The General stepped in front of the doorway, blocking his exit.
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.” he said. A green flicker flashed across the General’s eyes as he glared intently at Tyrius, a look that left Tyrius on edge and extremely unnerved.
Suddenly Tyrius recognized why his senses were on such high alert, his heart began racing fiercely with worry for his king. “What have you done!” asked Tyrius, grabbing his staff and taking a step back from the General.
General Krauss casually waved his hand and began pacing slowly back and forth.
“Me? Oh dear, no. It is your king that has done something wrong, or, had planned to, I should say, had I not restrained him.” replied the General calmly.
“What do you mean?” asked Tyrius warily.
“Oh, the irony! A man of such skill in prophecy, yet he doesn’t even know what is happening right in front of his nose!” mocked the General. “Your king has been arrested for treason against his own people, of course.” he said casually.
“Treason! Nonsense! The king has done no such thing and you know it!” replied Tyrius, furious at such a blatant lie being directed towards his king.
“Oh, Tyrius, you have always been blinded by your loyalty to the crown. That will be your downfall.” said the General. “The king was caught plotting to unleash the Defiant One from his eternal prison. Once he heard rumor of the warrior of prophecy finding the Orb, he immediately began acting irrational, frantically searching through the books of prophecy to find the text addressing the Final Days.
“My captain stationed outside his chambers immediately reported his strange behavior to his supervisors who, in turn, reported it to me as soon as we had arrived.
Upon reaching his chambers, the king had gone entirely mad and was having to be restrained by my men. He was shouting and screaming something about the end of the world, that the Defiant One would rise again, that he would soon be free to roam the land and seek his revenge on those responsible for his imprisonment.”
The General paused for a moment to let the information sink in before he finished.
“He then said that he knew who would be the one to set him free....”
“Liar!” shouted Tyrius, “You have no proof!”
“Actually, I do” replied General Krauss. “Men! Bring me the guards who were stationed outside the King’s chambers this afternoon.”
Immediately a group of young soldiers quickly entered the room followed by several officers. The general turned to address one of the younger soldiers who looked extremely uncomfortable and refused to look at Tyrius directly.
“Captain, kindly tell Master Tyrius what you saw earlier and why you felt the need to report it to your superiors.”
“Yes, sir!” the young man shouted nervously. “I was standing guard at the post by the King’s chambers when I heard what sounded like the king shouting. Immediately my partner and I rushed through the doors to see what was causing the commotion. The King…. he was…different, somehow.
“He had a mad look in his eye and sweat was beading on his forehead…his hair was drenched in it. He was pacing around frantically, shouting something about the prophecy.
“When he saw us, he tried to attack us! We called for help and tried to restrain him. When my superiors arrived and saw the state of the King and what he was saying, they immediately left the room in search of you, sir! They felt you would know what to do…” he trailed off, looking down at the ground, ashamed to have handled his King in such a manner.
“You see, Tyrius?” continued the General, turning to the Elder. “I have told you no lies, although, I haven’t told you the whole story, yet.” He smiled at these last words.
“What do you mean?” asked Tyrius, cautiously.
“You see, when I finally arrived and tried to speak with the king, at first he resisted. But, in short time, he confessed to us all. He said the Defiant One would be released from his prison of darkness. That if we did not do exactly as he said, we would all die too.
“Of course, I sent away my men for fear of their safety and to save them from having to see their king in such a state. They had already been devastated by what they heard, and from the mouth of their own king, who they were sworn to protect…to hear him speaking of such horrifying things, the men were very afraid”
He slowly shook his head as if he were having difficulty getting out the words.
“When the men left, my first lieutenant and I stayed behind to try to calm down the King, to get him to speak rationally, clearly…and help us understand what had happened to him.
“That is when he confessed the true nature of his intentions – he had been secretly intending to release the Defiant One from his prison. He said it was the only way to ensure the survival of his kingdom in the coming days.”
“Impossible…I…. I don’t believe you!” said Tyrius desperately searching the eyes of the Lieutenant who stood before him.
The Lieutenant only shook his head slowly, “I am afraid it is true, my lord” he replied solemnly. “I couldn’t believe it myself, but I heard it with my own ears and saw him with my own eyes – he’s gone mad…”
“Thank you, Lieutenant. You are dismissed now” replied General Krauss.
He waited for his men to leave the room and slowly shut the door behind them before turning back to Tyrius. His eyes again flashing that eerie green hue before returning to their normal shade. Tyrius quickly searched his memory for the reason this left him so afraid.
The general began slowly pacing around the room.
“His reign was long overdue you know… once I heard the orb had been taken, I knew a change was coming. I’ve been studying the books of prophecy for years. I am well versed in what is to come, what signs to look for…It’s a shame that the King and his little band of Elders were too absorbed in economics and politics to see it coming, really…but I can’t blame them. Who would expect their own King to turn against him?”
He turned and looked at Tyrius, reaching out his hand in a welcoming gesture.
