The Banished Lands- The Complete Series

by Benjamin Mester

  Estrien departed and set off alone, making her way to the back of the city and the lonely mountain behind. Aravas had found a pathway up and Estrien longed to gaze out over the beautiful world below, if only one last time. Finding the pathway, she ascended until she'd come over a hundred paces above the city. A broad cleft offered her a seat and she took it, a panoramic scene of sweeping plains and the distant treeline of the Espion Forest filling her view.

  Then, with a deep breath, she considered her life as a whole – growing up in Melanor and making the decision to become a warrior. She wondered if there was anything she would have done differently if given the option to do things over. But the answer was no, and knowing that gave her great peace. Estrien lingered for hours alone with her wonderful view. Near sunset, she glanced to the east and saw a rider approaching. That had to be Durian. It was time.

  Estrien looked once more on the beautiful countryside, highlighted in the sunset colors now filling the sky. She breathed in deep and felt briefly happy to do her duty and save the world from deadly peril. Then she departed down the mountainside. She arrived back in the alliance city around the same time as Durian. The only people who knew of the plan were her, Aravas, Blair and Jaithur. Estrien came toward the main entrance until Durian entered and then made straight for him.

  “We've been looking everywhere for you!” Estrien exclaimed. “We were worried sick! Where have you been?”

  “On personal business,” he responded. “I thought I made it clear before, I'll do as I please from now on.”

  “That's fine,” Estrien returned. “But we were hoping you could offer your insight. It has to do with your friend, Baron. We haven't heard from him in weeks. His fiancee, Ariadra thinks he may have been killed.”

  Estrien paused to gauge Durian's reaction. But he only stared at her blankly.

  “Baron supposedly set off for Eulsiphion after reading something in the writings of King Euthor.”

  Durian seemed surprised at her declaration and she stared at him for long moments, trying to discern his thoughts, until his gaze returned to its normal cold stare.

  “You were the first one to unlock the secrets hidden in King Euthor's poetry,” Estrien said. “I was hoping you could go through the rest of the documents and help us figure out where Baron disappeared to.”

  “Still following the ramblings of that fool of a king?” Durian asked.

  Estrien showed surprise at his statements, though inwardly, it confirmed to her more and more that Durian was no longer himself. Corcoran couldn't hide his hatred of King Euthor and he was bold in his declarations, still thinking she and the others were powerless to threaten him.

  “Please, we haven't much time,” Estrien said.

  Durian assented and followed her through the city to where the main buildings had been erected. As they approached, Blair was waiting at the door to a small building. Seeing Durian, he rushed forward and gave him an embrace.

  “It's so good to see you,” Blair said.

  When Blair at last let him go, his eyes were glazed and he couldn't look Durian in the face. But Durian only looked at Blair in disgusted confusion at his outpouring of emotion.

  “Durian, my brother and I...we just. We're so grateful that you've been our friend.”

  Estrien had to fight to keep her emotion in check. Blair was trying to say goodbye to his best friend, knowing that in moments, he would become his executioner. Durian showed little emotion or care at Blair's declaration.

  “Yes, well,” Durian replied. “It's been interesting, hasn't it? Now where are these documents?”

  “Right inside,” Estrien responded.

  Durian entered the small building. Estrien turned to Blair who couldn't meet her gaze but stared down at the ground before him. His eyes were full of tears. Estrien placed her hand on his shoulder for comfort. Then, glancing back, she saw Aravas, who wore a look of deep sorrow. She looked away quickly, emotion overcoming her. He would lead the people now, at least until Sheabor could retake command. Estrien plunged into the room, closing the door gently behind her. The chest of documents was sitting at the far end.

  “Before Baron left the city,” Estrien said. “He became convinced King Euthor hid something very important for us to find somewhere in the city, Eulsiphion.”

  Estrien walked up behind Durian who had already begun rifling through the documents, casting most aside but stopping at the poem of the mystical island that had first sent Blair on a wild adventure. Reading it slowly, he cast it aside at length and found another poem that Estrien hadn't seen before. She stood over Durian's shoulder and read it as well:

  The breezy cold, the clouds sail by,

  Like lonely ships in ocean sky.

  The grassy hills are misty wet,

  As when the first night that we met;

  As when we wandered slowly there

  Beneath an ancient, starry air.

  The twinkling city, far and deep,

  Is slumb'ring softly in its sleep.

  They rest, while we alone roam free,

  Beneath our vast eternity;

  Above the city, gazing down,

  Strangers at the edge of town.

  Let’s never break this spell we’re under.

  Let’s flee into a world of wonder.

  And all or nothing, hand in hand,

  Let’s find our place and make our stand.

  He lowered the poem and for nearly a minute, he gazed off, as though lost in thought. But soon he cast the poem aside and began rifling through more of the papers before him. Estrien sighed quietly in relief, seeing that her bait had worked. Though Corcoran hated even the sound of the name Euthor, he couldn't resist delving in deeper to his writings, knowing that King Euthor was still somehow helping the free peoples of the Eastern Realm.

