Deke Brolin Rhol

by Doug Backus

  “Well, just the same, I feel awful. I feel used. I am grateful that you were able to bring me back Deke. Thank you.”

  Deke blushed as Delca hugged him, and then kissed him on the cheek. After clearing his throat he turned to Mary. “Mary, I have been waiting for ages to ask you. How did you ever come to be here, in Rhol?”

  “Basically, the same way you did. That morning I waited for you on the bridge; it was a beautiful morning. After a short time, I figured you must be running late. I was excited to get to the fort and thought, what would be the harm? You would be along soon enough. So I headed to the fort, but I never made it. While I was walking through the cornfield, I could see something sparkle as the light of the morning sun glanced off it. I immediately walked over to where it was laying and picked it up. Suddenly, I felt dizzy and I fell to the ground, slicing my ankle open on a rock. I sat down and shook my head trying to rid myself of the peculiar feeling I had. I took my shoe off to check out the damage I had done to my foot. Then I simply blacked out. I have no idea how long I was out, but when I opened my eyes I found myself in a cave. I had no idea what had happened, or how I got there. My stomach churned as I walked toward the only light I could see. It led me to a cliff where a young girl stood. She was beautiful with skin like ivory, her eyes a deep blue and she looked to be about the same age as me. The wind was gusting causing her long black hair to whisk across her face, but it couldn’t disguise the smile she had. I asked her who she was and where we were. She told me that she would answer all my questions in time, but first we would have to find shelter, because a storm was coming in fast. She told me that someone was going to come and get us, someone that I would be shocked to see. She told me to trust her when that someone arrived and to just follow her lead. She would answer any questions I had later.

  I was shocked when I saw what looked like a horse flying at a great speed through the air toward us. As it got closer I saw its fangs or teeth, and became slightly more unraveled. But, for whatever reason, I trusted this woman that I had just met, so I did as she asked. She was of course Delca, my paladin and she took me to the Sacred Realm of Solace where I met Kiran. Kiran would spend the next several months preparing us for what was to come, well most of it. That reminds me, Deke. How is Kiran? I miss her terribly.”

  Deke looked over at Deo. He knew this question would come eventually. “I’m sorry Mary, she has passed on.”

  “What? How?” Mary asked becoming visibly upset.

  Deo could see Deke was choked up at the very thought of it so he answered for him. “It is a long story Mary but in the end she died saving Deke’s life.”

  Mary was very upset, but she knew Deke would be far worse. She knew her friend better than anyone except perhaps Deo and she knew how he would feel if someone had died to save him. She didn’t have to hear the intricate details. She knew Kiran. She knew them both.

  Pulling herself together, Mary walked over to Deke and hugged him so tightly he could hardly breathe. “I have missed you Deke, don’t let Kiran’s death burden you. She had her reasons for everything. She loved Rhol more than life itself. If she died for you it was because she knew you were worthy of it, and you are. I’m just glad we found each other.”

  Her words reminded Deke of another question. “How did you find us Mary, and why didn’t you just say who you were?”

  “The last part of that question is easy; I was almost Pintante. You would’ve thought I was completely out of my mind if I told you who I was. Since Solharn was controlling Delca, who knows how she would have reacted? I told you I was Torrell in hopes that I could convince you to follow me in the direction you should have been heading, to the camps of the Phits. I would’ve tried to tell you the truth before we got there, but it wasn’t possible. I was slowly losing my mind, and struggled to stay focused long enough to convince you. Instead, my actions scared you away. Luckily, I knew exactly what Solharn had planned simply by the direction that he had Delca leading you. I thought of another plan of attack, allowing myself to get captured by the Tetagorous. I followed you all day and timed my capture to coincide with your arrival. It was risky, but it was the only chance I had left to try and save you. It was either die at the hands of the Tetagorous, or die as a Pintante. Either way, death was coming. My plan was simply to make you aware of Solharn’s plan. It turned out much better than I anticipated,” Mary explained.

  “How I found you is a little more complicated. First of all, these swamps have been my home for over two years now. There is little I don’t know of them. I’m sure you’re wondering why I would have chosen to stay in these swamps instead of trying to find my way back to Solace. That’s where it becomes complicated. After Solharn abandoned me, I did try to find my way out. For weeks I walked aimlessly around in circles. To survive, I ate bugs along with things that I don’t care to recall or repeat. Creatures, which I’d only heard about through Kiran, constantly tried to attack and devour me. I’d finally given up. I sat down not far from where we sit now. As I listened to the Chumpralas berating me while I sat there alone, I finally made up my mind. I would sit here and wait until death found me, but death never came, just quietness. All at once there was no noise. The Chumpralas just disappeared, the birds stopped chirping and then right before my eyes, an elderly man appeared.”

  “Why do you give up child, when you are so close to finding a home?” he asked me.

  “I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. He didn’t seem to mind though. He just came closer, eventually sitting down beside me while continuing to talk.”

  “A person who takes it upon themself to do something right, to do good in these times of strife, cannot be measured by their success or failure. They can only be measured by how they will live with that success or failure.”

  “I told him I didn’t understand.”

