Morcinda halted at the bottom of the stairs and waited. She controlled water better than anyone, even a seasoned Fizärd Fūʈär, but she didn’t possess mezhik, especially not the kind that could save a person.
“Master Savric!”
The call drew Morcinda’s attention toward the riverbank. A young man stood bent over with his hands on his knees, yelling Savric’s name. Another person—a strange little fellow with pale skin—hopped and danced from toe to toe, seemingly needing to urinate.
Peculiar.
Back on the lower deck, Savric spasmed for several seconds and then coughed up water. He spat more out and took a deep breath. The silver-haired woman’s hands stopped glowing green, and she bent down and wrapped her arms around Savric. The woman obviously loved him.
For Morcinda, love meant nothing. She’d never been in love and had no intention of seeking it out. The only thing it ever did was make people vulnerable. She didn’t need that, especially not in her line of business.
She walked over to the pair and knelt next to them. “There are better ways to board a vessel, Savric Naphor.”
Savric rubbed his fire-red eyes. Morcinda assumed he’d had them open while in the river. “Feathers,” he muttered. “It would have served me better had you mentioned that before I tossed myself into the river.”
Morcinda smiled slightly. “Those two are with you as well?” She nodded toward the western riverbank.
Zerenity rose to her feet and peered toward the riverbank. “I believe so.”
“I will retrieve them.” Morcinda leapt over the side of the boat. Spouts of water rose to meet her feet and carried her over to the riverbank.
The young man’s eyes nearly bulged from his head. “Whoa! I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
“Eshtak can’t believe!” The odd little man danced around and pulled down on his face.
Morcinda held out her hand to the young man. “Come with me.” The young man took it, but his feet didn’t move.
“I… I…” His hand trembled.
“There’s nothing to fear.” She tugged his hand, but his feet stayed planted on the riverbank. “I promise you that it’s as safe as walking on land.”
“Eshtak goes!”
The odd little man reached for Morcinda’s other hand. She proffered it, and he latched onto it. He stepped right off the riverbank without hesitation. She commanded the water to hold him up, and it obeyed. Seemingly emboldened by his friend, the young man took a reluctant step off the riverbank. Water rose to meet his foot.
Morcinda smiled. “See, not so scary.” She led the two of them over to the boat, and the three of them climbed over the railing and onto the deck.
Savric stood next to the silver-haired woman and favored his staff. “My dear boy, I am pleased to see you.”
The young man rushed over to Savric and threw his arms around him. “Where did you go?”
“Pretty lady! Pretty lady!” The odd little man wrapped his arms around the silver-haired woman’s legs.
Morcinda walked over to Savric. “Is this the entire party?”
Savric groaned. “Afraid so.”
“Good.” She commanded the water to sail them back to Vallah and then they all made introductions.
During the two-hour-long journey, Savric filled her in on everything he’d seen, including meeting Cyrus, the last of Ūrdär Dhef Ƨäfn Dhä. Between an army of humans, zhebəllin, giants, orcs, gnolls, a dragon, and who knew what else, she didn’t see how they’d survive the war.
God help us…
Chapter Forty
Alderan leaned over the three-and-a-half-foot-tall, hand-sculpted railing that sectioned off the King’s Palace from the city of Vallah below it. At any other point in his life, he would’ve drunk in the majestic view of the surrounding Orbis Mountain Range and the sparkling blue waters of Trivers Lake far below. But the day weighed heavily on him. Crushing, brutal weight he didn’t think he could bear.
Aria…
How could he save the world from his own sister? That exact scenario crossed his mind several times over the last several months, but he never gave it much thought. His sister pitted against him. Bent on destroying the world. How absurd that’d seemed, yet there he stood facing the biggest dilemma of his entire life. How could he possibly choose the world over his own flesh and blood? A twin sister he shared a bond with that superseded everything. Then again, how could he sacrifice the world to save one life? Would life be worth living at that point?
Am I living now?
Alderan raked his fingers through his hair and pulled on it. There had to be a solution. Somehow, he must find a way to break the bond between Aria and Pravus. The bond she shared with Cinolth would be severed once they killed the scaly beast. But that task seemed insurmountable as well. How could he slay the dragon if the seven greatest mages and wizards in the world couldn’t accomplish such a feat 1200 years ago?
And I am only one.
Alderan stared at his calloused hands. He knew hard work and hunting, but mezhik and war were as foreign to him as the man standing beside him. Nardus had muscles and strength for days, and confidence exuded from his pores. Alderan didn’t understand how he could be the offspring of such a great man.
Ƨäʈūr, I am nothing. Why put everything into my hands? Why place such a burden upon my shoulders?
Growing up, his mother, Gretchen, had often read passages to him and Aria from a book called Ƨäʈūr’s Holy Scriptures. One such passage came to mind. “Fear not what your hands and mind cannot do, for I make the impossible possible sayeth Ƨäʈūr.”
Then take it all from me.
Nardus leaned over the railing next to Alderan. “It’s hard realizing that you’re not the person you thought you were. Gaining that knowledge can devastate you if you allow it to. Two days ago, I learned who I truly am. Until that moment, I didn’t have the slightest notion that my entire life—at least what I remembered of it—was a lie planted in my mind by the fiend who stole your sister.
