Epilogue
Later that evening, within the city of Soroth, the shrouded figures of Balden and Iltar walk through an empty street east of the Sorothian Magical Order. Both are dressed in black robes with their cowls donned.
“This city hasn’t changed,” Balden remarks from under his cowl. “In fact, this street looks familiar.”
“Well, Balden, it should,” Iltar states and points with his left hand toward a partially opened round gate housed within a brown cement wall with orange flecks. “There’s Cornar’s estate.”
Both necromancers walk through the gateway and enter the gardens of Cornar’s city home. The moons of Kalda cast shadows behind the trees and other plants that dot the landscaped yard. Once within the walls, Iltar leads the pair along the path and toward the doors of Cornar’s estate.
As Iltar and Balden round the fountain in the center of the path, Balden briefly stops and looks down at the still water within the basin. From the light of the moons, Balden can see his reflection; a sight which he has not seen in many years.
The half-elf leans forward and studies his partially shrouded face in the water. Balden swallows hard and leans forward to see a clearer view, but his attention is jarred by his former master in the magical arts.
“Balden!” Iltar barks from the covered porch. “Get in here.”
Looking up from the water at Iltar’s demanding beckon, Balden moves away from the fountain and toward the doors of Cornar’s home.
Light from burning lanterns shine into the portions of the garden nearest the home through glass in the doorway and windows of the rooms off the foyer. The shadows of those inside the rooms can be seen dancing across the walls.
“Is everyone ready?” Iltar asks as he steps through the doorway.
“Yes,” Cornar answers Iltar and looks out the open door and towards Balden. “My nephew and some of the others went down to the White Duchess before we returned from Sereth.”
“They better not have been seen,” Iltar scowls as Balden reaches his side.
“Hem and Dith were with them,” the warrior answers Iltar, his tone implying the two mages would conceal them. Cornar changes the subject as he looks at Balden. “There’s some food on the dining room table. I’m sure you’re hungry.”
“Yes, thank you Cornar,” Balden replies and steps into the foyer.
The half-elf looks around briefly, remembering the home he had visited often over a decade ago.
Amid his recollection, Balden walks through the left part of the home into the large parlor. To his left, several of the warriors are playing a game of chance with Tilthan and Nath. He glances to the players but moves toward a doorway to his right and into the dining room of Cornar’s home.
Immediately to the right of the table, the young maid-turned-conjurer Nilia is grabbing several empty plates. As she stacks the plates she hears the half-elf’s footsteps coming into the room and she turns to face the doorway. An awestruck expression crosses her face as she gazes at Balden.
“Excuse me,” Balden says as he walks toward the table. He quickly glances for a plate and notices the almost-empty platters of food. Without hesitation, the half elf picks up a plate and the nearest utensil.
“If you want something else I can prepare it for you,” Nilia stammers while watching the half-elf.
“This will do,” Balden says with a smile and glances to Nilia, dishing the food onto his plate. “You don’t need to prepare anything special for me.”
The young woman blushes and smiles at the half-elf. Her pale green eyes pleasantly study Balden as he finishes filling his plate.
“Nilia, it’s time for you to leave,” Cornar says as he enters the dining room with Iltar immediately behind him. “Kalder and Menal are waiting in the foyer.”
“Okay,” Nilia says with slight trepidation, “I’ll clean these first.”
With that said, Nilia steps through a doorway to the right of the room, leaving the two necromancers and warrior alone.
“Where is everyone going?” Balden asks and puts a small handful of food in his mouth.
Iltar smiles with diabolical glee, “Your rescue has greater meaning than you suspect, Balden.”
“I thought you said that you were only able to rescue me because of your ascension to Grandmaster. What’s going on Iltar?”
Cornar looks to Iltar with anticipation and the necromancer nods his head.
The warrior steps out of the room and can be heard telling those in the large parlor to move to another room. Once they are gone Iltar steps closer to Balden.
“Six months ago, Cornar discovered an ancient record written in both elvish and the common tongue. It spoke of a powerful amulet that can control chromatic dragons, red dragons.”
All the while, Balden carefully listens as he continues to eat.
“It is an amulet that is divided into three pieces; an activating scroll, a red ruby and a metallic housing. I need your help to retrieve it and in turn, you will accomplish a dream you have had since your youth.
“We’re leaving tonight, and from what Cornar has told me the rest of our expedition is already aboard Captain Kenard’s ship.”
Furrowing his brow, Balden puts the partially eaten plate on the table and stares hard at Iltar. Silence passes between the two necromancers for a moment before Balden speaks up, asking, “Merda? You’re going to Merda?”
“Yes, Balden,” Iltar continues to smile with a widening grin. “You’ll cleanse your ancestral home and for helping me complete this amulet you will be richly rewarded.”
Balden swallows hard and puts his hand on the nearest chair tucked under the table. The half-elf blinks for a moment as he thinks over Iltar’s words. Merda, home of the White Citadel, was a source of romantic fantasy throughout his youth. For as long as he could remember, Balden dreamed of freeing the eastern side of Merdan from the mysterious evil that had laid claim to it ages ago. And now, that fantasy could become reality.
“Well Balden,” Iltar asks with a raised brow showing his eagerness about the adventure that lay ahead of them. “Will you join us?”
Looking up to his mentor, Balden answers with a resounding exclamation.
“Yes!”
The End
the search for the Au’misha’k continues
in
Secrets of Merda
Ilnari’s Charge
The elven scrolls found by Cornar on the Isle of the Ancient Ones retold the history of the Dragon Wars, giving particular details not found in the two tomes, The Thousand Years War, volumes one and two.
The following are Ilnari’s words, written upon the intact scroll.
The Dragons' Legacy Page 44