by B. D. Suever
The symbol from the sapphire necklace Joraya had given Ethan emitted a tiny light. As Ethan sat there feeling bad for the people, the light got brighter. He looked down and saw the light beaming from his chest.
The little girl jumped up, frightened at what was happening. She ran off towards the priest. Nera and Mora looked over at Ethan, who was bathed in light.
“What's happening?” Ethan yelled. It terrified him, and he couldn't stop whatever this was from happening. He couldn't even move.
Before Nera and Mora could reach him, the light surrounded the entire courtyard. Everyone turned their heads and shielded their eyes because the light was so overwhelming. Then, with immense force, the light sent out a massive pulse, causing those standing in the courtyard to fall to their knees.
The light faded as Ethan fell to the ground.
The dust settled, and all was quiet. Everyone was staring at Ethan lying on the grass in the courtyard.
“What was that?” Nera asked Mora.
Mora was staring at Ethan.
“Elder?” Nera pressed.
“I ... I ... I have no idea. I’ve never seen this kind of power,” Mora finally answered.
Nera walked over to Ethan, unsure of what to expect. She knelt next to him and noticed he was still breathing. He's asleep, she thought. Whatever had happened had completely drained him.
Just then, Nera heard a commotion coming from behind. She and Mora turned to see what the trouble was, but it turned out it wasn't trouble at all. People's injuries were miraculously healing by themselves. Cuts, bruises, burn marks, all were vanishing as if they had never happened.
Mora looked back at Ethan. “I think I know what happened.”
Nera was still looking around the courtyard, astonished by all the people being healed by some magic force.
“I believe something woke up in Ethan and he was able to tap into the innate magical abilities within himself,” Mora continued. “I'm amazed at how much power he unleashed.”
Nera glanced back at Ethan. “Joraya told him he'd learn in time. I wonder what triggered it.”
Crackle ... Crackle ... Crack!
Nera and Mora glanced over towards the sound. A faint white light emitted from cracks forming in the stone statues of the little girl's parents. Pieces of stone broke off, falling to the ground. Gasps could be heard throughout the crowd. The little girl was holding on tight to the priest's hands, unsure of what was happening to her parents. There was another shimmer of light as the remaining stone around their bodies broke away, releasing them from their stone prison. They both fell to the ground, exhausted from the trauma. The little girl ran to her parents.
“Mommy! Daddy!” she yelled.
Her mother reached out and embraced her. Her father wrapped his arms around his family. “We're all right, Marni. Mommy and Daddy are all right,” he assured her.
The priest walked over to Nera and Mora. “How?” he asked.
Mora glanced down at Ethan. “This boy, apparently.”
Nera was kneeling next to Ethan, trying to wake him up. The energy he had exerted to cast this spell had clearly drained his body. As Nera gave Ethan's cheek a light smack, his eyes fluttered open.
“Huh? Where am I? Why am I on the floor?”
Nera sighed with relief. “You're awake. I was starting to worry.” She helped Ethan to his feet.
His legs were still a little wobbly, and it was clear to Nera that he was extremely weak. She walked him over near a fountain and helped him sit down. Ethan looked around at the courtyard. “Why is everyone staring at me? Do I have a booger sticking out of my nose?”
Nera couldn’t help but smile. “You don't remember what happened?”
Ethan let out a big yawn. “No. Last thing I remember was a little girl yelling at me and then I sat next to her.” His tone turned irritated. “Did she hit me or something? She better not have knocked me out.”
Just then, Marni ran up to Ethan and gave him a big hug. “Thank you for helping my mom and dad.”
Ethan looked confused. “Uh ... you're welcome, I guess.” He clearly didn't know what was going on or what to say. He looked to Nera for an explanation.
“Apparently you used magic to heal all the people from the village of Gwantar, including Marni's parents, who were turned to stone,” she said.
Ethan looked around. “Yeah, right. Funny joke. What really happened? Did the elder do all this?”
Mora walked over. “Well, my boy, this is what Joraya talked to you about when you spoke with him. You have an innate ability within you to use magic. Your heart determines the type of magic you can use. A person with a dark heart conjures dark magic, whereas a person with a good heart can cast miracles, such as healing and regeneration.”
“You have an inner light within you, Ethan, that came out in time of need,” Nera added.
Ethan stared down at his hands, trying to figure everything out. “I can use magic?” he said. He looked over at a tree and raised his hand up to it. “AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!”
Nera and Mora looked at him, confused. “Ethan, what are you doing?” Nera asked.
“Trying to lift the tree with magic,” he answered.
Mora placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder. “I don't think that's how it works. This is new to you and for the moment I think the inner ability comes out when a need arises and triggers it within. Over time, I'm sure you will learn to control it and use magic at will.”
“That's lame,” Ethan complained. “I wanted to be an all-powerful Avent.”
“Avent?” one villager standing close by said.
Others talked amongst themselves. “Did he say he was the Avent?”
“I thought the Avent was supposed to be an adult,” a woman said.
“Does this mean he's here to save us all from the darkness?” a man asked his friend.
