The Return of the Fifth Stone

by Vincent Todarello

  All was silent for a few moments as Patreus gathered up all the items in frustration. “Thank the king we are all here now, safe,” he said. “Take these for protection.” Patreus handed Deius, Lunaris and I real swords, to complement our wooden practice swords. “And since we are all unscathed from our perilous adventures, we should be moving along. We’ll reach the oasis soon and there we can set up camp for the night. It will be more comfortable than the desert, despite its dangers. Fresh water awaits there as well. In a few days we will be safely sitting at the Lion and Lamb Tavern, enjoying good food and drink in the company of our brethren in Kal’Adria, awaiting our most cherished of holiday festivals. There will be gifts, games and gaiety for all.” Patreus warmed the atmosphere and lifted our spirits, and we continued our journey north.

  CHAPTER 8

  “You already fight better than I do with two cycles of training!” Peitus proclaimed as we dueled. Deius stopped his training with Lunaris, who was besting him. Patreus and Fiama also turned to watch, whispering to each other as they looked on. I noticed all of them as Peitus and I were in the midst of a grueling sparring session. It was as if my mind was completely relaxed and I was able to observe my surroundings uninhibited while my body engaged in battle.

  “Amazing,” Peitus said. “Perhaps you should be instructing me!” He experienced a similar effect, as he was able to have a conversation and instruct me while we swung and grappled.

  When we broke the spar we shook each other's hands. It was only then that I felt the aches and burning of my battle bruises. I breathed heavily to catch my breath. Deius and Lunaris had gone back to their training, and Patreus approached me as I sipped a flask of water.

  “You fight well, Valdren. Remarkable. You have a gift. You must use it wisely and cautiously,” he instructed.

  “I will use it only to help defeat Scievah,” I said.

  “A noble cause indeed,” he replied.

  “Not only will you help defeat Scievah, you will defeat him yourself!” Peitus cheered.

  Just then Lunaris cried out in pain. Deius struck her arm. Fiama ran to her to inspect it. It was a scrape; nothing serious, but Lunaris was upset.

  “You did it on purpose!” Lunaris yelled at Deius.

  Deius was angry but said nothing in response. Frustrated with his progress in training, he lashed out at Lunaris and hit her.

  “Deius, come here!” Patreus said sternly. Deius approached with his head down. “Is it true?”

  “Everyone is better than me!” Deius exclaimed, admitting his wrongdoing with his avoidant answer.

  “So you practice. You train. Stay focused and clear. ‘Skills come with time for mere men of our kind,’” Patreus said, quoting some ancient proverb.

  “Not for these two,” a frustrated Deius responded, pointing at Lunaris and me.

  “You are stronger than your sister, and, from the looks of it, faster,” Patreus said softly. “Hone these skills and you will be mighty indeed, even if your form is not as graceful or natural as hers. Practice, boy. Do not take your frustrations out on others, especially when they are based on your own shortcomings.”

  Deius understood. He wept slightly.

  “And stop crying!” Patreus continued. “You are too old for crying over such matters, such a matter that should not take place to begin with. Cry if you lose a loved one. Cry if we lose the war. Cry if your sister does not accept your forthcoming apology.” Patreus overtly hinted, motioning with a grunt for Deius to go speak with his sister.

  Deius walked over to Lunaris and hugged her, apologizing to her audibly. She hugged him back, accepting his apology. Deius held back his tears, as he knew he had been doing much wrong lately due to his frustrations.

  “It's time you grow up. Be a responsible and accountable man,” Patreus went on. “And don’t let your desires cloud your reason and judgment. You know better than that.”

  “You’re right father. I’m sorry,” he said as he looked upon us with sincerity in his glazed and swelled eyes. “To all of you, I am sorry.”

  There was silence for some time, and despite the lack of communication we all accepted Deius’ apology and understood his confrontation with his desires. This, we hoped, would signal the end of his transgressions.

  #

  One day, when the sun began to set and the air cooled, we saw the fanleaf trees at the edge of the oasis in the distance. By nightfall we reached the lush patch of life clutched within the dusty, burning grip of the harsh, scorching desert. The light of the moons lit the path before us and all of our surroundings were visible in the blue-gray hue of moonslight. Patreus, having been here before, showed us around.

