Everything seemed to happen at once. The two remaining guards launched themselves at the big guard, as Raff got the rope off his hands, and helped Leah and Belle to do the same. They watched in horror as the big guard took on the other two.
The big guard yelled as his massive fist connected with the jaw of one of the guards. “You kids get out of here… NOW!” The guard he’d punched staggered backwards and Raff leapt onto his back, trying to wrestle him to the ground.
“Nah… you look like you could do with some help!” Raff yelled, as the guard beneath him reached back, trying to pull him off. He heard a crack, as something connected with the back of the guard’s knees, and the man went down in a screaming heap. Leah dropped the box she’d obviously used on the guard’s knees, and all three of them jumped on the guard’s back as soon as he was down. Between them they managed to hold him down, determined to give the big guard time to deal with the remaining guard.
Once the big guard realised he only had one guard to deal with, he made short work of the guy. Leaving his opponent unconscious on the floor, he picked up the black box, and brought it down on the head of the remaining guard. It was all over!
“Is everyone okay?” the house-sized guard asked the kids, as he helped them to their feet.
Raff looked at him in awe. “Wow! You were awesome. But I’m confused. Weren’t you supposed to be on their side?”
The big guard chuckled, wiping away the blood trickling from his nose and mouth with the back of his hand. “Yeah, I guess they thought that too. Let’s just say things aren’t always the way they seem. Now, how about we tie these guys up and get out of here? Before someone notices they’re missing. I’m assuming you kids have somewhere to go?”
Raff looked at Leah and Belle, and they nodded. “Yep, we have friends waiting outside the barracks.”
After tying up the unconscious guards, Raff grabbed the black box, and they stepped back through the portal. He breathed a huge sigh of relief at being back on the other side. Not having the use of his Gift had made him feel helpless. If this was what the device could do, they needed to get the box open and destroy its contents as soon as possible.
Chapter Twenty-Five
-Wort’s Songs-
Belle started to run the minute she saw Lyricus pop through the shield. She literally threw herself into his arms, laughing as he stumbled backwards from the impact.
“That’s it!” Lyricus said into her ear. “There’s no way you’re ever doing something like that again without me. This has been the worst, and longest, day of my life!”
Belle looked up into his eyes and smiled. “You won’t get an argument outta me. I totally agree!” And then he kissed her. In front of everyone! All the horrors of the day receded, as she floated on a river of contentment. This was what life was all about. These precious moments, where she felt loved and treasured.
“Ahem, I hate to interrupt the happy reunion, but we need to get inside the shield… like NOW!” Leah burst out laughing as she walked into the shield arm in arm with Raff, followed by the big guard.
Lyricus lifted his head, his eyes boring into hers. “They’re right you know. Doing this inside the shield would be a much better idea!” Belle giggled, as he picked her up and carried her into the safety of the shield.
* * *
Belle breathed a sigh of relief when everyone agreed they should wait until the morning to discuss the details of what had happened inside the barracks. The big guard had introduced himself as Hareth, and everyone thanked him for helping Raff, Leah and Belle to escape. Belle offered to heal his wounds while he explained who he was, and why he’d been pretending to work for Serbus.
“Up until six months ago, I was happily married, and living a good life in Utopia, the capital of Valleron. My wife, Gemma, worked in the palace as an advisor to Serbus, and I forged weapons for the Valleron army. One day Gemma came home from the palace worried about a conversation she’d overheard between Serbus and one of his other advisors. They’d been discussing the details of a book that contained a prophecy about a device, the Orb of Truth, which could enable their enemies to reunite the three worlds. They’d been arguing about the importance of locating the device to prevent this from happening.”
“Then she heard Serbus give the order to hunt down the three children and kill them. We’d always suspected Serbus was cruel, but hunting down and killing children was unbelievable. I begged Gemma to leave her job, said we’d move to the country, but she wanted to learn more about these children Serbus wanted dead first. The next morning Gemma left for work, and that was the last time I ever saw her. I knew Serbus had to be behind it, but how could I prove it?”
Hareth’s eyes were filled with pain. “I spent the next three months trying to find her, but she’d vanished without a trace. The other staff at the palace said she’d left at the usual time and headed home. So either they’d all been told to lie, or something had happened on the way home. Then I heard that Serbus was looking for mages to join his army and I volunteered, hoping to get close enough to learn something… anything… to prove he’d arranged her disappearance!”
“Unfortunately, I hadn’t been at the palace for long when I was sent to the army barracks as a guard.” The pain in his eyes lessened a little, as he looked at Belle, Leah and Raff. “And tonight, I realised why I needed to be right where I was at that precise moment in time! I knew the minute Raff tried to use his Gift, that you had to be the three children Serbus wanted dead. And I knew that Gemma would want me to save you.” He smiled and shrugged. “The rest you already know.”
Belle rubbed the big man’s arm, tears in her eyes. “Thank you, to both you and Gemma. We’d have been dead without your help.”
