The Fractured Heartstone

by Ian Thornburrow-Dobson

  “Of course, it is,” Lothram replied. “We should dispatch them now and have done with it.”

  “Not so hasty,” Ydari murmured as he peered at the two humanoid shapes. Seconds passed as his keen eye scanned them and took in almost every detail, so much so that it became overwhelming. “It’s Raelynne,” the Captain said at last. “I don’t know who that is with her though.”

  “Do you trust her?” Lothram asked bluntly. The abrupt question made his Captain wheel his attention on the Sergeant and he held up his hands defensively. “I’m just saying. Who is she meeting with and why is she so secretive? How much do we really know about her and can we believe everything she’s telling us?”

  “That’s enough Lothram. She hasn’t given me a reason to be suspicious yet. We should hear what she has to say first.”

  “You’re a fool,” the Sergeant boomed pointedly. “If she has to tag along then fine, just don’t be so quick to trust her.”

  ***

  Bird song filled the air and a gentle breeze rolled down from the hills. The robed form of Raelynne leant against the trunk of an ageing oak and looked out at the serene countryside. The sun’s warming rays and the relative silence of the world around her was picturesque and it was almost enough to make it seem that her future wasn’t bleak and uncertain. The burden of knowledge and hardship to come seemed far off and the mage ached to dwell in this moment a little longer before the weight of destiny came crashing down around her. It was not to be as a familiar figure came into view, walking towards her at a steady pace.

  Raelynne instantly recognised the man who approached, Feraal’s slender form halting a few steps away from her. Both of them kept their hoods up and this would have caused more than a few raised eyebrows had there been anybody to have seen them. As it was, the mage and the scout were alone and a silence dragged out between them as each of them waited for their counterpart to begin talking.

  “Well met,” Feraal began formally, nodding at Raelynne as he did so.

  “Well met?” the mage replied quizzically as a wry grin appeared on her delicate features. “Well, if you wish to be formal then hail, fellow traveller.”

  “You know I don’t appreciate your sarcasm, don’t you?”

  “I know. But it’s just one of the many services I provide. And for you, no charge.”

  “I’m flattered,” Feraal retorted humourlessly. “So, what happened in Maleardhus? It’s been a while since we spoke.”

  “It’s as we feared,” Raelynne replied, her face turning serious. “Ydari found the Dragon shard and it chose him as it’s champion. Which means someone is needed here to keep a close eye on unfolding developments and to guide him. If he doesn’t learn to control and harness the power of the gem Efealtor is doomed.”

  “Agreed,” Feraal concurred. “What about the other gem shard? Is there anything we can do about it?”

  “I don’t think so Feraal. We need more information before we can act and the Captain is only just beginning to understand what is happening to him. Ultimately, he’ll have to be the one to act,” said the mage. “I think you should report back before we decide what to do next.”

  “Ok, I shall head out now,” Feraal answered with a nod. “Before I go, I have a question if you don’t mind?”

  “If you must.”

  “Are you going to tell the policeman or…”

  “No,” Raelynne blurted, cutting Feraal off mid-sentence. “There are some things Ydari never needs to know. I am working on gaining his trust and that will make the task impossible.”

  “Fair enough,” the hooded man responded, raising his hands placatingly. “But if he ever finds out and you’re not the one who told him, I don’t know what the consequences will be,” he warned.

  “Damn!” Raelynne swore as her head swung to one side. “I thought we’d have more time.”

  “What?”

  “They’re here. You need to get moving. Remember, keep this between us and report back as soon as you can,” Raelynne finished.

  Feraal nodded to the mage and turned his back. On his periphery he could make out the approaching riders but acted as if he had seen nothing and merely continued walking down the road. The female mage absent-mindedly pulled her medallion out and looked at it, the metal vibrating in her hand with a soft buzzing noise. It increased in intensity as the horses trotted closer before coming to a stop nearby. As somebody dismounted and padded over, she tucked the medallion away and looked up. Ydari was standing in front of her with his hands on his hips.

