“You were right,” she said to him. “This is the most amazing experience everything looks so different from up here.”
“I know it is hard to believe this all belongs to us. No wonder we put up a fight for it, and risked everything in order to come back.” She nodded rubbing her cheek on his. He was right, if anything was worth fighting for it was this and the many people whose home it once was.
By early evening, just as the sun was beginning to set they arrived at the Anara Pass. The river flowed gently between two mountains, which rose steeply on either side of them. Last traces of winter’s snow tipped their very peaks. Meladrom landed on a clearing by the edge of the water. He glanced up to see a herd of goats staring down at him. For a moment, they seemed paralyzed with fear, then gathering their wits they darted into small caves within the mountain. Meladrom licked his lips at the thought of a snack, but there was no time for that now, unfortunately.
Kainan helped his wife down off the dragon.
“Thank you Meladrom,” the young King said.
“Yes thanks Meladrom,” Arweyn added.
“You’re welcome. I shall rest only short while. From here your map will guide you to the Elwins.”
Arweyn sat down on a log, and Kainan onto a large rock positioned next to her. Opening their packs, they drank from their flasks.
“Be careful both of you,” Meladrom warned, glancing between the two of them. “Keep your eyes open at all times for Gemini’s creatures they could be anywhere.”
“We will Meladrom,” Kainan assured, smiling up at his dragon.
“I should return to the lair before I am spotted,”
Kainan stood up, reaching forward he stroked Meladrom’s snout.
“Thank you again my friend and I shall call for you soon I hope.” Meladrom grinned at the word friend and gave Kainan a gentle nudge.
“Be safe,” he cried as he took off.
“You too,” Kainan yelled back, waving him off and pulling Arweyn in close to him. They both watched as he flew off into the sunset.
“Right then, we had best find some shelter for the night.” He looked up. “Well those caves seemed to be occupied already,” he said with a chuckle, as the goats began to emerge slowly and cautiously, their eyes searching for the giant dragon. She laughed along with him. Reaching inside his shirt, he pulled out the map and together they studied it. His previous self, had marked the trail well, including where to find fresh clean water, and he had even recommended where to shelter.
“Well wasn’t I smart!” he said, pointing to where he had written, ‘first stop, sheltered cavern’. She nudged him playfully and he smiled.
“Okay, we shall follow my advice.” He rolled up the map, tucking it back inside his shirt. Holding his hand out he offered it to her, she took it, and together they began to walk, following the edge of the river. The sun began to disappear completely, replaced by rain clouds, which darkened over the rising moon. Finally, the heavens opened and the rain began to fall.
“How much further,” Arweyn moaned pulling the hood of her cloak tighter, to protect herself from the downpour. They could barely see, as the brightness of the moon had been lost behind the blackening skies.
“It is along here somewhere,” he promised scouting the base of the mountain for the cave. Then he spotted something. Set within the mountain and partially hidden by thick bushes he could see an opening. “Look over there,” he said, pointing. Arweyn nodded and together they hurried over to it. Cautiously he pulled back the bushes and peered inside.
“Looks like it could be the cave. Let me check it out.”
“Okay, be careful,” she urged. Pulling his sword from its sheath, he clambered through the hole and into the darkness. Thunder roared above her as she waited, she jumped as lightning flashed brightening the darkening skies. After a while, his head emerged and he beckoned to her.
“Come on this is it, I am sure.” Bending down she too clambered through the hole and into the darkness. Inside the cave, it was quite spacious and Kainan quickly gathered some dry twigs making them into a makeshift torch.
“Illumanartry,” he whispered, at the end of his finger appeared a flame and he smiled. Even after all this time, it still amused him. Quickly lighting the torch he extinguished his finger.
“It looks like this was somebody’s home,” Arweyn commented, glancing around as the light from the torch illuminated the remains of an old chair. In another corner, there was a small rickety bed, and on the back wall, a fireplace piled high with kindling and wood. Kainan walked over to it, kneeling down he looked inside and upwards.
“It has some kind of flue,” he said, sideways glancing at her.
“Do you think someone still lives here?”
He shook his head, using his torch to light the kindling.
“No, I doubt it by the state of everything, it is all falling apart.” The kindling caught straight away and soon they had a warming fire roaring away. “I would guess whoever used to live here is long gone.” Arweyn walked over to the fire and warmed her hands.
“Well I am thankful for them for leaving this fire ready to be lit,” she said shivering and taking off her wet cloak.
“Here give it to me,” he offered taking it from her and throwing his and her cloaks over the old chair which he then placed in front of the fire to dry them off. “Maybe we left it for ourselves?”
“What for five hundred years?” she questioned, glancing over to him, as she un-plaited her hair.
“Well we did not know how long it was going to take.”
“Hmm, maybe,” she concurred.
At the back of the cave, there was an old broken table.
“At least we have enough wood to keep us going through the night; we can break up the rest of that table and a couple of chairs. It will give us a chance to dry off before we catch a chill,” the young King suggested.
She wandered over to the old bed on top was a dirty old mattress. As she touched the bedframe, something fell under the bed.
