The Curse (The Windore Series Book 2)

by Valya Boutenko

  “There are sleeping spells that can rejuvenate flesh and profoundly speed healing, while other sleeping spells can be used to send messages in the form of dreams! There are sleep spells for mending a broken heart, or learning a new science or language in a single night! Though, that last one has never been fully perfected and has undesirable side effects. I should very much like to test it on a neutral subject…” The wizard babbled on and on, enthralled by his many discoveries.

  They met the King and his son in the hall and joined them on their course to the dining area.

  “Have you enjoyed the library?” inquired the King of thieves.

  “Oh, very much indeed,” replied a giddy Bloom. “In fact, there is a book of spells that I would like to transcribe.”

  “You can have it for your own,” said the King generously. “In fact, you may keep all the books on magic, since there is no one left who has an interest in them, though they do have some historical value.”

  “That is too kind,” said Bloom, “I would gladly pay—”

  “Nonsense,” said the King waving him away, “they are not worth much, outdated and ancient as the hills. I would be relieved to see them in the hands of someone who wants them.”

  “I’m honored by your kindness,” replied Bloom, as they entered the dining hall and took their seats. Amelliea was seated beside the Prince, and she found that she could not fully enjoy the feast laid out before her, due to the fact that she couldn’t stop stealing glances at the Prince who captivated her attention with his elegant eating style. She had never seen anyone use a fork and knife that way, and Amelliea was helplessly starting to view the Prince as perfect, unable to find any trace of a flaw.

  “Did you see the Plumberrieon Crocodilian?” he asked, sensing her attention on him though she was looking away.

  Amelliea nodded. “It had teeth that were jagged like the blade of a saw,” she said in amazement.

  The Prince smiled. “Wait until you see the Bearded Reptorous.”

  After lunch Amelliea went to the main hall to watch the warrior training and Bloom returned to the library to continue his research. That evening as it was growing dark, and the wizard had only just lit the first candle, he came across a thin book with a short title that read, The Map of Inquisition. Never having heard of such a thing, Bloom opened the faded pages and began to read.

  “Hidden in the Wanderers Mountains is a magical scroll that contains an incantation of immense power. The scroll has been dubbed the Map of Inquisition, for it has the power to answer impossible questions and affect reality in incredible ways. An instrument of manifestation, the scroll may grant any desire of its wielder, be that desire great or small, possible or impossible. Written by Delominar the Great himself, renowned spell-master of the Amethyst Era, the scroll is the only enchanted artifact of its kind. Like all his works, Delominar created the scroll to be indestructible. Only after its creation did he realize the dangers it posed. Frightened by what may come lest the Map of Inquisition fell into the wrong hands, Delominar tried to destroy it but was unsuccessful. He had created it with such mastery that he himself was unable to dispel it’s magic. Delominar kept it hidden, but in time, word of the scroll began to spread in spite of his efforts to conceal it.

  The map was then stolen by a famous piratess, the beautiful Miss Maddy Alamore. She outwitted the old Wizard, and took the scroll for herself. In turn, the scroll was stolen from her and then changed hands several times over the course of many decades, eventually returning to its master. Then, Miss Maddy Alamore stole the scroll from Delominar the Great for the second time and hid it somewhere in the midst of the Wondrous Mountains, as they were then called. Soon thereafter, those very same mountains became a treacherous tangle of foggy forests, cursed to mislead all who ventured there. It is said the scroll is hidden there still, lost in the ghostly mountains of madness and death. Of those who dared to seek the map, few have returned. The handful of wanderers who were found had all gone mad, whispering to themselves of ghosts and treasures, hidden and re-hidden in secret places. As for the piratess herself, Maddy mysteriously vanished and was never seen or heard from again.”

