by I. B. George
He’d even learned to shoot an arrow from a galloping horse into moving targets. He wasn’t an accomplished archer, but he did manage to hit his target almost every time.
On the other hand, his fire handling technique was faultless. Master Azar admitted on countless occasions that he had an innate talent, a sign of his lineage.
One day, Master Azar tried to ignite his Inner Fire, but the result made Robert doubt his abilities.
Azar had explained that he must focus on his inner energies, gathering them together to one point, after which he needed to guide them towards his palms. The flames should appear almost instantly in the cup of his hand.
Robert did exactly as his master had instructed. He concentrated on finding his inner energy and when feeling a pleasant warmth spreading through his body, he concentrated that energy towards his palms. Robert put his hands together, ready to shape the flame that was about to light up.
The end result though made Master Azar burst out laughing. On the surface of his palms there crackled only a few sparks which stung Robert, making him scream with pain. He rubbed his reddened palms against the back of his trousers and looked angrily at Azar who turned instantly serious again.
“Forgive me, prince, I promise it won’t happen again. I think that’s enough for today, we will give it another try tomorrow. You’re free to go”.
Robert was upset as he headed towards his room. He wasn’t angry at Azar, but at himself. It was obvious that because of the easily gained successes of his training so far, he wasn’t focused enough.
Once in his room, he washed his hand and face and then tried again. He did everything calmly, patiently, but the outcome was the same: lots of sparkles that pinched his skin, making him feel the pain of thousands of needles pricking his palms.
What was he doing wrong? He knew he could feel his inner energy which came through that warmth that ran through his body. Therefore, he must be going wrong when he gathered that energy or when he tried to focus it to the extremities of his arms.
He was determined to spend that night trying to get it right. He couldn’t give up now when they were about to go on their journey!
In addition, the honour of the Eremon House was at stake. He was their only descendant and the only hope for the thousands of people from the Kingdom of Fire who had survived the war and exile, waiting for him as for their saviour.
If he could manage to demonstrate that he could use the Inner Fire, all those who were against King Tyreas’s reign would follow him to the end. It would be the best proof that he was an Eremon and it would provide the most suitable encouragement to those who had lost almost all hope.
He had to do it. He tried again to release his inner energy. He felt the warmth he was familiar with by now flowing thorough his body. He then gathered this energy into the middle of his chest, concentrating on doing everything calmly. I must, he said to himself determinedly.
He could feel the warmth passing through his arms, giving him a pleasant shiver. He didn’t release the energy when it got to his hands but waited patiently until he had focused all of it into one place.
Suddenly, two flames lit up in his palms. He opened his eyes and got scared when he saw them, although it was what he was hoping for.
“Aaaaaa”, he cried and threw the flame between his palms towards a corner of the room.
The flame crashed heavily against a vase of flowers which fell on the floor, breaking with a deafening noise, then continued its path, setting fire to one of the curtains.
Robert grabbed the washbowl which he had used earlier, threw the water at the blazing curtain and then poured the remaining water from the jug. The fire went out with a hiss, leaving behind a smell of smoke.
“Your Highness, are you alright?” called the guards who were on duty outside his chamber.
“I’m alright!” called our Robert then fell to the floor and started chuckling.
He had made it and that filled him with indescribable joy. He was happy and proud at the same time at how he had managed to focus his inner energy successfully, releasing the Inner Fire.
For the next few hours he attempted the same thing several times over and succeeded each time. He was no longer frightened at the sight of flames in his hand and was able to control them as he pleased.
Finally, he laid down exhausted and fully clothed on his bed. He slept until dawn, curled up on the white sheets. He dreamt he was in his mother’s arms and she was proud of him for being able to tame the Inner Fire, the Eremons’ legacy.
***
For the next two days, Azar finalised his training. He was absolutely astounded when Robert showed him the Inner Fire. He had only once before seen this power of the Eremons’ and he was thrilled with the progress Robert has made on his own.
He invited Rolan to one of the training days to teach Robert how to avoid the traps of the Water Chosen.
Rolan had greater warfare experience and he managed to counteract the flames Robert was throwing at him. He showed him what he was doing wrong, telling him to be more level headed and sly. He could have trapped Robert at any point within a spiralling torrent of water and drowned him.
The next day, Robert attacked with determination, pushing Rolan with the help of his flames into one of the halls of the castle.
“Prince”, called out Rolan, “that was a bit better, but not quite! I told you to be cannier if you want to take me by surprise. Only that way will you win”.
“Turn around”, said Robert laughing.
Rolan turned and saw with amazement a big ball of fire controlled by Robert floating behind him.
Hmm, this little scatter brain tricked me, he thought to himself crossly, not wanting to appear defeated.
“I knew what you were planning to do, prince”, he lied, straight-faced. “That’s why I was just about to jump sideways, to avoid Your Highness’s fire ball”.
“I don’t think that would have been a good idea, Rolan”, answered Robert. “In fact, I suggest you stay put”, he continued while on each side of Rolan two big chandeliers crashed from the ceiling to the floor.
