Mystic Firestorm 2

by James Day

  “Who are you?” the exhausted frame stated.

  “I'm Gabreal,” she weakly stated with a cough. “Where is Quaid?”

  “Confronting the Darkmages,” she said while unbolting the lock then moved to the other. “The other girl will do you no good. They've done something to her, destroyed her mind.”

  Arieal moved into the shadow and examined the woman's face, she pulled back in shock.

  It was Noleann.

  Gabreal turned in fear as she heard boots echo down the hall. She backed away in terror as a shadow came over her.

  The silence loomed in the room as Quaid and Javern stared at one another and the Gnomes stood frozen like stone statues in time. Fallqron watched the dark robed mages move in unison, their faces concealed within the cowls. The standoff had come down to this, magic against sword and the Gnomes conceded that they would be destroyed. No power could stand against the Darkmages.

  “Where is my family?” Quaid asked placing his hands within his robe.

  “Where is the Blue Star? Javern hissed, his eyes red beneath the cowl, almost demonized from the tendrils of black magic that subverted his soul.

  “Ah, Prince Alec, King Fallqron, how nice to see all of you.”

  “Dark Demon, what have you done?” Fallqron stepped forward with two of his sentries arching in defensive positions.

  “Since you all will die, I shall tell you,” Javern whispered. “The Ogres are assisting in securing all of the Northlands for their new masters. They will march from the southeast. We shall be prepared for them. A new Kingdom shall emerge. A change will occur within,” Javern expressed coolly. “We want the Blue Star and your family may live.” Sullen silence passed and no one moved as shadows appeared on the far wall. The Darkmages were unaware as bodies filed out. Behind the Gnomes and a small infantry of Ogres rallied, five cumbersome beasts with short broadswords. “It all has been foretold by the Book of Power,” Javern whispered. “As of now, the lands beneath the Sloping Spikes burn in a crimson fire, our masters will march north with a power that is unstoppable.”

  “Not if I can help it,” Quaid lashed out.

  The Gnomes broke their arch and reversed their stance facing the Ogres.

  “You look for a prize you cannot have,” a familiar voice echoed in the back as Quaid turned his attention in shock.

  The Darkmages turned around to see a group of bodies surround them in formation. The face of Prince Grandur reflected eerily off the torchlight concealing his exact likeness to Prince Alec. Arieal and Gabreal were safely secured by Shadown, Ariq and Valendor.

  “Well, this is a quaint party,” Valendor added.

  Shadown and the others unsheathed their sword as the Ogres entered the stone archway, Gnomes stepped out and closer to the Ogres. Javern the Darkmage waved his hand and the monstrous beasts backed down.

  “This is what it comes down to,” Quaid reacted. “My family is gone, and I can accept it. You killed them. You let the dark magic destroy you. Is this what you seek?” He pulled out a small circular stone with slight blue tint and it shimmered in the firelight.

  “Give it to me and they'll live,” Javern sneered, his body twisting in a chameleon like manner. “You can see your daughter and your wife.”

  Quaid was shaken to his very foundation, his heart sank. The Mountaineer desired to hold them, to feel them and touch the faces of his wife and child.

  “They are gone,” Arieal lashed out. “They were not in cells.”

  In lash of anger, Javern raised his hands and a wall of fire exploded forth at Arieal, Gabreal and Noleann. Shadown and Valendor shoved their exhausted bodies down and moved as fire slammed into the brick wall, turning it red-hot. Smoke whisked up as the stench of melted stone whiff throughout the air. The Gnomes and King Fallqron remained frozen and unmovable. Quaid raised his hand with Blue Star shimmering in his palm. The other Darkmages moved as Javern shrieked in a stifling madness. Quaid reacted as his palm lifted to the sky and red fire exploded into two Darkmages, their bodies caught off guard, turned to ash. Javern reacted and fire came in a wave, and the entire room vaulted into the positions. A Gnome was caught up in the Darkmages blaze as his cries echoed and his body dissolved and blew into ash. Quaid had little time to react as fire exploded before him, knocking his body to the side. Valendor went to assist as he swung around with his broadsword and cut down another Darkmage. Ogres filled the room while hand-to-hand combat ensued. The Gnomes darting and dodging their broad swift blows. Then Arieal reacted, she grabbed a black rock and motioned one of the Gnomes, she tossed it and he slammed the sword into it. The rock flew before the Ogres and exploded with a blinding white light. Their cries boomed through the room as the Gnomes cut them down while blind and helpless. Valendor reacted and raised his sword to strike Javern down with a broadsword. Prince Grandur vaulted in amazement to stop the man. The blade struck deep and hard as Valendor's body shuttered in pain. The man turned as Shadown went to assist and was cut off by Javern's flame.

