"How can you be sure? Reidh is small, but there are many ways over the mountains. You cannot guard them all, and there is always the sea. He could have taken a boat and be halfway to Ceredigion by now."
Frustrated, Torcull closed his eyes then said slowly, "He is there. Through the powers of the Severed Head, and of the Great Master, a winter storm has sealed off Reidh County. All the mountain passes have been closed off. The sea is the only way out, and we have total control over the coast. No, the young Prince is still there, and he will not escape me. There is no way out."
--
Pallas, Colin, and Aidan sat hunched over a small wooden table, finishing off their lunch of potato soup and bread. The Monks at the Monastery had made them feel welcome. Even Aidan, who did not practice the religion of the Doctrine of the Three, found the monastery and its inhabitants friendly. Yet still the three friends were uneasy.
"There is no way to escape," Pallas said with a glum look. "Lord Stanford controls all the harbors along the coast, and all the passes are full of snow."
"I know," said Colin sounding frustrated, "But Ceredigion has need of Elwin. We must find a way."
Aidan, the slender Elf, looked silently down at his empty tea mug. Studying the leaves, he wished he could read their meanings if things such as reading tea leaves were not just wives tales as he expected. But he too had need to leave the wintery county. Despite the fire in the hearth making the room comfortable and warm, his bones ached. Elves were not made for snow. Despite his wishes, the snow continued to fall outside the monastery walls. It was a strange Spring, even for Reidh. For weeks they had been in the monastery. During that time, the snow just kept falling, and the winds piled it up into towering drifts. It was as if Winter had been called back, and it was showing no sign of letting up.
"Spring will come soon," Aidan said, trying to sound optimistic, but he was not. Nor was
he sure of the coming Spring. The Elves were creatures of the earth, and the earth's power resonated through them. Through a kind of sixth sense, they could feel the shifting of weather patterns and could give accurate predictions within a few days time. Beyond that, they were less accurate. Aidan was uneasy. His senses told him it should be a warm spring day, and yet the snow was falling harder than before. Something was wrong. He could feel it, and he knew that magic had to be behind the bizarre weather.
"Besides,” the fair-looking Elf went on, “Elwin needs this time to heal. Ceredigion will just have to wait."
Colin frowned, "Time is something we cannot waste." Colin was always uncomfortable when his large size and strong muscles could not offer any help. He could not fight or bull his way through the snow, and waiting with nothing to do was putting him ill at ease.
"Until the snows melt, we have no other choice," Pallas pointed out the obvious.
Colin pushed himself up from the table. "Wait...!" he breathed half to himself. "I fear while we wait, the trap around us grows even tighter. We may just wait ourselves to death." The friends had little choice but to wait, and still, the winter dragged on.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Elwin stopped before a pair of steep stairs. They looked rickety and unsafe. He held up his lamp a little higher so that he could see the stairs better; then he cautiously began to climb. The stairs appeared weak and worn. However, they were sturdier than they looked.
It had been over a month now since Elwin had learned of his father's death and that his sister was missing. Now that he could think more clearly, he knew what he should do; find a way to Ceredigion and regain the throne. However, he knew he would not do that; at least not until he found his sister Leina. But where? In the white castle that he had dreamed about? Elwin had told no one of the dreams. Maybe that is all it was; a dream. Yet, Elwin no longer thought of dreams as just dreams. Twice in the last few weeks, Torcull had tried to enter his dreams, but Faynn was always there to chase him away. So maybe there is a white castle, and maybe Leina is there. But how can I find it if I can't get out of Reidh? To the south, north, and east, snow blocks the mountain passes, and the coast is now in the hands of Lord Stanford. Even if I find a way out, I still don't know where to begin looking for the white castle. It could be anywhere!
It was Faynn who had come up with a plan. Faynn said that he could discover where the missing princess was, but to do so, Elwin would have to trust him. At first, Elwin refused.
