by E J Gilmour
‘He is of the mer,’ said Meara. ‘So it is true. The mer can manipulate water.’
Eben stood up and looked back at the company. ‘We should move quickly. I’m not sure how long I can hold back the lake.’
Without delay the company entered the tunnel through the water. They moved quickly forward and were amazed by the suspension of the water around them. They crossed the bottom of the lake and entered the cave opposite. The cave descended for a little time and then took a turn to the right and ascended and widened gradually before ascending for some time. Directly ahead they could see a dim light. The cave led them into a small cavern.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
On the far side of the cavern was a giant man seated on a huge stone throne that was hewn out of the mountain itself. The man, if he could be called a man, was dressed in furs and was at least ten feet in height. His long grey beard descended to his knees and his white eyebrows were thicker than any Eben had ever seen. His large grey eyes stared at them as they entered the cavern. He examined the company with an expression that was similar to a child examining ants in a garden. When the unicorn entered the chamber his eyes shifted and revealed a flicker of interest, but his curiosity quickly faded away.
The company stared at the Star King for several moments before Eben stepped forward. ‘My name is Eben Ecorian. I greet you with respect, Star King. I have come to seek your help. The Prince of Shadows has returned to Veredor. He has brought armies of monsters. Our race is threatened as are all who are good in Veredor.’
The Star King stared at Eben from behind his bushy eyebrows and remained silent. An entire minute passed and nothing was said.
‘Will you hear our request?’ asked Eben, thinking that the ancient one wouldn’t answer at all.
The Star King shook his head and looked down. In a deep grumbling voice he answered. ‘What is it to me if men are destroyed? Men have only given me trouble since I arrived in Veredor thousands of years ago.’
‘Don’t you want men to survive? Do you want the good of our world to be destroyed?’
The Star King laughed heavily. ‘Ecorian, have you not seen the evil that men do? I would question your assumption that men are good. Men seek power, men build walls and barriers, men exploit the vulnerable, and men feed off the innocent creatures of Veredor. No, Ecorian, my opinion of men is that they are not good.’
Eben was shocked by the Star King’s answer, but he quickly gathered himself and thought of a reply. ‘But men can be good. Men can choose to do what is right.’
‘That may be so, yet mostly they choose not to. There was a time when the Astarians hoped that men would make such choices, yet they did not then and they will not now.’
‘You refer to Fiora’s Bridge?’
The Star King laughed again. ‘You know of what I speak, Ecorian. Yes, I refer to Fiora’s Bridge. It was not crossed, and as far as I can see it cannot be crossed, at least not by any man from Veredor.’
‘Why not?’ asked Eben, hoping the Star King could shed some light on the matter.
‘Because the Cosmic Gate is built from the essence of Veredor. For thousands of years I have also tried to pass through the Cosmic Gate, but I, like you, am not of Veredor. To control the Cosmic Gate you must be in relationship with this world because the Cosmic Gate is fused to the essence of Veredor. To be in a true relationship with anything requires something that men, by their nature, cannot give.’
‘What must we give?’
‘Such things are obvious to the innocent and hidden from the powerful,’ grumbled the ancient one. He then slowly stood up and took his wooden staff which had been perched beside his throne. Eben could then see he only had one hand. The Star King then slowly walked toward the company. ‘What a powerful group of men you have gathered together, Ecorian. I am sure they make you feel safe. Do you think they are powerful enough to challenge the Prince of Shadows? Do you think they can protect you from such deadly enemies?’
‘We are powerful enough,’ said Duke Egil boldly.
The imposing giant stared down at Duke Egil and laughed again. ‘Perhaps you are; nevertheless, I am sure the Prince of Shadows will test your strength, and you may find that you have less power than you think.’
The Star King then stepped toward Eben. He slowly moved his staff forward and gently tapped it on Eben’s plate armour. ‘Tell me, Ecorian. Is the purpose of this fine armour to keep your enemies out or to keep you in?’
‘Of course my armour protects me from my enemies,’ replied Eben, feeling the question must be a riddle.
