First Comes The One Who Wanders

by Lynette S. Jones

  “We need to hurry,” said Joshuas, lowering his weapon. “We’re almost to the safety of the school. Their people will sing for them,” he added when Trion hesitated. Trion nodded brusquely and stepped over the bodies to follow after Joshuas. “It’s difficult to fathom we’re at war and appreciate these people are enemies.”

  “I envy you that difficulty,” replied Joshuas.

  They didn’t encounter any other resistance, though they heard the alarm sound. Joshuas spoke his name at the door, placing his emblem in the indentation carved to receive it. They were soon inside and heading down the stairs. A group of armed crafters met them at the bottom. Ariel raised her sword in preparation for another fight, but Joshuas stopped her.

  “They’re on our side,” he said placing his sword in its sheath. “Welcome to the School of Sky.” He turned to the young crafter blocking their way. “I need to speak with Master Manchu immediately.” The young crafters simply stared at him, their mouths agape. “As in right away,” he tried again. “And our guests could use some food.”

  The eldest of the students recovered from the unexpected sight of Joshuas and these two amazing looking crafters dressed in outdated clothing. “Yes, Master Greyanson,” said the boy, “at once.” He motioned to one of the younger boys to go fetch the master. The young boy stole one more glance in their direction then scurried off through one of the many doors. “They said you were dead,” said the first student, not quite sure if he was talking to a ghost.

  “Not quite yet,” replied Joshuas, patting the boy, “although quite a few people have been trying to get me to that state lately. Apparently, I still have work to do.”

  “That sounds like something Sylph would say,” remarked Trion. “He was forever sending people on quests. I believe I was on one of his quests when I fell.”

  CHAPTER 30

  “You’ve spoken with Sylph?” asked the boy leading Trion, Joshuas and Ariel to the same rooms Joshuas, Leilas and Erion had used when they came to the School of Sky’s stronghold. Joshuas had to admit he was interested in the answer, too. These two crafters seemed to come from the beginning of Preterlandis, before the treaty, maybe even before the Cataclysm.

  “I served in the court of the King, so I talked with Sylph often, as well as to the others who served Jovan,” replied Trion.

  Joshuas was impressed that Trion had already accepted that he’d missed many years. If he was able to save only two of the crafters imprisoned by Rengailai, he was glad it turned out to be Trion and Ariel.

  “Which king was that, sir?” asked the young crafter, stopping at the first door.

  Ariel laughed a deep, throaty laugh and every head in the room turned. The beautiful crafter didn’t seem to notice. “I think, my friend,” she said to Trion, “this is a question you’re going to be asked often.”

  Trion laughed as well. “How good are you at history?” he asked the young student.

  “I’m first in all my studies, sir,” he answered seriously.

  “Then you should see if you can find any mention of King Lehric in your records. He was the king I served.”

  “I haven’t seen that name, but I’ll begin a search,” replied the lad. “This room is for the lady,” he added, looking shyly in Ariel’s direction. He opened a door that led from the main hall. Ariel bowed gracefully and stepped inside. “The food will be ready when you are. I’m afraid our fare is quite simple.”

  “I’m used to simple food–,” she cocked her head as if listening, “Colin, I think. You’re gracious to offer it to strangers.”

  The boy reddened, “Colin it is, my lady.”

  Trion bent near the boy’s ear. “When she’s hungry, she can be ready in five minutes.”

  Colin’s face flushed again. “I’ll tell the others to hurry.” He moved on to the next door and opened it for Trion and Joshuas. Then he hurried off to see to the food.

  Joshuas removed his filthy disguise and found some clothes provided by the school. Pinning his insignia to his collar, he waited for Trion. The healer, donning the tunic and breeches of the school, was soon ready and they stepped out into the main hall. The last time he’d been here, he’d been with Leilas and Erion. Joshuas regretted the time he’d had with Leilas and wasted.

  “It looks as if Colin was good at his word,” said Joshuas, seeing the table was set, piled high with bread, meat, cheese and wine. Ariel joined them at the same moment Cedric Manchu came through the door from the direction of the library.

