“Kainan, why did our magic not work on those creatures?” He shook his head puzzled.
“I have no idea.” He began wandering around the cavern. There were old discarded swords, thrown into heaped piles, shields helmets, and even full suits of armour that stood silently against the back of the cavern walls.
“What on Malgar is this place?” she questioned. He shrugged.
“It looks like some kind of abandoned armoury.” His booted foot kicked at a pile of old swords, which promptly collapsed nosily across the dirt floor making Arweyn spin towards him startled. He grimaced.
“Sorry.” She raised both her eyebrows at him and shook her head.
“Hey look at this.” She lifted up a wooden bow and a quiver of arrows. Walking over to her, she handed him the bow and quiver of arrows. It was indeed a fine long bow and made from a wood that he did not recognise.
“This is a woman’s bow, I have never seen anything like it before,” he remarked looking at her. “Have you ever used one?” she shook her head.
“No never.”
“Here have a go.” He passed her back the bow, and as her hands held it a shimmer of magic passed through the bow into her. Kainan’s head snapped towards her, startled.
“Are you okay?” he asked worriedly. She nodded.
“Yes fine, although….” She frowned.
“What?” he asked.
“Pass me an arrow.” Kainan obliged, passing her an arrow from its quiver. He was just about to offer to show her how to use it, when she nocked the arrow into place and fired. With a great force, the arrow shot forward and embedded itself into a suit of armour stacked up against the far wall.
“Wow!” Kainan exclaimed. “I though you said you had never used a bow before.” She turned to him puzzled.
“I have not. There is something strange about this bow. I have some kind of magical connection to it I can feel the energy coming from it.” Kainan offered her another arrow.
“Do it again.”
“Okay, I will try.” Taking the arrow from him, she once again nocked it into place and fired. Again, it was as powerful as the last, and a direct hit. Taking the quiver from him, she hung it over her shoulder and continued. Each time, her aim was direct and precise.
“Arweyn have you noticed something?” he questioned raising his hands to his hips.
“What, apart from the fact that I seem to be an excellent archer,” she boasted, laughing. He grinned at her.
“Yes apart from that.” She shook her head.
“Your arrows,” he nodded to her quiver. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes raised surprised.
“They have not gone down.”
“Exactly, I think you have found some kind of enchanted bow and quiver. It seems to have a never-ending supply of arrows.”
“That could come in handy,” she concluded. Kainan agreed and he began searching the room again.
“Maybe there are other magical devises in here,” she said, placing the bow over her shoulder, she joined in with the search. They found nothing else, only old rusty weapons and discarded uniforms.
“What do you think happened, back then with those creatures? How was our magic useless against them?” Arweyn asked looked across at him. He shook his head.
“I have no idea. Our power only seemed to enhance theirs. I am sure they must have been Gemini’s creatures of dark magic. They most certainly could not be real no true animal could do that.”
“So what happens if we come across them again?” He pursed his lips as he thought.
“Well our power only gave it more power.” His hand reached to his side as he thought. “My sword,” he whispered.
“Your sword?” she questioned. He nodded.
“Yes the Deragan Sword has the power to take away magic. Maybe I can somehow enhance that, so that instead of striking a creature of magic down and taking its power, which would be impossible for me to do with so many of them, maybe there is a way I can somehow, draw their power to the sword.”
“Do you think you can?” He shrugged.
“I do not know I will have to think on it. Hopefully we have left them far away for now.” He looked around the cavern time was getting on. “I think perhaps we should try and find out where we are,” he said. Arweyn nodded and they began searching the dark corners of the cavern, looking for a way out.
“Over here Kainan, I think I have found something,” she called, pulling back a tatty old velvet curtain, behind which was a solid oak door, with a metal latch.
“Stay behind me,” he ordered, pulling out the Deragan Sword and holding it ready. She moved behind him. He worked the latch unsuccessfully, and then put his weight against the door, but still it would not budge. Grabbing his arms, she pulled him back.
“Wait I think I know a spell that might work before you do yourself an injury.”
“It is all yours,” he said with a smile, stepping back and waving his hand towards the door. Standing in front of the door, she raised her hand.
Esperai elatae mistoria operan.” The lock clicked then clunked, then was silent. She grinned at him and stepped back.
“Okay clever,” he whispered, turning the handle and pushing the door open. There was total darkness in front of them. They moved forward hesitantly.
“You know this is becoming a habit,” he whispered humorously, scrunching his nose at her as he relit the flame on the end of his index finger. She giggled as she clung to his cloak. There was a cluster of wall torches set in iron brackets, he lit two of them, passing one to her, and then extinguished the flame on the end of his finger. Holding up the torches they preceded forward, the smell of stale air filling their nostrils, he wrinkled his nose in distaste. They walked on down what seemed to be a never-ending passageway.
“Kainan, what is that noise?” she whispered to him. His hand came up sharply placing a finger to his lips, their breathing heavy in the stillness as they listened. There was definitely noises coming from up ahead. Turning to her, he whispered.
“Wait here, I am going to take a look.” She shook her head at him.
“No do not leave me on my own; I want to come with you.” He shook his head at her.
