“Lady, what’s going on?”
The woman looked frightened and said to the bard:
“It’s one more invasion, but it’s not the necromancers. They are horrible and great, and were flying over the graves. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Kimiru raised his hatchet and said:
“Okay, do not worry. If my ax can help you, I will be satisfied.”
After two hours, the three bards descended from their horses, near the Hanneris’s cemetery. A thick fog came through the bars of the iron gates, Heng Lawf looked up and said:
“It’s very strange, I don’t see the full moon for a long time. Did you notice?”
“What?”, asked Ornell, while reviewing some different tracks that they found in the middle of the red earth.
“No clouds, no stars, no moon… all dark.”
Kimiru walked forward until approaching the gates of the cemetery, and shouted:
“Is anyone there?”
“Idiot! Do not fuss, we do not know if they are out here or on the inside. We need to be careful.”, Ornell said firmly, and pulled from his back the compound bow.
Heng Lawf approached some trees, and said:
“I just saw the moon, but there’s something very strange in the sky. Come and see.”
Ornell and Kimiru were quickly following the bard, and then Heng Lawf pointed upwards.
Large black shadows moved among a few clouds, and after a few minutes, Ornell realized with terror that the black shadows were increasing in size, moving to be nearer the trees. They did not seem to be elves, fairies, and much less skeletons. Actually, it was a strange and bizarre mixture of races. The creatures had deformed faces of elves, and were the size of a child under five years old. They was beating their great wings and their bodies were skeletal. Ornell heard a huge noise, and when he looked back, he realized that the city was taken by the creatures, flying, invading homes and attacking the peasants.
When realizing that the new mutant race appeared to be spreading throughout the Hanneris’s city, Hiang met with eight druids, near one of the temples of the clerics, and said:
“I want you to find women and children. Bring them into the sanctuary. We can not let another tragedy to happen.”
The druids were divided into two groups and then left quickly in the middle of the road. Hiang heard a loud scream of a woman, he knew that it was coming from inside a house that had the wooden door destroyed. He descended from his animal and walked to the local, a strange noise this time made the druid to pull his broadsword from his sheath of steel. As he crossed through what was left of the wooden door, he stared at a huge puddle of fresh blood. Every step he took across the aisle, Hiang felt a strong desire to save the woman. But he should act with caution, because he was not knowing what kind of enemy he was facing.
Hiang realized that this time the noises seemed to grow stronger. He looked scared to Thelron, which this time looked very young and without any illness or injury. As he walked into a room full of strange flying creatures, Thelron was holding a war mace, and was placed in front of the woman who cried and screamed for help.
“Come here quickly, Hiang, these demons are appearing in ever greater numbers.”, Thelron said, as he stroke one of the creatures with his weapon.
“Take her out. If you really want to help, do something useful.”, the druid then focused and his hands were involved in a magical green aura.
Suddenly, three creatures destroyed the roof of the wooden house, scattering pieces of stone all around. When Thelron prepared to take the woman in his arms, he realized that she was in the sky, while the two creatures were pulling her legs, laughing very scary.
“They got her!”, Thelron screamed and then ran out the house, going toward Hiang, and preparing his war mace.
The druid, realizing that the creatures were gathering near one of the temples of Hanneris’s city, he said some strange words, and then two giant water elementals appeared in the middle of a dirty road.
“Do you need a hand?”, Ornell yelled, holding his reinforced long bow.
Immediately, Heng Lawf and Kimiru ran towards the creatures. Frightened peasants fled aimlessly around the town, some into their houses, locking the doors, and others shouted for help.
“Ornell, we must prepare a plan of attack, before they end up with the whole population.”, Hiang said.
The bard looked very angry to hear the words of the druid, then replied:
“It is no time to prepare. If we want to save our people, we must act as quickly as possible.”
