The Guardian Chronicles: Book 03 - The Dark Tide

by Steven R. Burke

  “I knew that you would come early…you always like to scope out the area where you will be meeting with someone well before it begins. Look, the others seem to know your habits as well” Khalida said pointing to two giant commanders, their general, and King Angus. They approached slowly as though they were waiting for the signal to join the unlikely pair. The guardian motioned for them to take the seats that had magically appeared in a circle. It was rather unusual to have massive arm chairs appear out of nowhere and it was even more unusual to have them appear in the middle of a clearing.

  “I like this approach to an intervention…the chairs in a circle makes it seem like we are simply meeting together to discuss matters of war” the Nairian general said slyly. He smiled at the looks on the giants’ faces. Khalida did not seem taken aback by his foreknowledge. Everyone took a seat and looked at the elder guardian. This has to be one of the oddest things I have ever been a part of. There was that one time….

  “Well…that saved us some time” began the beautiful elemental smoothly. “Yukio, we are concerned that your blood thirsty tactics and reckless self-regard is causing your soldiers and some of the giants to act rashly. No one has died as a result of mimicking your antics, but they will if you keep this up.” There was a stunned silence as the leaders sat there looking at General Yukio…they were waiting for tirade or some kind of explosive magic.

  “I understand your concerns…I have been careless and unpredictable. I will be a better example and channel my frustration and rage in a more productive manner from here on out” replied the red headed general. His hair had turned a flaming red color over the past week…most likely a result of his extensive use of magic. It was as though his hair changed colors along with his mood.

  “Very good…is there something more you would like to share with us” asked Khalida knowingly. She gave the general a sideways glance as she said this. He arched an eyebrow and gave a slight grin as she waited for Yukio to share who he really was.

  “I think it is time to tell you all who I really am. It is apparent that mistress Khalida already knows my secret or has guessed what it is. As you all know, the druid council of Tuwa has been missing its seventh member of their high council. After the loss of their castle, one of them went into hiding. He decided to hide in plain sight. I am the seventh druid” explained Yukio with a tone in his voice that made it clear that this was very significant. Silence met this unexpected declaration. If they only knew that this secret is nothing too shocking. If they only knew my real secret…then again, that kind of knowledge would cause them undue stress and we all have plenty to deal with right now.

  “Really…” began King Angus. His face masked any feelings or thoughts he was thinking. He did not say anything else as everyone waited politely for the general to finish what he was saying. I wonder if the druids could help our home land.

  “Do the others know of your secret?” asked General Lang. He was referencing the other druids, who he did not care for all that much. They are just as meddlesome as the guardians. At least Yukio is different than the rest of them…he will help a great deal more than those mystical philosophers.

  “No…they do not know yet. I appreciate your sentiments General Lang…I will most certainly use my considerable talents and abilities to help us win this war.” He smiled grimly at the giant general and briefly winked to indicate his sincerity.

  “Yukio, I must report this information to the guardian council and to the druid council” replied Khalida simply. She did not really look like she cared if Yukio replied. She was going regardless of what he says. I hope he really does intend to use his considerable talents for good.

  “You must do as you see fit…tell the druids that I will help them bring back Sali Castle when they are ready. For now…I must return to my duties in the north.” It was clear that he did not want to dwell overly long on the topic.

  “I will pass along your message. I will leave you now so that you all can discuss tactics and other battle plans.” Khalida disappeared with a loud pop and left the giants sitting there with the newly revealed seventh druid. The blue mist seemed to linger a while longer this time and then vanished just as completely the elder guardian.

  “Well, that explains a great deal…I bet you Lord Marcello guessed your secret too. He always said to not judge you too harshly and that you were vital to our success. I guess he was right” General Lang said definitively. He liked it when things made sense and could be easily categorized. For him, everything seemed to fall neatly into place now.

  “Yukio…you and General Lang will need to keep the level of intensity high as General Tomo and his orcs join Kishi’s high elves” said the king distractedly. His focus was clearly still elsewhere and everyone there sensed it.

  “Do not worry…I have some ideas that will make life difficult for the orcs trek to Mount Lamont” Yukio said with a devilish grin. His eyes seemed to dance a little as though there was a flame in them. I wonder if those brutes are dim enough to travel close to the eaves of western Renshaw.

  “Generals…you have matters to attend to…off with the both of you. I will explain to Gerodi what we need him and Boaz to do. Good luck” said King Angus with more sincerity and interest than he had displayed thus far.

  “Luck has nothing to do with it…”replied Yukio with a wide grin. It will be the orcs who need luck!

  The Quest

  Khalida arrived at Zëgé Castle shortly after her meeting with Yukio and the giants. One of the main features of this castle was the incredibly tall central tower. The harried guardian felt that it was important to recall the rest of guardians from the war effort long enough to discuss what had taken place thus far and to reveal the secret she had just learned. I wonder if my master will come to this meeting. He has been gone for an awfully long time now. I fear that he may know things that will make this situation even more complex. As if in response to her thoughts, the guardian himself entered the meeting hall. The room had ivy growing every which direction as it climbed toward the glass dome. There were all sorts of fine craftsmanship, jewels, gems, silver, and gold found in the vast room. As he approached the center of the room, a table with seven chairs appeared out of thin air.