  “Why haven’t the pure destroyed the fountain at the oasis?” Peitus asked.

  “The original stories say that Scievah used the language of the stones to divert their power to the fountain after he touched the Firestone. But there are some that say a piece of the Firestone lay embedded somewhere within the marble, sustaining the flow of water and providing life out here in this oasis.

  “All around us is a desert wasteland, but the oasis, as evil as it is, is a beacon of hope and the proof that the stones are meant to do us good when untouched. If a piece does sit in this fountain, then destroying the fountain would mean destroying that piece. The pure prefer to leave it be, as history has taught us that any tampering with the stones only leads to devastation, destruction and horror.

  “The Hope tells us that, in the end, the stones will return to their altars. We must have faith in that. In fact Ver’Deiro himself has foretold that the fountain will crack upon Scievah’s defeat. For now the fountain serves as both hope of a restored land and a warning about the treacheries that accompany the desires for the stones' powers.” Patreus explained. “We must be cautious. Often the impure will stay here for days at a time, fueling their addiction to the forbidden waters. It seems to be eerily vacant. Perhaps something is amiss. Valdren, I ask you now if you could do us a small favor.”

  “Yes, of course, Patreus. What is it?” I asked.

  “Scout ahead.” He pointed. “See if anyone is at the fountain. You move with a stealth we cannot rival. I would like all of you to see the fountain. Despite its evil nature, it is an important part of the history of Haaret.”

  I was excited to give my covert skills more practice, and to be useful to the others with my abilities. I lightened my feet and began to creep along the shadows of the trees in the thicket. I cautiously and silently moved beyond a cluster of brush, making sure my footing was on solid ground and not the tall blades of stiff grasses or thistle that lined the thicket. Felgor would have been proud, I thought.

  Soon, I came to a soft path. Lushly padded short grass was under my feet. The well manicured lawn led to a circular moonslit clearing. In the center of the clearing was a grand and ornately designed marble fountain. It shimmered with a brilliant and inviting radiance that seemed to ring out in musical composition as its waters flowed from its apex and downward into pools and ledges.

  In the blue of the moons I could see the amazing craftsmanship and artwork that adorned the fountain. Four massive dragon heads faced inward and spilled water out of their mouths at the top. The glimmering waters poured into a large gem encircled goblet, which overflowed. The water then trickled downward from a column upon which the goblet sat, and onto a large smooth flat ledge. On the watery ledge there was a shrine of some sort, which contained a skull, and below the ledge was the final pool, large enough and deep enough for many to bathe in.

  Suddenly a hot wave of desire swept over me, enveloping me with a lustful urge for the fountain. Numbness washed across my body and my eyes fixated on the twinkling waters before me. I felt comfortable. I felt as if I was part of the water, yet drawn to have more of it in me. Thirst. Then, as quickly as the wave came upon me it subsided, replaced a moment later with the soothing and harmonic sounds from my vision of Hemela. Then nothing. All was silent again.

  The grass clearing was empty and I did not se
e or hear anyone else, so I returned to the others to inform them that it was safe to observe the fountain. Patreus led us through the thicket and into the clearing as he told us some of the history of the area.

  “In the ancient days, Scievah promised the Haareti the powers of the stones, so he made this fountain for them, which flows with their mystical force. Those who drink from the fountain gain extraordinary abilities for a short time,” said Patreus.

  “What kind of powers?” asked Deius with curiosity.

  “Many grow physically large and strong, and some can summon balls of fire and hurl them forth.” Deius’ eyes grew wide with wonderment. Upon noticing this, Patreus quickly responded. “But most become deformed and hideous, slaves to the waters; addicted to their own desires. The magic is too strong to control, so instead the magic controls them, compels them.”

  I feared the sensations I experienced a moment ago. My mind raced and I wondered if I was being drawn into desires for power.

