The Estian Alliance

by M J Webb

  “She? A child? Oh my God! What happened to her?” cried Ben, hardly able to believe what he was hearing.

  Jean looked down at the floor. Her weary and gaunt face was now full of sadness, and shame. “I do not know. I had a sweet little girl once. She was my perfect little angel. She was my entire world. She lived with me in the fortress for four years, somehow surviving the horrendous conditions. She was tough, a real fighter. Then, one day, for no reason whatsoever, she was taken from me.”

  “Taken? To where?” asked Princess Zephany.

  “I have no idea. To this day, I do not know for certain. I was told many months later that she had been sold on Mynae, to the highest bidder. I tried and tried to find out more but to no avail. My heart was broken in two and when the chance came to escape, I took it. I ran and I hid as far away from Heron Getracht and King Vantrax as it is possible to go. I eventually settled on the isle of Rawsellon, the southernmost point of Estia. It was a wilderness where no one and nothing could bother me.”

  “Yeah, okay, I understand that you needed to disappear, but a child!” said Ben, unable to think of anything else. “That would make her… Jake’s auntie?”

  “Yes. I suppose I was a bit old for children at that point, though I am a good few years younger than Harry. It wasn’t planned. I hadn’t told him when I was taken. I’d only just found out myself. No one knew.”

  “Four? You said she was four?” asked Zephany. A very strange feeling overcame the Princess all of a sudden, a sense of foreboding almost. “…If she survived, that would make her a young woman now. What was her name?”

  Jean wiped her tears away with her sleeve. “I don’t expect that she kept it, but I named her Melissa, after my grandmother.”

  “Oh hell!” screamed Ben, as a sharp intake of breath from all those around her immediately caught Jean’s attention.

  “What? What is it? You must tell me if you know anything!” she pleaded.

  Ben looked straight at Princess Zephany. “This is priceless. Are you gonna tell her, or shall I?”

  The Princess decided she should be the one to speak. She placed her hands on Jean’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. “Your child yet lives, Jean. In fact, I should think it highly probable that you will soon see her again. Though, it may be a severe disappointment to you if that is the case. She is a warrior to be feared, and she serves King Vantrax.”

  Jean wasn’t really sure what to make of the news. She was all of a sudden exhilarated, thrilled, excited, but she was also scared.

  “Srr… I would not count on it,” stated Verastus. “I may be mistaken, but I am almost certain that she was hit by Gellsorr, at Dassilliak. The light I believe has turned her to stone.”

  “Oh yeah… He’s right!” Ben remembered. “Err… Sorry?” he added, as the nature of the news and what it might mean to Jean suddenly registered with him.

  Jean shook her head a few times as she tried hard to process all of the information she had been given. It was an action Ben had seen his best friend perform time and time again. Silence once again fell upon the tavern. Eventually, the old lady replied. “I feel numb. I don’t think I can take much more… But then, to all intents and purposes my child was lost to me before this day, before I came to this place and found you all. I had dealt with that loss long ago. As painful as it was, I can grieve no more than I already have. I lost my little girl many years ago. The warrior you speak of would be a stranger to me now, and I to her. And if she truly serves the powers of evil, then perhaps it is for the best if she is gone? Oh I just don’t know, I cannot think straight. Besides, all I can think of now is trying to reach my husband, to let him know that I’m still alive. Then, who knows what might happen? Maybe there is something left between us after all these years? I’m sure he will have moved on with his life though? He must have found someone else?”

  “He hasn’t!” interrupted Ben. “He’s still mourning you even after all this time. He’s never forgiven himself. It’s sad really. I never knew the whole story.”

  “I see. I don’t know what to think, Ben. A part of me feels like I should never have come here, that I should have stayed on Rawsellon. But then…? No. I have made the right decision, I know it. Tell me, how do we go home?”

  “Eh? Oh, that’s simple,” replied the teenager, with his customary humour. “All we have to do is hope that your grandson, my best mate, manages to steal the fourth stone we need away from the greatest warrior in the Thargw empire, barring Sawdon of course. And that he somehow manages to escape from the enemy’s lair with his life. Then, we have to defeat two great armies, countless thousands of walking zombies the likes of which you have never dreamt of in your wildest nightmares, and a host of unbelievably horrifying creatures, led by some horsemen from the apocalypse. Oh, and we have to kill an all powerful wizard and take his stone… And Sawdon himself.

  If we do all that, we can then try to mend the box I broke. Hopefully, if we survive and we manage to restore it properly, it may just work and take us back, to exactly the right time and place… On the right world.”

  “Huh! Is that all? I’m glad I asked,” said Jean. She smiled a little and winked at Ben.

  In that one moment, the youngster saw the whole of the West family in her eyes. ‘Oh yes, she’s Harry’s wife alright,’ he thought, and he laughed along with her. “Well, first thing’s first, let’s get some food down ya. Hey, tell ya what, I can’t wait ‘til you meet Jake. Seriously, this is gonna blow his socks off!”