  Estrien waited in silence as Durian tore through the documents. Blair only needed a little more time to seal the doorway they'd entered through and imprison them forever. Her hand rested lightly on her sword, though she knew it wouldn't do any good against the spirit of Corcoran. Durian seemed to grow angrier as he continued on, finding little more in the chest of documents.

  But then, suddenly, he stopped, lowering the document in his hand and glancing backward over his shoulder toward Estrien. Then standing to his feet, he looked around suddenly at the confines of the small building, his eyes narrowing. Then he took a step toward Estrien, who had poised herself already for battle.

  “Are you trying to trap me?”

  Estrien drew her sword.

  “You are the enemy of the free peoples of this realm,” she declared. “You will never again leave this city.”

  Durian's eyes flashed red and he drew a hidden blade from the folds of his garments.

  “What chance do you think you have?” he sneered.

  “That remains to be seen.”

  The End

  Estrien stood with sword drawn, poised against the greatest foe their world had ever known. He gazed at her in contempt, knowing he had stumbled headlong into her trap, yet doubting they really possessed the means to confine him. Estrien spoke in melodious phrases, calling her weapons to life. Then she lunged toward Durian with a yell. But Durian parried her stab with skill, and the two squared off once more, circling the small room.

  “I'm impressed you discerned my presence so quickly within this hapless vessel,” Durian said. “Though I can guess we have the old man to thank for that.”

  “Enough talk!”

  Estrien raised her sword but Durian threw his head back with a laugh and extended his arms wide, leaving himself completely vulnerable. What reason did he have to fight? Estrien lunged forward with her sword as though to pierce him through but she angled the blade backward and brought the pommel across his cheek, knocking him backward.

  Durian's eyes flashed red with fury, for he hadn't been roughly handled in many a long eon. Estrien swung across his chest but he met it skillfully with his own blade. Estrien was glad for it. She wanted him to fight...
wanted to die a warrior's death. She struck at him again and again, but he moved with unexpected speed, and darted to one side, glancing a blow away and then striking her with his fist. She stumbled backward and he quickly advanced, swinging downward with a powerful blow.

  She blocked the blow weakly, and knocked off balance, her shoulder slammed against the nearby wall. He swung down again, and she managed to push off from the wall, pinning his sword with hers against it. He struggled to free his blade to no avail, then brought his knee up into her side. Ordinarily, it would've been a minor blow, but the pain of her earlier injury sent her tumbling to the ground. Durian stood over her poised for a deathblow, raising his sword. But she kicked him in the torso, knocking him a few paces back, enough to stand to her feet.

  Durian's jaw clenched and he turned his back on her, walking to the back of the room toward the chest of documents, having lost interest in their duel. He seemed singularly interested in them still as though he'd learned something of sudden importance.

  “I want to thank you for bringing me to this room,” he said over his shoulder. “You've given me more than I ever could have dreamed of.”

  Estrien didn't know what to do or say. She wouldn't just stab him in the back like a coward. But if he wouldn't fight, what could she do?

  “They told me you visited the grave of King Euthor's wife,” she said. He stopped in his tracks. “Tell me, what kind of man murders the woman he claims to love?”

  Durian turned round, his eyes red with rage.

  “Why can't you just admit that King Euthor was a better man than you'll ever be?” she asked.

  Durian roared and sprang toward her, swinging with all his might. Estrien ducked his blow, and the tip of his sword sliced into the wall, cutting through the thin layer of whitish stone which hid the dark, swirling layer of Shade Stone beneath. Estrien dashed forward, coming round behind him and positioning herself between him and the chest of documents.

  Fury blazed in his eyes that someone dare stand between him and his goal and he advanced against her, striking diagonally down across her torso. Drune was there to parry the blow, but another came from low with great speed, pushing her back. Durian came at her with a flurry of blows, nearly overwhelming her. And though she met them each in turn, she couldn't hold her ground. The skill of his swordsmanship was more than she'd anticipated and the pain in her side was growing.

  She neared the back wall of the room, the chest of documents just beside her. Durian struck downward but she ducked to one side, his sword digging through the thin veneer of white stone on the back wall, revealing another gash of Shade Stone beneath. Estrien punched him in the gut, sending him backward a pace, but he swung with the back of his hand and connected with her cheek, sending her into the back wall with a thud.

  Another blow came in almost immediately, which Estrien narrowly ducked. Then she pushed off the back wall and struck him in the jaw with her elbow, sending him careening backward. Both were slow to recover but Estrien was first to advance, he now giving up ground against her flurry of blows, moving farther away from the chest of documents. In anger, he threw a counter blow but she ducked it and sliced diagonally upward, cutting his side.

  With a yell and eyes full of hatred, he swung downward at her. But Estrien sidestepped the blow and it missed her completely. Moving to make an upward strike, Estrien blocked it near the hilt of his sword, which ripped the sword from his hand. Now disarmed, Durian sprang at her, hooking her round the waist, and knocking them both to the ground.

  But as she fell, she struck him squarely on the temple with the jeweled hilt of her sword, stunning him. Then she hit the ground hard, searing pain tearing through her side. She lay there breathless for long moments and Durian likewise, still reeling from the blow to his temple.