“The things I learned devastated and enraged me. How could someone be so vile and dastardly? He wrecked my entire life and set our world on a course destined for destruction. At the same time, his heinous acts gave you and Shanara to me, two of the best things in the world. It sickens me to think about what could have been, but there are consequences and conciliations with every decision.”
Nardus sighed and continued, “What I’m trying to say is that I wouldn’t change any of those moments for anything. They’re what brought us here and into this moment. I’d love to get to know you and earn the right to call you my son again.”
Alderan and Nardus spent the next two hours talking about the past, the present, and the unknown future. The more they spoke, the closer Alderan felt to him. Buried memories of his early childhood began surfacing. This man had truly been his father. Aria shared the same memories, so she should’ve arrived at the same conclusion, but she hadn’t. The fact that she’d tried to have Nardus killed pained him.
Is there anything left of the sister I once knew?
The answer wouldn’t come easily, but he’d have to figure it out if he wanted to save her and the world. Another thought that niggled in the back of his mind was why Pravus hadn’t killed him sometime during the last few weeks when he’d had the chance. After all, Pravus was the man behind the gnolls attacking him and his village and had ordered Alderan’s death. Alderan had been running for his life right up until that point. Something didn’t make sense, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with Aria being there.
Something must’ve changed, but what?
Nardus clasped Alderan’s forearm. “Are you ready to head inside? We’ve got a war to finish preparing for.”
Alderan peered into the man’s yellowish-brown eyes and thought he saw himself in them. He nodded and smiled, “I am, Father.”
† † †
The entire trek through the King’s Palace blurred in
Nardus’s mind. He focused on a single word uttered from the lips of his son, and it lifted his head to the clouds. His chest rose high and his steps became direct and crisp.
Father.
He marveled at the power of words. The same words could build a person up or tear them down, given the context and person who utters them. Aria had used the word “father” to drive a dagger through his heart, but he continued to cling onto the hope of her coming around. He sent a quick prayer to Ƨäʈūr asking for as much. Finding himself in the Procerus Mountains altered his mindset and brought him closer to the God he once knew, but there were still issues that needed to be worked out between them. Nothing but time would restore his faith completely. However, getting half of his family members back certainly helped.
I do thank you for that, Ƨäʈūr.
Nardus followed Alderan through a set of double doors and into a small hall. A single table, narrow and long, ran the length of the sparse room. A turquoise runner split the table lengthwise, and twenty-two chairs surrounded it, ten on each of its long sides and one at each of its ends. Several maps of the Three Kingdoms area lay on the table. Conversation filled the room but died down once the room’s occupants caught notice of his and Alderan’s presence.
King Zaridus sat at the far end of the table, a scowl drawn on his face. His ice-blue eyes shot daggers at Nardus. Prince Rictar and Princess Zelanora flanked King Zaridus, and an empty chair sat next to each of them. Nardus headed toward the seat next to Prince Rictar and directed Alderan to sit in the one next to Princess Zelanora. To Nardus’s right sat Theyn, then Morcinda, Zerenity, and four others Nardus didn’t recognize—two men and two women dressed in black and teal armor.
Across the table and to Alderan’s left sat Berggren, Savric, and four additional men and women dressed in black and teal armor. A squat man with a bald head and a long mustache curled at the ends sat at the opposite end of the table. He wore dark-blue robes and a lighter blue cloak. From what Nardus recalled, Zerenity had called the man Druden. Calen, Niesha, and Eshtak were off exploring the King’s Palace.
King Zaridus rose from his chair and tapped the end of his scepter on the table. “I’m certain I need not explain why you’re all gathered here.” All the heads in the room shook in unison. “Good. I will make this as brief as possible.” He swept his scepter across the table. “I hereby charge each of you with the task of defending Vallah and its citizens.”
Murmurs broke out around the table but none loud enough to reach Nardus’s ears. Given his initial thoughts, he guessed as to what they discussed. Despite an unremarkable rule of decades of peace, everyone knew King Zaridus to be frightfully rigid when it came to saving his own skin. If all of them set their sights on defending Vallah, Elatos and Borza would certainly fall.
King Zaridus continued, “Anyone leaving the city from this point forward will be charged with treason and executed on the spot. Is that clear?”
Nardus frowned. “Are you saying that you do not wish to evacuate the cities to preserve life?”
King Zaridus leaned over the table and glared at Nardus. “I believe my last statement stands without question, wizard.” He snarled the last word.
Nardus glanced at Prince Rictar. The man’s face, stoic as it was, belied the tremor in his hand. His jaws slowly worked together as well, the tension clearly building. No one spoke a word.
Rage flashed in King Zaridus’s eyes and a dark, purplish-red hue crept up the front of his neck and colored his cheeks. “Have I made myself clear?” he said through clenched teeth.
Everyone at the table gave a solemn nod, none brave enough to defy the wishes of their king.
King Zaridus grunted. “Then I’ll leave you all to discuss the details. I am not to be disturbed except in an emergency.” He shoved his chair back with his foot and strode out of the small hall.
