Ancient Prophecy

by Richard S. Tuttle

  “Oh,” Egam queried, “then I am wasting my time searching for the demon, Alutar? I see the destruction of his presence everywhere.”

  “Only one magician has sought the demon,” came the diminutive response, “and he is evil. Are you one of his magicians?”

  Egam realized that the fairy was speaking of Sarac and knew that Sarac had already made his bargain with Alutar. So the prophecy had begun, for sure. “No, friend,” he called. “I am the Mage and I have come to imprison Alutar so that his destruction goes no further.”

  “You cannot be the Mage,” offered the little fairy. “The Mage has been dead for a thousand years.”

  “No,” corrected Egam, “I have been away, but clearly I am not dead. A thousand years ago I imprisoned Alutar yet you have seen him lately. Did you not believe that the demon was dead, as well?”

  “Well, yes,” faltered the fairy, “but I have seen the demon and know he is not dead.”

  “So you have,” laughed Egam. “You are also looking at the Mage, but do not realize that I am not dead. What will convince you?”

  The tiny voice was silent for a long time and finally said, “The Mage can make things well again. Restore this orchard and I will believe you.”

  “Very well,” obliged Egam, “but do not be frightened away.”

  Egam rose and brushed off his clothes. What he was about to do would alert Alutar if he was near, but he thought that the fairy would be more nervous if the demon was anywhere in the vicinity. Raising his arm skyward, Egam cast a spell and the orchard burst into a brilliant sunlight. The light was contained within the orchard, but it could be seen for miles around.

  Next Egam knelt next to the largest apple tree and placed his hands on the charred trunk. The fairy could hear Egam muttering and moved closer to hear the words.

  By the Light

  Like Sun and Moon

  Relieve this Tree

  Of Dark and Gloom.

  Within moments the tree shuddered and the charred bark began to fall from the tree and pile up around its base. Dead branches cracked and dropped to the ground. A thin layer of wrinkled bark formed on the remaining branches and seemed to flow along the branches and down the trunk.

  Egam smiled as the tree branches sprouted green leaves that started to sing in the light breeze of the evening.

  “Wonderful!” sighed the voice of the fairy.

  Egam laid his palm on the large, rejuvenated apple tree and a small blossoming branch fell to the ground.

  “Oh,” cried the fairy, “it’s dying again.”

  Egam bent and picked up the sprig and gently held it in his cupped hands. “No, it is not dying again. The father tree has offered his small limb for you. Come, take this twig and present it to the other trees in the orchard. I have done my part, but you shall restore the rest of the orchard.”

  The fairy flew down and hovered just out of Egam’s reach, obviously hesitant to approach the Mage.

  “You must make a decision,” instructed the Mage. “Believe in me and restore the orchard or let your fear keep you imprisoned in a black, charred wasteland.”

  The frightened fairy flew over and landed on Egam’s cupped palms. Gently, he lifted the twig and bowed to Egam. “I am called Midge, one of Queen Mita’s sons. I am pleased to meet you, Mage. After I have restored the orchard I will herald your return.”

  Egam nodded his head and the fairy lifted off to restore the apple trees. Egam sat cross-legged and watched the life return to the trees as Midge flew from one to another. When all of the trees were restored Midge returned the twig to Egam and fluttered off into the night. Egam scooped a small depression in the soil and planted the twig.

  A few moments later dozens of little fairies, not much larger than Egam’s longest finger, fluttered into the orchard and landed a few paces away from Egam. Midge and a lone female fairy flew over to Egam and alighted upon his knee. Midge, his green face aglow, bowed obsequiously.

  “Oh, great Mage,” offered Midge, “may I present Queen Mita, ruler of the fairies?”

  Egam nodded to Midge and bowed his head to Queen Mita as low as was possible from a sitting position without moving his knees. “It is with great pleasure that I make your acquaintance, Queen Mita. I am pleased to know that the fairies have survived Alutar’s wickedness.”

