by A. J. Walker
“Oh, excuse me and my clutter. Please make yourselves at home,” he said brushing books off some chairs. “Don’t mind the mess,” he said to Anders and pointed to the freshly exposed upholstery and nodded. “Go on, sit, sit.”
Anders sat down where Solomon directed him, “Ouch!” Anders exclaimed and jumped up. He nearly whacked his head on the cabin’s center beam as he leapt out of the chair. Rubbing the sore spot on his rump, Anders looked down to see two small creatures covered with sharp, needle-like spikes skitter off the seat. Their little legs carried their horned bodies across the floor and behind a pile of parchment stacked near a desk.
“Oh, there you little ones are,” the old hermit said. “I have been looking for you two for three days. I thought they were out on a walkabout,” he said to his guests.
“What are they?” Anders asked, rubbing his tender bottom.
“Those are Lumbapi Razor-Backed lizards,” the old man said. “They are quite rare. I found them in the woods. I suspect a rotten-hearted tradesman had them. Probably dumped them out here when he realized how hard they are to care for. You see, the thing is, once you gain their trust, they basically take care of themselves. Come on out my dears,” he said bending down and placing his hand flat on the floor, letting them crawl up his arm and onto his shoulders.
Anders’ jaw dropped in astonishment upon seeing the creatures more closely. “They are quite cute, aren’t they,” he said, forgiving them at once.
“Yes they are, and magical creatures as well. This purple one is Ulgna, and that green one is Rufus,” Solomon said pointing to them one at a time. He placed them back down by the desk and they scurried off. “Well now, what is it that brought you out here to my quiet home?” he asked. “I can tell from the looks on your faces that you’re on some kind of mission, unless I’m mistaken, and you’ve traveled all this way just to have a chat with me?”
The silence that followed made the room feel a tad uncomfortable as Solomon looked around at the expressions on their faces. Anders felt uncomfortable explaining what had happened during the last week. He was still mourning the death of his dear uncle and thought it wasn’t his place to tell such details of his life, no matter how decent Solomon seemed.
“Okay, Sol,” Max started talking. “There was this competition that I went to in Grandwood… You know the one, right?”
Solomon nodded his head, but Ivan interrupted Max before he could continue, “Thargon attacked Grandwood last week with a fleet of ships at his command. He was looking for something of great value to him and his master. It led him to Anders’ uncle’s place. He killed Theodor, Anders’ uncle, over it, right in front of Theodor’s own children.”
Solomon gasped at the wickedness of Thargon’s wrath.
“Despite my efforts to save Theodor from this fate, I was unable to stop it. By the time I arrived, Thargon had already attacked. I engaged him and was able to save these two,” he pointed at Anders and Max. “Thargon and his men retreated, thinking they had captured what they had come for. They took many people who were in Grandwood at the time of the attack as prisoners. We pursued his ships with the help of the Rollo Island warriors, but a storm and some powerful magic left us ship-wrecked.”
So that’s what he was doing back on the ship, Anders thought to himself. He must have been attempting to counter the massive gust of wind that sent us all overboard.
“The Rollo Islanders sent for the rest of their naval forces and are currently crossing the ocean. Red, our Rollo companion, is sending word to his people informing them of what has happened to us. When Thargon’s master discovers that he failed to retrieve what he was sent to capture, they will return to Westland and kill countless people to find it. We must find out where Thargon is going, so we can prevent him from causing further destruction. Do you have any knowledge of where he’s going?”
Anders noticed Solomon eyeing him as Ivan spoke, making him feel a little uncomfortable.
“I haven’t heard talk of Thargon for many years. I was under the impression he’d been defeated near the end of The War of the Magicians and had departed from this world,” Solomon said, stroking his fingers through his nappy beard as he looked to be searching carefully for his next words. “Yes, you were wise to come to me before you got too tangled in this web,” Solomon said in a much more serious tone.
Max gave Anders a worried look as they realized the situation they found themselves in was something much bigger than they had anticipated.
“I am aware that you, Ivan, are well versed in the past of your enemy, but from the look these two just gave each other, they are less well informed,” Solomon said to Ivan.
“I was trying to keep them on a need-to-know basis. I thought it would be easier for them if they didn’t know what they could possibly be getting into,” Ivan said as if he were trying to protect them. “I’m more than happy to inform them about Thargon’s past, since it appears they now do need to know,” Solomon said as if he were scolding Ivan. “But first, I will need to put a fresh pot of water on and pack my pipe,” Solomon said pulling a pipe from his pocket and searching for his teakettle.
***
A thick haze began to fill Solomon’s cabin as he puffed and pondered how to begin the history lesson. Once he’d smoked most of his pipe bowl and had a hot cup of tea in his hand, he sat down on a wooden chair ready to begin.
“To give this story proper justice I must first give you a brief history of magic; then I will tell you how Merglan came to be so powerful,” Solomon began.
“He’s the one in charge of Thargon, right?” asked Max.
Solomon nodded and then opened his mouth to begin.
Ivan interrupted, saying, “Is that really pertinent to what we’re dealing with right now?”
“Yes, it is,” Solomon said matter-of-factly.
