by MJ Schutte
Borac also gave his son a hug but did not say anything. He led the way to the library. Only when Jonathan had closed the door did Borac speak.
‘How are things at the Justice Hall?’ he asked.
‘Everything looks calm and normal. I did see Al’taish there,’ Jonathan replied.
‘The man you met at Gabe’s inn?’ Natasja frowned.
‘Yes, that man. I only saw him there once though,’ Jonathan confirmed.
‘Do you still believe he is dangerous?’ the king asked.
‘He tried to use a mind link on me, remember? He wanted to know about the wizard,’ Jonathan reminded his parents.
Borac paced up and down, thinking deeply.
‘I wonder if…’ he muttered.
Natasja and Jonathan knew better than to ask what the king was thinking. They waited patiently.
‘Yes, I think we should send some troops to the outlying towns, especially in the north,’ Borac declared.
‘Would you mind telling me why,’ Jonathan asked.
It was Natasja who answered since Borac was still deep in thought.
‘Recently there had been a number of robberies reported in small towns, especially from Fenton northwards. We’ve been listening to the mayors and representatives complain about it for days now. Your father thinks it might be connected to a group of people who were seen traveling through Weston a few days ago. The same group had been spotted in every town where robberies have been reported. Perhaps this man you met is also connected to them,’ she explained.
‘So there is a band of robbers somewhere. We have generals and commanders to deal with things like that. Why is father so concerned about it?’ Jonathan frowned.
‘Two young brothers went missing a few days ago from their father’s shop where they worked. Someone saw a man enter the shop and a while later he left with the brothers following,’ Natasja answered.
‘That’s not unusual. Perhaps the brothers needed to help their customer with something,’ Jonathan argued.
‘They have strict instructions from their father never to leave the shop. The brothers have not been seen for the last five days. We may be dealing with…’ Natasja said but Jonathan interrupted.
‘Someone with a talent for mind control?’ he whispered, his eyes going wide.
‘We don’t know, but it might just be. What makes it worse is that their mother is a descendant of Adri Brasten,’ Natasja said.
Jonathan was speechless. He knew the history of Brac and Adri Brasten. They lived in the time of Queen Ashley and had only one son also called Brac. He married and had two children, a son and a daughter. The son opened a very successful trading business and the daughter stayed in service of the crown, just like her father and grandmother did. It was in her lifetime that the Justice Hall was built. Ever since then, that branch of the Brasten family has served the crown by being the chief judges at the Justice Hall. This worked well since they all inherited Adri’s magic talent for seeing someone’s intentions and whether a person was being truthful or not.
Some years ago all the Brasten descendants living in the Farasnei forest near the Justice Hall were found murdered, except one child, Angelina. She managed to hide from the gang of mercenaries responsible for the murders. A few days later all the mercenaries were found dead in the forest. None of them had any wounds or showed signs of fighting. It was as if the life was simply drained from their bodies.
Angelina was raised in the palace. When she turned twenty one, she became the chief judge in the Justice Hall.
Very few people knew about the talent that was passed down by Adri Brasten to her descendants, and they were all sworn to secrecy.
‘So that is how you’re making a connection between the man I met and the band of robbers. The robbers kidnapped two talented people and Al’taish tried to use a mind link on me to find out about the wizard. It seems Al’taish is part of the gang and they are hunting for magically talented people,’ Jonathan said in understanding.
Borac did not hear much of the conversation between his wife and son. He stopped pacing, turned to Jonathan and said, ‘You will take at least five thousand troops to the Farasnei forest. The Justice Hall has to be protected at all cost. We don’t know what these robbers want but we can not risk loosing Angelina.’
‘Father, is this not a bit extreme? I’m sure Angelina is well protected,’ Jonathan said.
All three royals knew who and what Jonathan was referring to.
‘The two brothers that went missing have the ability to see when a person is deceiving them, yet a man simply walks into their store and abducts them. We are dealing with very powerful and dangerous people. You and Gerard will take the troops and make sure Angelina is safe,’ Borac replied.
‘I will leave in the morning,’ Jonathan agreed.
A deep frown ran from between Borac’s eyes to his rapidly receding hairline.
‘Rather let Gerard take the troops alone. I have another task for you,’ he changed his mind.
‘It seems you are forever going somewhere these days,’ Natasja sighed.
She knew it was the duty of the royal family to protect the people but she also wished she could have had more time with her sons.
Father stopped in front of a house on the outskirts of Fenton. Although it looked like he was alone, he knew the Elite Corps was fanned out around him. He closed his eyes for a moment, then smiled.
‘Another one,’ he murmured to himself.
He walked up to the door and knocked. An elderly woman opened.
‘Good evening, may I help you?’ she greeted pleasantly.
‘There is another woman in this house. I need to see her,’ Father said with a smile.
‘Is something wrong? Has my daughter done something?’ the woman enquired.
‘No, she hasn’t done anything wrong. In fact, I am here to share good news with her,’ Father replied.
‘Well, in that case, please come in. I will go call Mary,’ the woman replied.