  Chapter 11

  2nd September - The City of Kerrallux - Eratur - Mynae

  Mid afternoon in Kerrallux and the Thargw inhabitants of the city, who would normally be out in force on the many streets and alleyways going about their daily lives, had all shut themselves firmly behind wooden doors. There they remained, safe from harm and away from the two desperate, dangerous fugitives who had so audaciously written themselves into Thargw history books by raiding the Emperor’s palace. The citizens of the great fortress city had barricaded themselves inside their homes on the orders of the Emperor himself, to effectively deny the escapees shelter and a place to hide. Their actions also allowed the thorough house to house search which was underway to proceed unhindered. It had begun at dawn, as soon as the sun had risen in the sky. Hour after hour had passed, hundreds of homes were turned upside down, but they found nothing. The Emperor was furious, the grid was widened, and the search was intensified. Every single warrior who was able to wield a sword now joined in the hunt. The Thargws were busily and frenetically combing every inch of the city looking for any sign of the two intruders, any clue as to their whereabouts, for they were certain they had not escaped and just could not understand how they had evaded capture.

  Beneath the heavy rock cover of a nearby drainage ditch, built to remove sewerage and waste from the rows of dwellings and not far from the city centre, Jake and Tien lay in absolute silence. They were listening anxiously to the various noises coming from above. Numerous cries and shouts rang out, the signs of a frantic and exhaustive search taking place all around their position. For the time being though, they were not concerned. The Thargw warriors would not think to search the ditch in which they were concealed, for the weighty stone which covered them was far too heavy to be lifted by anyone who did not possess a similar magic to that of Tien. No one but a wizard would even think to attempt such a feat. Just so long as they remained perfectly quiet, they were safe from harm in their dark, putrid hideaway and they would remain so for as long as they were not heard. They knew from experience that Thargws possessed excellent hearing and had therefore decided to keep conversation to a minimum.

  When he felt it was finally safe to talk, Jake whispered to the wizard in a voice as quiet as he could make it. “Phew… Okay, they’ve gone. Look, we can’t stay here all day, we have to get moving. Princess Zephany and the others need our help. Every moment we waste here is…”

  “Jake! I am sorry but I know. I agree with you, but what can we do? Even if we do
manage to break free of this prison unseen, we would never make it out of the city alive. Do not forget, without Gellsorr, we no longer have any means of returning to Estia,” interrupted Tien.

  “Yeah, but I’m not having that. I won’t give up. There has to be a way. It can’t be true,” stated Jake, in a voice that was still hushed but now more forceful. “I refuse to accept that we can’t do anything!”

  “Then, what would you have us try, Keeper?”

  “Eh? I dunno… Can’t you fly us out of here somehow? You’re supposed to be the wizard. Ain’t you got a spell or two for that?”

  “I am afraid not. Flight is one thing I have never aspired to, or needed… Until now. I have never mastered the art for I have not tried.”

  “Oh. Thanks for that little gem. Ah well, never mind, just a thought. We’ll have to think of something else then,” said the youngster, bitterly disappointed. “I suppose we could fight our way out?”

  “Tah! Even with all your new powers, it would take a whole army of Keepers. There are thousands of them out there.”

  “Hmmnn… Yeah, I guess you’re right. It looks like we’re stuck here then? Well, that’s just great, innit? I never thought I would end up dying in a ditch of…”

  Jake stopped talking and he suddenly began to snigger. He tried hard to suppress the noise by holding his hands over his mouth, but he failed. “Ha, ha…”

  “Shush, Jake! They might hear you,” rasped the wizard, his face blood red with rage all of a sudden. “Be quiet! Quiet I say! Oh for…! And just what the darraiesh are you giggling at anyway? What is so funny, given our plight?”

  Jake’s mirth halted just enough for him to speak in-between giggles. “Ha, ha… I’m… I’m supposed to be this big, superhero or summin’, this almighty, all conquering Keeper dude, who’s going to vanquish evil and save everyone. You’ve all been banging on about me and how special I am since the very first time we met. Ha, ha… Well, tell me this, oh great and wise one… Is there anything in the prophecies that covers this? Ha, ha… Do they say by any chance, ‘…The Keeper impressed all he knew, covered in muck, smothered in poo?’ Ha, ha…”

  “What? No, of course not! Now, stop being so ridiculous and help me figure out what we are going to do!” huffed Tien. His temper was rising rapidly. He failed to see the humour and he had grown quite angry all of a sudden. Not for the first time, he was intensely disappointed by the immaturity shown by the Keeper, but on this occasion he did not attempt to hide it.

  Jake saw it in his eyes immediately. He stopped laughing, calmed himself down and replied. “Alright, alright, keep your hair on. I was only… Ha, ha…” He started laughing again, briefly. “Oops… Sorry. I forgot, you ain’t got no hair, have ya?”

  Tien was now at the end of his tether. Harsh words of anger erupted from within before he knew what he was saying. Jake had pushed the right button alright, a button no other Keeper before him had even come close to pushing.

  “Raargh! I am blessed by the spirits, ageless, but you two boys will be the death of me! I do not know how you have managed to survive so far in your world, or this, but I will be amazed if you fulfil your destiny. You are…! Tah! I cannot even bring myself to say it!