Raff scratched his head, a frown on his face. “Hareth, one thing I’m confused about. We’ve seen the book, and read the prophecy. But it doesn’t say anything about an Orb of Truth. It’s about an ancient amulet that had to be restored.”
Hareth shook his head. “No, that can’t be right. Gemma said they had the book, and they talked about an Orb, not an amulet. Are you sure there wasn’t a second prophecy?”
Belle felt the blood drain from her face. “We never looked! The Oracle had the section containing the prophecy translated years ago. No one had ever mentioned a second prophecy, so we assumed there was only one. And the book is back in the Forever Forest, which is a very long way from here.”
Hareth looked at the black box sitting beside Raff. “Well, rumour has it that Serbus has a device that negates magic. And he obviously went to a lot of trouble to protect whatever is in that black box. Maybe we won’t need to read the book.”
Raff picked up the box and frowned. “So how do we get it open? There aren’t even any seams. I’ve pushed and tapped every square inch of the stupid thing, and nothing’s worked.”
Raff jumped as Dewar appeared beside him. “Might I be havin’ a look at th’ box, lad? Somethin’ about it be stirrin’ a memory in me tired ol’ brain.”
Raff handed him the box and watched Dewar inspect it, running his rough old hands over the smooth seamless edges. “Aaahh, ‘tis as I thought. The box be made o’ Dwarven materials. I’ve not seen the likes o’ this since I was a wee lad. Now, let’s see if I be rememberin’ correctly.”
Dewar turned the box in a series of different directions, rubbing and tapping his hands on the various surfaces and sides in various combinations. A distinct clicking sound emanated from the box, and the top surface liquefied and melted away.
Dewar chuckled softly, as he handed the box back to a stunned Raff. “Ey lad, I be thinkin’ everyone here’d be wantin’ t’ know what be in th’ box?”
Raff looked down into the open box, and disappointment flooded through him. He reached in and lifted out a large book, identical to the one the Oracle had shown them in the Forever Forest.
Belle, Leah and Raff looked at each other in devastation. They’d gone through all that for a book no one could read! Even if there was a second prophe
cy in the book, they didn’t have anyone with them who could translate it!
* * *
Belle had tossed and turned for hours, unable to sleep. Disheartened by the contents of the black box, they had all agreed it was time to get some sleep. But Belle’s brain refused to acknowledge her exhaustion. Finally, as dawn was breaking, she’d given up. Picking up the book containing the prophecy, she’d found a spot to sit with Wort, thinking maybe some of the drawings in the book may give them a clue about what to do next.
Wort sat on her shoulder, humming to himself as she turned the pages. She was looking at the page with the picture of the amulet when Wort clapped his hands in excitement.
Ooh, ooh, this one of Wort’s favourites, he said, and began to sing:
What is now apart
Will again be whole
When the children come
With the blood of old.
The tide will turn
When three become one
What was once will be again
And what is now will be done.
Belle sat in stunned silence as Wort sang the words of the prophecy.
Wort, how do you know that song?
Wort learned that song many, many years ago. Had forgotten it until I saw the words on the page of the book.
Excitement raced through her as she lifted Wort off her shoulder and placed him on the book in her lap. You can read this book?
Of course, the book is written in Wort’s language. Maybe Wort’s ancestors even helped write the book. It holds many secrets, and is why no one can hear us speak. Except you of course. Wort is happy he can tell his friend the book’s secrets.
Belle’s hands were shaking as she turned the page. She asked Wort if there was another song on this page he could sing to her. Wort clapped his hands again, dancing on the book as he sang:
In a land without magic
Where all children grow
The Orb of Truth
Is hidden below
The three must return
With the three that’s now one
One seeks the other
To right what’s been done.
Belle picked Wort up and kissed the top of his bulbous little head.
Thank you Wort! You are the best!
Wort turned a deeper shade of green, which Belle guessed was his way of blushing. His gentle little brown eyes filled with tears.
Nawww. Wort happy to help Belle. Belle is the most beautiful and kind friend Wort has ever had.
Wort, I need you to teach me the songs, so I can sing them for my friends? Can you do that for me?
Of course, Wort do anything to make Belle smile like that!
Chapter Twenty-Six
-The Second Prophecy-
Leah smiled as she watched Raff rushing around to wake the others. Belle had woken them, babbling on about Wort being able to read the book, and telling them they needed to come now! She’d refused to tell them any more until the group who were gathered the previous night were all assembled.
Raff looked ready to burst by the time everyone was back sitting in the circle and Belle opened the book. She lifted Wort onto her shoulder, turned a few pages, and looked up with a huge grin on her face. “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I got up at dawn and thought I’d see if maybe the drawings in the book could help us. When I got to the page with the drawing of the amulet, Wort started to sing, and I recognised the words of the song. He taught them to me, so I could sing them for you. Okay, here goes.”
Belle sang the words of the familiar prophecy, smiling at the stunned looks on the faces around her. When she’d finished, Wort jumped down onto the book, clapping his hands and chortling.