Rolan froze, frightened by the noise of the chandeliers when they smashed the marble floor.
“You see”, said Robert cheerfully, “I tried to be sly, like you told me. You didn’t pay attention for just one moment and I set fire to the ropes that held the chandeliers. As you can see, I don’t think you could have escaped, Rolan, my friend, no matter which way you would have jumped”.
After that moment of panic, Rolan was caught in a fit of laughter.
“Your Highness, you’re as sly as a fox and as quick as a serpent”, he complimented. “I think your training has come to an end and we are ready to depart”.
***
Azar informed the Professor that Robert’s training had come to an end and they could set off on their planned journey. On the established day, everybody gathered in the front courtyard of Arvinard Castle.
There followed an unspeakable commotion, with servants running all over the place to complete the Professor’s final instructions.
Some were collecting and arranging the supplies for the road, whereas others were getting the horses ready, checking the saddles and harnesses.
One could tell that everyone knew what they were supposed to do and that everything was prepared and checked efficiently. Even the sword, the bows and arrows and crossbows had been polished, oiled and hung by the saddle pommels[15].
When Radius came down to the courtyard, everything was in good order and ready for the journey. The Professor had a last check to see if anything was missing and then nodded approvingly, thanking his servants.
The next to come down were Rolan, Azar and Voras, followed shortly by Akura and Robert, accompanied by Vidar, the Guards’ Captain, an accomplished warrior.
They mounted their horses and said their good byes, while the sentries rushed to open the castle gates.
“Let’s go!” called out Radius, starting off at a gallop.
&nbs
p; The rest followed closely, raising the dust along the road that led to the Kingdom of Night, without looking back at those who wished them to triumph.
The sentries followed them with their eyes until they reached the horizon, lifting the dust off the path on their way. Behind, they left a ray of hope that was beginning to shine inside the souls of those who were left at home.
Chapter 4
Cover Your Ears!
They travelled the whole day without stopping. They had agreed that their first break should be just before sundown, after entering the territory of the Night Kingdom.
They chose the less used paths in order to avoid running into King Tyreas’s troops or other travellers who might inform on their little assembly.
Vidar, well versed in recognising tracks, was always on the lookout for other travellers they might potentially come across on the same road. When he happened to discover any tracks from other carts or horses he would let the Professor know who would then choose another route.
They had been galloping for many hours and the horses were beginning to tire. The sun was gliding over to the West, bringing with it the evening’s silence. They had been in the Night Kingdom for some time now and Radius decided it was time they looked for a place to set camp. They would have to be even more careful from now on as they were on enemy territory.
At last they chose a little grove hidden within the brow of a hill. They didn’t want anyone passing by to notice the light from the fire they were about to light, be they friend or foe.
They dismounted, allowing the horses to graze freely by the entrance to the cave.
Azar gathered some twigs and tried to light a fire with the help of a stick and a handful of dried grass. Robert watched him with amusement for a while then he focused a small flame in the palm of his hand. He threw it at Azar’s little heap, setting the dried grass alight. Azar turned around.
“I had forgotten”, said he with a tired smile.
Everybody sat around the fire. It had got dark and cold. They put together a meal using the food in the bags that hung on the horses’ saddles.
They ate in silence, exhausted by the day’s marching. As they finished, each set about looking for a place to rest, but not before deciding who would take turns to keep watch for any soldiers coming upon them.
It would have been a real shame for their adventure to end before it had even started. If they hadn’t believed, even for a moment, in the prophecy of the Oracle of Konaar or in little Robert, neither of them would have taken on the hardships of such a perilous trip.
Captain Vidar offered to be the first on watch duty. He was going to wake the Professor at midnight, to release him. Akura went to sleep outside, next to Vidar. His fine sense of smell and hearing increased the group’s security.
The night went by uneventfully, without any incidents troubling the seven travellers’ sleep. As the sun was beginning to show its first glimpses of light on the horizon and the forest was starting to rustle itself to life, the birds were welcoming the new day with their loud chirrups.
Robert was the first to open his eyes, stretching his numb limbs. He had slept like a log, resting fully after the long journey on the previous day. He headed towards the entrance of the little grotto and saw Rolan who was scrutinizing the horizon from a tree stump.
“Ah, good morning, Your Highness!” said Rolan cheerfully. “It’s getting lighter, looks like we should be on our way soon. We must go a bit further into the Night Kingdom today. Around noon we will be nearing inhabited areas and we shall look then for a place to set up camp and wait for sundown. As the Professor was saying, we will travel by night from now on”.
“Good morning!” the Professor’s voice rang out from somewhere behind them. “Ready to set off?”
Robert turned around and faced the cave. He saw his other travelling companions waking up and gathering their stuff. They scattered the ashes from the fire so as to destroy any traces left of their small camp.
They ate frugally from a few pieces of smoked meat and quenched their thirst with water from the flasks they carried. The water was nearly finished, so Radius spread out the map to look for any sources along the way. The nearest spring where they could replenish their stock was a few hours away.
