“Those secrets can only be known by the Earth Wizards,” a masculine voice spoke—the same voice which originally invited them in.
Darshun looked around and saw no one except the others. “Where did that voice come from?”
Then a section of rock began to fade away, piece-by-piece into something else—a bodily figure, until finally it resembled a strong, elderly man. He wore a dark green cloak with a matching cowl upon his head. Long forest green hair flowed from his head he sported a sage beard, burgundy eyes and wore brown sandals. His gaze looked strong, but peaceful, and his scent permeated the air like a mid-summer forest. “Greetings, Darshun, I am Olchemy the Earth Wizard.”
“Then who—or—ah, I think I see.” Realizing this elder spoke the truth, and the little girl must be a side kick, Darshun knelt before him. “It’s an honor to meet you. Obviously, you know who I am now.”
“Yes, yes!’ He clapped excitedly. “I am delighted at the amount of veneration and respect you hold for Wizards, even when mistaking little Gnomes to be them. Seldom are we remembered with honor, ever since corruption filled our hearts many centuries ago.”
“My father brought me up in the truth. Though before going any further, may I have my sword back from your little—friend, whoever she might be?"
Olchemy chuckled. “Her name is Avis, at one time a lost child wandering the wilderness. I took her under my wing. She's been plenty of help and is always there for conversation, but cannot for the life of her stay away from shiny objects, even so far as a Nasharin's sword. Avis!” he shouted, “give Darshun back his sword.”
“Ohh, I have to?” she asked, her voice coming from behind the rock wall.
“Yes, you do, little darling. You know better.”
She let out an overly loud sigh, drawing the sound out for a good twenty seconds. “Fine, fine.” There was a puff of pink smoke and there she stood once again, head down, slowly walking toward Darshun. “Apologies, sir…here you go.” Her voice sounded like a child of five years, but her presence felt old—very old in years.
Darshun took it and set it back into his leather sheath. “I shouldn’t have to say thank you, but...thanks anyway, little one."
She glanced up, looking very pouty, wiggling her ears. “Name's AVIS!” she hollered, then disappeared in a cloud of smoke once again.
Darshun noticed now that every time she used this 'disappearing act,' the bright, colorful smoke always left behind a sweet-smelling fragrance, like some type of sugared treat, reminding Darshun of Mrs. Hagel’s caramel-glazed apple pie.
“I forgot to mention,” Olchemy explained. “She hates the phrase 'little one.' Just call her Avis.”
“Oh? Sorry, Avis!” Darshun yelled.
“Aye, aye, aye,” she called back in a muffled tone, as if she was encased within rock.
“I’m thinking Avis either forms herself into stone, or there are corridors beyond these walls.”
Olchemy laughed. “Your second guess stands correct, Darshun Luthais. Passages both Avis and I made; and dearest Avis loves using her ability of Transportation, 'puffing' in and out of the corridors, roaming here and there, looking for the next shiny object. You should take a look at her collection sometime. The amount of items she’s collected is priceless. But, enough with that, I merely wanted to gather a first impression of you by letting Avis do her thing.”
“I hope I didn't disappoint.”
Olchemy smiled, then walked over to Seth and looked deep into his eyes. “Seth Caelen, Father of woodlands, how long it has been?”
At first, Seth seemed to have no remembrance, and then Olchemy quickly changed his eyes into two circles of fire and emitted a presence of the element amongst the room.
Darshun backed up at the rush of energy and felt astonished.
“You?” Seth gasped, seeming to recognize the personal energy. “The Fire Wizard from the Loreladian/Barbarian war?”
Olchemy settled back to his formal state, his peaceful earthen gaze returning. “Indeed. Once your adversary. I give you my deepest apologies. I was lost in those days, but grace has redeemed me to a Wizard’s rightful nature, the nature of the Light.”
“Apologies accepted! Blessed be Abidan for such a day.” Seth shook his hand, for there was nothing Seth Caelen enjoyed more than to witness a change for good in one’s heart.
Olchemy turned to Mythaen. “And who might you be?”