She directed Father to a chair in the kitchen then left the room to fetch her daughter. A few moments later she returned with a younger woman in tow.
‘Mary, this gentleman is here to see you. He says he has good news,’ the old woman beamed.
‘I am pleased to meet you sir. My name is Mary,’ the younger woman said as she stuck her hand out.
Father took her hand and concentrated.
‘Are you aware that you have a magical gift?’ he asked.
A look of complete terror crossed Mary’s face for a moment as she yanked her hand back.
She regained her composure, smiled and said, ‘That is absurd. Everyone knows that magic does not exist.’
Father ignored the statement.
‘This woman is not your real mother, is she? She is not gifted like you. Where are your parents?’ he asked.
‘Sir, I think it is best you leave now,’ Mary said as she stepped away.
Father’s hands shot up. Two separate energy links entered the women’s heads, one from each hand. The older woman dropped to the floor, stone dead, but the younger woman remained standing. Father did not drain her energy like he did with her adopted mother, but rather established a link to her mind.
Images flashed before his eyes, images of Mary’s life. Systematically he began destroying those images until Mary did not have a single memory left. Next, he planted a thought in her head.
Mary fell to her knees and said, ‘My life is yours, Father Zaconis, guardian of magic.’
‘Welcome to my army. Your name is Yola,’ Father said.
‘Yola,’ she repeated.
Father turned and left the house, Yola following close behind.
She had a blank expression on her face.
‘What took you so long?’ Alexi demanded from Palish.
They were on the northern edge of the Farasnei forest where Father had told Al’taish to bring the troops.
‘I did not know we were needed here urgently,’ Palish defended.
&n
bsp; Father looked at Al’taish with a question in his eyes.
‘Father, I told Palish we needed to come here as soon as possible,’ Al’taish defended.
‘Liar!’ Palish shouted.
‘Father, Palish did not want to listen. He…’ Al’taish tried but Father lifted his hand for silence.
‘It is pointless to argue like children. We have to get to the Justice Hall urgently. It would seem the king has sent a large number of troops here and they are close behind us. We do not have the numbers to get involved in a fight so we need to finish our business here and head for the ships as soon as possible. Al’taish, you will lead us to the Justice Hall,’ Father said.
Al’taish wished he could tell Father that it was Palish that wasted time on the journey here because of his seemingly incurable taste for young girls.
‘I will repay you for this,’ Palish hissed under his breath at Al’taish.
Al’taish decided there was no point in arguing with Palish so he turned around and headed south, towards the Justice Hall.
Father used his sense for just a moment to determine how many people were inside the Justice Hall. A surprised look crossed his face.
‘This is incredible,’ he muttered to himself.
More clearly he said, ‘Tell the troops to surround the Hall, but stay at least a hundred paces away and hide in the trees. There is a wizard, a child of the darkness and a mind reader inside. They are not to harm anyone except the witch and the soldiers. Our main target is the wizard. If we can get the mind reader as well it will be good. Be careful, the evil one is very powerful, she can kill with a mere thought.’
The order was relayed to all the troops and quickly they spread out. Father waited a long time before he used his sense again.
‘The troops have the Hall surrounded. We have to move now, the king’s army is very close,’ Father said to Alexi standing beside him.
He gathered some energy from the forest and lifted his hands.
Thick lightning bolts from his outstretched hands hit he stone walls of the Justice hall.
Chapter 7
Angelina was listening to yet another farmer who claimed to have been cheated out of his rightful payment by a traveling merchant. When he finally stopped talking Angelina turned to the merchant to hear his side of the story. The merchant stood up and bowed but before he could say anything a loud thunder clap rang through the Justice Hall. The walls and the roof shook violently. Terrified screams came from the crowd inside as they rushed for the big doors.
Another clap of thunder rang through the air and it felt like the earth was moving beneath there feet.
‘Angelina, come here quickly!’ Brighton called.
He and Lilian were standing at the small door watching the proceedings when the Hall started shaking.
Angelina jumped up from her chair but a large piece of wood fell from the roof knocking her unconscious.
Brighton raced forward to help the young woman but noticed that one of the four beams holding up the roof was starting to lean over dangerously. He instantly realized the roof would cave in if he did not do something.
‘Get Angelina!’ he yelled at Lilian as he changed course.
Brighton’s shoulder slammed into the thick wood. Using his considerable strength he tried to push the beam back but all he could manage was keeping it in place.
Lilian raced for Angelina. Knowing that she would not be able to pick the young woman up she grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards the door. More pieces of wood tumbled from the roof. Brighton weaved an energy barrier around the two women to protect them from the falling debris while still holding the wooden beam in place.
After what felt like an eternity, Lilian finally reached the door and pulled Angelina outside. Fearing that the walls might collapse on them, she pulled the young woman a safe distance away. She turned and raced back towards the hall. Through the open door she could see Brighton still had his shoulder against the wooden beam, struggling to keep it in place.
