“Yes. And then the second one here on Green Isle.” The King sighed. There was an uneasy silence for a Moment before he continued. “I didn’t relish what I had to do, when we imprisoned him in his mirror on Black Isle. If I could have found another way... Anyway, what’s done is done and he’s now on Be’thasileth forever. Let’s not dwell on the past so much, shall we? Come. My bride’s most anxious for your company.”
King Angus held his hand out towards the direction of the archway at the end of the hall and the spiral staircase. Waiting patiently until the children moved past him, he followed them up the staircase to the third story. Motioning them to a doorway, the Elf King offered them entrance into a round sitting room filled with lavender chairs and white sofas. Matt noticed each piece of furniture sported clawed feet with scales and feathers, and on one of these bizarre chairs sat a beautiful blond Elf woman. Dressed in white and wearing a similar gold crown to the King’s, she appeared to be concentrating on a chess game.
DaGon, his scaly face contorted in thought, sat across from her. The four friends entered the rooms quietly and neither the queen nor the dragon looked up. King Angus cleared his throat and caught their attention. Seeing them, the Elf Queen rose and extended her arms. “Welcome to our humble home, my friends. I’m so glad you finally made it,” she exclaimed sweetly.
“Thank you,” Matt replied graciously. “We appreciated the horses. It did make the journey shorter.”
“We grew so concerned about you until Lily’s mother gave us word you would be delayed. Queen Onagh can be so disagreeable at times, can’t she? Imagine making you wait, knowing your brother was in the clutches of Uthal. How uncaring she can be.”
“She told her Ladies-in-Waiting that she had to prepare these emerald brooches with a spell, before we could go and all,” Miranda said quietly. “That’s why she delayed us.”
“Still...she has a way about her, that’s just so exasperating,” Erulisse replied as she shook her head and arched an eyebrow.
“I could solve her disagreeableness very easily, if you like, majesty,” DaGon huffed, baring his teeth.
“Dear, that would only make matters worse,” Lily scolded.
“Why don’t you bring me the map Queen Onagh gave you?” The queen motioned to Matt.
Matt, surprised that the queen knew about his hidden treasure, obeyed as Erulisse offered a seat on the lounge beside her. He sat down and removed the parcel from his tunic. The queen took the leather pouch from Matt’s hands and gently unrolled the ancient paper.
“This map has been gone from Ellyllon for far too long. It resided with Queen Onagh because of certain circumstances which happened long ago with friends of the Elves,” Erulisse said as she glanced at DaGon and Lily briefly, her eyes conveying an unspoken message. “It is good to see it now, like an old friend come home,” she said, as she studied the edges. “Prince Finley entrusted its keeping with Angus and I, for he knew it would be needed to find his father’s sword.”
“The Fairy Queen said that you could perhaps help us translate it. Her translator disappeared, or something happened to him. Anyway, I guess without him, no one can read the message on the map,” Matt blurted as he bent to study the strange writings across the outer edges of the document.
“Fontinose disappeared?”
“Yes, if that’s her translator,” Matt replied, not looking up from the paper.
“Oh my, I did not know that. This news distresses me greatly. It tells me the Dark One has reached further into Green Isle than previously expected. His spies must be everywhere.”
“We can only imagine what may have happened to that poor old fairy,” the King commented softly to his wife. “He has worked over the markings on the map for many years. Someone must have been desperately looking for whatever knowledge he had found.”
Smoothing the delicate paper with her fingertips, Erulisse softly caressed the words and pictures drawn upon it. Matt watched as her face changed. The look made him draw back. “Fontinose guarded this map for over a hundred years. Uthal or Bera must have had something to do with his demise. He would never have let this out of his care.” After a few Moments of silence, Erulisse abruptly raised her head. Her face appeared different, almost evil. Her tone hushed, she chuckled with a wicked grin. “Its translation, a never-ending mystery, is not any good without the key. A most important secret we kept from the Fairy Queen. That is the only reason we allowed the map to pass to Queen Onagh and the Crystal Palace. We kept the key here. So whoever has Fontinose and his translation only has part of the message.”
