” She paused until Flower Bird’s eyes lifted to meet her own. “You will have a very important role to play -- that is you and your father. Zelspar has asked for our assistance in any way you need us. He said you have found the place where the peoples have gathered, north of where your home had been. When the time is right for your travels, we will take you.”

  Molakei nodded. “We give you our thanks. It is not wise to go to the peoples when our hearts are so heavily weighted down. The Future we have been told holds much hope for us, for all of us. We need to make a strong impression if they are to welcome us and believe the words we bring.”

  Starleira stood. “I will never be able to repay you for taking care of our Kaida. I have come to think of us as family more than simply friends. You stay as long as you wish. When you decide to go, we will go with you. Only you will be able to understand what the peoples think about us. But if they welcome the idea of learning more of us, they will be welcomed here.”

  “Thank you, Queen of Mursei. We value our friendship with each of you. You gave to us a home when we lost ours, you became family when we had no other. Through you, we had a home with Kaida who helped us learn to smile again. Our fires became a place of light instead of only warmth. When the time comes to leave, it is my hope that Kaida and Zlemtec will journey with us and return many times to share with our peoples the way of understanding.”

  “What you say makes sense. They would be great ambassadors for our Hails. I would like them to stay here, of course, but I know they still have work to accomplish. The Legend spirals and reaches far and wide. I am sure Kaida’s role is a lifetime of such interactions, as you have already mentioned. She no longer belongs only to the Mursei Dragons, or with only the peoples of Urthe. My hope is she and Zlemtec will spend a great deal of time between both of our dwellings.”

  Molakei gathered his daughter to himself and guided her back to their cave. They sought refuge to let their feelings out without having others see their grief. He did not tell the Queen that today he lost what was to be his son through the marriage of his daughter. His daughter only shared that upon her added sorrows. His heart wept for her loss as well as his own.

  Starleira had called Kaida, Zlemtec, her King and Galdean to her lair to explain it to them. It was difficult for all to hear and accept but having his letter helped explain it in ways her words would never had been able to convince them, it was the right path for him to take.

  “My Bonded, what is this other writing he has written around the edges? I don’t recognize it,” Rynik asked.

  “I do not know either, but it is somewhat familiar. I think we should ask his relatives. Perhaps it is something used between him and his immediate family,” she replied.

  “I know of only one of his Mother’s hatchlings to survive to come with us through the portal.” Rynik was puzzled at Starleira’s words.

  “True, my Bonded, but his father became Bonded to another, years after Zelspar’s mother was killed in battle. Their hatchlings grew and had their own hatchlings. Those that made it to Urthe are Maj’es and Cybek. I believe I will ask Cybek first, since she has been helping with the teaching in the Qydrom Hail. She would have studied all the writings passed down through the Qydrom Hail.”

  Galdean commented, “It would be good to know what it is and why he felt the need to write it in a way we don’t understand. That is odd, even for Zelspar.”

  The news traveled like a wildfire in deadwood. Zelspar had left with the

  Magicians. In time, after the initial shock and grief, the Dragons would be able to accept the decision. It was well known that behind the tail of a big loss, came a big gain. They began preparing for the Future foretold through Zelspar’s writing.

  Chapter 22

  Forrest excelled in all the principles Ms. Lenonne taught. The time was growing near for his decision. After the last several years under her tutorship she wondered, would he continue with the Teller of the Tales or le
ave to continue his education elsewhere?

  Naomi brought the teapot and scones to the front porch to enjoy as she waited for Forrest to arrive. It was the last few weeks before the end of his schooling -- graduation time and decisions. She had never been prouder of an initiate or student. He had an unnatural ability to excel in all the subjects. Though geography and geology continued to be his passion.

  She watched him as he barreled up the hill. His cheeks were flushed and is eyes were filled with excitement.

  “Ms. Lenonne, I’ve done it! I think I have broken part of the code from the letter Zelspar wrote.”

  Ms. L. sprung up from her wicker rocker, spilling tea down the front of her blouse. “What do you mean? What have you found?”

  “It was when I was reading up on some finds an archaeologist had written. The book showed some rocks with symbols on them which was written ages ago. Anyway, one rock had a symbol for Summer, a setting sun. He put them together to show how it could mean the end of the Summer season. That’s when it hit me: the symbols, they are remarkably similar to the ones Zelspar wrote in the letter to Starleira.”

  “Are you sure, Forrest?” Ms. Lenonne’s heart was racing.

  “I have a chart where I’ve written down the symbols, and I check them against any symbols I find as I study. But I think the archaeologist was incorrect at his concept of the meaning of the symbols. Due to the location they were found, I believe it means something completely different. I think the rocks were a name. I believe it to mean Somerset. Look here,” he said as he pulled a paper out of his trouser pocket. “But that isn’t the most exciting part. He has another rock pictured tilted on the ground with no explanation, just a hand sized rock with pockmarks on it. The more I looked at it the more the dots began to take shape. It was a map. Now, look at this symbol Zelspar used. It’s the same. Zelspar is telling us, he has left a map and I think he means it is in Somerset!”

  Ms. Lenonne was peering at the symbols Forrest had circled on his paper. Could it be? she wondered.

  “Can we go look? Go to Somerset and search?” His face had beads of perspiration sprouting on his forehead and his upper lip peppered with hair. His excitement oozed out of every pore.

  “Forrest, we can’t just jump up and go. You are about to take your test for graduating my teachings and you will have a decision to make. The very important decision on whether you wish to continue your studies with me or leave.”

