The Cessation of Karrak: Ascension III (The Karrak Trilogy Part Three Book 3)

by Robert J Marsters

  “A minor detail,” Emnor assured him, patting him gently on the back. “A minor detail… or two,” he added.

  Jared peered at him, “You’re a crafty old sod, has anyone ever told you that?” he grinned.

  “Well… it may have been suggested in the past… a couple of… dozen times, perhaps.”

  Jared put his arm around his mentor’s shoulders. “Shall we catch up?” he asked.

  “Perhaps, shortly,” replied Emnor. “First, tell me, what’s the significance of the staff?”

  “Ah yes, the staff,” replied Jared. “It’s the final link in the chain. Once that staff is handed to Drake, the chain will be completed. Everything that Yello knew, will begin to seep into Drake’s mind. It’ll take a couple of days,” he tilted his head to the side, “… perhaps a week, but when the process is complete, Drake will possess the accumulated knowledge of your best friend.”

  Emnor had a look of dread on his face, “Will he have… his memories?” he asked, tentatively.

  “No, of course not! It doesn’t work like that, it’s only his magical knowledge that will be transferred. Why do you ask?”

  Emnor wiped away the few beads of sweat that had appeared on his brow, “Oh, no reason,” he replied with a nervous laugh. “Just wondered, that’s all,” he added, turning his head and rolling his eyes in relief. “Let’s pick up the pace,” he urged. “They’ll be setting camp shortly and Lodren will be livid if we’re late for supper.”

  “We could catch up with them quite easily, Emnor, if you wanted to, of course,” replied Jared.

  “My legs work perfectly fine, thank you,” he lied, craftily taking the opportunity to rest them momentarily. “One should never use magic simply because one can, Jared. That’s the road to becoming fat and lazy.” He paused, mulling over a question that seemed to be weighing heavily on his mind, “So, when do you think…” he held up Yello’s staff, “we should hand this over to Drake?”

  “Ooh, difficult question that one. I’m not sure, I thought perhaps a hundred years or so, give or take a decade or two,” Jared laughed, “just to be on the safe side.”

  Emnor chuckled, “You’re procrastinating, Jared. Most unlike you I must say. On a serious note, however, I think that sooner rather than later would be the best idea. I propose we give it to him tonight, after supper. We can all move away from the camp, lessens the risk to our other companions.”

  Jared shrugged his shoulders, “Tonight it is then,” he agreed. Turning, he looked ahead and found that he could barely see the rest of their party as he and Emnor had fallen so far behind. “But right now, it’s time to be fat and lazy.” He placed his hand on Emnor’s shoulder, and they both vanished.

  ***

  “Why?” Drake asked, suspiciously. “Why do you want me to follow you away from a nice, well-lit, warm camp, into the dark ominous forest where who knows what could be watching us? There could be anything lurking in those trees, sizing us up for dinner.”

  “Oh, don’t be so melodramatic, Drake,” sighed Emnor. “Just do as we ask, there’s a good fellow.”

  Drake’s eyes widened, “I know what it is!” he exclaimed. “I’ve crossed the line again, haven’t I? I’ve crossed the line and you’ve had enough! You’re taking me into the forest so you can top me without the others seeing, aren’t you? Look, you don’t have to kill me. I’ll leave right now, you’ll never see me again, promise.”

  “Nobody wants to kill you,” urged Jared. He pursed his lips, “Well, perhaps some days…” he admitted, “… but not today.” With Emnor leading the way, Jared nudged Drake roughly, crooking his finger for Drake to follow.

  A reasonable distance from the camp, Emnor and Jared lit torches and turned to face Drake, who was looking decidedly nervous.

  Emnor looked him up and down, “Will you relax, boy,” he instructed, “no-one’s going to harm you,” he assured him with a fake smile. “Well… it may sting a bit, but…”

  “What Emnor is trying to say is that we’re only here to give you something, Drake,” said Jared, quick to interrupt. “That something, will benefit you greatly in the future.”

  “Yeah, a bloody good hiding no doubt! That’s what all parents say to their kids when they’re knocking the living daylights out of them, isn’t it? I don’t want to do this, but it’s for your own good.”