The skeletal creatures was beating their wings over the roofs of the houses, and some of them invaded the places, smashing windows and destroying doors. A boy, realizing that two monsters were devouring all his chickens, which were within an aviary, took a large stone on the road.
“Hey, stay away from them. Go home, boy!”, Thelron shouted, while had just destroyed one of the creatures.
The boy ran toward the monsters, screaming in hope that he could drive them out. When he prepared to throw a stone, a creature struck behind his neck, and then lifted the lifeless boy’s body into the air, flying over the houses in an unbalanced way.
Kimiru glared at the aberration, and then threw his hatchet, which hitted the head of the monster. The demon let out a horrible scream, and fell in the middle of the road, writhing.
“What are you waiting for, Ornell?”, shouted Thelron quite nervous, “Prepare the arrows, now!”
The bard druid looked surprised to Thelron, he felt that now the brother of Edryon seemed more courageous and determined to help the city. Ornell was astonished by the power of regeneration of the former necromancer, then withdrew from his quiver an ice magic arrow, covered with a blue and brilliant energy.
“If this attack does not produce any results, then we are lost.”, Heng Lawf said, while he was just reading a magic scroll.
The two water elementals that Hiang had created continued fighting and hitting heavy blows against the creatures, which exploded in the road, scattering pieces of wings upon the elves, desperately trying to flee.
After some hours, the huge net of energy that Heng Lawf has created, arrested most of the creatures, who were shouting trying to break free.
“Thelron, I’m happy to know that now you’re being helpful to our people. You also seems completely healed, what happened?”, said Ornell, as had just destroyed the last creature.
“To me it makes no difference. I’m immortal since the day I did the magic ritual. My soul is guarded on a stone.”, Thelron replied the bard coldly, smiling, pleased with his new body.
17
Shields, Spears, Artifacts…
Without looking back, listening to sounds of laughing
and conversations about stories that did not seem anything true, Ornell still remembered the battle against the mutant elves, and when Thelron had helped him to destroy the aberrations. Getting the Edryon’s brother to join at his side was not necessary, and therefore he had no confidence that Thelron could even be choosing a different path, more just and fair to Hanneris.
That the elf was still manipulating the magic of the undead, Ornell had no doubts. Thelron had always been someone who did not seem to follow a goal for more than a week, and his mind was always in change, according to the environment and the people he reached in the front. There was much to be done so that he could even be a gray elf worthy of using magic in the world of Fynge. Aided by a necromancer… it was that thing Ornell still could not understand. The life was continuing to bring him surprises, often not so pleasant, but other times were somewhat tolerable, or even positive.
Facing creatures that may have been magically created by some mad wizard, and then take their bodies to create zombies. Thelron’s paths were still a mystery to Ornell. Giant elves with deformed arms and legs have never been easy challenges to overcome. Maybe Thelron was repented of his past, but only time would show the truth to the bard.
Sitting in one of the wooden benches of the main square of Ha
nneris, Ornell realized Kimiru and Heng Lawf ended fainting, they were very drunk. It was a just celebration because he felt that King William II was increasingly proud of their services to the Kingdom of the Lightss. Ornell got up to get a bottle of wine that was leaning against the Kimiru’s leg, when suddenly he noticed two strange men, coming out carefully from the window of a luxurious house.
The bard then took his reinforced long bow and prepared three magic arrows, which emerged after Ornell saying some strange words. He did not liked thieves, so Ornell felt he should give a lesson to the men, because the city seemed to be ever more invaded by mercenaries and people who just visited Hanneris to rob the innocents. The arrows got out from his bow with an amazing speed, crossing the winds of the road, making a precise curve to reach the legs of the two men, who fell in the middle of the ground, screaming and trying to get up.
It would be the right time to know who the men were, because they seemed to be city dwellers. Ornell looked for one, he saw that her left arm had a mark, made with grilled, with a symbol of a skull, covered in flames. It was the symbol of the necromancers of Kordius, the sorcerer would not rest, until to recover the Grimoire of Eternity. Ornell then quickly approached the men, and shouted:
“Do not move, or you will regret it! Why did you come to town?”