‘Bri! Get out of there!’ her panicked voice reached his ears, but she already knew he was not going to leave until everyone was safely out of the building. Lilian looked past her husband to see how many people were still inside but as another thunderclap rang through the air, her eyes snapped back to his. For a moment it felt like time stood still. Their eyes locked, fear clearly visible in Lilian’s face.
Brighton knew he was never going to get out of the hall in time and that his life might soon be coming to an end.
I love you he mouthed at her moments before the roof collapsed on him.
‘NO!’ Lilian cried out as she watched her husband being buried under wood and stone.
An eerie silence settled over the rubble that was once the Justice Hall. Lilian raced forward, fell to her knees and clawed at the rubble.
She hoped Brighton had woven an energy barrier around himself for protection. The thought that he might be dead crossed her mind briefly. Furiously she dug, ripping most of her fingernails off.
An arrow sped past, missing her head by a whisker. She looked up and saw people emerging from the tree line, weapons drawn. More arrows flew towards her, but Lilian simply concentrated and they dropped out of the sky.
‘It’s the witch, a child of the darkness,’ someone shouted.
Lilian instantly understood that these were the people responsible for her husband being buried in the rubble. She lifted her hands. Black lightning bolts shot forward, killing her attackers instantly. More people rushed out of the woods. Lilian turned her attention to them, realizing her mistake to late as she felt the temporary energy of an arrow coming towards her from behind. The arrow slammed into her back and then two more found their mark. Lilian sank to the ground, three arrows protruding from her back. A moment before her eyes closed she saw a white energy link coming from the woods.
Father’s energy link connected to the wizard’s mind. Images of the wizard’s life flashed before his eyes. Systematically he started destroying those memories.
Brighton felt the energy link enter his mind but there was nothing he could do to stop it. The owner of the link was very powerful and Brighton still needed to concentrate on the energy barrier he wove around himself for protection from the falling roof.
Images of his life flashed before his eyes. One by one those images faded away.
He remembered his daughter, Clarissa and his son Thomas. He remembered how Thomas was murdered when he was only a little boy. Images of Clarissa growing into a beautiful woman flashed before his eyes. She was such a kind, giving person. Lilian always said she took after him in that regard.
He saw Clarissa on her wedding day, and how beautiful she looked in her pale pink dress. It was one of the very few times in his life he shed some tears. Clarissa married into the royal family and therefore had to go live in the palace in Weston but she visited the Farasnei Forest often.
Brighton remembered his grandchildren being born, growing up and dying. He saw Clarissa grow old before his eyes and relived the pain of finally losing her even though he tried everything he could to keep her alive. He saw Lilian begging him to let Clarissa go and finally agreeing only when Clarissa herself told him it was time for her to join her husband and children in the spirit world. The sorrow of losing his darling daughter washed over him again, and then the anger that, even with the unimaginable power he commanded, he could not save his little girl from death.
Desperately he tried to hold on to the memories but it was like trying to catch the early morning mist. Brighton felt his mind going blank and in desperation concentrated on keeping only one memory in tact. He concentrated on the love he and Lilian had shared for so many years. Images of Lilian flashed before him. He saw her as a little girl in Four Mountains where they grew up together, playing hide and find in the woods. Next he saw Lilian stroking Mischief to sleep when he was only a tiny cub. Brighton remembered washing Lilian’s dress in the river while she lay in the sun, dressed only in her under garments. He recalled t
he day Lilian was kidnapped and that someone, he could not remember who, also died on that day.
An image of a burning house flashed before his eyes. He remembered the time when he thought Lilian was dead. The joy of finding each other again just outside Avarya brought a smile to his face, but within moments he had forgotten that as well. Vividly he recalled that first time they kissed at the river and Lilian pulling her camisole over her head. The image was so clear Brighton thought he could simply reach out and touch her perfect naked body. The memory hung in his mind for a brief moment before it also disappeared. He relived their passionate love making in a cave, or palace of some sort, but could not remember why they were there. Memories of their simple, yet very special wedding day danced in his mind. There were three other people present. For a moment he felt a deep love for two of the people, a man and a young woman, but he did not know why he felt this way.
Brighton saw Lilian with two small babies in her arms, but could not remember who they were. He only recognized her.
He saw images of a desperate flight across the western boundary, but could not remember why they fled.
Images of a forest flashed through his mind. He knew this forest was very special and had also been their prison for many years. He also knew that he had almost lost Lilian to this forest. He saw Lilian standing in front of their little house between the huge oak trees, a black panther next to her. He wanted to warn her that panthers are dangerous, but the memory also vanished. Images of their life together disappeared one after the next and there was nothing Brighton could do about it.
He ignored the flashing images and instead concentrated on keeping a tiny fragment of a memory in tact.
Brighton’s mind went blank except for one name.
Lily.
Angelina gingerly opened her eyes. She was lying flat on her back. Carefully she sat up, fighting the nausea and pain that threatened to overwhelm her. Her eyes did not want to focus properly so she closed them for a moment. When she opened them again there was a man standing in front of her holding a large curved sword in his right hand.