Earth Magic: A Kingdoms of Kambrya novel (The High King of Kambrya Book 1)

by Kenneth Price

  Elwin glanced over at Colin, "Yes... I have to."

  Faynn gave Elwin a nod of his head and a look that acknowledged that he and Elwin shared a common knowledge, and with it, a shared responsibility. "To answer your question, Elwin, Beli hates his twin brother, Tuatha, the God of Light. Long, long ago, before man walked upon this earth, the God of Night, somehow went mad. He desired that darkness rule the world. To accomplish this, he decided that Tuatha would have to be destroyed. Tuatha, known as the God of Light or Dawn saw that this was folly. Tuatha knew that if he or his brother were killed, the world would come to an end. Both darkness and light are needed to maintain the harmony of the world, but Beli did not seem to care. At first, Tuatha was able to stay away from his evil brother and avoided a conflict that could bring about the end of the world as we know it. But Beli grew in his power, and he was relentless in his quest to destroy Tuatha. Seeing that eventually Beli would catch him, Tuatha enlisted the help of the other gods. The gods asked the Ancient Ones to make a sword, forging it with Earth Magic. Then the gods took the sword and created Saran na Grian."

  "What does it do?" asked Elwin. He was finally learning something about the sword, but now he was beginning to fear what it all might mean.

  "The gods gave it two powers," Faynn explained. "The magic comes from the combined effort of the gods, who gave the sword the ability to imprison Beli. Imprisoning Beli was the only way the gods could preserve the harmony of the world. But by the time the gods completed the sword, the Ancient Ones had already passed from this world. The age of man had begun, so Tuatha gave the sword to Vladimir ap Gruffydd, who became the first High King of Kambrya."

  "Why did they not use it themselves?" Aidan asked.

  "They could not take the chance," Faynn replied. "If Beli were to kill one of the gods before the gods could imprison him, the harmony of the world would have been destroyed. It was just too great a danger."

  "But not too dangerous for this Vladimir?" Colin asked sarcastically. "Is a man's life less important than these so-called gods of yours?"

  "In life, choices are not always easy or fair, Colin. What the gods did, they did because it was the best for all. And I do not truly believe they were gods, just a race in tuned to the powers of Earth Magic. Perhaps in ways similar to the Elves.”

  Colin gave Faynn a discontented grunt.

  "Don't be rude, Colin!" snapped Aidan. Aidan then turned to Faynn. "Did the Ancient Ones also make the crown of Kambrya as well?"

  Faynn turned away from Colin and looked up at Aidan. "Perhaps. Since the crown has been lost for so long, it is hard to say where it came from, or what its functions were. But it is said that no one can’t become a true High King without it. The reason why is not clear. It is written that the gods themselves crowned Vladimir by placing the lost crown of Kambrya upon his head. So maybe the Ancient Ones did make it, or maybe the gods did. Anyway, as I was saying, the gods gave the sword to Vladimir. With Saran na Grain, Vladimir was to lead the fight against Beli. However, Beli discovered the gods' plans before Vladimir could act. To protect himself against Vladimir and the sword, Beli went into hiding. As the centuries passed, the sword and crown were passed on to the next generation. Each new king stood ready, watching for the time when Beli would return. During those years, Beli grew in his power and his madness and his hatred deepened. Finally, Beli did return. Deciding that his time of triumph was at hand, the mad god emerged from his place of hiding and built his castle of Ban-Darn. At Ban-Darn, dark and evil acts were performed and Beli started calling himself the Great Master and the Overlord. Those were dark days. It was at that time that the Cult of the Severed Head first emerged. Soon after that, the Great Wars began."

  Ban-Darn! Elwin shuddered. He recalled the dream of the black castle, Torcull, and the spider guardian. Elwin had stood at the gates of the Black Castle.

  "In time," Faynn went on, "the mad god came to believe that he could defeat the High King and destroy the Sword of Light and Darkness once and for all. Saran na Grian was the one thing that could threaten the Overlord, so Beli decided to face down the High King. But Beli failed, and he was imprisoned."

  "So," said Elwin, "the Dark Overlord is the god Beli, and King Coinneach at the Battle of Ban-Darn did not kill the Overlord, but imprisoned him."