“This is a waste of time,” Ivan muttered to himself under his breath.
“I heard that, boy,” Solomon said glaring at Ivan. “Now where were we…? Ah yes, Merglan. To understand his power you must first understand that there is universal energy that flows within and through all living things,” he began again. “It’s what binds us with the world around us. You cannot see it, but it’s there, and if you’re lucky, maybe one day you’ll feel it. This energetic force can be used to do inexplicable and unimaginable things. What I’m talking about is what we humans refer to as magic,” he said opening his hands as if he was about to cast a spell.
“No human, elf, or any other species of this world has ever been able to harness this energy on their own. Except for dragons, that is. Anyone or thing that has ever been able to use magic was given the gift by dragons alone. Many people have devoted their lives searching for a way to conjure up this ability without the help of dragons, but not once has it been done.”
“I thought it was something you were born with. Isn’t it passed on by genetics?” Anders asked.
“That is what many people believed; however, that’s simply not the way it works. Why that is has boggled the minds of those who’ve studied it throughout each of the five civilized nations of Kartania, Westland, Eastland, Southland, Mount Orena, and the Everlight Kingdom, for as long as anyone can remember. The only way to gain the ability and control the energy within all things is if a dragon gifts it to you.”
“Hold on,” Max said stopping Solomon. “Dragons are wild beasts that only bring death and destruction. Rarely do they venture far enough south to be seen. How does anyone get close enough to a dragon to let it give you something?”
“Yeah, come on, dragons aren’t exactly known for being friendly,” Anders added. “This all seems a bit suspect to me. Dragons are best known for devouring humans and anything else they see as a quick meal. Besides, there hasn’t been a dragon in Westland since they destroyed the royal castle along with everyone inside that used to sit atop Highborn Bay. That was over seven hundred years ago.”
Ivan chuckled to himself quietly as pipe smoke expelled f
rom his mouth.
“What are you laughing about?” Max asked, looking over at him. “I thought you said this was a huge waste of time.”
“There are many things you spring chickens do not know,” Ivan said with a smirk.
“Believe it or not,” Solomon continued, “although the dragons of Nagano are wild creatures, they have an exceptionally long life span. Mind you, when they form a bond, it can only be broken by death. Dragons have keen senses that can see a creature’s deepest truths. When a dragon connects with you on that level, something unexplainable happens.”
“So you’re telling me, anyone who can wield magic has befriended a dragon, including Merglan, Thargon, and Ivan?” Anders said, turning to face Ivan.
“In a sense,” Solomon said.
“What does that mean?” Max said, confused.
“Ivan and Merglan were fortunate enough to form bonds with dragons, yes. Thargon, however, was not.”
“Then how come he used magic during the attack?” Max protested. “That contradicts everything you just told us!”
“It is a mystery indeed,” Solomon said, puffing on his pipe. “Merglan is the most powerful sorcerer this world has ever seen. In bringing Thargon back into this world, he must’ve figured out a way to transfer some of his abilities to Thargon. Since you have survived Thargon’s attack, it’s safe to assume he doesn’t possess the same skills as his master. If he had, none of you would be here today,” Solomon said, raising his bushy eyebrows for dramatic effect.
“I didn’t want to believe it until I heard it from someone else,” Ivan said. “We would all be much better off if he had somehow found a dragon evil enough to give him the gift.”
“If Merglan has figured out how to give magic to anyone he desires, he could easily and swiftly destroy anyone or anything that opposes him,” Solomon said gravely.
For the next hour, Ivan and Solomon debated what this could mean for the fate of humanity.
“At any rate, that is how one acquires the gift of magic,” Solomon said finally, turning his attention back to Max and Anders, who had been playing with Ulgna and Rufus, the two lizards, while Ivan and Solomon quarreled.
“Come on, playtime is over. Let’s continue the history lesson,” Solomon said. “Where were we before I went off on that tangent?”
“You were about to tell us about Merglan,” Anders said, gently setting Ulgna down and watching her scamper off across the floor.
“Ah yes, that’s right. The tale of Merglan and how he came to power has been told many ways and in different forms, but the one that I will tell you is the one that is the most accurate.
“Merglan grew up in Kingston, the royal city of Southland. At the time, this was where the king of both Westland and Southland ruled. King Koufen was an honest and just man who ruled both human nations fairly. It was a time of peace and prosperity among all five civilized nations. Without any of the distractions of war, King Koufen was able to spend his time dabbling in other areas. He was particularly fascinated with science and philosophy. The king did not believe in magic, because, as Anders said, dragons hadn’t been seen since they destroyed the old kingdom’s capital at Highborn Bay. No human had been gifted with magic for hundreds of years. King Koufen thought all things caused by magic could be explained with science.
“Merglan’s father was Koufen’s alchemist. As a boy, Merglan spent his childhood in the King’s castle. For better or worse, Koufen had a son around the same age as Merglan. His name was William. Merglan and William were the best of friends. They played together every day and became very competitive with each other at an early age.