  Estrien finally sat up, using the wall for support to stand to her feet. But as she pushed herself up, Durian grabbed her tunic, wrestling her back to the ground. She fell, though turned and punched him in the jaw as she did and felt his grip loosen from her tunic. Fighting through the pain, she rolled over, striking him again with her fist. Then rising to her knees beside him, she grabbed him by the collar, pulling him up, and struck him again with her fist. He was dazed and barely conscious and Estrien pulled him up again, threatening to strike him another time but hesitating. After a moment, his eyes regained their focus and flashed red as he gazed at her with rage.

  “You will all bow before me!” he yelled.

  Then Estrien punched him again, knocking him unconscious. Estrien released her grip on his tunic with a sigh of relief, sitting against the wall of the small building and breathing in deep breaths of air, rubbing her nearly broken hand. After a few minutes, Durian began to stir, rubbing his temples and groaning.

  Estrien retrieved her sword, not knowing if the spirit of Corcoran still held control. He pushed himself up and rubbed his jaw with his hands, looking around the room. His countenance had changed completely...had softened and returned to the Durian she remembered. If it was a trick, Corcoran was doing a perfect job of impersonating him.

  “Durian?” she asked and his head whipped toward her.

  He gazed at her in disbelief, as though awaking from a dream, and finally nodded. Estrien's eyes darted about the room, searching for signs of a disembodied spirit trapped with them in the room.

  “He's here,” Durian said, looking slowly about. “I can feel it. He's searching for a way out.”

  Durian's expression was distant and mystified.

  “It's like trying to remember a half forgotten dream,” he said. “It was so vivid, but it's all fading so fast.”

  After a few moments, Durian stood to his feet with a wince of pain, clutching his side with his hand and finding his own blood upon it as he finally pulled it away.

  “Sorry for that,” she said.

  Durian smirked.

  “What happened to you and Pallin?” she asked.

  Durian paused, recalling the memories.

  “We got caught in a storm. Our ship was destroyed. I don't know what happened to Pallin but I was taken captive and brought to a mountain cave. They had a piece of the Soul Stone and Corcoran used it to overtake me.”

  Estrien nodded slowly. It was just as they'd suspected. Durian walked over to a place on the wall where a slash from a sword had exposed the Shade Stone layer beneath. He passed his fingers over the smooth surface and then turned back to Estrien in great surprise.

  “We've encased the entire room in Shade Stone,” she said. “Do you remember the poem that led you and Pallin to the island?”

  Durian nodded.

  “The sands of that island weren't just ordinary sands. They were the materials Blair and Baron needed for making Shade Stone.”

  Durian nodded as he processed the information. But as the implications of her words sank in, a look of sorrow appeared on his face.

  “We aren't getting out of here, are we?”

  Estrien shook her head slowly.

  “It's for the best,” Durian managed with a mustered smile. “Corcoran is a monster. He'll stop at nothing to destroy the plans of King Euthor and claim dominance over this world.”

  Mentioning King Euthor triggered something in her mind.

  “Do you know why Corcoran was so interested in the chest of documents?” she asked. “I knew it would provide bait but he seemed more eager to read them than I expected.”

  Durian grew thoughtful.

  “When you told him something in the writings of King Euthor had sent Baron on a quest to Eulsiphion, he needed to find out what. Corcoran believes that King Euthor has hidden something in Eulsiphion that will allow him to bring himself and Sheyla back to life.”

  Estrien was startled at the thought.

  “Is that even possible?”

  “I don't know. I've long suspected that King Euthor was somehow using the Hammer of Haladrin to communicate with us, though I never knew how. Corcoran believes there's a piece of the Soul Stone embedded in the hammer, that it'
s tying King Euthor's spirit to the hammer itself. And since King Euthor found a way to preserve Sheyla from decay, and presumably himself in his own tomb on the Banished Lands, Corcoran believes he's also found the means to return their spirits to their bodies.”

  Estrien was dumbfounded.

  “Do you remember the poem of the island, where he ended by saying

  The unescaping fate, we too are subjects to decay”

  Estrien nodded.

  “The only way Sheyla will ever see decay is if she's freed from the crystal that encases her. Corcoran believes King Euthor plans to do so...that it's the final plan he's set into motion.

  The world and all its light shall fade.

  I'll stay with her beneath the shade,

  And wait until the world's remade...”

  Estrien was struck speechless at the thought. Could it really be true?

  “The poem he read in the chest of documents solidified things in Corcoran's mind, especially his speculation that King Euthor hid the final means to his plan in Eulsiphion.”

  Then Durian went and took the poem from the pile of papers.

  “Look at these lines here:

  They rest, while we alone roam free,

  Beneath our vast eternity;

  Above the city, gazing down,

  Strangers at the edge of town.”

  “I don't understand,” she said.

  “The lines echo both the present and the past. Poetically, King Euthor was highlighting how out of place two lovers feel in the dull hustle and bustle of a city. Like oil and water, they stand apart, seeking always to flee away from prying eyes. But in the present tense, the city Eulsiphion is now under the control of the House, Forthura, not Cavanah. King Euthor and Sheyla are even now strangers at the edge of town, awaiting their return.”

  “That's pretty flimsy, Durian” Estrien said.