Prince Rictar stood and moved to the head of the table. “You heard my father, the king. Let’s figure out how to best defend Vallah.” He and Nardus shared a glance.
Princess Zelanora scowled at Prince Rictar. “Brother, you do realize how cowardly this plan is?”
Nardus liked her already.
“Silence, sister.” Prince Rictar took in the whole room, eying each person individually for several moments before moving to the next in line. When his steel gaze reached Nardus, his glower faltered. “Master Nardus.” His head dipped forward ever so slightly. Perhaps nothing more than a shift of his neck, but Nardus thought otherwise.
“My prince.” Nardus returned the nod. “Please refrain from calling me ‘master’. I am in control of no one.”
The right edge of Prince Rictar’s mouth curled upward. “As you wish. Nardus will guide us through all the final preparations of war.”
I will?
Nardus raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t expected to be handed the reins right from the get-go, but he’d planned on taking them. Prince Rictar simplified his job. “I am more than happy to do so, but might I ask why?”
“In truth, you are the only one here with actual war experience. My father might not value such expertise, given your nature, but he and I do not share all of the same values and views.” He sat down and winked at Princess Zelanora. “Tell us how we can defend all three cities.”
Nardus stood and paced behind his chair. It gave him the room to think. As words came to mind, he stilled and addressed Prince Rictar. “Your father, the king, did get one thing right. The people are what matter, and defending them should be our first priority.”
“Agreed,” said Prince Rictar.
Nardus continued, “First of all, we know the enemy marches toward Elatos as we speak. Our first order of business should be to evacuate anyone unable or unwilling to defend the city. Are there strongholds in the mountains?”
“Yes,” said Princess Zelanora. “Each city has underground tunnels that lead to one centralized stronghold in the western Orbis Mountains.” She pointed to the location on one of the maps spread across the table. “There’s a hidden entrance located here for anyone who cannot escape through the tunnels.”
“Good.” Nardus clasped his hands together. “We will begin evacuating Vallah at once and will send word to Elatos and Borza to do the same.”
Princess Zelanora bit the side of her lower lip and frowned. “As simple as it may seem, sending word will not help. Most if not all of the people have forgotten where those entrances lie.”
“Then we’ll send them into the mountains,” said Nardus.
Princess Zelanora’s eyes widened and she shook her head. “That’s not an option. As beautiful as they are, the Orbis Range can be cruel and deadly. Winter may be ending, but its frigid effects last here well into spring.”
Nardus held up his hands. “Evacuation is not optional. There must be another way.”
Prince Rictar fidgeted with the ring on his middle finger. “There is. In the treasure vault are ancient maps of the three cities and the tunnels beneath them. With those maps, we can lead the people to safety.”
“Perfect—”
Prince Rictar cut Nardus off. “Only my father has a key to the vault. He’ll never go along with it no matter how much sense it makes.”
Princess Zelanora leaned forward and whispered, “I have a way inside.” Neither Nardus nor Prince Rictar asked for details.
Nardus turned back to the others around the table. He pointed to two of the soldiers on the opposite side of the table. “You two will be in charge of evacuating Borza.” They nodded. He then looked at Berggren. “As will you.”
Berggren sighed. “Guess I’m going to Borza.”
Nardus pointed at two soldiers on his side of the table. “You two will be in charge of evacuating Elatos. Calen and Eshtak can help you.” The soldiers nodded.
“And I’ll lead the evacuation here,” Princess Zelanora piped up.
“Good. We’ve got one thing settled. Now, if any of you have special skills, this is the time to disclose them.”
<
br /> Morcinda, the aquatic elf, spoke up first. “I can control the flow of water.”
Nardus exhaled and rubbed his left bicep. “How good are your skills? Can you control the flow of water across a great expanse?”
“I believe so. You have something specific in mind?”
“Elatos is built next to the river and nestles the surrounding mountains. Could you use the rivers to create a massive wall of water to protect the city and block the enemy from advancing?”
Morcinda nodded. Nardus thought she might’ve even smiled a little. “I can, but not indefinitely.”
“Of course not. When the time comes to erect the wall, I will let you know.”
The man at the end of the table spoke up next. “I am a skilled water wizard.”
“Druden, correct?” The man nodded at Nardus. “I have the perfect plan for you. Ever heard of a water titan?”
Druden’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, and I’m certain I could conjure one, but I wouldn’t have the strength to hold it together for more than twenty or thirty minutes.”
Nardus slipped one of the bracelets out of his pocket that he’d taken from Ūrdär Dhef Ƨäfn Dhä and tossed it down the center of the table. The weak throw only got the bracelet about two-thirds of the way to the man, but the others at the table passed it down to him.
“That’s got 1200 years of energy stored in it. How long can you maintain a water titan with that?”
Druden slipped the bracelet over his right hand. The ends of his mustache touched the sides of his nose when he smiled. “Long enough to do some damage.”
“I believe I can help with the water titan,” said Zerenity.
Druden scoffed. “In what manner?”
Zerenity crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “Seaweed is prevalent at the bottom of Trivers Lake. I can help strengthen the water titan using it.”
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