He must pass through the unholy fire and stand before the altar of all that is forsaken. There…he shall place the golden crystal onto that forsaken altar, and the powers of Light and Dark will clash and the object of pure evil shall be destroyed along with the dark one’s kingdom, and Abaddon shall be no more. Then the son of fire, the chosen one, shall be the guardian of the earth for a thousand years. But if he should fail the tests he’s given, if the dark side manipulates him or if he denies his destiny, then the earth with all of its inhabitants will fall to the darkness until the very end of time.’
“Much of this seemed vague to me, so I asked them to elaborate upon these mysteries, but they would not; instead they bade me farewell and walked away; a strange gust of wind blew over, and they were gone.”
“If what this says is true, then why has my father come to possess this golden crystal?” Darshun asked. “Should it not still be in the possession of that Elf?”
“That’s a mystery I cannot answer. But whatever the reason, your father was destined to find it and give it to you.”
“This prophecy cannot pertain to me,” Darshun protested. “I’m no leader of an army. Why, I’m not even elfish!”
“You do lack physical features of the Elves,” Olchemy noted, “except for your eyes.”
“My eyes?”
“Yes, they portray vast space, as the stars of heaven. And besides differing in color, that is how eyes of elfish kin look; no other creature can claim that. You also should know the phrase ‘sons of fire’ is an old reference to a Nasharin warrior, invented by the Elves as a mockery. ‘Fire’ representing the father of all evil and ‘sons’ his Nasharin children.”
“But it is not I! I am telling you, it is not!”
Olchemy reached into a sack, took out the golden ball, and set it on the table.
Darshun immediately jumped back.
“Do you fear this?” he asked.
Nervously licking his lips, Darshun answered, “No. It’s just—the last time I looked into it, I saw terrible visions.”
“What kind of visions?”
Darshun sighed. “Images nearly identical to what you said would happen to the earth by the Spell of Destruction. What kind of a ball is this?”
“Not a ball Darshun but a crystal, the same crystal spoken about in the prophecy, the one that was given to Eldenith by the three mystery men. It is an object of sacred, holy powers we can never fathom. As the prophecy says, the original Guardian of earth Aurelius forged it under the guidance of Abidan, the God of Light, in the highest realm of the Heavens. It is their gift to the earth.”
“But I’m not yet twenty years old! I’ve never even been in a battle. I can fight, sure, but lead an entire army in a second great war?”
“You may not have to. The prophecy says that, yes, but it also says this war will be fought in ‘secret.’ ”
Darshun tilted his head and squinted, confused. “I recall but what does that mean?”
“You see...unlike the first war, not everyone knows a second is taking place, even now as we speak. The agents of Abaddon secretly slither across the lands searching for the crystals, hoping to strike us when we do not expect it and end our existence. This war truly began the day the Northern Cullach invaded the original Loreladia. But each individual in this war has a different part to play as the pages unfold. Your main task is to destroy the heart of all this evil, the Dark Crystal of Abaddon, which shall vanquish the Demon Lord himself.”
“I am sorry; this is nonsense, and I cannot believe it.”
“Darshun, it wasn’t by chance that Mirabel and Seth rescued you from the Cullach at Arman, but fate’s calling. Your father told me when you first came in contact with the crystal. You were a babe and the crystal’s golden light dramatically surrounded you for a moment then disappeared. The four Wizard Crystals of the Elements did the same when merged to their masters. And the dream assassin who tried to murder you…Remember?”
Darshun glanced to Mirabel, realizing he must have told the Wizard about that dream. Either that or Olchemy read his mind. “I can never forget that nightmare.”
“The dark spirits know the times are at hand, and so they want you dead. And regarding the four crystals, only you have the ability to sense their energies, just as you sensed the Water Crystal at Zithel. All of these things are written in the book I hold. See for yourself.”
