Chronicles of Aurderia: The Balance

by J. Steven Young

  “Andra I need you to take over here while I see what our newest guests have to offer as threat.” Shuran switched places with Andra who was still holding the clear crystal shard Shuran had given him earlier.

  Shuran noticed that the guards approaching from the North were wearing black leathers.

  They stopped and seamed to simply be observing what was transpiring.

  Shuran did not stop to consider what they were planning before he reached deep within his lessons to recall the spells for levitation. With the added strength from his crystals he lifted the remaining livestock off the ground and onto the Mellamu Nanna.

  There was no room for the wagons to be brought aboard so Shuran used them as a weapon. He quickly lifted them high in the air and hurtled them toward the southern assault that had positioned themselves about fifty paces from the ship.

  As the guards saw the oncoming aerial threat they scattered and lost focus on the escapees.

  Shuran and Andra quickly joined the others aboard the Mellamu Nanna and pulled up the plank.

  “Get us moving Codge, we ain’ got all night!” Moona yelled.

  As they inched away from the shore, Shuran noticed the black clad guards were still holding position and not interfering with their escape. He decided he would worry about this later.

  The Land’s Guard had regrouped and were sending fireballs and lightening toward them.

  “Andra now would be a good time for you to put that crystal to good use. I am going to see Codger on the pilot deck,” Shuran exclaimed as he ran off to see the old man.

  Andra nodded and held out his hands, one holding the clear crystal that he had taken from Shuran. As he spoke the words of the ancient tongue, a solid yet invisible shield formed around the Mellamu Nanna.

  “LILBAL BALEMUKU ZALAGBAD!” Andra said the words to transform the air around them into a clear wall shield. With the power of Shuran’s Essence filled crystal, Andra was able to create a bubble of protection around them that would last until the power of the crystal ran out. Andra guessed that would not be anytime soon, sensing the power within.

  Shuran ran up to Codger in the pilot’s deck, “Here use this and get us out of here!” Shuran pushed Codger’s crystal shard toward him. Seeing Codger’s confused look Shuran explained quickly, “I have spent weeks recharging it. We can discuss it later once you have lifted this vessels laden arse out of the water and get us away!”

  Without another word, Codger placed the shard in its spot on the controls and smiled as it glowed. He then shifted the control lever into position. As the Mellamu Nanna lifted from the water, the side sails unfurled into great wings to each side of the vessel and flapped once as the ship was hoisted over one hundred paces into the air.

  The Drakk Elite Guard just looked on, stone faced, as Shuran and his friends made their escape.

  This did not go unnoticed to Shuran, but he was not done. In order to hide the direction they would take, Shuran set the air above the water to near fire temperature. Immediately, a thick misty fog arose all around the area and the Mellamu Nanna was lost to the onlookers ashore.

  The Land’s Guard continued throwing assaults of fire and energy at an unseen target.

  The Drakk Elite backed away from the view of the Land’s Guard so their captain could make his report to Fallon and awaits orders.

  An eerie shriek filled the night as a gangly red-eyed bird lifted from the branches of a nearby tree and flew off into the night.

  Chapter Nine

  The travelers busied themselves leading the animals and supplies below into the cargo holds of the Mellamu Nanna. Codger kept himself to the pilot’s deck marveling at the ease of which the ship moved under a fully charged crystal.

  Shuran arrived sometime later with wine, bread and cheese. “Moona said she thought you might need feeding.” Shuran saw the look of delight on Codger’s face, “Of course she said it in the same breath as tending to the cattle, horses, and goats!” Shuran laughed watching Codger’s expression sour. “Where are we heading?” Shuran asked now that they were clear of the heavy fog he had created to mask their direction of escape.

  “I’ been think ‘bout that young wielder!” Codger said with a look of admiration and pride in Shuran. “It seems clear to me that you are meant for far greater things, and knowledge will be your best tool.”