They set off at a trot, putting their trust in their lucky star. So far they hadn’t come across any obstacles on their way. There was still plenty to do and time seemed to slip quickly by as the second phase of the moon was starting tonight.
***
King Tyreas woke up in a bad mood in his chamber on the west wing of Heldor Castle. He shouted at his servants who bustled around bringing his clothes and his breakfast.
He forced himself to chew his food but found it lacked any taste. He had had a restless sleep, filled with nightmares that woke him several times during the night. As the moon was getting closer to its fourth phase, he was becoming increasingly worried that the prophecy might come true.
He dreamt about Robert Eremon, the enemy he had never seen but feared so much. It seemed inconceivable that he, the great King Tyreas should be afraid of a child, even if this child should be the last of the Eremon offspring.
A long time ago he had taken courage in thinking that the prophecy was just nonsense. As years went by his self-belief had increased, convinced that fate had reserved for him such greatness that had never been encountered before. During that time he hadn’t heard anything about this heir of the Eremons’ and that had made him more convinced than ever that the Oracle of Konaar was wrong to predict his end.
And now, when the time of the prophecy was nearing, this little irritation appeared from nowhere and started messing about with his plans. He couldn’t forgive himself for not crushing that ungrateful Professor, whom he had showered with gold over the years. Now, Radius had turned against him by helping his enemy.
This state of insecurity was giving him heartburn and he told himself that this uncertainty had to come to an end. He was going to take action against Robert Eremon and his friends.
With this in mind, he decided to leave his chamber and go the castle vaults. Everywhere on his way his guards greeted him fearfully, frightened by his brooding look. He grabbed a torch from its stand on the wall and, using it to light his way, he climbed down the spiral staircase leading to the vaults of the castle.
Arriving at last, he started along one of the many corridors that branched out before him. He walked for a good while with the certainty of someone who had been down that way many times before. As a child, he used to come here to hide from his father’s wrath when he had done something wrong. He had learned off by heart this entire web of all manners of corridors and he had even discovered some rooms built here by his ancestors. Once he even came across a secret passage, which led outside the palace right to the bottom of the hill on which Heldor Castle soared majestically.
He stopped in front of a massive door made of ebony and reinforced with iron bars nailed in by thick metal studs. Opening the door he stepped in. The room was richly illuminated by the glitter of flames which danced playfully in the torches around the walls.
Everywhere you looked you could see shelves covered in all sorts of flasks and other vessels, filled with various powders, mixtures and animal parts. In a big cauldron which stood over a fire something was boiling with a soft bubble. Spiders made themselves at home here, weaving their tight webs all around the corners in the room and around the upper shelves where there seemed to be the things that weren’t needed very often.
Tyreas couldn’t imagine living here, hidden away from the outside world. The mystery surrounding these places had fascinated him as a child. Now, however, all he felt was nausea as he breathed in the damp air and the stuffy odour around him.
He saw Elian who was bending over a table and hadn’t moved as he came into the room, which could only mean that he was buried deep in thought.
“Take a seat, Your Greatness”, said Elian, surprising him.
“I didn’t think you heard me
coming in”, replied Tyreas.
“I didn’t hear you… I felt your presence… ever since you set foot into the vaults”.
Tyreas gulped. He didn’t like things he couldn’t explain as much as he didn’t like Elian’s influence on him. The thought that the sorcerer’s powers made him feel inferior scared him. He recalled how many times after conquering the kingdoms of Elementis was he tempted to shorten his life. He still needed him though, especially now that the prophecy was coming to an end.
“You seem troubled”, said Elian. “Could that be because of Prince Eremon?”
Damn you, sorcerer! screamed Tyreas inside, maddened by Elian’s gift at reading deep into people’s souls.
“Precisely”, he said in a flat voice, masking his feelings. “Many nights have passed since I last heard anything of him. My spies have been unable to tell me of his whereabouts… so useless… I pay them for nothing”.
“You should have their heads cut off”, answered Elian in a glacial tone.
Tyreas gave him a startled look, shuddering at the sorcerer’s lack of feelings and his inability to place any worth on people’s lives.
“I was thinking maybe we could have a look in that mirror of yours”.
“The World’s Mirror?!” asked Elian, even though he knew exactly what the king meant.
“Yes… the World’s Mirror”, agreed Tyreas quickly.
“I hope that you are aware that as long as he is inside Arvinard Castle, I cannot see anything. The Mirror can only help if the boy is on the move somewhere. I don’t think he’ll be waiting for the fourth phase of the moon hidden in that castle though. There must be some sort of plan to fulfil the prophecy of the Oracle”.
Elian went over to a small table covered with a black cloth. He pulled it firmly, allowing a glimpse of what was underneath.
Tyreas saw a large, round mirror with a surface as black as tar which didn’t reflect anything around it. He bent over it and felt himself shivering as if he was bending over the edge of a bottomless pit.