The Gate and Beyond

by E J Gilmour

  They persevered, but the going was slow as the path took them ever upward, traversing high ridges and deep valleys. Often they found themselves walking close to the edge of cliffs that descended into deep and dark valleys below. The warhorses, trained to endure hardship, managed the path without complaint. The unicorn had no trouble at all with the difficult terrain. Before long the old path had taken them high into the mountains. An icy breeze blew down from the snow-capped peaks above. Eben led the way onward, with Mostyn and Red following close behind.

  ‘This wind is piercing,’ said Red as he drew his cloak tightly around himself.

  ‘Ah, yes, the Great Mountains are the tallest and the coldest mountain range in all of Veredor. Their peaks are covered in ice even at the height of summer,’ said Mostyn.

  ‘Surely it can’t get much colder than this?’ asked Red, shaking his head in protest.

  ‘We still have a long way to go, and the wind will become much colder,’ said Mostyn flatly.

  Suddenly they rounded a corner. Before them the track came to the edge of a cliff and only a small portion of an old stone bridge remained. Beyond them was a deep crevasse that descended a thousand yards into a craggy valley below. It was clearly evident that a bridge had once joined the opposing ridge which was about fifty yards across.

  Mostyn rode forward to the edge and stared out across the deep chasm. His concerned eyes looked back at the company. ‘This indeed is very unfortunate.’

  ‘Is there another way around?’ asked King Ignis.

  ‘No,’ replied Mostyn. ‘We would have to scale the ridges and cliff faces if we took any other way.’

  ‘There must be another way,’ said Meara. Mostyn shook his head.

  ‘Can you make a bridge with your magic?’ asked Mostyn, looking to Meara.

  Meara stared across the crevasse. ‘No, it is too far and beyond my ability.’

  ‘Perhaps we should return to Faircastle,’ said Mostyn.

  ‘We cannot return. We must find the Star King,’ said Eben.

  ‘I am afraid there is no way onward, Ecorian,’ said Mostyn.

  Stella rode forward with a coiled rope and grappling hook in her hand. ‘There is a way. We will have to leave the horses behind.’

  ‘But can you secure the hook from such a distance?’ asked Dillon.

  ‘I can try,’ said Stella. ‘If we use two ropes we can make a basic rope bridge; one rope to walk on and another to hold. I can do it, but it would be far easier if there was someone on the other side.’

  The unicorn suddenly burst forward. Eben held on as his steed launched itself across the wide chasm. For several moments the unicorn glided through the air and then landed with ease on the opposing ridge. Eben stared back at the company standing fifty yards back.

  ‘Eben, I’m going to throw you the first rope!’

  Eben leapt down from the unicorn and walked to the edge of the cliff. ‘When you are ready!’ he shouted.

  Stella swung the coiled rope in large circles and then sent it flying across the chasm with perfect precision. Eben caught the rope and drew it back to secure it around a jagged rock. Meanwhile Stella prepared her second rope. She cast the second rope across the deep abyss. Eben repeated the process and within minutes they had secured both ropes tightly about five feet apart.

  The company unpacked their supplies from the horses and secured their packs to their backs. Stella was the first to attempt the rope bridge. She edged out with ease and within a minute she had crossed and stood with Eben on the far side. Red followed closely behind and the others started to edge out on the rope. Within a few minutes Red, King Ignis, Meara, Cassiel and Mostyn had crossed. Dillon, Arthur, Quade, and Duke Egil were still out on the rope. A scream howled out across the sky; the entire company looked up. Three dark shapes descended from the clouds above. Eben drew the Sword of Light.

  ‘Wyverns!’ cried Meara.

  Quade edged as quickly as possible along the rope, and the others still out on the bridge realised how vulnerable they were to an attack. The wyverns descended at a frightening pace toward the rope bridge. Meara stepped forward and raised her glowing hands. Swirls of bright light blasted toward the three monsters. A wing of one of the wyverns was torn from its body; it spiralled out of control and smashed into the mountainside.