Darshun took the book and read on from where Olchemy left off. It was all there, the sacrifice and the rescue, the merging of the Golden Crystal to a child, the dream assassin and the visions. It was too surreal and Darshun felt overwhelmed, his heart heavy, sick. “If what you say is the truth—what am I to do?”
“There are two things we must do while time is still on our side. Abaddon hasn’t found the crystals yet, but his powers of sorcery are growing and shall lead his minions to them shortly, so you must help me find the Fire Crystal. I am a master of that element and I can understand the crystal’s power. I will cast the Spell of Self-Sacrifice and destroy it. Once the crystal is destroyed, the others will lose their powers, for they were created together, all sharing a common bond of energy—their magic is connected. Destroy one and they’re all useless. Then, we will have stopped the Spell of Destruction. From that moment on, Abaddon’s black magic will no longer be able to detect the crystals, but he will still continue his search, oblivious to the truth of their destruction. While this is happening…we will venture into his own land, the land Syngothra, to destroy the Dark Crystal.”
“For what cause?” Darshun asked. “The Wizard Crystals will no longer be a threat.”
“As long as the Dark Crystal still remains on earth, we all stay in danger. For with it, Abaddon controls all evil upon this earth and when he does discover the crystals have been destroyed, as he eventually shall, he will send forth his army of darkness across the continents. As of now, the Light is strong, though separated and scattered. There are no more alliances. The few who would band together to fight would be quickly laid to waste. The Dark greatly outnumber us.”
“So, why not just do that? Why is he going through all the time and trouble, searching for the Wizard Crystals?”
“Because Abaddon failed in the First Great War. His biggest mistake was to misjudge Humanity and its great will. In truth, it is not that Humans have a superior will above other creatures, just that no other race on earth has accomplished so many wondrous acts and defeated masters of sorcery while never possessing the slightest of magic. In order to survive, the Human race defies all odds, overcoming what Wisemen call 'impossible victories'. And they have done so time and time again. They always seem to find a way. None can say that about other magicless races, or share such heroic stories of awe and wonder. Taking all of this into account, Abaddon will not underestimate the Light a second time, even though his chances of winning are high. But if he succeeds in tainting the crystals to do evil and casts the Spell of Destruction well, then victory is surely his! No one can stop that.”
“Then how are we to destroy his Dark Crystal?”
“Only you are destined to accomplish that. I must take you to the dark land Syngothra, to Mt. Blackshrine. Along that mountain there’s a tunnel with a path that goes underground, leading to the Unholy Altar. This path is a dangerous maze, and it’s easy to become lost. Pure evil lurks at every corner, and once you have reached the end there are two dragon gods, created from elements of the earth who guard the altar with unquenchable fire. This is known as the ‘Unholy Fire’ the prophecy speaks about. You must pass through these flames and place the Golden Crystal onto the altar. Being an essence of purity, holiness and indisputable power the altar will madly try and absorb it, but it is a power the altar cannot withstand. The Golden Crystal will shatter the forces of darkness, and the altar will crumble along with the Dark Crystal, cutting off Abaddon’s control over all creatures, and his kingdom will melt with fire. Abaddon shall be destroyed once and for all.”
“What does this altar have to do with the Dark
Crystal?”
“It has become the source of all its power. The altar lies above the ancient portal to the Underworld, the same world Abaddon came from, and with him also came an essence of evil in the form of a black ‘cloud.’ Though the portal has long since been sealed, the evil essence still remained amongst that place, and Abaddon converted it into physical form, shaping it into an altar, but no common altar of sacrifice. You see, Abaddon bound the Dark Crystal’s energy to this altar, so that they are linked…”
When Olchemy took a breath while pausing his dark tale, Darshun wondered at such power which most didn’t know existed in the world.
“For each sacrifice he makes, the crystal’s power of manipulation, along with his own strength, becomes stronger because the blood and spirits of these victims are absorbed into the altar, and are then converted into the Dark Crystal. The Dark Crystal is full of hundreds of poor souls. They’ve been bound for thousands of years and are now waiting to be released to ascend to their natural places. But no mortal creature or earthly weapon can destroy the Dark Crystal or the Unholy Altar, except the holy Golden Crystal of Aurelius and the one chosen to carry it, the Guardian of the Forbidden Realm.”