  “Many gather the waters and carry it away, storing it with them, like the ogre.” Patreus continued his lesson, pointing to the shrine that contained the skull. “He was the first. Enasz. Scievah tempted him with powers and promised him a second son after his first son, Ulrick, joined the pure. Through him and his second son, LeDodd, Scievah propagated the corruption that plagues our world.

  “Unlike Gareth, Faldyn and Loula, Enasz was swayed by Scievah early on and followed in his path, seeking the power of the stones. Enasz was a very handsome man, and Loula loved him very much; so much that she even followed him down the road to impurity, against what her heart told her.”

  “But wait, I thought Loula had four daughters with Tillius and lead a pure life?” I asked, baffled by the thought of Loula with the impure.

  “Indeed she did, later on. Her time with Enasz was before she met Tillius, when she was living a corrupted life. When she met Tillius she was no longer truly pure. You see, Loula first had two children with Enasz; a son named Ulrick and a daughter named Atessa. When they grew older, Ulrick desired a pure life, so Enasz disowned him. Ulrick then married Gwendolyn, the truly pure daughter of Gareth and Faldyn. Ulrick and Gwendolyn had two children; a son named Sabian and a daughter named Allisola.

  “Meanwhile, Enasz wanted another son. By this time, Scievah already touched the Firestone and built the Fountain of Power. He promised Enasz a son who would grow to be very powerful if he and his family swore allegiance to Scievah. With that, Enasz swore his allegiance and tried to have a son. Enasz forced himself upon his daughter Atessa, impregnating her in secret. He threatened her with death if she told anyone what he did. Atessa vowed to run away after she gave birth to live a pure life, like her brother Ulrick. Later that same night Enasz made Loula pregnant again as well.

  “Enasz became so obsessed with the fountain’s powers that he was abusive to Loula and Atessa when he was not here at the fountain. He lay in the water for days, refusing to leave or spend time with his family. The constant exposure disfigured him, removing his charming mask of handsomeness and revealing the true and ugly nature of his being. He died in this very place, either by disfigurement, drowning or starvation. No one knows for sure. But the impure leave his bones here in a shrine to honor him.

  “What happened to his family?” I asked.

  “Disgusted with Enasz, Loula, like Atessa, also vowed to leave after she gave birth. When Atessa gave birth she had twin daughters, Karah and Kamih. Enasz took them from her and she ran away to live a pure life. She later married Sabian, the son of Gwendolyn and Ulrick. She and Sabian had two sons of their own.”

  “What about Loula?”

  “Loula gave birth to a son named LeDodd, and Enasz took him from her as well. Ashamed of herself for choosing to follow him for so long, she finally left him. She lived in despair and was alone for many cycles.

  “So Loula, Atessa and Ulrick all ran away from Enasz?”

  “Yes. Only LeDodd and the twins stayed with him.”

  “Why didn’t Loula go live with Ulrick and Atessa, with the pure?”

  “She was embarrassed and too ashamed to face them. Her son, LeDodd, and Atessa’s daughters, Karah and Kamih, had grown, all raised by Enasz. LeDodd then courted Allisola, the pure daughter of Gwendolyn and Ulrick, and soon LeDodd and Allisola were married.”

  “LeDodd, the impure warrior from the story of Gareth in the ancient times, married someone pure? Why would Allisola marry him?” Lunaris protested.

  “LeDodd was living what seemed to be a pure life, and he and Allisola had two sons. But LeDodd was deceiving Allisola. Like his father, he too used the fountain for its powers, and he also had children with Karah and Kamih, the twin daughters of Enasz that he grew up with as a brother. Allisola was distraught when she learned that her marriage was nothing but an elaborate scheme to corrupt the lines of the pure, all by Scievah’s command.

  “Allisola kept her sons, however, and the pure forbid LeDodd from seeing them. Enasz and LeDodd then had many children with Karah and Kamih, and the impure lines multiplied in incest. For the pure, there were only four sons left at the end of the lines and they all had the blood of Enasz the Fallen in them. It seemed to be a dead end for the pure. But then Faldyn, Gareth’s wife, gave birth to Tillius. He was the fourth and last truly pure Ahaareti, the other three truly pure being Gareth, Faldyn and their first child Gwendolyn.”

