Chapter 8: Sphergol
Three days had passed since Michael and Ryan had been trapped in the cave of Jallana. Somehow, the door that Michael had used when he entered the chamber the first time was gone. There were caves above them that let air in and out, but they could not be reached. They were tired, hungry and hopeless. Michael walked over to the bed and sat beside it.
“Why did you do this to me?” he said with tears in his eyes. “Why did you make me an outcast? Why did you put this this curse on me? What did I do?”
“What are you talking about and to whom you are speaking?” Ryan asked walking up to him.
“It’s your fault we’re trapped in here! If you hadn’t come, I could have climbed up the hole, but you showed up and now were trapped!” Michael slowly stood and unsheathed his blade.
“What are you talking about? If you hadn’t used magic to light that fire, I wouldn’t have followed you!”
Michael swung his sword in an upward arc and clipped a lock of hair off Ryan’s head.
“What’s wrong with you!? Are you trying to decapitate me?”
“If we can’t get out of here, I might as well practice my sword play before we both die!” shouted Michael.
“You’ve gone mad!” Ryan exclaimed, throwing his hand in the air and screaming as he ran around in circles.
“Enough!” This was a new voice. “Stop fighting immediately!”
A golden glowing sphere had appeared in the middle of the room above the bed. The voice was obviously female. What surprised Michael the most, however, was that this was the same floating sphere than led him to Jallana’s resting place just a few nights before.
After Michael calmed down, the sphere began to speak again. “That’s better. Now, let us deal with the matter at hand. Ryan, you have seen this boy use magic, am I correct?”
“Yes.”
“And do you promise to tell no one about what you have witnessed?”
“Yes.”
“Then it is settled.”
“What? He can just walk free after seeing my powers?” Michael protested.
“You need to understand that your power is not your own, it was given to you by Jallana. You are a weak human, and until you have strength on your own, that belt and myself are all you have to your name.”
“But what about—”
“When you were in the ally with Aaron and the knife stopped in mid-air, it was me.”
“Oh,” Michael felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. Wanting to change the subject, he asked, “Who are you?”
“Oh, how thoughtless of me; I am Sphergol. I was Jallana’s magic sphere. Now that you know that you would be dead if not for me, will you listen to what I have to say?”
“I guess.”
“Good. This is the reason you have been chosen to wear the belt. A long time ago, in the very center of this world, Magentara was a single, powerful city.” She paused, as if she had forgotten what to say.
“What do you mean by a single city?” Michael asked.
“I mean that before the time of Jenoth, Sethont, Acosh, Marianatha, and the Defre-Lanc, it was all simply Magentara; one nation, one province, one city. Buried deeply under many of the plains are the bones of that great city. But that was over a thousand years ago.”
“How did it end?”
“A long time ago the king, Alenad was killed during a rebellion which in turn resulted in the division of the five kingdoms, as you have read in the legend books. What is not recorded, however, is that he has a long lineage after him.
“Alenad had a son, though the name is not on record. He also had a brother, but he fled over the ocean to the south and disappeared. He was called Tyrastin, and was father to a man named Neil.
“After his uncle was murdered and his father left the continent, Neil fled into a forest. He was twenty years old when it happened. He was in hiding for three years, until he met Jallana.
“They married, and she had a son, named Brian. Neil, Jallana and Brian lived together in peace for fourteen years.
“One day, Neil used a spell on a round stone and created the Magic Spheres. Although he intended to make a thing of beauty, the intelligence of the Spheres started a chain reaction which would bring the war, the great city, and even magic to an end.
“Several of my kind turned from our peaceful nature and pursued masters who wished only for chaos and power.
“One of these Spheres, Spherblac, met a man called Sharvaus. He told him where Neil was, and Sharvaus went and killed him, with intent of capturing all of the Spheres for himself.
“This man’s act attracted Malumo, an evil creature that has red eyes, pointed teeth and spines the whole way down its massive, muscular back. Little more is known about Malumo, save that Malumo and Sharvaus made a blood oath and merged, forming a hideous man-creature, now known as Malumous.”
Michael’s mind flashed back to when he saw Malumous, and he cringed.
“Before Jallana and Brian fled, Jallana grabbed the royal belt off of Neil’s body. She cast an enchantment on the belt so that nobody could remove it but herself or one of her descendants. The enchantment wove magic into the belt that would be able to bestow additional power on the next wearer.
“All the while the war raged on and they needed someone to stop it. Jallana told Brian to stay in a dormant fire hill and she went to battle.
“She was a fierce warrior; she singlehandedly slew seven hundred men and took another three hundred as prisoners. Sadly, several villages were destroyed and innocent lives lost under her command.
“This great slaughter offended the Being who had given the people power, and it resulted in the fall of magic. The Being allowed each of the royal belts to remain, and two Magic Spheres. He created foul beasts, such as the Earth-spider, to remind the world of our fall from prosperity. Great sections of the city were destroyed by strange explosions. Many blocks were even swallowed by the earth itself; said to have been given to the Highfiend for his kingdom.
“Jallana went back to the secret cavern, but nobody was there. She made that her home. Under the Being’s instruction, Jallana crafted torches and a bed in the middle of this very room and laid here; waiting for the day the belt would be needed.
“As for Brian, he was married and with children. His roots travel down for several generations until we meet Kenneth. These names should be sounding familiar to you now, prince.
“Kenneth had two children. His son was called Landon and his daughter was Kadrean, who disappeared at the age of fourteen.
