by Lawson, Alan
“I have waited a long time for this.”
Jason looked at the lady that stood in front of him, her face was pale and drawn, her eyes blackened, forcing an expression of agony and emptiness across her face, yet she still presented an attractive visage. Her jet black hair was almost hidden beneath her hood, but that which Jason could see was long and straight, a few strands lay against the side of her check. Her voice was cold, as if her soul had been drawn from her, yet somehow, Jason felt an unusual warmth and welcoming tone.
“Years have passed, and I have waited, waited for the coming of the chosen one. Who could have foreseen that the chosen one would be you? Not even the wisest of them all could have figured that one, but I knew. I knew it would be you, why else would I be here if you were not the chosen one.”
Jason tried to figure out what this mysterious lady was saying, riddles had never been a problem before with him, but never before had he been apart of the riddle itself.
“What are you trying to say?” Jason asked feeling more courage fill his body than he had ever experienced.
“Don’t you realise who I am Jason? Don’t you remember me?” The Dark lady pitched forward displaying a grin across her face mocking innocence.
“No!” shouted Jason “I don’t remember you, why should I? This is not my world!”
“No Jason it is not, and nor is it mine, thirteen years is a very long time my boy isn’t it?” again the Dark lady grinned as she moved ever closer to Jason. “I knew that you would follow me here in time and fulfil the prophecies, who else would be the great hero of the Elderine Order other than the son of the Dark Lady?”
“No it can’t be true!” Jason exclaimed in horror, “You can’t be!”
“And why not? Deep down you know it is true, you can feel the calling, you can feel the power of the Elderine Stone, you know we are of the same blood, Join me Jason, together we could free the Lord of Darkness and rule under his power”
There was a sudden cry from the back.
“You know that is not true! No one can ever rule with the evil one in power, he will destroy all! Don’t listen to her Jason!”
Emily, was standing at the end of the hall, the others were standing with her.
“Ah your friends Jason, I’m glad that you have made friends with the right families, all very powerful in their own rights, and of course Sherbit, I had to send him along to make sure you arrived here safely, he did a good job don’t you think?”
“What? Sherbit that can’t be, you didn’t trick us?” Jason cried out in horror
“Didn’t you recognise the tune he always hummed Jason? Didn’t it bring back the memories?” The Dark Lady smirked as she held her hand out to Sherbit.
“You are lying. You are just trying to trick me!”
“Oh, come on now, do you think I would be that low to do a thing such as that? Silly boy! Jason you have yet to learn so much. Sherbit here is merely possessed, of course he led you to me, and after all he could do nothing other than what I had commanded.”
“You evil, foul witch! You …”
Before Emily could finish, the Dark Lady had already started expressing distain towards her.
“Of course, young Emily, what a sharp tongue you have. I see you have learnt a lot from you grandfather, but haven’t we all?” The Dark Lady laughed.
“And what do you mean by that?” Emily demanded, her grandfather held a special place in her heart and she wouldn’t let anyone speak ill of him, especially this old crooked crone.
The Dark Lady chucked, she was clearly enjoying this, a group of young children who were certainly no match for herself, after all she a powerful witch, channelling the powers of evil. She could summon dark spirits with a single breath, standing opposite her stood a young apprentice mage, a prince and his protector and of course Jason, a boy from another world, the hero called forth to destroy the Lord of Darkness and his minions. How silly they are she thought.
The room grew still as the friends glanced around their surroundings. A battle was imminent, they all knew that. This talking had prolonged the inevitable. They all knew the Dark Lady had been clever using this time to unnerve them, to cause fear and confusion. On their journey they each had something to learn, Jason more than the others of course, but still each stood there for a reason. Devon who had been silent for the most part was slowly picking up his own courage. He had his name, his reputation and his family heritage to stand for. For years he believed much of what the New Order believed, that he would be the one to destroy the Dark Lady, but now that he stood here he understood that it was truly Jason’s destiny. Nonetheless, it was his destiny to make sure that Jason did not fail.
“How dare you speak ill of Master Talathin! He is a great man, I will have no one speak ill of the New Order or its members!”
“Oh the young prince speaks at last, you think with all that tutoring you receive in the palace walls that you would have more wits and intelligence at your disposal. Perhaps all that studying has made you lose your edge on reality! Master Talathin is not who he seems to be. Come on your highness don’t you see” The Dark Lady laughed again in mockery of the prince.
Tempers were rising, Devon could not stand these outrageous bursts against his family and their close friends, everyone was entitled to their own opinion in the kingdom but it was inappropriate to speak against the New Order.
“That is it I will not stand here whilst you speak ill of all that is good!”
“You think you are a match for me boy? How exactly do you think you will be able to defeat me, for that is what you plan is it not?”
“We are more of a match than what you think!” Emily screamed back, her emotions carried every word.
“Well then what are we waiting for? Clearly I can’t get the boy to join my side, even though it would be for his and your own best interest to be by the side that will prosper. But alas we will just have to say goodbye for good this time Jason.”
“Enough we have come to destroy you and we will not fail!” Jason screamed as he prepared himself for what was to come.
