by M J Webb
“Now!” he cried, triumphantly. The four spirits screamed out in unison.
“Appzelluth snairianne kraashnall truiss!!”
The ball of fire was still positioned rigidly within the centre of the circle. It suddenly changed in colour once again, from red to white. Within seconds, the four separate beams of flame left the spirit’s bodies and rejoined with the ball. As they did, the sphere increased in size. Soon, it was as tall as the Heynai themselves and they naturally took a step backwards as it neared them, breaking the circle. The agony they each felt subsided gradually and eventually it had faded to nothing. Sereq was then able to address his friends calmly, without hindrance. He did so with a great deal of pride and satisfaction.
“Raar… Well done, all of you! I am extremely proud of you all. You have done what no other has ever done; you have tamed the fire of life itself! You have bent it to your will. Do not underestimate the magnitude of your achievement. This is the absolute pinnacle of existence. It is a fitting way for us to leave our world. All that is left for us now is to finish what we have begun, what we were always meant to do. Our journey is almost at an end, my friends. Concentrate with me one last time? Focus everything you have upon the ball of fire. Do not speak from this point, for we will need every single bit of energy we possess, every second of time.”
Sereq held out his hands on either side of him and reached for those of his fellow spirits. Following his lead, the remaining Heynai did likewise. A continuous circle was formed again around the white fire. Together, they concentrated like they had never concentrated before, trying to picture and build an impregnable barrier, one which stretched across the length of their land. They visualised it in their minds, using their last remaining energy reserves and all of their considerable experience and power, willing it to happen with every fibre of their newly reformed bodies.
Quite soon, the ball of light began to shake, slowly at first, but after a few moments it began to vibrate ferociously. Then, all of a sudden, it seemed to implode upon itself. It almost disappeared completely, only to re-emerge moments later as a dazzling beam of brightness exploded from within. The incredible light raced out of the cave entrance and shot up to the sky. Then, in a flash, it vanished!
* * *
Far away on the northern approaches to Te’oull, an army of revalkas and graxoth was flying in for the attack. Thousands of arrows had already been launched towards them by the terrified defenders but, as they neared, the horrifying creatures began to take evasive action. They each manoeuvred rapidly in flight to avoid being hit, whilst somehow still managing to maintain their forward momentum. The majority of the arrows passed harmlessly by, to the intense frustration of Jake and the army of defenders below, who were now really beginning to fear the worst.
‘Oh no!’ the Keeper thought, as he tried in vain not to show his disappointment to the soldiers around him. ‘The Heynai are too late! Nothing can stop ‘em now. We’ve had it!’
Then, all of a sudden, a bright white light appeared for no more than a second in the air ahead of him. It seemed to illuminate the whole sky and it came and went in the blink of an eye, though it distracted all those on the wall ramparts with its intensity. When the defenders immediately turned their attention once again towards the attacking beasts, the air between them seemed to have changed somehow. It was different, hazy. The fearsome creatures who served King Vantrax were still there in large numbers, only now the sinister shapes appeared a little blurred to the confused onlookers.
A fraction of a second later, the lead revalkas and graxoth smashed into the Heynai’s shield with thunderous force. The terrifying creatures were travelling at high speed, many were seriously injured by the near invisible wall they hit, and did not see until it was too late. They fell to the ground in a heap before the shield, some killed outright and others nursing their wounds.
A second volley of arrows had been launched by the Estians. It crashed against the barrier almost immediately. The amazed defenders were staggered by the unbelievable sight. All across the battlefield, revalkas and graxoth began reacting furiously to the sudden and unexpected development. They raged from behind the protective screen, crying and screaming in frustration at being kept from their enemy by an unknown force they did not understand. Time and time again they tried to find a way through, fanning out and flying up and down its entire length in a desperate attempt to achieve their goal and complete their mission. But, it was no use, the spirit’s deliberate obstruction was holding firm, and the creatures from Zsorcraum were thwarted. For the time being at least, the ‘doomed’ warriors of the Estian Alliance had won yet another, miraculous reprieve.
Inside the walls, Princess Zephany was the first to break cover. She stood up straight and proud on the ramparts, took out an arrow from her quiver and fired it at the shield. The Princess wanted to satisfy herself for certain that the miracle she had just witnessed was real. The arrow hit the almost invisible wall at speed and it shattered. Zephany was content now, she turned to Jake and smiled. “This is what you meant by, ‘trust me’, I suppose?”
Jake had the largest grin he had ever worn upon his face. It was a completely natural, boyish smirk of delight, and immense relief. “Yeah well, I was hoping for something, but I wasn’t sure they would do it in time,” he replied.
“They? The Heynai?” asked the Princess.
“Yes. This is their doing, but it will not last forever. We have a few days or more now to prepare. We have to make the most of it. The war is still going to come and this city is where we have to make our stand. But, at least now we can plan for it properly? I have to leave. I have to go and find the fourth stone we need to restore the box, so that we can use it to defeat King Vantrax. You must stay and lead our army, prepare them for the fight.”
