Dragon and Prophesy

by Nathan Chidlow

  They went back through the corridor and then descended a stairs. The clanging sound grew louder as they went around the building and towards a field, surrounded by stone walls- looked like a castle that was abandoned half-way through the construction. Well-built, tall men; and stout, thick short men, practiced together with various weapons using different formations. They were definitely more than a dozen men, not less than ten of them either smiled at him or raised his weapon, to acknowledge him. He also smiled back. "Come, Mr. Ethan... this way." Eckrock led him through the uncompleted structure, the scarlet-blue sky smiled on them, unrestricted. There was an oak door, the only door in the uncompleted structure.

  "Why was it abandoned, it would have been a breadth taking structure, if completed."

  "It's deliberate, who will know that we kept one of our most valued treasure here... outside the rock palace. This place has also served as a practice ground for the knights; nobody knows they silently guard this place too." Eckrock explained. He clapped his hands and the clanging of metals: swords, axes, spearheads quieted, but many of them had clubs and when it descended on the 'rocky' shield, it gave a different, heavy sound. Ethan and Eckrock were soon surrounded by the knights. "Today has finally come!" He said and then moved closer to the door. "openosa!" The door opened sprightly. A bronze shield was dangling in mid-air, inside the wall- the wall was built in such a way that, if a dwarf enters through the door, he can walk a semi-circle and then back, the large unbolted entrance facing the oak door cuts the very-narrow corridor into two. Two knights stepped in through the door and lifted the shield out. Ethan could see how much respect they had for the metal; the way they carried it, the way they looked at it, the way they talked about it. Zander the cruel did not treat the chest plate with such dignity. The shield is definitely bronze but must be heavier than it looks. If left flat on the floor, the insignia on the shield looked like a fairly large, dark rock- with a pointed summit. Unlike the other knights, the insignia on their shields was hand-crafted.

  "Mr. Ethan... it's yours now."

  Ethan wanted to vanish as the two knights approached him with the shield. He was not sure he can bear a shield; two muscular men had to carry. But he had to, it's his shield now. "Uh... uh," he started struggling to keep the shield up, even with both hands, he was sweating profusely.

  "Made of rock, coated with metal... You will need more than strength to bear it like a real soldier. Allow it to find you, let it connect with you- with your heart." Eckrock said.

  "Oh... uh uh, I'm try-ing," Ethan's voice was shaky, his whole body was shaking.

  "Stop trying... It's easier when you let go."

  "When I let go...? Oh... oh," he decided to stop struggling, and then it felt different- it felt as if a part of the shield had extended into his hands, and then he removed one hand and bore it with the other- it felt light... not just light, like an extension of his hands.

  "Yes, yes... that's what I'm talking about." Eckrock was smiling delightedly. "Now, shall we teach Mr. Ethan what it means to bear a rock in battle!"

  "AYE…!" The men chorused.

  The knights spread out and formed an arc; Ethan was given a wooden sword- used for practicing. A dwarf stepped forward, Ethan could recognize him, and he led the group of keepers that captured them the day before. He was holding a fat but much lighter staff instead of a club. Ethan wasn't sure what was coming, his heart was beating fast, he already had a grasp of the shield somehow but he still held the wooden sword clumsily. The sun wasn't shining brightly, but Ethan was almost drenched in his own sweat.

  "The rocks surrounding us serve as our shield! We leverage on that, for our protection. We treat our shield in the same manner, it's important to us. Men are taught how to wield a sword, or an axe, or a club... but we teach how to wield the shield! The shield protects the warrior at all times!" Eckrock started, like a commentator will do during a game, but he was more like a coach, training his athletes. "The only magic here is in your shields!" The dwarf charged at Ethan, Ethan was almost confused. He has never done anything like this before- ever, except when he played his video games and that wasn't even real! Just some stupid animation, already programmed to do all those stuff... Bang! The dwarf had hit his shield very hard, it made his hand hurt. "Be on guard Mr. Ethan, a dragon's fire can attack from all directions." Eckrock continued coaching. The dwarf charged again, Ethan's hands were sweaty and shaky but he held his shield tightly and the wooden sword above it, so that it pointed to his opponent... Thud! He hits Ethan below the waist, both the shield and sword dropped from his hand.