  Queen Mita bowed in return. “Many years we have wished for the return of the Mage. My people stand in your debt and wish to be of assistance in helping to restore our world.”

  “The help of the fairies will ease my burden, I am sure,” replied Egam. “My task, however, is to imprison Alutar, the demon, so he may cause no further grief. My travels have failed to disclose his location. Is this knowledge that fairies possess?”

  Midge looked towards his Queen and she nodded her approval for him to speak. “I do not know of Alutar’s location,” offered Midge, “but I do know the path he took when he disappeared. Will that be helpful?”

  Egam smiled and nodded. “Yes, Midge, that will be most helpful. If you can show me the path in the morning, I will be able to find the demon. For tonight, however, you must tell me all that has happened to the fairies in the last thousand years.”

  Into the night the fairies celebrated and told tales of old, bringing Egam up to date on the happenings within the fairy realm. The ogres created by Alutar had discovered the fairies and sought them out for food, devouring whole colonies. The fairies eventually resettled in large trees and for the most part avoided contact with the huge creatures. The blight and fires of Alutar’s coming cost many more fairy lives and the remaining colony had almost given up hope in despair. Queen Mita had sent out fairies all over the land to find someplace still green, but the search had been fruitless until Midge returned with word of the Mage.

  After many hours of talk, Egam begged leave to retire for the night. When he awoke, hundreds of fairies labored in the orchard, moving their colony to the new green, lush land. All sorts of little furniture was being carted into the orchard and small ropes, like strands of thread, hung down from the trees. The furniture was hoisted up into the trees with fairies hovering alongside steadying the ropes.

  Egam smiled and walked over to the dry stream bed and knelt on the bank. Laying his hand on the smooth stones of the creek he took a pinch of a powder from his pouch, spread it over the stones, and recited a spell.

  Dust shall blow

  And rocks will quiver

  Water shall spring

  To feed this river.

  Immediately a gust of wind blew down the ravine creating swirls of dust. A deep rumble echoed up and down the stream bed and the stones started vibrating. The fairies crowded around Egam and even hovered over the dry stream. Egam waved them back behind him just as the roar of a torrent reached their ears. Egam stood up and watched as a great wall of water appeared around the bend upstream. The fairies stared in fascination as the wall of water approached and continued downstream. Within a few moments the great torrent of water subsided and a clear, cool stream flowed through the river bed.

  The fairies jumped for joy and hugged each other and swung partners around and around in circles. Little buckets dipped into the flowing stream and were carried back to the center of the orchard.

  When all the commotion subsided Egam was approached by Queen Mita and a troop of fairies. Midge stood at the head of the column of little armored warriors, each resplendent in shiny chain mail and small shiny helmets covering their green heads. Half of the fairy army carried sharpened spears and the other half carried tiny bows with little quivers slung over their backs between their wings.

  Queen Mita hovered before Egam’s face, her blue body shimmering in the morning light. “Great Mage,” she began, “my warriors stand ready to accompany you on your long journey to conquer the evil demon, Alutar. My son, Midge, shall lead our warriors and is at your command.”

  Egam smiled at the Queen and nodded his head. “Your Highness,” thanked Egam, “your warriors are, indeed, very brave and noble to underta
ke such a journey. My task, however, requires only a guide as my battle with the demon will not be solved by simple warfare. For you to risk your son on my behalf speaks very highly of the fairies and none may say that Queen Mita shirks any responsibility. If you would offer only your son to guide and accompany me, your contribution to the imprisonment of Alutar would be great and wondrous.”

  The Queen of the Fairies smiled at the Mage. “You are a wise and wondrous man. Many would have spurned my offer because my warriors are tiny, others because their egos would not allow them to require help, but you seek that which will aid your cause and yet not more than is needed to perform your task. My son, Midge, is yours to command. May you both be victorious and return to us unharmed. The gods go with you, Mage.”

  Egam smiled and bowed to the Queen. He tapped his shoulder and Midge flew to alight on his chosen spot. With cheers and jubilation the two warriors moved out of camp to track down the demon, Alutar.