“I am Mythaen Theodore, servant of King Loreus of Loreladia. And I am honored to be here, and to meet a real-life Wizard. The common knowledge of men speaks of your kind as extinct.”
“Well, the next time that 'knowledge' comes up you will know what to say, won't you, Mythaen Theodore?”
He nodded in appreciation.
The Wizard glanced to Mirabel. “And it is good to see you again, old friend. Such interesting company this time around, I say. Though, you’ve returned rather quickly. I suspect something amiss?”
“Something amiss all right,” Darshun blurted out.
“Before anymore words are spoken, please, let us sit and have tea. It should be ready.”
Darshun liked him immediately. The peace in his voice, the secretive underground lair and the magic he displayed. He could hardly wait to see what else the Wizard was capable of, this being, whose race became first among the earth.
They seated themselves at the round table, and Olchemy brought over five large gray mugs, molded from clay, and then the teakettle. “I never expected you to return this early,” he said while pouring Mirabel a cup of green tea enriched with herbs and spices, filling the room with a pleasing aroma. “I do so hope the events which have transpired have not brought about any fatalities or great harm.”
To this Mythaen remained silent, resting his eyes toward the floor, obviously thinking about Elwin.
Mirabel put the black sack on the table and took out the Water Crystal.
Olchemy froze, nearly spilling the tea while his face changed, like a father discovering a long-lost daughter or son. “The ancient Water Crystal of Arabeth! Where did you find this?”
“I can tell you,” Darshun offered.
Olchemy quickly turned to him. “Please do, with specific detail.”
“As you wish.” And he did. He told about the Cullach and the Sorcerer, the ‘calling’ of the crystal, Elwin’s death, the warning of the monk Borius and the pursuit of the Draconians...everything.
When he was finished, Olchemy’s eyes appeared frozen in time.
“It has begun,” Mirabel whispered.
“Yes, just as we feared.”
“What?” Darshun asked, “What has begun? Please, no more mysteries. I’ve had enough of them!”
“The Prophecy of the Guardian and the Second Great War between the Light and the Dark. And Darshun Luthais, you are the center of that prophecy.”
“What prophecy?”
“Are you familiar with the Great War between good and evil?”
“I am not.”
“Hmm, I see. Then to help you understand properly, I must take you back to the beginning of time. In the ancient days of the earth before evil stained its ground, creatures of all races lived in harmony. The days were full of peace and joy and Aurelius, the Holy Golden Wizard—first and foremost Guardian walked the land and fellowshipped with the earth’s kin. But there were some creatures not of this earth that sought to dominate it. They were beings fallen from the Light and could only control this world by influencing mankind—”
“The Fallen Angels!” Darshun interrupted.
Mirabel gave him a swift disapproving look.
He realized what he’d rudely done, yet again. “Forgive my interruption, Olchemy—I just get overly excited is all. Please continue.”
Olchemy made not a comment, just casting an easy glare, and returned to his telling, “One of the Fallen, a being whose name is not worthy of mention, taught foolish men who were envious of Elves and Wizards’ magic…the forbidden arts of sorcery. The first sin was committed, and the earth’
s seal between other realms became cracked, opening a portal to the Underworld, a place ruled by pure evil. Through this portal came a terrible creature named Abaddon, the King of all Demons and with him, he brought a weapon of great power, the Dark Crystal. He desired to rule the earth and so established his kingdom in Syngothra, the dark land of the north….” the Wizard paused and casually sipped at his tea.
Darshun held his cup tightly upon hearing the beginnings of the war.
“By using the powers of the crystal he seduced and manipulated many creatures of the earth, twisting their hearts to darkness, altering the course of their development, all to do his will. Some say it was he who gave birth to all the evil that plagues the earth today. He gathered this new evil to him and waged a great war against the Earth Guardian Aurelius and the forces of Light. It was a battle unlike any other, but in the end he failed. Aurelius destroyed him and the Great War was over, along with the first age of the earth.”