  "Arrg! What the heck!" Ethan was rolling on the floor, his stomach was terribly aching.

  "One of the weapons you will learn to wield is courage, even if you don't know what to do or how to do it... do not fret. If the shield has chosen you, then you will be able to wield it." Ethan stood up lazily, he held his aching stomach. He picked up his weapons again and faced his opponent, who Ethan feared is determined to hit him a second time.

  "Feel it Mr. Ethan and let it feel you, see it as an extension of yourself. Like a part of your body that shields you against attacks."

  Ethan could feel the breeze against his face; the hair at the back of his head was raised and there was tingling in his body. His opponent was closing up on him again but somehow he knew what to do, he felt like he was now in a video game and someone else was with the control pad. He sidestepped swiftly and dodged the blow charged at him, and then thud! He hits the dwarf right at the back of his head, he fell face-down!

  "Yes! Yes...! Awesome! Whoo oo!" The knights hailed him; some of them hit their shields with their wooden weapons as they shouted.

  One of the tall men stepped forward, he was quite muscular: his biceps were so large. Ethan's hands became sweaty again and his heart raced. The muscular man smiled wryly, revealing his brownish, tobacco-stained teeth. He narrowed his eyes and focused it. He had a wooden sword and was carrying a large 'rocky' shield, definitely heavy. He charged at full speed, raising his wooden sword hard and high. He was aiming right for Ethan's shoulder, that will automatically make him drop his shield, but somehow Ethan knew he was going to do that. He raised his shield very hard, not just to block the incoming blow, but he aimed it at his wrist and clenched fingers. He hit him with the shield, very hard- so that he dislodged him of his weapon. "Beautiful...! Your shield is your weapon too. My grandfather killed more than a score with that shield, when he was dislodged of his club in battle!" Eckrock was delighted by what he saw. The muscular man could not hide his pain, his sword was down and his hand ached painfully. All he had was his shield; Eckrock's word seemed to enlighten him. He made a quick move... he was going to hit Ethan right in the middle, but Ethan had envisaged that too, he ducked quickly-his opponent's shield was heavier and made him clumsier, he missed terribly. It made him slightly vulnerable, his back was defenseless and... Thud! Ethan hit him right there, and he fell face down too. But he stood up quickly and charged at Ethan, but Ethan ducked again, rolled sprightly and hit him at the back of his knees. He swept his feet from under him and the man fell heavily on his back.

  Ethan was sure he couldn't have learnt to fight men- who have been fighting all their lives-from a video game. He felt a connection with the shield... his shield, he possibly cannot explain how. His performance was outstanding, it earned him respect- even though they respected him before, now, they respected him more.

  "We should go and wash, and then have a sumptuous meal!" Eckrock announced. "Mr. Ethan..." Ethan, who was leaving turned as Eckrock beckoned on him. "The practice we just had was intentional; I wanted you to realize that the strength you need to defeat the evil plaguing us lies in your armor and weapons." He smiled, his thick moustache almost happing his upper lips. "You should take your bath and join us at the table afterwards... I suppose you can find your way."

  Ethan nodded, "yeah, yeah... thank you."

  The corridor was brightly lit by the sun's reflection, the rock palace was bigger than Ethan had ima
gined. The knights can stay there as long as they wanted. While some of them stay there infrequently because of their families, it was a permanent abode for some others. "What is Cyclux up to this time...?" Ethan muttered to himself, as he approached the door to their room. He could hear some noise from inside and some irritating giggle punctuated it... just like the night before. Ethan prayed it's not what he was thinking, but it was. Cyclux had company; he had seen Ethan training with the knights when he woke up later that morning. He felt it was the perfect time to invite the company of pretty faces Ethan had scared away the night before. He soon met one of them as he wondered around the corridors. There were four of them with him now, two were rubbing his body with an ointment, and its fragrance filled the air. They placed two slices of cucumber on his eyes, the other two ladies manicured his hands and feet. There were roses on the bed and Cyclux slept amid roses and women. He was telling them tales and legends, true and fabricated. He has not felt so good in a long time. When Ethan came in, he slammed the door so hard, Cyclux almost jumped out of his skin and the ladies stood up quickly, averting Ethan's face- Cyclux had told them, Ethan doesn't like them. "What is it man...? You almost got my heart out of my chest!" Cyclux cried.