  He continued. “If someone succeeds initially, it doesn’t mean that eventually they won’t fail, and if someone fails initially, it does not mean that eventually they won’t succeed. You see child, success and failure are words that mean nothing. Their meanings can be changed in a way that cancels the other one out.”

  Then he looked at me and put his long bony hand on my shoulder.

  “If you do something for a good reason, it is simply that. And if you do something for a bad reason, it too, is simply that. You should not measure yourself by your success or failure, but by whether you did it for good or bad. Those words are much different. Their meanings cannot cancel each other out. The journey you undertook was for a good intention. Nothing can change that. You believe that you have failed. If you have heard me, you know that the meaning of failure is quite inconsequential. Have you ever considered that perhaps, you have just not completed your journey?

  After he spoke those words, he simply disappeared. I thought he must have been a hallucination brought on by fatigue and hunger, but his words rang over and over again in my head. I stood up and slowly walked, trying to make sense of it all. I hadn’t gone far when I stumbled across this hole in the ground. I could see a light coming from deep within it, and decided to investigate. When I reached the end I found a home, this home. I assumed it was someone’s place but nobody ever returned so I made it my own. Then it struck me. The elderly man had spoken quite literally when he said I was close to home. After that, his words made more sense to me. I was meant to be here, in the swamps. It was the next part of my journey. So for the next two years, I learned everything I could about them.”

  “I was also visited by an elderly man. He was skinny and had a long white beard. I believe he was a Kilto elder,” Deke exclaimed.

  “Based on what Kiran taught me, I think you are right. He was a Kilto elder,” Mary said.

  “Did he ever visit you again?” Delca asked.

  “Only once, on the day before I found you. I was heading to explore the east side of the swamps when he appeared. He pointed west and said simply, “Just because things are lost, does not mean they cannot be found.” I assumed he was referri
ng to the amulet, and immediately made my way west. Eventually, I found you three. I watched you for several hours until I realized what Delca was doing. That’s when I made an appearance, hoping that I could change your path. The rest you know.”

  “I do have to ask you about the poem or rhyme you repeated to us. What did it mean?” Deke asked.

  “The poem? I don’t remember any poem.”

  “You were a little crazed at the time but you refused to stop. The more you said, the angrier Delca, or I should say Solharn, became.”

  “Strange, I have no memory of this. Do you remember how it went?” Mary asked.

  Deke thought about it for a minute, and then repeated the strange rhyme back to her.

  “How many tears have people shed?

  When their souls break

  When their thoughts turn dead

  I guess it’s no one’s fault

  Evil is strong

  No wonder faith goes wrong

  Down by the Blackpool

  Where evil rules

  Don’t ever go swimming

  By the Blackpool

  Every now and then

  Your souls become one

  You’re on top of life

  There is no need to run

  It can last for years

  Or it can turn in a day

  But the dark will come

  No matter how much you pray

  Down by the Blackpool

  Where evil rules

  Don’t ever go swimming

  By the Blackpool

  It will never happen

  Everybody tells themselves

  But it will

  Faith, no dark, will always rule

  With hate and rage, your soul will fill

  If only you had listened,

  When I told you, you fool

  Don’t ever go swimming

  Down by the Blackpool…”

  “I have no recollection of it at all. It seems like a very disturbing passage. Perhaps I was warning you of something or maybe I was just being crazy? I was almost a full Pintante at the time. We should try to decipher it though. It could be helpful. It certainly can’t hurt.”

  “I guess I have only one more question, Mary. You know the swamps inside and out. Why did you want us to head into Phits territory when you could have directed us here to safety?” Deke asked.

  “I have been waiting for that question, Deke. It was for one reason and one reason only: to help you on your quest.”

  “How so?” Deke asked.

  Mary turned her head and looked at them. “That is where Solharn keeps Queen Elissa. He has her wrapped in a cloak of darkness and heavily guarded by the Phits.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  It would be a day of reckoning, Palto thought while standing on the edge of the cliffs looking down upon Solace. It was to him, the most beautiful place on Rhol. The rivers that wound through the many mountains surrounding Solace were a spectacular sight. Gravity pulled them steadily downward, eventually coming to an end where they leapt from the ridges of rock and fell through the air to form much larger river. This river was called Jiulta, simply meaning “Life.”

  Ancient Rholians so named it because of all the little rivers that came together to create it. The large river twisted through the mountain he was now standing upon, and eventually cascaded over the edge, creating the largest most spectacular waterfall he had ever witnessed. The water fell thousands of feet eventually flowing into Solemn Lake, the largest lake on Rhol. The river was the lake’s life force, and was thereby named “The River of Jiulta.”

  Looking in the other direction was Solace, fields of beauty, surrounded by gigantic rock formations that seemed to move if you stared at them too long. Huge trees dotted the landscape for miles upon miles, providing shelter and food to the animals and birds that burrowed into their comforting branches, and ate their bountiful nuts and seeds.

