Verdunmull

by Jared Zakarian

  Verdunmull

  Book 1: The Ikalreev Prophecies

  Written by: Jared A. Zakarian

  Copyright ©2019 Jared A. Zakarian

  All rights reserved.

  This book is protected under copyright laws of the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or in whole in any form without written permission from the author. No part of this book may be transmitted in part or in whole, in any form or by any means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental.

  Jared A. Zakarian

  Cover design by: Kerrie Robertson

  Dedication

  Dedicated to my wife and my parents

  Fearless Warrior

  The world crumbles around me, and the layers of dirt may never settle. Though I stand alone among the chaoses of war, my faithful sword and shield shall protect me, for they are where my trust persists. No other stands here beside me, not to my left nor to my right. The castle has fallen, yet I remain. Jesus Christ is my sword, and God is my shield. With them wielded in my hands, no force whether corporeal or ethereal shall tear me down. Darkness fears my sword. Darkness dares not touch my shield, for it glows of pure light. My shield is unbreakable. My sword is forever sharp. The sea of darkness shall recede. Chaos will become peace in their presence. I have faith in my sword and shield because they are forever and resolute.

  — Jared A. Zakarian

  Contents

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Appendix

  Prologue

  The Ikalreev Prophecies

  In this tome lie the prophecies of the Ikalreev, which predict a future grim and terrible, a glimpse of a dying epoch. We the Ikalreev write this script in an attempt to save the mortals of our distant future.

  (1) At the precipice, angels will fall. The light of Verdunmull will be extinguished and Heaven will weep for its fallen warrior, as Verdunmull fears her fate. Two fouled angels afflicted by evil will be catalysts of darkness’s will. Three angels descending from Heaven will be the sign of the approaching night.

  The Ikalreev Archmages created a spell to transcend space and time. This spell will carry powerful Ikalreev magic to five individuals. They are ordained to protect the three intelligent races seen in the Ikalreev visions. One individual from each race will be chosen. A fourth guardian will be created by the Ikalreev to protect Verdunmull. The fifth will be unknown; his tribulations will be his own. This is what She of Light requested, and so shall it be done.

  The Ikalreev magic will awaken only when an emotion of unrivaled purity is felt.

  Trials of four will be crafted for the four known guardians. Tested they shall be, to wield their powers and their powers wield them. They must be one with the magic’s heart for it to beat at their moment of most need. When their minds fail and their hopes fade, the magic heart will command their forms in absolute will. The magics living within have been created to protect their host and annihilate all foes with unrivaled measure. The truest of magics shall flow through the five who are ordained to protect Verdunmull when the black sea rises.

  The five may stop the seals from opening and the black spring from flowing. The true purpose of the five is to prevent the Initiate from opening the seals, yet if they fail, they must protect all life, as it will be precious and in peril.

  (2) The threads of time are laced with Ikalreev magic, and the awakening should occur before the opening of the seals, though time is unforgiving and can be influenced by immortals. Should angels fall, then the Initiate shall rise. A dark one’s will shall be set in motion upon these two cataclysmic events.

  An unshackled guest will be invited on the lands, sowing bedlam in the fields. Fear and terror shall roam the lands searching for the key. The key will be of heavenly origin and hold power over darkness and its shackles. With this key, chains can be broken, wings be stripped, souls be contained, and the First Seal be opened. It is a jailer’s fearsome fury, a sword wielding power to bend immortal souls.

  Should the Initiate find this key, then Verdunmull shall cry for those lost on her soil. For the dark spring shall emerge out of the ground and flow across the lands. It will erode stone, stifle life below its crest, and foul the land inhibiting growth. Touch of fire and touch of death will surround its reach. None shall be safe from its grasp.

  It is imperative the five mages blessed with the Ikalreev magic be found before the seals be opened. At the time of awakening, the five must unite to defeat the Initiate and stop the seals from opening.

  Should the First Seal open, then six events may occur. The First Seal will unleash the spring of darkness to wash away all light and life from Verdunmull. The Second Seal shall unleash the titan of life, one of renewal and replenishment. The Third Seal shall unleash the titan of stone and magma, one to alter and build the world anew. The Fourth Seal shall unleash the titan of water and wind, one to cleanse and erode. The Fifth Seal and the Sixth Seal shall unleash fallen powers, once chained by holy fire against unholy transgressions.

  Should the last two seals open, then only an immortal war will heal Verdunmull of her ailments . . .

  Chapter 1

  “The Fall”

  “At the precipice, angels will fall.”

  The Ikalreev Prophecies 1:1

  Razbijen descended from the sky and fell toward the lands of Verdunmull. The wind howled as if it cried for a fallen loved one. The clouds wrapped around Razbijen’s body and engulfed him as he passed through, as if they were friends trying to prevent his fall. The feathers on his wings violently tore away and produced a trail from Heaven as his body descended. The flesh on Razbijen’s wings receded into the bones of his wings, and then the bones of his wings receded into his back. The righteous angel’s wings had disintegrated, and he grew ever weaker as he approached the lands below. When he hit the ground, not a trace of his angelic ancestry remained within him.