  “I swear, if you don’t shut your face that might…”

  Jared interrupted Emnor for the second time, “We simply want to present you with this,” he said, raising his voice slightly. He held out the staff.

  Drake frowned, “Why?” he asked slowly. “That’s Yello’s staff. At least, it was. It belongs to Emnor now.” He shook his head, “No, I can’t, I can’t take that, it’s not right,” he muttered, his voice beginning to crack as a solitary tear trickled down his cheek. “If I take that it’ll mean… it’ll mean he’s not… coming back. I thought there might be a chance… you know… somehow.”

  Emnor lowered his head, “I hoped the same, Maddleton, I really did. But the only way he could return to us would involve the use of necromancy, a vile and despicable black magic that has been outlawed for centuries. All but the foulest of our kind would never condone its use. No, my friend, I’m afraid Yello is lost to us. We must be brave, for as long as we have our memories of him, he will never truly be gone.”

  Drake smiled unexpectedly, “He was a good old stick he was. I liked him a lot. How can anyone be as old as him but still act like a big kid?”

  “Growing older is something that Yello could not prevent,” smiled Emnor. “But the old sod fought tooth and nail against growing up.”

  “It’s time,” Jared said, offering the staff once more. He nodded at Drake, “Take it, he’d want you to have it.”

  Drake took a deep breath and stepped forward. Reaching out with both hands, he grasped the staff, closing his eyes and ducking slightly. Exactly what this was supposed to prevent his elders were unsure, but if it made him feel more comfortable, who were they to argue.

  Drake opened one eye, the other still screwed tightly shut. Nothing happened, “Cor, that’s a relief,” he sighed, “I thought I might get blown up or frozen solid. I’m surprised though, I thought I might feel something. It’s much lighter than it looks.”

  But Drake could not see what was happening behind him.

  A blue mist was beginning to form, a mist that within seconds resembled a miniature storm cloud as it swirled and flashed. It began to take shape, appearing as a shrouded figure whose arms reached out to the young wizard briefly, before wrapping him in a macabre embrace.

  Drake stopped talking, all expression leaving his face as he was lifted from the ground.

  He dangled limply and remained silent for some time, the ghostly arms the only thing keeping him suspended in mid-air, but then he began to twitch.

  It was quite amusing initially, Emnor and Jared watching as Drake’s head flopped from one side to the other, not appearing dissimilar to someone who had dozed off in the back of a cart as it travelled down a bumpy road. But the amusement ceased as Drake began to convulse violently. He went rigid, as if he had been struck by lightning, his eyes growing wide as a look of terrified desperation swept across his face. His body thrashed around like a marionette controlled by an overzealous child, as his mouth opened and archaic spells unused for centuries spewed from his lips. The words were clear as was the voice that spoke them, it was Yello!

  Emnor gasped and stepped forward but Jared grabbed his shoulder and dragged him back roughly. The old wizard could not be allowed to interfere.

  They watched in horror as Drake’s features changed, his skin contorting as if it were being kneaded by cruel, invisible fingers. Within seconds his face had changed. He was no longer the young man they had brought to the clearing, they were now looking upon the features of someone far older, Drake now wore Yello’s face!

  Emnor looked searchingly at Jared, hoping to find an explanation to calm the confusion in his mind. But the prince had n
o explanation to give. Looking back at Drake, he watched as his features became his own once more.

  Only then did he notice the tempestuous winds and thunderous noise that had commenced with Drake’s inexplicable transformation.

  Emnor grabbed Jared, “WE MUST STOP THIS!” he bellowed. “IT’S KILLING HIM!”

  Jared held his arms, “If we interfere, we might kill him,” he shouted. “We have to wait!”

  Without warning, Drake was suddenly thrown through the air, his limp body hitting the ground and tumbling over and over before coming to an abrupt halt at the foot of a tree.

  The howling wind and flashes of light faded, and a serenity descended on the clearing, leaving them in inky blackness.

  Jared and Emnor scrambled around, re-lighting the torches before rushing over to check on Drake. He lay motionless, eyes closed, but looking none the worse for wear.