  He wondered whether this serene beauty would survive the battle that would soon take place upon its hallowed ground. The Pegapires had long since delivered the Lealian ground fighters along with the Rholians from the Realm of Solace, to the fields below. They were severely outnumbered. They lined up across the fields in rows of two ready to fight for their world, a world that had been snatched from under them, one which they would try to win back. Behind these rows several Lealian archers readied themselves to hold off Solharn’s armies as long as they could.

  Palto stared proudly down at them from above, flanked by his army of Pegapires, who were each accompanied by a Lealian warrior. Orulla stood to his left as Oisin slung provisions over her. Kaelyn, on his right, prepared Issa for the battle. Preta had volunteered to stay with Jayden as he was still unable to move or speak. Solko walked toward his sister with Duffy by his side. He had insisted that Duffy ride on his back in the coming fight. It was unheard of among Pegapires to have anyone but a Lealian ride them into battle, but Solko felt indebted to Duffy for saving his sister. Besides, Solko was impressed by Duffy’s ferocious fighting abilities.

  Palto had agreed to this, but only under the condition that before either entered the battle, they would scour Rhol for any inhabitants that were willing to fight for their freedom. He instructed Duffy to find all of the Brawltug he could, and to tell them that Solharn had returned. Duffy was to tell them of the impending battle in Solace, and that the Pegapires and the Lealians would be privileged and honored to fight alongside them. They mildly protested, but it was not hard for Palto to convince them that what they were doing would be essential to the success of the battle. It was why Solko was saying his farewells to Preta.

  “Once you go through the Wall of Solace Preta, you will be healed, but you must return here and stay with Jayden. It will be hard not to engage in the battle, but you will have to resist for his sake. If the armies are not held back, take Jayden back to Tamon. I will look for you there.”

  “Is Palto sure that Jayden cannot be healed by the Wall of Solace?”

  “He is wise, but does not know enough about the hold Solharn has on Jayden. Nor does he know if the wall will reverse his hypnotic state, as nobody has ever breached the wall under a Pegapire’s trance. He cannot take the chance. If it cures him of only his trance, then he will be a dangerous opponent. Do not forget the news Oisin brought to us that there is a traitor amongst us. That traitor was from Solace. It is possible that they are also under Solharn’s spell, and if they passed through the Wall, its magic did not work on them.”

  “I understand, brother. I only wish I could be of more use.”

  “Do not belittle the importance of your assignment, sister. Protecting Jayden will not be easy, and it is essential that he survive. He is the last in the line of the Lealian Ancients. They...we need him.”

  Preta nodded. “Travel safely brother, and Duffy, keep safe. I have yet to repay you for saving my life. I would like very much the opportunity to do so in the future.”

  Duffy blushed slightly. “You are too kind Preta, but you would have done the same for me. There is nothing to repay. The honor of fighting alongside you is quite enough.”

  “Take care, sister,” Solko yelled as he took flight.

  Still miles away, but approaching fast, Palto could see dark clouds forming in the sky, and great clouds of dust rising from the ground. The clouds would soon turn into battalions of Phits flying in the air, and the dust into the Kaltaures army. There was not much time, but they were as ready as they could be.

  Solharn’s armies were bigger than he had expected. They were outnumbered tenfold, if not more. He had already prepared for this by assigning ten Pegapires, along with their Lealian counterparts, to retrieve wounded warriors and bring them back and forth from the Wall of Solace. That was the only way they would keep their numbers up. It was a great advantage to them. Perhaps Queen Elissa had somehow known that the final battle would take place near Solace, and had created the Wall of Solace to even out the playing field. Perhaps, that was why this was the only field that remained intact.
This was the field she had created to renew life, not just to protect it, as in the cases of Leal and Tamon. Whatever the reason, he knew it would be imperative that they not lose it to Solharn’s armies. If they lost their access to the Wall of Solace, it would prevent them from using its healing powers. Gradually, their armies would be depleted until eventually the battle would be lost.

  Palto beckoned Oisin, Kaelyn, Issa and Orulla over as he stepped away from the line.

  “It will be a matter of hours before we have to engage Solharn’s army. Oisin, I want you and Orulla to lead the ground troops. Kaelyn is more used to fighting on the back of a Pegapire and you, Oisin, are an experienced warrior on the ground. Orulla, you can engage the enemy in the air, but do not stray too far from Oisin. He will need your eyes to tell him what to expect as the armies approach.”

  “I will go now and make sure they are organized, Palto,” Oisin said while mounting Orulla.

  “Kaelyn and Issa, you will be in charge of the right flank, and I will lead the left. We cannot lose the tunnel that leads to the Realm of Solace under any circumstances. I fear our fight will be over if we do. Make sure you take precautions to ensure it never happens.”

  “Understood Palto,” both of them said in unison.

  “You two were surely meant to ride together,” Palto laughed as he turned and walked toward his troops to instruct them on the impending battle.

  “He does not seem himself, Issa.”

  “A lot rides on his shoulders, Kaelyn. He has seen many wars and has lost none, aside from when Elissa ordered their retreat. He knows if this battle is lost, then so too will Rhol. On top of this, I am sure that Jayden’s fate weighs heavily upon him. He is burdened with the fact that it was he who immobilized Jayden.”

  “But he had no choice,” Kaelyn insisted.