  Molten plasma shot out from Mostyn’s hands and incinerated the wings of the second wyvern, sending it howling into the chasm below. The third wyvern nosedived and in moments whipped its tail and cut through both ropes. Quade leapt for the edge and managed to grab a hold of the cliff, but Arthur, Dillon, and the Duke Egil fell, all of them clutching to the severed rope. They swung down in an arch and crashed heavily into the mountainside. Dillon lost his grip and fell away from the cliff face. The remaining wyvern instantly swooped after him.

  Eben watched, completely powerless, as Dillon descended quickly into the valley below. The red scales of the wyvern glimmered in the daylight as it dived after the Desert Knight. Dillon drew his curved Vastorian sword as he fell. In moments the beast was upon him. It snapped out with its large fangs and bit into Dillon’s chest. Dillon, with the last of his strength, swung his blade and cut through the wyvern’s right wing. Bright red blood sprayed from the wound. A moment later the wyvern spiralled out of control as it descended rapidly into the deep. Dillon and the wyvern crashed heavily into the rocky valley below.

  ‘Quick, pull the rope!’ cried Stella. The entire company heaved the rope and dragged both Arthur and Duke Egil to the top. Both of them were bruised and battered from the impact with the cliff face.

  Arthur stood up and went to the edge. He looked into the deep. ‘Dillon is gone,’ he said in a low voice.

  The company went to join Arthur at the edge. They all felt the shock at losing one of their own so suddenly. ‘He was brave until the end as a true Desert Knight should be.’

  The company watched on in silence. Arthur then removed his mask and revealed his face for the first time. He was an older man with strong dark eyes and black hair. His complexion was weathered and like leather, and he had a short dark beard.

  The company watched on in silence for some time and paid their respects to their fallen companion.

  **

  The path took them continuously upward into the Great Mountains. Without horses the going was much slower. The company had remained mostly silent since Dillon’s death. Arthur had not said a word. There was a feeling that the Prince of Shadows was one step ahead of them and that he may already know their plan.

  ‘The Prince of Shadows sent the three wyverns to follow us and watch us from afar,’ said Mostyn. ‘They took advantage of us at our most vulnerable moment.’

  ‘Do you think there are others?’ asked Eben, looking to the sky.

  ‘No, but the enemy has many monsters in his service. We must be vigilant. Soon we will take the path to the Star King. In two days we will arrive at his cave, and then we will see if all our efforts have been worthwhile.’

  That evening they huddled on a high ledge of a mighty mountain. Nothing grew so high in the mountains. Mostyn created a fire with his magic that kept the entire campsite warm. Eben sat beside the fire with Red and Stella. Mostyn smoked his pipe; he was sitting on a rocky outcrop and looking out across the vista of majestic mountains.

  ‘We have come a long way from Ancora,’ said King Ignis as he warmed his hands by the fire.

  ‘It won’t be long before we are back there and celebrating our victory,’ said Red confidently.

  ‘I hope you are right, Red,’ replied the King. ‘I miss my home and my people.’

  ‘We must succeed,’ said Duke Egil. ‘There is simply no other way. The fate of mankind relies on us defeating the Prince of Shadows once and for all.’ Duke Egil looked across the fire at Eben. ‘We all saw you challenge the Prince of Shadows at Jeriel’s Field. He was afraid of you and the unicorn. He must know that you can defeat him. If the Star King can deliver us to him we can put an end to all this.’

  Ebe
n nodded and looked into the flickering flames of the fire. He remembered back to his childhood when he would explore the forests surrounding Clemensdale. He remembered Erako and the humble kind-hearted folk of his village. The world was so much smaller in those days. He lifted his eyes and looked to the glimmering stars in the night sky and wondered how much larger the cosmos was than he knew. He then thought of Apherah and hoped she could also see the stars.

  ‘There is also the other Astarian. He carries the Sword of Midlight. We must not underestimate his power,’ said Meara.

  ‘Callidus,’ said Eben. ‘He is a slave of the Prince of Shadows. I fought him on the headland at Crescent Bay.’

  ‘And you were beaten by Callidus?’ asked Arthur.

  ‘Yes,’ answered Eben solemnly; the images of the battle at Crescent Bay flashed through his mind, and the pain of seeing Chiara murdered surged in his heart. ‘I was overwhelmed by his skill and power.’