  The writing went on to describe in depth the people who had possessed the scroll and for how long. Bloom turned the book over, seeking the date of publication but there was none to be found. Judging by the content, writing style, and more or less modern book construction, he decided that the book was likely written in the earlier part of the Sapphire era. Bloom studied the book, feeling that there was something strange about it. He turned it this way and that in his hands and then brought it closer to his face to examine it better. A corner of the binding was broken, and there seemed to be something concealed within the spine. Bloom pulled out his knife, and carefully cut a slit at the top of the binding. He peered into the gap he had made with one eye. Inside the spine of the book was a thinly folded piece of parchment. Pulling out a pair of tweezers from his pocket, Bloom gingerly retrieved the folded note. Upon opening up the parchment and laying it in his lap, the wizard found that it contained a thinly drawn blueprint of the Gator library from a bird’s eye perspective. The drawing was flawlessly accurate. It was obvious at a glance that this was no ordinary map, for although there were several locations each marked with an X, only one of the locations glowed a bright golden light. What’s more, the map highlighted the shortest possible path to the shining mark with a series of golden footprints.

  Bloom rose, and followed the map to the bookshelf marked by the glowing X. As he moved towards the highlighted mark, the golden footprints on the parchment expired and disappeared one after the other. Bloom used the map to quickly locate a bland-looking leather bound book. Upon pulling the book from the shelf and opening it up, he discovered that the pages had been cut out and an object lay nestled within its carved out pages concealed by a white handkerchief. Bloom unwrapped the object to discover an enormous red gemstone glittering in his hand. Having a strong dislike for red gemstones, and being entirely uninterested in stealing the property of others, Bloom carefully replaced the hidden treasure. He studied the map once more, only to find that the blueprint had changed. The map now included the hallway outside the library and highlighted an X in a different location. Bloom turned the treasure map over to find a tiny, nearly illegible inscription burned into the bottom right hand corner of the parchment. Bloom pulled out a magnifying glass and held it over the map. The Seekers Guide to Ultimate Treasure, read the blackened words. Bloom guessed that the “Ultimate Treasure” was likely to be the Map of Inquisition. “Its a map to a map,” he muttered.

  Bloom tested the enchanted parchment several more times inside the palace, and soon discovered that it led to the closest and most valuable treasure first, before revealing the other less important ones. The wizard spent the rest of the afternoon in deep contemplation. He wondered if he could find the Map of Inquisition, and use it to restore Windiffera to a peaceful and abundant era. Many had failed to find the precious artifact and there could be no doubt that it would be a perilous venture, yet Bloom reasoned that none of the other seekers had possessed an enchanted treasure map to aid their search such as the one he had now found. The enchanted map would give Bloom a tremendous advantage that was almost too good to waste. He wondered if the King of thieves was aware of the existence of the enchanted parchment, and if he may have even placed it in a location the wizard was sure to find. Bloom was unsure of how much the King really knew about him and his curse and he hoped he was not walking blindly into a trap. He decided to discreetly pry about the underlying plans of the King at the first opportunity that presented itself.

  On his way back to the guest chambers, Bloom stopped by the portrait gallery. Here, in a gold painted room with smooth, rounded corners were the countless portraits of rulers past. The skill of the painters had noticeably evolved from the earlier works to the later ones, and Bloom studied this evolution with curiosity. He had met a number of the more recent rulers of the Gator region, and as he looked up
on their portraits he was reminded of the turbulent early days of the red era. Some of the Gator rulers he met had been quite nasty, while others had not been so terrible, and some had even been great men. Bloom had learned better than to judge an entire region based on the actions of a temporary leader. Over the years he had viewed the Gators both as enemies and friends, and had come to understand and value their culture for what it was, without wanting to change it or return it to the ways of old. There were many aspects of Gator society that were worth learning from and some limitations to be weary of, but Bloom had developed an appreciation for and an understanding of these differences, having long ago overcome the inherent aversion to all that was unfamiliar and foreign.