  "Food will soon be ready." Ethan said coldly.

  "...and who says I want to eat, I don't have to eat always... I might just want a moment like this... undisturbed!"

  Ethan did not reply him; he headed for an adjacent door that leads to the bathroom. Cyclux noticed a slice of cucumber on his laps, he threw it in his mouth and looked up at the ladies, "hmm... tastes nice... I think we should go and eat, or what do you think?"

  The meal was sumptuous has usual, Ethan wanted to leave that day but Cyclux persuaded him that they should stay another night. Ethan knew he did so for selfish reasons, but Eckrock's words had stuck with him. "...I want you to realize that the strength you need to defeat the evil plaguing us lies in the armor and the weapons."

  He had an urge to practice alone at the training ground, in the evening, when it is cool; and the urge will not go away.

  It was already dark when Ethan left the practice ground, the moon was almost full that night but the stars were not as organized as the night Ethan first saw them. He walked quietly through the dimly lit corridor, looks like it's usually so at dusk. Cyclux wasn't in the room, the bed was empty, neither was he in the bathroom. Ethan was already tired, and Cyclux can be wherever he pleased. He dropped his shield on one corner, beside the pollen sack. He dived on the bed, hoping he would sleep off immediately- but he wished he hadn't, the bed was as hard as what it really is, a rock. "Damn it!" He cursed, "Where the heck is Cyclux...?"

  After some minutes, Ethan couldn't sleep; he picked the pollen sack and started pushing the shield into it. He was also thinking about how heavy it will become, when the shield enters, and that he might become as muscular as the knight he fought with that morning... just by carrying the sack through their journey... and then he slept off. He probably did not notice the bed had gone soft again.

  "Ethan...!" It felt like Ethan's eye lids will remain closed that morning but he tried to lift them, he noticed an old, wrinkled face slightly above him.

  "Cyclux...!" He pushed him aside, "what did you do to your hair?"

  "I kind of felt, I should change my hair style, probably I will look younger again and then like magic... I look absolutely different."

  "Yeah... You look very different."

  "I knew it! The ladies were fabulous, and the fairies that rolled up my hair in these magical rollers... oh! It was just fabulous." He was really drooling over his hair and his new look.

  "You look different... except that you don't look young."

  "How do you mean? I saw my reflection in the mirror; I looked like the real Cyclux... You don't just like me being with the ladies."

  "You look like an old woman Cyclux... like an old woman who just left the salon."

  "I don't believe you... okay?"

  "Believe what you want, we are leaving now, Eckrock must be waiting for us."

  "Really...? And I had to wake you up?"

  Ethan left him and rushed to the bathroom and they were soon on their way after a scrumptious breakfast. Cyclux didn't want to leave, but Ethan might be right, what he saw in the mirror might be just a mirage, Migol has to die. Besides, he has a responsibility to Ethan and to Lonus as a whole. "There is a pathway on the city wall, follow the path...!" Eckrock had shouted behind them, "...your shield is the key...!"He added and Ethan nodded. They had a beautiful moment together, it was an awesome way to bid them farewell. Ethan wouldn't forget the cult of rocks and the people at the rock palace

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  THE CULT OF THE LAVA

  "I think we need the compass now, this passageway is indeed the most difficult so far," Cyclux was looking at the map desperately, his perspiration dropped on it more than twice. He has never felt this hot before. Ethan hid in a rock, underneath a cliff, with his back bent; the scourging sun has not made finding their way through the passageway any easier. The map showed where they were and their destination quite alright, but it had no other information about reaching the wall of flames at the base of a volcano, apart from 'passage way' boldly written on it. They had trailed the mountainous city walls as they were told to, but the tiny passage had disappeared abruptly. A large mountainous rock had cut it off; it doesn't look like something they can climb. Cyclux doubts he can climb; the heavy sack will make it an impossible task for Ethan too.