“Landon took the throne and married a woman named Sallentia. They had a son and called him…Michael.” Sphergol paused and started to glow brighter before continuing. “Do you understand? You were chosen because you are the last known descendent of the first royal bloodline. You are the rightful ruler of this land, and it is your duty to cleanse the land of evil and restore peace.”
Michael was shocked, and Ryan stared at him with wide eyes.
“What? You’re Michael? You are the runaway prince!” said Ryan. “Why would you give that up for... for this?”
“That place was a prison to me! You can’t even imagine what it was like! I couldn’t go back now even if I wanted to!” Michael shouted in rage and punched the wall, splintering the stone under his fists.
Sphergol stepped in. “Michael! Calm yourself.”
“Being trapped in here is driving me mad!”
“Trapped? You think you’re trapped in here? Child, you must be mad!” Sphergol spat the words.
“You mean,” Ryan asked, “that there is a way out of here?”
“Well of course.”
“Where is it?” Michael said.
“Go punch that wall over there with all your strength, and a passage will open.”
“You mean this wall? Alright, here goes!” with all his strength he threw his fist at the wall and splintered it four feet deep. There was a sharp crack as the bones in his hand broke.
“I’m sorry,
but I meant there,” Sphergol floated over to a space a few feet to the right of the gaping hole, “Now what will you do, you broke your hand?”
“You told me to hit it as hard as I could, so I did! Now my hand is useless, thanks to you,” His hand hung loosely by his side, swelling and purpling.
“Well, look on the bright side, you broke through the wall,” Sphergol said.
“Hey Sphergol, can I ask you a favor?” asked Michael. “Can you please go and see if Reno is alright? I would appreciate it.”
“Oh, I suppose. Be back in a moment.” The Magic Sphere disappeared.
Ryan approached Michael. “So,” he said, “you’re the prince? You have been missing for weeks.”
“Well I don’t care. The only thing for me there is being locked up in the castle. The castle is my prison,” He sat on the ground and held his broken hand in his lap. “Please, keep it between us, will you?”
“Sure. I mean, it is your secret.”
“Kyle!” This was a voice that Michael recognized. He didn’t even have a chance to turn around before enormous arms wrapped around him. “I thought I’d never see you again!” It was Reno.
Michael pulled free and turned around to see his old employer and friend. “Reno, I missed you! How did you escape?”
“When the guards went to search the house, they left me unattended. I quietly slipped out and stitched my wounds. I have been in hiding ever since.”
“It was by mere chance that I found Reno,” Sphergol said. “He snuck back into his shop to get some of his valuables before traveling to Marianatha.”
Reno placed a hand on Michael’s shoulder. “She said you had something urgent to tell me.”
“I needed to tell you that I am leaving Jenoth; forever. I am going to seek out the Defre-Lanc and join with them. It is my best chance to destroy Malumous.”
“Well,” said Reno “you’re not going alone. If you want me to stay here and make weapons all day, you’ve got another thing coming. There are more important things to worry about.”
“What are you talking about?” Michael asked.
“I am wanted for aiding in the escape of a dark magician. I am on the run, just like you; I even brought food and new weapons,” He said pulling a cloth bundle out of his pack. He un-wrapped it and held up the object inside. It was a battle-axe with a blackened steel handle and a black blade; the sharp edges were red. The handle had a red ribbon wrapped around it. “This is my axe. And this is Sonya. I named her after my wife,” He held up the sword with the wolf-head pommel and steel blade. It was cased in a royal blue sheath with golden vines entangling it. “And I pass it down to you, Kyle,” He handed the sword to Michael.
“It would be a shame to see such a finely crafted weapon become damaged,” Sphergol said. “Let me see it for a moment,” Michael released the blade and it began to float in mid-air.
A blue light appeared and ran up and down the blade on each side. When the light disappeared the edges of the blade were gleaming and transparent like diamonds and the hilt shone with a new radiance. The sword was more beautiful than before, and even more deadly.
“How can a sword have a diamond edge?” Reno asked.
This is not diamond,” Michael said as he felt the clear edge. It was malleable under his fingers. “It’s too soft.”
“You are correct, it is a magical substance. The liquid gem is soft and bendable. However, when there is contact with another hard object, say a sword or a shield, it hardens and becomes virtually indestructible. It also vibrates sharply, enabling it to cut through most armor as if it were fresh cheese.”
“So, it is rare then?” Michael asked, bending the soft edge with his thumb.
“Extremely! Only we Magic Spheres can create it. I suppose that the only other remaining member of my kind, Spherblac, has created an entire range of weapons for his master by now. Anything can be lined with it, if we have the energy to do so. Are we ready to leave yet?”
“No, not yet,” Reno said, “I brought something else for you,” he pulled a steel ring from his pocket. There were two pieces; one was a fifth of the ring, and then the rest.
“What is that for?” Ryan asked.
“To mark my freedom,” Michael took the pieces and looped the larger through his ear.
“How are you going to meld them together?” Reno asked.
“I can do that with ease,” Sphergol said, “However, this is going to hurt,” the small section of the ring floated off of Michael’s palm and lined up with the other piece. There was a bright flash and Michael felt as though his earlobe would melt off. “It is done.”
The prince felt the weight of the ring in his ear. “Are we ready to leave?”
Everybody agreed, and Michael walked out in front of them, “We will find the Defre-Lanc and join their forces to make Malumous pay for the crimes that he has committed!” Michael exclaimed and the group went through the hole in the wall and into the light of day.
Sea of the Dead Page 8