  “You betrayed our men,” Quaid spat.

  “Yes,” Ariq's face squirmed with gleaming eyes as Valendor slumped to the floor.

  “No,” Prince Grandur called out as he vaulted to Ariq. Another frame came out of the shadows as Prince Alec swarmed down to his side as an Ogre swung. The Princes examined each other's features at first in shock, then with recognition. They were exact duplicates of one another, perfect twins, except for the worn creases.

  “I don't believe this,” Grandur said.

  “It's uncanny,” Alec added.

  “Enough!” Javern commanded as red fire exploded forth and rocked the ceiling. The entire foundation of Iclandia appeared to shake as Quaid watched in horror. Ariq turned and attempted to diverge the attention as he moved at Shadown who defended his position. Quaid hunkered down and raised his palm with the Blue Star, blue fire lanced out and cut down an Ogre as it fell over.

  “You cannot defend them all,” Javern screamed in hatred as he turned to Noleann, Arieal and Gabreal.

  “No,” Quaid lunged forward in anger as Javern flung him aside, the Blue Star flew out of hand and slid across the room into Ariq's boot. A Gnome struggled in hand to hand combat, swords clashing.

  Prince Grandur and Prince Alec made their way over as Noleann appeared to move and react. Javern made some kind of hand movements. The Bounty Huntress jerked forward, clasping her head as her senses reeled in pain. Something invaded her mind as the Darkmage worked his magic to do his will. Noleann moved to the center of the fighting and made her way over to the Blue Star.

  “Noleann, get it,” Prince Grandur called out.

  She picked it up as it shimmered in her hand. The Bounty Huntress felt the voice of the Darkmage as a wall of protection enveloped her within a dark mist, all of the monsters, demons and dark things were locked outside. She stood alone and heard him call to her. Within the palm of her hands stood the Blue Star, a magic of some sort, something she could not comprehend. In the far distance a familiar voice echoed. It brought past distant memories, something that the wisps of magic had not touched, something deep within that she could not comprehend. Flashes of memories passed as she found herself reliving the chamber room in Shannon, a bright light then a power. It was the staff, it had mixed within her, it had become inherited. The Darkmages whisperings extended and stole away her reasoning. He appeared through the mist, shrouded and comforting. The Darkmage wrapped his cloak around her. She wanted to be comforted, she wanted to feel the warmth of arms, of comfort and long memories of Galway yearned. As the arms wrapped around her, a magic within warned her to pull back. The spell snapped as Noleann came face-to-face with the thing within the mist. Javern was a man, twisted by the dark threads of magic. She looked at him in desperation as his face burned, red eyes smiling. Noleann came back to reality and realized she was standing before the Darkmage, he was unaware of the broken spell. He lifted his hand and called her to him.

  “No,” Quaid begged attempting to rush forward as Gnomes held him at
bay.

  Then Noleann opened the palm of her hand, eyes staring at his. She took the Blue Star and flung it back into the air. Quaid rushed forward as the Bounty Huntress dodged the Darkmages fire. The cloaked man screamed in hatred, attempting to block them with a rush of red flame, but they easily dodged. Ariq attempted to grab the Bounty Huntress, but she evaded his moved and he tripped into the wake of the evil magic. The man turned and fell, his body dissolving, fading within the heated flames.