Faynn's plan called for magic. Elwin would have to allow Faynn to expose him to druid magic, which he called Earth Magic. Elwin had been raised, in the Trinity doctrine. The Trinity taught that all magic was evil and damaging to one's soul. After all, it was magic that had sent Kambrya into the dark ages, famines, and endless wars. The dark ages had torn apart the society, and the kingdoms were still trying to recover from those dark days. So for Elwin, the use of magic was an unpleasant thought at best. But as all other hope faded, he reluctantly gave in to Faynn. Trying not to think about what he was about to do, Elwin struggled forward. He did not find the narrow stairs especially difficult. The hard part would happen once he reached the top of the bell tower. Silhouetted before him were Aidan, Colin, and Faynn. Pallas would have been there too, but he had braved the storms and had returned to Port Murray to talk with his father. Maybe Count Dovan could find a way to get me out of the county. The stairs creaked under their weight. Faynn had decided that the bell tower would serve their needs best. At the top of the tower, there would be little chance of being discovered. At this late an hour, the tower would be deserted, and Faynn assured Elwin that they would be finished long before anyone knew they were missing. The good brothers of the monastery would never need to know of this night's activities. The monks had been very understanding with their guests, but they would never understand or accept what Faynn planned. Magic was a sacrilege; a forbidden art that had been outlawed for hundreds of years.
Leading the way up the stairs, Colin pushed open a trap door. Several bats took flight as
they were disturbed by Colin’s sudden and unexpected arrival.
Joining the others, Elwin was the last to climb out onto the tower's top. From the bell tower, he looked out over the dark, snow-covered valley. Below the tower, the monastery laid huddled in a blanket of darkness. Elwin hung his lamp on a rafter and pulled his cloak tightly about himself. The night was cold, and a stiff breeze whistled through the rafters above him. The brass bell, now green with age, swayed ever so slightly in the cold breeze. For the first time in weeks, it was not snowing and the night sky was clear. Stars stretched out above them.
Faynn did not waste any time. First, he carefully studied the stars above. After assuring himself that he was facing north, he pulled a green piece of chalk from his brown robe and lowered himself to his knees. He briefly spoke words of a strange language that he alone understood. The wind died, and a silence fell over the tower. Wide-eyed, Elwin, Aidan, and Colin watched while Faynn began to draw long straight lines upon the wooden planked floor. Creating a large octagon, the druid drew each line carefully. At each of the eight points of the octagon, he placed the signs of the compass: N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, and NW. With the green chalk, he drew four lines that connected each point of the compass to its opposite direction. The octagon now looked like a strange wheel with green spokes. Within the wheel, he wrote runes and other mysterious signs and symbols.
"What are you doing?" asked Colin. He sounded worried.
"There are four universal powers," Faynn replied as he continued to draw onto the wooden floor. Taking great care to make sure each point of the octagon was pointing in the right direction, he often stopped and stared at the stars above before continuing his work.
"The Four Powers, or what is called Earth Magic," he went on, "governs our world. Whether we recognize it or not, the Four Powers are constantly at work around us. Contrary to common beliefs, these powers are neither good nor evil, but can be used to serve both. It is through the Four Powers that all things are possible. Without Earth Magic, life on this world could not exist. As an E
lf, Aidan already knows this."
"What do you mean?" asked Elwin. "Why would Aidan already know?"
"The Elves call Earth Magic the Power of Life." Faynn raised a bushy eyebrow. "And they are creatures of magic. Did he not tell you?"
Colin's eyes grew narrow. "The Elves use magic!? I don't believe it! You're lying! Tell him, Aidan. Elves and magic are just stories.”
Aidan looked pale and did not answer.
Faynn shrugged nonchalantly as he revealed Aidan's darkest secret. "The Elves are a part of the Four Powers. Not only do they use magic, they are magic.”
Aidan? Magic?! Thought Elwin. It was hard to believe. Sure, they had all heard the stories of Elvin magic, and they certainly were a secretive people, but Elwin had dismissed them as just stories. He had grown-up with Aidan and had never seen any magic. Of course, the Elves would never admit it if they did use magic. The church hierarchy would never tolerate it. If the church authorities ever found any proof, they would call for a crusade against the Elves, and the kingdoms would support it. Magic users were to be persecuted and driven from the land. It was the law. The Druids lived on an archipelago far out in the Iar Sea, beyond the sight of land, in a place that was considered outside of Kambryan borders. They did so to avoid the laws that governed the kingdoms of Kambrya. Faynn was the only druid that Elwin had ever heard of visiting the mainland. Thinking of thousands of soldiers marching into the woods known as the Green: Aidan's home, Elwin shivered. Aidan too appeared sick, as if he too was having the same thought.
