Faolan was shocked by the king’s words and the gift’s presentation. He was hesitant.
“Stand up,” Auvelia whispered to him.
He stood and walked over to Zael. The king seemed taller than he really was, due to his elevated platform, which provided him with an extra foot of height.
Zael noticed Faolan’s uncertain expression and laughed. “Please kneel before me and accept the gift.”
Faolan held out his hands and bowed before Zael. The king smiled and laid the decorative dagger in Faolan’s hands. Faolan accepted the gift and raised his head, pulling the dagger close to his chest.
“May that dagger serve you as loyally as you have served my kingdom,” Zael said. “Faolan?”
“Yes?”
“Do you know about the Shadow Guardians?” Zael questioned.
“No, sir,” Faolan said.
“Then let me explain. An army’s mobilization takes substantial time, proving inconvenient in emergencies. A void exists between my command and their action. We have enemies, Faolan. We are at war. Our enemies move faster than our army can react. They attack our farmers and our citizens. They attack for no other reason than we are elves, and they are not. It is infuriating. I will not idly stand by while my people are slaughtered. Therefore, I have created a secret guard, the Shadow Guardians. Your mother used to be one, before she met Kellen,” Zael said.
Faolan was surprised. She had never told him.
“The Shadow Guardians are few. They are skilled warriors, and they were formed to complement the elven army. The Shadow Guardians do not fight on the front lines. Their war exists where armies do not. Their expertise allows conflict resolution in unique ways. The individuals who are chosen to be Shadow Guardians are required to conduct themselves with unyielding loyalty, whether odds and circumstances are favorable or not. A toll exists, Faolan. Not of money, but of the mind. A Shadow Guardian’s journey is one of peril. They work alone, and they work in secret. One does not always leave the Shadow Guardians as your mother did, with her kindness still intact,” Zael said.
“Requirements exist for prospective individuals. You do not meet them.” Zael paused and stared into Faolan’s eyes. He hoped Faolan understood the coming offer’s magnitude. “Yet the kingdom fights on numerous fronts. Our forces are spread thin. The elven armies must remain at their present locations, and every Shadow Guardian is already on assigned missions. Therefore, I find myself wanting. I need to instate a new Shadow Guardian to investigate and resolve an escalating situation, one growing most dire.
“Your parents, General Gavina, and . . .” Zael looked over his shoulder and sighed before he continued. “. . . Of all individuals, the first Honorary Shadow Guardian, Caedmon Conn, have assured me with lengthy conversation you are capable. Under our present circumstances and with Caedmon Conn’s insistence, I offer you a position. Would you become a Shadow Guardian?”
Faolan tried to remain calm as he wrapped his mind around the offer.
“Let me remind you, the path of a Shadow Guardian is a great honor but also a demanding one. Take a moment and then inform me of your answer.” Zael finished and sat back down on his throne.
Faolan had a thousand thoughts and questions rolling through his mind at that moment. He had never been so confused or anxious about answering a question. The room sat silent, while his doubts churned.
Suddenly, a divine female voice entered Faolan’s mind: Fear not, Faolan . . . accept the offer. Fate beckons you.
He did not understand where the voice was coming from or who was talking. He glanced back at the four women in the room and thought, No. It could not be them. Who was that?
“Come, now, what is your answer, child?” King Zael beckoned.
Faolan refocused and tried to shrug off the odd voice.
“Yes, I accept your offer, my gracious king,” he said.
Zael stood up and motioned to the farthest individual on the table’s right side. “Treasach, please lend me your sword.”
Treasach walked over to the king and handed over his sword.
“Thank you, son,” Zael said.
Zael lay the sword on Faolan’s shoulders in ceremonial fashion. “Faolan. I hereby name thee a Shadow Guardian. Recite and memorize the Guardians’ code. A Shadow Guardian lives and dies by their code.”
We the Shadow Guardians serve the king and his kingdom
We protect the innocent and the weak
We are instruments of war and voices of peace
I am one of many
I will stand alone in order to protect the few
I walk alone so no other must
I will not falter
I will not fail
Faolan repeated the code, line by line, after the king. Once they had finished, Zael motioned for Faolan to stand.
“Congratulations, Faolan, you are now a Shadow Guardian. I will have the castle tailor present you with the proper attire once we have concluded. Please, take your seat once more,” Zael said. He handed Treasach his sword, and they all sat in their chairs.
As Faolan scooted his chair in a bit closer to the table and glanced back up at the king, Caedmon Conn unexpectedly stepped out from behind the king’s throne. Faolan now understood why Zael had looked over his shoulder while presenting him with the offer.
“Zael, may we now discuss the matters at hand?” Caedmon said.
“Yes,” Zael said. “Please be—”
The heavy throne room doors burst open and slammed deafeningly against the walls. A heavily armored individual entered, trailed by elven guards. The foreign knight’s armor was wider at the shoulders and crafted for the brawny. The unfamiliar knight removed his helmet and dropped it on the table, revealing a lightly tanned face with rough stubble beneath.
The knight bowed his head toward the king, though it was little more than formality, “I am Bayne, and I demand an audience with King Zael.”