“How can a paper map have a key?” Miranda asked with curiosity, bending closer to the table. Intrigued at the elaborate designs, she touched an ink drawing of a sword in the center of the map.
Erulisse rose and gracefully stepped to a bookcase behind the lounge chair. Opening one of the glass doors to the cabinet, she withdrew a rectangular box and carried it to a nearby desk. The queen tilted it upside down and appeared to look for something on its bottom. Matt watched as the queen pushed at a small indentation with her thumb and quickly set the box back on the desk. A whirling sound filled the air and the queen stepped back. The cube came to life in a noisy, dizzying display of turning and twisting. Peeling in layers, the wood magically unfolded to reveal a beautifully crafted turquoise-colored owl perched upon a silver branch, its features frozen in an unblinking stare. King Angus placed his hand above its head and a soft beam of blue light washed over the mechanical animal. In seconds, the owl’s head turned and twisted, squeaking like an un-greased wheel. It spread its wings and flew to the Erulisse’s outstretched arm.
“This is fantastic,” Matt exclaimed. He reached out and touched the owl. The metal was warm on his fingertips. The bird continued to flex its hinged wings and the sound became unbearable. Matt thought it sounded worse than fingernails over the chalkboard. When the bird continued to move, the four friends covered their ears.
“Gee whiz! Whatever it is, it needs oil,” Thomas cried.
“How is it alive?” Ned asked, his finger extending tentatively to touch the bird.
“No touching, no touching,” the owl demanded. “Do not like touching.”
“Gee, it talks.”
“No touching, no touching,” the owl cried again when Miranda reached for it.
“Amazing. The mere mechanics seem impossible.” Matt regarded the bird with interest.
Miranda stroked the bird hesitantly. The owl’s beak snapped repeatedly at her fingers, each time missing.
“Angus passed a portion of his life force to it, so you may have him for your journey. Quert is its name. He is the key you will need to decipher the map, but he cannot be used until you are at Keltrain’s, for only the wizard knows how to awaken the owl’s magic.”
“Who made him?” Matt asked.
“Balorn, the Fomorian King, before the retreat to Green Isle. He had one of his blacksmiths help him,” Erulisse replied. “There is a secret message Prince Finley hid in the runes on this map after his father’s death, giving direction to where he hid the sword.”
Quert launched himself from the Queen’s hand to the table where the map lay. Landing on its edge, he viewed the paper and then the dragon blankly. “Hello,” he squawked to DaGon as he cocked his head, the motion causing the metal to grind again.
“Your majesty, perhaps you should oil this creature. Especially if we are to travel under guise,” DaGon suggested as the owl continued to study him.
“I’ll find something,” Lily said as she flew off downstairs.
Quert’s onyx eyes blinked as he twisted his head back to the map. “How long?” he asked in his metallic voice. “How long has it been? This paper has aged. When last read this map was new parchment.” The bird stomped back and forth along the edge of the paper, his claws clicking on the marble table. He scanned the paper as if looking for a sign of what had happened during his absence. Matt sensed some sort of distress in the metal owl and felt sad for it.
“Cal
m down,” King Angus quietly said. “Time has passed since the era of your Fomorian King. You were placed with us for safekeeping after the second war with the Dark One. We are sorry you had to be put to rest for such a long time. We did not want you or the map to come into the Uthal’s possession.”
“What happened? Where has my King gone?” Quert demanded in his metal voice.
The queen touched Quert on the head and cooed to him softly. Matt and the others gathered around her. “My dear friend, the news I bring you is not good.”
“Do you think he will even understand what all of this means?” the dragon asked.
“Perhaps not, but just the same, there are some things that need to be spoken of, even if just briefly,” she replied. Turning to Matt and the others, she continued. “I asked Lily and DaGon not to give you much information. Angus and I wanted be the ones to tell you of your purpose here on Green Isle.” Erulisse sat back on her chair regarding the four friends. “You are probably wondering what is going to happen next?”
All of them nodded their heads, casting glances at one another.
