“I’m not really sure. At first it was like I was dreaming. I could see people from the orphanage, and we were playing games, but then I saw Erin as if she were standing right in front of me. Next thing I knew I was being pulled down this dark tunnel and this light appeared. I think it was the orb…it was calling out to me. It told me to free my mind…to give in to the power within.”
He rubbed his eyes again to clear away the remaining tears before blinking repeatedly to make sure he could see clearly again. Apart from his eyes, David felt fine. In fact, he felt rested as if he had been sleeping all night. “How long was I out?” he asked.
“You’ve been out for over an hour, closer to two” said Orin. “You went into a trance. At first it looked like you were asleep, but you were sitting firmly up, so I knew you were still awake. But then…something very odd happened.”
He bent down and examined David carefully before pressing on.
“Your eyes…they shot open like you had been startled awake by something. I walked over to make sure you were okay and urge you to try again, but then I realized you weren’t awake at all, but in fact you were somewhere entirely different.”
“What do you mean, entirely different?” asked David confused at the explanation Orin was giving him.
“David, your eyes were completely white, and they were glowing that same strange hue as the orb in your hand. The orb was glowing too. It was like you were lost within the orb, somewhere deep within its magical current. I tried to wake you, but you didn’t respond immediately like I expected you would, had you been in a normal trance.
“You weren’t asleep and dreaming and you weren’t in the trance I put you in either, or you would have responded to me. Your mind, your spirit, had gone somewhere entirely different.” he finished, still stricken by what he had witnessed.
David stood up and started walking slowly around the room. He didn’t understand what the orb meant when it told him to free his mind and give in to the power within. He didn’t feel like he was holding anything back.
He knew he desperately needed to gain control of the orb's power, but the message he got was too vague.
Frustrated, he asked Orin to put him in a trance again. Reluctantly, Orin agreed, curious to see what else might happen.
Despite their efforts, and after another hour with no success, David wasn’t able to repeat his connection with the orb. The most he got was a headache and a replay of random thoughts and memories as they passed in and out of his conscious thought. They finally decided to give it a rest and call it a night.
The next morning, they would be finishing their preparations for the coming battle and begin the long arduous march up the valley road and back down the mountainside on the path that would eventually lead them to Eldergate. They would both need their rest if they were to be of good use on the journey ahead.
Orin disappeared into his room first as it was closer to the grand study room they used for practice. David said goodnight to his friend and started down the hall towards his room. When he arrived, he quickly climbed into bed and pulled the covers up close to his face. Frustrated by his lack of success and now completely exhausted, David drifted off quickly into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter XXIII
“The preparations are coming along just as you expected, my King” General Parker bowed respectfully low to King Krauss before continuing. “It seems that the boy has found a way through the plains and into the mountains beyond. He has two companions with him, an elderly man, the other a middle-aged man of considerable size and strength. Our scouts reported that they made it through our defensive ring and seem to have headed towards the city-kingdom of Ravenfell.”
He paused to gauge his king’s reaction before he was signaled to go on.
“The scouts in the forest reported a major defeat with our ambush of the rebel camp. They had a more formidable force than we had anticipated, however it is no major concern. Our scouts are scouring the area and will find their new camp just as they had before. This time, we will make sure to crush them with our mages.”
The man hesitated before revealing his next bit of news, “There is something else, your majesty. There were reports from the battle of a girl who matched your description. She’s found her way to the rebel camp and is fighting alongside them. We will find her, my lord, and we will bring her to you as promised.”
He bowed his head low, waiting for the backlash he was expecting, but it never came. He slowly looked up at his King. He was standing by a window, looking out at the city below, his arms placed lightly behind his back.
Eager to finish with a positive message, General Parker continued.
“Also, your majesty will be pleased to hear that the scouts have located and captured another one of the elves. They are holding her in the dungeons.” The general finished with his report, keeping his head down to avoid making eye contact with the King as he turned with mention of the elf-girl.
“Excellent! Thank you, General, for your detailed report. At this rate it won’t be long before my plan comes to fruition. If we can’t get our hands on the girl, we will soon have enough power stored up that we won’t need her or that meddlesome boy any longer. Then, when the time is right, we will unleash my master and begin our conquest.” General Krauss smiled as he imagined the moment of his victory.
He would have what he wanted one way or the other. Now that he nearly had enough energy stored up in the crystal to perform the ritual, he would only need a few more elves or dwarves to complete his harvesting and the crystal would be ready. But it was a difficult thing to get his hands on those pesky creatures.
The elves were a little easier to capture than the dwarves, since they had a tendency of wandering off in the forest alone or in small groups. But the dwarves, they rarely ventured from their deep chambers within the mountains – too absorbed in their endless mining and far less interested in the world above to care to venture there.
“There’s one more thing, your Majesty…” said General Parker in a low murmur, his head bowed low, hesitant to deliver his final briefing. “The soldiers in the dungeon have reported that the King and Elder have escaped.”