  Wordlessly, Raelynne walked over to him and nodded to him in greeting. She walked by and headed to the rear of the column. The eyes of Ydari’s companions watched her suspiciously as she mounted the roan directly behind Teobrin. The simpleton turned and gave her a friendly wave. Ydari shook his head and he too remounted. Soon, the familiar clatter of hooves was underway once more and they quickly caught up with Feraal who soldiered on, his eyes never breaking contact from the horizon, keeping his face neutral and gaze averted. The Sergeant glowered at him as they went past.

  The party continued travelling in silence as they ascended into the hills. Hours passed as the slope grew steadily steeper and their pace slowed as the incline took its toll on the stamina of their mounts. Idrahil and Lothram dared to exchange questioning glances every now and then but Ydari remained at the head of the column and ushered the way onward. The wind sighed with each gust as it became steadily more blustery, whipping their clothes and hair about. The heat of the day was subsiding as the afternoon wore into the evening and shadows lengthened with each passing hour.

  Finally, they reached the summit of the hills and the ground levelled out. Ydari broke off the main road to the left and led the group to a clearing inside a small copse. Hoofprints bore testament to previous visitors to this location but Ydari paid them no heed as he brought his mount to a stop by a gnarled and twisted trunk. He dismounted and hitched the reins to it. His companions followed suit and after a few brief exchanges the group set about the task of making camp for the night.

  The sun had begun to set by the time they had finished, its dying embers streaking across the sky. A fire crackled in the centre of the camp and the five travellers sat around it enjoying a meal of salted meat, cheese and bread. Raelynne stared at the licking flames whilst the watchmen spoke with one another, recalling encounters they had experienced in Maleardhus; memorable arrests and exhilarating chases while Teobrin added his absurd commentary to the proceedings. The mage allowed her mind to wander and the sound of idle conversation and mirth filled laughter put her at ease and she began to relax. Abruptly, a sterner tone and a barked question roused her.

  “So, who was that you were with then?” Lothram barked questioningly.

  “Just leave it,” Idrahil chided with an eye roll but the look on her face made it clear that she knew the Sergeant would not capitulate until he had an answer.

  “Nobody has asked yet and it’s a fair question,” Lothram shot back. “I’ll stop asking when she provides some answers,” he scowled, pointing at Raelynne as he did so.

  “I would like to know as well,” Ydari started. The Sergeant smirked with arrogant pride momentarily. “Though, you don’t have to be such an arse about it Lothram! So, if you could answer his question, I’d be grateful. That way, we can put this issue behind us.”

  “Very well,” Raelynne sighed. “I’m surprised Lothram was able to bite his tongue for so long but from the dirty looks he was giving me all afternoon I knew something like this was bound to happen. Now, I know you’re not the most intelligent person so I’ll use small words,” she continued condescendingly.

  “Why you little…” blustered Lothram as he stood to his feet with a look of consternation.

  “Shut up and let her speak,” Ydari bellowed witheringly.

  Suddenly his chest felt hot and a blast of energy jolted from him. Lothram was sent reeling from an invisible pressure wave and he slammed back first into the soft dirt. Everyone else stared ope
n-mouthed as the Sergeant got back to his feet, spitting dirt from his mouth, his eyes now seething as he rounded on the Captain. It looked for a moment as if the two men might come to blows but Raelynne stood up quickly and stood between them, her hands raised. Indecision of who he should be angry at stopped Lothram in his tracks and he resumed his seat wearing a wicked scowl.

  “When we’re done here, we need to talk,” Raelynne began, directing her attention to the Captain. “You’re a powder keg about to explode and if you don’t learn to control that thing in your chest, you’ll end up killing somebody. Now you two should apologise to each other before we get any more bad blood in this group. We have a long way to go and lots to do and it won’t be helped by petty squabbles.”

  Lothram and Ydari looked at one another while Raelynne tapped her foot impatiently. The Captain broke the silence first and sheepishly apologised. The Sergeant returned the sentiment and the two men shook hands briefly before awkwardly taking their seats once more, Raelynne’s eyes on them the entire time. Once they had finished, she nodded in satisfaction whilst Idrahil hid a grin behind a hand.

