by B. W. Catt
Laniit walked up to the man on the carriage. “Welcome! We have packed two large bottles for your king!”
King? He didn’t say Nalenero was king. This makes little sense. The kingdom is named after king Delandero. Unless he took his place.
Woldiniar went back to listening. They spoke for a long time.
The moon was high in the sky when the group turned to leave. Woldiniar created a small blackbird and sent it over to Denias.
The bird landed on Denias’ shoulder. It began to whisper. “Denias, this bird will tell you what I am thinking. Do not respond, or else our positions will be given away. I want the two unarmed soldiers. Capture those two. I have copied their essence over the last few hours. Capture them once my bird disappears.”
Denias placed his hands on the limb of the tree, he slowly began manipulating the tree to drop down its branches and wrap the two Woldiniar mentioned. The branches slowly turned more elastic. Denias nodded at the bird on his shoulder.
“Good. In ten seconds, we will swap. Be ready.”
Denias took a deep breath. The bird erupted into black smoke. Denias squeezed the tree limb, it swooped down, grabbing the two men from their horses. The branches entered their mouths, stopping their screams. Killing them instantly.
Denias and Woldiniar jumped onto the horses without startling the soldiers and horses. They both looked back to the Laniit.
Laniit nodded and mouthed ‘good luck’ before shutting the gates.
Fifteen
Elin slowed down as he approached the battle. The Keeper stood at least sixty feet tall. His body covered in large black scales. This dragon had four large wings, the front two had large spikes protruding towards the front. The back wings not much smaller. They sat a little higher up and further back. His tail long and jagged. Elin spotted small cracks along the scales with swords, spears, and arrows sticking out.
Elin looked to Sebial, who was using wind magic to stay in the air. She moved her hand in a circle forming large ice spikes in front her. Pushing her other hand forward, a wave of air pushed the spikes at the Keeper. The Keeper flapped his front wings to blow the spikes back at her while his other wings kept him flying.
Elin observed the two of them fighting. How am I supposed to stop them. I feel stronger, thanks to Rose. Yet I am still not strong enough.
The Keeper looked over at Elin. His eyes black and cold. Elin stepped back. The Keeper looked as if it was smiling at him. His sharp massive teeth shined against the dark contrast of his body. The Keeper quickly looked back at Sebial. He began to fly higher. Sebial followed suit. As they rose further into the sky. Elin noticed the Keeper's magic was growing. He could feel the dark hatred getting stronger.
“SEBIAL, GET AWAY FROM HIM!” Elin called out, but neither the Keeper nor Sebial noticed. She can’t hear me.
The Keeper opened his mouth, releasing hundreds of flaming spikes at Sebial. As the spikes flew towards Sebial, she quickly flew up while releasing icy darts to knock the spikes towards the ground. The massive spikes began to fall towards Elin. He watched as they grew closer and quickly began to move about to evade them. As each one hit the ground, flames erupted while creating craters. The spikes stood taller than Elin and were nearly his width.
He looked back up to the sky. Sebial was still fighting. He breathed in a small sigh of relief as he regained his composure.
I cannot stand here watching. I need to do something to return Sebial to normal and to defeat the Keeper. But what when the Keeper uses fire magic like me? I cannot beat him as I am now. Elin stood there, contemplating his next step.
Sebial let out a scream as the Keeper released spikes into her from his wings. Elin looked up to see a dart sticking out from behind Sebial. Blood began to pour down her side. Elin clenched his fists. She will bleed to death if I do not stop her soon. Sebial flew lower to the ground. Reaching her hand over her side, she released ice magic to seal her wound. She looked back up at the Keeper.
“Have you had enough intruder?” The Keeper spoke, his voice was deep and stern.
“He can speak?!” Elin said to himself in shock.
Sebial glared at the Keeper. “I will succeed in killing you!”
The Keeper raised his claws towards his mouth. “And how will you do that as you are now? As long as you only see death you will never defeat me.”
