Shaping Magic (Mistakes Return)

by Michael Dalrymple

  “Donovan, do you want to answer that?” the old witch asked.

  At first, Donovan didn't respond, and then he said in a quiet voice. “Lindon, not all that happened to me when I was held prisoner were to my body. There was a lot of abuse that didn't leave visible scars; many of them are hidden inside of me by what was done.”

  With tears in his eyes, Lindon said, “I am sorry, my friend; I didn't know.”

  “It is okay; you are the one that has helped me over come most of it, just by being you.”

  “So there you go, there are Aina and Donovan plainly written in the first two lines, and now I am sure you are going to ask how about the third.”

  Lindon smiled. “Who is the shaper of water and what does enemy mine mean?”

  “Unfortunately, that I do not know. You will have to find them for yourself, but you must find them or all will be lost,” she said with foreboding.

  Lindon looked at the old witch. “What about the fourth one? How do you know that is about me, even if I am a shaper of magic—and I am not saying I am—what does twins of old mean?”

  “That's very simple. What's on your back, what do you see?”

  Lindon pulled his weapons and laid them on the table before him. Both weapons were identical, every mark, every little blemish. What was on one was on the other. They were mirror images of one other. He remembered the elderly Dwarven blacksmith in the city who said they were made three hundred and fifty years ago. “Twins of old,” he whispered.

  The three of them sat quietly, watching Lindon come to the realization that the prophecy was talking about him as well as Aina and Donovan.

  Looking up and seeing his friends, he asked Fenella, “What about the rest? What does it mean?”

  “I am not one hundred percent sure, but I believe you must search for the other races to help you in the coming battles.”

  Lindon, showing his age and his naivety, said, “We already know where they are.”

  “Oh so you know where to find the Dragons, do you, and of course you know how to reach the Elves. I will grant you the Dwarfs, and it’s very comforting that they have agreed to help you already. However, you really should have mentioned that you already had a Human army ready for battle,” she said with pure sarcasm.

  “That’s not what I meant. I just meant that we knew where the Elves, Dwarfs, and Humans live, but I understand my mistake, and I apologize.”

  Fenella was taken aback from the sincerity of the young man; she was not under the impression that Humans could be humble and to apologize. She was starting to realize why both Donovan and Aina would follow someone so young and inexperienced. There was something compelling about the young man that made her place trust in him.

  “Apology accepted. What you have to understand is that this isn't the only prophecy to mention this. The others are a different, but this one I believe to be the one that tells you part of what is coming and what you need to do to fight it.”

  Aina was the one to ask, “What is coming?”

  Fenella didn't say anything at first. “The mistake. They are in the world again, and they will stop at nothing to destroy us all.”

  Both Donovan and Aina both lost all color on their faces. Lindon, not knowing who or what, the mistake was, said, “What mistake? I don't understand.”

  Donovan spoke. “Do you remember when I was telling you about the races of the world?”

  “Yes, you said the Dragons were the first, the Elves the third, then the Dwarfs, and finally—”

  “And you asked who the second were.”

  “Right, and you didn't really tell me, only that they were pure evil, a mistake of the gods.” As Lindon said the last part, he stopped. “Do you mean to say that the second race is back? I thought it took the combined power of Dragons and Elves to finish them?”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I am saying. If they are truly in this world, then we are in a great deal of trouble.”

  “How do you know that it is, the mistake?” he asked Fenella.

  “I do not know it for sure, but the prophecy names them, and I have never known one of Boyden's prophesies to be wrong.”

  “Fenella, do you know what their true name is?” Lindon asked, not really expecting her to tell him, even if she did know.

  Looking Lindon in the eye, she answered, “Yes I do, but it is not one to be spoken lightly. Names can have power. I do, however, think that it is right that you know who it is you are going to be fighting.”

  The three friends waited in silence for her to continue.

  “They were called the Merrow,” she finally answered.

  “Do you mean those creatures we fought in the caves?” Lindon asked.

  “No, those were Orks,” Donovan answered.

  “What's the difference? I have never heard of either of them before.”

  “You would not have heard their name before; it was removed from all languages before Humans inhabited the world.”

  “Who were they? Did something happen that caused them to turn evil?”

  “I will tell you the story, as it was told to me through the generations,” Fenella said. “When the earth was created, the gods looked down on their creation. Seeing the beauty they had created, they wished to share it with more than just themselves. Each god was tasked with creating different creatures to inhabit the earth. One was given dominion over the air; he created the birds and seeing the majesty of their flight, decided to create the Dragons to watch over the world from above.

  “The second god, seeing the beauty of the first god’s creatures, tried to outdo him. He created the creatures of the oceans and waterways. Like the first god, he wanted a sentient race to watch over the world, not from the sky but from the water. He created the Merrow, but he made a critical mistake in their making. He made them beautiful, almost beyond belief, but he didn't give them the self-restraint to be able to function in the world, and anything that they thought was not up to their standards—which was just about every creature—didn't belong in the same world as they.