Darshun’s father nodded at the tale when Olchemy paused again.
“After the war, Aurelius is said to have ascended to another realm. But before his departure, he warned of even darker times that were to come during the second age of the earth and advised the Wizard masters to take great precautions. So, they gathered together holding a council, and discovered a way to forever protect this world. They united all of their wisdom, power, and might along with the most ancient secrets of holy magic, and fused these attributes to their own enchanted element that gave them life—the mystical element of the Angels, Asharian. With this fusion they created four crystals for the four basic elements of the earth: Fire, Water, Earth and Air.”
Darshun knew of this part about the four elements, but never knew their origins before.
“The crystals contained great powers only a pure-hearted Wizard master could control. Each of the four Wizards took one and lived at the four corners of the earth—the Water Wizard guarded the North, Earth the East, Fire the South and Air the West. With these crystals, they watched over the earth, preventing many wars from taking place. Evil was scarce indeed in those days and the Wizard Guardians swore to pass this duty on to their offspring, generation after generation forever protecting the earth. For almost three thousand years, the earth enjoyed times of peace. But sadly, as that era came to an end, the crystals disappeared. It is believed that somehow a series of events so tragic took place that the elders of that age choose not to write them down; therefore, the disappearance of the crystals is a mystery. They vanished without a trace. Generations passed, the third age began and the common folk forgot about them. They became nothing but myths and legends. That is, until Abaddon’s return.”
“His return—how do you mean?” Darshun asked. “You said he was destroyed.”
“There was something about the demon's Dark Crystal the Light did not know. Abaddon poured all of his evil and power into it, so that his mere life force became bound to it. When he was destroyed, instead of his soul descending into the abyss, it was sealed into the crystal, awaiting the time for his resurrection.”
“This is a lot of information. How do you know all this?”
“These dark secrets were passed down by the writings of sorcerers. And two hundred years ago these secrets were put to the test by two Wizards, hungry for selfish power.” He stood up and put his back to them in a shameful gesture. “...I was one of those Wizards; the other was my master, Levieth the High Wizard. We ventured to Syngothra seeking the Dark Crystal, and after six months of heavy search, we found it. As if a miracle was bestowed upon us. For many searched for it before but always failed. Now fate perhaps granted us a gift of power, or so we thought. We desired to see this great demon of power and rule the world with him. So, we began the ritual for his resurrection.” He closed his eyes for a moment and lowered his head.
Darshun recognized his tone to be of indisputable regret.
“A ritual I shall reveal to no one, the dishonor is unbearable. In the end, we accomplished what we’d longed for—Abaddon resurrected. He was beyond anything I’d ever imagined. His power terrible—and those eyes, those deep, dark yellow eyes...” He shuddered and quieted for a moment
The three men sat with their tea, listening to the days of old, days of legend and great suffering for many.
“Almost immediately my master Levieth fell under his control,” the Wizard continued his terrible tale, “Levieth told him everything about the history of the earth that had taken place after the Great War. But Abaddon was especially interested in the Wizard Crystals of the Elements. Then he shared with us another horrible secret, a feat his Dark Crystal could do—for it has the ability to manipulate the four sacred Wizard Crystals to evil and use their powers against the earth, against their own elements. And for two hundred years he’s been searching for them.”
“Two hundred years?” Darshun scoffed, laughing a bit, as though in disbelief. “That’s quite a long time to search, wouldn’t you say?”
“The crystals’ magic prevents them from being found, at least for the time being. And all events have an hour, all prophecies a time set in stone. Abaddon also awaits the coming of a she-elf who will be holy and pure of heart. On the eve of September 1’st, a celebration of the Dark known as Saruinkai, the night when physical evil first entered this realm, and the only time of the year when this can be done, he must sacrifice the she-elf. For only her pure blood can please the evil forces and awaken the Dark Crystal’s true powers. Then the four stained and tainted Wizard Crystals will unleash deadly powers against the very elements they were created to protect.”
Darshun eyes widened, sacrifice and the Wizard Crystals?