He raised his brows. “Forbidden Realm?”
Olchemy smiled. "Though this is no laughing matter, I chuckle every time I come across one unaware of this. In my youth, it was common knowledge. According to the spirits of the higher realms, this beautiful earth is forbidden for a lot of reasons. For one, many laws are repeatedly broken—laws pertaining to the Angelic beings and how they’re not permitted to incarnate here nor influence the thoughts of humankind negatively, and yet these things occur in almost every generation. In addition to that, sacrificing a life to a devious god or goddess is also looked down upon, or forbidden, as are the murderous deeds of men. Even something as mundane as a wizard marrying a human, only to give birth to your battle-thirsty Nasharin race is a forbidden act.”
“So I’ve been told.” Darshun sighed.
“Understand that when light-hearted, timid and inexperienced souls choose to incarnate themselves here on earth for the purpose of evolving their spirits, it is strongly advised they choose another realm instead. The earth is only meant for the most courageous of spirits to walk. All too often the inexperienced ones fall to the seductions of darkness, losing a little more of their souls.”
"Sounds like you're saying we exist somewhere else before we're born here?"
Pausing for a moment to look at Mirabel, then back to Darshun, it seemed he was about to comment on Darshun's question. "So for many, earth is known as the Forbidden Realm. In actuality, it's the seventh realm of creation."
"Now you're losing me," Darshun replied, feeling upset that the Wizard ignored his question by changing the subject, making Darshun feel all the more perplexed.
“Amongst the stars exist six other realms containing life and guarded by six beings of Light. Earth is the Seventh Realm, the last created. She has long been awaiting her guardian—you.”
“I don’t understand why it should be I to carry out this task.”
“Because you were meant to carry it out. The Golden Crystal responds to no other but you and only you have the faith to release its majestic power.”
“But I know nothing of these things.”
“There are many things right now you cannot understand. In time you will, I promise.”
Darshun let out a long heavy sigh. “Very well, then. How can I help you find the crystals? I know nothing of their dwelling places.”
Olchemy pushed the Water Crystal over to Darshun. “Put your hands on the crystal and become familiar with its energy.”
“As you say.”
“Now concentrate. What do you feel?”
“Nothing.”
Fixing a stern gaze on him, Olchemy prompted, “Darshun, clear your mind of all doubt and fear, then... focus.”
Caring not to listen, he obeyed anyways. Of a sudden, there came that ‘pull’ again, like some type of force drawing his body closer to the crystal. Next, came the energy, a feeling so dramatic—so mind-boggling—he wanted to let go of the crystal and weep, for the power was like nothing he’d ever felt. An indescribable force, sending chills throughout every pore in his body. He could smell ocean waves as though he were standing in front of the raging sea. Then, in what seemed like a distant part of his mind, he felt three other powers, each one resembling the Water Crystal. Not identical, but similar in nature and essence only, like the way two sisters’ or brothers’ bodily features may appear, yet each one a completely different entity. A wind blew in the room and flickered the green fire. Darshun opened his eyes. “I felt them! I really felt them!”
“Can you locate their destination?”
Darshun closed his eyes and meditated yet again, stretching out his senses. “I believe one is about four or five days east from here but the others are too far away. I can only feel shades of their energy. There’s something else though, I cannot tell which crystal it is I’ve sensed.”
“As expected. Before you can tell their element apart; you must hold them in your hands. Until then, you will only sense their common wizardry energy. No matter; we have the upper hand against the Dark. We’ll venture off first thing in the morning. Right now there’s one more thing we must do.”
“What?”
“Place your hands onto the Golden Crystal, close your eyes and clear your mind.”
Darshun hesitated but he obeyed.
Olchemy opened the Book the Apocrypha and read a short section.