“What was that?” she said, kneeling down and looking underneath the bed.
“What was what?” he asked, joining her.
“I do not know, I thought I knocked something off this bed, it rolled under here.”
“Mind out the way,” he said. She stood back out of his way as he took hold of the end of the bed, pulling it out sideways.
“What is that?” she asked, standing alongside him.
“It looks like a trap door.” He knelt down and pulled at the handle. It was a bit stiff, but he heaved and tugged and eventually it opened. He threw the door back, inside was a metal box about two foot by three foot in size.
“What is it?” she asked reaching forward, he grabbed her hand back sharply.
“No stop!”
“Why,” she replied startled, his hand still holding hers back.
“It might be a trap,” he warned, raising an eyebrow at her. “Someone put it here for a reason.”
“Okay let me try something,” she said. Taking a deep breath, she focussed her mind. “Isara melarca visionary, reveal your secrets,” she whispered, waving her hand across the metal box. As she finished, the hole began to glow, until finally they could see small strands of thread shimmering across the box.
“You were right,” she gasped shocked, glancing at him.
“A trap,” he whispered, with a nod of his head.
“So, how do we get the box out?” she questioned. He was staring at it. “Kainan how do we get it out?” she asked again. He looked at her.
“Hang on a moment.” He walked over to the other side of the cave and picked up a long stick, bringing it back with him. He raised his eyebrows at her.
“Get behind me,” he ordered firmly.
“Be careful,” she urged, moving back. Holding the stick at arm’s length, he put it into the hole, within seconds the stick had disintegrated as the shimmering strands of light burned through the wood.
“Oh my goodness that would have been
my hand,” she gulped. “It is magic,” she then added and he nodded.
“I think I did this,”
“What?”
“I think I set this trap, I know what to do. Stand back again just in case I’m wrong,”
“Kainan what are you going to do?” She watched him as he withdrew the Deragan Sword.
“If I am right, the sword will absorb all the power.”
“And if you are wrong? What if it disintegrates the sword?” He took a breath as he thought. No, he did this, he was sure of it.
“It will not. Stand back.” She did as he asked and moved back, but she was worried. If it disintegrated the sword, they would not be able to defeat Gemini. Holding the sword at arm’s length he carefully lowered it down into the hole, sparks began to fly off it as the sword went through the strands of light, but the sword remained in one piece and it glowed as it absorbed the power. Kainan hooked the tip of the sword through a loop on the top of the metal box, and then heaved it out of the hole and placed it onto the ground beside him. He sighed, relieved.
“You did it,” she cheered with excitement, rushing to him. He put the sword down to one side.
“Now let’s see what is in it,” he said, kneeling down and tugging at the lid, but it would not open.
“Oh for goodness sake,” he moaned, still tugging at it.
“Give it here,” she said, kneeling down beside him. He pushed it over to her and she held her hands over the lock.
“Esperai elate mistoria operan,” she chanted. The box clicked and she smiled smugly as she opened it. She lifted out some folded blankets and put them to one side. Eagerly Kainan delved inside, he pulled out a scroll.
“What do we have here then?” he muttered as he began unravelling the scroll. Arweyn pulled out some candles and glancing around the room, she noticed some holders. Standing up she wedge the candles into the holders and brought them over. He looked up at her and smiled as she lowered them to him. He ignited the end of his finger and then lit them. She grinned before placing them onto the old broken table. Now they could at least see a little better.
“It looks like an enchantment of some sort,” he said, quickly scanning through the words. She knelt down next to him and began to read it.
“You are right, and it looks like Gareion’s writing again.” He nodded in agreement. She frowned as she read it and then looked at him. “It is an undoing enchantment,” she then said.
“An undoing enchantment?” he questioned and she nodded.
“Yes I recognise some of the words.”
“What do you think we should do, try it, and see what happens?” he asked. She shrugged and bit her lower lip.
“Not sure, what do you think?” He pondered.
“I would feel happier if I could find something to make me certain it was me that put this box here.” He began searching the box.
“Hold on what is this,” he pulled out a small box. She watched as he opened it.
“It is a ring,” she said, as he took it out.
“Not just a ring, it has the Dermock seal on it,” he turned it over in his hand. He slipped it on a finger on his right hand, and it fitted.
“It must be your ring,” she said. He shook his head.
“That does not prove anything, anyone could fit this ring.” He took it off and passed it to her. She turned it around in her fingers and then tried to put it on. She struggled, but it would not go on her finger even though it obviously looked far too big for her dainty finger.
“Kainan this ring is enchanted,” she said. He looked across to her.
“What do you mean enchanted?”
“Look no matter how hard I try, it will not go on my finger. It should fit on my finger easily you can see it is too big for me, but watch.” She showed him, and he stared stunned.
“It is my ring,” he whispered as she gave it back to him. She nodded and he slipped it back onto his finger, it fitted perfectly.
“Okay let’s do it,” he said, standing up and opening the scroll. She stood alongside him.
“You say the enchantment and if something terrible starts to happen I will try and contain it.”