  “I’m sorry it took me so long, Joshuas. We were in the middle of studying the mists. Elia said you had some strange visitors with you.” He looked from Trion to Ariel. “I can see why he was so agitated. It’s not often we are visited by such honored guests.”

  “You know these crafters, Cedric?” asked Joshuas, motioning for his new friends to sit at the table. Cedric joined them.

  “I doubt anyone alive has met these crafters, Joshuas. As best as I could determine in the few minutes I took to study the matter, they’re in none of the listing books. I can only surmise that means they were imprisoned before the Cataclysm.”

  “Cataclysm?” asked Trion. “This is nothing we’ve heard of before, much like your Crafter Wars.” He added the last tentatively, trying out the new phrase.

  “We’ll try to explain all that has occurred while you were lost in the dark poison. In return, we’d be indebted to you, if you could tell us the things you know, history we have lost.”

  “As time permits,” replied Ariel. “I’m a warrior, not a historian. I have my oath to Solein to fulfill.”

  “If our talents aren’t needed elsewhere,” agreed Trion.

  “It’s all we can ask,” said Cedric. He rose from the table. “Bring them to the library when you’re finished eating. We’ll continue our discussion there.”

  Joshuas bowed. Cedric Manchu left them to their food, which they began to devour as if it were a great feast. After what he’d been eating the last few weeks, it was a feast. Complete with bread, thought Joshuas with satisfaction, as he sank his teeth into a crusty roll. As they ate, Ariel regaled the students with stories about her exploits from ages past and forgotten.

  “Then Sylph, who’d disguised himself as a sea dragon –I think it was his personal favorite– attacked the men who were harrying the sea elves.” She stopped to take a drink before she continued. Trion was smiling at the enthralled students. Joshuas was doing his best not to look like one of the young pupils, staring at the beautiful crafter with their mouths agape. “With three great swipes of his tail, he foundered all the ships. Once the men were helplessly afloat at sea, the elves had easy work dispatching them.”

  “You speak often of Sylph involving himself in men’s affairs,” remarked Joshuas. “Do none of the others become entangled with men?”

  “They’re all deeply concerned with Preterlandis,” replied Trion. “But Sylph is the messenger and so ventures forth more often. Solein has his lost souls to tend in Neothera, so he’s often absent.”

  “There is a place called Neothera?” asked Joshuas in surprise.

  “It’s where crafters who’ve been infected with the darkness go,” replied Ariel. “It’s where we’ve been, I imagine. Though, once you leave you don’t remember.”

  “Unless Solein wants you to remember,” mused Joshuas.

  “I suppose that could be true,” agreed Ariel, “although I’ve never heard of it happening.”

  “What of Anhj and Crog?” asked one of the students shyly. “Don’t they have work to do as well?”

  “They deal with those of the dark magic. I have little to do with them,” replied Ariel. “Solein and Sylph say little about them when we meet.”

  “Solein’s Warrior is quite a title,” Joshuas commented. “How did you come to receive that honor?”

  Ariel’s expression grew serious. “I’m not sure it’s an honor so much as it’s a duty. There are those whom Solein would have protected, or occasions where justice must be meted out. It’s my duty t
o protect and ensure justice is done.”

  “He must have great faith in you,” said Joshuas.

  “I’ve pledged myself to him, after the Creator, of course.”

  Joshuas fell silent. He wasn’t sure what one was supposed to say to a warrior who had been alive in the beginning and whose teacher was one of the first crafters. Of course, if Leilas hadn’t been hallucinating, she’d been a student of Solein in Neothera. What had he said to her? That she was either a liar or insane. Cephom’s words came back to him. Perhaps he didn’t have much faith in the woman he professed to love. Downing the last of the wine to wash away that bitter thought, he stood. “If you’re ready, I’ll show you the way.”

  Trion and Ariel rose from the table and followed Joshuas through the corridor to the library. Joshuas opened the door that led into the spartan room. Cedric was seated at one of the stools, studying a manuscript. “Ah, there you are,” he said, looking up from the manuscript. “I’ve just been looking for any mention of the two of you in our archives.”