  Razbijen was mortal.

  The once-righteous angel was betrayed by two of his heavenly kin. A clash in Heaven, which would forever change the world below.

  The Divine One most high in Heaven felt the betrayal by Zauvek Syk Serce and Waremasu Tamashii. His wrath descended on the treacherous angels, and his voice echoed in Zauvek’s mind.

  “Dare you bring low one of my beloved . . . the evil in your heart has undone you, angel . . . you will never receive the power you seek . . . pride and envy are your sins . . . may your black heart ache forevermore for the innocent lives to be lost.”

  The Divine One cursed Zauvek and gifted the devious angel with an eternally failing heart, fitting punishment for devising his evil plans to rule the lands of Verdunmull and banishing Razbijen von Besvarad, its divine protector.

  The one most high then looked at Waremasu and felt pity. The Divine One recognized that the nature of Waremasu’s soul had allowed Zaveuk’s trickery to influence
him; unlike with Zauvek, the Divine One saw hope in Waremasu’s soul. Half of Waremasu’s soul consisted of holy intent, and the other half consisted of malicious intent. It was a divided soul driven by inner chaos to eternally question the fine line between good and evil. While Waremasu had not directly devised the plan to destroy the lands of Verdunmull, his assistance in the matter demanded punishment.

  “May your voice mimic the chaos you have unleashed on the world,” the Divine One cursed Waremasu.

  A divine decree was then given unto them.

  “If Razbijen fails to return to righteousness and protect the lands of Verdunmull, then the two of you will be removed from existence. Flesh, spirit, and memory shall be no more.” The Divine One’s voice boomed in their minds.

  The betrayers were then banished from Heaven by the Divine One and descended to the lands below.

  Their banishment was different from Razbijen’s, whose righteous power was stripped from him and sealed away in lost memories as a result of Zauvek’s judgment. A very specific banishment concocted by the corrupted angel in order to weaken Verdunmull and its protector.

  Zauvek and Waremasu’s angelic powers were diminished and fragmented but not entirely taken away. Their wings remained intact and were remade to mirror their souls. The two corrupted angels fell to Verdunmull, and there at that moment, their journey would begin.

  Two cursed angels sent to retrieve the righteous angel they had deceitfully banished. The fate of Verdunmull depended on their triumph. Without her protector, Verdunmull would fall to darkness and Zauvek’s evil plans, causing the end of an epoch and extinguishing all life.

  Chapter 2

  “The Journey Begins”

  “Three angels descending from Heaven will be the sign of the approaching night.”

  The Ikalreev Prophecies 1:4

  Waremasu Tamashii opened his eyes. His large conical hat shielded his sensitive eyes from the bright sun overhead. A slight breeze rustled his heavy cloak. Leaves rolled over his still form. Waremasu listened to the pleasing whisper of a nearby river. He lay there for a moment enjoying the warmth of the midday sun, and then he lifted himself up onto his feet. Waremasu absentmindedly glanced over his cloak, realizing he no longer wore heavenly armor.

  His cloak was black and white, the black side vertically transitioning through a gradient of grays to the white half, marked with a strange symbol centered on his back. The most prominent parts of the symbol were in the middle, from left to right: a lightning bolt, a backward R, and a forward-facing B with its base extending down into a stretched cross, and then above it all was a half-hooked halo, reflecting the chaos of his soul.

  Waremasu looked past his cloak toward his feet. He tilted back onto his heels and wiggled his toes in the cool air, smiling behind his tall collar. His face tensed as a commanding voice boomed within his mind.

  “Find Razbijen . . . stop the Corrupted Temperean Event. Help the once-righteous angel save Verdunmull . . . or find eternal death for your transgressions.” Waremasu’s demeanor drastically changed when he heard the divine voice in his mind.

  Waremasu touched the hilt of the katana concealed underneath his heavy cloak. The sword’s sheath was tied with a cloth belt around his waist. He reached up to fix his conical hat’s position in order to maximize his visual field and minimize any prying eyes.

  Waremasu’s mind drifted to a single thought—Zauvek. He glanced around for Zauvek, but his forsaken ally was nowhere to be seen. In fact, he saw no wildlife either. A desolate land surrounded him. Waremasu stood on a bare path, which wound up a mountainside just above a sheer cliff.

  Snowcapped mountains stood all around him. Jagged edges and unfriendly scenery replaced what he had previously imagined to be a peaceful glade. The few trees within view were twisted and malnourished. The sight would be eerie for any human, though it was unworthy of being the slightest worry to Waremasu.

  Waremasu shrugged off his ill fortune; not even a sigh emanated from his lips. He looked up the path to his left, then down the path to his right, then stepped forward and peered over the cliff edge. A river raged far below. He paused but a moment, then, without a whim or notion on which direction to travel, he decided on the easier path—downhill. Waremasu walked down the path with little concern for where or when he would reach his undecided destination. His mind was clear and unbound by any concerns.