  Surprised, Faynn turned his head up from his work and looked at Elwin, "How did you know about the battle of Ban-Darn?"

  "I read it in the Chronicle of Brother Wallis."

  "You have seen a copy of the Chronicle?" asked Faynn. "I did not realize another one existed. I thought the Druids possessed the only surviving copy. Where did you find it?"

  "In Port Murray," Elwin answered truthfully.

  "Interesting. I will have to see it sometime. And yes, you are right. Your ancestor, King Coinneach, used the sword's power to imprison Beli, and now Torcull wants that same sword so that he can release the Dark Overlord."

  "But that would be madness!" exclaimed Aidan. "Why would he do such a thing?"

  "I agree. It is madness," replied Faynn. "Perhaps Torcull is as mad as his master. But more likely, Torcull fell under the Dark Overlord's influence. Even locked away in his castle, Beli is powerful. He is not without influence upon the world, and he has always been a great seducer of men. Torcull wants power and the Overlord has promised it to him."

  "You talk as if you know this Torcull," stated Colin bluntly.

  "I have met his type before." As he talked, Faynn returned to working on the octagon. "There is a fine line between the search for knowledge and the obsession of power. Once you have crossed that line, you have become a servant of Beli."

  "What happened to King Coinneach?" Elwin asked. “The book did not say.”

  "At the Battle of Ban-Darn?" Faynn shrugged. "It is not known. There is another ancient codex that says he was destroyed in the battle. Mortals were never meant to handle such raw power that the sword possesses. It is not known, but perhaps King Coinneach was consumed by that power when he cast the Overlord into his prison."

  "How does the sword work? " asked Elwin.

  The Druid shrugged, "It is not known, but that is of little importance now. We just need to keep it from Torcull and keep him from finding a way to bring Beli back to our world. So long as the dark god is imprisoned, his threat is limited."

  "We have the sword now," pointed Aidan. "Why do we not destroy it or cast it into the sea? Then neither Torcull nor anyone else will be able to free the Overlord."

  Faynn shook his head sadly. "I wish it could be that easy, but if the sword could be destroyed, which I do not think it can be, Beli would then be released from his prison. It is the power of the sword that keeps him safely locked away. And if it were thrown into the sea as you suggest, that would only buy us a little time. Eventually, Torcull would find it. The sword is extremely powerful. Such a power gives off something that is like waves or ripples of magic. Those waves of magic can be felt and followed to its source."

  "I don't believe any of this," stated Colin. "But if Torcull can find the sword, why has he not found us here at this abbey?"

  "It takes time," said Faynn. "It took Torcull years to discover that the sword was here in Reidh. The longer the sword stays in one place, the easier it is to find. Given enough time, Torcull or one his servants will find it here. The only way to hide the sword is to keep it moving from one place to another.”

  "Then it was the sword and not someone else that gave me away?" asked Elwin. "It was the sword that let the ... Red Robe know I was in Reidh?" Elwin was relieved to discover that he had not been betrayed. He had been worrying about that. But it was also upsetting to know that the sword drew his enemies towards him, and as long as he had the sword, Torcull would follow him. Faynn nodded, and Elwin went on. "And that is also how you found me?"

  Again Faynn nodded. Elwin frowned. Does that mean that I will always be hiding; always running from one place to another? Elwin looked up at a dark cloud that was drifting overhead. The cloud was being carried alo
ng on the cold mountain winds. Elwin wondered if he would he become like the cloud, ever drifting with no destination. Would he be forced into a life of running and hiding? Would he ever be able to stay in one place without risking that Torcull would find him and the sword? The world suddenly looked grim. Elwin looked down at the druid. "I have had the sword for three years." His hand rested on the worn leather hilt of the blade. He trembled slightly as he thought of the power the sword might hold. The sword that always hung at his side suddenly felt heavy and unwelcome. "Why in all this time, have I never felt any of its power? It looks and feels like any other sword."

  "You have not been trained in the ways that Torcull or I have been," Faynn gave as an answer. "We can feel things that others cannot. You are not trained in the Four Powers, nor are you the High King. Therefore, there is no reason you should feel or sense the power of the sword. I would have been surprised if you had."

  "Then if Torcull is to use the sword," Elwin concluded, "He needs a High King?"