Nera, Mora and Ethan looked around at the courtyard as the villagers talked amongst themselves, still staring at Ethan.
“Did I say something wrong?” Ethan asked.
Mora smiled at him. “Not at all. I will handle this.”
He walked to the center of the courtyard. “People! Please gather around. I will explain everything.”
As the villagers gathered around Mora, there were still whispers amongst the crowd about the Avent.
“Yes. Ethan is in fact the Avent,” Mora explained.
The whispers in the crowd turned to loud questions and gasps.
“That is all I can tell you and it would be helpful to him and his companions if you did not spread the word that the Avent has arrived,” Mora continued. “As you all know, dark forces are on the rise and the less they know about Ethan, the better off we all are. You have all seen firsthand what the Necrom will do to get what they want.”
The priest walked up next to Mora. “I agree with the elder. I think we all owe it to this young boy to keep his secret and remain silent.”
The villagers talked amongst themselves; some agreed, while others still said the world should know the Avent had arrived.
Then Marni's father stepped forward. “HEY! All of you!” he yelled. Everyone stopped talking and looked up at him. “This boy did not have to help us at all and yet he used his powers to heal us. He gave my family a second chance together. He owed us nothing, but we owe it to him to show him the kindness he has shown us by keeping his secret.”
The villagers all nodded in agreement. “Thank you,” Mora said, as he shook the man’s hand. He walked back over to Nera and Ethan. “Now that's settled, shall we continue on?”
Nera gave Naveni a pat on the head. “Rest here, girl. I'll be back soon.”
Ethan looked up at Mora. “Where are we going now?”
Mora smiled. “To meet with the steward of Dragenmar.”
The large doors of the inner castle opened on to a beautiful grand hall. Ethan looked around with his mouth wide open. “Whoa!” he said. “This place is gigantic. It's like five mansions combined.”
A man dressed
in a suit of armor approached them. “I am Chancellor Reinard. It is a pleasure to meet you,” he said with a bow. “Elder, it is good to see you again.”
Mora nodded his head and smiled.
“The steward will be ready to meet with you shortly. I was only able to grant you a short meeting with him as he has other matters to attend to,” Reinard explained.
“That is fine. A short meeting is all we need. I appreciate your help,” Mora replied.
Reinard ushered Ethan and his group into the next room. “Perhaps your guests would enjoy a tour of the castle, Elder?”
Mora raised his brows at Ethan and Nera. He could see Ethan was eager to explore. “I will remain here if the two of you would like to go,” he said.
Nera glanced at Ethan. “I will stay with the elder. Please be careful here, Ethan and leave your bow with me. We don't want to upset the man we need a favor from.”
“Cool!” Ethan shouted. “Let's go! I wanna see how big this place is.” He carried on before the chancellor could speak. “Does this castle have an army?”
“One of the largest armi-”
Ethan blurted out another question, interrupting his answer. He and the chancellor walked off toward the dining hall, leaving Nera and Mora behind. Nera watched as they disappeared around the corner. She could still hear Ethan asking question after question. With a roll of her eyes, she turned to Mora. “Elder, what is the purpose of our visit here?”
Mora sat down and let out a sigh. “Ugh. These old bones aren't what they used to be. I can't be up for too long before I tire out.”
Nera sat in the seat across from him, looking for answers.
“The answers to all of our questions regarding the amulet lie in the ancient Library of Idalia,” said Mora. “We need to pass the northern border to get there.”
“And only the steward can grant us access, I presume,” Nera said.
Mora nodded. “Precisely.”
“Do you think he will grant our request?” she asked.
Mora looked up at the ceiling. “I am sure if I offer another favor for a favor I can convince him to give us permission to head north.”
Nera looked as if she were in deep thought. “I wonder what we will find at this ancient library.”
Mora reached into a pocket lining the inside of his robe. He pulled out an odd key. “No one has entered the library for a long time. I cannot tell you what awaits you there.” He slid the key across the table to Nera. “This is my keepsake. It is the piece that was entrusted to me to protect. Unfortunately, I do not know what type of door this key opens. I know it unlocks something at the library though.”
Nera studied the object. “I've never seen a key like this.”
Mora closed her hand over it. “Keep it hidden at all times until you reach the library. Once there, you must make sure it gets into Ethan’s hands. Only the Avent can use the pieces together to find the location of the amulet.” He took a breath. “One other thing. We cannot mention the amulet or the Avent to the steward. Men in power only seek more power and I believe that if he has knowledge of this he will try to retrieve the amulet himself.”
Nera nodded. “It's bad enough we have the Necrom searching for it. I can see how much trouble it would be if Dragenmar's armies were out searching for it as well.” She glanced in the direction Ethan and the chancellor had taken. “Now the major problem is making sure Ethan doesn't open his mouth.”
CRASH!
“Sorry! I barely touched it and it fell over,” Ethan claimed.
Reinard walked over, laughing. “It's ok. It's just a weapon rack. I will have one of the caretakers clean it up.” He gestured. “Shall we continue?”
Ethan's curiosity was getting the better of him. He had so many questions he wanted answered. “How old is this castle?”