“WHAT?” spat General Krauss. “How did this happen? Send the Wolf Guard out immediately to search for the prisoners. In the meantime, I will deal with those useless fools in the dungeon.”
General Krauss quickly walked past his extravagant throne while waving off the plate of grapes being offered by this week’s slave girl. With the citizens who had been unfortunate enough to be captured, he had been having his fresh pick of slaves to do his bidding.
Whatever he wished, he got, or they would suffer his wrath. He almost regretted having to suffocate the pretty girl he chose last week, but she simply refused to give herself to him – a mistake that cost her not only her own life, but the life of her parents as well. Such a pity, he thought to himself.
A smile stretched across his face as he walked down the carpet across the throne room and towards the high double doors that led to the entrance hall. Once he reached the landing outside of the door, he descended the massive stairway down to the main floor.
When he reached the bottom, he swiftly made his way through the doorway that led to the dungeons and began his descent down the dark stairwell.
As he entered the guard’s chamber, the three men quickly shot up from their chairs and stood at attention, fists on their heart. The General quickly drew his blade and simultaneously slit all three of their throats in a single, swift movement before returning his blade to its scabbard.
The guards fell to the floor gasping and gurgling as the General continued his way into the dungeon without missing a beat.
A few members of the Wolf Guard were waiting for him in the dark hallway outside one of the prison cells, their keen, predator eyes reflecting back at him through the darkness.
The General motioned to have them open the door and immediately he entered the room. Inside was a single chair with a female elf sitting,
chained to the chair. She looked up when he entered the room, terror in her almond-shaped eyes.
“Why have you brought me here? I have done nothing wrong. Our people have lived in peace for centuries.” she pleaded.
“It’s nothing personal, really. I just need you to give me a little bit of your magic. If you cooperate, I will let you go free.” replied the General with a casual smile.
The elf’s eyes suddenly went wide in disbelief. “My magic? I can’t give up my magic. That’s not how it works.” she stammered, alarmed by his request.
“No, not willingly I suppose. But that’s why I brought this” He pulled his hand out from his pocket and held up a small crystal. It looked as if it had been shattered and put back together, its body riddled with a thousand cracks like spiderwebs. He held his hand out for the girl to see what he had. At first, she didn’t recognize what he held, but then suddenly the realization hit her.
“That’s a Mystic Crystal! Where did you get that? I thought all of the ancient fragments had been lost?” she asked alarmed.
“Yes, that’s what I had thought too. Until I came across a traveler who had in his possession a shard of crystal that was unlike anything I had ever seen. When I finally convinced him to reveal to me where he had found it, I slit his throat and took his piece, then began excavating the area where it was found.
“At first, we found nothing, and I thought I had been tricked by the old man. But then, one of my men brought another piece to me, and one by one I found them. I spent the next several years having them painstakingly put back together, piece by piece.
He continued, “It was said that these crystals held mysterious magical properties, that they could siphon power from magical objects and store it for later use. Then it occurred to me, if I can’t get my hands on the orb of power to steal its precious magic, maybe I could siphon it from people.
“My plan began to take form. At first, I was going to use it against the Elders to drain away their power; however, I wasn’t so lucky to get them in my possession. So now I am forced to resort to other means to get the magic I need…” he looked hungrily at his captive, like a predator looks at his prey just before devouring it.
“You wouldn’t dare! If you do this, my people will not let it stand. They will come looking for me, and I assure you, once they find out what happened, you will have started a war you won’t be able to finish!” she glared defiantly, holding her head high as General Krauss stood before her idly playing with the crystal.
“Girl do not insult me with such petty threats. You have no idea of the power that I possess! When I am finished, all people will bow to me, their king, or they will die like the others. Now sit still, this won’t hurt….at least it won’t for long” he quickly slammed his hand with the crystal against the elf’s chest and she immediately began thrashing and screaming.
The crystal illuminated with an intense white light as it drained the magic from the elf. Slowly her screams began to fade as she started to lose consciousness, until finally all was silent, leaving the stone glowing with a brilliant white light before fading back to its original hue.
“Take her away and throw her body with the others” General Krauss ordered.
Two of the wolves standing by the door walked into the room and began hauling away the dead elf.
General Krauss turned to the remaining wolf, “I need more. The amount of mystic magic I will need to open the rift is insurmountable. Tell your scouts to bring me as many as they can find, and quickly. We are running out of time. Midsummer’s eve is fast approaching, and the ritual has to be complete by midnight or our plans will be postponed until the next eclipse.”
“Yes, sire.” replied the wolf in his deep, guttural tongue. “I will personally see to it that we do not fail.” He bowed low and immediately set off at an alarming pace on all four legs, racing down the hallway and up the stairs out of sight.