“We only know we had to come rescue those who had been taken by Uthal,” Matt conceded. “That’s all Chester said to me...well, that and I would need the help of my friends.”
Queen Erulisse sighed lightly and stared ahead, her eyes flickering. “The story I tell you goes back to a time before you were born, and before most of what you know existed. It is the beginning of the time of Green Isle, our magical world.”
“Perhaps we should only give them a brief history, your majesty. Too much information may confuse the issue,” DaGon stated.
“If you say so.”
“Here’s some oil,” Lily said excitedly, flying up to Matt and handing him a small can. “Sorry for the interruption.”
Matt took it and gently worked on the owl. He listened intently to the dragon and queen’s conversation.
“So where to begin? The Fomorians, King Balorn, or his people? There is so much to tell.”
“I’ve never heard of no Fomorians in any of our history classes,” Ned replied, frowning. “Maybe you could start there.”
“All right. Fomorians were an ancient race of people on Earth, knowledgeable in science and medicine, and, more importantly, magic.”
“Did most ancient people have magic and all?” Miranda asked her eyes wide.
“I do not think so. The Fomorians’ magic was strong, not the dark kind, but that of the light. They created a good utopia filled with compassion and harmony, where all of them existed without war or strife. They had no need for money and there was not any sickness.”
“That does sound a little far-fetched, if you ask me. Gee whiz, we have all that kinda of stuff nowadays.” Thomas frowned. “Most importantly at the Moment, war.”
“Well, it’s changed since that time,” the dragon interjected.
“A human from the older races of men befriended the royal house of Balorn. He saved a child of the royal family from death. The king and queen were so grateful they allowed him a single request. This man asked to study with the Fomorian children at their great universities. Soon this human became gifted with many of their secrets, and obtained ancient Fomorian knowledge about magic.”
“So what has this guy got to do with us?” Ned slumped down in his seat and crossed his arms. “Is he the bad one everyone keeps talkin’ about?”
“Unfortunately, yes. It was a mistake King Balorn regretted too late. This human seemed very greedy and waged war against the Fomorians even after their kindness to him. He tricked many of his own kind into believing he was a great leader and would bring peace to his people, but all he wanted was power and used the knowledge gained from the Fomorians to enslave them.”
“It’s still happening today,” Miranda replied. “There’s a war going on right now and all. There doesn’t seem to be much kindness now-a-days.”
“When King Balorn wanted to defend his kingdom, he had to make a special sword. It was the only thing that would defeat Uthal. Knowing what was about to happen, Uthal used a most foul ancient spell and cast it upon the battleground. It shook the continent of the Fomorian people. Breaking and shattering, the land began to sink into the sea.”
“They were all killed?” Matt felt compassion for these people he didn’t even know.
“No,” DaGon replied. “King Balorn sent his powerful griffins to warn Prince Finley and the rest of his family before the final destruction. They were able to bring them and other races safely through the portals to Green Isle before the land completely sank beneath the sea.”
“Soon afterwards, Uthal declared war on all magic creatures and devised a spell to extinguish the life force of every one,” King Angus said softly. “He wanted to be the only one left with the ancient knowledge.”
“Gee whiz and we thought the Germans and Japanese were bad, especially after they bombed Pearl Harbor.”
“But wouldn’t he know where everyone was? Weren’t the Fomorians afraid he would follow them here?” Matt asked.
“We thought of that. We placed Elf Bloodstones above the entrances to our portals to guard against him. Our Isle remained peaceful for a while as the evil stayed out, but then one day Slaugh appeared on the borders of ApHar Mountains and we knew he had found a way in.”
“That’s so sad and all. Was it a terrible war?” Miranda whispered.
Queen Erulisse wiped a tear from her cheek. “Prince Finley sent messengers once he was aware of the Dark One’s presence north of the Fomorian Keep. A great battle occurred. When we arrived, it was too late, though. Prince Finley, breathing his last Moments, bequeathed his magic and his Wand to Angus, along with the instructions for Quert.”
“So, there aren’t any Fomorians left?”
“Did they come after you? Gee whiz, what happened to Uthal?”