“Well, this is the first settlement that was built in the south. It was built almost four thousand years ago. The castle itself was built about one thousand years ago. When the first people came to this continent, they created a farming and fishing village. As time passed and more people arrived, they expanded until it became the great city you see today.”
“Wow! Does Dragenmar have an army?” Ethan asked.
Reinard walked Ethan out into a large training area where thousands of soldiers were scattered throughout the training grounds, practicing and honing their skills. “Some consider our army to be the largest on Terah,” he said.
Astonished, Ethan watched the men training with each other. Some were training in sword play, some were shooting arrows at practice dummies, while others were fighting in hand to hand combat. “Nera has been training me with a bow,” he said. “I'm not that good though.”
“It takes many years to become proficient with a weapon. Would you like to practice a little while you are here?” Reinard asked.
Ethan shrugged. “Sure. I guess.” He walked over to one of the straw dummies and picked up a training bow. He remembered what Nera had told him: slow your breathing, aim and always focus on your target; those words bounced around in his head. As he took aim, he noticed a giant bird out of the corner of his eye. “That's the giant bird I saw the other day,” he muttered to himself. He lost focus and let the arrow loose. “Oops.”
Reinard laughed at him. “I would not want to be the enemy you shoot at,” he chuckled.
Ethan looked over at the dummy and saw that the arrow had pierced right between the legs. He chuckled a little, thinking how much that would hurt someone but how funny it would be.
A man approached Reinard and whispered into his ear. He then bowed and walked off. Reinard turned to Ethan. “Well, it looks like the steward is ready to receive you and your friends. Shall we head back?”
Ethan nodded, put down the training bow, and they walked back to the grand hall.
Nera and Mora stood as Reinard and Ethan approached. “So how was the tour?” Nera asked.
Reinard laughed. “Let's say it was one tour I will remember for a while.” Still laughing, he ushered them in the direction of the throne room. “This way, please.” He led them through the grand hall and through another set of large double doors. Beyond these doors was a hallway lined with different armor.
Ethan was in awe at all the armor he saw. “This is just like Dark Torments armor,” he said.
Nera glanced back. “Let's not talk about that,” she said.
Ethan could tell it annoyed Nera hearing about his favorite game. She wouldn't be annoyed if she played it, I bet, he thought. “I saw that giant bird again, Nera. What is it?” he asked.
“That is the Fox Clive,” she told him. “He is the largest of all the birds. Many say he is the king of all flying beings.”
As they walked closer to the throne room, Ethan overheard Mora talking to Reinard about the purpose of their visit. He heard Mora say they needed passage through the northern border to help Nera's sister. Why is he telling him a lie? he thought. Ethan grabbed Nera's arm, stopping her in the middle of the hallway.
“What is it Ethan?” she asked.
Ethan nodded his head toward Mora and Reinard. “Why is the elder lying to the chancellor?”
“We can't let the steward know who you are or that we are searching for the Amulet of Light or he may not help us. He may want it for himself,” she explained. “When we go in there, I need you to promise you won't say a word.”
“I promise,” Ethan said.
Nera could see in his eyes that he understood the importance of this. She nodded at him and they hurried to catch up to Mora and Reinard.
As they reached the other end of the hall, two knights opened the doors to the throne room. As they entered, a man announced them to the steward. “Elder Mora and company here for an audience with Steward Yemenaris!”
Mora and Nera approached the throne and knelt before the steward. Ethan noticed this and ran up next to Nera, going down on one knee.
“Elder Mora. To what do I owe this meeting?” Yemenaris asked.
Mora stood. “I wish
to ask permission for my friends here to pass beyond the northern border, Lord Yemenaris. They are in search of a rare plant to help cure their sister. The plant grows to the north on the snowy plains near the troll caves.”
“Another favor, I see,” Yemenaris said. “Does this mean you will grant me another favor when I require it?”
“I will indeed be indebted to you if you grant this request,” Mora said.
Yemenaris looked at Nera and Ethan, gaining their attention. “I can understand wanting to help a family member, so I will grant this request. Just know that the north can be dangerous and once you cross that border, you will not have the help of my people,” he warned.
Nera nodded in understanding. “Thank you, Lord Yemenaris. Your help is greatly appreciated.”
Yemenaris looked at Ethan. “And you will stay close to your big sister and stay out of trouble.” He grinned.
Ethan looked up nervously. “Y ... yes, sir,” he stammered.
The steward handed a couple pieces of paper to Chancellor Reinard to give to Mora. “This is my mark. Show this to the guards at the northern border and they will allow you passage,” he explained. “May you have a safe journey and return unharmed.”
Mora bowed. “Thank you, old friend.” Nera and Ethan also stood and gave a final bow to Yemenaris. One knight walked up to escort them out of the throne room, and Yemenaris and Reinard watched them go.
Yemenaris looked over to Reinard as the doors closed. “Do you believe their story?” he asked.
“Not at all,” Reinard answered.
Yemenaris ran his fingers through his beard. “Neither do I.”
“Shall I have them followed?” Reinard asked.
“No. Not yet,” Yemenaris said. “I believe Vetick is handling it for now. We will await further instruction.”