“As you wish.” The dark lady said with an evil chuckle, “Let it begin.”
Grimble moved forward, stretched his arms and shoulders, then he stopped. He stood for a few moments, enough time to gain everyone’s gaze. The room again grew quiet as all watched in suspense as Devon’s protector, edged forward, and then stopped again.
Looking down to the stone floor, Grimble stooped and seemed to pick up what looked like a small stone, he grasped at it then rose up again. With the stone firmly in his hand Grimble took another step forward, and once again stopped, his eyes fixed firmly on the Dark Lady, whose eyes were firmly fixed on him. Moving his arm back over his shoulder, Grimble aimed and flung the stone towards his target. Eyes followed the stone as it hurtled through the air towards the Dark Lady. With a thump the stone landed paces away from where the stones target stood. Everyone in the chamber stared at the stone, and then one by one, they lifted their gaze and directed it towards Grimble, who was still standing in his throwing position.
No one really knew what to say, Devon could feel the embarrassment flooding into his cheeks, as he felt the shame of having a royal bodyguard that had the perception of a blind bungus beetle.
The Dark Lady broke the silence with a soft chuckle “Really now, that was quite something! Perhaps I should change your protector into a body that more suits the size of his brain!” With a wave of her hands swirls of colourful magic shot across the room towards Grimble. Grimble’s body, bloated then contracted a few times until he finally shrunk in size and transformed into a mouse. The friends gasped in terror as Grimble the mouse scurried behind Devon for protection.
“What have you done?” Devon cried.
“Ha-Ha, that’s better. Your pet looks much better this way I think, young prince. Now shall we stop with the games and get this over with? As Sherbit is now on my side, although I have to say through no choice of his own, it looks like it will be two
against three, oh and the mouse, but after that excellent display of talent by the young Prince’s protector I think that the sides are quite even. Oh wait!” she chuckled again “sorry I forgot, why play fair when you can play to win?’ with a laugh the Dark Lady began to wave her arms around hypnotically in circles. Her body began to transfigure. She grew in height, her dark hair raced down her back, her skin began to change imitating an evil darkness, it was as if her body was transforming into a shadow, some form of beast known only within nightmares. Devon gulped as he realised what she was turning into. This beast before them was the same horror that had frightened him so many years ago in his fathers hunting lodge, and what had chased him in the woods earlier. She had been playing with him, directing him to find Emily and Jason.
The friends looked on in amazement. Even Sherbit who had been standing beside the Dark Lady was trembling. Emily was the first to make a move. She stepped forward and raised her staff.
“We have to fight her now, we will win! Jason we can help but you must find it in you. You must find the way to destroy her!”
Emily began to concentrate on a spell, holding her staff in front of her, she only closed her eyes for a brief second, but this was long enough for the Dark Lady to strike, with a swift move of her dark arms the Dark Lady threw Emily to the side crashing her against one of the stone walls.
“Emily!” Jason cried as he saw his friend lie against the wall with her staff lying against her, she didn’t move. He hoped that she was ok, but he could not run to her as the battle had started. He had to destroy the beast in front of him.
Devon stepped forward. He held a pendant in his hands, holding it out. He whispered something, summoning a white winter wolf of incredible size. Its claws tapped on the stone surface, ready to advance.
“Is this the best you can do, heir to the throne?” The malevolent apparition of the Dark Lady laughed, as she focused on the wolf unsummoning the creature. “You can’t expect to win with these children’s tricks!” She moved forward and began to wave her arms again, “My turn!” she exclaimed with an evil snigger.
Devon stood motionless with Grimble the mouse cowering behind. Their feet frozen to the ground. Straining until the blood rushed to their heads they tried to lift their feet. But it was useless it was if they had been turned to stone. They could only watch as the battle continued around them.
“She has cast a hold spell on us Jason, it is up to you. You must destroy her!” Devon cried.
The dark figure stopped and began to transfigure back into her human form. When the transfiguration was complete, she smiled at Jason.
“Oh Jason, you know you are my son. Come join me, together we could rule this kingdom. Look you have seen the powers that I control. You too have these great abilities Jason, look within. Together we would be unstoppable”
“I’d never join sides with you!” Jason cried “I would never betray my friends! And you are right, I do have the power within, and I will use it to destroy you!”
“Fool! You are like your father. You never see the benefits of anything! If that is your choice you leave me no option but to destroy you and your meaningless little friends too!” The Dark Lady once again began to spin her arms in front of her invoking a spell to destroy the group of friends.
Without thinking Jason grabbed his pendant and held it out just as the Dark Lady had finished casting. A sharp bolt of light emerged from the Dark Lady’s hands directed right towards Jason, but before it could even reach him, a flash of light burst out of Jason’s pendant. The flash was magnificent filling the room with an ultimate white light. Jason shielded his eyes with one hand fearing the worst. A sharp scream filled the room, and then there was silence.
