- It is time to leave this city, my Master, the paladin replied, we have been too long ...
- If we leave in this way, the regent Harnam will take us prisoners in one of the doors guarded by soldiers who are stationed at the entrance of the castle.
- Do you have a better idea, Master? - Asked the tattooed man
- Of course not ! And even if we escape, we will be visible miles away despite the darkness of the winter days.
- "Unless we use this ...", - said the newcomer
It was then that the old paladin held out his right hand and opened it to reveal the dust of Horteras, a powerful magical element that he stole a short time ago in one of the lands of the Confins.
- "I see you have brought back beautiful memories of your wanderings, my friend," said Mage Tohn-Ma, who hastened to bring the paladin into the small apartment.
- It is important to take what is necessary and today is a good day to use it ...-
- First I must obtain my staff, replied the magician, without him my powers will be limited and I will not be useful.
- Let it be so, my Master.
The paladin sprayed the body of the magician and his own with the magical dust, which resembled a mixture of freshly ground flour and ashes, their bodies gave the illusion of playing with the shadows and this allowed them to sneak through the many corridors of the castle without being seen.
They arrived near the throne room, where the regent Harnam was sitting, surrounded by a crowd of guards and the general of the city. The magician approached them with the greatest discretion and stole his staff that was nearby. A crunch made the young man look across the room, pursed his lips and frowned, something was wrong, he could feel it.
The Regent immediately stood up and shouted "Guards! Take the wizard's quarters on the spot!" -
The magician and the paladin quickly left the throne room when the order was given by the guard who ran to the regent's seat, while the latter gave the order to close all the doors of the castle.
The order came in an instant to the patrolman stationed at the entrance of the fort, the two men had just enough time to pass through the huge doors as the wind rushed against the rock. Once outside, the effect of the dust dissipated and Mage Tohn-Mâ exclaimed:
- You impress my friend.-
- You would be surprised at what can be found on journeys across the ocean of eternity, - replied the paladin, we must hurry to find horses, the road is long for Moprem.
- I am very grateful to you, my friend, thanks to your help I will be able to return to my city and notify my Master Magician Donnhum and King Berum of these new events, they should be informed as soon as possible of the changes in the loyalty of the Regent Harnam This young man has sworn allegiance to the darkness and we must fight against this plague before he touches the Mandrarian Lands.
- "So be it, master" - replied the old paladin.
The two men hastened to flee the city, because the regent of the Yellow city sent Vorlannh, the sentinel birds, which were small in size but formidable during a hunt.
An event
Gerohoh was standing next to Artemonium's bed day and night, and every once in a while he looked at his rune sword. The young man was trying relentlessly to decipher the runes inscribed on his sword, and went through to review multiple rolls damaged by moth holes, and after an arduous investigation he managed to decipher some symbols like:
Shar-Ahn fei Lhan Mahno-sôr Shar-Ahn Törr Erhlenam me-ï
Which meant that only a jewel bathed in purity can liberate a world plunged into darkness. The hours passed without him moving on the warrior's side. The young rider was training alone in his friend's room, waiting for him to wake up, while practicing with his sword, imitating the movements that Doltha had taught him.
While the young man was completely focused on a sword fight with an imaginary enemy, a loud snore made him stop at once, he looked at the colossus lying on a very ornate bed and saw that Artemion's eyes were opening in an exaggerated manner.
Gerohoh put the sword in its scabbard and ran to him, then knelt beside him and said:
- I'm here, do not worry ...
- Who ... Who ... Where ... Artémion tried to say, with a dry mouth which made it difficult for him to speak.
- Calm down, I'm Gerohoh, Doltha's friend, do you recognize me?
- Where I am...
- "We are in one of the rooms of the Great Mage Tohn-Ma tower in Moprem," said the young apprentice.
- I do not feel well...
