In A Time Of Darkness

by Gregory James Knoll

  * * * * *

  Elryia had managed to catch herself, the others were not so lucky. The quick charge forward to get to the dragon and then the abrupt stop once they realized they were no longer in the forest caused them all to jerk forward—mostly on top of one another.

  “Ow!” Gort, unluckily, being the one on the bottom. “Get off me!” he started screaming the moment they hit. Carsis, Lanyan, and Ristalln had twisted and turned their arms and bodies in an obscure fashion on top of him. Jeralyle’s back pressed against them, a hapless Merial toppled safely into his arms—both of them blinking before Merial grinned wildly, “Hiya Handsome. Where ya been?” she teased.

  “Hi…” Jeralyle blushed, then flustered as he wrapped his arms around her. But it was simply to pick her up and draw off the pile, causing Merial to pout as he set her down. He was still trying to regain his composure as he turned to help the others up.

  “What happened?” Lanyan asked, dusting himself off.

  “Not sure…” Elryia said, looking around. The group was no longer in the clearing in the forest, but in a ragged, dusty barn. “It looks like we’re safe though.”

  “Where’s Graham?” Lanyan said, first looking around for him and then checking his crossbow to make sure that it had not been damaged.

  Elryia glanced every which way frantically until he finally drew out of a dark corner. “I’m here,” he muttered, seeming a little groggy.

  “Graham!” Elryia gasped, crossing the barn nearly as fast as Grahamas had moved earlier and embracing him. “I thought for sure when I saw the dragon eat you…I don’t even want to think about it,” she buried her face in his shoulder as he held her tight.

  “Nor do I,” he said back, still some what dizzy, his eyes blinking long and slow as though he was set to fade. “Lucky I have friends with wonderful abilities.” He turned his head towards Lornya after a long moment.

  “Oh,” Elryia whispered, pulling back and straightening herself—having not seen anything but Graham in her hurriedness.

  He chuckled slightly, releasing her, “El. This is Lornya.”

  Lornya stretched her hand out. Elryia went wide at first, then shook the hand, bowing several times. “It’s a pleasure. I’ve heard so much about you,” she stammered, still somewhat in shock.

  “And I you,” Lornya smiled gently and then turned to Graham, who was still staring at Elryia. She gave him a moment before she interrupted, “And the rest?”

  Grahamas snapped back to reality, “Ah. Of course.” It was his turn to take Elryia’s hand and he held it as they walked towards the others, Ristalln pushing his way to the front. Yet Grahamas ignored it and went straight down the row. “That’s Gort,” the Dwarf smiled but was still wiping the dirt from his face. “Carsis,” the red-haired man bowed deeply. “Merial,” and she followed her fiancé’s gesture. “Gnert,” the Gnome blinked, sniffed, and then grinned. “Lanyan,” the Elf could only smile and kneel, having worshipped her for years. “Jeralyle,” who was still blushing. “And you know Ristalln,” the Knight stood straight now, smiling as wide as he could.

  Lornya had smiled and bowed gently to each one as they were introduced, but she focused a bit more on the Knight, “Ristalln Derimegh. It’s been years.” She stepped before him and he dipped his head down for a moment.

  “Aye, too long,” he whispered, finally looking up.

  “You look…good,” she stated, a grin growing on her lips—prompting one even bigger from Ristalln.

  “You as well.”

  She held his gaze for a moment, eyes twinkling before she turned back towards Grahamas. “I know you have questions,” she then looked to the group, “I’m sure you all do.”

  “Several,” Graham stated, his breath coming easier and his eyes a bit more attentive. “Where are we first?”

  “North of Sharia, close to Forgas. In a place where a town called Nasave used to exist. We are safe.”

  Graham turned his eyes towards Lanyan, knowing what he was thinking, “And what of Sharia? We left them there!”

  Lornya sighed gently, “Aye. When I saw Nwour attack, the only option I had was to get us all out of there.” Her eyebrows perked slightly, “Let us find out what happened after we left, shall we?” She sashayed passed them, rather quick, prompting them all to follow her outside into the waning sunlight, then stood behind her as she angled at Sharia. Lanyan stood close to her, Ristalln on the other side.