‘Do you wear your armour when you are at home with your friends and safe behind the walls of Faircastle?’
‘No,’ replied Eben, wondering what the Star King could mean.
‘Why not? Why not wear armour to protect yourself from your friends? Do you trust your friends enough not to wear your armour around them?’ asked the ancient one as if his question was quite valid.
‘That makes no sense; why would I wear armour to protect myself from my friends.’
‘I see,’ said the Star King as he looked away. ‘Walls, barriers, weapons, armour; it’s all the same.’ The Star King then walked back to his stone throne and sat down. ‘I cannot help you, Ecorian. The time of men in Veredor has finished. It would be best for you and your brave companions to leave and return to your homes. Celebrate and enjoy your final days before the Prince of Shadows destroys your race.’
‘There must be a way!’ said Eben, a tone of desperation in his voice. ‘Fiora’s Bridge must be crossed. Surely the problem with men can be cured.’
The Star King looked up for a moment and pondered Eben’s words. ‘A cure has already been found but not by a man from Veredor.
‘Then why must Fiora’s Bridge be crossed again?’
‘Each man must walk the path. Each man must climb the mountain. If you want to stay in Veredor you must do what was never done.’
‘But I don’t understand how to do that!’ said Eben.
‘Then you simply cannot defeat the Prince of Shadows,’ said the Star King impatiently. ‘Now you must all leave my home before I become angry. My patience has been tested long enough. You should be aware that I do not appreciate visitors.’
Mostyn stepped forward. ‘We came here to ask of you a favour. Could you open a gateway for us into Zarkanor?’
The Star King groaned deeply. His large grey eyes widened and revealed his anger. ‘A wizard of the Fire Order comes here to ask for my help. How times have changed! I have already helped you by not killing you for trespassing. If not for the Ecorian I would have already crushed your bones to dust. As a gift I will allow you to leave peacefully. Do not ask me for anything or I will make you wish you never entered this place.’
Mostyn was silenced and stepped back to join the company. For a few moments nothing was said.
‘Perhaps there is something we can give you in exchange,’ said Eben.
The Star King laughed deeply for quite some time. ‘There is nothing I want from men. There is nothing that men can give me, not even you, Ecorian.’
Eben reached into his armour and drew forth the Sun Stone that had been given to him by the mer. He held up the glowing crystal so all the company could see it.
‘See this stone I hold. It is the Sun Stone of the Astarians. Would you open a gateway for us if I was to give this to you?’
The ancient one stood up and stared wide-eyed with wonder at the crystal. ‘You would willingly trade the Sun Stone for this simple task?’
‘If you would open a gateway for us to Zarkanor,’ replied Eben.
‘For ages I have dreamt of the Sun Stone. Long has it been far from my grasp in the depths of the ocean. Indeed, for this I will open a gateway into the Fortress of Zarkanor. Yes, for this I would give anything.’
**
The Star King came down from his throne. ‘Follow me. I will take you to the Chamber of Gates. From there I will open a gateway to Zarkanor.’ The giant walked to the right side of th
e chamber and touched the wall of rock with his wooden staff. Instantly the rocks parted. They groaned and cracked as they formed an entrance into a secret tunnel that led away from the main chamber. The Star King looked back at the company.
‘I have never taken anyone through to the Chamber of Gates. Now that I have the Sun Stone I doubt I will come this way ever again. Follow me.’ The Star King’s entire demeanour had changed; his eyes were glowing, and he walked forward with a sense of vigour and purpose. Eben was first to follow, and Meara came quickly to his side.
‘You never told me that you possessed the Sun Stone,’ she said as they followed the Star King down the long tunnel.
‘Casimir told me not to mention it to anyone. He told me to give it to a person who I would meet with only one hand.’
‘Then Casimir knew we would seek out the Star King,’ said Meara. ‘He must have also known we would attempt to infiltrate Zarkanor. Let us hope that the Prince of Shadows does not see what Casimir can see, for he also has the Astarian ability to see what is hidden.’ Meara’s eyes looked to the Star King who was leading them onward. ‘The Sun Stone is a powerful relic of the Astarian people. With the Sun Stone he will be able to pass through the Cosmic Gate and find his way back to his home across the cosmos.’