“King Koufen made sure his son had lessons in morality and knew when the boys’ little competitions were getting too extreme. Merglan’s father, however, was too obsessed with perfecting his work and did not pay close attention to his son. So the son developed a dark and twisted sense of right and wrong, focused on winning. After all, the only praise he received was from his friend, the prince, when Merglan bested him at one of their games.
“One day, Merglan came up with a game to see who could catch the most cats around the castle before lunch. When William returned, he found his friend with a bag full of strangled cats. He was horrified and told Merglan that what he’d done was not okay. Merglan was a clever child and acted remorseful in response to his friend’s dramatic reaction. He lied, promising the prince he would never do such a thing again and said he misunderstood the rules of the game. William was innocent and naïve to such a trickster, so he believed Merglan and promised not to tell his father.
“By the time the two were young men, Prince William had made Merglan a squire of sorts. Merglan helped the prince in all things, his favorite duty being William’s training to be a leader during times of war. It was during these years that Merglan developed experience in battle strategy and the art of war. Merglan was also being groomed by his father to become William’s alchemist when King Koufen stepped down and gave William the throne. Certain aspects of the ancient art drew Merglan’s curiosity, like creating a potion that would grant those who took it eternal life, or crystals that could house the spirits of the dead, among other things. Merglan felt alchemy wasn’t his true calling and wanted to be a soldier most of all. Death and killing were all the young man truly cared for.
“One day, the prince came back from traveling with a young girl who he desperately wanted to marry. William began ignoring Merglan, preferring to spend his time with the young lady. Having no time to strategize for a war that did not exist, Merglan grew very jealous of the girl. He made several attempts to get rid of her, but was unsuccessful. Each time he tried, either William would get in the way and ruin his timing or he was unable to find the prince’s fiancé.
“Fed up with the situation, Merglan left the castle without any explanation of his destination. We now know he went north to find the dragons. Some say he ventured to Nagano, east of the Everlight Kingdom, while others say he went all the way to Northland, a place from which no one had ever returned. No one knows exactly how it happened, but one day he came back to the kingdom with malice in his heart and an unquenchable thirst for power. He killed King Koufen and then went after William and his new wife. The two of them escaped and Merglan couldn’t find them. Using his new power, he began conquering as much of Kartania as he could.
“The free races of the five nations banded together, forming alliances among elves, humans, dwarfs, and several dragons. They fought against Merglan for many years. The war was dubbed The War of the Magicians. Merglan never relented in his search for Prince William and his wife. After their initial flight, whispers of their survival were told throughout the kingdoms. Despite the rumors no one knows what happened to the prince and his wife. Some say they went into hiding and bore a child, or perhaps Merglan killed them shortly after fleeing Kingston. Others say they disappeared into Northland and were never seen again. Many believe the last to be what drove him to altogether disappear. Suddenly he vanished and released his grip on the world, bringing the long war to an abrupt end. There are those who believe he’s still wandering the vast wilderness of Northland in search of them.” Solomon raised his eyebrows and looked down into his empty mug. “My cup has gone dry,” he muttered and got up to refill it.
“That was the war you and my uncle fought in,” Anders said to Ivan.
Ivan was still standing with his arms crossed and leaning against a wall. He shifted and cleared his throat, saying, “Yes. Those were dark times. Your uncle was brave and helped bring a halt to Merglan’s forces.”
“Wait. What do you mean Merglan just disappeared?” Max asked.
Solomon rejoined the conversation, “I believe he went mad and sent himself into a deep exile after realizing he’d killed his only friend in the world.”
“I too, have a theory about what happened to him,” Ivan said. “It is my opinion that Merglan has once again become obsessed with power and world domination. That’s why he’s suddenly ma
de his presence known. He has found his passion and needs to quench his thirst for it.”
“Well, you would probably know more about it than I,” Solomon said. “I was just guessing. I wasn’t in the War of the Magicians like you were.”
“So,” Ivan said. “Do you have any idea of where he is now? Where Thargon is heading?”
“There is a place far to the east of here that has begun to draw some inquiries from the elves. Perhaps he has taken up residence in one of the abandoned castles along the Eastland coast,” Solomon said.
“I explored parts of Eastland when we first heard of his disappearance. I remember searching several abandoned castles along the coast of the Marauder Sea. Wherever he is, we know he has a small army, perhaps a larger one. But with the entire force of the Rollo Islanders at our side, we should be able to defeat any force he has managed to muster, as long as we act quickly.” Ivan straightened his body and thanked Solomon for his counsel. “Come on boys, we need to be getting on our way,” he said.
“Take care and don’t hesitate to come back anytime,” Solomon said as he escorted them out of his tree house.
Anders followed Ivan and Max out the door. Solomon grabbed him by the arm as he passed. Anders looked at the old man, surprised to see his eyes were rolled backward into his head.
Anders was about to call to Max and Ivan for help when Solomon said, “The journey ahead is a dangerous path. Do not follow its every turn, for there is an evil that hunts behind you, but do not stray too far from the path. If you get lost, you will never come back. Follow your heart and your truth will be revealed.”
When he was done speaking, his eyes came back to their normal position and he seemed confused as to why he was gripping Anders by the arm. Releasing his grip, he patted the young man on the shoulder and said, “Take care then.”