  “At first with just the Dragons and the Merrow as the sentient beings of the world, they kept most of their predigests to themselves. The problem started when the third god decided it was time to bring his vision of beauty into the world. He created the animals of the world from the horse to the smallest of insect and to watch over his creations, he created the Elves. Now they were beautiful in their own right, but to the Merrow, they were far beneath them and as such did not belong. So little by little the Merrow started to kill off the smaller animals, but soon they started to go after the Elves. At first only a few went missing but soon more and more would disappear. What the Merrow didn't count on were the Dragons. From above, they saw what was happening and warned the Elves.

  “When the Elves learned what was happening, they fought back. Their god had given them a grace and speed that allowed them to learn how to fight very quickly. Soon the Merrow were encountering resistance, and with the Dragons’ help started to push the Merrow back. Seeing that they were losing, they decided to use their powerful magic, so they took the Elves that they had captured and changed them into the foul creatures that you fought.

  “With the Orks on their side they started to regain some of the ground they had lost. At about this time the god Gal Nola decided that he would join with his fellow gods, and he created the Dwarfs, but unlike the first two, he didn't strive for beauty. The Dwarfs were made for battle—not with speed but with pure power. He made us short but stocky and gave us the power to work with stone. With our help, the Elves and the Dragons were able to completely route the Merrow. We drove them from our world, killing them and their offspring, but what we didn't realize was that the Merrow and some believed with their god's help, gave the Orks the ability to reproduce and grow and an extremely fast rate, and we were never able to completely eliminate the Orks from the world.

  “The three races spent many years scouring the world looking for any signs that any Merrow may have survived, but n
o trace of them was ever found. Thinking that we had eliminated them, we carried on with our lives. At first, everything was good between the races, but before long the Dwarven people started to feel out of place and soon started to look for a place they could call home.

  “The Elves didn't want us to leave, for they had become accustomed to our help. We would have no problems doing the kind of jobs that the Elves didn't want to do, but for us, it was not our home. We were a guest in theirs, until one day the entire Dwarven nation packed up and left for the underworld; under ground, we felt most at home so that is where we moved. The Elves felt betrayed by this, not realizing we didn't leave because of them, we left only because we wanted a home of our own.

  “When the last god finally decided it was his turn; he created the Humans. He gave them the ability to reproduce quickly, but to balance that he shortened their life span to mere decades, instead of the centuries and eons of the other races. He also gave them a craving for life, one that would allow them to explore the world and to always try and improve themselves. Instead of enjoying the life they have, they seem to strive for something more and a curiosity that seems to lead them into trouble more times than not.”

  “And you think that the Merrow are the ones in the prophecy?” Lindon asked.

  “Yes, but they are not the same as when they started. Sometime during their battles with the other races, they began to change. It was said that their disdain for all other life changed them from beautiful creatures of light. They hunger to consume all life as we know it and with the Dragons missing and the state of the Elven empire, it falls to you three to fight them.”

  “How are we supposed to fight these creatures when it took the combined forces of the Dragons, Elves, and the Dwarfs to defeat them?”

  “That I do not know, Lindon, but if you don't somehow manage it, all life will end and only darkness will prevail in the world.” The grim tone of her voice left no doubt in Lindon's mind that if they did nothing, her prediction of the world would come true, but for the life of him, he could not see how he could do anything to stop it from happening.

  “Darkness has fallen and these old bones need their rest; you are welcome to pull up a floor and sleep for the night. I will not be here when you wake; I have told you all I know. Now it is up to you three to prepare the races for what is to come.” Her statement was final.

  They brought out their sleeping rolls and despite the unease in their minds, fell into a restless sleep.

  Lindon awoke in a cold sweat. Still trembling from his dreams, he looked out the small window and saw that it was still dark outside. The magical sun had not yet risen, and the moon was still shining its faint glow. He quietly got up from his bedroll. Seeing his friends still sleeping, he made his way to the door. Once outside, he buckled on his swords and walked down a pathway toward a small pool of water.

  When Lindon reached the pool, he knelt at the edge, dunking his face into the cool water to help shake his dream from his mind. The water was cool to his touch but not unpleasant. Sitting back, he looked up to the ceiling of the cavern. “How am I to battle creatures such as these? I am just a simple man.” he said out loud.

  Not expecting an answer, he fell back as a small Dwarf appeared beside him. “If not you, then who?”

  Lindon scrambled to his feet; he was about to pull his swords but something stayed his hand. The Dwarf did not make any move to attack, so Lindon released the pommels of his swords. “Who are you?” Lindon asked.

  “I am one who has come to bestow my gift onto you; my brother has given his, and now it is my turn.”

  “I don't understand; do I know your brother?” Lindon asked the strange Dwarf.

  “It is okay not to understand, only that you receive the gifts as they are offered.”

  Remembering the old blacksmith in the Dwarven city and the lesson about gifts from Dwarfs, Lindon decided he would follow his wisdom and accept whatever he was offered and would ask Donovan later if it were right to accept things from people he didn't know. “I would be honored to accept your gift.”

  “Remarkable, to see the spirit of a Dwarf reside in a Human; you just might succeed after all.” The strange little Dwarf seemed to float across the ground as he approached Lindon.