They came to the far side of the tunnel which opened into a chamber with a perfectly domed ceiling. The shining floor of the chamber was made entirely of smooth crystal. The chamber was about forty yards in diameter, and the ceiling was about as high as the room was wide. A gentle light drifted up from the crystal floor and lit up their surroundings. The company all entered the chamber.
The Star King walked into the centre. ‘Zarkanor is a mighty fortress. Nothing, not even Faircastle, compares to it,’ said the ancient one. ‘I come from a world of builders and was brought to Veredor by the Prince of Shadows thousands of years ago. Over the course of a hundred years I built Zarkanor as a home for the Prince of Shadows. However, I was betrayed; when I had finished my task he refused to send me back to my world. I grew angry and attempted to force him to keep his side of our arrangement. Unfortunately, I was no match for the Prince of Shadows. He cast me out of Zarkanor. I was left for dead in the wilderness of Veredor where I wandered for many years. I then agreed to help the Astarian Fiora in her ongoing battle with the Prince of Shadows. I built the Fortress of Shidon in the north so she could contest the Prince of Shadows, but I did this only out of a desire for revenge.’
The Star King looked to the ceiling and raised his wooden staff. A blast of bright white lightning shot up from his staff and struck the top of the dome. It swirled for a moment and then disappeared.
‘The Prince of Shadows is entirely evil and desires nothing but power. If you do not stop him he will destroy Veredor.’ Again he lifted his staff and a second blast of lightning shot up and struck the height of the dome. ‘Zarkanor consists of three mighty outer towers, each a fortress in their own right. At the centre of the three towers is a central fourth tower, the mightiest fortress in all of Veredor. Your enemy will be waiting for you there. I will open a gateway into the lower levels of the northeast tower. From there you should be able to find your way onward. The gateway will remain open for an hour; only you can re-enter the gate, it will be invisible to all others. If you enter the gate from the other side it will take you back to the hills to the east of Faircastle.’
Again he lifted his staff and a mighty blast of lightning shot out. This time the raw white lightning didn’t dissipate. The pure lightning circled the dome ceiling at a blistering pace. The Star King held his staff up and the swirls of lightning gradually descended from the ceiling and back into the staff. He then vertically cut the air with his staff. A few moments later he reached forward and pulled apart the space in front of him like he was pulling back a curtain. He created an opening in thin air that led into darkness.
‘Are you ready, Ecorian?’ he asked as he looked back at the company.
‘Yes,’ replied Eben.
‘All your companions must go first. After you hand me the Sun Stone you can also go.’
The company walked forward and one by one they stepped through the gate into the darkness beyond. Last of all Eben was left with the unicorn. He then handed the Sun Stone to the Star King. The ancient one smiled as he lifted the glowing crystal in his hand, and his large happy eyes examined it closely.
‘Thank you, Ecorian. For a long time I have waited for this moment. I shall now return home to my people.’ The Star King then looked down at Eben. ‘I hope you understand the way to overcome the Prince of Shadows. Remember what I said about walls, barriers, armour, and weapons. Perhaps you will see the way across Fiora’s Bridge.’
Eben reached up and shook the hand of the ancient one. He then stepped toward the gateway with the unicorn at his side. ‘I hope you journey home brings you happiness.’ The Star King smiled one last time. With these words Eben and the unicorn stepped through the gateway.
Instantly they arrived in a dank and gloomy basement. A foul stench of rot permeated the room. The company were standing around and waiting to make a move. The room was small and looked to be an abandoned cellar. The only contents were many smashed bottles of wine. The stone walls were covered in thick mould and several rats huddled in the corner, frightened of the newcomers. A single tunnel led up and out of the cellar.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Mostyn concentrated and closed his eyes. For several minutes he focused his magic as they waited in the gloomy stench of the abandoned cellar.