  Quaid caught the Blue Star and raised his hand, the Darkmage was caught off guard, he opened his palm as blue fire spewed out. The evil magician fell back in stark realization that he was going to be defeated, his body recoiled as the Gnomes cut down the last of Ogres. Quaid's weakened frame collapsed as his hair grayed and face aged.

  “What's happened,” Prince Alec whispered.

  “The magic ages him. Its power exacts a price.” Shadown called out as the remaining Gnomes circled around the fallen body of Javern.

  “I shall have the last word,” Javern shivered. His fingers lifted into the air and electricity exploded into the air. The wall crumbled, melted and faded as a black swirling mist raised into the room. Screams and screeches echoed as things slithered and moved within the mist making their way toward the light. Javern's body shuttered and remained still.

  “We've got to go,” Fallqron ordered as things dark and full of claw and gaping maw came through. The Gnomes cut the creatures down. As demons flooded the room, Gabreal, Noleann and Shadown moved back and called the others to the stone archway. They vaulted back as things on all fours came forth, crushed broken and deformed, half beast, half human and fangs and nails gleamed. Fallqron checked Valendor and he had passed away.

  “It's his magic,” Quaid spoke, “he releases the demons. We cannot stop them. We can only flee.”

  Prince Alec and Prince Grandur battled side-by-side knocking the creatures down with swift blows. The remaining company moved and barred the door as hideous laughter and hisses swarmed. The wooden door buckled and something huge smashed it in with a roar. Fallqron and Prince Alec led the way as Prince Grandur took up the rear. The door creaked as pounding sounded through the entire hall, they made their way down to the junction and came upon a lumbering Ogre, its body clad in armor as it struck at its adversary’s, but their number was to great and it retreated in terror. Gnomes turned and took a defensive position as the door exploded and things scurried into the walls turning like a living nightmare. Quaid looked at the demon-like beasts, coiling in horror, his reserves were low as sad eyes examined oncoming mass. Things sprang on all fours, dark, green scaled and red eyed, some with hair, others with fangs. In the midst, something lumbered down the hall, grunting. Its shadow moved with its slow body. Its massive frame covered in fur, with rippled muscles, almost human, but somehow beast, in the middle of its forehead one eye gleamed as it roared with fangs.

  “Cyclopes!” King Fallqron blurted as the Gnomes went to defend. Shadown held back Prince Alec while Prince Grandur backed away. It grabbed a Gnome and slammed his stout frame into the wall. The sentry did not have time to react, the move was so sudden. The creature then threw the half-broken frame into the mass while the Demons lunged, tearing the remains apart. Quaid lifted his hand with the Blue Star shimmering brightly as the creature made its way at him, a pause beckoned then the stone exploded into a white light. The light roared into the creature as it attempted to escape by retreating, but it was too late. The light stunned it, forcing it back as it covered its massive black orb. The slithering minions scurried in fear as the light surrounded and passed through them. The company looked in horror as Quaid began to age, first his hair sprouted white, lines formed on his face as the light continued to explode into the source. Tears streamed down his face as creases grew deep and he hunkered down in pain. The man fell to his knees as Noleann reacted with a swift cut. The Cyclopes lumbered at the man, moving forward in reverberating pain, slamming its massive fists into the wall with howling fear. The creatures behind, exploded and crumbled from the white light as it swung and Quaid. It knocked him to the ground as the light began to fade, his bony fingers wrapped tighter around the stone as Quaid mouthed the words, his voice old and worn.

  “If you find my family, tell them that I loved them,” the oldster rushed.