Princess Zephany acknowledged Jake’s words with a solitary nod of her head. “So be it. I am glad. I do not like all of this uncertainty, Jake. And, I am so very tired of running. I seem to have been doing it all my life. It feels good to stand and fight, to know that those days are behind me, one way or another. Whether I live or die here does not matter. I am content to take my chances, to stand with you and my people come what may. I will not take one more step backwards, I promise you!”
“Yes, and we are all with you, Princess. Though, that is all well and good, Jake,” stated Queen Bressial, as she strode over to join the group alongside Lord Castrad, “but, what about them?” she asked, pointing to the haziness of the shield on the fields outside the city walls, and the hundreds of dark, ominous shadows that lurked menacingly behind it.
“Them? They’re going nowhere for the time being, are they? Just keep a close eye on ‘em and don’t let your guard down. You have to place all of your trust in the spirits now, all of you. And pray that the shield holds!”
* * *
“Right then, we’ve no time to waste!” stated Jake.
It was now several minutes since the shield had appeared over the battlefield. The defenders of Te’oull had recovered from the shock of what had happened and the commanders had organised which sections would man the wall. The remainder of the Estian forces were sent to gain some much needed sleep.
Jake was in determined mood. Now that the immediate danger had passed and the Alliance army was seemingly safe from attack, he knew for himself what had to be done and he was anxious to begin. The fourth of the five stones needed to restore the box had to be secured if they were going to have any hope of defeating the powerful wizard they faced. His armies were far too numerous and strong to win without the power of the stones. They were comprised almost entirely of battle hardened warriors and they were used to being victorious. The same could not be said of the rag-tag force of volunteers among the ranks of the Estian Alliance, who were surely no match for such an awesome force if it came to a conventional battle. Only around half of their number had ever seen action, and those who had were aged and weary. Without the powers contained within the Heynai’s chief weapon, whatever they might
be, this war was a mismatch of epic proportions, a foregone conclusion some might say.
Jake gazed into the faces of the commanders who had surrounded him. Lord Caro, the Perosyan champion, was as usual calm and unflustered. He was a remarkable figure of a man, an ally in whom Jake and Zephany had supreme confidence and trust. But then, even more extraordinary to Jake as he stared into all of their eyes, was the fact that, they all were!
‘Holy…! This whole thing is like something from a fantasy game, or a book about King Arthur,’ thought Jake. ‘They’re all heroes, all Sir Lancelots. Princess Zephany is amazing. She’s the best leader and soldier I’ve ever heard about. Let’s face it, she really kicks ass! Queen Bressial fought off almost an entire army outside Dassilliak, single handed. She was wounded badly, but she’s never once moaned about it. She could lead this army if she wanted to, and she knows it. Everyone knows it. But, she has enough humility and grace to let King Artrex… Then there’s Lord Castrad, a knight without equal in my eyes. What hasn’t he done? He saved King Artrex from certain death in the midst of battle, never mind what he did at the mines, and Heron Getracht… And what about Verastus, Brraall and Ben? Flippin’ heck, I’m surrounded by supermen! Err… and women… Superpeople then!
Nah… As bad as things appear to be for us right now, Jake me ol’ son, with friends like these, we can’t fail, can we? Can I?’
An almighty surge of confidence swept through his entire body and his chest swelled with pride. “Okay. Tien, it’s time now. You and I have to leave. Two stones remain from the five we seek. It looks like we’ll have to take the last one off King Vantrax. I can’t see any other way? So, we’ll cross that bridge if and when we get to it. Right now, let’s make the most of the time the Heynai have given us. Tell us, where will we find the fourth stone?”
The old wizard shifted awkwardly as several heads and numerous sets of enquiring eyes turned towards him. “Frah, yes, well, I am afraid that it is not going to be easy.”
Everybody immediately began to chuckle at the totally predictable, ludicrous statement. After a few moments, it was Lord Caro who aired their thoughts with extreme clarity. “Ha ha ha… For the love of…! Get on with it, wizard, before we all die of old age!”
“Krr… Yes, as you desire. We have to go to where very few have ever been, and even fewer have returned from. We must travel right into the heart of the enemy’s lair.”
Lord Castrad sighed heavily. He was growing impatient and he was not in the mood for more riddles. “Aghrast! Out with it, wizard! Whatever you have to say, it will not faze us now. Speak plainly, or do not speak at all.”
Tien’s expression did not change as he looked at Jake. “We journey to the home of the Thargws, to Eratur. The continent of Mynae lies far away, over the ocean and across another country besides. It is the only place I know for certain we will find a stone made from Eratian Ore, one large enough to take the place of that which is broken in any case.”
“You travel to Mynae?” snapped Princess Zephany, hardly daring to believe the absurdity of such a notion. “You are insane! You have lost your mind, Tien. Old age has finally worn you down. Mynae is too great a distance to cover in the time you have and it is a lawless cesspit of murderous beasts. I would rather walk into the fires of Zsorcraum! Surely you are…?”
“Your Highness! Please?” interrupted Jake. “I’m sorry, but it is not you who will be going there, it is Tien and I. The decision is not yours to make on this occasion. If this is what is expected of me, I must go. I have no choice… Though, I don’t understand, Tien? All the original stones you said were Estian gems? All five were mined here on Estia, in this land? Why must we now go to Mynae to find one?”
