Earth Magic

by Kenneth Price

  Tearing his eyes away from the throne, Elwin turned his back on the great chair. There is no time for this. He sat down on a cold marble step. I have to find a way out of here. But how do I find the Hall of Fire? What if it doesn't exist and this all there is? I will die here! Elwin placed his sword across his knees. Think. There must be a way. Perhaps there is a secret door, but where?

  Standing, he began searching the walls for anything that might trigger a hidden door. He moved torches and pressed against the cold walls, but he found nothing. Working his way around the room Elwin at last found himself back at the throne. He searched behind the throne, and then started to explore the pillars, yet they, too, were of no help. He was just about to give up when he found himself staring up at the throne once more. Near the top of the steps, something shimmered. Reflecting in the torch light were several golden letters.

  Climbing the steps, he knelt before the chair. Brushing away age old dust he read the old language his father had made him learn.

  "When the Dark One stirs once more, the Defender of the Light must rise again. With hand on heart, the way will open for the one of the true blood. The heart will know the sign. Beyond the wall of water lies the Hall of Fire and the crystal stone."

  Elwin scratched his head. It made no sense. What wall of water? And what was the crystal stone? I thought the crown was supposed to be in the Hall of Fire, and not a stone. Slowly he retraced his steps to the mosaic. He re-read the inscription by the blue sun.

  "I, King Coinneach, High King of Kambrya, leave this world with my hand upon a heavy heart. I give my life. For I am too weak to do what is needed. In the Hall of Fire, he will come. From my blood, he will be again. The Chosen One must find the Hall of Fire. In the Hall of Fire, it will start. May the Chosen One have the courage I lacked."

  Elwin dropped to the floor. Could it be? Both, the inscription on the throne and the one the floor mentioned a heart and a hand. He pushed away more of the dust. “'With hand on heart the way will open'. That's what the inscription said.”

  Placing his hand over the heart shaped tile, he pushed but nothing happened.

  Sitting on the floor, he tried again using his left hand and then his right with no better results. Elwin even attempted to pry at it with the dagger from his boot, but still nothing moved. Elwin absentmindedly tapped a finger against the bare blade of his sword. This has to be it. "Of course!" he exclaimed to himself looking at his sword. "It has to be the sword." He jumped to his feet. It worked once. Why not again? Holding his sword, he placed the tip of the blade onto the heart shaped tile, and pushed downwards. Nothing.

  "Blast it!” There has to be a way. Think. King Coinneach must have set this up so that someday someone could get past to the crown. Elwin frowned to himself as he tried to puzzle out the answer. No, not just someone, an Ap Gruffydd. He corrected himself. Only an Ap Gruffydd could enter the Hall of Fire. All the legends and histories are consistent on that. Even the Guardians believe it. Only an ancestor of the Great king can enter the Hall of fire. Standing up, he started to pace. That always seemed to help him think. So, I must prove that I am of his blood.

  But how would Coinneach be able to keep anyone who was not an Ap Gruffydd from finding the way? And not even any Ap Gruffydd at that, but it must be the heir to the throne. How can anyone prove that they are of the blood of King Coinneach, and the rightful king? Think. What makes me so different? Nothing in my blood. All humans are pretty much the same. So, what is it that could prove that I am the right person? What do I have that would prove that I am an Ap Gruffydd? The inscription said the 'Heart will know the sign'. This must be the heart. He stopped pacing and looked back down at the red tile. "But what could be the sign?"