  Codger just looked at Shuran then out to the horizon before him. With a slight shift of the controls he adjusted their course back to the North. “I think I will take you to the ruins where I found the plans I used to build this here fine ship!” Codger beamed at the self felt genius of his idea.

  Shuran was inclined to agree with the last part of his assessment.

  Now that they had a destination and it was locked into the ship’s controls, they all were able to relax a while and join together for a meal and council.

  “What I want to know is where you got all this power Shuran?” Moona asked accusingly.

  “I did not suddenly get that much stronger, I have been storing Essence in crystals I found in a cave for many moons,” Shuran said as he opened his bag containing tens of crystal shards of varying shapes and colors.

  “Through trial and error Bastien and I found that different crystals were actually capable of working better for various types of weaving and wielding.” Shuran saw the looks of surprise and question on everyone including Andra’s borrowed face.

  “For instance, this reddish shard enhances fire wielding or weaving better than any other. Likewise the blue for water and green for earth.” Shuran continued by showing examples of how a spell reacted, enhanced by each color shard.

  “I have yet to find what some of the other shard colors will aid in but I am certain that for some reason these colors represent a power somehow.” “I am confused though that I have found well more than seven colored shards.” Shuran looked to Andra for an answer.

  “I cannot be certain but perhaps the combinations of powers would make these other colors, so perhaps if you combined water and fire somehow, the purple hued shard would be helpful.”

  Again this is all new to me even at my age and experience with using Abnu Emuq. I am happy to say Shuran has surpassed me in my understanding of power stones.” Andra looked at Shuran with pride noticing Shuran’s own look of deep concern.

  The group ate their meal and decided to retire early after agreeing to set a shift of watch over the night.

  Codger had determined that with a fully charged shard powering the Mellamu Nanna they would arrive at their destination by next mid day. Codger had already expressed to Shuran that he was unsure how the ship worked just that it did, but he wanted to know how. Perhaps the ruins would reveal more information than he found on his previous visit.

  That night after Shuran finished his earlier watch he laid his head down for a long needed sleep. Rest did not come easy. His thoughts were full of images of Bastien and the Telalsu. Flashes of the Black clad guards standing idly by during their escape and hope for what he would find at the ruins kept restful sleep out of reach.

  Once he finally drifted off to a fitful slumber, his dreams were replaced by visions. He saw two woman weaving and wielding Essence at one another. They appeared to be the same woman. The only difference was their hair and clothing. He saw himself standing between them attempting to halt their efforts. He awoke in a sweat and full of confusion over what he saw. When morning finally broke he found himself full of questions and worry. He went to break his fast with the others but remained silent.

  “What has your tongue this morn Shuran?” Moona croaked as she drew deep on her pipe.

  “Nothing.” Shuran shrugged, and he ducked somehow knowing that a swing from Moona’s free hand was coming toward the back of his head.

  “OH! Got the power of sight now do you!” Moona said recovering her balance from the missed swing.

  “No, experience is a dear school!” Shuran smirked as he turned back from looking at Moona, who just grunted and smirked back at his response. />
  “So spit it out boy ‘fore the feisty ol’ dur gets it in her to knock it out o’ ya!” Codger joked. He did not learn from experience as Moona’s hand met with the back of his head.

  After a laugh shared by all but Codger, Shuran retold the contents of his vision. Andra and Moona briefly looked at one another but said nothing, and they played off the visions as nothing but dreams. Shuran knew better by now, but he said nothing, for the time being. After Shuran got up and headed off to check on the animals, Andra decided to have a talk with Moona.

  Andra and Moona sat in the pilot deck watching for their destination and deciding about what and when to tell Shuran.

  “His visions are getting closer to the truth of his involvement in the prophecy. He must be told soon.” Andra started the conversation direct and to the point.

  “I know it, shifty! Just ain’ found a good time is all. Suppose there ain’ no puttin’ it off much more.” Moona did not wish to unset Shuran more than he was.