‘I see the Princess is being held in a cage in the main hall of the south-western tower. The dragon lies curled up on the floor beside her. We will have to fight the dragon to save her. We must also attempt to reach her without being seen. If we are discovered we will be inundated and overwhelmed quickly by muckrons.’
‘Can we cross from this tower to the other without being seen?’ asked Meara.
‘I doubt it. The distance between the towers is about two hundred yards and completely in the open. I am sure there will be watchers and guards outside. There is another way; a tunnel joins this tower to the south-western tower, but I think it is guarded by something.’
‘What something?’ asked Red.
‘I do not know exactly,’ replied Mostyn. ‘It is not clear to me. A monster of some kind; my vision shows me nothing about its nature.’
‘If you believe the tunnel is safer then we should probably go that way,’ said Meara.
‘Either way we can’t stay here in this dark hole. We should make a move,’ said Duke Egil.
‘It may be wise to fight one thing rather than risk fighting hundreds of wyverns and thousands of muckrons,’ said Mostyn.
‘I agree,’ said Eben, not comfortable with the possibility of battling so many foes at once. ‘The tunnel is probably the best option. Can you lead us onward?’
‘Of course,’ said the wizard. ‘We must be ready for battle at any moment.’
Mostyn led the way out of the cellar. The tunnel was just large enough for the unicorn to pass through. At the far side they came to an old rotten door. The wizard opened it, just a little, to peek out. He watched for a few moments before turning back to the company.
They walked out into a long corridor that was almost as dark and dank as the cellar they had come from. ‘Follow me,’ whispered Mostyn. He led them on, and they walked down the shadowy corridor for about fifty feet. They then came to a tunnel that bore away to the left. The tunnel, hewn out of the stone, was about fifteen feet in height and about twenty feet wide. ‘This is it.’ Mostyn led them onward. After about thirty feet they came to a large iron door.
‘This door has been enchanted with a powerful spell,’ said Meara. ‘I may be able to lift the enchantment long enough to allow us to enter the tunnel.’ She reached out and placed the palm of her hand against the surface of the metal. A gentle blue light issued forth. ‘The spell was cast by an Astarian. I can break it, but it will take some time. Cassiel, I will need your help.
’ Cassiel stepped forward and reached out, placing both his hands against the door. ‘Do you feel it?’
‘Yes. It’s very heavy,’ replied Cassiel as he closed his eyes and concentrated.
‘Together we can do this.’
Instantly Cassiel’s hands began to glow. For several minutes the company waited as Meara and Cassiel worked on the enchantment. Gradually the door started to slightly glow. Suddenly the light faded away. Meara then looked back at the company.
‘It is done,’ she said as she reached for the handle. ‘But the enchantment will return in several seconds. We must not delay.’ The door opened inwardly and the large hinges creaked; clearly the door had not been opened for a long time. The tunnel beyond was completely shrouded in darkness. Mostyn stepped forward and raised his hands. Several lights, like fireflies, shot forward along the length of the tunnel and lit the way onward. They could see that the tunnel was very long, about two hundred yards, and at the far side there was a door that was an exact copy as the one they had just opened.
‘Be on guard,’ said Mostyn as he walked forward.
Mostyn led them onwards with Quade by his side. Quade held his crossbow ready to fire at anything that moved. As they approached the midway point it became apparent that the left side of the floor was flooded with a dark slimy liquid that gave off a rancid smell. They kept to the right as they passed by the sludge.
‘Disgusting,’ said Arthur, grimacing from the smell. They continued to the end of the corridor and arrived at the second iron door. Meara reached out and touched the metal surface.
‘This one is also enchanted,’ she said, looking to Cassiel for help.
‘Look,’ said Stella, pointing back to the sludge. The dark liquid was moving toward them across the floor.
‘What in Veredor is that?’ asked King Ignis.
Mostyn stared at the dark sludge; the sight of it seemed to press heavily on the wizard’s heart. ‘This is not a tunnel; it is a prison.’
‘Cassiel, quick, help me with the door!’ said Meara. Cassiel reached out, and they both started to work on breaking the enchantment.