Sebial spit blood out of her mouth. “All I need is death to defeat you!”
The Keeper let out a dry laugh. “You cannot defeat one who owns death with death. But if death is what you seek, I can bring it for you so you may enjoy games of death for eternity here with the Forgotten.”
Sebial balled her fists. Quickly opening her fists, she released two large black darts from her palms. They flew towards the Keeper. He moved his head, allowing them to pass. Sebial gave a wry smile. The darts turned, quickly heading into the space between his wings.
It stabbed into his back right wing. The Keeper let out a painful laugh while moving closer to the ground.
“Very smart young one. You plan on making it to where I can no longer fly. But that alone won’t stop me. I can grow new wings.”
Elin continued to listen to the Keeper. His thoughts turning on how to defeat something that can conquer death. His mind began to think about his times as a young elf. All the healing magic he was taught.
“One who rules death also rules necromancy. If I could bring his followers to life or return life to him, then maybe he will weaken.” Elin spoke aloud to himself.
The Keeper looked at him. “There is no way to accomplish what you are seeking. These souls must never leave, or the world will perish.”
Elin looked up at the Keeper. Sebial threw another black dart at the Keeper. He quickly looked away and went back to fighting Sebial.
He heard me. But maybe that is because he wishes for me to free him. But I must also satisfy Sebial’s bloodlust.
Elin thought more about what was transpiring.
I know nothing of this land. How do I defeat death without death releasing its hatred into the world?
Elin smiled.
I will bring him life. I will heal his wounds and make this desolate land rich with life. I will heal this world.
Elin reached down to the ground. Placing his palms firmly against the purple moss, he closed his eyes. His magic slowly began to grow around him as he focused. Listening to the will of the realm he was in, he began to think about how the land used to appear. The image in his mind began to grow.
Fields of purple flowers, mountains with tops hiding in the clouds with never-ending waterfalls. Massive trees with bark that swirled to the top. Its branches hanging low creating an umbrella. Its leaves long and silver. Elin smiled to himself as he saw what the land once was.
Many animals he had only ever seen in books began to appear. Massive grey whales with sparkling skin flying through the sky in groups. Dragons lounging along the mountainside with their young hopping across the cliffs. Fish swimming up the waterfall with large teeth and white scales. Silver birds with blue dots flying through the waterfall, catching the fish with their talons. Small glowing rodents with dark green fur chasing orange insects under the trees. The air smelled sweet from the fields of yellow sugar cane.
With the image of the land firmly in his mind, he began to release his magic, first focusing on the ground’s terrain. As his magic began to vein from his hands, the ground shook. Mountains slowly began to rise in the distance. The ground began to sink in to make way for the rivers. One of his veins shot into a well causing the water to quickly pour into the top of the mountains. Water began to fall into the riverbeds below.
Elin took a deep breath before moving more of his magic into the veins. His body trembled from the release of his magic. Saplings of trees and bushes began to sprout, quickly growing full size. Elin began to sweat as he felt the magic growing harder to control over such a vast area. He remained focused. His head throbbed as he tried to keep a clear vision of the land he wished to create.
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Gripping the ground harder, he made magic veins slowly pop out across the land. From the glowing green veins, he began to release the animals he saw in his vision. The animals quickly acted just how he imagined; flying, swimming, and climbing.
His focus was broken from the Keeper roaring. His veins faded for a moment causing all his work to stop. Elin quickly regained his focus, and the veins strengthened once again.
He moved a vein to the sounds of fighting. Reaching the land of the restless forgotten souls, he listened to their hearts’ unfinished desires. Knowing he couldn’t set them free, he focused on bringing them peace. Some desired the ability to return to their loved ones. Knowing their loved ones were long gone, he pulled the memories which the souls had and created like images of the towns and villages.
Some desired to be freed from their endless slavery in the war. Elin created their kings to come and pardon them. His body began to bleed as he continued to push his magic to a new extreme.