Zael narrowed his eyes at the human knight, taking a few moments and analyzing the disrespectful newcomer.
Faolan noticed the dried blood staining the knight’s armor. Anger and fear warred on Bayne’s face.
Zael commanded, “Speak.”
“Thank you, good king.” Bayne bowed. “Three days ago, Mor was attacked. An evil beast devastated the city. Many Morians died, including innocent women and children. Many still remain injured, certain they dance with death. We are formally requesting aid. We seek protection and any healers you can spare.”
Bayne was shaking in anger as the words rolled out of his mouth.
“The beast—did it have strange skin and eyes of mist?” Caedmon said.
“Aye! Skin like lava flows and illuminated mist flowing from its sockets,” Bayne said.
Zael glanced to Caedmon with a raised brow. Even the king felt a drop of fear enter his heart when he heard Bayne’s words.
“That blood. Is it from the attack on Mor?” Zael said.
“No. Ten men rode with me from Mor. We were to ensure this message reached your ears, good king. Yet only three of us made it to Lesley’s gates.” Bayne’s anger seeped away, and sadness flooded his eyes.
“Please explain,” Zael said.
“No more than a day out of Mor, my men and I were ambushed. Our attackers bore no resemblance to the evil beast that attacked Mor. Never before have I been witness to such beings. Evil seems to be ever present these days,” Bayne said. “My men and I were caught off guard by attackers who appeared from the air itself. Their arms ended without hands. Yet they still wielded blades against us. Their skin was iridescent, black and purple. Their forms were human, and they walked like us, too, but they were not human. Not by a long shot. You could see it in their eyes. Metallic orbs that reflected light just like my armor does! They were unnerving, to say the least. And they had no hair . . . anywhere. We had little time to react; our attackers’ ferocity in battle was so overwhelming. I barely had time to unsheathe my sword before three of my men fell in front of my eyes.” Bayne trailed off.
/> Zael saw the man’s fear but hesitated.
“Please! King Zael, Mor humbly requests your aid,” Bayne said.
Zael was silent as he contemplated the worsening situation.
Caedmon lowered his head, and a heavy sigh slipped from his lips. “Drey’kan . . . they are known as the Drey’kan. They should indeed be feared by any mortal, for they are magic. They are unique and should be avoided. The Drey’kan are the ones responsible for the evil beast attacking your city.”
“Are they allies with the beast?” Bayne said.
“No,” Caedmon said.
Zael took the human’s woeful story to heart and knew he should help the only human settlement with a coherent form of government. Besides, their leader, Soren, recently presented him with a declaration of fair trade and friendship between the Harmaalinna Kingdom and Mor. Though Mor was small and had little to trade, the elven kingdom could benefit from any ally town or kingdom.
The king announced, “Harmaalinna will provide Mor with aid.”
“Thank you, good king.” Bayne bowed.
“Please, wait outside until we conclude, Bayne,” Zael said.
“Of course.” Bayne bowed a final time and left the throne room with the elven guards still at his heels.
The king sat back on his throne. His face disclosed nothing as he sat in deep thought. Zael glanced up at the extravagant chandelier, then to his guests’ faces.
Caedmon nodded to the king. “Interesting timing.”
“Indeed . . . continue,” Zael said with a trailing sigh and waved him forward.
The wolf guardian turned toward the small audience. “As you can see with Bayne and Mor and Darnum as examples, disturbing events are occurring. Much is changing in this world, and new dangers loom on the horizon.
“As Bayne just discovered, there exists a unique race known as the Drey’kan. The Drey’kan are a dark race, and their history includes delving into dark summonings. In the past, they summoned nothing more harmful than elementals and minor annoyances. Recently, the Drey’kan summoned a demon.
“This summoned demon strikes a rather raw cord because the Ikalreev Prophecies foretell a being called ’the Initiate.’ It is written this Initiate has dark origins and will bring about the last days. No clarity rises from the Ikalreev Prophecies whether this being is truly the Initiate, but the Ikalreev descriptions are remarkably similar.
“If the Ikalreev Prophecies coincide with this new dark entity, then it will search for the First Seal and the seal’s key, and the appearance of this demon is an ill omen. Tribulations will follow. Ever since the demon was summoned, I have been tracking its movements.
“Three days after the beast’s summoning, the demon reached the Silverwing dragons’ den and woke the colony. I believe it searched through the colony’s treasure horde for this seal’s key, which the Ikalreev portend in the prophecies. I assume the demon failed to locate the key, because it did not stay long in the Silverwing den. Though the creature probably failed, the damage was already done. The Silverwings have awakened.
“So now, at the same time, we must deal with this dark entity, and we must prepare for a shift in the dragons. When one den awakens, every den awakens. It is in their blood. We must prepare for the inevitable attacks that will come. I hope it will take time for the remaining dragon dens to awaken, but I fear the worst.