  “What is she doing?” Jeralyle asked, trying to get a better look.

  But Grahamas could only shrug, “I don’t know.”

  Lornya glanced back for a moment, throwing the Champion and the young Mage a wink before she faced forward. The Goddess raised her right hand to place her open palm directly in front of her mouth. In it, she began to whisper, then draw in a long breath and blow it out. A gust of wind—strong enough to loosen the dirt—headed towards Sharia.

  Everyone remained quiet, simply watching. Several moments passed until another gust of wind came from the other direction—from Sharia. Lornya turned her head towards it and closed her eyes. “Sharia is fine…for now,” she said, the wind still gusting. “Valaira left with Nwour to search for us and headed south. The others are leading Idimus back to Kaldus to tend to him.” Lornya’s eyes blinked open and they settled upon Lanyan, “Sharia is safe though I know not for how long.”

  “The Dragon…be broke the barrier didn’t he?” Lornya nodded. “Who was the woman?” the Elf asked her.

  With a sigh, she faced them completely. “That would be a long story and one best saved for inside—away from prying eyes and scouting dragons if they happen to come this way.”

  Each individual had at least one question on their mind. Some more than others and some not as serious, but everyone knew she was right. So they remained patient and followed her back into the barn.

  Grahamas was the last to enter, guiding Elryia and Lornya through before closing the door behind them.

  At a slowed pace they each found a seat, save for Grahamas who stood in order to stay next to a leaning Elryia. Lornya kept a soft gaze on Grahamas, the Champion also maintaining a knowing look on her. “I should have told you when I first saw you Grahamas. I’m sorry. I wanted your first concern to be the quest at hand.”

  The Champion shook his head slowly, “It’s understandable why you did not.”

  Jeralyle looked between the two, “Didn’t tell him what?”

  Lornya breathed heavily, Grahamas—still standing—rested a gentle hand on Elryia’s shoulder, as the Goddess spoke “Perhaps I should start at the beginning. Have you told them anything about her?”

  Grahamas shook his head back and forth, “Simply that I feared someone else was molding Idimus how they wanted. Now it seems as though I was correct in my assumption.”

  Lornya’s gaze fell upon each of the companions, all of whom looked at her eagerly—especially Ristalln. “There have been three decisive, significant battles since the creation of Eldonia: the First war, the Plague wars, and the Dark war. The first and last are important and at some point I will tell you about them, but right now the major concern is the second. Long before Idimus or even Highlace, when the world was still young, a plague began ravaging our world—one village at a time,” began Lornya as she found a seat of her own. “This plague was not of disease or famine, it effected everything—plants, animals, and humans alike. There were no signs or warning, not even illness. Things just simply seemed to die. But it followed a pattern. All life seemed as though it had been robbed of everything essential to it. It wasn’t wounding or even violent. Simply…draining. One after another, villages became dormant with wilted resources and lifeless humans. If it continued, it seemed as though the entire world would decay. So Yavale, fearing the loss of all life, chose three of the bravest, most honorable warriors he had to investigate.” Grahamas simply listened. He was all too familiar with this legend, and while Lornya spoke his hand found its way into Elryia’s. The young woman smiled and squeezed it, “The first was
a man Trestys, second a woman named Xarina, and the third a man named Reiskin.”

  Jeralyle perked, “The king of Highlace?”

  Lornya smiled and nodded, “One and the same.” Then she gave a brief, soft glance to Ristalln before continuing. “The Three endured a rather long campaign. They first started investigating each village before moving on to the next, slowly and surely tracking down the plague, learning its pattern and following its movements. Over a year passed before the three discovered it was not a disease that was draining the land, but a woman. A woman named Valaira.”

  “The same woman we saw tonight,” Graham interjected.

  “So the Three didn’t stop her?” Carsis blurted out.

  “No, they did. But when something dies it is only their body. Their true essence finds a place. Those with pure aura flow into the mist surrounding Eldonia to be with the creator.”

  “And if not?”

  Lornya rose, “If not, the soul travels to Urvagh, a cold desolate place well below the world. A place where souls wander aimlessly; forever doomed to relive their past mistakes and pain.”

  “Is it possible to escape Urvagh?”

