He quietly moved beside his father and shook his shoulder.
Kellen’s eyes opened. “Faolan?” he questioned drowsily.
“Can you take over the watch?” he asked his father.
Kellen nodded and slipped his arm from underneath Auvelia. He could see the look in his son’s eyes and inquired, “Is all well?”
The wary guardian maintained his distrustful eyes on the forest while whispering, “I am seeing phantoms and cannot discern reality from dream. I think my exhaustion is taking its toll. I am sorry for being weak, but I am no longer fit to stand guard. Will you take over?”
“Of course. Get some rest. I will take it from here,” his father assured him, unsheathing his great sword.
“Thank you. I am just going to wash my face in the water and try to ease my mind,” he told his father as he staggered from a wave of dizziness.
Kellen nodded in affirmation but did not provide any consoling or caring words to his son. His strict military mind-set refused to coddle any weakness his son might be showing, not out of lack of love but because he wanted to show his son that he trusted him and did not need to protect him from problems he could endure. The retired general took up guard over the others; his seasoned scouting skills provided complete awareness of their current situation.
Faolan meandered toward the shoreline and shook his head in an attempt to remove the disturbing experience from his mind. He knelt down at the lake’s edge and scooped water in his hands, splashing it over his face. He let the refreshing cold water flow over his hot skin several times and enjoyed the cooling sensation as it covered his eyes. When he had finally calmed down and regained his composure, he wiped the remaining water from his eyes so he could see again.
He looked out across the vast lake as it faded into the darkness of night and could see slight glimmering as the moonlight danced on its surface. He could not see the opposite shore and sensed it was far off. He glanced to his left and saw the shore curve west; to his right, the shore extended northeast. He looked up at the bright moon and knew it was beginning its descent, though much of the night had yet to pass.
The ill feelings had gone, and his mind had grown easy. Faolan lay down near the shore and listened to the pleasing ebb and flow. He rolled onto his side and used his arm as a pillow as he finally conceded and allowed himself to rest. The weary guardian closed his eyes and slipped into a deep slumber.
Chapter 24
“The First Seal”
“The power to stem the darkness will lie within the five mages. Should they fail in their quest, the fate of the world will be unknown. The mortals will be charged with their own destinies and the five mages their protection. The fate of the world will no longer be written in divine script. It will sway in the wind.”
The Ikalreev Prophecies 16:40–44
Faolan’s eyes fluttered open in opposition to the unbearably bright morning sun. It initially hurt his eyes, but after a few moments, they adjusted to the light. The guardian began to move but hesitated when he felt something heavy lying on his chest. He tilted his head up to see what was lying on him and witnessed Aili’s beautiful face. Her eyes were closed, and one of her arms was thrown over his torso. She was snuggled close to his left side and had evidently lay down next to him in the middle of the night without his awareness. He hesitated to wake her as she looked so peaceful, and he enjoyed her presence and the warmth from her body.
After appreciating her company for some time, he decided it would be best to continue their journey. The guardian gently shook the beautiful healer awake, and her eyes opened with a similar reaction to the sun.
He waited a moment for her to collect her senses and then remarked, “We should prepare for our departure.”
She glanced up at him with a pleasant smile and enjoyed the sensation of waking up next to him. It was a comforting feeling that she had not felt before, and she discovered she did not want it to end yet. She knew her actions were more forward than what was traditionally accepted, but she wanted to comfort him during this arduous journey. The fair healer could tell he was placing great stress on himself, and he was attempting to take sole responsibility for all their lives. She was greatly concerned for him as she could tell last night that he was beginning to crumble under the weight of his title and position.
Aili whimpered. “Must it be time?”
“Yes, we should be going. There is quite a distance left to travel, and we must reach the seal soon,” he replied.
She glanced away, disappointed. “Faolan, I am sorry about last night. I was only concerned for you.”
“I know, and I apologize for not listening to you, but I want to be strong. Strong enough to protect all of you,” he responded. “I am not one of the mages, and I have no ability mighty enough to defend us against the Drey’kan, dragons, or the demon. The only thing I can sacrifice is my sleep and my health so that all of you may maintain your strength and be at your best for when the time comes.”
“You do not need to sacrifice yourself. The others will not blame you for not having magic or prowess in battle. They will help you with the watches; you just have to ask,” she advised.
“It is the only way I can give back to them. They are helping me on this journey by joining me on it and ensuring I do not have to make the long travel alone with the mages. I understand it was under the king’s order, but they already give their time and put their lives in danger. I could not ask for more,” Faolan responded with a caring heart.
Aili voiced her contrary viewpoint. “It is more dangerous for our leader to be exhausted to the point of passing out than for them to stand watch for a few hours every night. It is more selfish for you to hold your position on not sharing the responsibility than to ask for help. We could have used your strength in battle when the Drey’kan ambushed us. Perhaps the fight would have turned in our favor were you awake.”