  “Did you find anything?” asked Ariel removing her sword and placing it on the desk.

  “There is one comment, from one of the earliest manuscripts. It says, ‘What will happen now that Solein’s lady is not here to ensure justice?’”

  “Hopefully someone took my position once I was gone,” said Ariel, stiffly.

  “No, not as such. I think a new system was put in place,” replied Cedric. “We don’t know for sure, because we don’t know how it was prior to the Cataclysm. At least now we know who they meant by Solein’s Lady I’ve added a note with your name and what your duties were.”

  “Who is the King now?” asked Trion. “I’m the King’s healer. I should find the King and offer my fealty.”

  “It’s not as easy as that, Trion. There’s not a united Preterlandis, anymore. If you offered your services to a king, it would be a very limiting position. Also, at this point in time, Solea has fallen and has no kings that follow the light. Darryl holds Draggor and Dirth and all in-between. That would include Reyoro Dell, Barat, Barroon and Kyris. He’s aligned himself with the Dredracians. Though Barat, Barroon and Kyris remained loyal to the light, Kyris has fallen. King Palous of Montshade was loyal to the light, but he has fallen.

  Jarrus holds the Northern Province and he has aligned himself with the Dredracians. Queen Daina was loyal to the light and she held Menas, but it has fallen. Joshuas hadn’t heard their losses delineated before. It sounded grim coming from Cedric Manchu.

  “What of Sylphia and the Islands?” asked Ariel, tears in her eyes.

  “They’re safe for now. The Dredracians are focusing on land belonging to the School of Sky. We fear however, they won’t stop there.”

  “These schools are new to us,” remarked Trion. “The part of Preterlandis that is aligned with the Sky school is Solea?”

  “To the tip of Sea Silver,” agreed Cedric.

  “Fire is Crogmanland, to the tip of Sea Silver, including the Isle of Mer. Sea from there to the Outer Reaches, including Sea Silver, Seal Haven and the Outer reaches. Land holds the area from the tip of Sea Silver down to the Southern Plains,” said Cedric. “Two light and two dark. But not all within those regions align with the magic. There are pockets of light in the dark regions and dark in the light regions.”

  “It sounds as if Barat and Barroon could use some help,” said Ariel, not pursuing the ins and outs of the separation of Preterlandis.

  “We’re hoping to regroup at Barat and secure it.”

  “In the Land’s jurisdiction?” asked Trion, having grasped the separation better.

  “The separation is not perfect, how can it be? Preterlandis was never meant to be partitioned. The magic of the mountain heights is strong and light. We hope to be able to work from there.”

  “Yet below the dark magic is just as strong,” said Trion, almost to himself, weighing the matter. “You’ve lost much partitioning off the land, as if it could be separated by crafters. Did no one understand it would upset the balance?”

  “There were those who said it would,” said Cedric, looking in Joshuas’ direction. “At the time, it seemed the best course of action.”

  “Men and crafters shouldn’t meddle with what the Creator has made,” said Ariel.

  Cedric and Joshuas said nothing. Ariel and Trion looked at each other. “Then what is to be done?”

  Joshuas pulled the book of prophecy from his tunic. “This would be a good place to start.”

  Trion took the book and settled himself on a stool. Ariel sat next to him and together they began to study Greyan’s words. While they read, Joshuas filled Cedric in on all that had occurred.

  “I haven’t heard of this Cephom,” said Cedric, when Joshuas finished. “He said he was a messenger we sent?”

  “He said you knew of the plan. I assumed you’d sent him.”

  “No, but it’s a good plan,” Cedric shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t go forward with it. I’ll inform the others about it.”

  “Could the masters of Sea have sent him?” asked Joshuas. “He looks as if he were a Sea crafter.”

  “It’s possible, though I think they would have included us in the plan, since it was our people he was contacting.”

  Joshuas sighed. “I think he has our best interests at heart. Still, I would like to know who he is.”