  He knew his mother died at his birthing but knew nothing much of his sisters aside that they were sacrificed.

  Moona had also told him she knew nothing of his father, which was not true. Sulura may not have told Moona where her husband and Shuran’s adda had gone, but she felt he was out there somewhere on some quest for Salmetu.

  “I will tell him after we arrive and settle in.” Moona was not looking forward to that time and shivered from more than just the cold air this far north.

  It was not much past mid day when the Mellamu Nanna began her decent toward the decimated castle in the Northern forest east of the Orenthal Mountain range. As the ship angled downward toward the ruins, Shuran could see how this place had gone lost and forgotten for so long.

  What once looked to have been a grand and formidable structure, was now overgrown and fallen to ground in scattered sections. Moss, fungus, weeds, trees, and all other form of plant had reclaimed the millennia old towers, turrets and walls. All they could see however old it may be was not what they were here to find.

  Far beneath this structure lies an even older ruin. A former building of the Telukukal once sat here and was covered by the builders of the visible ruins on the surface.

  Shuran could not hold his excitement. Thoughts of scouring through remains from thousands of years before the Lalli Mah and perhaps finding lost artifacts or books, made him nervous with anticipation.

  The ship was nearing an area near what must have been the stockades of the old ruined castle. An odd structure was visible that looked similar to a dry dock rest for ships. Codger maneuvered the Mellamu Nanna onto the dry dock supports and with a final slight shudder the Mellamu Nanna was safely nestled into her landslip.

  Codger explained how he built it along with the Mellamu Nanna in this very spot.

  Mallick and Shuran busied themselves getting the animals to land and into some old structures that could serve as a stable until other arrangements could be made.

  Codger pointed out the safe areas within the fallen castle where he once made a temporary home. It appeared as though nothing had been touched since he was last here. At least that meant it unlikely they would have unwanted visitors as the ruins still seemed unknown to others.

  Once the animals were settled in, the group made themselves as comfortable as they could inside what remained of a tower. The ground level was mostly usable, but the tower had long ago toppled over from a point just above the second level, leaving it full of rubble and debris.

  They made short time of moving supplies from the Mellamu Nanna into the tower. There were partial walls separating a few sections to allow separating areas for sleeping and living.

  Moona was able to get a fire started in what remained of the fireplace. The angle at which the tower above had fallen left the fireplace free of debris, although the birds and mice that came scattering out did not appreciate the intrusion.

  Shuran and Mallick went off into the woods surrounding the area, in order to check the terrain, gather wood, and set some snares. They had plenty of dried foodstuffs for a few weeks but they were not sure yet how long they would be staying at the ruins. Some fresh rabbit or other wild game would be preferred and they could dry some meat as well for later since Shuran felt there would be rough times ahead.

  The area around the ruins Shuran noticed was rough and wild as any wild woodland would be. The land had been unsettled and lost to history for so long that it was completely over grown. With access to enough wild food and fresh water, they could stay there indefinitely if not for the harsh cold this time of year.

  Mallick and Shuran finished gathering wood and some tubers, mushrooms, and roots that appeared to be edible, and headed back to the castle.

  “Shuran, come help he check these plants you brought back while we talk,” Moona instructed. She took a seat near the fire on a makeshift stool of stone.

  Shuran immediately noticed the absence of Moona’s pipe, making this a serious conversation.

  As they looked through and categorized the plants into medical and edible uses, Moona retold the story of his birth. This time she did not leave out any details. Shuran listened in silence taking it all in. Moona also recounted the time of her and Salura’s transfer to Drakkfoth and imprisonment by the Order of Chaos. While Moona was retelling a conversation held in the cell with his mother, Shuran finally broke his silence.

  “You mean all this time I was not only believing I was an only surviving child, but that my adda is known and might be out there somewhere on some quest?” Shuran was angry.