“Imprisoning the Dark One was the only solution we had, for we did not have the means to destroy him, nor did we know how the magic of the sword worked or even if it would work. It had been hidden away earlier by Prince Finley, so Angus had no choice but to lock Uthal in a mirror.”
“That’s the picture in the hall. The one showing King Angus and the black figure,” Ned shouted excitedly.
“Yes, it is. It was not until later that Keltrain, a wizard who lived on the outskirts of their Keep, decided to try a spell to find a solution to getting rid of Uthal. That is where all of you come into this story.”
“What do you mean?” Matt asked cautiously. Something inside of him wanted to know, and yet, at the same time, was afraid to know.
“Now the time has come that Keltrain predicted,” Erulisse concluded shortly. “His prophecy spoke of four young people from Earth who would save both our worlds with the Sword of Balorn.”
“So this is what I must do to save Toby, Caitlin, and George?” Matt asked quietly. “Take the Sword of King Balorn and kill the Dark One?”
“It must be one of you,” the queen replied. “But we do not know which of you.”
Matt remembered his conversation with Chester on the road. Shouldn’t it be him? He was the strongest, the leader. He was the one who brought his friends through the portal. Surely, the sword would choose him as its champion.
“We do not know who the sword will select, for the sword has a power of its own. Keltrain’s visions never expanded further. The identity of the brave soul who must face Uthal remained hidden. It is perhaps best Keltrain could not see whose hand wields the sword. Uthal may have found help in destroying that savior.”
“Lovely,” Ned said, shaking his head. “I knew I should’ve stayed home.”
“Gee whiz, do ya have to be such a coward?” Thomas asked with a frown. He rolled his eyes. “Your cousins need you right now.”
The queen rose from her seat. Lifting Quert from the table, she placed him back upon his silver perch. The owl screeched his dismay. “No...no...it is time for me to fly.”
“Stay the night with us.” The king carefully pushed the button o
n the box, shutting up the owl. “And tomorrow you can begin your travel into the Great Pine Forest towards the wizard’s home in the wilderness. Keltrain will be able to help decipher the runes on the map. It is his magic you need now.”
Matt and his friends nodded in agreement. The thought of resting at the castle made sense, especially after Queen Erulisse’s story. They were tired from the day’s events.
“Go with Lily and she will show you the quarters prepared for you. Do not be afraid or overwhelmed, for you will have much help from Lily and DaGon,” the queen gently commanded. “Remember, all things work in this universe for a reason. DaGon, Lily, and Chester have already agreed long ago that they would never leave your side, until the deed has been completed.”
Sensing her words were true, Matt slowly followed the others out the door and back into the hall. The fairy led them further up the winding staircase to the top of the tower. Upon reaching the next level, she pointed to a door at the end. “Here’s where you’ll stay until the morning. Sleep well, dear ones,” she called before darting back down the staircase.
Miranda opened the door cautiously and surveyed the room. She motioned for the others. When Matt entered the room, his eyes quickly found four bunks against the far wall. His body seeing the soft blankets was already calling for sleep. A lavender sofa rested in the center of the room, and fresh food and water sat in the middle of the table next to the fireplace. Its warmth guarded the room against the chill of the evening air drifting through the white linen window coverings. It was all he could do to contain a large yawn.
“The Fomorians ended so tragically,” Miranda said suddenly. Matt noticed wetness on one of her cheeks.
Thomas threw himself on one of the beds and let out a loud sigh. “This is going to be a rough journey. My feet hurt and feel twice the normal size. I thought we would be done in a couple of days. Now we have to travel further to find this sword. Gee whiz, it wasn’t supposed to be this complicated, was it? Come, get the kidnapped kids, and then go home. When did it change?”
“I already feel like death is knocking on my door,” Ned commented as he lowered himself gently onto the sofa. His face grimaced. “I don’t wanna be the one to carry this stupid sword. I’m not much of a champion. I can’t even ride a horse without feeling beat up.”
The Forgotten Spell (Legends of Green Isle Book 1) Page 14