  “Of course, I’m going to continue with you. We have so many discoveries yet to make. And now we may finally find some answers to the mysterious texts and symbols Zelspar left behind. I have to find out their meaning, don’t you?”

  Ms. Lenonne’s hand clasped over her heart as a soft chuckle rose from her throat. “Indeed, I do. I have been trying to make sense out of those symbols for the longest time. I could never find any symbols which looked anything like what he used.”

  “That is because they were only recently discovered. I brought you the magazine that shows the pictures.” He pulled the backpack from his shoulders and dropped it on the porch, riffling through its contents. “Here it is. Look at the guy in the picture. He is up at the Cadbury Castle site.”

  Her heart deflated. She knew there had been excavations held at that site. Anything that had been there surely must have been dug up and taken away by now for future study. She explained those concerns to Forrest.

  “Ms. Lenonne, I don’t think that is true. Think about this. I think we have to think like Zelspar did, not only that, but we have to remember all we know about him. He was terrific at Magic, he could talk to his Ancestors, and he also could talk to Pravietis, the Future Walker. You see, he would know what would happen in the Future and how best to hide his map, or whatever it is, until the right people could discover it.”

  A tingle rose and spread from her arms to the back of her neck, raising bumps along their way. Her eyes flashed their emerald sparkle. “It does seem very much like Zelspar to leave something for us to find in what would be his Future. And knowing of such times would help him in finding where to leave…whatever it is, he wants found.”

  “So, we are going, aren’t we?” he urged.

  “Yes. We will go, but we have many things to tend to before we can leave.”

  Forrest let out a deep Uggghhh, making it known he was more than ready to leave at that very moment and dig all the way through the earth to find the secrets Zelspar had hidden.

  “First things first.” She peered deeply into his eyes. “There are a great many necessities to be taken care of before we can simply pick up and go on an exploration. You must pass your exams first. Then we can show the report to your family and have your scores posted for future consideration by colleges. Then we must make the house ready for our departure. I have to notify another Teller of the Tales to come and watch over it.”

  “Why do you have to do that? It’s an old house, it isn’t like anyone is likely to come up here and steal anything.”

  “One never knows, Forrest. Besides, it is one of the ‘rules’ of being a Teller of the Tales and the guardian to this place. It must always have someone here to take care of it and guard it against…well, any troublemakers.” She paused and let the roll of his eyes pass without commenting.

  When she continued, she had made a decision. “Since you have brought such hopeful news today, I declare it as a holiday. No studies.”

  “Great! I think I will still take my stuff and see if I can find any other clues that might help us.”

  “I have a better idea, Forrest. Since you have decided to continue with me and take on being a Teller of the Tales in due time, it is my pleasure to start showing you some of the hidden secrets right here.”

  “Are you serious? Hidden stuff right here?”

  She giggled and turned his shoulders towards the door. “Let’s do some investigating.”

  He reached down and grabbed a couple of scones as he went in through the door, still bubbling over with thoughts.

  “Forrest, I will show you things you should know. Things that are a secret and are never to be shared. Is that understood?”

  Ms. Lenonne’s eyes, normally a shade of green that radiated warmth, turned to a flashing green. A look one could only describe as dangerous. Sparks of fire seemed to linger within her eyes as she drove her point home.

  “I w-would never tell the secrets.” His voice came out in bits and pieces, both out of nervousness and disappointment that she would believe he would or could tell her secrets.

  “You are the first new initiate to make the rankings of a novice in several years. The reason is simply this: many Tellers of the Tales have met with promising students only to become disappointed in the end when the initiate could not keep the secrets. When this happens, it causes dire consequences. Trust me when I tell you, the secrets protect a lot of lives.”

  “I do trust you, Ms. Lenonne. I want you to trust me. I would not have stayed or promised to become a Teller of the Tales only to give away the secrets. I love the path I’m on. I want to learn more, everything I can. It is fascinating.”

  She smiled softly as she patted his shoulder. “I do trust you. I had to make sure you knew the importance of everything I share with you. You will be shown great things and with that comes a great responsibility. Now that we have that discussion out of the way, it is time to show you a secret or two. We will start in the basement.”

  He looked at Ms. Lenonne and dropped his head, feeling slightly deflated. He dreamt of big secrets, not dark and damp old basements. He shrugged and followed her as she tread down the stairs and pulled the cord to illuminate the basement area.

  His eyes took in all the stuff you would expect in a place like a basement. Tables were scattered with bottles of food stored up for later, some boxes filled with old newspapers, and the yard implements hanging behind the table, on the walls. He sighed, but softly, so Ms. L. wouldn’t overhear his disappointment.

  She wove her way through the tall upright wooden shelving toward
s the back. He followed running his fingers through the dust on the shelves in passing.

  She stopped.

  “Yuri, I’ve brought a guest,” she said.

  Forrest scanned all around and just as he was about to shrug it off as a bit of a joke, his eyes caught something large around the corner.

  “Hello Forrest. At last, we meet proper.”

  “A -- a DRAGON!” His voice sputtered, getting caught in the revving of his heartbeats.

  Yuri and Ms. L. didn’t say another word. What happened next was of vital importance.

  Forrest took one step forward. Then, another. He kept walking step by step until he stood before Yuri. A whispered rush came out of his lips.

  “You. I’ve seen you in my dreams,” he managed to say.

  “No, not in your dreams, Forrest. In the sky.” Yuri smiled but kept his muzzle closed as to not alarm him.

  “I thought…No, I always felt you were real. You are real!”