He could hear the frustration in her tone, and he receded within as he did not wish to anger her. The young guardian wanted to help his allies and be strong in any possible way because, other than leading them, what did he have to offer? He had no power or magic; even his fighting capabilities were untrained and sloppy. He was not blind to these facts. Gavina had told him about his poor swordplay after their battle at Darnum.
The leader was not convinced that his assistance during their encounter with the Drey’kan would have changed anything. He tried to remember any moment during these past weeks when he had overcome an obstacle on his own. Each and every time a danger had arisen, he had either lost consciousness before the fight was over and had to be rescued, or he had failed to beat the adversary he stood against. He was angry at himself and realized he had failed every single time he was thrust into battle or a problematic situation.
“Why did Zael choose me?” Faolan questioned again.
She was slightly surprised by his question and did not know why he questioned the king’s decision. She was not quick enough to respond before he continued.
“The Shadow Guardians are supposed to be skilled warriors and have capabilities greater than the common citizen, but I have no such strength. I do not understand why I was chosen to be a Shadow Guardian when he could have probably found someone more fit for the position,” he told her.
She shifted her gaze to the pristine blue lake beyond their feet and commented, “You should not trouble yourself with such questions and doubt. Accept what you have been given, and do your best to make the king proud. That is all anyone can ask of you, Faolan, but you should not do it alone.”
“Being alone is in the Shadow Guardians code. I am to stand alone so no other must and to withstand any force on my own so others may survive. The code instructs me to do this alone,” he informed her.
She glanced back at him. “You do not have to do this alone, Faolan. The others will stand by your side without you even needing to ask for their support, and . . . I am here. I will stand by you and never let you be alone.”
He looked down at her, sm
iling faintly. “Thank you, Aili, but I would do anything to protect you. I would not knowingly put you in harm’s way or ask you to bear my burdens. If you were hurt, I would not be able to forgive myself.”
She smiled but wished he would let her in to help. The healer did not want to be pushed away; she wanted to be a part of his life and to be there for him during his times of need. The elf maiden could feel him pushing her away in order to bear the world on his shoulders, and it saddened her. She wanted to be in his heart, but she knew she was standing just outside it and staring in.
“I would endure any hardship with you. Please do not push me away,” she begged sadly.
He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her, reassuring her. “I would never push you away, Aili. I am sorry if it feels so. I just wish to protect you and the others. I do not want anything terrible to happen, and as this trip continues on, a fear grows in my heart from all the looming dangers beyond our senses. I promise I will never push you away.”
She wanted to believe him, but part of her was not confident in his words. The healer felt that his fears and duty might stand in the way of their budding relationship. She sat up beside him and looked out across the lake briefly before turning back and smiling at him.
He sat up as well and raised an eyebrow at her, questioning her stare.
Aili boldly leaned in and kissed Faolan softly on the lips. The move was so quick that the young guardian was stunned by her forwardness. The kiss lingered for a few moments and then she pulled away, but he stopped her retreat with a soft hand behind her head and pulled her close again. He kissed her passionately in return. He could not help but smile when their lips finally parted, and she returned the smile with a brightening expression. They stood up in their moment of bliss and relished their maturing bond.
As she turned around to head back to camp, she shrieked in shock.
“Yeah!” Treasach whistled and clapped. “Way to go, Faolan. She is a fine catch.”
Ehreion stood beside the prince and gave a hearty laugh.
Leith was not so happy. He stood next to Ehreion with his arms crossed, and a scowling expression crossed his face. He knew his sister fancied the guardian, but he was rather protective of her and did not wish to see her get hurt.
“Let us go. You two can marry after we are done with the seal. My father could see to it in the Garden District by King’s River.”
“What?” Leith shrieked.
Treasach smiled widely at Leith as his indirect teasing of the brother amused him.
Leith’s jaw dropped. “You would not . . .”
Ehreion turned around and began walking back toward the camp. The prince followed, grabbing the back of Leith’s collar and pulling the healer along. Aili’s brother narrowed his eyes at the guardian as he was dragged away.
Faolan glanced at Aili, who now had flushed cheeks. She was rather embarrassed by the others witnessing their first passionate kiss. The now-sheepish healer had not wanted them to know of their courting until their return to Lesley. She hoped the others would not make it awkward for them during the rest of their journey.
Faolan tried to ease her apparent concern with a smile. “It will be OK, Aili.” He took her hand and ushered her toward the wagon, their pleasant moment by the shoreline fresh in their minds.
When they joined the others, no one spoke of the private moment seen by the lake; instead, they all boarded the wagon and prepared to leave. Once they were ready, the small group moved northeast along the unkempt road through the Zajena Forest. Their pace rose to a steady trot as Caedmon instructed Leith that they needed to make up for lost time. The road wove through the chilly northern forest as it transitioned from an unkempt path into an uneven game trail. Near midday, they unpacked some rations and ate lunch on the move, consisting of aging fruits and bread. It was just enough to keep them going without weighing them down, though the food’s flavor was less than desired.