  Lindon could not explain later why he did it, but as the Dwarf approached, he knelt down and bowed his head toward him.

  “For my gift will be twofold: the first, you shall no longer be in the dark, and for the second, you shall be granted the strength of stone.” As he finished he laid his hand on top of Lindon's head.

  Lindon was starting to think this Dwarf wasn't all there in the mind, when a blinding pain shot through his body, starting from the point where the Dwarf had laid his hand. When it was over, Lindon lay gasping for breath. With one last look before he blacked out, he could have sworn that the Dwarf was glowing—not with the glow of magic but with a soft white glow that seemed to ease Lindon's soul.

  He awoke for the second time that morning, but this time to the face of Donovan and Aina bending over him, their faces full of worry.

  “Praise the gods, he is awake,” he heard Donovan say.

  Sitting up, Lindon looked around for any sign of the Dwarf who had been there. Seeing no trace of him, he started to stand. “I am alright; I was attacked, or at least I think I was. I am not entirely sure of what happened.”

  “What do you mean you think you were attacked? I told you in this cavern violence cannot happen. It is not only Fenella that guards this place; it is also the sacred carven of Gal Nola! No one would dare attack you here.”

  “As I said, I am not entirely sure of what happened,” Lindon told his friends.

  “What do you remember and how did you end up lying on the ground?” Aina asked.

  Lindon, not feeling too stable on his feet, sat back down and told them of the strange visit from the Dwarf. When he finished, he was looking at Donovan, who had lost all color in his face as Lindon told his story. “Do you know who it was?”

  Donovan was trembling when he answered. “I believe you have been visited by none other then Gal Nola and he has granted you his favor!”

  “But what does it mean about not being in the dark and strength of stone? I don't understand.”

  “The ways of the gods are not for us to understand, but you did the right thing in accepting his gift as a true Dwarf would.”

  “If you say so. I would just like to have not been knocked out receiving them,” Lindon smiled. No sense in harping on it, what was done is done and no amount of worrying about it would help. “Let us have our breakfast and then be on our way.”

  “Where to from here?” Aina asked.

  Lindon looked off into the distance, “We should go back to the Dwarven city and then from there to the sanctuary, where I hope to find my Grandmother and Arden. It’s time for some answers that have been too long kept from me.

  Chapter 14

  It didn't take long for Lindon to find out what it meant by no longer in the dark. Shortly after leaving the witch's cavern, Lindon found out that like the Dwarfs and the Elves, he could now see in the dark “This is truly amazing; I can see everything—not just the cave walls but even see where we have walked,” Lindon said in an awed voice.

  Chuckling, Donovan said, “Now you can see the beauty of the underground, for with no light you can see the marvels of my world.”

  “But how can I see where we have already been? How is that possible?”

  It was Aina that answered. “With night vision, it is not so much that you can see in the normal way, it is more that you can see the heat that whatever you're looking at gives off.”

  “I will have to take your word for it; all I can say is that it is amazing!” Lindon said with wonder.

  Neither Aina nor Donovan said anything, only gave each other a look of amusement. To see the childlike joy in Lindon's eyes made them both remember their youth and the pleasure at learning new things and seeing the wonder in the world.

  Afte
r walking for three and a half days, they had made good time. Walking late and waking early had brought them close to the Dwarven city. When they were no more then an hour away, Donovan froze in midstride. “Something is wrong!” They watched as the Dwarf got a look of pure terror on his face. “My people are under attack!” he shouted and started running.

  Both Lindon and Aina looked to each other, then took off running after the Dwarf. When they caught up to him, he was standing at the cave entrance into the city. The sight before them stopped them in their tracks; the city was burning, and they could hear the screams of anguish coming from people in terror.

  As they ran into the city, Lindon stopped his friends. “Listen, Donovan. You need to get to the castle and find out what is going on. Aina, go with him; he will need your support. I will try to help the people escape; you will need to tell me where to send anyone I find.”

  Donovan was about to argue when Lindon stopped him. “There is no order here; no one seems to be in command, only you can lead your people to safety. Now hurry, your people need you!”

  Seeing the logic in what Lindon told him, Donovan nodded and started running toward the castle.

  “Be careful” was all Aina said as they took off after Donovan.

  Left on his own Lindon made his way toward the closest screams. When he found them, he stopped, the blood draining from his face. The sight before him was more horrific thea he could have imagined. There were three of the Ork creatures tossing a small cloth-wrapped bundle that was crying. On the ground before them were two Dwarfs pleading for their child's life. Beyond the three creatures were four Humans laughing and cheering the Orks on.

  In all of Lindon's short life, he had never fought when he was truly angry, but the sight before him shocked him to his core. With pure rage he charged the creatures that were tormenting the Dwarven family.

  Lindon was on them before they knew he was there, and with only three swings of his blades, they were dead. Before the bundle could hit the ground, he caught the child and without missing a stride, he planted the child into its parents’ arms and was past them to attack the Humans that had been cheering the Orks in their cruelty.