The men remained silent, then Ornell gave a violent kick, against the leg of one of them, who responded, in desperation:
“Please, do not kill me! Kordius… he does not want to destroy this town.”
“Wait. I did not understand what you meant.”, said Ornell. “It was he who healed the druids. Kordius is not as evil as the world thinks of him.”
“Stop saying such nonsense!”, Ornell shouted, and then withdrew, from his back, his hatchet, “If you do not tell me now what you are doing here, they you will go back to hell, that’s where you should not have go out.”
“Wait,” shouted a dwarf, who was approaching, with a group of seven druids, “Ornell, it were they who came into my tabern the last night.”
The bard quickly realized that the dwarf was Thornak, then continued firmly holding his ax, and said:
“Kordius is sending more necromancers to the city. If we do not act fast, Hanneris can suffer further attacks. Thornak, I still do not understand why you are along with the druids.”
“Ornell, we had a reunion, in the Council of the Leaves, we have concluded that the Grimoire of the Elements should be in a location farther from the city. It would be safer.”, said Hiang, one of the druids.
Ornell remembered with sadness, when Hiang had handed the medallion of Hanz, the brother of Hiang, on the day of his funeral. He felt that now Hiang no longer possessed the determination, and the courage like before, but he was still trying to help the druids, and the city. After a few minutes, the druids decided that it would be better to capture the two necromancers, as Ornell gave permission for the men to be taken to the Dungeon of the Bells. The place was regarded by many as a living nightmare, because it was hidden among the strange trees of the Forest of the Spirits.
Hiang then descended from his black war horse, the other druids seemed eager to bring the two prisoners to the dungeon. Ornell observed Hiang approaching with the Grimoire of the Elements in his hands, and after checking if the book was well protected, Hiang handed it to Ornell, who kept it carefully in his leather bag.
“We hope you can take it to a more appropriate place.”, Hiang said, raising his right hand and saluting Ornell, in a sign of farewell.
“Do not worry. I will take all the measures to ensure that no harm occurs.”, Ornell said, closing his backpack and climbing in the saddle of his horse.
Thornak departed from the group of druids, and then greeted Ornell and said:
“Now that these two men are arrested and will not commit any more crime, I’m going back to my tabern. I have to take care of my business. Goodbye!”
“Take care, and take more attention next time, bye!”, Ornell smiled and then rode up until approaching Kimiru and Heng Lawf, who were still knocked out, lying next to the wooden bench in the square.
After a few hours, a crowd gathered to watch a huge group of four hundreds druids, who was in front of the Mage Guild. Hiang walked next to each one, checking their supplies and equipments. As the night approached, the druids were preparing to leave the town, so many farmers gave them fruit baskets, clean clothes, and other foods. Realizing that Hiang would leave Hanneris along with the druids, Ellen ran toward him and gave a necklace of crystals, and said:
“Here, take with you. It will bring you good luck.”
Hiang grabbed the collar and then responded: “Thank you. Take good care of Sgnilliv, he will need all your support. Goodbye!”
The group of druids came out slowly from the city, some of them on horseback, others followed in carts very well reinforced. Men, women, children and elderly, almost all continued to follow the big caravan. Many soldiers gathered outside the gates of the city, saying goodbye to the druids, with tears on their faces. Hiang now knew that the future of the druids was in his hands, because Ornell and the bards still should make the magical training with Urentir. The Forest of the Spirits would be a new start for the brave wild men. The next day, Edryon looked at his empty mug of wine, and then told Urentir:
“It was good to have found you in these difficult days.”
The druid looked suspiciously at the elf, filled the two cups of wine, and replied:
“Edryon, why are you saying these things? You know you can always count on me, huh?”