Once they had finished eating, Kellen decided it would be wise to review possible scenarios for what they might find near the seal and how they could dispatch the Initiate and impede its advance. He began by inquiring about the skills the mages would bring to the table, so that their tactics could build around the mages’ abilities and strengths.
Kellen called the old wolf guardian over. “Caedmon, would you like to join our discussion and provide how we might utilize your nature magic?”
The ancient guardian agreed that it would be wise and neared the wagon’s side. “Your inner general is apparent, Kellen. Wise thinking to gauge how we can build off each other.”
“Thank you, Caedmon. So how can we assist the mages and their magics to best bring this demon down?” the retired general inquired.
The wolf tried his best to explain. “Each of our magics is powerful on their own and can call on the elements in various ways. My nature magic can affect a vast area and control the movement of one or many adversaries. The magic can contain and corral enemies or crush and pierce with great might. It is supposed to control the minds of living creatures as well, but I have not attempted such a feat and would not be able to call on creatures to aid us this quickly without practice.”
“That is quite amazing!” Leith called out from the front bench.
“Yes, it is,” Auvelia commented.
“Ehreion, how about you?” Kellen wondered.
The dwarf cleared his throat and responded. “I can set things on fire . . . a lot of things.”
Ireli laughed at his blunt answer and admired his directness.
The burly warrior glanced at her and smiled, not expecting her enjoyment of his response.
Kellen tried to get the dwarf to elaborate. “Commendable and irrefutable, but how do you wield the magic, and how should we fight around it?”
“Well, I do not think control is an apt word for my magic. It is quite the opposite; I think about setting something on fire and how I want to set it on fire, and then my magic listens. The magic is a sort of presence inside and can be temperamental unless we are in harmony with it, but when it listens, I can set any swath of land on fire. Or the smallest rock,” the red-bearded dwarf added.
“Interesting,” Kellen admitted. “So should we stay out of your way then?”
“Aye, that would probably be wise,” the dwarf remarked.
Ireli laughed again at his bluntness. “Are you not able to tell the magic when not to burn a person? Surely you are not so naïve?”
The dwarf felt a bit of criticism coming from the fair human and replied defensively. “Aye, I can, but fire by nature is not confined and may rage beyond control once it leaves my focus, human.”
“Do not worry, dwarf. I will control it for you. I can blow it whatever way you need me to with my wind magic,” Ireli said assertively. “I have precise control over the gales.”
“Do you have that ability? To affect each other’s magic so easily?” Kellen chimed in curiously.
“Yes, we can combine or assist each other’s magic in order to gain a more potent effect and a new impact over a battlefield,” Caedmon answered.
“So if Ehreion casts his fire and Ireli uses her wind, then they could hypothetically create a fire tornado?” Auvelia asked.
“Yes, or in similar fashion, I could throw pieces of thorn-covered vines into the air, and she could blow them around to cut flesh,” the old wolf confirmed.
“That would create many fascinating possibilities. Quite interesting indeed,” she speculated.
“Well, then, it should be quite easy to dispatch this demon,” Treasach said. “Tornados and fire without limit should be no match for this beast. I should be able to sit back during this encounter.”
Gavina was not so sure about their ease of success and countered. “Caedmon, I thought you told me this creature’s skin created fire and burned your vines?”
The wolf nodded. “It did during our first encounter.”
“Then why would the Ikalreev provide one of you with that same element? Would it not nega
te its use?” the dark-haired general questioned.
“I cannot claim to understand the Archmages’ reasoning for the elemental choices, though my master explained to me that each one is necessary to claim victory over our adversary, and each serves a dynamic role,” the ancient guardian told them.
“But if each one is needed, then can we defeat the Initiate without the other two mages?” Aili’s voice pierced the conversation with her query.
Caedmon hesitated as he thought about how to respond without causing alarm. “We are indeed short two mages, but we must triumph over the Initiate. The alternative is death and decay for the entire world, and we must not allow this to occur. The Ikalreev attempted to assist the races to the best of their ability, and by whatever chance, their spell did not completely awaken in time for the defense of the First Seal, but it is imperative the demon’s annihilation be absolute to ensure the survival of all that is living.”
Kellen understood the old guardian’s words but wondered, “How would you propose we annihilate the demon, Caedmon?”
“By whatever force necessary,” the wolf declared.
Auvelia scoffed. “That is nice and all, but how are we to do that? By magic alone, or will steel cleave his dark hide?”
Ireli remembered her initial encounter with the evil creature. “Steel will melt should it pierce the beast’s charred skin. My daggers did so when I tried to protect Caedmon during our fight outside Mor. I do not believe steel will work on the demon. We might just end up losing all our weapons should we try to use them on the beast.”
“Auvelia is right,” Gavina admitted. “How do we defeat it? What will actually kill it?”
“Why are you doubting the magic? Why else would the Ikalreev provide us with such ability? Perhaps a mix of our magics is the key—not just fire or wind or nature, but all together. Maybe we can grind him up with a thorny-fire tornado as Auvelia mentioned,” Ehreion said.
Verdunmull Page 39