  ‘Can you defeat the Prince of Shadows when we assail Zarkanor?’ asked Duke Egil, his voice never lost its rough edge.

  Eben glanced across at Red, Stella, and Cassiel. He then looked back to Arthur and Duke Egil. ‘I am fighting for something the Prince of Shadows does not understand, something that does not exist in his heart. This time I will not fail.’

  ‘You believe?’ asked Meara. Eben nodded across the flames at Meara.

  ‘If you don’t cross the bridge then you never know what is on the other side,’ he said, repeating the words that Meara had said to him long ago.

  **

  The fire burned brightly through the entire night. Shortly after sunrise they set out and trekked further into the mountains. Mostyn led them onward as the track grew progressively more perilous. By midmorning the path led them through a crevice and up a rocky slope to an icy ridge. At the height of the ridge they came upon a second track that led away toward the south along a thin ledge. The track was barely visible to the eye, and the company would have missed it entirely if Mostyn wasn’t there to point it out.

  ‘This is the path to the cave,’ said Mostyn as he turned toward the south.

  Eben followed after Mostyn on foot. The unicorn led the way onward, and the company walked in single file as Mostyn guided them ever upward. The track took them south along a thin ledge and then over a jagged mountain top. They then continued on through snow and ice. The cold was biting, but no one complained. Dillon’s death had brought a sense of stoicism to the group. They all knew that they had been chosen and that their task was immensely important for the survival of men.

  They persevered deeper into the icy mountains. The cold wind blew down on them from the peaks above. Eben drew his leather cloak tightly around himself. He looked back and saw that Red’s eyebrows were covered in frost and his red beard had grown icicles. The company trudged onward, and it was clear that they were all struggling with the exception of the unicorn. The mountain track was often covered entirely in ice. After several hours of continuing upward they came upon a chasm; the path led onward through the base of the icy chasm. Great frozen chunks of ice had fallen from the mountainsides above and blocked the way onward.

  Mostyn raised his hands and columns of flame shot out. The ice steamed and hissed as it melted away. Several minutes later the path was cleared. Without a word Mostyn led them onward. As the day progressed the wind picked up and blew heavily across the mountain path. Snow blasted into their faces and the cold was bordering on unbearable. Mostyn looked back at the company; his dark tangled hair was covered in snow.

  ‘We will not survive long in this!’ he cried above the howling wind. ‘There is a cave just up ahead where we can shelter until this blizzard has passed.’

  Mostyn led them on a little further and they entered the cave that was about twenty feet deep with a wide entrance. It provided enough protection from the wind and snow. Mostyn instantly made a fire and shielded the entrance with an invisible barrier that kept the cold out. Within a few minutes the fire had warmed up the entire cave.

  ‘We must wait for the snowstorm to pass,’ said Meara. The company removed their ice covered cloaks and laid them against the wall of the cave. They then huddled close to the fire.

  ‘I have never felt so cold,’ said Cassiel as he held his pale hands near the fire.

  ‘Tomorrow we will arrive at the Star King’s cave,’ said Mostyn. ‘We are about two hours from the entrance. He is not known for his hospitality, but we can hope for a warm welcome.’

  The blizzard continued for the entire day and into the night. Mostyn’s magical barrier and fire kept the cold at bay. The company slept that night in the warmth of the cave. By morning the icy weather had passed. As the sun rose across the mountains Eben stepped out of the cave. He looked out at the majestic vista of towering snow covered mountains that surrounded the thin ledge. Many questions flowed through his mind; chief among his question was how he could cross Fiora’s Bridge. What was the secret? A few moments later Red walked over and stood beside him.

  ‘Quite a view,’ said Red as he stared out at the beams of light reflecting off the mountainsides.

  ‘Beautiful,’ said Eben. ‘I hope the day will never come when men have to leave Veredor behind.’ Eben lifted his eyes and looked to the cloudy sky above.

  ‘That day will never come,’ said Red confidently.