“This kingdom is now mine, according to law. The king has no rightful heir and his wife is long since passed, so therefore I am the king’s second-hand man; and in the event of the King’s untimely demise, or, in this case, intended betrayal, absent of an heir, I am the one responsible for the survival of the kingdom.
“Join with me and together we can make the world bow at our feet. We will grow our borders and wealth to limits never known before. What do you say, old friend?”
“You’re mad! You can never rightfully rule. The people won’t allow it. An Eldergate has been ruling this kingdom since it was founded. The council won’t let this stand!” replied Tyrius, “I don’t know what you have done with the King to make him say such things, but I am going to get to the bottom of it! I demand you let me speak with the King at once!” he started towards the door as if to leave.
General Krauss withdrew his hand and slowly shook his head. “I was afraid that you would decline my offer, so I set aside a few precautions. Guards! Seize this man. He is a traitor to your King!”
Chapter VI
The doors to the Study flung open and five soldiers came running into the room, swords drawn and pointing towards Tyrius. They rested in a circle around the Elder waiting for his surrender.
“Captain, this man is a threat to our kingdom and has been in league with the traitor king in his plot to unleash the Defiant One and destroy our world as we know it. Take him to the dungeons immediately to await his trial!”
“Surrender now, or we will have no other choice than to use force” said the captain of the soldiers.
“Surrender? You idiots! General Krauss is attempting a coup against the King! It is he that is a traitor, not I. Arrest him!” cried Tyrius, enraged.
“You don’t get it yet, do you Tyrius?” laughed General Krauss. “These men have been in my service for years now. They are loyal to me, not an old fool like yourself!”
The captain be
gan slowly moving in to detain Tyrius. “Put down your weapon now and we won’t harm you.”
Tyrius took a moment to consider his next step. He had no idea if the entire Royal Guard was compromised or not, but at the moment, he had to assume that they were on the General’s side. If they were, he would have to fight his way through a legion of soldiers to get to the King, which he didn’t even know where to find.
He wasn’t sure he was ready for such a fight without the help of the other Elders. Deciding to surrender and allow himself more time to discover the real reason for the King’s erratic behavior, Tyrius slowly lowered his staff before dropping it to the floor. The soldiers rushed in and quickly bound his hands behind his back.
“You won’t get away with this. The king’s following goes much deeper than you know. There will be repercussions that will echo throughout the kingdom and your reign will be short lived at best.” he warned.
“Oh dear, Tyrius, you have no idea what I have planned, or what I am capable of, for that matter.” replied General Krauss.
For a split second Tyrius saw the same eerie flash of green light glowing deep within the General’s eyes before it blinked again from existence.
“Take him to the dungeon with the others.” ordered the General.
“Yes, your Majesty” replied the captain. “Move it.” he said, shoving Tyrius roughly toward the door to the hallway.
Tyrius was numb with the recent events and was deep in thought as he walked along the halls through the Royal Palace. He hardly noticed descending the long staircase down into the lower levels of the palace, or the change of the air from a comfortable warmth to a cold dampness as they climbed deeper into the dungeons.
He could hear the echoing cries of those who had been taken before him. There were angry voices, screaming out at the soldiers who betrayed them; others were weeping hysterically, crying to be let go. It seemed the flaming torches on the walls only served to provide a steep contrast to the deep darkness and despair of the lower places of the palace.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, they entered the guard’s chamber before the iron doors to the dungeon. He heard the clinking of keys as the guard near the door stood up and grabbed a large iron ring from a hook on the wall. He began sorting through the various keys to find the one that opened the dungeon door. Once found, he shoved it into the keyhole and turned it with a click.
The door was pushed open and revealed a long hallway of darkness that was sparsely broken by the light of torches and was lined with dozens of iron-barred doors. The doors each led to a room with a single, small window that allowed a narrow shaft of moonlight to stretch across the cold, stone floors.
From what Tyrius could see as he passed by, the rooms were all packed with people. Some were filled with families, others with soldiers who apparently wouldn’t accept the news of their king’s betrayal. They were stripped of their weapons and armor and left only with their uniforms. It was obvious that they didn’t give in without a fight, as most of them had dressed wounds from what must have been an intense skirmish.
After walking some time down the hallway, they came to a large wooden door with a solid iron bar across the middle that locked it in place. The guard once again fumbled his large iron ring of keys before finding another, larger key for the door. When he unlocked it, he turned a rusty metal wheel to the right of the door that was fastened to the wall. Several chains began moving from the wheel up to the ceiling before there was a loud thud. The guard pushed the heavy metal bar out of the latch and slowly opened the door. The captain shoved Tyrius inside the dark room before slamming the door shut behind him. He could hear the iron beam click once again as the wheel turned and locked the door securely behind him.
The room was dark, but there was a shaft of soft moonlight that flowed from the small window in the back of the room that provided just enough light for Tyrius’ eyes to adjust.
“Who’s there?” echoed a deep familiar voice from within the depth of the dark room.