  After some time, the path leveled off, and he entered a shallow valley. The valley was not very wide, and he crossed it in a short time. The sun descended below the tall mountain peaks behind him. The sky grew dark, and day turned to night. He was ascending the next mountain when the day faded. Nightly insects made themselves known and accompanied the coming dark with a harmonious song. Stars glistened around a full moon as it peeked between the mountaintops.

  Waremasu traveled through the night. Three mountains later, he found himself at a split in the path. To the left, the path continued twisting up a mountain. To the right, another path led down into a cave. Waremasu glanced left, then right, and then left again. This time his mind drifted to his feet. He wiggled his toes, and the thought of cold cave floors propelled his feet downhill. Waremasu stopped at the cave entrance and listened for a moment. No sound emanated from the darkness within. In acknowledgment of the silence, his feet moved forward again.

  The ground grew cooler as Waremasu walked into the cave. He briefly stopped in order to enjoy the stone’s cold sensation. He let his toes wiggle a bit. Then Waremasu’s cloak rustled for a moment, and one hand emerged with a glowing white charm. The glowing charm would light the way as he walked deeper into the cave.

  ◆◆◆

  Zauvek’s eyes opened wide. He found himself lying at an angle on his back. A jagged rock was poking into his side. He quickly reached down and grabbed the rock, hurling it away in anger.

  He tried to decipher the situation. His old and weathered face twisted in disgust and frustration. Long, wiry white hair framed his pale, wrinkled face. Zauvek looked down at the several small rips in his black cloak. His silver eyes slowly scanned the steep slope of the mountain on which he lay. The slope was covered in sharp jagged boulders, and he saw a patch of black cloth wrapped around a rock at a higher altitude. The fallen angel glanced up at the clouds and grumbled.

  Zauvek searched for his wooden staff and lifted himself up with the help of his sturdy crutch, though his legs wobbled on the unstable stones. The old man hunched over and placed more of his weight onto his wooden support. He looked down the jagged slope and could see the closest level surface was several hundred yards down.

  Zauvek grumbled again.

  He composed himself and maneuvered down the rugged slope. Several unpleasant bouts of words sprang from his lips as he stumbled across the rocks. The angel finally stepped out onto the flat surface and stretched his back.

  Zauvek’s accentuated jaw and prominent cheekbones tightened as he hunched back over into his ailing posture. His frame was deceptively thin and frail beneath the black cloak. He looked around at his surroundings and noticed little more than snowcapped mountains. He assessed the path and decided to follow it downward, as it would be easier on his fragile body. He ached less and less from the fall the longer he walked. He stood taller and straighter. Zauvek’s frailty diminished over time as his joints popped and muscles warmed, but he still allowed his staff to carry a portion of his weight.

  The fallen angel drifted down the mountain at an undulating pace. After a while, an intense pain rose within his chest, and he coughed violently. He bent forward and touched his lips with his fingers. When he pulled them away, they were coated with blood, and a metallic taste filled his mouth. The pain receded, and he breathed deeply. Zauvek peered at his surroundings and sighed heavily. He collected himself and shook off the painful feeling.

  He continued on, and soon the slope leveled. The path split in two before him. To his left lay an entrance to a dark cave, and to his right the path continued down into a valley. Zauvek did not hesitate. He ha
d no interest in going down into the valley, so he entered the pitch-black cave as a fearful stare crossed his face, and his feet halted in place.

  “Find Razbijen . . . stop the Corrupted Temperean Event. Help the once righteous angel save Verdunmull . . . or find eternal death for your transgressions.” The divine voice boomed within his mind.

  Zauvek shook off the chills running down his bones. A deep breath filled his lungs, and a single curse rang through the cave’s cold stone walls. The weight of his body seemed to grow as he dwelt on the unfortunate circumstances in which he found himself now. The wooden staff bowed out a bit wider as he more heavily leaned on its sturdy form. The fruition of his plans was coming to pass, but he would be one of the individuals who would have to stand in the way. Zauvek’s mind spun in a tumultuous pattern of thoughts. He hoped his efforts would be successful, but he also thought about self-preservation. He shook his head in irritation and pushed farther into the dark cave.

  The fallen angel grunted an indiscernible word, and his staff began to glow. He walked deeper into the cave and allowed his staff to light the way. Zauvek labored with every step as he shifted and swayed on his three limbs. The floor intrigued him with its smooth surface, a rather peculiar trait. His thoughts lingered on the curiously level floor for a while. He considered what might have led to the polished floor and tried to remember all the intelligent races, and then his mind drifted to Waremasu. Zauvek had not seen any sign of his friend.

  His thoughts were cut short by a sudden change in the floor. It was no longer level and fell away from his feet. He slipped and tumbled down a steep slope. He lost hold of his staff, and it bounced away from him. Zauvek tumbled down the smooth slope for quite some time, and as his staff reached the bottom first, he had little time to recognize the impending pain. He hit hard and lost consciousness.