Listening to the cries of wanting glory, he made their homes appear with villagers celebrating. He continued until all the screams of war had ceased.
Elin slowly pulled back the veins from the ground, giving his body time to adjust to some of the magic returning. Opening his eyes, he looked up at Sebial and the Keeper. Their fighting continued even though the world around them had changed.
Elin sighed, thinking he had lost but then he noticed Rose nearby, crying.
“Why are you crying?” Elin questioned her.
She wiped the tears away. “I am just so happy to see it again. It has been a long, long time. I never thought I would see this place again. I saved what few animals I could long ago, and I keep them within bubbles so their magic will not cease.”
“I understand. This place was truly wonderful and you can safely release the animals now. Yet, they haven’t slowed.”
“He has though. I have watched as the Keeper has slowed down. His desire to fight has dwindled.”
Elin looked up to the sky but couldn’t see what Rose saw.
He looked back at his hands, trembling from the amount of magic he used. Thinking of what Rose said, he knew he had to finish what he had started in order to save Sebial. Squeezing his hands together, he looked up at the dragon fighting with Sebial.
“I can finish this. I will save her,” Elin whispered to himself.
Opening his hands, he aimed his palms towards the Keeper and Sebial. Focusing on all the healing and binding magic he knew, he began to release a white fog towards them.
The Keeper noticed what Elin was doing and quickly tried to evade the coming magic but was stopped by Sebial’s flying ice darts. Elin forced his magic to move towards them faster, quickly encompassing them in his bubble of fog.
Sebial and the Keeper began trying to fight away the fog to no avail. Elin pushed more of his magic into the fog causing them to no longer be able to move. Enshrouded in the fog Sebial and the Keeper became still. Their attacks frozen in the air.
Elin closed his eyes, in his mind he painted an image of peace and warmth. He focused the image into his magic. Slowly it began to chip away at Sebial and the Keeper.
Helpless to fight back against Elin’s strong emotions and magic, they succumbed. Sebial passed out, her body slowly began to return to normal, her hair turned back to a shining silver color. The wall of ice magic she had surrounding her body returned to her. Floating in the fog, Elin slowly pulled her from it with his other hand while keeping one hand to hold the fog in place on the Keeper.
Sebial floated down from the sky. Elin placed her on the ground in front of him. Fast asleep, he smiled. Removing his hold on Sebial, he used his remaining magic on the Keeper.
The dragon’s eyes stared at Elin as he continued to keep the fog densely around him.
“I will not let you hurt Sebial again. I will return you to what you once were,” Elin shouted to the Keeper.
The Keeper's pupils dilated from what Elin said. Elin interlaced his fingers while continuing to keep his palms faced towards the Keeper.
He closed his eyes and shot a piece of his soul from his hands into the Keeper. Falling to the ground, Elin’s body collapsed.
Sixteen
One month later
Woldiniar placed his hands together, forming a dark orb with bolts of lightning within it. “You will perish, Nalenero! I know the truth!”
He widened his hands; the orb grew slightly more. With a whistle, the orb flew from his hands, exploding in front of Nalenero. Bolts of lightning shot throughout the throne room. People ran screaming as the ceiling began to collapse. Broken pieces of stone scattered across the floor, dust quickly filled the space.
“Woldiniar, there are too many people around. You cannot just do things like this,” Denias pleaded.
Woldiniar stretched his arms out. Turning in a circle, he yelled at Denias, “LOOK AROUND! We have been here for three weeks, just trying to get close. During those three weeks, you have seen the corruption of these lands. These people are under the same spell as that small village. Cursed to relive every day the same! I will kill him and save them!” Woldiniar looked back at Nalenero. His eyes turned black. “Go Denias. This is not where you will end. Leave us!”
Denias nodded, running out of the throne room with the others.
Nalenero tapped his cheek. “Interesting, you, friends with an elf. You are nothing more than garbage. Someone as old as you should know better.”