  I used to think your ways, your methods for coping with everything that has happened, were a great asset to us. Now though, now that I am caught up in a real life or death situation…? Yargh! I am befuddled, making no sense! See what you have done? You and your friend have brought me to this! You laugh when you should be shedding tears and sweat. You smile, when you should be shaking in fear. You ridicule everyone and everything, and you just do not seem to care. I will never understand you.”

  Jake was shamed by Tien’s short rebuke. As a sudden rush of heat reddened his cheeks, he took a couple of deep breaths and accepted that the wizard had a point; this was not the time perhaps for jokes. “Okay, okay, I’m back with you now. Relax. Kerrallux. Trapped. Thargws all around us. See? I’ve got it. I’m on top of things… Right, here’s the plan. We can’t stay here. Sooner or later they are bound to find us, or we’ll have to leave to find food and water. And anyway, we have no time. Our friends at Te’oull are relying on us. So… We’re gonna make a break for it tonight, as soon as it’s dark. We’ll head for the stables near the palace. They won’t expect us to double back on ourselves, and we can try to get some horses. After that, we’ll just have to revert to plan B, and fight our way out, like Jason Statham or something?”

  Jake looked expectantly at Tien, expecting a response. The old wizard said nothing but he was clearly unimpressed, and a little confused. “Well? What d’ya think?”

  “Jason Stathe? Who is he? A great warrior from your world? Never mind, I… I think, that the art of planning has perhaps not proven to be where your best talents lie?”

  “Ha, ha… Yeah, perhaps not,” Jake answered, chuckling slightly. “I wish Knesh was here. But, at least we’ll be doing something, rather than just sitting around waiting for the end to come?”

  “Indeed, Keeper. There is that. You realise though, that this probably means certain death for us both?”

  Jake nodded, but he was still smiling. “Yeah… Actually, no. No I don’t. I’m hoping for a bit of that Keeper’s luck we’ve enjoyed so far, that destiny thing everyone keeps talking about. It’s gotten me out of a few tight spots already, maybe it will again? And, he’s an actor, a British one at that.”

  “I have no idea what that is, Jake. But, if he inspires you, I will like him. You should know that the spirits are gone. They cannot save us now. Even if they were not otherwise engaged, we are too far away from them to expect any help. We are out of reach of their power.”

  “Hmmn… So, what you’re saying is, we’re all alone and facing almost certain annihilation?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. The odds of survival are very slim.”

  “Oh. Well, that’s alright then. I’m a Keeper. I would have it no other way.”

  * * *

  As the last remnants of daylight faded, this part of Kerrallux city was strangely silent. The search for the two fugitives continued, but by now it had spread to way past their current location. It was so far away in fact, that it was out of earshot for Jake and Tien. The city streets seemed almost deserted. Warriors had been posted all around by the military commanders, taking up positions at every vital juncture or building. There they stood motionless, straining every sinew to listen for their prey, using their powerful ears to try to detect any movement which might betray their whereabouts.

  Jake decided the time was right to move. Tien cast another spell and the huge, bulky stone which had them trapped rose steadily into the air, floating effortlessly upwards until they were able to climb silently out of the ditch and move out of its shadow. As soon as they had, it fell noiselessly back into place.

  “Come Keeper, it is this way,” the wizard stated, heading towards the darkness of a nearby street. Jake followed without a sound. His breathing was short and shallow as they crept stealthily along several side streets. They stayed in the darkness of the shadows wherever they could, sprinting across any open or moonlit areas, like startled rabbits caught in a spotlight and running for their lives. Their luck held. Somehow, they managed to evade detection by the numerous Thargw sentries they passed along the way. At last, they rounded one final corner and there, ahead of them, were the stables. They were next to the Emperor’s palace and they were guarded by two enormous Thargws. A further two warriors could also be seen patrolling up and down the nearby side streets.

  “Jake, there are too many of them,” hissed the wizard. “If you attack them now, you will surely alert the whole city. You will draw every Thargw warrior within hearing distance down upon us.”

  “Shh! Yes, alright, I know,” whispered the youngster. “But what choice do we have? This is why we came, Tien. Come on, it’s got to be done. I’ll try to be as quiet as possible. You stay over there, in the dark,” he added, pointing to the shadow of a doorway which was opposite the sta
ble doors.

  Tien acknowledged the command obediently and Jake crept forward. Silently, he worked his way towards and around the two unsuspecting guards. When he was standing opposite their position, with their bodies perfectly in line, he threw his sword gently up in the air and whispered.

  “Bratiq!”

  Two fingers on his right hand extended to aim the strike and the sword flew rapidly towards the warriors. The bladed weapon passed straight through their bodies in turn and they fell to the ground. However, Jake’s sword then continued its momentum and lodged deep within the barn’s wooden wall, leaving him totally defenceless. Worse still, the noise the weapon made as it struck the wood alerted the nearby Thargws. The two alarmed warriors immediately charged towards him, roaring ferociously with their swords raised. The secret was out and everyone within miles would now know that the fugitives had been found!