  “Welcome back Khalida” her master said in his deep, rough voice. He smiled slightly at her, but it was clear that he had many troubling thoughts that held his focus elsewhere. He shimmered slightly as though he was not completely physically present.

  “It is good to be back…I hope that you approve of me calling this meeting” replied Khalida to her clearly troubled master. She craned her neck to try and catch his eye. She wished she could give him a reassuring hug or at least a smile of encouragement.

  “I was going to call the council together myself, but it appears that I am not the only one with new information. Ah and here are the others.” His tone was light and welcoming which did not match the troubled look he had the first moment she saw him.

  Lords Neb and Keb appeared with simultaneous pops. Ladies Hilzarie and Necia also appeared out of thin air within moments of one another. There were joyous exchanges as they all welcomed Keb back. He had somehow escaped from the clutches of the dark lord…they pressed him for details, but he said that they would have to wait. He indicated that it would be brought up in the meeting. Lord Adair cleared his throat to get their attention. Silence fell and the guardians took their seats around the ornate table. The feeling in the air was hopeful with Keb amongst them once more.

  “I welcome you all to this council…it has been far too long” began the eldest guardian. “We have much to discuss and there are reports to be given. However, I would like to give an account of what I have been up to…that is if no one objects.” Silence met this statement as they all looked at him intently. They clearly wanted to hear what he had to say. Lord Keb bowed his head slightly and would not meet his master’s eye.

  “I was able to find out several things in my travels…the most important of which was Kana’s plans” he said w
ith a small gesture to the empty seat. “She has discovered one of my secrets with the aid of the dark lord Drogan.” As one they all looked at the empty chair with disgust. Even though many months had passed since Kana’s betrayal, some of the guardians still struggled to fully accept her treachery.

  “Drogan…has he escaped?” asked Lady Necia questioningly. She did not like the sound of that…it should not be possible. She had the most difficulty coming to terms with Kana’s breaking from the council.

  “No…he was released. All of his minions were set free as well. Kana’s doing.” The guardian gave a small shrug as he said this. His delivery was simple, yet the gravity of what he had shared bore down on each guardian. This defied what they knew to be possible. No one guardian should have been able to free even just one of the minions from the fortress. It had required the entire council to lock away the dark lord and his followers.

  “What? I thought it would take all seven of us to release them? The magic barrier we created required all of us to construct it” Lady Hilzarie said with a worried look on her face. She clearly understood the significance of this turn of events. She clutched reflexively at her robes.

  “I am glad that you appreciate the magnitude of this development. Somehow your fallen sister has acquired powers that have made her as strong as this council. I have been unable to determine how this was accomplished, but at this point that no longer matters. The secret she has uncovered is of the greatest concern from here on out.” The redirect from the troubling notion of Kana’s ill-gotten power had an ominous feel that was clearly troubling the guardian though he had successfully distracted the others with the hint at even more dire news.

  “What is this secret master?” asked Lord Neb softly. He could tell that the guardian was trying to redirect them away from Kana’s new found power which was beyond troubling. He suspected that she may have made a deal with the keeper of the underworld. Still, his master was right to move on as there were obviously even more pressing issues that needed attention.

  “This world was created by an orb that contained all of the elements needed to create life. The almighty Kedem created me from this powerful sphere and then gave it to me to create all of you. He created this world and its inhabitants with my assistance. We were ordained to be stewards over the elements that sprang from this source of life. I was told to share the knowledge with Khalida and one other. The other I chose to share this information with was Lord Keb. The reason these two were selected was because they both have stewardship over the earth.” Momentary silence followed this bit of information. Information about the event called foundation was limited and carefully guarded. That the guardian shared some of this information freely was significant.

  “Why is that of any significance?” asked Lady Necia politely. She folded her hands neatly in front of her on the council table.

  “That particular element was chosen to protect the orb from detection. I felt it necessary to make Khalida and Keb aware of its existence. They would be able to detect its presence and I felt that they should know what it was that they were protecting. However, they never knew what it was for and even what powers it has. That knowledge lies with me and with the powerful master Mahdi.” Tension crept into the hall at the mention of the mystical being. That particular person was never discussed just like the foundation event.

  “Can he be trusted with such crucial knowledge? Shouldn’t this council be responsible for guarding such powerful information?” asked Lady Hilzarie with a harsh tone. She did not trust him or his mysterious race. She had great difficulty these days trusting anyone after Kana’s fall from grace. She was also felt that Mahdi was not all that intelligent. He never spoke out loud which was always a sign of dimwittedness in her opinion.

  “I trust master Mahdi completely…he and his kind will be the ones to end this war. They will come when they are needed and not before.” He gave Necia a stern look as he said this. He clearly heard her inner thoughts and did not care for what he heard. His icy glare seemed to last forever to the fire elemental.