  Lornya thought for a moment, “Yes… That was why Valaira was robbing life force. Her hopes were to garner enough power to break the barrier that surrounds Urvagh, but Trestys killed her before she was able to. It seems that she found another way, though it happened while she was within that void.”

  “How?”

  The Goddess shrugged slightly, a pondering look upon her face. “Not sure. It is obvious that she has not entirely broken the barrier, otherwise we would see a far more vile effect. Everything in Urvagh would escape. Perhaps she found a way to slip out…” Lornya trailed off as she thought.

  “And Nwour…” Grahamas said aloud, thinking along with her as he leaned against Elryia.

  Lornya’s face turned again while she idly played with the rope about her waist, “The dragon managed to burn his way through the barrier of Sharia. Perhaps he has done the same with Urvagh, if only temporarily,” she continued pontificating while the rest of the group remained quiet.

  Suddenly, her gaze flicked onto the Champion, “Grahamas, may I speak to you alone please?”

  Grahamas agreed, squeezing Elryia’s hand before he pressed through the group and followed Lornya outside. Her eyes turned to the sky momentarily before they stepped further from the barn. Grahamas, as well, turned a gaze upward, “You worry of being seen?”

  Lor continued a good distance away from the barn to an old decaying tree before she spoke again, “No…” Her hand ran up the rotted bark, color appearing where her fingers traced. Then the life slowly flowed across and up the willow, its branches spreading out and blooming, providing shelter for the two. “Not particularly.” She smiled with half of her mouth as Graham made his way under the tree. “Thank you for being patient, I know of all of them you have the most questions.”

  “Aye, but first I wanted to tell you about Samsun,” Grahamas replied. “The black aura you saw was his. He had deceived me all along. Though I know not how he was able to know such things and look exactly like him.”

  Lornya’s eyes grew worried and she turned them towards the ground, “Valaira. She’s been around far longer than I imagined. And it is apparent that she has been watching you.”

  But Grahamas could see that was not what was disturbing her, “Lor…What is it?”

  She sighed again, “This is why I asked you to come out… The aura is still there Grahamas.”

  The Champion flicked his eyes back, tempted to allow his entire body to follow. “Who?” Grahamas growled, a twinge of rage surfacing.

  Before he could fully commit Lornya held his arm, “I still don’t know. But it’s far less dominant now.”

  Grahamas held, “Which means…?”

  She squeezed his arm lightly, “Which means it is no longer overwhelming the person. There is only potential for darkness, but also possibility for good.”

  Grahamas relaxed, though only slightly, “What would you have me do?”

  “I would only keep your eyes open. Watch for signs.”

  The Champion nodded slowly, “And Valaira? What of her?”

  “I fear she seeks what she originally intended.”

  “To open the gate of Urvagh. Perhaps that is why she planted Samsun, so she’d know if I were to try and stop her.

  “I do not believe Samsun was meant to watch only you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Elryia,” Lornya leaned further and her grip dropped from his arm. “I believe Valaira seeks something from you both.”

  “What?”

  “Power…magick.”

  “I know very little magick.”

  “Aye. But the armor you wear is greater than perhaps even you know.”

  “They why Elryia? Why not Jeralyle? Or even Merial for that matter?”

  Lornya’s expression tightened, knowing that the group was getting anxious. “It’s about her parents Graham. Her real parents.”

  Of all the things that Lornya had told him over the years, that was one of the few she had never mentioned, “What of them?”

  The Goddess slid her hands down the tree and pushed off of it lightly, “I think she should hear this as well.”

  “Aye…” He said and followed her as she headed back towards the barn, “You would speak with her now about it?”

  Lornya shook her head slowly, “It is an involved tale, but one meant only for the two of you.”

  “Where then?”

  “If we are going to continue as planned with Forgas, then perhaps we will find a suitable place—just the three of us—between here and there.” Graham bowed his head. “And what of Hope? Have you recovered the remaining pieces?”

  With a tug, Grahamas opened the barn door, “Nay. One remains.”

  “Where is it?”

  “That I’m not sure of. I would need to ask Ristalln.”

  Her eyes lit up, a smile flirting as she walked through the door, “Let us both ask him.”