  "Yes," replied Faynn, as he put the final touches on his octagon. "Torcull cannot use the sword himself. I doubt he would even touch it. The sword is the enemy of darkness. It might strike out against him."

  "So he is using King Jerran," Elwin concluded.

  "Yes," Faynn said again. "But he needs more. To be a true High King, one needs the crown of Kambrya. But it has been lost since the Battle of Ban-Darn. If Torcull can find the crown and take the sword from you, he will force King Jerran to use Saran na Grian to free Beli. If that happens, we have lost. The gods of old are gone; Beli is the last of the old gods. This time, if Beli is freed, the other gods cannot come to help us, and Beli will have no one with any power to stand against him."

  "Then that must never happen!" said Aidan, sounding scared and angry.

  Faynn stepped back from the octagon and nodded his head as if he were satisfied with it. "Quite right," he said, staring down at the floor, "we must never allow that to happen, and if the fates are willing, we won't let it." He pointed down at the floor. "That should do it," Faynn said, referring to the octagon.

  "You never said what the octagon is for," pointed out Elwin.

  "So I didn't. Sometimes when I get to talking, I become distracted. It is not often that I have such an inquisitive and attentive audience. The octagon is drawn according to the eight directions of the compass. In a sense, it becomes a miniature version of the world. The octagon is the primary form used when one must immerse oneself, or join, with Earth Magic. As I said earlier, before I wandered off, Earth Magic is composed of the four universal powers. Each one of the elements has immense and potentially deadly powers. If left unchecked, those powers would quickly get out of hand. The octagon contains perimeters that help keep the magic under control."

  Elwin frowned. He did not like the idea of immersing himself with forces he did not even understand, but Elwin also knew he had no alternative.

  Faynn pointed at the octagon again. "You, Elwin, along with myself will sit in the center of the compass, and we will let the powers flow through and around us. In a sense, we will allow ourselves to join with the magic. If we tried this outside of the octagon, we would lose ourselves to Earth Magic and never return."

  Elwin's face paled. "Are we going somewhere?"

  "You need not worry," continued Faynn. "Once inside, we will be connected to this spot. What we will be doing is called Dream Walking. Our bodies will remain here, but our souls and minds will be swept away. The octagon will serve as a lifeline if you will ... a rope that will lead us back here. We will enter the World of Dreams where reality is altered, and the mind has fewer limitations. In that realm, you should be able to locate Leina. If she is asleep, you should even be able to talk to her, but she will only remember it as a dream.

  Trust me, Elwin, it sounds more complicated than it really is, and I will be with you." Faynn smiled. "Shall we begin?"

  CHAPTER NINE

  "May I have a moment with my friends first?" asked Elwin. He was in no hurry to be immersed in druid magic.

  Faynn nodded. "But do not take too long," he warned. "We have time, but none to waste." Leaving the three boys alone, Faynn retreated to the far side of the bell tower.

  Turning his back to them, Faynn stared into the night.

  Shifting uncomfortably, Colin's eyes darted from Elwin to the octagon, and back again. Grabbing Elwin by his sleeve, Colin pulled the prince farther away from both Faynn and the octagon. Aidan followed along. Colin leaned close to Elwin. "I don't like this," he announced in a quiet whisper. "The druid is keeping things from us. He answers our questions, but there is more that he wants from you that he is not telling us. I do not like him or trust him. And to use magic!?"

  "I understand," replied Elwin. "But what other choice do I have?"

  "There must be a better way than magic," said Colin. He looked over his shoulder. Faynn did not seem to be listening. Colin turned back to Elwin. "Pallas will be back in a day or two. Surely, Count Murray will know what to do."

  "Why don't you trust Faynn?" Aidan asked Colin with a frown. Colin did not answer, but Elwin knew what he was thinking.

  "Because he uses magic?" Aidan added, answering the question himself. "Like me?" There was bitterness in Aidan's voice that Elwin had never heard before.

  "Your magic is different. You said so yourself," Elwin said, coming to Colin's defense.

  "And we know you. You’re our friend."

  "Not according to your church. Magic is a sin, right?" Aidan met Elwin's eyes with a hard stare. "Magic is not evil. You humans have labeled it so, but that does not make it true. Magic is a power and is no more evil than a king's or even a prince's authority over their kingdom. It is how one uses power that makes a difference. And if you are going to say the druid is evil because of his magic, then you must say that I ..."