  “I am confused…what exactly does this magical object do?” asked Lord Keb quietly. He did not seem to be himself anymore. He looked frazzled from whatever he had suffered while he was away. He struggled to maintain his human form as he sat there next to Neb. He almost had the look of being frayed at the edges. His brown cloak had more of a dull gray hue to it. He face looked emaciated and gray.

  “That secret cannot be divulged to anyone in this council…Kana’s ability to extract information has proven too formidable. She does not remember our ancient friend and his kind…we can take advantage of this oversight. I have relocated the orb, but Kana has already discovered the region in which it lies. She has dispatched a small expedition to retrieve this powerful object with Rolon in the lead.” He had a steely gleam in his eye as he looked around the table.

  “Where exactly is it located?” asked Lord Neb smoothly. While he was confident as ever in his master, it was his friend Keb he was concerned with. He knew that some of what Adair had mentioned had a great deal to do with his friend. He was not really focused on what his master was talking about.

  “It is in the Vida Cavern under the Mia Koda Mountains. I believe that Rolon and his party are planning to take the forbidden path. They will learn that Keala does not go all the way to the hiding place. This poor choice should delay them significantly. Sooner or later we may need to move the Orb of Nitesh once again. That is if Kana’s fiends prove more intelligent than I give them credit for.” Darkness crossed his face as he said this…as brief as it was, Khalida took notice. He knew that he was a little careless in sharing the vicinity of the orb with his council; however, it was high time that he trusted someone again. It is when you do not trust others that mistakes get made. They could not afford that right now.

  “I really hate to persist in asking, but what power does the orb possess? We do not need to know the secret, but I think we need to know what it can do. Are we in any danger from it?” asked Lord Keb evenly. He had a dark look as he stared at nothing in particular. He appeared to be almost translucent as his focus continued to shift and his essence swirled. His focus was unshakeable as he looked at Lord Adair.

  “You have every right to keep asking…you have suffered greatly while trying to protect the secret of its existence. We all need to be on our guard. If Kana gains possession of the orb, she will be able to destroy anyone or anything in her path. The Orb of Nitesh does have the power to inflict significant harm on any of us. However, she would never be able to discover the hidden capabilities that would threaten our existence. Even without the power to destroy us, we will be hard pressed to stop her if she gains possession of this powerful object.” His features darkened slightly as he spoke. It was clear that in Kana’s hands that this weapon would wreak havoc.

  “Is our top priority keeping the orb hidden or with the war that rages on?” asked Lady Necia softly. She was clearly having a serious internal struggle that no one else seemed to notice. She felt that Kana had turned against the council and not her as an individual. She too had had issues with the council from time to time, so it seemed reasonable that the fallen guardian was somewhat justified in her actions.

  “I will deal with ensuring the orb remains hidden. No one outside this council is to know about the existence of it. Also, no one is to mention master Mahdi and his kind. These secrets must be kept at all costs. Khalida will continue to lead the war effort while I deal with several pressing matters. Before I take leave of you, I would like to tell you about my encounter with the dark lord.” He looked at Lord Keb as he said this. A look of pity crept across his face while he looked at his friend who looked to be holding the weight of all of Tuwa on his shoulders. Adair seemed to rush through this until he looked at Keb. He knew that this matter required a delicate approach…something that he had always struggled with.

  “Please continue” said Khalida smoothly. She was always able to sense his unease and knew that there were severa
l things plaguing her master. This was going to be difficult no matter how gentle the guardian tried to be.

  “Once I learned of Lord Keb’s disappearance, I knew that I had to find out what was going on in the north. I immediately knew that he was being held captive in that dark mountain which is the source of all evil in the world of the living. I determined that I would need to figure out who was in that accursed place before I simply walked in to retrieve Keb. It became clear that Kana had released Drogan and his followers from their icy prison. She had them watching over Keb in Mount Mephistopheles.” A chill filled the air at this revelation. The mountain was said to be one of the few places where the world of the keeper and the living met. Entering that place meant risking an encounter with the underworld.

  “Kana released those foul creatures from the prison we placed them in?” asked Necia quickly. She was still struggling with her former master’s betrayal and could not bring herself to fully face reality quite yet. She cast a furtive look at Keb and then looked back at the guardian. She was seriously conflicted with everything that she was learning. The truth was not as clear to her as it was to the others. It is hard after serving with someone for millennia to change your opinion of them. The evidence was just not enough for her.

  “Yes, and you had best accept the fact that Kana has not betrayed only you! She has sold us all out for her own selfish desires!” blasted Lord Keb darkly. He had little patience for Necia and her misplaced sympathies. The atmosphere around them darkened noticeably as he looked her in the eye. His focus was sharp now and he was able to maintain his human form. His eyes turned dark brown as he glared at her. There was real hatred in the look her gave the fire guardian.

  “Keb makes a good point…albeit a little too harshly. Kana has left us and is intent on ridding the world of this council and those who we support. It is best if we all come to terms with that.” Adair looked around at each of his guardians to make sure that they each understood. His gaze rested on Necia a little longer to make sure she understood fully. His eyes narrowed menacingly for a moment and then he looked away. I may have to deal with her soon. I will not let another council member leave!