  “There, now that’s out of the way I’ll answer your questions. I was meeting with a member of my order. We are a group of magi who travel from town to town, mostly dealing in parlour tricks and fortune-telling to eke out a living, but we collect artefacts of great power. Mostly we preserve these but if they are too powerful or cursed, we neutralise them.”

  “I know your lot. You travel in those ramshackle wagons. Look a bit like a circus but with none of the entertainment and all of the nuisance,” Lothram grunted. A scathing look from his Captain and an ominous glow from under his tunic made the Sergeant shut his trap quickly and he smiled winsomely.

  “Are you quite finished?” Raelynne asked huffily. Lothram remained silent and she placed her hands on her hips as she scolded him. “Good. As I was saying, I was meeting with Feraal. He is also a mage and we met to discuss what we have learned and what to do next. He is reporting back and hopefully will return soon with information that may help us in our quest for answers. Happy now?” she asked sarcastically.

  “I suppose it’ll do, for now,” Lothram retorted sulkily.

  “Good, so everyone should finish eating and get some rest,” said Ydari.

  They finished their meal in silence and after everything had been consumed, they made quick work of cleaning up their mess and putting away their belongings neatly. By now nightfall had come and everything was shrouded in darkness. Eventually, Lothram, Teobrin and Idrahil made their way to their cots and climbed inside. Ydari however still felt wide awake and he knew that sleep would be a long time in coming. He walked to the edge of the camp and stared out into the inky blackness and listened to the sounds carried on the wind. A wolf howled forlornly in the distance.

  Raelynne suddenly joined the Captain and they stood side by side for a time, both staring into the night. The twinkling lights of Maleardhus seemed far away. The mage was the first to break the silence and the pair began chatting with idle small talk at first, the awkwardness melting away. Eventually their conversation turned to more serious matters and Ydari began bombarding her with questions about the prophecy, dragon-kind and the gem shards. She was a font of knowledge, her words barely faltering as she answered each and every question posed to her. The night wore on until at last Ydari was out of things to ask.

  “Stand over there,” Raelynne instructed suddenly, catching the Captain off guard. Ydari remained silent as he followed her request. “I’m going to try to teach you a few things about that gem. Listen closely.”

  “Ok,” Ydari replied uncertainly.

  “We believe that gem contains the memories and the power of Althanir. You may experience flashes, even vivid dreams of things from aeons ago. Everything the dragons experienced and saw was contained within the Heartstone. That way, Althanir’s wisdom could grow and he could help to guide the world he had shaped.”

  “That explains a few of the things I’ve been seeing.”

  “You’ve seen things already?” she asked him. “We can’t predict the long-term effects but there might be a way to use these memories to learn how to access its power. Try to differentiate between these memories and isolate them. Relive a single moment and it might show you how the Heartstone was used, how its power could be harnessed.”

  Ydari closed his eyes and focussed his mind. The torrent of images that he had seen in his dreams came once more and at first it was overwhelming. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead as he tried to bring order to the images and to find a way to stop them from assaulting his every sense. He jumped between memories so rapidly there seemed to be no making sense of it at first but suddenly he noticed that each one contained the Heartstone as it was before Radgard corrupted it.

  In some of the waking dreams the dragons merely prostrated themselves before the jewel and their creator, whilst in others mighty Althanir directly tapped into the gem. The Dragon God raised its wings and it seemed as if his soul reached out and touched it before the Heartstone suddenly burst to life, piercing rays of light shooting forth from it. Water trickled from a small underwater cave nearby and it splashed over the rocks and ahead of it the same energy carved a river bed. The water gradually filled this space until a vast river meandered its way towards the sea.