  The earth below him began to rumble and energy began sparking on his body. Water shot forth from a crack in the ground and the fire at the hearth roared. Shuran saw the fear in Moona’s face. He saw fear in everyone’s faces and he suddenly let go of the Essence. He closed his eyes for a moment then turned and ran out the hole in the wall that served as a doorway.

  Shuran went off into the ruins away from where they were making a home. Although his initial shock had worn off, he was still seething with anger. When he was feeling angry or distracted Shuran had always used the time to focus on storing energy in a shard but he left them back with the others.

  As he sat alone he began staring intently at a rock lying on the ground near him. He began to sink his thoughts into the center of the stone willing Essence into it. What he noticed was that there was already a trace amount of earth power in the stone so he began pulling on the earth and funneling more Essence into the rock. Suddenly the rock burst apart into uncountable pieces.

  After he dusted himself off and recovered his wits he tried again with another rock then another and soon began sensing the limits in the stones. He decided that storing Essence in them would not be suitable for use supplementing personal power but they might be useful in other ways. He would have to work on a way in which to bind the stone together and hold the over flow of Essence until he wanted it released with a word.

  Andra later found Shuran sitting among rocks and rubble covered in dust and staring distantly out into the wilderness.

  “You knew as well did you not?” Shuran asked Andra who came and sat down beside him.

  “I did. But you were not yet ready to deal with the burden,” Andra replied.

  “What of my sister that survived?” Shuran asked already knowing the answer.

  “She is but a vessel and tool of the dark now. Any part of her that was your sister has long been extinguished by the Order.” Andra could feel Shuran’s hurt and anger. “What you must focus on now is locating knowledge.”

  “You have the ability to wield the elements and weave Essence spell work but that will not be enough. You must learn to use these gifts properly. Perhaps there is some lost knowledge here buried beneath us but you will have to travel to the other races and learn from the masters.” Andra looked at Shuran. “This will not be an easy journey. The races are untrusting of outsiders and also not all easy to find.”

  Shuran looked up at Andra. “That is what my adda was doing is it not?”
Andra’s nod was all that Shuran needed. Shuran realized that his father had gone on a quest to rally the seven races together and somehow became lost or worse. He had to find his father at all costs or finish what he started.

  When Shuran and Andra returned to the fallen tower the others had started dinner and Codger had been busy with Mallick making things more like home. They had moved stone and logs around inside to make table and chairs. Walls had been setup to separate living areas and an area created for Moona to work her herb lore. Outside a well had been established from the earth around the spot where water had burst forth, when Shuran lost his temper.

  “Who constructed this well?” Shuran asked.

  “It was Codger and myself. Being part Dwarf, Codger has earth elemental power in him as you know,” Andra stated.

  “But not much strength for it!” Codger finished. “I borrowed one of your green stones after Andra told me how you worked out the better uses by color. Ingenious boy!” Codger beamed like a proud father.

  Shuran realized in that instant that these people were also his family and only trying to help and protect him.

  “I had hints from the missing pages of the Iniminim Ma,” Shuran said and Codger lit up knowing that Andra had returned the missing vellum to the book.

  Andra returned the look with a slight nod and then all sat to eat dinner.

  The next morning Shuran was up early gathering water from the well to place in a large rock lined basin he had created for watering the animals. He was curious as to where the water spring was coming from so he reached out with his shi to touch the water’s Essence so me might know it.

  As he followed the path of the water he was amazed at what he found. The water here had been forced into an underground circle surrounding the area before folding back upon itself at a deeper level and flowing underground far to the South. The source of the underground river was far to the Frozen North.

  Over the years the flow had diverted leaving this trickling spring but when Shuran lost his cool the previous day, he had inadvertently closed off the diversion leading the river back to the circle around the ruins. Shuran mapped the deliberate circle in his mind and discovered that this was created in ancient times since it only encircled a portion of the ruins and was very deep in the earth. He now had a reference point for them to focus searching for lost artifacts or more.