- I can not explain how my lord woke up, "said Gerohoh, wiping his forehead with a damp cloth," but this is excellent news! –
- Rest, you're still weak, I'll seek help immediately.-
The young knight got up and went to warn the priests who were walking in the corridors. One of them accompanied Gerohoh and saw Artemonion looking around.
- Do you know how he came back? - asked the priest.
- "No, sir, I was training when I saw him open his eyes and I heard him blabuce."
- "It is a mystery to see him awake like this" - said the healer, as he approached the bed, trying to understand what damage they had caused him in Shâltara. Write a quick note to my son and inform your friends, send Birds to Mage Donnhum notifying of these events. They are at the top of this tower.-
- I'm leaving, sir.-
Gerohoh ran, climbed as quickly as possible to the highest part of the tower and wrote the messages on the Tohn-Ma magician's desk, closed them and applied the seal of the city. Then he went to the bird room and tied the pieces of parchment to the legs of the birds, which quickly took off in the desired direction.
Chapter Eight
The advice
Uncertain times were approaching, these circumstances made it essential to gather the kings of the neighboring kingdoms to defend the Mandrarian Lands from the invasion of the Nevrigians, yet all seemed in vain. The meeting of the five crowns was impossible, only the kingdoms of Shol-Gara and Merhidios answered the call of King Berum, a very small satisfaction and bitter satisfaction for the winds of war that were blowing in the air. A king was not in the habit of leaving his fortress since they were very guarded, so to isolate this invitation was a very important fact.
Not to arouse the suspicions of the Necromancer, the two kings traveled discreetly to Galnor, the city of arms. Sovereign arrived in front of the multi-tower fortress surrounded by only a few paladins and warriors, they could hear the forges roaring in the hands of the blacksmiths who molded new swords, while the sentinels prepared to receive the newcomers. The city was full of activity since the market square had given way to heavy guns and different armaments, and in the stalls, normally filled with fruits and other products from distant lands, they were now full of newly designed crossbows and arrows. .
The two rulers made their way through the thick crowd that invaded the square and tried to make their way little by little towards the heavily fortified castle. The wizard Tohn-Ma heard the news of the arrival of the two kings, so he went out to meet him:
- Majesty of the Kingdom of Shol-Garaa - he said looking at King Hara, Majesty of the Kingdom of Merid, added, welcoming the Thereis King, welcome to the city Galnor
city of arms.
- Let's hope your weapons are heavy enough to defeat our common enemy! - King King Thereis replied with his legendary way of speaking, unattractive and tactless.
- I can assure you that we are doing everything possible to defend the city.-
- Only the city? - Asked the sovereign of the kingdom of the Sacred Mountain.
- As you know, your troops are necessary to strengthen our alliance, this city suffered great losses two moons ago.
- "Certainly", agreed King Hara -and we are here to support him. -
After this brief conversation, the three men went to meet King Bérum since the pressing situation required the most attention. They crossed multiple corridors before reaching the throne room, the Wizard began the conversation:
- Majesty, the sovere
igns responded to your call and are before your presence-
- "I have brought you here, my friends," said King Berum, "because the time demands it."
- "Your city is not the most attractive now, King of the Kingdom of Fahl" - answered the sovereign Thereis, - but we will accommodate it! -
- I see that your little touch with words is not a simple myth, my friend ...-
- We all know Galnor's story! And in his case the myth is that it rests on the weak words of an Elder! -
- Gentlemen! - The magician objected, I beg you, - at this moment the fights are not helpful! We are gathered here to talk about the danger in which the Fourth Kingdom is located.-
- Has any other kingdom responded to our requests for support? - King Berum asked.
- Unfortunately, no, Majesty, there has been no response from the Kingdom of the North Shore and the young Regent Harnam has only replied that the Magician Tohn-Ma is in the middle of a meeting discussing the events in the city of Volnum.
- This is very unfortunate - said the governor of Galnor, we can not wait, we go to the weapons room to consider alternatives, I have maps of the Mandrarian Lands that will allow us to better understand the situation of the troops.