The gray elf was silent for a moment, took another sip of wine, and said:
“The fortress… Urentir, you also went to the Kingdom of the Elementals. Do you think it would be a good idea if we can gather a large army, preparing a surprise attack against Kordius?”
“It is not time to act. I need to get a decision from our king.”
Edryon got up angry and said, holding his cup almost full:
“This town is a caos, and our majesty does not seems to care. Do not realized that our king is acting strangely?”
The druid prepared to reply the elf, when he noticed two men in brown robes, hurrying out the door of the Thornak’s tabern.
“Those men, they were watching us all the time. I think we should…”
Urentir closed his eyes and fell his head against the wooden table, unconscious. Edryon immediately dropped his mug of wine, and then looked around. The tabern was full of elves, some humans, and most of the tables were occupied.
Edryon, realizing that the time had come to do certain risks, even though the consequences could be dangerous, he looked curiously at the Urentir’s leather bag. He carefully unfastened the leather straps that tied the bag and opened it.
When he realized that Agmar, the Urentir’s father, approached with a group of apprentices magicians, Edryon supported his right hand on the Urentir’s shoulder and said:
“He’s your father, you should not be pretending to not seeing him all the time.”
Agmar stopped by the table of the elf and said:
“Urentir, if you prefers to ignore me again, fine. Do as you want. Goodbye.”
The sorcerer shaman left the tabern, and the apprentices followed him. Edryon looked inside the bag, and then quickly withdrew the druid’s grimoire, placing it under his left arm. An elf passed by him smiling and said:
“Do you will leave your friend alone?”
“No, no. He is very sad, he’s crying a lot because of his father. I’m going to get money. I’ll be back.”
After saved his magic hat of disguise on his leather bag, Gulinnar felt satisfied to be so easily tricked Urentir. He looked fascinated for the druid’s grimoire, he realized that this time he would go to the end of his plan. He found it was that, the best way to steal his spells, Gulinnar felt Kordius was cheating on him each day that passed. He entered into a dark alley while looking if there were no soldiers around, when then he realized a wooden house with the door ajar.
The paladin then turned the knob of the lock carefully and quickly crossed the corridor, looking for Rengnar and Sturiol. From the day he hired the two barbarians to infiltrate the castle of the King William II, Gulinnar felt increasingly in control of the Kingdom of the Lights. He knew he could count on their services, since he was up with the rewards.
“Urentir saw you two going out of the tabern.”, said the paladin, after realizing that Rengnar seemed furious at not winning one more arm-twisting against Sturiol.
“And what do you want now?”, said Sturiol, “For two weeks we have been waiting for five hundred silver coins, and nothing so far.” Gulinnar opened his bag and pulled out the Urentir’s grimoire.
“Calm down, soon you will have more money than you can count. I have the druid’s book. It will help us, and I also have something special with me.”, said the paladin, catching by the ears of the King William II’s head, who was inside his backpack. Gullinar placed it on the table.
The barbarians looked surprised and scared at the same time. Rengnar moved away from the wooden table and placed his hand on his neck.
“This is what happens to traitors.”, Gulinnar then smiled and added: “But you are my best friends… I can always count on you, is it?”
“Yes… sir! Always!”, Sturiol was sweating cold, his legs were shaking, and then the barbarian rose from his chair.
“Very well, but now I want you to forget the rewards for now. Edryon and the others, they are my priority. I feel that unless we act fast, Rasputin and all those idiot druids will hinder us.”
“Sir, the last night we saw two Kordius’s men being captured by the bards. It seems to me that they were led into the Dungeon of the Bells.”, Rengnar said.
“But how were they so stupid to do this without my support? I want you to go out there and search all the informations. Let’s show Kordius who has the real power. Now go away from here now!”
Sturiol quickly left the old house and Rengnar followed him. Gulinnar then said discreetly:
“Wait, take the grimoire, and hide it near the ruins of the monks, in the Forest of the Spirits.”
Edryon (Book 1 of Edryon Trilogy) Page 14