  “Thank you for allowing me to accompany you, Mage,” beamed Midge.

  “No, thank you Prince Midge, for allowing me your company,” replied Egam. “Which way do we go?”

  Sarac stood in his new study readying himself for the incantation, the Book of the Beginning laid open to the proper page. Sarac’s castle had been hurriedly built atop Mount Kalas, the tallest peak in the world. At the very top of his castle was a tall tower with a barren, round floor. It was from this tower that he wished to incant the spell and view the transformation of the Universes. At this very moment Lattimer was calling on the Inner Circle to assemble on the tower to bear witness to the beginning of the Dark One’s reign.

  Sarac walked to the closet and withdrew his new outfit, a long, flowing, black velvet robe edged with wide, golden brocade and gold fringe. He jubilantly donned the robe and reached for his specially made gold crown inset with an amethyst, onyx, emerald, ruby, diamond, opal and a sapphire to represent his reign over the seven Universes. A long, gold scepter, also inset with the seven jewels, completed the wardrobe of the Dark One.

  Sarac returned to his desk to reread the spell one last time and ascended to the top of the tower. The Black Devils of the Inner Circle were ringed around a pulpit set in the center of the floor of the tower.

  Sarac rotated himself, gazing once on each member of his chosen followers, pausing only slightly at the empty spots in the rank, which signified the lost members of his troop of magicians.

  “Welcome to my tower, which shall hereafter be referred to as the Tower of Destruction,” the Dark One began. “We have waited long for this moment and you have all earned the right to be here and witness the destruction of the Universes and the birth of the Dark One. Each of you, the chosen of my Inner Circle, shall kneel and swear fealty to the one true Lord of the Universes, Sarac, the Dark One.”

  Lattimer started the ritual and each member of the Inner Circle kneeled in turn and swore fealty to Sarac, the Dark One, Lord of the Universes. Sarac turned and nodded to each devotee as his or her pledge was made, savoring the headiness of true power. When the rituals were completed Sarac gazed out over the Boulder Mountains and viewed his future domain. After a long prolonged silence Sarac bade his Black Devils to rise and pay witness to the birth of a new age.

  “Devotees, observe the power of the Dark One!” commanded Sarac.

  Seven Universes were created

  A home for every race

  Seven Stones it was stated

  To signify each place

  Separated they remain

  Since the start of time

  Until they’re called asunder

  By reciting this short rhyme

  By the Light of the HEAVENS

  I hereby command

  The end of the Universes

  By my own hand.

  At the last of the verse, Sarac raised his scepter high and lightning flashed from it to the far corners of the world. The ground shook with a gigantic rumbling that seemed to shake the very foundations of life itself. The sky flashed from black to blue to green to red and, finally, to a searing white. The clouds rushed by at an ever-increasing speed until they appeared as a ring around the globe, stretching from horizon to horizon. The world seemed to shiver and tilt and right itself again, like a top leaning into a spin and coming upright again.

  When the world began to stabilize and the Black Devils’ vision cleared, Sarac again raised his scepter and incanted another spell. This time the ring of clouds darkened through the shades of the rainbow until it was a dark, murky black. The ring expanded on each side and the black cloud spread to encompass the world, blotting out all but the brightest sun.

  “Behold!” shouted Sarac, “The Dark One joins with the Lord of the Universes and becomes one.”

  “May his reign last forever!” Lattimer shouted.

  Chapter 18

  Collapse

  “What is it that you are looking for, Mage?” asked Midge, the fairy Prince.

  “Alutar’s hiding place,” answered Egam. “There are places where the Universes combine called Junctions. I am seeking for these Junctions as you trace the path the demon took. Alutar entered Sagina somehow. It is possible that he returned along the same path and passed back into his own prison.”

  “If he is back in his own prison, will you still have to battle him?” queried the tiny warrior.

  “As long as he has a Junction to get out, I must fight to banish him,” Egam replied.