“Alright,” he agreed, glancing at her. He picked up the Deragan sword and held it in both hands.
“Stand behind me,” he whispered, and waited until she was at his back. He pointed the sword forward and began
“Esperai elate, isara melcar visionary portora, isaremme revellera secara.” He took a breath as the sword began to illuminate and vibrate in his hands.
“Again,” Arweyn whispered, close to his ear.
“Esperai elate, isara melcar visionary portora, isaremme revellera secara. Esperai elate, isara melcar visionary portora, isaremme revellera secara.” Light suddenly burst from the sword the whole cavern glowed, Kainan’s eyes instantly converted to protect his eyes. Arweyn closed hers abruptly and gripped hold of his back. He watched in utter amazement as everything in the room began to change. The bed straightened and became solid and stable, the table repaired itself, and the chairs with the broken legs pulled back together, all the dust, and cobwebs disappeared.
“Kainan what is happening, can you see? I cannot open my eyes,” she clung to his back in panic.
“It is okay I can still see. It is so magical everything is repairing itself,” he replied enthusiastically. After a few more minutes, the bright light disappeared and the sword stopped glowing. Kainan lowered it and rested the tip on the ground.
“Arweyn open your eyes,” he said, still staring at the now perfectly reformed room. Warily she peeked open her eyes, and then seeing the light had gone, she opened them fully and came out from behind the protection of his back.
“Oh my goodness,” she cried, grasping hold of him. “Look at this, I cannot believe it.”
“Me neither,” he said, still stunned. They walked over to the bed. She ran her hand across it, even the dirty tatty mattress was now crisp, fresh, and pure white.
“This is amazing,” she said laughing, before sitting on the bed and bouncing up and down on it, the straw rustled beneath her. He laughed at her and grabbing hold of her hands he pulled her back to her feet, she hugged him euphorically.
“I do love magic,” he said rubbing his nose on hers. “Although, magic does give me an appetite,” he said, smiling at her. She shook her head at him.
“You are always hungry, anything gives you an appetite,” she chuckled. He drew an arm around her shoulder, walking her over to the newly restored table.
“So what did you pack to eat then?” he asked, picking up their backpacks. She grabbed hers from him and raised an eyebrow.
“I thought you packed your own?” she replied, hiding a smile as she opened her bag and pulled out some bread.
“No,” he said staring at her and then at her bread. “I thought you were going to do it?”
“So what am I, your servant now?” He twitched his nose at her before replying.
“No.” She lifted her eyes to his.
“Open your pack husband dear,” she replied, winking at him. He pulled open his pack and reached inside.
“You are such a tease,” he said, pulling out some bread, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and ham. He pulled the map out of his shirt and put it on the table.
“As if I would let you go hungry,” she said, sitting down. He pulled out another chair and sat next to her.
“I knew you would have,” he said matter of fact, whilst biting into an egg.
“Well I did not want to spend an evening with grumpy because he was hungry,” she teased, tucking her hair behind her ear. He looked at her indignantly.
“I do not get grumpy,” he protested.
“Yes you do, if you are hungry.”
“Do not,” he replied, finishing off the egg.
“Oh really, so what about your mother’s birthday then, when you had to wait all evening, tell me you did not moan then?” She pushed her long dark hair behind her shoulders.
“That was different,
” he replied, turning and looking at her. Her eyes sparkled at him and his heart skipped. “That was because she made me wait all day and night for some of that cake, it was downright mean of her,” he said with a chuckle. She delved into her bag and pulled something out.
“What is that?” he asked curiously, trying to peer behind her, but she dodged side to side so he could not see. “Arweyn what is it?” he probed, as she jumped up.
“So what would you do for some cake now?” she asked, licking her lips. Jumping to his feet, he raised his eyebrows at her.
“You have got cake?” he questioned, his eyes now looking with interest towards her back.
“I may have,” she replied, playfully. He stepped towards her, and she stepped back.
“Arweyn,” he said insistently, with a laugh in his voice.
“Well, what would you give me for some cake?” She pulled out a cupcake and waved it in front of him.
“You are a cruel woman, you know my weakness,” he groaned.
“Do you want some,” she whispered playfully, raising both her eyebrows at him. He nodded.
“Sorry I cannot hear you?” she said turning an ear to him.
“Yes please my dear sweet wife,” he replied. She lifted the cake threateningly to her mouth as he edged towards her, she stepped back, but she found herself against the cave wall.
“There is nowhere to go,” he said, leaning over her with one hand on the cave wall behind her. She lifted the cake to him, and he opened his mouth, she shoved the cake into his face, laughing as she ducked under his arm and scooted away. He stood still leaning against the wall.
“Very funny,” he muttered with a grin, before wiping the cake from his face and eating it. She was laughing hysterically as he turned about to face her.
“You are dead,” he said, pointing at her. She pulled her hands to her heart faking a deathly pose. He walked towards her, grasping her in his arms, he wiped his face against hers.
“Kainan,” she cried as he laughed at her.
Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 02 - Meladrom Page 15