The three men walked hurriedly to the weapons room, where they had to carry out new strategies with which to try to alleviate the absence of the other crowns.
On the road
Kenthaë and Carhâa followed by Doltha were no more than three solitary riders on the road to the port of Sänma in the northwest, the trip remained relatively calm, despite having crossed several towns in which only ruins and corpses were seen.
The small group arrived near an inn from which came an appetizing smell of hot food. The young people decided almost in unison to stop there.
- I think we deserve to rest tonight- said the Lancero.
- "I do not think contradict you, my friend" - agreed Doltha, jumping from his horse while expressing his agreement with the idea.
- These places seem deserted, so it is advisable that we spend the night here, as you can see that the twilight has reached the horizon.
They decided to enter the hotel and eat something and rest. This little house, in which you could see in a corner a somewhat twisted chimney from which a whitish smoke issued, did not resemble any other that you had seen before; It was dark and the few candles present had difficulty illuminating the interior of the room. They entered timidly while the innkeeper greeted them, hiding part of his face behind a dirty white cloth and in which he could guess a strange smile, in one hand he held a green stick like a stick.
Kenthaë was the first to speak :
- Good old man, we would like to spend the night in the hostel. Could bring us those ribs of mountain oxen that I see roasting there at low heat and the vegetables that accompany them, we are going to sit on this table.
- "Well, as the man wishes," the man replied with a mocking glance, "take a seat, I beg of you" -
The three young sat at a table near a cozy fire that crackled with imperturbable calm. While the innkeeper was preparing the dishes for these new guests, the youths saw the housewife rush out of the house, which left Doltha baffled. The man approached the small group that was sitting:
- This is for you my gentle lady. Gentlemen, enjoy your meal. These uncertain times are not a good omen for our country.
- Why do you say that old man? - Kenthaë asked at the same time that the dogs were beginning to bark outside the inn. While Kenthaë said this, he glanced out the window without being able to see anything unusual happen.
- "Do not worry, sir, it's just my wife feeding the dogs, like she does every day."-
- "We'll eat and then we'll prepare to rest, we'll leave at dawn,"- said Kenthae, after which he threw himself on his plate of food.
After having eaten his ration, Doltha hurried into one of the freshly prepared cameras, the smell of old wood stinking the place. Carhaa turned around before climbing the steps that led to the first floor of the building and saw his friend thoughtful:
- You must rest the first light of dawn will be here before you know it, time flies.-
- "I must clarify my thoughts" - said Kenthaë, -Go to rest in a while-
- As you want, my friend.
The young woman climbed the stairs and went to his room next to Doltha's.
The Lancer meditated on some doubts that were seizing him, he was going to get up from the bench where he was sitting when a strange noise disturbed his thoughts. He approached the front door and it suddenly exploded in several pieces, Kenthaë was thrown back with the force of the explosion falling heavily on the ground and hitting with force.
A figure appeared under a huge golden helmet, a double-bladed ax in his right hand, ready for the first attack. The young Lancero rose quickly to stop the blow and sparks came from between the two blades. One foot back, Kenthaë tried to repel his enemy when he asked for help from his two friends who were sleeping. Doltha suddenly sat on the bed upon hearing the noise, put on her shoes and cloak, grabbed her hammer, left the bedroom and quickly found herself face to face with the disheveled Carhäa, stunned saw the fight between her friend and the strange opponent. They had barely descended the stairs when a group of necrophagos entered the inn.
They had to act quickly so Doltha performed a spell that formed in her left hand a ball of fire that she successfully threw against the monsters, one of them was hit and immediately fell lifeless to the ground.
Carhaa jumped on the one that was nailing the dagger in the neck and with a final and accurate blow knocked him down.
Blood flowed on straw scattered on the ground on which the dead bodies lay.