  “The trail turns here, Mage,” warned the fairy. “Watch your step. This is where I lost him.”

  Egam turned the bend and cast the Path Finder spell again. Directly ahead of him, a shimmering of the air indicated a Junction. “This is as far as you go, Midge,” ordered the Mage.

  “But I wish to go all of the way with you,” Midge protested.

  Egam stopped and took the fairy in his hand. “If I remember correctly, Queen Mita left you in my command and it is my order that you proceed no further.”

  The fairy warrior was about to protest again, but he knew that arguing with the Mage would not accomplish anything.

  “Look, Midge,” Egam explained, “Alutar is a demon of great power. The last time I battled him it took me a thousand years to recover. I am willing to take that risk again because it is necessary, but it is not necessary to squander your life. Your people have much to do to rebuild your civilization and Queen Mita will need every fairy she can find. I do not doubt your abilities or your devotion and courage; however, life is sacred and it should not be wasted by foolish displays of bravado. Wait one day for me here. If I do not return by then, I will not be coming and the task of containing Alutar will fall to someone else. You must be available to guide that person to this place.”

  “How will I know this other person when he arrives?” inquired Midge.

  “You will know,” declared Egam. “The person will be seeking Alutar.”

  Egam placed the fairy Prince on a rock and turned to pass through the Junction. Egam started through the Junction and faced Alutar waiting for him. He did not expect Alutar to be standing at the very Junction to his old prison and jumped back to prepare his wards. As Egam jumped back through the Junction, the ground began to tremble and rocks began to slide. The path in front of him broke away and shattered into a newborn crevice. Egam felt the funny sensation of falling through the air, but his feet never left the path.

  The sky began to twirl and Egam felt dizzy. He placed his hand on the large rocks next to the path and watched the brilliant display of colors that danced across the sky. The clouds began to race across the sky combining together like a wide river reducing for passage through a narrow chasm. The clouds turned black and began to refill the sky. Within moments the sky was black and the rumbling ceased.

  “What was that?” shouted Midge.

  “That,” explained Egam, “was the sealing of Alutar’s prison, but it is not a cause for celebration.” Egam cast the Path Finder spell and found no Junctions visible. He sat down on the path and drank a bit of water.

>   “Someone,” the Mage continued, “just destroyed your Universe and I believe it was Sarac, the Dark One.”

  “Then my Queen and her colony are...“ began Midge.

  “No,” clarified Egam. “your people are as safe as any others. There will be great damage around the world because of conflicts between Universes, but destroying a Universe by itself does not necessarily mean death for its inhabitants. The inhabitants of a destroyed Universe will merge with the inhabitants of the Universe in which the spell was cast. The problems that arise are because no two things may occupy the same space at the same time. If there was a rock where you are standing in the other Universe, you and the rock would merge. I presume that I do not have to explain that it would not fare very well for you in that example.”

  Egam picked up the little fairy and placed him on his shoulder. “The different Universes have pretty much the same geological features, but there are differences. The crevice that opened up before us is an example. I believe that some other Universe had that crevice and this one did not. See, the bottom of the crevice is flat as if it was the beginning of a dwarf tunnel. The rocks that now fill it were part of this Universe, but they no longer had anything to rest upon, so they fell. If the spell was cast from this Universe, the tunnel would probably no longer have an opening.”

  “Why would someone want to destroy a Universe?” asked Midge.

  “Power and greed, Midge,” answered Egam. “The ancient prophecy foretold of this destruction and it is not limited to your Universe. Your people must be very cautious from now on. More than magicians and ogres will inhabit your world. Peoples and creatures of all sorts will now live together under the cloud of the Dark One.”

  “Then Alutar is still alive and can come back?” worried Midge.

  “No,” answered the Mage. “Originally there were seven Universes and in their place there is now one. The Universe that I created for Alutar’s prison was not one of those seven, nor was the Universe that the magicians were in. Those two Universes will still exist separately. What this means is that Alutar is stuck back in his prison again, but a new evil is upon the land and must be dealt with.”