  Jared dropped to his knees and cradled the boy’s head in his lap. Reaching for his belt, he ripped the waterskin from it and began to trickle some onto Drake’s lips. His eyes still closed, the young man raised his hand to brush Jared away, “What are you trying to do, drown me?” he muttered. It was still Yello’s voice that they could hear, but his tone soon changed to the lighter, smoother voice of Drake. “I have bathed this morning I’ll have you know. Now tell me, what… erm… how am I on the… what the bloody hell did you do to me? I knew you were trying to kill me! Who threw me on the floor? Look at me, I’m filthy!”

  Drake had survived, and all seemed well. However, unbeknownst to them all, they were being watched!

  In the darkness, shrouded eyes flickered as they reflected the flames from the wizard’s torches. Eyes furious at the peril in which Drake had seemingly just been placed.

  Hannock’s mind had been consumed of late with dark forebodings of what they were about to face. Jared seemed distant, they barely spoke to one another, and when they did, their conversations were always regarding Karrak and his deeds. He had begun to doubt his friend, and complete mistrust in Emnor was embedded in his darkest thoughts.

  For some reason Hannock had taken to Drake, regarding him as the son he had never had. The wizard’s decision to place the boy in danger did not sit well with him. He must be the one to protect Drake, it seemed. Gritting his teeth and with one last glance, he backed away into the shadows, convinced that he had remained unseen.

  But he was wrong!

  High above him, two figures watched suspiciously.

  “Well, what do you make of that then?” whispered Poom.

  “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” replied Lawton.

  “Go on then, clever clogs. What’s obvious?” Poom asked.

  “They’re teaching the boy some kind of new magic they think he might find useful,” Lawton snorted.

  “No, I mean old one-eye. Why is he spying on them?”

  “You know what Hannock’s like, he always wants to know what’s going on. It’s the soldier in him, he’s always sticking his nose into other people’s business.”

  “Really?” chuckled Poom. “That’s the best you can come up with? He’s nosy.”

  “Well what else could it be?”

  “Far worse than that. He doesn’t trust ‘em! And to be honest, I can understand why. All the sneaking about and hushed conversations, it’d make anyone suspicious.”

  “Whatever it is, it’s none of our business. We’re here for one simple reason, your favourite reason, we’re here for a scrap. Come on, let’s get back to camp.”

  CHAPTER 14

  The companions began to look differently upon Drake. He was acting… strangely. Most of the time he was his usual carefree self, but occasionally he would say the most profound and intelligent things, things that were quite unlike him. This in itself was not alarming. His change of voice, however, was. It elicited different responses from various members; Grubb thought it was hilarious and would roll about laughing, begging for him to do it again; Emnor, understandably, found it a little upsetting; Faylore found it tiresome; but Lodren didn’t like it at all. He would yelp as if he had been scalded and hide behind the nearest tree, that’s if he didn’t disappear into the woods completely. Luckily for Lodren, someone always volunteered to retrieve him.

  One such occurrence had taken place just after breakfast one morning, but as everything was packed, and they were ready to leave anyway, they all followed him.

  “Oh well,” laughed Emnor, “at least he’s fleeing in the right direction.”

  They caught up with him much sooner than they had expected. He was crouching behind a tree and turned to face them as they approached. He held his finger up to his lips, “Keep the noise down,” he hissed, pointing frantically ahead of them. “Bears,” he added, “loads of them.”

  Hannock marched forward, drawing his sword, “You just cower there, Lodren and protect that tree. I’ll make the nasty bears go away,” he sniggered.

  “You don’t have to say it like that,” pouted Lodren. “And anyway, you won’t get them all before they have you for breakfast, there are far too many of them. It looks like there’s a pack of wolves with them as well!”

  “Of course there is,” chuckled Hannock, “and a couple of unicorns, and a dragon just for good measure.”

  “Don’t make fun of me, Mr Hannock,” snapped Lodren, frowning, “I know what I saw! There’s at least ten bears and two wolves for definite.”

  Hannock craned his neck, perhaps he should give the Nibby the benefit of the doubt. Sure enough, he saw movement up ahead. Lodren was right, it was a bear! No… wait, two bears, three, four, five. He backed away. “He’s bloody right you know!” he sighed. “They’re everywhere. I can’t see any wolves but there are definitely half a dozen bears or more.”