  “So what happened?” I asked.

  “Well, naturally, the pure were worried that Scievah’s evil magic had become too powerful and was somehow behind all of their misfortune; still no daughters, and now five sons at the end of the lines; Tillius, the two sons of Sabian and Atessa, and the two sons of Allisola and LeDodd.

  “But when Tillius had grown and married Loula, the pure took her in, forgave her wrongs and accepted her. She was reunited with her children Ulrick and Atessa, and they welcomed her warmly. So, you see, when Loula and Tillius miraculously had four daughters together, it was seen as a glorious victory for the pure, for purity as an ideology, that is. They desired to live a pure life despite the fact that the damage was already done; the bloodlines were already tainted by Enasz and LeDodd.”

  “I’m confused,” said Deius. “There are too many names!” I was confused as well. I think we all were.

  Patreus asked to see the Hope, and I gave it to him. “Here, look at this,” he said as he flipped to a page showing an ink sketch of a family tree, illustrating the lineages he described. “You see now?” Confused about all the names, we studied it. Then it became clear.

  “So the four daughters of Loula and Tillius were not truly pure?” Lunaris pried as she looked on at the sketch. “They were like us, striving to live pure?”

  “Correct. The only truly pure Ahaareti were Gareth and Faldyn and their two children, Gwendolyn and Tillius,” said Patreus as he pointed to their names on the parchment. “Loula gave up her purity when she chose to marry Enasz despite his corruption, and everyone else was tainted by Enasz’s bloodlines and his pact with Scievah. Since we all derive from them in some way we are all similarly impure, only we choose to live as the truly pure did. It is a struggle.”

  “Why is it a struggle?” Deius asked.

  “Because all Ahaareti possess the corrupt desires, Enasz’s desire. We may not want to use the stones for power, but we are all imbibed to some extent with qualities like selfishness, jealousy and greed, the qualities with which Scievah tempted Enasz the Fallen.”

  “What about the other races? Are they corrupt? Do they have such desires?” I asked.

  “Some do, yes. The Uhaareti lines were largely corrupted with impurity after the Firestone Wars, when Scievah took the stone into Uhaaretu, convincing them to desire the powers of the stone. But the Aquidians and Lapisians remained truly pure, as far as anyone knows. They isolated themselves after the Firestone Wars to such an extent that they later became the subject of myth and legend,” Patreus concluded.

  “So my mother is truly pure?” I asked.

  “She was onc
e, Valdren,” he answered. “Valdren’s mother, Reyne, gave up true purity to be with Croyan, Valdren’s father.”

  “But, what does that mean?” I asked.

  “You see, a truly pure individual, like a Lapisian or Aquidian, retains unique traits and qualities, powers if you will.”

  “Like the powers from the fountain?” I asked.

  “No. More benign and benevolent powers, like that of Tillius, who tamed the animals. And the truly pure cannot die a natural death; they are immortal.”

  “They can’t die?” Deius asked with astonishment.

  “Oh yes, they can surely die, but only by the sword or some kind of accident,” he explained.

  “My mother gave that up?” I asked.

  “Yes, Valdren, as did Gwendolyn and Tillius when they married the children of Enasz. When a truly pure person gives her heart to an impure person, even if the impure person strives to live a pure life like we do, she will lose all of her abilities and powers.”

  It occurred to me then that my mother and father must have been very much in love. What a sacrifice it must have been for my mother to give that up just to be with my father. We stood in silence, looking at the fountain for some time.

  Patreus broke the quiet. “Come, we must get some rest for the last part of our journey. We will set up camp away from here, near the western edge of the oasis, to avoid any contact with others who may be in the area.”

  Just then there was a rustling among the hedges lining the glade. We all fixed our gaze in its direction. A moment later a traveler emerged from the bushes, stumbling out with a flask in his hand, splashing and spilling shimmering liquid about like he was drunk. His clothes were drenched, and his bald head shined with wet in the glimmer of the moons.

  “Stay close and just avoid him,” Patreus instructed quietly. “Let’s leave this place.”