“Unfortunately, I lost track of the demon as it departed from the Silverwings’ den. It took a path I could not follow. For three days I tried to rediscover its tracks, but to no avail. This dark entity moves at much greater speeds across the land than I could have known. I only realized this when I came upon Darnum four days ago, where I discovered it was the demon that caused the Nathra attack. I conversed with the Nathra that day, and they spoke of an evil creature attacking their kind. The creature slaughtered many of them. The Nathra believed the elves had sent the creature against them. I must remind you they are rather simple minded. They merely correlated the direction from which the demon traveled to your town of Darnum. I explained to the Nathra in the simplest of terms with the hope they would leave without further bloodshed. The method proved useful. Yet two very real threats persist: the dragons and this dark entity.”
Caedmon let the information sink in and gave them time to understand his words before saying, “Our priority will be locating and stopping the Initiate.”
All this came as a shock to Faolan. He had never known much about the dragons because they were in deep hibernation, and the Drey’kan were beyond his realm of understanding at the present time. It was all too much to grasp. He began to wonder what he had just signed up for as an anxious thought crossed his mind: Do Shadow Guardians fight dragons and Drey’kan?
“Faolan, you will travel to Mor. You will aid the settlement. Protect its citizens and ensure the threat is eliminated before you return,” Zael said.
Faolan nervously nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“The twin healers will accompany you to Mor. They are not soldiers. They will only care for the wounded. Please ensure their safe return,” Zael said.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Caedmon Conn, Kellen, Auvelia, General Gavina, and Treasach will accompany Faolan during his first mission. Faolan will command the expedition, and his word will be followed. Faolan, heed your company’s advice. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Faolan said.
“Good. Your mission begins now. Faolan, please visit the castle tailor for your proper attire.” Zael dismissed his guests.
Everyone left the throne room to prepare for the coming mission, leaving the king to sit in contemplation.
◆◆◆
The tiny tailor’s shop was tucked deep within the castle’s halls. Faolan had received his new uniform from the castle tailor and attempted to escape the labyrinth. He wandered the numerous hallways until he found the magnificent main hall by mistake. The doors to his left stood open. Faolan sighed in relief. He looked at the green uniform, which was similar to his scout uniform, though there was a difference. An enchanter’s magic imbued the Shadow Guardian’s uniform, giving it a secondary purpose.
Before he had left the shop, the tailor had handed him a small piece of parchment and told him, “Make sure you read this. It explains how the Shadow Guardian uniform works.”
How it works? he thought. He did not understand the tailor’s meaning until he began reading the parchment:
The articles of clothing you now wear have been enchanted with a unique spell. This spell is everlasting and harmless. The spell’s purpose is to represent the mental and emotional status of the Shadow Guardian. The king requested the Shadow Guard’s clothing be enchanted as a precaution for those around the wearer, due to past tragedies.
The Shadow Guardians are skilled warriors, who normally work alone and outside the kingdom. They report only to the king. With these circumstances known, a Shadow Guardian may become unpredictable. Please memorize the following, for you, the wearer, will be at the greatest risk. Your emotions will now be publicly displayed, in order to protect the citizens of Harmaalinna Kingdom.
Color—Meaning
Green—natural color; state of calmness, alertness, neutrality
Yellow—state of happiness or joy
Blue—state of sadness or sorrow
Orange—state of confusion
White—state of peacefulness and benevolence
Caution: States of Instability
Red—state of anger, frustration; precondition of black; the greater the prevalence of red, the more others should be concerned
Black—state of hate
Warning stage one:
if small area appears black, take heed and immediately defuse the situation; chance of confrontation looming
Warning stage two:
if clothing appears half black, wearer is unstable; flee from close proximity; violence may occur
Warning stage three:
if clothing is entirely black, shelter is imp
erative; individual is highly unstable; violence is imminent
Appearance of Patterns and Multiple Colors
Multiple colors may appear at once. The complexity of colors and patterns is directly correlated to the wearer’s emotions and mental status. There are no set patterns or color combinations; what appears on the clothing are direct representations of the wearer’s heart and mind. Heed caution and interpret the patterns with care.
Faolan was surprised the king would need such reassurance to trust his Shadow Guardians. He memorized the colors and their meanings. He took to heart the message lying within, though he found it difficult to fathom any Shadow Guardian rising against the king. The idea seemed rather preposterous to Faolan as he glanced around at the dozens of heavily armed soldiers in view. He scoffed at the parchment and stuffed it into a small pouch he had been given.
He decided he should find the others, so he walked out the main hall’s doors and into the beautiful courtyard beyond. He stepped through the peaceful maze of shrubberies and hedges. There were statues of royal family members past and present spread across the courtyard. He noticed a statue of Caedmon Conn that bore a striking resemblance. He wandered closer to the courtyard center.
Faolan froze when his eyes locked on to a single statue at the very center of the courtyard. It was a female figure adorned with wings, which were slightly folded behind her back. She was standing on one leg as she reached toward Heaven. For some reason, Faolan felt as if he had seen her before. He moved before the statue and gazed up at the female’s face. The statue’s features were not carved in detail, yet he felt deep within his chest, he knew her. His eyes gravitated to the engraving on the statue’s base. As he read the script, his eyes glazed over.
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