  "My ring!?" In excitement, Elwin pulled the Ring of Arros from his finger, the signet ring of Ceredigion. There is only one like it in the world, and only the king or prince would have it. Did father know? Is that why he insisted I take it? He shrugged, knowing such a question could not be answered. Dropping back down onto the floor. "It is worth a try." Elwin placed the ring on the heart. It seemed to fit into the small depression in the tile. He pushed. The heart shaped tile hesitated then dropped an inch into the floor. Elwin smiled. "I always wondered why I had to wear this thing." Father had said never to take it off, keep it close at all times. Maybe he did know. It seemed comforting that in some way his father was still looking after him. In some way, it was as if his father was guiding him, walking at his side. He saw to it that I would have what I needed; the sword, the ring, and the knowledge. Father knew that I might have to come here and translate the old language, but how did he know about the ring. Maybe his father had told him the same thing he had told me. He just guessed it would be needed, that it was the key to reaching the Hall of Fire. Father did not know the old language himself, Elwin sudden realized. That is why he could go no further, and why he made me learn the dead language. Without that knowledge, I would never have been able to read the ancient text. A sad smile came to his face. Leina could never have passed this hall. She cannot read the ancient writings and would not have had the ring. I locked myself in here for no reason. Have I thrown my life away for nothing? Pushing the sad awareness aside, he twisted the ring. The heart tile moved. Excited, he turned harder. The heart turned completely around then snapped back up.

  Hearing a soft groan, Elwin looked over his shoulder. The Dais of the Sun was slowly sliding off to one side. In the floor beneath the throne was a dark hole just large enough for a man to fit through.

  Pushing his ring back onto his finger, he climbed to his feet. He laid his torch down as he gathered a few torches from the wall. He put out their flames to save them for later. Returning to the hole in the floor, he retrieved his lit torch. Then against his better judgment, he thrust his head through the opening, and of course, beneath the floor was yet another cave. A cold stale breeze brushed up against his face. He could hear a far off sound, like that of running horses.

  Trusting that the cave would take him where he needed to go, Elwin dropped his spare torches down through the hole and then lowered himself down. It was a short drop. Looking up, he decided he could get back up if he needed to.

  With the flickering torch in one hand and the sword in the other, he hurried forward. The sound of running horses echoing through the otherwise silent world grew steadily louder. Once more the cave descended, leading Elwin gradually deeper into the earth. All sense of time was lost. Deeper and deeper the caves took Elwin towards the sound below.

  After what must have been hours. Elwin was drawing closer to the sound. A dim light appeared. Almost running, he rushed forward. Then the cave suddenly opened up into a large cavern. Elwin stopped and stared. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, and tall stalagmites protruded upwards from the floor. In the middle of the sprawling cavern was a small underground lake, glowing with some type of phosphorescent material, the lake illuminated the cavern in an eerie green-white light. On the far side of the lake was a waterfall. The sound of the falling water echoed through the cavern. "The wall of water," murmured Elwin. "Behind the wall of water is the Hall of Fire."

  The lake was no more than knee deep and Elwin had no problem wading across. The water, which had never been touched by the warmth of the sun, was icy cold. He found it was not difficult to walk across the rocky bottom of the strange lake, however it did make him a bit apprehensive, walking among the strangely glowing water that swirled around his leg like some living thing. Elwin felt something swim past his leg. He nearly jumped out of the lake trying to get away from whatever it was. When no slimy creature wrapped around him pulling him downwards, he calmed his pounding heart. Holding his torch close to the surface, Elwin tried to see what kind of creature could live here, but he could see nothing below the glowing surface. He could not even see the bottom of the lake through the murky glowing water.

  Nothing, he thought. After a moment of contemplating retreating out of the lake, Elwin went forward. There is nothing to go back to, he reminded hims
elf. If I don’t find another way out I will die down here. So cautiously feeling his way across, he moved further into the cold waters of the lake.

  At last he came to the waterfall. The underground river plummeted from a gouge in the wall about thirty feet above Elwin’s head. He reached out his hand touching the bone-chilling water, reaching further, he stretched out his arm as far as it would go, and still he could not feel the far wall. Pulling his arm out, he studied the room one last time. Then with a shrug of his shoulders and the knowledge that there was no choice he held his breath, and plunged into the waterfall. As the icy waters cascaded over him, the torch went out. Gasping for breath, he emerged on the far side. Dimly lit by the lake, he found himself in another man-made passageway. His torch, of course, had gone out. As he had stepped through the cascading water, his sole light source had been extinguished by the waterfall, and with no flint, he had no way to relight it. Now what? Wet, cold, and with no light, Elwin felt himself starting to panic. His only light was now the glowing lake and he could hardly take that with him. Yet he knew his only hope was to go forward and into the dark. Staring into the darkness he slowly started advancing down the passageway. At first the lake did dimly light the corridor, but the farther he went the darker it got. Soon he could see nothing at all. Proceeding even slower, he forced himself to swallow his fears and to go on. Feeling his way, Elwin discovered that the passageway divided into side corridors. He tried always to go straight, but he realized the place was a maze and that he was hopelessly lost. Too exhausted to go on, he curled up on the floor and drifted off to sleep. When he woke, he was still in the dark, chilly underworld. Gathering his strength, he went on. At times, he found puddles of water, where he stopped to drink all that he could. The maze seemed to go on forever, and at last he had to sleep again.