“No. I need you as my back-up just in case.” She swallowed and nodded.
“Okay, but please be careful.” Leaning forward he gave her a gentle kiss.
“I will.”
She watched him until the light of his torch faded into the darkness. She stood alone in the silence, terrified. Eventually a dim light re-appeared, gradually getting brighter and brighter as it came towards her.
“Kainan,” she whispered. “Is that you?” There was no reply. The light grew even brighter, so much, so that it made her eyes hurt to look at it. For a long time Arweyn did not move, she could not. Her fear had paralysed her when she had realised that the light coming towards her was not a torch flame, it was not Kainan. It was as far as she could see a strange ball of energy that hovered by itself in the air.
The light shuddered and there standing before her stood a woman. Her features were soft, her eyes a piercing emerald green. She was tall and very slim and her skin was a strange silvery colour, which had a sparkle to it, her hair was long and the purest white. Arweyn gasped.
“Do not fear me Arweyn,” the woman said her voice gentle.
“You know who I am?” The woman nodded and offered her, her delicate hand.
“Come with me and I will take you to the King.” She hesitated, uncertain what to do. The last time she had gone off by herself, the Gorzars had captured her, should she trust this woman?
“Arweyn, daughter of Elanor have no fear. Come.” Her voice was haunting and she found herself unable to resist her. Taking the woman’s hand, they began to walk along the dark passageway. Arweyn looked at her.
“Please, where is Kainan?” The woman turned and smiled.
“Safe.”
She looked at the palm of her hand, to the Dragon and the Unicorn, the symbol of their lives, it swirled
and pulsated strongly, he was alive and near. There ahead of them she could see a light. As they approached, she found herself in a small anteroom, which branched off into a series of hallways. Suddenly she saw him and sheer panic overwhelmed her. He was lying on the floor, still. A strange bluish light glowed all over his entire body, cocooning him, and then he was gone.
“No,” Arweyn screamed, shaking her head. The woman began to glow as the bright light began to transform her. Arweyn tried to break her hand away but the woman held her firm.
“Do not be afraid,” the woman whispered, as everything around her began to swirl. Arweyn felt strange, like she was transcending to another place. She lost all sense of time, of place, of everything.
Eight ~ The Elwins’s of Darco
Her eyes opened upon a magical place. The sky was the brightest of blues and the sun shone warmly. She could hear birds singing and she was lying in a meadow full of beautiful pink and purple flowers, silvery pollen floated above her like fine mist in the air. She sat up and as she glanced around, she saw the woman who had taken her. Scrambling to get to her feet in panic, the woman shook her head and raised her hand to her.
“No my Lady, do not fear. You are quite safe here.”
“Where am I?” she asked, her heart was racing and she felt most peculiar, a sense of being uplifted and although she was scared, she felt peaceful at the same time.
“You are in Darco, I am Kelane.” Arweyn shook her head this was all too much, what was going on?
“Please, where is Kainan,” she begged. Kelane smiled and held out her hand.
“Come I shall take you to your King.” Arweyn took her hand and the woman led her though the meadow. There ahead of her was the biggest oak tree she had ever seen in her entire life. It was massive; its thick wide trunk easily spanned the width of three houses. Its branches thick and heavy reached up into the clouds and it actually looked as if the people lived within the tree itself. It had doors, windows and on the widest of branches, wooden rails fixed along an outer walkway. To the rear of the tree there was a huge deep blue lake the end of which she could not see, and there dotted within the lake were small green islands with wooden houses built upon them.
Then she spotted her husband and her heart shook with joy, he was sitting in a sheltered hollow within one of the huge gnarled roots of the tree. As she came nearer, she could see him sat upon a huge chair carved from oak and he was talking to a beautiful woman, whose skin appeared to be silver in colour. Kainan’s heart thumped and he glanced to his right. Seeing his wife approaching, a huge grin spread across his face, jumping from his seat he rushed towards her. He flung his arms around her, embracing her, squeezing her tight before kissing her. Raising her hand to his face, she held him for a moment.
“I do not understand. I saw you lying on the floor covered in some strange blue light.” He pressed his head against hers.
“It is okay. These people are our friends, do not be scared.”
“Who are they, where are we?” She shook her head puzzled and still feeling in a bit of a daze.
“These are the Elwins Arweyn, the people we have been looking for. Back in the time we once lived they were great allies to Malgar. Come I want you to meet their Queen, her name is Efae.”
The two approached the woman. She was even more beautiful close up, her pale skin sparkled like it was covered in diamond dust, and her hair was the purest of white and very long, her emerald green eyes smiled at her. Graciously she rose from her seat, intricately carved from oak and patterned with flowers and birds. She bowed her head.
“My Lady,” she said respectfully. Arweyn glanced across to Kainan, why was the Queen bowing to her.
“Your Highness,” Arweyn replied dipping her head courteously. The woman smiled and shook her head.
“No my Queen, to you please I am just Efae.”
She looked at her husband. “Kainan, I do not understand any of this. I saw your body. It looked like you were dead.” She frowned at her own words.