  Cephom had talked to Vanya and Daina as well. He’d convinced Daina to go to Barat with him. If Joshuas had been deceived by him, then he’d put Vanya and Daina in danger. Had he been rash to trust Cephom with no more than his feelings telling him Cephom was a friend? The arrows had been where Cephom said they would be, guarded as he’d said. Joshuas had yet to prove if they were worth the effort it had taken to find them.

  Excusing himself, Joshuas retrieved the arrows from his room then returned to the library. “These are covered in some sort of writing. Can you decipher it?” he asked Cedric. The master took the arrow and studied it carefully. “These are very ancient runes. Perhaps Trion might have better success.”

  The healer looked up from Greyan’s book to see what they were discussing. “Ah, the arrows. The writing is old even for me. Roughly, the translation is, ‘From the servant of Dredrac, the Creator of evil, to those he has created. Let them see who is the master.”

  “Let them see,” mused Joshuas. “Why give us a clue?”

  “Perhaps the clue was for dark masters who might need to deal with these gaunts,” suggested Ariel. “He wouldn’t tell them outright for fear of treachery.”

  “Which is why he went to such great lengths to hide them,” agreed Joshuas. “I have to believe Cephom told the truth and these are needed to kill the gaunt masters. Do they say anything more? Do they have names associated with them?

  “I didn’t look that closely,” replied Trion. He picked up the arrows and studied them. There is this marking that changes on each of them,” he remarked at last, pointing to the end of the arrow. “It could be a symbol for each of the masters. You’ll have your work cut out for you finding which symbol represents each master.”

  “Or maybe that is their insignia and it won’t be so difficult,” replied Joshuas, gathering the arrows. “Either way, I must hurry to Barat and help stop these monsters.”

  “Don’t let your anger guide you, Joshuas,” said Trion, “or you won’t succeed in your quest. Dredrac preys on that emotion.”

  “Joshuas dropped the arrows back in the quiver. “I honor Jovan, not Dredrac. Dredrac will find nothing to lure me to him.”

  “I pray you’re correct, Joshuas, because it appears we’re in a dangerous time, when the fate of Preterlandis rests on the choices made by a handful of people.”

  “The fate of Preterlandis rests in the hands of Jovan,” Ariel corrected him. “He just uses these people.”

  “And if they fail?” asked Trion. “If Dredrac sways them to choose evil?”

  “Then Jovan will find others to do his will,” replied Ariel.

&nbs
p; “And in the meantime?” asked Cedric.

  “It could be a very black time for Preterlandis,” agreed Ariel. “But I have faith this Chosen One will choose wisely. Have you found her?”

  “Yes. Her name is Leilas Leyson. She’s the daughter of King Leyhan and Queen Daina. He was the King of Dirth before Darryl killed him. He was a descendant of King Ley, the last king of a united Preterlandis,” replied Cedric.

  “And the Champion she’s to choose, has she named him? A brother perhaps?” asked Trion.

  “Her only remaining brother,” replied Joshuas, surprised at how quickly they’d grasped the meaning of the prophecy.

  “Has she chosen her soul-mate, this Leilas?” asked Ariel.

  “Why do you ask that?” asked Cedric.

  “This passage,” Ariel pointed to the passage Joshuas was going to ask them to read. “It refers to her choosing her soul-mate. The inference can be made, if I can be so bold, that he also has been chosen to be a champion of some sort, perhaps the champion of the crafters rather than of the humans.”

  “I can see I must offer my seat on the council to one of you,” said Cedric. “I have struggled with these prophecies you’ve deciphered in moments.”

  “Had Jovan wanted us to be the head of this council, he wouldn’t have allowed us to lay underground for so many years,” replied Trion. “You’re the man who should lead the council. Because we know history that has been lost to you is the only reason this message is clear to us. You’ve had to approach it from a much harder place.”

  “So has she chosen him, the Chodra, her soul-mate?” asked Ariel.

  “If she has, she hasn’t told anyone,” replied Cedric. Joshuas remained silent, thinking about what Ariel had said. Would Leilas have had something more to tell him, if he hadn’t rejected her overtures? Had he been called as well? She’d said something about him being more involved than anyone knew.