  How many days have I been down here? Elwin could not remember. Maybe I have always been here. In the underworld, night and day had no meaning and Elwin found it harder to remember what it was like to see. Maybe the light was only a dream. Nearing the end of his strength, Elwin's growing hunger turned into a constant pain. His feet hurt, and his legs felt as heavy as a bag filled with stones, and it was getting colder. Shivering, he leaned up against the wall. Slowly, he slid down to the floor, and there he sat, too tired, cold, and hungry. He could not go on. His muscles ached, his stomach hurt, and his head throbbed. Days had slipped by and still Elwin had not found the Hall of Fire or been tested. Depression was setting in. I must be going in circles. I am going to die down here, lost, scared, and a complete failure. I did not have to do this, I did not have to seal the door to save Leina. She could not have read the old language. She did not have the ring. I have trapped myself here for no reason, dying for no reason. I cannot even find the hall. Lost within this dark world, Elwin was scared. Scared of failing, scared of dying here alone. He was even scared of the dark that wrapped around him like a cold wet blanket. Elwin then reached for the only thing he had left, he reached for his atman, the center of his being. He reached out for the Earth Song. Too weary, hungry, and scared to care anymore or even think what he was doing, Elwin reached out for Earth Magic. In desperation Elwin searched for the power, but the magic would not come. Now that he wanted it, the song of power refused him and his atman fluttered away.

  "Faynn where are you?" he whispered tearfully, his head cradled in his hands. "I cannot do this alone."

  "Don't panic!" he whispered back to himself. "You can't fail now. If you do... “ his words trailed off as Elwin realized that he could not remember what it was he was trying to do. "Okay, Elwin. Get back on your feet." Why am I here? Painfully, he climbed up off the floor. Almost thankful, his toes and fingers were starting to turn numb and he was losing the feeling in them.

  With outstretched hands, Elwin lumbered forward. He took two steps, stumbled and fell. "I can't go on!" he cried out to the darkness. No one answered. He curled into a ball. It never changes. It is always the same, more halls, more passageways, more darkness. I want it to end. I want to die! Lying on the floor, he had given up. At last, his eyes closed and he once more slept. In his dreams, he could see again. His dreams always started out in a world of light and warmth, but always the darkness came in the end.

  When Elwin finally awoke, it was with a start. His heart skipped a beat. Did I hear something? A light flickered, or Elwin thought he saw a light. He wiped the sleep from his eyes. "Was that a dream?" He struggled to his feet. Numb from the cold, he no longer felt the pain of his throbbing feet. Deep in his mind, he knew if he fell again he would not be able to get back up. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to focus. Then he saw it again. "There. It is not a dream." Something was ahead of him, there was a light, a blue glowing light. Not caring who or what could have caused the light, Elwin stumbled foreword. His numb feet would not work, and he pitched forward, crashing to the floor.

  "No!" He struggled back onto his knees, but the light was gone. "Oh! Please no!" Then he saw a distant flash. Unable to stand or walk, he crawled forward, yet he could not get any closer to the light. The faster he crawled the faster the light seemed to be moving away from him. At last, he could go no further. "Help!" he tried to shout, but it came out as hoarse whisper. Again, the light disappeared into the darkness. Elwin let his head drop against the cold floor. The light was gone and so were his hopes. He laid on the floor, knowing he had tried, but this was the end.