Tyrius knew the sound of that voice and a wave of relief flowed over him for the first time since the disturbance at the Temple.
“Your Majesty, thank the Heavens you’re here!” he cried. He could barely begin to see the outline of the King standing beside a makeshift bed near the corner of the room. “I thought I would never see you again!” said Tyrius.
“Tyrius…is that you, my old friend? What are you doing here?” asked the King.
“I could ask you the same question!” Tyrius replied. “Is it true? Were you really plotting the release of the Defiant One upon your people?” he asked, hoping his gut feelings were true.
“What? No…. well, at least I don’t intend to! But I know that’s what he’s saying that traitorous scum!” shouted the King in anger.
“Then what happened? How did he convince the soldiers to take you prisoner? He said you were acting like a mad man, shouting about prophecy and the return of the Defiant One. He said you intended to release him” asked Tyrius, eager to get to the bottom of the riddle that was eating away at the back of his mind.
“Well…yes, some of that is true, but it’s not what he says! He’s twisted it around on me and he knows it! He didn’t let me explain!”
Tyrius could tell the King was very agitated, so he tried a different approach.
“Your majesty tell me what is going on. Why were you so upset about the prophecy?” he urged gently.
“Ah yes…the prophecy…” the King began, “I was in my study and something overcame me. I suddenly had this urgent need to look over the books of prophecy, specifically those regarding the orb of power. I found the part that mentioned the warrior and his role that would come in facing the pending darkness. I looked it over and over, trying to find what it was I was looking for, but nothing would satisfy my sense of urgency. Frustrated, I left and returned to my chambers, but then suddenly, a vision came to me along with such clarity as I have never experienced before.” The King paused, seemingly deep in thought.
“Go on, your majesty.” urged Tyrius.
“Oh? Yes, yes…where was I?” the King continued, “I had a vision, so real, as if it were happening all around me. It showed such devastation, such destruction…it was horrifying. I could see a massive army of darkness. It was invading my kingdom, and I was powerless to stop it. My own soldiers had turned against me, I could see them fighting each other, some killing innocent women and children…I could hear their screams of horror, crying out to me to help them.” His voice began to quiver.
“Suddenly, a thundering voice echoed all around me. It told me that…that the Defiant One would be released, that it was the only way to ensure the survival of the kingdom….and of the world. I saw this object in my hand, it was emitting such incredible power…then I watched as it was slammed into the ground. It began to shake, the whole earth was shaking, so violently it began to tear, and out of the depths I could see his eyes – they pierced my soul, Tyrius…” He looked down, confused by his own words, but vehemently convinced of the truth of them.
“Tyrius, that voice…I don’t know how I know this, but it was the voice of the Creator God. He was warning me of what is to come. I know it doesn’t make any sense, I don’t understand why He would want to unleash such a devastation onto our earth again…if the stories are true, God help us…” he finished and began sobbing uncontrollably into his hands.
“My dear friend…I do not know what it is that you saw or heard, but I assure you, we will get to the bottom of this. The General is up to something. I suspect he may have something to do with what is going on, though, I cannot be sure. I can promise you one thing though, the Elders will know soon enough of what has come to pass, and they will come for us. We will help you get your kingdom back and help set the record straight!”
The King stopped and slowly looked up at his old friend and trusted advisor. “I sure do hope you’re right, Tyrius. I don’t think we have much time…no…not much time at all.”
With those
words, the King leaned back against the cold stone wall of the dungeon and closed his eyes.
Once he was sure the King was asleep Tyrius sat in the middle of the room and closed his eyes to concentrate his thought on the task at hand. He had to get a message to the remaining Elders to let them know he had been captured. As he sat meditating in the darkness, he could feel the strong presence of malice growing within the castle walls.
Suddenly he remembered the strange green flicker in the General’s eyes before he was taken away. He searched deep within his memory to try and find why that light caused him so much concern, but he was at a loss. He made a mental note to tell the rest of the council about what he saw when they spoke again.
Once he was sure he had gathered enough energy, he let out a great sigh. The signal had been sent. The Elders would know that he was in danger and Erin would have told them by now that he was at the castle to see the King.
They would know what to do. They would come for him.
Chapter VII
The Elders all stood in shock as an incredible sense of fear and anger filled their hearts. This news was very troubling, and something was wrong within the palace - they could sense it through their link with Tyrius. The Master Elder was the first to recover his wits and he spoke out in a clear but urgent tone.
“David, Erin, listen closely to me, as we may not have much time. You must leave the city as soon as possible. Gather what supplies you can, but only take what you need for a short trip, a day, two at most. You don’t want to be slowed down with a heavy burden, it will only hinder your pace, and speed is of the essence, I fear…” said the Master Elder.
“What do you mean, we just got here!” objected Erin, panic rising in her chest.
“I know child, I know…but an urgent matter at the palace has just come to our attention and we must see to it. We cannot help you right now as we had hoped, but I promise you, as soon as we look into it, we will seek you out and aid you in any way possible.
David Bishop and the Legend of the Orb Page 5