  ‘You are always optimistic, Red.’ Eben had realised that much of Red’s character had been formed by the hardships he had faced early in life. ‘The snow falls from the clouds onto the mountains. It then melts and flows into the rivers. Eventually the water reaches the sea. All life depends on the flow of the water and that flow starts up here in the mountains. Everything in Veredor is connected, but for some reason men were not accepted by Veredor. Understanding this riddle is the key to us defeating the Prince of Shadows.’

  ‘I have no idea,’ said Red, shaking his head.

  A moment later Cassiel came and stood with them on the ledge. ‘Have you ever seen such enormous mountains in all your life?’ he asked as he stared out with wonder in his dark eyes. ‘We must be close to the height of the range. It’s like standing on the roof of Veredor.’

  ‘It’s cold up on the roof,’ said Red.

  ‘Enjoy the cold while it lasts. Soon we may be facing the heat of dragon fire,’ said Cassiel.

  A few moments later the rest of the company exited the cave. They were ready to move on. Mostyn led the way. They followed as the track continued along the ridge and then drove deeper into the mountains. The wind had ceased, and the bitter cold of the previous day had passed. The company made good progress throughout the morning. The mountain path led them around several massive peaks and then followed a high ridge covered with ice. The ridge led them to the side of the largest mountain they had seen since entering the Great Mountains.

  ‘This is it!’ exclaimed Mostyn.

  They continued onward, and the trail led them around the side of the mountain. They came upon a large opening in the side of the mountain. Several mountain eagles circled high in the sky above the entrance. Mostyn led them up to the opening. It was about twenty feet wide and thirty feet high and looked to Eben like a natural cave.

  ‘No wizard of the Fire Order has ever entered this cave before,’ said Mostyn as he took from his pack a small oil lantern and proceeded to light it with a magic spark that danced on the tip of his finger. ‘We must be cautious. The Star King may not welcome our arrival.’

  King Ignis, Duke Egil, and Red also lit their lanterns. It was then agreed that Eben should lead the way forward. Eben mounted the unicorn and rode slowly into the dark cave. The shimmering glow of the unicorn gave off a subtle white light that illuminated the way. The company followed closely after Eben. The cave took them deep into the mountainside. Eben rode forward and the way gradually descended. For at least ten minutes they continued. The cave was becoming damp, and Eben could taste moisture in the air.

  Suddenly the way opened into a great underground cavern. The company stared out at a large
lake that was directly in front of them. The ceiling of the cavern was made up entirely of glimmering crystals and reached hundreds of yards above the still surface of the lake. They stood at the edge of the water. It became instantly apparent that there was no way onward. The lake was about three hundred yards across, but they couldn’t clearly make out the opposing bank due to the lack of light.

  Meara raised her hands; a bright white light ascended and lit the entire cavern. The crystal ceiling shimmered magnificently as the light reflected back. Eben looked out across the water and saw there was no bank on the other side, nothing but a cavern wall. His eyes scanned the edges of the lake, but there was no way onward.

  ‘Is this it? Is this the home of the Star King?’ asked Meara, looking to Mostyn.

  ‘No,’ said Mostyn. ‘He has built this lake to protect himself from the Fire Order. I can sense there is a way forward; however, the cave onward is completely submerged beneath the lake.’

  ‘Is it possible to swim?’ asked King Ignis.

  ‘No, it’s impossible. No one could swim so far.’

  ‘What about your magic?’ asked Duke Egil, looking to Mostyn.

  ‘I am of the Fire Order, not water,’ said Mostyn, shaking his head.

  ‘What about your magic, Meara?’ asked King Ignis.

  ‘I can freeze water to create bridges of ice, and I can move water, but I cannot move an entire lake.’

  ‘Then we cannot proceed. Maybe we can wait here for the Star King to come out,’ said Duke Egil gruffly.

  Eben leapt down from the unicorn and went to the edge of the water. He closed his eyes and reached down to touch the surface. He felt the icy water and several gentle ripples crossed the lake. He focused his mind, and a moment later the water started to part. The company watched in amazement as the water retreated and a tunnel formed.

  ‘Eben, you’re a wizard!’ said Red. Eben didn’t answer. He focused his mind and the tunnel extended forward across the bottom of the lake and into the submerged cave on the opposite side.