  “No,” Noleann reached forward as Payne Axel attempted to secure her. The lumbering beast raised its fists as Quaid knew the last of the energy would destroy him. The Bounty Huntress pushed the others back and grasped his hand, she jolted in pain and knelt beside the crumpled frame of Quaid. Blue light exploded from the white and seared into the creature. The shockwave threw the beast back as the interior of the hall shuttered and the stone walls blew apart. The beast roared a defining cry as it fell within the blue fire disappearing. The fire raced down the hall slamming into the oncoming minions. Nothing had a chance of escape as the others covered their eyes from white blaze which erupted. Winds exploded, nearly sucking the company down the hall with a whoosh. Then the howling ceased. The creatures and magic instilled within Iclandia had been utterly destroyed, the maw closed. Noleann rose, pulling the weakened man up, his body aged and deformed by fairy magic. The Bounty Huntress realized that there was a price to exact from calling upon the Blue Star, it took from its wielder, but somehow, she remained unchanged by the magic. Shadown grabbed Quaid as Gabreal sauntered up to him, tears streaming down her face in a steady line. Old tired eyes examined her as a faint old smile erupted.

  “Do not feel sad for me,” his old haggard voice rasped, “this needed to be done.”

  “Noleann, we need to talk,” Prince Grandur turned his face questioning the events that predetermined their destiny. “You know something that's about to occur. You need to tell me why you ran?”

  “Now is not the time,” King Fallqron replied. “We need to get out of here and figure out what to do. My Kingdom has been destroyed. There is nothing left for us here.”

  “No,” Quaid managed. “A great battle of good and evil ensues. Let us return to Lady Saunder and find our way out of this accursed place.” The remains of the company moved freely down the silent corridors; no life existed. The strange evil had been defeated but left the Iclandia barren and cold. I need to return to my home. My family has been lost,” he expressed sadness holding back his tears and locking away his pride. The incident left him a torn man. The company spiraled its way down stone steps hidden in secret catacombs. They made their way down to the pit while Shadown thought deeply about Valendor. Ariq had originally betrayed their group, a pawn of the Darkmages. Arieal assisted Gabreal their exhausted frames. As they crossed into a juncture, each came upon the torn frame of Gnome sentry who had been posted to watch their position. King Fallqron shook his head in disgust and continued to push the troops forward.

  “This is wrong,” Shadown halted. “Prince Alec, you must decide what you should do.”

  For the first time, Prince Alec thought about his predicament. “I don't think it’s best to stay here. I think we need to travel to one of the northern cities and abandon this place. The Kingdom has fallen to something dark and insidious. We need to find out what is happening. I must speak to Lady Saunder to discuss this matter.”

  “Very well,” Shadown whispered.

  Time passed quickly as they made their way back down to the boiler pits and regrouped with the Gnome who had guarded the lady. Prince Alec bent over her sleeping frame and glanced into the eyes of Prince Grandur for a moment. Spent, defeated and lost, they sat down in the bitter silence. After a while, Lady Saunder awakened to the old craggy face of Quaid, she reached up and touched it as he flinched in a negative reaction. She rose and hugged the face of Prince Alec in silence, she contemplated the exhausted faces of the others. They ate quietly as Quaid thought about the expression of Prince Alec.

  “You must remain King,” the Mountaineer added. The others examined the man's motives, his form broken and old from the inception of magic. “I cannot rule.”

 
The two Prince's examined one another in silence, no one had to say it. They were, indeed, twins. Prince Alec and Prince Grandur leaned back against the stone corridor.

  “I don't know how,” Prince Grandur stated, “but I know.”

  “There is a strong resemblance,” Alec smiled.

  “Enough, we must decide what to do,” King Fallqron ordered.

  Shadown examined their faces and then decided. “We travel north. If Gnomeholden has been taken, then they may send reinforcements to Iclandia. If the magic is powerful and dark, we cannot withstand it. The demon things are too powerful. I suggest we gather up supplies and travel to the cities, possible as far as the Ice Wall. We may find some answers we are looking for. At any price, they must be warned of the impending danger. The people must fortify their positions and fight.”

  “What of Quaid,” Gabreal asked.

  “There is one who may be able to help him, but I do not know where he is. It has been years since I saw this man. He spoke of a place far to the Southeast. A place called Mayens Hall.” Shadown took a deep breath as the others ate.

  “A place of wizards who cast evil as dark as the Darkmages,” Fallqron added. “There is a place of lore, written in our Gnome history. It is a place where one may bathe and become young again.”