"Each element of the earth has its own properties and purpose." continued Faynn. "The Elves have a great and wondrous gift, which they call the Power of Life. They are able to balance each of the powers in harmony with the others. In that way, they can maintain their forest's wondrous health. The power of all earth's elements are capable of great and glorious things, yet they are also potentially dangerous. One must be patient and work with the powers and not try to force them to the users’ will." Aidan's face tightened. It was widely believed that the Elves used magic, but the Elves had always denied it. And Elwin's father, King Artair, accepted that the Elves did not possess magic. And though the Green was not a part of Ceredigion, it was within the kingdom's borders. The church was always petitioning Artair to allow an investigation into the supposed use of magic by the Elves. Yet without proof, the king refused to allow the inquisitional branch of the church anywhere near the Green, claiming it would be insulting to Elves. And the Elves did not welcome strangers into their forest.
"You have nothing to fear, Aidan," Faynn said, seeing the concerned look on Aidan's face. "No one here will turn your people in or judge them for using something they were born with. It is in your blood. I too am a user of magic and after tonight, we will all share in the same crime."
"Is this true?" Colin asked Aidan. "I have heard the talk, but I never believed it."
Aidan gave him a tight nod. "It's true." His voice shook. "That's why we don't let anyone into the Green. If anyone saw the inner woods, they would know. Our home is a magical place. We cannot help it." His eyes shifted, and he looked scared. "Our magic is different from Faynn's. It comes from within, and it is a part of being an Elf. We cannot stop being who we are."
Elwin gave Aidan a slight smile. "The Green is not part of Kambrya. The church has no authority over you." But Elwin could not help the cold chill that ran up his spine. Aidan uses magic! He knew deep down that Aidan was not evil, but the church doctrine had always thought that magic was the work of dark forces sent to destroy the world.
Aidan sighed. "What would it matter? If they could prove it, the church would not care, and Ceredigion would not be able to help us. Not even if they wanted to."
"So you really can use magic!?" asked Colin.
Again, Aidan nodded. "But we cannot do very much unless there are many of us together. That is why so few Elves leave the Green. Away from our home and people, we are cut off from most abilities of the Power of Life." He hesitated then said, "I would have told you sooner, but any Elf that wishes to leave the Green must swear to tell no one. I could not break my word to my people."
He is still Aidan, Elwin reminded himself, and my friend. Then he said out loud, "Don't worry, Aidan. We won't tell. Look what I am about to do." Magic?! What am I doing? What would my father think?
Faynn turned back to his work. "As I was saying, the Elves have learned to work with the powers, and not against them. If they tried to force the power to their will, disregarding the harmony of nature, their forest could be transformed into a wonderland of unbelievable beauty. However, it would not last. In only a short period of time, the Green would wither and die, or even worse."
Checking that his octagon had all the right alignments, Faynn gazed up at the sky once more. "The four sources of Earth Magic are water, earth, sky, and fire. Each of these four powers has immense and incomprehensible energy. The druids have dedicated their lives to understanding the nature of the Four Powers, and still, we are like children compared to the Ancient Ones."
"Ancient Ones?" asked Elwin, happy to turn the conversation away from Aidan.
"The Ancient Ones were once our teachers," Faynn explained. "They were an old and wise race of mortals. They were, in fact, the first humans to walk on this earth. They had lived in the times before the race of gods left this world. Or at least a race that called themselves gods. It was the so-called gods themselves who taught the Ancient Ones the ways of Earth Magic. As the centuries passed, the Ancient Ones grew old and their time on earth drew to an end. As it did for the gods, the world of the Ancient Ones came to an end as the world of men, Elves' and dwarves' time was just beginning. Seeing that soon they would have to leave this world to the new races, the Ancient Ones gathered together a few humans and began to teach them. The Ancient Ones taught these men their lore, history, and wisdom so that their world would not be totally lost. These men became the first druids."
"I have never heard any of this before," Colin said.
“The Church has banned the Druid’s history and their beliefs. And who is to say how much is factual and how much is myth.” Faynn stated, “The Druids keep it alive none the less, though not all believe it is true.”