“This is known as the Spell of Destruction,” Olchemy explained to them. “Landscapes will split, volcanoes erupt; storms of fire shall rain, whirlwinds will spawn. The sea will rise—furiously seeking its way across the continents and a great cloud of darkness will forever choke the light from the sky. Every creature on earth will be annihilated. No more majestic lands, animals or mankind. No more Wizards, no more Nasharins. Nothing! Abaddon will ‘cleanse’ the world from the Light and rebuild it into a dark, dreadful planet, forever to be ruled by the evil he created.” The Wizard looked troubled as if he grieved and he stared back at the men who sat listening.
The youngest of these men, Darshun—felt mixed feelings upon hearing this tale; disgust, anger and sadness as well.
The Wizard continued, “None of this is what I wanted. My master Levieth, on the other hand, lusting after the idea of ruling a planet with Abaddon, vowed to serve him to the death. He wasn’t the same Levieth I knew. His eyes, voice and presence felt—different, more evil than before. Fearing for my life, I falsely aligned myself with them, but come two weeks later I quietly slipped away and haven’t seen either of them since. That was two hundred years ago. For a while, I knew Abaddon’s followers were searching to kill me, so after the Loreladian/Barbarian war, I spread rumors that I’d been slain by a Nasharin—your father,” he halted and gazed at Darshun.
Darshun pulled his head back in surprise at this falsity involving his father.
Olchemy continued, “I converted to the Light and remained in the shadows ever since, practicing Earth Magic. Last, I heard, Abaddon was building an army larger and more dangerous than before, working with the evil King Tanarokai and wicked Queen Talvenya of Asgoth. Two very powerful spell casters I believe your father and uncle know of.”
“Yes.” Mirabel nodded. “At first, we thought they were behind the invasion of the original Loreladia.”
“This unholy royalty is searching for the crystals as we speak. And they’re destroying everyone who stands in their way. This world now faces a danger unlike any before. We are not fighting for our freedom, rather, our existence. Unlike the Great War? Abaddon desires not slaves, but annihilation.”
“So what are we to do?” Mythaen asked, already losing his appetite to finish the rest of his tea.
“Wait, hold on,” Darshun interjected. “Olchemy, forgive me for inter
rupting yet again. I mean, this is very interesting and all, but what does it have to do with a prophecy regarding me?”
Olchemy went over to his bookshelf and returned with a large golden book.
Darshun recognized it at once. “That’s the book you had a few days ago, isn’t it, father?”
Mirabel nodded.
“It contains ancient writings of prophets and holy men,” Olchemy explained. “Events they lived and foresaw.” He opened the book toward its end and flipped a couple of pages. “Listen very carefully, for these are the words of the cleric Elf Eldenith:
“Today three foreign men visited me in the temple. At first, I was afraid, for their eyes were not of men but of something greater, holier. They told me to be at peace and one of them handed me a golden cloth sack with something in it. I took the object out; it was a beautiful golden crystal ball, about a foot in diameter. I asked where it came from, and they told me it was forged from the powers of the original Guardian of Earth, Aurelius, under the guidance of the most high God Abidan, in the highest realm of the Heavens, as a gift of salvation to the earth. As it possessed powers beyond this world, they instructed me to keep it hidden in the temple and told me it wasn’t for my use, but for my unborn heir two thousand years from now. They said its mere presence would protect and preserve my bloodline from the coming of terrors and wars. I didn’t understand why this was happening and so they told me a prophecy…
‘The dark one lies bound in his prison, awaiting his resurrection. Upon that day, the shadow realm will crack, and all evil shall be drawn to him. Then he will begin a second great war against the Light, the worst of all wars, but this time it shall be fought in secret, for the dark one will be searching for four objects of great power to stain their holiness and use them against the Light. Then a child shall be born, one of the last sons of fire and of elfish decent. He is the chosen one destined to lead an army against the dark forces and carry the golden crystal into the forbidden depths of the earth, the demon’s lair.
Prophecy Of The Guardian (Guardian Series Book 1) Page 13