  The wizard paused before a portrait of Goloroy Gildovon, a noble-looking King portrayed in his mid thirties. Goloroy was painted here just as Bloom remembered him, with dark hair and grey-colored eyes. He had been a good man, and had passed unexpectedly in a tragic accident, leaving his entire Kingdom in the young hands of his only son Gandorian, who was no more than twelve at the time.

  “A long history trails behind me,” said the voice of the King of thieves from the hallway as he came to join the wizard.

  “In deed,” said Bloom, bowing respectfully to the King.

  “I see you have come upon my personal favorite, the portrait of Goloroy Gildovon,” said the King coming up beside Bloom.

  “Tis a masterfully painted portrait,” Bloom agreed.

  “And what think you of the background?” asked the King, sneaking a sideways glance at the wizard.

  Squinting at the portrait, Bloom realized with a jolt that he had somehow missed a figure painted into the background. The figure was that of a bearded man wearing a long grey cloak that looked very much like a newer version of the one Bloom currently had on. The wizard frowned. It seemed a change in his style of attire was long overdue.

  “Who is that?” asked Bloom pretending not to know.

  “In his journals, my great, great grandfather referred to that man as Wendell the magic wielder. He wrote that Wendell had played a significant part in ending the Callavan War between the Gator and Coalsmith regions.

  Bloom swallowed hard, “You don’t say?”

  “Little is known about the magic wielder,” continued the King. “He seemed to have escaped inclusion in history books, though my great, great grandfather Goloroy, had insisted Wendell be painted alongside himself in this portrait. One can only deduce from this that Wendell had done something significant to earn such an honor from so great a King.”

  “How fascinating,” said Bloom, moving along to the next painting. “It’s a pity we’ll never know the true story.”

  The King of thieves watched Bloom intently.

  “You have been a kind and generous host,” said Bloom, changing the subject. “My daughter and I are deeply grateful for your hospitality, and I regret to inform you that we must be underway again soon, for I have business further on in the Gator region and the regions beyond.”

  “But you are still weary from your journey,” said the King. “I invite you to stay for a while longer not only to recover your strength, but to give your daughter an opportunity to study combat in the royal court.”

  “I am humbled by your generosity,” said Bloom. “Yet there are several pressing matters she and I must attend to that simply cannot be put off.”

  “Your daughter’s acquired skills would only aid you in your journey, for these are difficult times.”

  “I admit it is tempting to arrange for her to stay and train while I take care of an important errand nearby in the Gator region, for I know nothing would please Amelliea more than to receive such training.”

  “She is welcome to partake in the practice sessions, though it will take some time for her to hone her skills and truly master the Gator style of combat. For this reason, I invite you to let her train as long as your journey permits, perhaps a hundred days or so?”

  “I will discuss it with Amelliea,” said Bloom. “Thank you for the gracious offer.”

  “It is my pleasure,” said the King.

  They left the gallery and started down the hallway.

  “May I ask you a question?” asked Bloom. “Today, in the library I came across a book that mentioned an object I have never before heard of in my studies. What do you know of the Map of Inquisition?”

  “It is a myth,” replied the King. “Gators are by far the most skilled treasure hunters, and we rarely fail to retrieve our target. However, generations of Gators have sought the scroll to no avail. Tis a fruitless and perilous search, my friend.” He looked somber. “The Wanderers Mountains are filled with treasures untold, but so far there has been no man strong enough of mind to retrieve those riches. The mountains are a labyrinth of traps and deception which test the mind and tax the spirit.” They had reached the guest chambers.

  “I will confer with my daughter and if we agree that she will remain behind while I attend to my business, can you assure Amelliea her safety in my absence?” asked Bloom.

  “There is nowhere in the world she would be safer,” replied the King, looking somewhat offended by the wizard’s doubt. “If you wish it,” he continued, “I can arrange for a pair of charmed mirrors to be brought forth, which you may use to look in on each other whenever you wish.”