“So I gather you all recognised the words of the prophecy, if not the tune? Well, it gets better! After he sang that song for me, I turned the page and asked him if there were any other songs on this page. And he taught me this one.”
In a land without magic
Where children must grow
The Orb of Truth
Will be hidden below
The three must return
With the three that’s now one
One seeks the other
To right what’s been done.
A stunned silence followed the end of the song. Belle laughed. “Hey, I know I’m not the best singer in the world, but I’d appreciate some kind of response!”
And then everyone was talking at once. Leah stood up and walked over to where Wort was still dancing on top of the book. She bent down and smiled at the little creature.
“Thank you so much Wort. We are very lucky to have you for a friend.” Wort instantly turned a darker shade of green, as he had when Belle kissed him, his little face beaming with happiness.
Belle lifted him up and placed him back on her shoulder. “Wort says you’re very welcome, and he’s glad he could help.” Wort nodded his head, grinning from ear to ear. Belle sighed and looked around at her friends. “So, what do you think? Seems to me it might be time for yet another change of plans.”
* * *
Once the initial excitement had passed, the group settled down to discuss what they should do next.
Raff scratched his head, a frown on his face. “You know, I’ve been thinking. At first, I thought this Orb of Truth mentioned in the prophecy must be the device that negates magic. The one Serbus has been telling people he’s found. But now, I’m not so sure. If this Orb can somehow help reunite the worlds, the kitsunes would be determined it remain hidden. It would expose them for who and what they are. That’s why the book was hidden and protected.”
“When we went into the room to get the black box, we had to pass through a portal… and it bound our Gifts. Belle worked out a while ago that the kitsunes controlled the portals, and could construct them whenever and wherever they wanted. I think the portals are the device Serbus plans to use, and the Orb might be the only way to stop them!”
Aracus slapped his forehead. “Of course! We’ve had it all the wrong way around. We need to find the Orb before we try to bring Serbus down. Revealing him for what he really is will discredit him with his followers, and make them realise he’s been lying to them all along. Plus, we now know to avoid stepping through any portals.”
Leah and Belle had been quietly going over the words of the prophecy. Belle had gone a little pale when they’d realised what the prophecy meant they had to do.
Leah looked at Lyricus and Raff sadly. “Ummm, sorry to interrupt, but I think I know where the Orb is hidden. The only place where there is no magic is Naissance, which is also the place where children must grow. We need to return to Naissance with the three that’s now one… the amulet. Hopefully, one seeks the other means the amulet will be drawn to the Orb, the way the pieces of the amulet were drawn to each other when they were separated. It has to be in one of the three villages where we grew up, because it says we must return. I’m so sorry, Belle.”
Belle’s eyes had hardened as Leah spoke. “You don’t need to be sorry… I’m fine. I’m a totally different person to the girl who grew up in Naissance. I’m actually looking forward to it, in a twisted kinda way.”
Raff cleared his throat. “Okay, so we need to get back to Florisia and find a way into Naissance. Dewar, can you spread the word we’ll be heading back to the veil within the hour?”
Dewar was about to leave the group, when Belle jumped to her feet. “Hang on Dewar; I think we’re forgetting something. There’s no way I’m leaving those children from Valleron College here, while we go off on a treasure hunt. We don’t know how long it’ll take to find the Orb, and every day they have to spend here is a nightmare for those kids. Some of them may not even survive much longer!”
Leah thought about the state of some of those kids, and the horror of the day they’d spent working at the barracks. “Belle’s right, we have to take them back with us… today! The carts will be arriving here at the barracks for the start of their work day soon, and we need to be ready when they get back to the college
to get them out of here.”
Hareth cleared his throat, his eyes watery. “You’re going to rescue the kids from the college? That is amazing! Now I know Gemma would have been proud of what I did. Thank you…”
Raff smiled at the big man who’d saved their lives. “No, thank you Hareth. When this is all over, we’ll help you find out what happened to Gemma.” Raff looked at his grandfather. “Recent events have taught me that you should never give up hope.”
The sound of horses coming up the road rendered everyone silent. The group of friends watched, from inside the safety of their shield, as the children poured out of the carts and shuffled mindlessly into the reception area of the barracks.
Leah felt the tears welling up in her eyes. “I promise this is the last time you’ll ever have to do this!” she said softly through gritted teeth.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
-The Children of Valleron-
Eager to get on with their mission of saving the children, the group from Florisia had packed up and moved off within the hour. Raff chuckled to himself as they rode back to the college under a protective shield. Who’d have thought he’d ever be excited about the prospect of going back to Naissance?
He was itching to get started on the search for the Orb, but he agreed they needed to get the children of Valleron away from here first. Now that he knew first-hand how bad their lives were, the thought of leaving them behind was not even worth contemplating.
Leah nudged his knee as she moved Solange closer to Rogue. “What are you chuckling to yourself about? Picturing the look on Jonah’s face when he sees us again?”
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