  Weakly, he looked up one last time. Deep within the darkness, a blue light flashed, however, this time, Elwin was to weak to chase after it. He waited, expecting the illusive light to fade away once more, and yet the light did not vanish. Instead, the light started growing brighter. It was coming towards him. I am saved! Finding the strength, he crawled back to his knees. Hope filled his beating heart. He opened his mouth to cry out, but the words froze as his cry of joy caught in Elwin's throat then turned into a cry of horror. The light that glowed with a bluish color was a ghostly figure in a flowing tattered robe. Its face was hidden within the shadows of a hood. Shimmering, the ghost with the silence of a tomb moved or floated towards him. Elwin tried to get back on his feet, but his body refused to move.

  The ghost came closer and closer, never touching the floor. It filled the passageway with the strange blue glow. The ghost floated ever nearer to the fearful boy. Now the prince could see beneath the hood of the phantom, and he could see a full face helmet that hid the phantom’s face and eyes. Beneath the phantom, where legs should have been, only a ragged robe flowed in an unfelt breeze. Other than its strangely glowing armor and robe, the ghost seemed to have no physical form.

  In a hopeless attempt to fend off the specter, Elwin raised his sword. His trembling hands tried not to drop the blade as his heart raced. Coming still closer, the ghostly knight, at last, came to a stop, hovering just above Elwin, it slowly swayed from side to side as if it was waiting for something to happen. "Go away!" pleaded Elwin.

  The ghost swayed but did not leave. Silently, hidden beneath a hood and helmet, it stared down at the kneeling prince and waited. "What do you want?" Elwin whispered.

  Silently the ghost swayed, ever staring, ever glowing, ever waiting.

  "Oh, please leave."

  Time seemed to stop as the ghost slowly began raising it arms towards Elwin.

  "No," Elwin whimpered.

  The knight reached out ever closer towards Elwin who helpless kneeled before the hunted knight.

  "No!" Elwin cried louder. Thrusting his sword forward, he tried to pierce the glowing ghost, however the ghost was faster; surprisingly faster. Clamping its pale hands down upon the sword’s steel blade, the ghost easily stopped Elwin's thrust. Its two armored hands appeared to be formed out of the same glowing mist that the created the phantom, yet they also seemed to have a solid nature about them. Right through the ghost's hands, Elwin could see the silvery blade of his sword, yet despite the lack of apparent substance, the ghost's hands held firmly to the blade. Desperately, Elwin tried to pull the blade free, however the wraith would not yie
ld. Elwin felt the rush of power surging up all around him. It sang the song of Earth Magic, but there was something more as well, something he had never felt before. He tried to reach out to the power but he could not touch it. It was like a wall had been put up between himself and the song of Earth Magic. Somehow, the dead thing before him was keeping Elwin from the power.

  Holding the sword blade, the hands of the wrath began to glow brighter. Slowly, the light grew in intensity. Brighter and brighter it glowed until at last it became a fiery ball of blue fire. So intensely bright was the light that it pained Elwin to look at it, and yet he could not look away. Horrified, Elwin watched as the light merged with the sword. Slowly, the intensely bright light began to spread down the blade, transforming the silver blade into a glowing flame of blue fire. Panicking and terrified, Elwin helplessly watched the light creeping down towards his hands. He tried desperately to release the sword, but his hands refused to open. The light coming from the sword was like a fiery torch of searing blue fire. As the burning light reached the sword hilt, Elwin tried to pull free and still he could not. It was as if the sword was a part of him, he could not let go anymore than he could let go of his arm. He screamed. His terrified voice echoed down the hall. The blue fire touched the flesh of his hands. He screamed again. Pain raced up his arms and surged through his body. Paralyzed, Elwin knelt with his eyes clamped closed. His head began to swim. Every muscle screamed out as power suddenly flowed through his veins like blood. Reaching every part of his body, the power of Earth Magic pulsed through him. He could hear the power, feel it, he could even taste it, but still he could not use or control the power, not even to save himself. With a final scream, everything went black.

  "Lord Champion," a female voice called out from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Elwin sat up with a start, bathed in a soft white light, he blinked. Unlike like the light before, this light was soft and gentle. Feeling as if he were floating up upon a cloud, Elwin felt strangely safe. He was floating within the gentle light.