  “That would be most comforting,” replied Bloom. “Though I do not doubt your capacity to provide Amelliea with adequate protection, she is my only child and concern for her wellbeing is a naturally occurring stress that I cannot ignore.”

  “I quite understand,” smiled the King, opening up the jeweled necklace hanging from around his neck. A miniature portrait of his son was painted inside the heavily bejeweled locket.

  Later that evening Amelliea burst into the guest chamber to find Bloom pouring over a map of the local mountains. She chattered happily about the training sessions of the young warriors, describing in great detail their practice routines. She could not imagine achieving such a level of mastery in so many different areas of combat.

  “I am curious about it all!” she confessed. “I want to learn to throw daggers, and I want to do flips in the air like the others!”

  Bloom looked thoughtful.

  “It was fantastic!” cried Amelliea, opening the curtains of the window to look out at the city below. The countless dwellings were lit from the inside by flickering candlelight, mirroring the twinkling stars in the sky above. “And the Prince is the most skilled of them all,” she sighed. “He has the agility of a squirrel, and the stealth of a fox!”

  “A squirrel?” laughed Bloom. There was a ding, announcing the arrival of a letter and he reached over to check the message box.

  “Yes!” said Amelliea defensively. “I would give my left arm to fight like him.”

  “I don’t think you will have to,” said Bloom, handing her the note he had found inside the letterbox.

  She took it and read it out loud, “King Gadiel of the Gator region would like to bid his new guests welcome to the palace, and hopes that the Pebble Maker and the Lady Warrior will find their stay both comfortable and pleasing. Though there are countless combat schools within the Gator region, none are as prestigious or as famous as that of the Royal Court. Each year, a select few students are honored by the privilege of studying under the careful, and rigorous guidance of Master Gander, the Royal combat master, and celebrated general of the Gator army. By the ordinance of Prince Galvan of the Gator region, Amelliea Leonora Bravenheart is hereby cordially invited to train and study the art of Gator combat in the royal court for the next ONE HUNDRED DAYS!” Amelliea practically screamed the last few words before dropping the note, and clasping her hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide with excitement.

  “I’m guessing you plan to turn it down?” teased Bloom.

  “Oh no, I want to join so much!” cried Amelliea, refusing to be swayed from her dream even for a moment. “Is that alright?” she asked as an afterthought. “I mean, we did not plan to stay
so long but…”

  “Of course you are welcome to stay and train.”

  “You?” asked Amelliea in confusion. “You just said ‘you’ are welcome to stay and train.”

  “There is a small errand that I wish to undertake. It is nearby in the Gator region, and I expect it to take approximately the same duration of time as your training.”

  “What kind of a small errand takes one hundred days to complete?” she asked.

  “There is an artifact I wish to find, and it may take some time to locate.”

  Amelliea grew serious. “Of what artifact do you speak, father?”

  “A simple scroll, nothing treacherous, I assure you,” he said.

  “But the search is too dangerous to bring me along?” she guessed, her face neutral but her eyes fierce.”

  “On the contrary, it is so safe I feel confident I will manage alone, and in so doing present you with the chance to further your training,” he assured her, but Amelliea knew better, and she began to pace the living room floor.

  “This errand, it must be even more dangerous than the starving monsters of the Coalsmith region!”

  Bloom knew where this was heading. It would not be long before she figured him out. “Look, it is a simple matter of finding an enchanted scroll,” he said. “You know what the last of the magical relics mean to me, for I am the only one who can make use of them.”

  “You are the only family I have, and if you expect me to just let you go out there all alone—” began Amelliea, but Bloom stopped her with a gesture before she got too worked up.

  “It is a risk I must take, because the fate of our world weighs in the balance,” he said.

  “I know you would do anything to fix Windiffera,” she said after a moment.

  “I would,” confirmed Bloom.

  Amelliea hugged her father and he kissed the top of her head.

  “You must promise that you will return to me safe and sound,” said Amelliea. She took an object from her pocket and handed it to Bloom.