Opening his eyes Jason could see dark purple smoke in front of him. He watched in angst, waiting to see what had happened. The smoke slowly dissipated clearing the chamber. The Dark Lady began to reappear from within the clearing smoke. However something was different, Jason felt a strange feeling, the Dark Lady no longer seemed so dark, what lay in front of him seemed to be a weak middle aged woman lying on the floor. She was breathing heavily as if she was struggling for her last breaths of air. Without a thought of concern Jason moved towards the huddled woman, his fear now lifted. He knelt down beside her, and moved to place his hand upon her shoulder, as his hand lowered, the Dark Lady turned over to face him. Jason was suddenly struck with an emotional force so strong, tears began to well in his eyes, for the first time in his life, as he looked down at this defeated sorceress, he recognised someone who loved him. The power of Jason’s pendant had not only defeated the Dark Lady, but also freed his mother from her cruel entrapment of evil. Although she would soon succumb to this world, she had been freed. A tear fled from Jason’s eye down his cheek and fell to the stone floor below. His mother smiled and with great effort raised her hand to his cheek to wipe away the trail of the tear.
“I love you Jason.” She smiled. Her eyelids flickered as she exhaustedly drew in her last breath.
Devon and Grimble stood watching filled with their own share of the emotion. The hold spell had now worn off, leaving them free to move, but the emotions they shared with Jason, held them still. Grimble was still in the form of a mouse and had not transformed back. They felt powerless to do so as they watched Jason hold onto his mother’s hand.
Sensing that he had to change the mood of their victory Devon forced himself to move. “Jason you did it! You destroyed the dark power of the Dark Lady!” Devon said as he began to walk over to him.
“Maybe, but I also feel I have killed a great and loving person, who had been corrupted by this world.” Jason said holding back another tear.
“You freed her Jason. You destroyed the evil that was eating away at your mother. She will have thanked you for that.”
“I know.” Jason said, lifting himself up off the ground letting go of his mothers hand and resting it on the ground beside her. “Where is Emily?” Jason looked over at the wall to see Emily still lying against it with her staff lying beside her. He ran over to her.
“Emily, please be okay. She is gone, we destroyed the Dark Lady. Wake up Emily.” Jason lifted Emily’s head hoping that she was ok. He had come so far, and he had learnt so much about himself, but it was only with her help and support that he was able to do what he had done. Memories flashed through his mind of when he had first met her, back in the Elderine Forest. She too had grown so much. “She can’t be gone now” Jason said softly to himself. Tears began to run down Jason’s cheek, as he held Emily in his arms, he couldn’t bear the thought of losing Emily now too.
As Jason held onto Emily, his pendant began to glow unnoticed by anyone in the room, it pulsated for a few seconds then dimmed. Slowly Emily began to come around, her head was spinning. “Well that thump against the wall had really knocked me out cold.” Emily said as she blinked a few times readjusting to the light of the room. Finally when she regained full control of her senses and sight, she looked up to seen Jason holding her.
“Jason, are you ok?” She asked.
“You’re… you’re ok!” Jason cried with elation “We did it Emily! We destroyed the Dark Lady! We can go home now.”
“Home.” Emily said, realising that Jason had learnt a great deal about himself and his future in that short time that he was alone against the Dark Lady. “Yes, let’s go home.”
“There is just one thing I want to do before we leave.” Jason said.
“Yes sure, anything” Emily replied wondering what Jason wished to do in this place.
Jason stood and walked towards Devon, saying something to him that Emily couldn’t make out. Either she was still feeling a little dazzled or Jason was speaking quietly as to not be heard. Devon nodded and they both walked towards the body of the Dark Lady. They lifted her and began to carry her out of the chamber. Pulling herself up, Emily followed them out of the temple.
The two boys carried the body over to a clear area outside the temple and lay it to rest on some soft grou
nd. Jason then began to look around, noticing some stones he went to collect one then proceeded to place them around his mother. He was burying her.
Emily looked on as she watched her new close friend, bury a woman that he had been told he must hate and destroy yet know that she was his mother. She walked over to them to give them some help. She felt strange too. She was now helping to bury someone she had feared and hated. She understood why Jason wanted to do this so she helped. She had already decided she would follow in his path no matter what choices or decisions he made.
When they had completed the mound, they huddled together as they looked around. This once beautiful city, had been haunted by demons and evil, yet now it seemed like there was a new sense of freedom granted upon the land. The spirits that plagued the lost city would remain until The Lord of Darkness was destroyed, but now there was no one controlling any evil operations in the North.
“I’ve freed her.” Jason said as he stood between his friends “I’m ready for whatever challenges are directed towards me.”
Emily hugged him tight. She had watched a boy grow into a hero.
They had one last look around the place where they had fought a very important battle. Breathing in the air of victory they felt the reassurance that they had saved the day. Sherbit was no where to be seen.
Chapter Fifteen: The Return Home
The journey home, as Jason now called it, was much more serene than their journey to the dark temple. This time Jason really had the opportunity to gaze out onto the far stretching plains of Hasparia. He could observe the new and mysterious creatures that inhabited the plains and the Elderine Forest. Most importantly Jason could stroll in these new lands, breathing in all that was fresh without having to worry about what he must do next. He had defeated the evil in the Dark Lady and freed his mother at the same time. He had grown stronger in such a short time. Jason was now truly feeling that he could command his own life no matter what was thrown at him.