  "I never said he was!" stated Colin, quickly cutting off Aidan. "But what do we know of the druid? And that has nothing to do with you or magic. I just don't trust him. That's all."

  Aidan's frown deepened. "He helped us find Elwin. He got us through the mountain passes just days before the snows hit. If it weren't for Faynn, we would not have been at the Dryrot Inn to help Elwin when he needed us." Aidan looked up at Elwin. "I trust him, Elwin. Without Faynn, you might be dead right now. Maybe he is keeping things from you, but he is not the enemy."

  Now Colin frowned. "I don't like it. I don't trust him. And it is not that he is a magic user," he added quickly, seeing Aidan's accusing look. "I just don't trust him. I am a knight... or will be someday, and a knight needs to trust his gut feelings. And my gut says we should not trust him!"

  "I am tired of waiting." Elwin sighed. "I don't trust him much either, but he did save my life. And I agree with Aidan. He is not my enemy. I don't think he would hurt me. He could have done that already if he had wanted to."

  "But..."

  Cutting off what Colin was about to say, Faynn called over, "Prince Elwin, the night is growing late. Are you ready?"

  "Elwin!" came Colin’s urgent whisper. "It is too dangerous!"

  Elwin returned Colin's intense gaze. "Can you give me another option?" he whispered back.

  Colin returned Elwin's look but said nothing. Elwin turned to Aidan, who nodded approvingly. "I know it was a shock to find out about me. But magic is not evil. Trust him, Elwin. Faynn can help you find Leina. That is what you want, isn't it?"

  That was enough for Elwin. He would risk anything for his sister. Elwin turned and faced Faynn. "Yes. I am ready."

  Faynn stepped forward. "Good. Then let us begin."

  "What about us?" asked Aidan? "What are Colin and I supposed to do while you and

  Elwin are on this ‘Dream Walk’?"

  "We won't actually be going anywhere," answered Faynn. "Our bodies will remain here in the octagon. It is our minds and souls that shall enter the world of dreams. All you need to do is make sure that neither Elwin nor I am disturbed. And stay clear of the octagon. If any of the lines are broken, we
will never be able to find our way back, and we will be trapped within the World of Dreams forever. So no matter what happens, do not attempt to enter the octagon, and make sure no one else tries either. In many ways, I am trusting you two far more than Elwin is trusting me."

  Folding his strong arms across his broad chest, Colin gave Faynn a gruff nod. "I will not lie to you. I do not like this, but you have my word. No one shall pass. And I am holding you responsible for Prince Elwin. If anything happens to him, I will hold you accountable for it."

  Faynn's gray eyes sparkled. He appeared amused. "Fair enough, young man," he told Colin. His eyes then drifted back to the prince, becoming serious once more. "Shall we?"

  Making sure he did not smear or step on any of the lines, Elwin crossed into the octagon and lowered himself gently to the floor. Imitating Faynn, he sat with his legs crossed and tucked up underneath himself. Faynn sat with his back to the north and Elwin to the south.

  "Just breathe deep and try to relax," Faynn told Elwin. "That's right... Good... You will do just fine."

  Wrapping his hands tightly around his staff, Faynn raised the staff before him. Faynn's hands, which were wrapped tightly around the wooden shaft, were like hard leather. Baked brown from years of exposure, Faynn's hands matched the dark wood of the staff, making it hard to tell where his hands ended, and the wood began. Both Faynn and his staff seemed weathered and worn, and both showed signs of the passage of time as if they had spent a lifetime under a glaring sun. Holding his staff in a vertical position, Faynn lowered it until the heel touched the center of the green wheel. As the silver-tipped end of the staff came to rest upon the floor, Faynn mumbled an incantation. Speaking in the mystic language of the Ancient Ones, Faynn began turning the staff between his hands. As if the floor were made of mud, slowly the staff began to sink into the wooden planks. Elwin gasped. Where the staff and floor had joined, a dull, glowing green light arose. Slowly the staff went deeper and deeper into the hard wooden floor and when Faynn finally ended his incantation, only half it the remained above the floor. Aidan and Colin took a nervous step backward. Faynn started to speak again, and the green light began to glow brighter.