  Understanding instantly dawned on Ydari and he was suddenly able to focus on just a few of the images at a time. He opened his eyes and the orbs shone a brilliant blue. He stretched his arms out in front of him and light spread out from his chest and up into his outstretched hands. Raelynne could feel the power building up, slowly at first. Her medallion whirred next to her skin and the hairs on her arms stood up as the air thickened. Ydari concentrated even harder and he knelt down on one knee, patting the soil at his feet lightly. A sapling sprang from out of the ground. Within seconds it had become a small plant and was growing rapidly.

  The stem of the plant thickened as it grew higher and higher. The soil was churned up as roots erupted from its base and branched out in all directions in thick, entwining offshoots. Above them, branches burgeoned from the trunk and a forest of leaves burst into life until hundreds of them lined the tree that now towered over them. Raelynne’s mouth gaped open and she took a step back. She looked up until at last the plant ceased growing. The light faded from Ydari’s eyes and chest and he stood up slowly, wobbling slightly as he did so before he too gawped at what he had just summoned into existence. The mage stood in awe for a moment.

  “Nicely done,” she managed. “I have to say. I wasn’t expecting that.”

  “Neither was I. It was difficult at first but I managed to glean some understanding from what I was seeing. At first it seemed disjointed until I realised that they were all linked; all were showing me how to begin to use the gem,” explained Ydari.

  “You have more to learn but it’s a start. For now, I think it’s time we too went to sleep.”

  “You’re probably right,” Ydari said. “And, thank you.”

  The mage nodded in response and she turned on her heel and walked over to her cot. The Captain turned and looked at the tree one last time, the long-dead voices of the past still whispering to him; inviting him to press on and access power beyond his imagining. He shook his head as he dismissed the siren song and headed to bed. He laid down beside the fire and he found the snoring of the Sergeant strangely comforting as he fought to settle his mind. Ydari lay there for a while until his mind ceased to race and darkness fogged the edge of his consciousness. Finally, his eyelids drooped shut and he was lost to his dreams.

  Chapter Eight

  Ydari’s eyes fluttered open and his fogged brain kicked into life as sleep began to leave him slowly. His body felt well-rested and it was the best night’s sleep the Captain had had for a while. He lay there for a time in a groggy stupor as the sound of footsteps and clanging helped to rouse him from his semi-comatose state. Once he had his wits about him Ydari stood up and stretched with a yawn. Idrahil sat r
eposed by the remnants of the campfire and she munched thoughtfully on her breakfast.

  The Captain looked around and the sight of the tree that he had grown made him stop and reflect. As if in response to this, the shard reverberated in his chest as if it were a cat purring contentedly. Everybody else, save for Lothram, was awake and they strolled about the camp. There was a cold edge to the early morning air. Ydari shivered as a cool breeze caressed his exposed torso, the terrifyingly loud snores of the Sergeant the only sound in the world. The Watch Captain set about the task of making himself ready for the day’s ride.

  “Good morning,” Raelynne chirped as she walked by, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

  “Morning,” the Captain replied. As Ydari went about his ablutions he heard the dull thud of a boot, followed quickly by the angered shouts of Lothram and Raelynne yelling at one another. “Nothing ever changes I see.”

  The morning passed quickly and within the hour the camp had been broken down and all the riders sat astride their mounts. Ydari took the lead out of habit and he moved his steed forwards. From behind he heard a clatter and Raelynne suddenly appeared at his side. The rest of the party formed up behind and they departed their campsite and made directly for the road. The chill in the air still lingered and the smell of dew on the grass wafted over to them as they trooped onwards. In the distance the fields rolled out ahead of them with a dark green smudge in the distance. Ydari knew that beyond that point they would enter the thickets and undergrowth of the Melethynne Forest and the country beyond was where the wilds of Ythelia truly began.

  As they travelled Ydari mentally recollected the road they had yet to take. The forest stretched for many leagues and they would be in the midst of the woods for some time. It was the perfect haven for roving bands of brigands and cut-throats. Watch towers lined this part of their journey, often guarded by weary men with little to do and they were resupplied far too infrequently for Ydari’s tastes. This made some of the guards indolent and unlikely to offer aid should things go awry for unwary travellers.