Faynn then took a deep breath and went on with his story, "It was the Ancient Ones, with the help of the gods, who made your sword, Elwin. The Ancient Ones forged the blade with Earth Magic, and the gods bestowed it with their power." The Druid pointed to the sword that hung at Elwin's side. "They called the blade Saran na Grian, which in the old language means, The Sword of Light and Darkness."
Shocked, Elwin looked down at the sword as if he had just been stung by a wasp. First Aidan and now this! The Sword of Light and Darkness? Was it possible? He had heard of it before, but like most believe it was just a story. For Elwin, another myth had suddenly come to life. "Why did you not tell me this before!?"
Faynn shrugged. "At the time, it did not seem important."
"Not important?!" Elwin stared at the hilt of his father's sword as if he were seeing it for the first time. He had known it was old, but he had no idea how old. Saran na Grian!? It was almost too bizarre to believe, but something told him it was indeed true. Elwin shivered. If it was true, then it was worse than using magic. Elwin knew the legends of Saran na Grian, and he was aware that in the stories, Saran na Grian had another name as well. "It is also called the End Bringer."
Faynn frowned. "So, it has been called by men."
"And that is not important!?" asked Elwin angrily. "It is said that the End Bringer will bring death and destruction. If you are right, it is dangerous!”
"All things of beauty are dangerous, Elwin," Faynn calmly stated. "It is the nature of life."
Elwin shook his head. He looked up from the sword. "Did my father know?”
Again Faynn nodded, "All the kings of Ceredigion have known. Going back hundreds of years, the kings have guarded and protected the sword. If time had allowed, your father would have told you, but now that duty has
fallen to me. The Druids and your ancestors worked together to keep the ancient blade safe. We have kept the sword safe until the time it would be needed."
“You knew my father?”
"I called him my friend, Elwin. He was a good man. It was his hope to someday bring the order of Druid's home to Kambrya again. Elwin, your father, was a good man and this world is a much sadder place without him."
My father was a friend of Druids!! Elwin could not help but wonder what other secrets his father hid? And he knew he would need to learn those secrets if he was to stay alive. “You told me that the sword was a key of some type. A key to what?" Not important?! He silently wondered. This is madness!
"Saran na Grian was created to protect the harmony of the world against the dark desires of Beli."
"Beli, the god of night and darkness!?" Colin asked skeptically. "This is too much. The Sword of Light and Darkness, and now Beli! You cannot think we are going to believe all this."
Faynn shrugged, "Believe what you will, young Colin. But even you saw the Red Robe. An evil has been set free and if we do not stop it more will follow. It will not stop until it has consumed the world."
"I saw a monk in a robe, nothing more," stated Colin.
At the mention of the monk, Elwin pulled his cloak tighter. He had seen more than just a monk and was starting to believe in things; things that not long ago he would have called foolish. Things were different now, or maybe he was different. Elwin wished that he could still be like Colin, and be able to disbelieve, but the Nightling had robbed him of that ability.
"What do the gods have to do with the sword?"
With a look of astonishment, Colin exclaimed, "Elwin! You're not taking this seriously, are you?!"
Elwin glanced over at Colin, "Yes... I have to."
Faynn gave Elwin a nod of his head and a look that acknowledged that he and Elwin shared a common knowledge, and with it, a shared responsibility. "To answer your question, Elwin, Beli hates his twin brother, Tuatha, the God of Light. Long, long ago, before man walked upon this earth, the God of Night, somehow went mad. He desired that darkness rule the world. To accomplish this, he decided that Tuatha would have to be destroyed. Tuatha, known as the God of Light or Dawn saw that this was folly. Tuatha knew that if he or his brother were killed, the world would come to an end. Both darkness and light are needed to maintain the harmony of the world, but Beli did not seem to care. At first, Tuatha was able to stay away from his evil brother and avoided a conflict that could bring about the end of the world as we know it. But Beli grew in his power, and he was relentless in his quest to destroy Tuatha. Seeing that eventually Beli would catch him, Tuatha enlisted the help of the other gods. The gods asked the Ancient Ones to make a sword, forging it with Earth Magic. Then the gods took the sword and created Saran na Grian."
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