Kenthae managed to repel the giant, whose very precise shot had left the young Lancero stunned, none of the enemies he had encountered until this moment also dominated the use of the double ax.
The two young men saw their friend fight while Doltha looked at the parchment sheets for the spell she had to read, Kenthae saw it and said:
-"Do it!" Quick! "-.
A gust of wind blew violently while the Paladin exclaimed:
- "Shol A-fei Lana Meha ...! -
Then, the hammer in the midst of a blast of incandescent light suddenly launched itself against the giant of the gold helmet.
The latter was thrown backwards falling stunned on the ground and dropping his double ax, Kenthaë took the opportunity to inflict the last blow that left him beaten on the ground.
The ghoul, whose armor was unknown to the young, lay on the ground, the Lancero approached and asked:
- Who are you, your monster? Speak immediately!
- Death! - whispered the colossus with a last breath.
- But speak!
The eyes of this huge ghouls were darkened and his lifeless gaze was left on the sky, by the veins of the huge arms, which could be covered by his shining armor, I stop running the blood and life left this dirty body, leaving the three young people full of doubts and questions without answers.
- But who could have sent these beings? - Carhaa asked, - we are far from the Fourth Kingdom ...-
- Certainly, we are very far from these desolate lands, but Count Nerrum sent all his henchmen through the Mandrares, without a doubt in search of the relic of Faln-Lannar, he must think that we still have it in our power .-
- We did well to entrust it to the Donnhum Mage, whose magical power will protect it.
- "Look at the mark on his helmet" - said Doltha, who approached the steaming corpse, - "I have never seen this symbol, what is it? -
- "That must be the mark of the Necromancer" - answered the young Carhaa
- No, the Thar brand is more like a charred tree trunk, something that is very common to find in the Fourth Kingdom. This brand is like a trunk of something that I do not know existed.
- Anyway, Kenthaë answered - someone tried to kill us, you have to hurry up and get to the port of Sanma as soon as possible, they are no longer safe in these places. Doltha, pay the innkeeper for th
e time we spend here and get our things out of the inn, we meanwhile saddle the horses in the field.
- "Well, sir" - said the paladin, who entered the inn, but there was no one present, not a single soul.
- "Sir!" The young man shouted, "there is no one here!"
- Then take out our things and come with us - ordered the Lancero, visibly annoyed by the sudden disappearance of the masters of the inn.
Doltha recovered their luggage and the three left to the northwest when the night began to give way to the sky lit by the first rays of the sun.
Chapter Nine
The unexpected
The horses of Mage Tohn-Mâ and of the former paladin Locklhan were riding at full speed in the arid desert lands of Pirien and the Kingdom of Fhal was presented before them. As they rode they saw the landscape pass by at full speed, but this did not disturb the thoughts of the magician, who did not stop meditating on the recent events and the meeting he had held a few hours before.
Despite the fatigue, the magician broke the silence:
- I never had the opportunity to see you near the late King Gan-Trê, my friend.-
- "I was entrusted with different missions when I was at your service" - said the paladin.
- Did not these missions take place in the Mandrarian Lands? -
- "Sometimes I was asked to protect the kingdom," replied the man, covered with his bluish cloak -other orders took me beyond the oceans, to consolidate our alliances with those distant lands and then my mission was the protection of those kingdoms-
- I can see then that you must have been a valuable paladin for the King if he entrusted you with and entrusted tasks of such importance, right? -
- It could be said that some paladins are more talented than others- he answered, smiling slightly.
"Maybe King Berum is less lenient and just than his father, is that the reason for your unexpected exile, my friend?"
- These lands are vast - replied the paladin while slowing the trot of his horse. Nearby you could see the huge tower of the city of Moprem -We are arriving Master and your city opens its arms-
- It's about time, we have to send a bird from Dartohn to King Berum as soon as we arrive to warn him of the change of situation in the East.-
The Chronicles of Hissfon Volume 2 - The Black Knight Page 3