Unexpectedly, Darshun felt the crystal slip away from his hands; he opened his eyes and before him was a silver chain with a small, spherical, transparent crystal attached to it. Within the crystal was a seven-pointed star, glistening silver. “What is this?”
“The Golden Crystal in the form of a necklace. It shall make your travels with it easier and keep unfriendly eyes from it. If you should ever wish to gaze upon it in true form then simply take off the necklace and say the words you just heard me speak.”
“What words were they?” Mythaen asked. “It sounded like gibberish.”
“Gibberish?” Darshun retorted. “It was simple common tongue, a psalm in praise to Abidan and his glory.” He swung his gaze over to Olchemy. “Was it not?”
“A psalm, yes, common tongue no,” Olchemy answered. “It sounded like common tongue to you, so you’d understand, but in truth it was the angelic language. The most secretive and beautiful of languages. Now please lean forward.”
Darshun did as he asked, and the Wizard put the necklace over his head. It hung down his chest, and he immediately felt a strange power surge through his body. He felt uplifted, overjoyed, but at the same time afraid and heavily burdened.
Olchemy leaned forward and gently kissed Darshun on the forehead. “I believe in you, Darshun Luthais. You must believe in yourself, and trust in the Light.”
“I need some air,” Darshun whispered. “Please, excuse me.” He rose up from the table and left the room.
“He’s frightened,” Mirabel observed, glancing at the Wizard. “Young...incompetent.”
“Well, it is hard to swallow,” Mythaen defended. “An ocean of knowledge and responsibility thrown upon him in an instant. In fact, I’m not all together sure he believes it even now.”
“More so he doesn’t want to believe it,” Seth added.
“Whether he accepts it or not, he’s the world’s only hope,” Olchemy concluded.
~~***~~
Mirabel went outside to look for Darshun and found him lying down, his back to the grass, his arms stationed behind his head, gazing up past a clearing of brush, adoring the stars of twilight. He joined him.
“This world is beautiful,” Darshun spoke quietly, “look at the sky. It glows with passion. To think I once took life for granted. Now its fate is in my hands? I don’t know if I can do this alone, Father.”
“You’re not alone. We will be with you every step of the way. Besides, all of u
s have a part to play in this.”
Darshun sat up, facing him. “But it is I alone who am entrusted with this crystal.” He held out the silver necklace. “It responds to no other. You heard Olchemy—if I fail, the world falls. Father, I witnessed the end of the world through this crystal. I saw thousands of people die and the landscapes of earth igniting in fire. So vivid—so real it felt—I couldn’t live with myself if I fail, not even in the afterlife, my soul would linger in sorrow and darkness for eternity. I don’t want to carry this world. I do not want that responsibility over my shoulders. This all just seems like one colossal test. I don’t even understand half of Olchemy’s words! A demon lord—a dark crystal? A couple of dragon gods and an unholy altar? What do these things even mean! And how am I to confront such evil powers and defeat them?”
“By having faith in all that is good.”
“But why must I be the one to save the earth? Why must I be this ‘guardian?’ I didn’t ask for this. I want to have my own life!”
“Why is a question we all ask, my son. Why must evil exist in a world of such beauty? Why must pain, suffering and death be part of life? Why must the ones we love so dearly be taken from us? Perhaps these are questions we’re not meant to understand. Not in this life. But together we can face these trials and tribulations and move forward, realizing that every creature that longs for peace is worth fighting for.” He put his hand on Darshun’s shoulder. “Son, I would gladly take your place if it were in my power to do so. You know that.”
Darshun nodded.
“But I promise you this…I’ll be with you until my very last breath is gone, and I will share this burden and suffer with you, even if it brings me to the valley of death.”
Deeply sighing, tears in his eyes, Darshun turned to look at Mirabel. “Thank you, Father. I will do my best to end this crisis.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
QUEST FOR THE WIZARD CRYSTALS
Prophecy Of The Guardian (Guardian Series Book 1) Page 14