“Yes, Keeper, you are correct in your recollection. I did not lie. There were stones on Estia once, though Eratian Ore is called such because of its main point of origin. Our supplies were and are exhausted, but it is still mined there, in Eratur. Even in that country it is incredibly rare. Only a few pieces are found each year, alongside far less valuable stones. Few examples have been discovered elsewhere, but there have been the odd one or two, and I was hoping to find another such gem. This rarity is the chief reason for its incredible value. The Thargws covet it above all other stones and it rarely leaves their domain. They control the only two mines in existence which continue to produce small but regular supplies. I know of no other place to find the replacement we seek, I am afraid.”
“I see. So, that’s it then? Another mine raid it is,” said Jake.
“No,” Tien answered, abruptly. “It is not as simple as that. The task is much harder this time. We cannot take on the Thargws as though they were any normal enemy. We would be doomed to fail against such a foe. You may be assured that they will guard the stones with their lives, and we will be lucky to leave with ours intact. Do not forget, Jake, Thargws are the greatest warriors we face. They are merciless, relentless…”
“Well, what then?” rasped a frustrated Princess Zephany. “What are you saying? I apologise for my outburst before, I was wrong to voice it. Tell us exactly what you are proposing.”
“Yes, Tien,” added Jake, winking slightly at the young Princess in a gesture of approval. “What is it that’s expected of me? Come on, out with it, what do I have to do?”
The old wizard’s face lost all expression as he replied to the young Keeper in a matter of fact tone of voice. “It is quite simple really. I… No, we, expect you to fulfil your destiny.”
“Charr! What? What does that mean?” enquired Lord Castrad.
Tien looked around them all, deliberately delaying his reply for dramatic effect.
“The home of the enemy plundered, the fire of life is tamed.
A place of evil torn asunder. The stone of hope reclaimed.”
“Frah! Riddles? Is that all you speak? We stand ready to fight the greatest battle ever waged in our entire history, and you bring us more riddles?” asked Caro, angrily.
“No. Not riddles, good knight, prophecies!” snapped Tien furiously in reply. “These things I speak of were laid down in writing over a thousand years ago, when few had yet mastered the written word. It was foretold way before any of us were even born, including the Heynai! They are the teachings and predictions of wizards far greater than any who came before them, or since! And so far, they have all come true!”
The old wizard had never been so angry, his war weary face was now bright red and his body was shaking all over. It shocked everyone to see him this way, to witness his strange reaction.
“He’s right!” said Jake, all of a sudden. “Everything he has said will happen since I met him, has happened. There’s a lot more to it as well, I know there is. There are things he has neglected to mention along the way, for one reason or another. I’m hoping in time he will explain, but for now we just have to accept it, and go with the flow. So, if not the mines, what then?” he asked, having decided that this was not the time for a long drawn out discussion.
Tien breathed in and out twice, long and hard, in an attempt to cool his anger. “The Thargw’s greatest city. We head for the fortress city of Keralux.”
“Seriously? I have listened to what you have said, but the two of you are just going to stroll right into the homeland of the greatest warring nation on Mynae? You plan to knowingly walk into a nest of… Kraullars?” asked a seriously alarmed Lord Castrad. “…And, I do not like to be the one to point this out to you, but exactly how do you plan on travelling there? It is way too far for the horses, even with their wings. And time is very much against you.”
All eyes turned once again to the wizard. But, to everyone’s surprise, it was Jake who responded. “Gellsorr!”
“What?” replied Princess Zephany, surprised. “He is too far away from us now, Jake. He could be anywhere. How?”
“I’ll call to him. I’ll ask him to help, just as I did on the mountain when we first met. I can do it.”
“Srr… Yes, alright Jake. Assuming you are successful and able to secure his he
lp, you are still talking about undertaking the most dangerous of tasks. I have never heard of such a perilous assignment. For certain, it is a walk straight into the jaws of a revalkas, a one way journey to the afterlife. You might just as well lift that shield and take your chances with us, right here and now!” said the highly emotional Princess.
Funny thing was though, despite her heartfelt objection and concern, the young heir to the Ruddite throne was feeling slightly envious of the young Keeper. She knew that she would be more than willing to undertake such a mission herself, if asked.
“Hmmnn… Yes, I hear ya, Princess. I can’t say that the thought of what we might meet out there thrills me. To be honest, I’d much rather be playing footy with my mates at this present moment in time, I can tell you. Or maybe watching the Villa thrash United from the Holte end. But, I’m here, ain’t I? If this is what I have to do to go home and see my family again, then that’s what’s gonna happen. Everything we have worked for, everything we’re tryin’ to achieve, depends on this box,” Jake replied, patting the bag that was draped over his shoulder gently. “It’s this box of stones that’s gonna save us, not me. You’ll see, you’ll all see in time. When we’ve defeated our enemies and won this war, you’ll all realise that the Heynai sacrificed all they had for you, so that we could triumph over evil and bring everlasting peace to this land.”