  Cyclux started pacing, the heat had made his hair scorching dry, and a greasy liquid from whatever cosmetics that has been used on it had dripped to the back of his neck and stained the neck-line of his robe.

  "There is a way we can go through... but I can't remember the spell, is not like I've used it before but the archivist had mentioned a few times." He said, he was wearing a frown but his wrinkled face made it less obvious.

  "A night with those ladies can make one forget things..." Ethan said, dusting off rock particles from his robe but deliberately avoiding Cyclux's face. Cyclux gave him a sharp look and bit his lower lip, partly to moisturize the dry lip.

  "I thought the broom sticks are meant for flying in the air... Are they not?" Ethan asked.

  "Hmmm... ye-s, but we will need a witch to teach us first. I have never used it before and I don't want to die today."

  "Why did Grusav put them in our sack then, if you can't fly with them...?" Ethan asked, alarmingly.

  "I guess he wants us to figure out something... We can find a witch to teach us, I don't think those ladies at the rock palace know anything about flying in the air. They only know about cosmetics and confectioneries."

  "We have the veron paper, we should probably write Grusav... and ask him maybe," suggested Ethan.

  "The message won't be delivered until tomorrow, and we will have to wait another day for his reply... No, that won't work."

  "Reply...? How do you get a reply?" Ethan asked

  "The same means through which you sent your message of course..." Cyclux replied, raising an eye brow. He sometimes wants Ethan to feel like his questions were irrelevant or unintelligent, even when he was totally ignorant about the subject.

  Ethan wasn't interested in whatever Cyclux thinks or was going to say further. "My grandparents could have sent a reply." He got busy with the pollen sack and soon brought out the brown paper he had written down a message for his grandparents, back in the archive. He removed the band around it and unrolled it.

  "Hi Ethan, it's gran, I was worried sick, but your message brought me comfort. Please call as soon as you get to your destination. Let Jessica know I’d love to hear from her too. Much love." Ethan smiled gaily. He was going to write them again, that's the best he can do from here.

  "We have to do something or just sit here." Cyclux was tired and dejected. Ethan stepped out from under the cliff that provided him shade. He walked to the barrier to examine it for the first time. There was a hole inside; it had a scraggy, irregul
ar interior.

  "Your shield is the key... What does he mean by that? Was he talking about battle or...?

  Ethan examined it more closely; he used his fingers to feel the interior. Ethan's eyes widened, it's a keyhole! "Cyclux..." He turned, excited... but Cyclux was sleeping and snoring softly. Ethan gave him a long, irritating look. He needed the shield but he can't find the sack. "I left it just here..." Ethan said, looking around for the sack but soon caught a glimpse of it under Cyclux's head. Cyclux had turned it to a make-shift pillow. Ethan pulled it angrily, from under his head. It jolted his head completely and it dropped flatly on the rocky surface.

  "Where are they...? Have they finally come...? Bloody were-wolves…!" Cyclux stood up quickly, he was somewhat in shock, and he was sweating profusely. He had both hands out and his knees slightly bent and one foot forward, like there was an imaginary opponent he wants to take out with the Japanese-karate. Ethan disregarded his babble. He shoved out the shield; it was as though the small insignia which looked like a stone with a pointed tip- attached to the middle of the shield –was perfectly cut out of the larger mass of rock, before them. It will perfectly fit into the scraggy hole. He locked the shield into the rock, so that its center was firm and tightly fixed into it. But the other parts of the shield started to spin lickety-split, that it shoved Ethan's hand so quickly, Ethan staggered loosely, and he almost hit a rocky surface. It continued spinning for some minutes before slowing down and then it stopped, as fast as it started. A large chunk of stone moved in ward and then aside, so that there is a considerably large opening, a tunnel was hidden behind it, underneath the large rock. It wasn't an obstacle, it was a gate. Ethan removed the shield gently, and the chunk of stone that had moved aside, started to close up again- slowly. Cyclux was still outside; he didn't understand what Ethan was doing at first, until the large chunk started moving.