“Please my Lady, have a seat and I will endeavour to explain all,” Efae offered. The two sat together on the carved oak chair, the back of which rose high behind them. Kainan took hold of his wife’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly, watching as Efae sat down.
“It appears you both do not yet remember the great tragedy that befell you and your Kingdom. My Lady,” she addressed Arweyn. “You were quite right in that you saw the King’s body lying upon the earth covered in a blue light, but it was to protect him during his transfer to Darco.” Arweyn’s long hair rippled down her shoulders as she turned sharply to him. He rubbed her hand with his thumb. The Queen continued.
“Kelane prepared the King for transfer before she came back for you. You arrived just as we were transporting him here. Kelane brought you through, so we did not need to cover you with the blue light. In times long ago you were great friends with the then Queen of Darco. Our worlds were joined, our peoples lived in harmony together, and the gateway was a permanent portal.” Arweyn shook her head.
“I am sorry, but I remember nothing. Kainan?” she asked, turning to him. He shook his head.
“No, I remember nothing of this either.” He glanced at the Queen, catching her eyes. The Queen nodded and her bright green eyes wavered on him for a moment. She hesitated, trying to refocus. She bowed her head slightly to him.
“You both ruled Malgar with greatness, fairly and wisely and your subjects loved you both. Peace and harmony reigned every day until the invasion came.”
“Gemini,” Kainan interrupted. The Queen nodded.
“Gemini, he came to your world with his abominations, the black dragons, his devil dogs, and all manner of creatures that he created using his black magic.”
“I have been told of this by the dragon Meladrom, the history of Malgar up until that point.”
Queen Efae nodded. “Yes and I am to tell you my King how to find your people. During the invasion you instructed the ruling Queen to close the portal to your world, in order to stop Gemini from discovering us. We closed the portal as you commanded but left a channel, which allows us to leave and ascend to the middle realm. This was in the hope that one day, you and the Queen would return to free the people and destroy Gemini’s reign of terror. You took as many of your people in boats down the Shankar River to a place of safety somewhere within the Shankar Mountain ranges. To a place that can only be found by a collation of clues which only you and the Queen will be able to find. Using the power of the Deragan Sword, you entombed the people within the mountain in a state of stasis, freezing if you like their bodies and spirits in time. The dragons too were taken and hidden in caverns on Malgar and turned to stone to stop Gemini from drinking their blood.” She paused for breath. “Returning to the Castle a gathering was held, your mother, your brother, Prince Gareion.”
“Gareion,” Kainan interrupted without thought.
“Yes Gareion was your twin brother. You recall him?” Kainan shook his head.
“No not from the past. Gareion and I were reborn together in this life-time.” She looked at him surprised. “Then it was him who wrote the scrolls we found,” he said turning to his wife and she smiled squeezing his hand lightly.
Nodding the Queen then continued. “On returning to the castle a final gathering of Elders was held. Your mother, Gareion and the Wizard Nael, along with about a thousand of your people were to go through the portal to the world of Zyon and start a new life there. Gareion was to leave a number of clues so that, when you both returned as the prophecy proclaimed you would in the future, you would be able to work out what had happened and return as you have now to free your people. It was hoped that by then Gemini may have perished from the lack of dragon blood.” She shook her head. “That unfortunately has not been the case. He is still very much alive and his black dragons still fly on the world of Malgar.” Kainan nodded.
“We have already encountered such a beast, it broke through the barrier to the new city, but Arweyn, and I managed to kill it
before it escaped.” Queen Efae nodded and smiled.
“Then the prophecy that was foretold was indeed true. It was the prophecy that decided on your course of action. Gemini had become too powerful and despite your abilities at magic at that time, you and your wizard were not strong enough to defeat his power. Hundreds of your people died trying to hold the dragons back. Gemini holds the other sword, the Gameron Sword the sword of darkness. The only way for you to kill Gemini is to join the two swords back together and join their power, creating once again the Twin Sword, the only known weapon that can kill an immortal. At the final gathering, you both said the enchantments given to you within the prophecy, a great light exploded from the sword and covered the entire city, and you both just disappeared. Gareion and your mother fled with the Deragan Sword and the remaining thousand and the portal was then sealed.”
The two sat in silence as they contemplated what she had said.
“I wish I could remember,” Kainan said in frustration, turning to his wife. Arweyn nodded at him and then watched curiously as to the side of Queen Efae a young man emerged carrying a box. He was slender and fair and his skin too sparkled like diamonds.
“Thank you Rennab,” the Queen said, taking from him a square silver box. “My King if you would not mind placing your hand upon the box.” Kainan looked puzzled but nonetheless did as she asked and placed his right hand upon the top of the flat box. Instantly the box illuminated, then it clicked releasing the lid. The Queen smiled at the surprise on Kainan’s face.
“This box has been sealed and has not been touched since you gave it to the Queen five hundred years ago.” She passed it to him. Opening the box he looked inside, it contained a silver horn. He looked at Arweyn puzzled.
“It is the horn of Ophidian,” the Queen explained.
“Ophidian,” Kainan repeated, recognising the name and glancing up at her, he asked. “The water-dragon?” he asked.
Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 02 - Meladrom Page 17