  “We’ll have to retrace our steps and go around them,” suggested Lodren.

  “What!” protested Grubb, “I could bag at least three of ‘em an’ the wizards can kill the rest with their magic. It won’t take five minutes.”

  “We are not going to kill any of them!” snapped Lodren. “They have more right to be here than we do! We go around them, alright?” he added, gripping his hammer a little tighter as he glared at Grubb.

  “Alright, alright!” replied Grubb, his voice getting a little higher. “I was only kiddin’, we’ll go around ‘em if it keeps you ‘appy.”

  Their discovery of the bears added at least five miles onto their journey, but Lodren would not hear of them risking a second encounter, insisting that they were the ones who shouldn’t really be there.

  Despite their detour, it seemed that they had in fact been quite fortunate. Within minutes they found a well-worn track, allowing them much swifter progress. Winding their way through the forest was actually quite pleasant and the daylight even seemed a little brighter than it had been of late.

  “’ere, Lodren,” called Grubb, “Got anythin’ I can munch on? I’m a bit ‘ungry.”

  “Just be patient,” said Hannock. “There’s a clearing up ahead. We’ll take a break there.”

  “Okay,” Grubb sighed. “I suppose I can wait.”

  As they approached the clearing, there was much rustling of branches within the thickets beyond. They paused, weapons drawn, fearing the worst. The branches of a hedgerow parted, and through them, came the first bear. It glanced at them, tilting its head to one side. Looking completely disinterested, it stretched out and tumbled onto its side. It was quickly, well, comparatively quickly, followed by another, and another, and another, until their path was blocked by twenty or more very large bears. Each bear was as relaxed as the next as they lay there stretching and scratching themselves, but one had decided to approach them. It stopped a few yards ahead of them and sat down. Wrapping its arms across its chest it looked at them in turn, and almost appeared to be smiling.

  Grubb’s sudden outburst startled everyone but the bear, “Ignore ‘em,” he yelled. “Just ignore ‘em. Don’t make eye contact, just walk past ‘em as if they weren’t even there. We don’t need their sort
taggin’ along with us. Come on, follow me.” Grabbing Buster’s reins, he proceeded to march ahead.

  “Grubb get back here!” urged Lodren, “They’re bears, if you startle them they might attack you.”

  Grubb was now standing next to the bear that had sat before them. Curling his lip, he looked it up and down, “No,” he said slowly, “they’re somethin’ far more dangerous. Trust me you lot, just follow me and ignore ‘em. You’ll regret it if ye don’t.”

  “What are you on about?” exclaimed Drake. “We’re not blind, Grubb, they’re bears! Admittedly, they’re very strangely behaved bears, but they’re bears nonetheless.”

  The bear turned and stared, wide-eyed at Drake, “You’ll have to forgive him,” it growled, “manners never were his strong suit.”

  ***

  The companions stood there open-mouthed, aghast at what they had just heard. Lodren began tugging at Jared’s sleeve, “Mr Jared, that bear just spoke!” he exclaimed. “Did you hear me? It’s a talking bear!”

  Grubb looked back at him, “No it ain’t,” he groaned.

  “I’m not deaf, Grubb!” shrieked Lodren, “I know what I heard, he was talking.”

  “Yes, he was talking, true enough. But ‘e ain’t no bear!”

  Lodren looked puzzled, “Of course it is… I mean, he is. I’m not blind either.”

  Faylore smiled, “He’s one of your kin, isn’t he, Grubb?”

  Grubb sighed, “Yeah, he’s one o’ my cousins. This is Lorzic,” he announced.

  The bear smiled, at least it appeared to be a smile, “Nice to meet you all,” he said quietly. “Despite my cousin’s disapproval of our meeting.”

  “But why are you all disguised as bears?” asked Lodren as politely as possible.

  “It’s what they always do,” barked Grubb. “When they’re scared of somethin’ that is. Bunch o’ lily-livered…”

  “Grubb! Don’t be rude,” snapped Faylore.

  “It’s the truth, it’s what they’ve always done! They make ‘emselves look as big as possible to scare anybody as might want to hurt ‘em, and bears is the best they can do.”