“Do not speak of my age! I will kill you, and it will be glorious. You have ruined this world. You, a traitor to all the races and to our own mother!”
“Enough, Woldiniar! The people love me! I am their king!” Nalenero chuckled while he sat on the throne. “I never betrayed her. I just helped her with evolution. Maybe if you spoke to her, you would know I am right.”
“Lies! Nothing you say will change that! You have these people under your spell as well! If they truly loved you, there wouldn’t be a need to conceal yourself as the former king of this land!”
Woldiniar threw another orb at Nalenero, it erupted above his head. Nalenero jumped up. “It was an easier transition. I did not want the people to panic with a new king. I did it for them.”
“Stop spewing lies, you filthy piece of trash.”
Nalenero lifted his hand in front of him, a silver staff appeared. Grabbing it, black bolts sparked across the staff.
Woldiniar ground his teeth. He wiped the dust from his face. Pulling his shoulders back, he began to let out a long whistle. Swirls of glimmering green vines shot up from the granite floor beneath Nalenero.
He happily levitated above. “You are not original at all Woldiniar, that type of magic won't work on me.” Holding his staff firmly, he released a black bolt onto the vines. They began to melt, the liquid burned through the floor.
“That is what you think, brother. I have grown over the centuries. You, on the other hand, are still using the same old disgusting spells.” Woldiniar let out a short whistle, the liquid quickly rose from the ground, swirling itself into a green and black ball. “Now, I have both of our magic.”
Woldiniar smiled. He whistled two short bursts allowing the orb to grow in intensity. He whistled again, adding lightning into the orb. It began to shake and lose shape. Nalenero began to back away. Keeping his staff fully extended in front of him.
“I can block that Woldiniar, you are just using up your magic.”
Woldiniar took a deep breath and laughed. “I would never use all of my magic on a worthless brother like you.”
Woldiniar clapped his hands together. The orb exploded, shrouding everything in darkness. The blast wave from the explosion threw Woldiniar through an outer wall.
As he fell, he looked up, watching as the room collapsed. The floors above came tumbling down as well. “There is no way you will survive that you bastard of a warlock.” Woldiniar smiled before passing out.
Seventeen
He opened his eyes to see he was in the Keeper’s memories. Surrounded by darkne
ss and death, Elin began to walk through the memories, searching for any peaceful ones.
“You will not find what you seek in here half-elf,” a deep voice spoke to him from behind.
Elin quickly turned around to see the Keeper standing above him.
“I will. I will stop you from living in such strife. Your soul is damaged. I will save you in order to protect Sebial.”
The Keeper laughed. “You wish to save one cursed by The Flame?!”
The Keeper sat down, causing the ground to shake. His wings slowly lowered to his sides. He tapped his claws on the ground. Looking straight into Elin’s eyes, he continued to speak.
“How do you suppose something as young as you could undo her curse? Our maker punished her. Nothing can undo the maker’s desires.”
Elin glared at the Keeper. “I will undo it. Sebial will save us all, Keeper.”
“Sebial will save us all,” the Keeper mockingly repeated. “That will never come to pass. You both will perish before that can be done. I will see to it. Your souls will forever reside with me.”
Elin stood firm as he yelled at the dragon. “You will not hold us! We will leave this place.”
The Keeper began laughing. His laugh caused Elin to lose his footing from the ground, shaking. Elin looked up, his eyes filled with anger.
“Tell me, why are you so sure? If we are to remain here forever, then you can tell me what makes you so sure Sebial cannot undo her curse.”
The Keeper glanced over to a memory floating in the distance. Dragons flying across a fiery sky as magic rose from the ground, striking them down. He looked back at Elin.
“I will humble your human sides curiosity half-elf.”
“Do not call me half-elf. My name is Elin.”
“Then do not call me Keeper, half-elf.”
“What is your name? Is it draco?” Elin chuckled.