General Krauss ascended the dungeon stairway with great strides, focusing his thoughts on what must be done in the days ahead. He thought it absurd that the one person that could ultimately thwart his plans of ruling the kingdoms was none other than a teenager. He quickly shrugged off the growing concern in the back of his mind and focused on the task at hand – he had to get that girl. She’s the only thing that he could use as a bargaining chip with the boy. If he controlled her, he controlled the orb bearer.
When he reached the top of the staircase near the throne room, he noticed General Parker and a group of soldiers standing in the entrance hall at the foot of the stairs, awaiting his arrival.
“What news do you have, General? Is the mage army ready for the attack?” he asked eagerly.
The General bowed low before answering, “Yes, my lord, the scouts have located the rebel camp and have confirmed that the girl is still with them. Our mages are ready for the attack, your Excellency. You need only give us the word and I will send my men along with a company of Elite Wolf Guard to accompany the mages and ensure that this time, all goes as planned.”
“Thank you, general. You will be rewarded well if you succeed. I make sure those who are loyal to me are well taken care of.” General Parker smiled as the worry grew in the pit of his stomach, he knew also how his new King rewards those who fail him too many times, and suspected that if he failed this time, his reward would be a swift death. “Prepare for the attack at once. I expect to have report of a successful operation by morning” General Krauss ordered threateningly. “You are dismissed.”
General Parker and his men saluted their King with a fist to the heart before they all turned and hurried off to relay the commands and begin the march toward the rebel camp. They all knew that to fail again would surely cost them their lives – they didn’t intend on failing.
Chapter XXIV
Tyrius and the King dragged the two soldiers off into a small clearing in the brush outside of the walls of West Post in order to interrogate them. He tied them up to the trunk of a tree, gagging one before splashing some water from a nearby brook to wake up the first soldier. As soon as he recognized that he was tied up he began squirming violently, attempting to break free from his bonds.
“You won’t get through that knot, soldier.” answered Tyrius. “I suggest you stop struggling and conserve your energy. If you tell me what you know, I will show mercy and let you live.”
“And what exactly is it that you think I know, old man?” he asked glaringly.
“A young girl came through here a few days ago; she would have been with a boy roughly her age. She has brown hair and blue eyes with fair skin, and most likely wore a fierce look of determination. She was looking for an old man that lives in these parts. I need to know if you’ve seen her” said Tyrius sternly.
The soldier laughed, “The only girl matching that description that I’ve seen in these parts lately was the day before yesterday. She wasn’t with a boy, though. But it doesn’t matter, you’re too late, if she’s the one you’re looking for she’s probably dead by now.”
“Tell me what you know!” demanded Tyrius furiously at the mention of Erin being in danger.
“She was a crazy thing, pure savage if you ask me” said the soldier, remembering the incident. “She was captured trying to sneak past our guards. It’s a good thing she’s going to the dungeons, she’s a wild wench and needs to be set straight!” he spat on the ground before Tyrius’ feet.
“The dungeons? They’re taking her to the Royal Palace?” asked Tyrius.
“Yeah…probably to be executed, that or used for the King's pleasure…” the soldier gave Tyrius a sly smirk. “She’d be a good one if you ask me, feisty as she is. It’d be fun breaking her spirit.”
“You’ve served your purpose. I have no further use for you” said Tyrius, looking down at the man, disgusted.
“Good. Now let me go.” said the soldier.
“Oh, I intend on it.” said Tyrius.
He quickly drew his dagger and sliced the man’s throat before starting toward the path that leads
to the capital.
“What about the other one?” asked the King.
“What about him?” asked Tyrius.
“He’ll die out here alone.” replied the King.
“He’s a traitor, if that is his fate, then it is a better one than he deserves. Now come, we have already lost too much time. We must go!”
Together they set off down the path, following the tracks of the cart leading back towards Eldergate.
After only a few hours hike they came across an area where there was clearly some kind of skirmish.
The cart tracks stopped dead in the middle of the path where a burnt pile of wood and metal lay still smoking off to the side. Tyrius noticed the chaotic tracks scattered all around the area and quickly began deciphering what information he could gather from them.
Tyrius could see where several bodies had lay and were dragged off the path. He followed the tracks into the woods and found the source of the tracks, two dead Royal soldiers, one with a slit throat, the other with an arrow through his back.
By the looks of it, they hadn’t been dead for more than a day or two. Tyrius assumed the soldiers had been ambushed and the cart burned, but he wondered what could have come of Erin and who would have attacked the soldiers. He knelt to inspect the arrow still protruding from the soldier’s back.
“It’s the same type issued to the Royal Guard…interesting. There must be some soldiers still loyal to the King. They must be fighting back!” Tyrius said to himself. “My king, there is hope yet!” he said to the King. “Come, let’s follow these tracks and see where it leads us!”
Together Tyrius and the King set off through the woods in hopes to find the men who ambushed the soldiers. Something told him that if they found those men, he would also find Erin, and that thought sent a surge of hope through him that fueled his limbs to keep on moving.
David Bishop and the Legend of the Orb Page 22